Callum Tennent oversees how we test and review VPN services. He's a member of the IAPP, and his VPN advice has featured in Forbes and the Internet Society.
Bitdefender Premium VPN is not a good service. While it's fast, it temporarily logs your IP address and it leaks DNS credentials. The VPN doesn't unblock US Netflix, and due to its privacy flaws we don't recommend it for torrenting, either.
Ranked #42 out of 56 VPNs
Bitdefender VPN Category Ratings
2.52.5/10
3.63.6/10
1.91.9/10
8.78.7/10
7.37.3/10
3.83.8/10
2.12.1/10
5.95.9/10
6.16.1/10
5.55.5/10
Bitdefender VPN Pros & Cons
Very fast local speeds
Unblocks BBC iPlayer
Allows torrenting
Simple app design
Small server network
No city-level server selection
DNS leaks across network
No Firestick app and no Smart DNS
No advanced settings
Why Trust Our Review?
We’ve spent thousands of hours testing and reviewing 56 VPN services using our impartial review process to recommend you the best VPN software.
Here are some of our key VPN testing statistics:
Total Hours of Testing
30,000+
Weekly Speed Tests
3,000+
VPN Services Reviewed
56
Streaming Platforms Tested Daily
12
IP & DNS Leak Tests Performed
9,500+
How Much We've Spent On Testing
$25,000+
Bitdefender Premium VPN is not a good VPN. While it’s fast and supports P2P traffic, it logs your IP address and it your leaks DNS credentials.
Overall, Bitdefender VPN is not private, to the extent that it’s one of the worst VPNs we’ve tested.
If you’ve heard of Bitdefender it probably isn’t because of the VPN. The company is in fact most famous for its antivirus software.
In this Bitdefender VPN review, we put its virtual private network software under the microscope to assess whether it’s worth recommending.
We’ve rigorously tested the VPN, and in this review we’ll answer key questions such as:
Is Bitdefender VPN any good?
Is Bitdefender VPN trustworthy?
Does the VPN work with Netflix
How much does Bitdefender VPN cost?
Sadly, Bitdefender Premium VPN really disappointed us in our tests. Despite delivering fast connection speeds, the VPN temporarily logs your IP address and leaks DNS credentials.
As you’ll discover diving into our latest review, Bitdefender is not a good VPN and significantly inferior to our highest-rated VPNs.
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We dissect the logging and privacy policies of every VPN. A VPN should never log:
Your real IP address
Connection timestamps
DNS requests
A base of operations outside of 14-Eyes or EU jurisdiction is preferable.
Bitdefender VPN is based in an EU member state and outsources its VPN service to Aura, who log far more than is necessary. This is far from ideal from a privacy standpoint.
Ranked #49 out of 56 VPNs for Privacy & Logging Policy
The Bitdefender suite of security software (mainly its antivirus) was developed in Romania in 2001, but its predecessor – a program called Antivirus Expert – was developed under the company name Softwin in 1996.
The company continues to be based in Romania, which isn’t a member of the Five, Nine or 14 Eyes data sharing agreements.
But, Romania is an EU member state, which is subject to data retention laws. Bitdefender’s jurisdiction does make the quality of its logging policy all the more important.
If Bitdefender VPN was no-logs then there wouldn’t any internet data to hand over. Sadly, Bitdefender VPN’s privacy policy confirms the service collects personally-identifiable information.
Logging Policy
Bitdefender’s privacy policy covers all home solution products, and includes just two short paragraphs about the VPN service:
Aura (formerly Pango, and before that AnchorFree) acts as a data processor for Bitdefender. This means that while Bitdefender collects and has authority over your information, Aura processes some of it on Bitdefender’s behalf.
Aura has been the subject of some controversy in the past, which you can read about in our Hotspotshield VPN review. The complaints centered around the company’s use of data from the free version of the Hotspot Shield app.
While these issues have been resolved, we think it’s important that users know about this before they commit to a VPN product managed in some capacity by Aura.
