Malwarebytes Privacy VPN Review 2024: A Great Beginner VPN

Malwarebytes Privacy VPN is suitable for those with basic security requirements and lightweight streaming needs. It passed our DNS and WebRTC leak tests, so we feel assured that it can offer privacy for online activity. It also maintains solid connection speeds.

However, it's only available as an annual subscription and it's hard to trust a VPN without an audited no-logs policy.

Malwarebytes VPN is a user-friendly option for basic privacy, but other premium VPN providers would be better if you require more diverse features, flexible subscription options, and stronger protection against logging and government access.

We aim to address all of your concerns as well as pricing, features, test results, and more about Malwarebytes Privacy VPN.

Malwarebytes Privacy VPN review at a glance

Price	$3.33–$24.58/mo
Free version	No, only a 7-day free trial
Max # of connected devices	20
# of servers	470+ servers in 45+ countries
VPN protocol	WireGuard
No-logs policy	No logs
Headquarters	United States
Netflix access	Yes
Learn more	Get Malwarebytes Privacy VPN

We last tested Malwarebytes Privacy VPN on October 21, 2024.

Our experience

Malwarebytes VPN is easy to install and use right away. After selecting the Windows download, we just needed to log in. Malwarebytes even offers a simple yet effective tutorial to explain the key features. 

It's a little annoying that the dashboard is static in the lower right-hand corner of the screen, and there's no option to pin the app to our nav bar. Essentially, we have to exit out of the dashboard to minimize it and can only open it again by clicking the desktop shortcut. 

Other providers offer more customization when resizing and moving dashboard. But the Malwarebytes dash is more compact compared to other VPNs, which is convenient because others can be a bit too sprawling and busy. 

Connecting to a server is also easy. After selecting the country, a list of available servers by city populates, making the selection process a breeze. 

However, there's no option for a recommended or optimized server, which could leave VPN beginners confused. We also didn't see any optimized servers for streaming, torrenting, or other common server uses. 

Identifying and locating advanced security features like split tunneling and multi-hop is not straightforward because Malwarebytes has its own labels for these VPN features. Malwarebytes calls split tunneling "connection rules" and multi-hop "connection mode." 

Confusing, right? We thought so too. 

Who is Malwarebytes VPN best for?

Malwarebytes Privacy VPN is best for beginners who don't need advanced functionality. It's a good option for basic privacy and security, but there are limitations to consider. While this VPN offers both multi-hop and split tunneling functions, these features are limited to Windows.

And while the monthly investment is low, there’s only an annual subscription option. Not everyone needs 12 months' worth of VPN services. Luckily Malwarebytes says you can cancel at any time. If you fall within its 60-day money-back guarantee, you can submit a support ticket to customer service and receive a refund.

Additionally, Malwarebytes is based in the U.S., which may make your data accessible to the government despite its no-logs policy. Those same logging policies may not meet everyone's expectations, as it does collect license information to validate the license key. Also, the pre-set plans display a maximum of five device connections, which may be perfect or not enough for some. 

There is an option during the checkout process to increase the number of devices to 20, but you'll be paying the equivalent of $15/month for the trouble. If you have a large household, it's better to consider a VPN provider that offers unlimited simultaneous connections.

Overall, there are other VPNs that offer greater privacy, more flexibility, and better device coverage. But the average person is likely to find this sufficient for their everyday needs, and the ability to bundle the VPN with Malwarebytes antivirus protection is a bonus (if you're okay with paying extra). 

Prices and subscriptions

Malwarebytes VPN has a wide price range from $3.33–$24.58/mo. Your price depends on your subscription term length, how many devices you wish to cover, and whether you purchase just the VPN or decide to bundle it with antivirus.

Here's how Malwarebytes Privacy VPN's starting price compares to top VPN providers: 

• Malwarebytes Privacy VPN: $3.33/mo (billed annually)
• Surfshark: $1.99/mo (billed every two years)
• NordVPN: $2.99/mo (billed every two years)
• ExpressVPN: $6.25/mo (billed annually)

The VPN also offers only annual subscriptions, which doesn’t provide much flexibility. (If cost is a constraint, there are ways to save money on a VPN.)

Plan comparison

Features	Privacy VPN	Malwarebytes Plus
Starting price	$3.33/mo (billed annually)	$5.00/mo (billed annually)
Max # of device connections	20	20
Privacy VPN
Browser Guard
Premium Security
Learn more	View plan	View plan

Speaking of prices, we'd love to see Malwarebytes accept additional payment methods. Currently, it only accepts PayPal as well as credit cards, including Visa, MasterCard, and American Express.

