Does Bitdefender Come With VPN

Is Bitdefender VPN Good For Users In China

Sadly, the answer is no. While the company states that you can have full unrestricted access to content regardless of whether youre in a country that practices internet censorship, they have decided to make it unavailable for use in China:

We want to offer our VPN service for everyone but unfortunately in some areas there are restrictions on the use of such a service. For your protection, weve restricted connectivity in these countries:

1. China: Use of a VPN is illegal in China. VPN providers can still operate if they obtain a license from the government, but the terms and conditions which they have to agree to simply defeat the whole purpose.

In fact, they list 7 other countries where the VPN service isnt available, including Russia, Belarus, Iran, UAE, Turkey, Oman, and Iraq.

Bitdefender Premium VPN: Final Verdict

Bitdefender Premium VPN does a good job of delivering great speeds for a good price, but dont let that fool you into thinking youre getting a full-on Hotspot Shield-beating experience for less.

Bitdefender VPN is basic compared to the competition, and for power users there simply won’t be enough on offer to sate the appetite for customization and for those we’d recommend ExpressVPN;or NordVPN. However, with ever-improving content unblocking and some genuinely useful features in-app, we’re not writing off the antivirus giant’s foray into VPN just yet. Well worth a try.

Bitdefender VPN Tunneling Protocols

Leading VPNs in the industry offer a wide range of tunneling protocols to protect the internet traffic of their customers. They give their users the flexibility to choose protocols with whatever they feel easy with. Bitdefender fails to comply with this aspect.

Bitdefender VPN offers only TWO VPN protocols, and this information comes directly from their customer support representative.

• OpenVPN is for Windows and Android.
• HydraVPN is for MacOS and iOS.

There is no option to switch between VPN protocols, a Bitdefender VPN user is simply left to rely on what the product offers.

Though OpenVPN is much more secure than PPTP, L2TP/IPSec but not including these two protocols limits the flexibility of the user.

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How Private Is Bitdefender VPN And Does It Keep Logs

Although Bitdefender Premium VPN may be packaged as a Bitdefender product, it actually works by connecting through Hotspot Shield’s Catapult Hydra protocol. servers. When we first reviews the VPN, we initially wrote that we were concerned that Bitdefender was simply a white-label Hotspot Shield, which would mean users were subject to similar logging.

However, we’ve had clarification that the service does not share user data with Hotspot Shield or its parents, meaning any logging or lack of it is wholly down to Bitdefender, and the only shared technology is the Catapult Hydra protocol.

Despite this, Bitdefenders privacy policy is fairly basic, to say the least, but it does outline what data it uses and how:

We collect for this service only randomly generated or hashed user and device IDs, IP addresses, and randomly generated tokens to establish a VPN connection for the sole purpose of providing the VPN service. For this service, we use AnchorFree as data processor who processes data on behalf of Bitdefender in accordance with Bitdefender’s instructions and for the sole purpose of providing VPN services to users.’

Although neither Bitdefender nor Hotspot Shield can see what you’re doing online, and claim that what they log cannot be linked back to you, this level of logging is higher than most of its competitors.

Servers And Server Locations

Bitdefender has more than 1,300 servers in over 25 countries around the world. To be more precise, it doesnt have its own server network but instead uses Hotspot Shields one.

In any case, Bitdefenders server park seems sufficiently broad in terms of geographic diversity but doesnt come close to that of heavyweights such as NordVPN, which has 5,300+ servers in close to 60 countries worldwide.

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Bitdefender Is Offering VPN Service Along With Its Antivirus Softwares

With the development of technology, it is really a huge threat to surf online. To protect ourselves from unwanted spying and to secure our privacy, VPN was developed. In the VPN line up, you can find an infinite number of VPNs. But if you are looking for a good VPN service, then only a few VPNs are available. A Few VPNs are ruling the VPN industry with the quality of service they provide. One of such quality VPNs is the Bitdefender VPN. Apart from serving as an antivirus, Bitdefender is working on completely securing your Network security as well.

What Are Some Alternatives To Bitdefender

There are a few free, safe alternatives to Bitdefender but if you want strong security and strict no-logs policies check out our top providers. The one I recommend is ExpressVPN. It offers strong encryption, a solid no-logs policy, advanced security features, and innovative protocols, like Lightway. ;

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How Many Simultaneous Connections

Depending on your subscription, you can get up to 10 simultaneous connections. Obviously, the Bitdefender Total Security package is the one with the highest number of simultaneous connections, and thats understandable.

It is the most expensive, so we cant really fault the company here.

With 10 simultaneous connections, you can have your entire family and friends on a single subscription, which is super-impressive.

Very Slow Speed Performance

A number of VPNs that come from Antivirus companies always fall on their connection speed. Bitdefender VPN shares the same fate. I tested their connection speed on six random servers and all were well below 70%. Thats not very good.