Because Bitdefender has a very vague privacy policy, Aura’s can give some idea of how your data will be handled.
Fortunately, the company does not log any user activity:
But this does not make it truly no logs.
Aura keeps much more than we consider necessary to maintain a VPN service. It tracks:
Your IP address – although encrypted, and only stored for the duration of your connection
Connection timestamps – which are stored for up to three years
Bandwidth used in each session – again, stored for up to three years
Device information – including unique device identifiers, browser type, operating system and wireless network information
Aggregated website logs – at the domain level (i.e. not full URLs) and not associated with the individual
Approximate geographic location – derived from IP information (not GPS), and used to find the nearest VPN server
The only thing Aura guarantees is that it does not collect any data which connects you to your VPN browsing activity.
Since Aura is a data processor, not a data controller, it should only be storing information Bitdefender requests. In the absence of a fleshed out logging policy from Bitdefender, though, it is difficult to say for certain what it does or doesn’t log.
Your data should be handled by as few people as possible – having a second company involved is a needless extra step (not to mention confusing).
Speed
Very fast local and global speeds
8.78.7/10
How is this calculated?
Speed ratings are calculated using upload speeds, download speeds, and ping (latency).
We test average speeds regularly using a dedicated 100Mbps connection in London, UK. Local download speed is considered the most important factor.
As a result of being a Hotspot Shield white-label, Bitdefender is really fast. This is true on both local and international connections.
Ranked #24 out of 56 VPNs for Speed
Bitdefender is one of a few VPNs to run on Hotspot Shield’s proprietary Catapult Hydra VPN protocol.
This is because Bitdefender has outsourced its VPN infrastructure to Aura, the company that owns Hotspot Shield.
Bitdefender isn’t the only antivirus company to do this. In our McAfee VPN review we explain how its service also uses a Hotspot Shield white-label.
The VPN’s speeds are fast both locally and internationally, although we experienced a few problems maintaining our connection over longer distances.
Local Speed Test results before using Bitdefender VPN:
Download Speed: 93.27Mbps
Upload Speed: 98.71Mbps
Ping: 7ms
Local Speed Test results with Bitdefender VPN:
Download Speed: 87.09Mbps
Upload Speed: 86.9Mbps
Ping: 10ms
Download speed loss when Bitdefender VPN is running: 7%
On a less positive note, latency was bad across the board. The ping time to the nearest VPN server was 10ms, which is good enough for online gaming.
However, the French server had a ping of 19ms, and every other server at least 30ms. This latency is simply not good for gaming online without lag.
International Speed Test Results
In Europe, connections to the Netherlands and France servers were fast. However, we suffered a 90% download speed drop connecting to the Germany server.
Connections to North America and Asia were adequately quick, with the exception of Japan which saw a 70% drop in both download and upload speeds.
These were our speed test results for Bitdefender VPN around the globe:
Limited server coverage and no city-level locations
7.37.3/10
How is this calculated?
The global spread and coverage of the VPN server network is the most important factor here.
We also consider the number of city-level servers, plus how many IP addresses are maintained.
This rating does not directly contribute to the Overall Rating, but instead makes up a portion of the Security & Features rating.
Bitdefender operates a small network 1,300+ VPN servers in 25 countries. Its servers are located in Europe, North America, Asia, and South America. There are no city level locations, though.
Ranked #34 out of 56 VPNs for Server Locations
25 Countries
25 Cities
1,300+IP Address
The Bitdefender server list is limited to 25 countries, with 15 of them based in Europe.
Server coverage in North America is good, with servers in Mexico, the US, and Canada. But, there isn’t any city-level choices, which can lead to speed issues and problems bypassing US sports blackouts.
Additionally, there are four server locations in Asia: Hong Kong, Indonesia, Japan, and Singapore.
Disappointingly, there are only two South American server locations available (Argentina and Brazil), and no VPN servers in Africa, the Caribbean, or the Middle East.
Overall, Bitdefender VPN’s server location coverage is poor. In comparison, our CyberGhost review details how the VPN covers 90 countries, with city-level choice in the US, UK and eight other nations.
