Bitdefender VPN Review – Is It Safe in 2024

As a reliable cybersecurity brand, Bitdefender has created a virtual private network (VPN) that is both powerful and practical. This VPN exceeded our expectations, in contrast to the vast majority of those that come preinstalled with security software. 

Bitdefender VPN premium has quick connections and can bypass geo-restrictions on some streaming services. Any premium package grants access to the nationwide network of virtual server sites. You may still encrypt your online activities strongly with the free plan, even if it has a daily bandwidth cap and three server locations.

Although there are a few issues, such as a limitation on the number of connections that may be active at once, the advantages far exceed the disadvantages. This VPN subscription is excellent in every way, including the price. To find out more about our experience and the streaming services it didn’t support, see our Bitdefender VPN review that is located below.

Pros

• Seamlessly unblock Netflix in the US, UK, and Canada
• Large server network with 1000+ virtual servers available
• Annual paid plans at a reasonable price compared to other VPN providers
• The ability to connect, up to 10 devices at once

Cons

• Limitations on data and server space for free planners
• Unverified policy against logging

VPN Features

The Bitdefender VPN software is installed immediately with the Bitdefender protection suite. The product website, the Google Play Store, and the software Store also provide standalone software installations. You can do more than just switch it on and surf the web with a decent, all-around VPN. The characteristics of an exceptional VPN include a robust no-logs policy, various server locations to choose from, and security features like a kill switch.

Virtual private networks (VPNs) encrypt your data in transit, but they really come into their own when it comes to unblocking geo-restricted material, enabling split tunnelling and torrenting, or blocking trackers and advertisements. We were pleasantly impressed by how powerful Bitdefender VPN’s features were, and it certainly ticks many of these boxes.

A kill switch, which masks your IP address even if your VPN connection stops, is the basic minimum in terms of security measures, while premium VPNs provide more. Bitdefender is fortunate in that it provides three different VPN protocols, split tunnelling, and a kill switch. We found these features to be very user-friendly throughout our testing.

Privacy and Logging

Bitdefender’s privacy worries might be a little perplexing due to its two offices. In contrast to the United States, which openly permits surveillance on internet users, Romania provides several privacy safeguards.

Aon Cyber Solutions assessed Pango’s Partner VPN platform in November 2022, and Bitdefender is one of Pango’s VPN service partners. Less significant problems were corrected, and no critical findings were found during the audit.

Make sure your VPN doesn’t record any of your activity. A VPN without logs is essential if you care about your privacy (which you should). An important feature of a virtual private network (VPN) is the ability to conceal your online identity and activities.

Your virtual private network (VPN) service provider may be compelled by law to disclose any information it has gathered on you in nations like the US, where personal data is not legally protected. All of your internet activity is recorded in these records. Thankfully, a VPN that does not retain records will not be able to provide any information.

Again, not VPN-specific, but there’s a lot more to see here about the data it saves. Your technical data is stored by Bitdefender VPN for fraud protection and similar purposes, in addition to your email and payment details.

Speed Tests – How Fast is Bitdefender VPN

The ease and comfort of using the Internet is greatly affected by the speed of one’s connection. In most instances, virtual private networks impact this attribute by slowing it down. However, there are certain unusual instances where VPN design may actually improve performance. To confirm the program’s functionality, we ran a battery of tests. The research included both desktop and mobile apps. Two sites were linked to each segment: one in the US and another chosen at random from the list of possible destinations.

PC Test

The image displays the results of an internet speed test without Bitdefender VPN: 

• Download Speed: 94.1 Mbps
• Upload Speed: 93.9 Mbps
• Ping: 13 milliseconds
• Jitter: 0 milliseconds
• Packet Loss: 0%

The picture shows some quite remarkable internet connection speeds: 94.1 Mbps for downloading and 93.9 Mbps for uploading. With these speeds, streaming, gaming, and quick downloads and uploads of massive files are all possible, meeting the demands of most homes and businesses. Online gaming and other real-time applications benefit greatly from the 13 ms ping, which indicates a fast reaction time. A steady and dependable connection is further shown by the lack of jitter and packet loss. You can do many great things on the internet with this connection.

The image displays the results of an internet speed test conducted from a location in Brazil with a secured VPN connection by Bitdefender:

• Download Speed: 73.4 Mbps
• Upload Speed: 25.5 Mbps
• Ping: 229 milliseconds
• Jitter: 26 milliseconds
• Packet Loss: 0%

Both the download and upload speeds are much lower when compared to earlier findings obtained without a VPN. Down from 94.1 Mbps, download speeds are now at 73.4 Mbps, while upload speeds are at 25.5 Mbps, down from 93.9 Mbps. Since data must undergo encryption and decryption operations and travel longer routes, this is a typical impact of VPNs and may reduce performance.