Other VPNs, like ExpressVPN and NordVPN, accept multiple payment methods, including cryptocurrency and gift cards. And Mullvad VPN even accepts cash. The anonymity these types of payments provide is especially ideal for anyone using a VPN for personal security.

Features

Malwarebytes Privacy VPN is a reliable and secure choice for streaming and meeting basic security needs. However, some users may have security concerns about the company or the VPN service.

Some of our favorite features include the following:

• Unblocks Netflix libraries: With 470+ servers in 45+ countries, you can enjoy extensive access to Netflix libraries in the U.K., Japan, Canada, and more.
• User-friendly interface and guides: Simple navigation and readily accessible online guides.
• AES-256 encryption: Utilizes highly secure 256-bit encryption trusted by governments and businesses.
• Automatic kill switch for Windows and macOS: Instantly cuts off internet traffic if the VPN connection drops, enhancing data protection.
• Uses WireGuard: The WireGuard protocol offers faster VPN speeds and reduced lag.
• Offers multihop and split tunneling: Malwarebytes calls multi-hop (double VPN) “connection mode” and split tunneling “connection rules” — both features provide additional security for your Wi-Fi connection.

Here are the potential cons we see with Malwarebytes Privacy VPN:

• Jurisdiction: Based in the United States, Malwarebytes is subject to data retention laws and intelligence-sharing agreements. This raises concerns about government surveillance and data access.
• Logging policy: While claiming a no-logs policy, Malwarebytes’ privacy policy should be reviewed for specifics. Minimal logs can still compromise privacy.
• Limited server network: With a limited server network, slow connections and speed drops may be more common, and it can be frustrating to find a good server due to overcrowding.
• Advanced security features: Malwarebytes Privacy VPN prioritizes simplicity over advanced security features. If you need stronger security measures, you might find it lacking. There are additional security features included if you bundle the VPN with Malwarebytes Premium antivirus — but you’ll need to pay more.
• Independent audits: From the looks of the website, Malwarebytes Privacy VPN hasn't undergone independent security audits, potentially affecting trust in their privacy and security claims.
• Feature limitations: Some features, like multihop and split tunneling, are available only for Windows, leaving out macOS and mobile users.

Evaluate your security needs before deciding if Malwarebytes Privacy VPN meets your requirements. Want to binge-watch your favorite TV series this weekend? Likely a solid choice. Trying to run from the government? Not so much.

Server count and countries

• 470+ servers in 45+ countries

Having servers in different locations allows you to access specific content, improve your connection speed, and enhance privacy and security by connecting through different countries.

Currently, Malwarebytes Privacy VPN has over 470+ servers spread across 45+ countries. Here is the breakdown by continent:

• Europe: Albania, Austria, Belgium, Bulgaria, Croatia, Czech Republic, Denmark, Estonia, Finland, France, Germany, Greece, Hungary, Ireland, Italy, Latvia, Netherlands, Norway, Poland, Portugal, Romania, Serbia, Slovakia, Slovenia, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland, Ukraine
• North America: Canada, Mexico, United States
• Middle East: Cyprus, Israel, Turkey
• Asia: Indonesia, Japan, Hong Kong, Singapore, Thailand
• South America: Brazil, Colombia, Peru
• Africa: South Africa
• Oceania: Australia, New Zealand
  

While Malwarebytes Privacy VPN has fewer servers than competitors like NordVPN, which has over 6,300 servers, it still provides wide coverage across various continents. The smaller server count could lead to congestion if there are too many users on the same servers. However, the server count comes down to your specific needs.

No-logs policy and headquarters

• Malwarebytes Privacy VPN logs policy: Malwarebytes VPN logs minimal data, including license data, software version, and public key.
• Malwarebytes Privacy VPN headquarters: Santa Clara, California, United States

Malwarebytes Privacy VPN claims to have a "no-logs policy," but its privacy policy suggests some data collection. It notes collecting your license data to activate your license, your software version to provide updates, and your public key so that your VPN app can establish a connection.

Being based in California, United States, raises concerns due to surveillance alliances like the Five Eyes alliance. A VPN provider in such jurisdictions may have to share user data with the government. If you’re concerned about privacy, you may prefer VPNs based in countries outside of these alliances to minimize the risk of government surveillance and data sharing, such as NordVPN (Panama), ExpressVPN (British Virgin Islands), or CyberGhost (Romania).

