Bitdefender VPN Review: A Fast and Affordable Option

The internet is thick with VPN services. So thick, in fact, that it can feel a bit suspicious—and send you running back toward more familiar companies. Bitdefender takes advantage of that with a solid, easy-to-use VPN that offers a great deal on the first year of service.

Bitdefender VPN isn’t geared toward the most privacy conscious users, but it does the job if you want a VPN to get around geo-location barriers or browse securely on open Wi-FI networks. Bitdefender technically offers a free VPN option, but it’s limited. The software heavily pushes you toward a subscription (you’d likely not even realize a free option exists unless you back out of several prompts).

Free users can only access automatically selected servers and are capped at 200 MB of data per day. That means you'll mostly need to purchase a subscription to Bitdefender Premium VPN, which is positioned as the entry-level tier in a range of security services. You can upgrade to Premium Security, which adds an antivirus and password manager, or to Ultimate Security, which adds digital ID protection and dark-web monitoring (among other features).

Bitdefender VPN is included in all tiers and works the same across all tiers. Why this matters: The VPN market is highly competitive, and Bitdefender's affordable pricing and ease of use make it an attractive option for consumers looking for a straightforward VPN solution. For developers and businesses, Bitdefender's range of security services presents an opportunity for integration and bundling.

However, the limitations of the free option and the push toward paid subscriptions may raise questions about the company's priorities regarding user privacy and accessibility. As the VPN landscape continues to evolve, it will be interesting to see how Bitdefender balances its commercial goals with user needs for secure and private online browsing.