Streaming
Streams BBC iPlayer but doesn't work with US Netflix
2.52.5/10
How is this calculated?
Streaming is rated by the number of different services unlocked, how many regional libraries are viewable, and how consistently the VPN can access them.
Netflix, BBC iPlayer, HBO Max, Amazon Prime Video and more are all tested on a weekly basis.
Bitdefender is fast enough for HD streaming and works with BBC iPlayer, which is a difficult service to unblock. However, the VPN can't stream Netflix and other premium streaming platforms.
Ranked #36 out of 56 VPNs for Streaming
Bitdefender is quick to claim that its VPN can “unlock media from all over the world.” That’s not true, though. Bitdefender is in fact a poor VPN for streaming.
In our streaming tests, Bitdefender VPN didn’t work with Netflix on any server, including the UK and US servers. It also failed to unblock HBO Max and Amazon Prime Video.
Based on our regular tests, Bitdefender simply cannot compare to the best Netflix VPNs and HBO Max VPNs we’ve found.
Surprisingly, we unblocked BBC iPlayer through the UK server, which a lot of VPNs struggle to unblock.
Like most other VPNs, Bitdefender VPN also streams geo-blocked content on YouTube, which is valuable if the website is blocked at your school or workplace.
Torrenting
Bitdefender VPN is not safe for torrenting
3.63.6/10
How is this calculated?
We calculate the average download bitrate of every VPN using a bespoke torrenting setup.
Testing also factors in the percentage of servers which permit P2P, plus useful features like port forwarding.
Bitdefender VPN's torrent speeds are fast, but the VPN leaks DNS information. The VPN service isn't private and because of this we strongly suggest not using it for torrenting.
Ranked #40 out of 56 VPNs for Torrenting
Torrenting is allowed on Bitdefender’s VPN network, and we registered quick file-sharing speeds in our P2P tests.
But, we don’t recommend torrenting using Bitdefender VPN.
During our tests Bitdefender VPN suffered from DNS leaks. While DNS leaks don’t reveal your download activity on its own, DNS information can used to identify you.
Your ISP won’t know what you’re torrenting, but it will know when and where you’re torrenting.
In short, it’s not worth running risks using Bitdefender VPN. Instead, our recent IPVanish P2P tests confirm the VPN service is still one of the safest torrent VPNs to use.
Bypassing Web Censorship
Bitdefender VPN doesn't evade web censorship filters
3.83.8/10
How is this calculated?
Our remote-access server in Shanghai, China routinely tests if a VPN can beat restrictions and access a free, open internet. Obfuscation technologies and nearby servers are also a contributing factor.
This rating does not directly contribute to the Overall Rating, but instead makes up a portion of the Security & Features rating.
Bitdefender VPN doesn’t operate any kind of obfuscation technology, so it won't break through China’s Great Firewall. We've seen no evidence it will work in any other censored country either.
Ranked #41 out of 56 VPNs for Bypassing Web Censorship
Bitdefender VPN won’t bypass internet censors in countries like China, the UAE, and Turkey.
It’s not a surprise, though, considering Bitdefender even states on its website that it restricts use of the VPN in the below countries:
Belarus
China
Iran
Iraq
Oman
Russia
Turkey
UAE
We don’t recommend using Bitdefender VPN if you intend to travel to a highly-censored nation, because it just won’t work.
Top-rated VPNs offer OpenVPN or WireGuard protocols, AES-256 encryption, and a functional kill switch. We also consider additional security features and the global spread of VPN servers.
While Bitdefender VPN has a kill switch, we've also seen it leaking DNS information. This is not a secure VPN, and should only be used with caution.