While not a true no-logs policy, this stance isn't unusual in the VPN world. It's worth noting that Malwarebytes Privacy VPN doesn’t log network data, which includes personal information like email addresses and IP addresses.

Kill switch

A kill switch is a feature that prevents your device from automatically switching back to its regular, unencrypted internet connection if the VPN unexpectedly disconnects. This is especially important if you’re using public Wi-Fi and want to prevent hackers from gaining access to your device. 

Malwarebytes Privacy VPN has an automatic kill switch feature for both macOS and Windows.

Multi-hop (double VPN)

The multi-hop feature is currently exclusive to Windows users, so mobile and macOS users are left out. With multi-hop, also known as double VPN, you can establish a connection through two different VPN servers, enhancing your online privacy and security. Malwarebytes calls this “connection mode.”

By using multi-hop, your data gets encrypted and passes through multiple VPN servers, making it harder for anyone to trace your online activities back to your device. This extra layer of protection is particularly useful in countering potential surveillance from entities like the Eyes alliances, especially given that Malwarebytes is based in the U.S.

Considering these factors, if you have lesser security needs, are a macOS or a mobile user, or prioritize simplicity and user-friendliness, Malwarebytes Privacy VPN without multi-hop may still be a suitable choice.

Split tunneling

Split tunneling is an advanced security feature that allows you to redirect select traffic through the VPN service. This can be helpful if you want to keep your VPN active but need to access certain websites that may have restrictions against VPNs (e.g., a banking website). 

Malwarebytes VPN offers this function, but it's a little confusing to find because it's labeled as "connection rules" in the Settings. 

Encryption

Malwarebytes Privacy VPN uses a strong encryption method called the Advanced Encryption Standard (AES), specifically AES-256. AES is military-grade encryption specifically chosen by the U.S. government to protect important and secret information. 

AES is widely used around the world to encrypt sensitive data, both in software and hardware. By using 256-bit encryption, Malwarebytes Privacy VPN ensures your data is secure and protected from unauthorized access. This means your information stays private while using the VPN.

VPN protocol

Malwarebytes Privacy VPN uses the WireGuard tunneling protocol, a free and open-source option designed to be faster than other VPN protocols like OpenVPN, IPsec, and IKEv2. It's paired with AES-256 to encrypt your data. WireGuard also runs better on mobile devices and offers faster speeds and more reliable connections.

Test results

Testing VPNs helps us understand how fast and reliable they are at protecting your privacy and security. We tested the performance of Malwarebytes Privacy VPN by measuring the download, upload, and latency speeds while connected to its servers around the world. 

We also tested how formidable it was against Netflix geo-blocks and ensured there were no data leaks.

Speed tests

• Speed test results: Malwarebytes Privacy VPN had an average 21% drop on our download speeds. 

Malwarebytes Privacy VPN had the largest impact on our speeds when connected to servers in Canada and Australia. It's normal to see at least some drop in download and upload speeds when connecting to a VPN, but the drop was marginal when connecting to a Dallas server from our location in Austin. 

Even the speed drop when connecting to a server in Australia wasn't too bad, as we typically see huge speed drops when connecting to servers on the other side of the world. We also didn't notice any lag or buffering as we browsed while using different servers.

Test type	No VPN	US to US	US to CA	US to EU	US to AU
Download speed	309.90 Mbps	290.90 Mbps	189.93 Mbps	283.72 Mbps	216.48 Mbps
Upload speed	389.85 Mbps	312.84 Mbps	347.62 Mbps	341.80 Mbps	360.93 Mbps
Latency (ping)	13 ms	8 ms	44 ms	115 ms	260 ms
Download speed % difference	N/A	-6.13%	-38.71%	-8.45%	-30.15%
Upload speed % difference	N/A	-19.75%	-10.83%	-12.33%	-7.42%
Latency % difference	N/A	-38%	+238%	+784%	+1,900%

Netflix tests

• Netflix test results: Malwarebytes unblocked all four Netflix libraries with ease. 

Something we’re seriously impressed with is Malwarebytes Privacy VPN’s access to Netflix. All the VPN servers we tested with unblocked Netflix’s worldwide libraries. If you're new to streaming with a VPN, we recommend you learn how to watch Netflix on a VPN.

When we changed the server to one in the U.K., Canada, or the U.S., it worked like a charm. We streamed movies and shows on Netflix without experiencing any buffering or lag.

	US to US	US to CA	US to UK	US to AU
Did it work with Netflix?