This is my base internet speed without the VPN:

• Ping:;10ms

• Netherlands
• UK

The fastest that the VPN got to was on its United States server which also happened to be the most optimized:

• Ping:;178ms;
• Download:;10.11 Mbps;
• Upload:;45.42 Mbps

Japan had the best results in their Asian server, but was still pretty bad:

• Ping:;264ms
• Download:;4.68 Mbps
• Upload:;19.82 Mbps

The Netherlands server came out on top on their EU servers but its nothing to brag about:

• Ping:;476ms
• Download:;3.81 Mbps
• Upload:;1.68 Mbps

Overall, Bitdefender VPN failed to even break a connection speed thats near 50% of my base speed. I tested out a few more random server locations and they couldnt even beat the ones listed above.

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Bitdefender Antivirus Plus: What Is It And Whats Included

Excellent antivirus features at a competitive price from Bitdefender

Figuring out how to select the antivirus for your needs can be difficult. There are countless providers out there, and most of these have a suite of options to select from.;

One popular antivirus software provider is Bitdefender, which caters to personal and business users across the world. In this article, we take a close look at the entry-level Bitdefender Antivirus Plus package to help you determine whether its right for your purposes. ;

Secure All Your Traffic On Public Networks

Public networks like airports, lounges, hotels, restaurants and shopping malls are easy targets for those trying to capture and exploit your traffic. Connect your virtual private network to any of our servers to secure your traffic with military-grade encryption, making it impossible for anyone to access it.

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Bitdefender VPN Advanced Features

As youve probably seen in other VPN Defender user reviews Bitdefender doesnt offer a lot of advanced features its more of an automated app, which is great for beginners. Nonetheless, there are some more complex things worth digging into if youre to get the most out of the software.

Port Forwarding

Port forwarding is a way of bypassing your routers inbuilt NAT firewall, so internet speeds are increased. This might compromise security with a regular internet connection. But if you are using a VPN, you get good speed while remaining hidden.;

A key benefit for torrent users is stronger P2P connections. This makes downloading faster. Using a well-seeded torrent file and the BitTorrent client, everything ran smoothly.

Gaming and Ping

As well as general speed, ping latency is another measurement thats especially relevant for gaming. In short, a ping is a signal that goes from your device to the site . Latency is how fast the data can travel back to your PC. A slow ping is not a dealbreaker for most internet traffic but for gaming it can cause lag and ruin the experience.

With Bitdefender on, I recorded a ping of 49 milliseconds. With it off the ping was almost identical 48ms.;

These are poor, but thats my own ISPs issue. Its the lack of difference thats impressive.;

So, is Bitdefender VPN good for gaming?

If your underlying connection is fast enough, you wont experience any significant lag. Just remember to choose a good location.

Location Choice

Bitdefender Plans And Pricing

Bitdefender offers 3 annual plans but only its premium Total Security;plan;works across all operating systems. All of the plans include a limited VPN, but Bitdefenders premium VPN is available at checkout, and it costs less than most competing standalone VPNs.

Bitdefenders free plan is one of the better free plans on the market, although it does have a lot of limitations . All of Bitdefenders paid plans include a risk-free money-back guarantee for 30 days.

Bitdefender Free Good Free Plan

*Not available in some countries*

Bitdefender does offer a free version of its app for Windows, macOS, and Android. While it lacks important protections like ransomware protection, a firewall, and a secure web browser, the free version includes:

• Antivirus scanning.
• Real-time protection .
• Web protection .

Bitdefender;Antivirus Free Edition;uses the same advanced anti-malware engine as the premium version which earned Bitdefender a spot on our best free;Windows antiviruses of 2021.

While Bitdefenders free version lacks a lot of the protections that make Bitdefenders premium plans so good, I still think Bitdefender Antivirus Free Edition is a decent choice for Windows users who are only looking for malware scanning. Plus, unlike most competitors, Bitdefenders free Windows antivirus also has real-time malware protection.

• Mobile apps for iOS and Android.
• System tune-up tools.

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Impact On Pc Performance

To assess how much the antivirus affected PC performance, I ran each scan and recorded how long they took. For the full scan, I noted the duration and how many discrete items were scanned in that time. For the quick scan, I also recorded how much of the CPU it utilized during the scan.

Bitdefender VPN And Netflix

Bitdefender VPN is slowly turning into a true streaming powerhouse. With its Netflix-unblocking capabilities, it could give our top VPNs for Netflix a run for their money.

We tested it across different regional versions of Netflix to see whether they worked, and here are the results:

• The U.S. Yes
• Turkey Yes

When you try to connect and play content, you might experience some false negatives. The shared IP assigned to you might be blacklisted by Netflix. If this happens, simply restart your VPN to get a new shared IP address. It might take a couple of tries with Netflix U.S., but we always managed to find an address that worked.

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Can You Use Bitdefender In China

Bitdefender is not a good choice if you are looking for a VPN and you live in a country that is highly censored.;

The company has even said that their VPN cannot be used in the following countries:

• UAE

When it comes to device compatibility, you can expect the basics to be covered only.

There are specific apps for iOS, MacOS, Android, and Windows.;

There is not a standalone VPN for these, though. It is the Bitdefender Mobile Security & Antivirus app that youre going to need to download.;

As mentioned, this shows again why Bitdefender is only suitable for those who are seeking a range of security products, rather than just a VPN.