Ranked #47 out of 56 VPNs for Security & Technical Features
Protocols
Available in Bitdefender VPN
IKEv2/IPSec
No
Hydra
Yes
OpenVPN (TCP/UDP)
No
WireGuard
No
Encryption
Available in Bitdefender VPN
AES-128
No
AES-192
No
AES-256
Yes
Blowfish
No
ChaCha20
No
Security
Available in Bitdefender VPN
DNS Leak Blocking
No
First-party DNS
No
IPv6 Leak Blocking
Yes
Supports TCP Port 443
No
VPN Kill Switch
Yes
WebRTC Leak Blocking
No
Advanced Features
Available in Bitdefender VPN
Ad Blocker
No
Dedicated IP
No
Double VPN
No
Smart DNS
No
SOCKS
No
Split Tunneling
Yes
Tor over VPN Server
No
Tracker Blocker
No
In its FAQ section, Bitdefender describes its VPN as a service which “secures your online activity”:
But is this VPN software really secure? Not as far as we’re concerned.
Bitdefender suffers from DNS leaks
When we tested Bitdefender VPN we didn’t find any IPv4 or IPv6 leaks, or any WebRTC leaks. But, we did detect DNS leaks on every single server we connected to.
Here is what our VPN leak test looked like:
From the screenshot above, you can see we were correctly assigned a Danish IP address, but our UK DNS servers were also visible.
This means that while your ISP won’t see what you’re doing online, it can see and record every website you visit while Bitdefender VPN is active, and potentially prevent you from accessing any censored sites.
DNS leaks also increase your risk of falling victim to man-in-the-middle attacks.
DNS leaks are a fatal flaw for a modern VPN – particularly since the mainstream adoption of HTTPS means that your non-DNS is already end-to-end encrypted between you and the site you are visiting.
AES-256 encryption and a kill switch
On a positive note, the VPN uses AES-256 encryption, and every application comes with the recently-added kill switch.
VPN split tunneling is also available, in case you want certain apps to use your real Internet address.
VPN protocol selection
The VPN protocol behind Bitdefender VPN is Hotspot Shield’s proprietary Catapult Hydra.
The Hydra protocol is very fast, but its make up is less clear than other more mainstream protocols, like OpenVPN and WireGuard.
Sadly, neither WireGuard nor OpenVPN are protocol options within the Bitdefender VPN applications.
Device & OS Compatibility
Basic applications with very few settings
How is this rated?
A quality VPN should maintain functional, fully-featured applications and extensions for as many platforms and devices as possible.
This does not directly contribute to the Overall Rating, but instead makes up a portion of the Ease of Use rating.
Bitdefender is available on the four most popular platforms: PC, macOS, iOS and Android. Unfortunately it isn’t available on router and doesn’t have any browser extensions.
Apps
Windows
Mac
iOS
Android
Bitdefender has dedicated VPN apps for Windows, Android, macOS, and iOS. They’re all basic and lack many advanced settings.
The Bitdefender VPN home screen on Windows
Beyond these major platforms, the VPN offers very little additional device compatibility, sadly.
There is no Smart DNS and no router support, meaning you can’t use Bitdefender VPN on Apple TV or games consoles. Moreover, there is no Android TV or Fire TV Stick app, either.
To make matters worse, there are no web browser extensions, which are very popular among VPN users.
Ease of Use
Easy enough to use but not a standalone app
5.95.9/10
How is this calculated?
This rating mainly consists of the intuitiveness of setup and everyday use.
Device or platform compatibility and customization options are also a factor.
Bitdefender's apps are all pretty easy to use, if only because they're so simple. You have to log into a wider suite in order to open the VPN, though, which is confusing and unnecessary.
Ranked #47 out of 56 VPNs for Ease of Use
How to Install & Set Up Bitdefender VPN
You'll need to log into your Bitdefender account to get access to your activation code
Click 'Install Protection' to download Bitdefender VPN onto your chosen device
You can keep track of Bitdefender's download progress on this handy popup
Once the download is complete, the Bitdefender software will then be installed onto your device
Once Bitdefender is installed on your device, you can have a virtual 'tour' showing you how everything works
When you first open up Bitdefender VPN, the location status will be set to 'Automatic'
You can access the full server list by clicking on the down arrow next to your current VPN server location
It's handy to be able to see how long you've been connected to the VPN for
The settings are incredibly limited compared to other VPN services
Some VPN apps are easy to use because of great design and others are easy to use because they have almost no features, and it would be difficult to make them hard to use.