It's important to note that streaming platforms are always trying to detect and block VPNs. On the other hand, VPNs are always trying to find ways around detection, so you may find different VPN servers, a whole different VPN, or even trying Netflix on another day may work if you run into trouble.

DNS and WebRTC leak tests

• DNS leak test results: No leaks
• WebRTC leak test results: No leaks

A DNS leak test checks if your device accidentally shares your browsing activity outside of the private VPN tunnel, potentially exposing it to your internet service provider (ISP) or others. A WebRTC leak test verifies if your actual IP address is revealed when using WebRTC, which could also jeopardize your privacy.

We used a special tool to detect leaks, and none of the servers tested had any IP, WebRTC, or DNS leaks. This means that when you use the Malwarebytes VPN service, your browsing Information stays protected inside the VPN tunnel, and your real IP address remains hidden when using WebRTC applications.

Kill switch test

• Kill switch test results: Malwarebytes Privacy VPN's kill switch struggled but the service never revealed our true IP.

A kill switch is an essential security feature of any VPN worth its salt. If your internet cuts out or your VPN connection drops for any reason, a kill switch can ensure that your IP address isn't exposed. 

One way to test whether this feature actually works is by switching between servers during an IP test. After enabling the kill switch, we connected to a Toronto server. However, any time we selected another server, we got a registration server error from the VPN. 

We turned off the kill switch, and switched servers to see what would happen. Our real IP address in Texas never leaked, only IP addresses for the Canadian servers we had used.

Compatibility

Whether you're using a Windows computer, a Mac, an Android device, or an Apple device, Malwarebytes Privacy VPN has got you covered. This VPN is compatible with desktop and mobile apps for:

• Microsoft Windows 7 and up
• macOS Catalina 10.15.4 and up
• Android 9 and up
• iOS 14 and up

Customer support

Malwarebytes Privacy VPN has a large knowledge base with helpful guides, FAQs, forums, and a blog. But if you need an immediate answer, you'll have to rely on the AI chatbot. 

AI chatbot 

Although Malwarebytes offers an (ostensibly) 24/7 AI chatbot, the bot is populated with pre-set prompts, so you need to navigate through them to get your question answered. 

Chat with a live agent

The ability to chat with a live agent is restricted to subscription holders. Plus, it's a runaround to try and connect with a live agent. Basically, you need to access the AI chatbot first. The bot will decide whether your assistance requires connecting with a human or submitting a support ticket. For the latter, you need to submit a ticket and wait to hear back via email. 

When we clicked to talk to a live agent, we were redirected to the AI chatbot prompt.

Help Center

Although Malwarebytes offers a Help Center, it isn’t immediately evident from the account page. You need to click on a short list of (most likely) common topics to be directed to the Help Center. There are a lot of user guides, but the info is short and sweet. So if we wanted to find more information on whether Malwarebytes VPN offers torrenting support, for example, we need to turn to a Google search instead. From there, we're directed to numerous forum threads. 

So, the info is out there, but you may have to comb through guides, blog articles, and even forums to get the answers you're looking for. And for those who are wondering, no, Malwarebytes doesn't support torrenting. 

Top alternatives

Malwarebytes Privacy VPN impressed us with its ability to unblock Netflix but we also found its feature set lacking. Luckily, there are plenty of VPN providers on the market. Based on our extensive testing and research, we can recommend the following as solid alternatives:

Malwarebytes Privacy FAQs

Bottom line: Is Malwarebytes Privacy VPN good?

Malwarebytes Privacy VPN is a good choice if you want basic security and streaming capabilities. It offers a user-friendly interface, strong encryption, and a kill switch that cuts off internet access if the VPN connection drops. It can also be bundled with Malwarebytes antivirus for multi-layer device protection.

However, there are a few factors to consider. The server network is limited, leading to fewer server options compared to competitors as well as potential slowness due to overcrowding. In fact, our speed tests revealed mixed results. Initially, we experienced a serious drop in internet speed and noticeable lag on macOS. But when we retested on Windows PC, we saw well-maintained speeds across the board. We also had mixed results when trying to unblock Netflix from various locations. This means you'll have to guess and test to see if this VPN works for you.

But you don't need to be tech-savvy to use Malwarebytes VPN because the interface is user-friendly. So if you prioritize streaming and have moderate security needs, Malwarebytes Privacy VPN is a suitable option. 

However, if you require stronger security, additional features, monthly subscription plans, or broader device coverage, other premium VPN providers like NordVPN, Surfshark, and CyberGhost may be worth considering.