You cannot tunnel your Fire TV Stick or AppleTV with this VPN.

You can check out my reviews by device if you would like more information on the best VPN for a specific device.

Should You Get Bitdefender Premium VPN

After doing this Bitdefender Premium VPN review, I cannot recommend it for you. The price is too much for such a basic service with virtually no features. Whats more, your internet speed will slow down significantly when using Bitdefender VPN, mainly due to the lack of WireGuard protocol.

Even though this provider unblocks Netflix, serious streamers will miss other options, such as BBC iPlayer or Kodi. Once again, the video quality will depend on your internet connection. The same can be said about P2P.

Finally, Bitdefender Premium VPN logs simply too much. At least the jurisdiction is privacy-friendly. So for all of you looking for a reliable VPN, I advise checking our top VPN providers instead.

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Features Of Bitdefender VPN

Features are one of the major missings in the Bitdefender VPN. In fact, it doesnt have any common features like Kill Switch, Split Tunneling, and much more. An unbranded free VPN offers more features than the Bitdefender VPN. It offers a very simple UI in which you have to open the app and click on Connect to connect to a virtual network.

In the Setup option, you will get four options: My Account, Settings, Support, and About. In the Settings menu, you will get three toggle options: Notification toggle, Open the VPN on Startup and use VPN for unsecured Wi-Fi.

Bitdefender VPN Servers And Locations

Bitdefender has over 1,300 VPN servers, which is a good number. These are located across the globe in 48 countries. While the number is below average, speed and performance are more important than the location of a Bitdefender VPN server. Even if other providers do cover more regions.

The overall spread is good. There are US locations and servers throughout the UK and Europe. But theres also South Africa, Vietnam, Singapore, South Korea, and India.;

Couple these with many overlooked South American countries like Argentina, Brazil, and Chile, and its an excellent list.

Its worth noting that Bitdefender leases its servers from Hotspot Shield, another VPN solution. Though that has generally good reviews itself and I tested the speeds myself.

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What Is Bitdefender Premium VPN

If you want unlimited bandwidth and a choice of servers, then youll be prompted to upgrade to Premium VPN. This costs £4.99 / $6.99 per month, but if you add it to your yearly antivirus subscription the cost works out as £2.49 / $3.33 which is competitive.

Bitdefender makes no bold we are the fastest performance claims about the service, instead;stating in its FAQs;that Bitdefender VPN is designed to offer you a light experience while surfing the web; however, your internet connectivity or the server distance you connect to may cause the slowdown.

That goes for almost every VPN service: choosing a server thousands of miles from your real location is going to cause a drop in internet speed.

Premium VPN offers a choice of almost 30 countries including US and UK. This means you should be able to access streaming services such as Netflix and iPlayer in those countries, but there are no guarantees of this. Bitdefender doesn’t own or operate any of these servers, but instead uses servers from Hotspot Shield. It’s therefore unclear exactly which privacy policy applies. And although Bitdefender is headquartered outside of the “14 eyes”, Hotspot Shield is not as it’s based in the US.

You wont find a whole lot of extra features beyond the choice of location: no kill switch and no way to change which protocol is used .

You can read our full review of Premium VPN.

Bitdefender Review: Quick Expert Summary

Bitdefender is one of the best antiviruses on the market in 2021. It provides advanced malware protection and a ton of additional internet security protections, all inside an intuitive user interface.

Bitdefender scored excellent detection rates in all of my malware tests, identifying nearly 1,000 malware files without slowing down my computer. And Bitdefenders web protection detected far more phishing sites than built-in protections from Chrome, Firefox, or Edge.

Bitdefender also has more additional features than almost any other antivirus . Bitdefender has:

• System optimization.
• And a lot more

Most of Bitdefenders features work great the system optimization tools cleared up a lot of space on my PC and improved my devices performance, the VPN is comparable in speed and performance to standalone VPNs, and the parental controls are highly customizable and even include location tracking and geofencing. I also think its amazing that Bitdefenders anti-theft protection works on Windows devices most competitors like McAfee and Avira offer anti-theft on mobile devices only.

Bitdefender is also surprisingly affordable. Even if you upgrade to the premium VPN and get a good standalone password manager, Bitdefenders Total Security;plan;is still cheaper than most competitors.

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Speed How Fast Is Bitdefender VPN

Apart from security, speed is the most important aspect of any VPN. Heavy encryption will always slow your connection down to an extent, but with top-tier VPNs, this speed loss is quite manageable.

With poor connections, though, this problem becomes more prominent, especially on distant servers. Thats why we test VPN speed across numerous servers. This way, we can see the differences between various locations.

We start off with our benchmark speed and compare that to the results gathered on different servers. Furthermore, we check for daily fluctuations, since many VPNs throttle bandwidth when their servers get overcrowded.

Here are our main conclusions after testing Bitdefender VPN:

• The software maintains a good part of the original speed.
• We experienced no major speed oscillations during daily use.