Bitdefender VPN fits squarely in the second category.
This doesn’t mean the app design is bad – on the contrary it is very easy to use – but its limited functionality won’t be getting too much praise from us.
The mobile apps both have a simple layout. The VPN is easy to find, located within one of five tabs at the bottom of the screen.
There is a central “connect” button, and an easy to find server select button, too.
The servers are arranged alphabetically by country. Since there aren’t too many locations it’s easy to find the location you want.
There is also a connection timer, and a meter to track how much data you have left if you’re using the free version of the app.
This is the full extent of the VPN’s functionality. If you want, you can use the anti-virus and security features in the other tabs, but you won’t find any additional VPN settings.
The Mac and PC versions of the VPN require you to have Bitdefender Total Security installed. You can launch the VPN on its own, so unless you plan to use Bitdefender’s other features the Total Security app is little more than bloatware.
The VPN app itself is even more simple than the mobile version.
It has an easy to navigate server list, which we like.
The settings menu is easy to find, but there isn’t much there. The feature to automatically launch the VPN when connecting to unsecure WiFi is nice.
Many of the key features we would expect of a top level VPN just aren’t here, though. We would really like to see a kill switch option, for instance.
Customer Support
Fast and helpful customer support
6.16.1/10
How is this calculated?
This rating is based on our assessment of each VPN’s:
Email support
Live chat support
Online resources
Not every VPN offers all of these, and they often vary in quality and response time.
Bitdefender offers 24/7 live chat, email support and forums. We've found all three of these to be fast and useful. The service also offers some online support guides.
Ranked #39 out of 56 VPNs for Customer Support
Customer Support
Available in Bitdefender VPN
24/7 Live Chat Support
Yes
24/7 Email Support
No
Chatbot
No
Email
Yes
Email Support via Online Form
No
Tutorial Videos
No
Online Resources
Yes
When we first reviewed Bitdefender VPN we found its customer support frustrating, but it’s made some definite improvements since then.
Livechat is quick and helpful (although not quite available 24/7 in our experience): perfect for customers all around the globe.
Bitdefender also provides setup guides and troubleshooting instructions for most common problems, which are well set out and should solve most issues you may encounter.
The forums are pretty helpful too, although these are mostly user-operated so aren’t the most reliable source out there.
Price & Value
Bitdefender VPN is not good value for your money
5.55.5/10
How is this calculated?
Price & Value for Money receives a rating, but is not factored into our Overall Rating. We believe the reader should decide what is or isn’t a reasonable price.
A good rating here isn’t just based on how cheap the VPN is, but for the value it offers overall.
Bitdefender VPN is expensive for what it offers. The cheapest monthly price you can get it for is $4.16. That's pricier than VPNs that are more private, secure and unblock more streaming services.
Ranked #34 out of 56 VPNs for Price & Value
Like the VPN itself, Bitdefender keeps its payment plans as simple as possible. You have two choices: monthly or yearly.
Paying for a single month of Bitdefender VPN is the more expensive option, coming in at $4.99. However, signing up for a 12-month plan brings the price down to a slightly lower $4.16 per month.
You can purchase Bitdefender using major credit cards like Visa, Mastercard, American Express, and Discover. You can also pay by PayPal or direct bank transfer.
You won’t be able to find more private or anonymous payment methods, though. We’d like to see the option to pay with cryptocurrency or a prepaid credit card, or even cash.
Hotspot Shield’s proprietary protocol - Catapult Hydra - is what helps Bitdefender run so fast. This VPN includes everything in Bitdefender VPN plus far more server options and features. Most importantly it doesn’t leak. Read Hotspot Shield review
Surfshark
9.29.2/10
A great value VPN, Surfshark offers a consistently secure connection which doesn’t leak any identifiable information. It also includes a range of advanced security features, such as a kill-switch to keep you safe if your connection fails. Read Surfshark review