The jitter has also doubled, from zero milliseconds to twenty-six, and the ping has jumped from thirteen milliseconds to twenty-nine milliseconds. These modifications usually cause the internet to become less responsive, which impacts online activities that need real-time interaction, such as gaming or video conferencing. Using a VPN may significantly raise ping and jitter, particularly if the VPN server is located far away from our actual location.

The image displays the results of an internet speed test conducted from Las Vegas (United States) with a secured VPN connection:

• Download Speed: 77.9 Mbps
• Upload Speed: 59.8 Mbps
• Ping: 177 milliseconds
• Jitter: 0 milliseconds
• Packet Loss: 5%

A VPN connection in Las Vegas, USA, yielded the following speed test results: download 77.9 Mbps, upload 59.8 Mbps, ping 177 ms, and packet loss 5%. The upload speeds have improved compared to the previous testing, but the ping is still greater than without a VPN. Additionally, packet loss might affect how well streaming and games work. 

Browsers’ Extensions Test

The application does not have an extension for browsers.

Mobile Test

Here are the results of a mobile internet speed test conducted without a VPN:

• Download Speed: 94.8 Mbps
• Upload Speed: 93.2 Mbps
• Ping: 13 milliseconds
• Jitter: 0 milliseconds

Everything from streaming video to playing online games to transferring massive files is a breeze with this test’s indication of a rock-solid mobile connection with lightning-fast download and upload speeds and almost no latency at all. Additionally, a stable and dependable connection is shown by the lack of jitter.

Speedtest Result with Bitdefender VPN being on:

• Download Speed: 87.0 Mbps
• Upload Speed: 43.2 Mbps
• Ping: 177 milliseconds
• Jitter: 474 milliseconds

The picture shows the results of a Bitdefender VPN connection from Las Vegas, which shows a reasonably fast download speed and a reasonable upload speed. Extremely real-time online activities, like gaming or video conversations, may be badly impacted by the high jitter and ping. Despite the usual drawbacks of VPN use, such as increased latency and jitter, the VPN seems to provide a respectable download speed.

Speedtest Result with Bitdefender VPN being on:

• Download Speed: 45.1 Mbps
• Upload Speed: 17.6 Mbps
• Ping: 58 milliseconds
• Jitter: 1 millisecond

In this snapshot, we can see a Bitdefender VPN connection to a server in Norway. The speeds and ping times are rather excellent for a VPN. As is usual with encryption and longer data transmission distances, the user should expect much slower download and upload rates when compared to direct connections or VPN servers located closer to their real location. If the connection is solid, as shown by the low jitter and decent ping, then basic streaming and web surfing should be OK, but high-bandwidth activities may see slower speeds.

About Safety – How Secure is VPN?

On every platform, the Hydra protocol is used, together with Perfect Forward Secrecy and 256-bit AES encryption or the maximum cipher that the client and server support. In other words, encryption keys are created fresh for each VPN connection and then deleted from memory once the session ends.

Governments and militaries all around the globe utilize this encryption since it is the strongest option available. As a standard security measure and an essential component for protecting sensitive data, banks also utilize it.

Desktop Apps

Bitdefender is compatible with all four of the most popular OSes: Windows, Android, macOS, and iOS. A virtual private network is available for download on many platforms, including Windows, Mac OS X, Android, and iOS. Let’s look at the desktop App for macOS.

The desktop app for Bitdefender VPN is stylish and contemporary, with an intuitive layout that everyone can use. Its dark tone and user-friendly navigation choices, which often include a global map for server selection, serve as visual representations of its functions. Encrypted connections and IP address masking give the software a high level of security, allowing users to bypass geo-restrictions on content while maintaining their privacy. On the other hand, performance-intensive activities like gaming or HD streaming may be affected by their effects on internet speed and latency, as is the case with many VPNs. Moreover, in comparison to other VPN services, the settings, and features may be too limiting for certain customers. When it comes to virtual private networks (VPNs), Bitdefender VPN is a solid pick for consumers who value ease of use and aesthetic appeal.

Mobile Apps

The mobile version of Bitdefender VPN keeps things simple and uncluttered, making it perfect for usage on smartphones. Even those without much technical knowledge should be able to use it with ease because to its simple design and the fact that many of its buttons just need a single touch to connect. It enables vital VPN features like unblocking geo-restricted material and protecting public Wi-Fi connections. 

Users looking for extensive customization options may find the lack of advanced settings in the app disappointing when compared to its desktop version. Furthermore, there is a possibility that mobile VPN use may result in higher battery usage. Despite these cautions, the Bitdefender VPN app for iOS and Android is well acclaimed for its ease of use and reliable performance when it comes to basic VPN needs on the move.

Browser Extensions

The application does not have an extension for browsers

Performance

When it comes to performance, Bitdefender has a wide range of capabilities. It succeeds in creating a safe space, but concerns about its efficiency and speed emerge. It appears that Bitdefender could have difficulties when it comes to circumventing geo-blocks and limitations, which are vital for online activities like streaming.

Work in Highly Restricted Countries

The use of virtual private networks (VPNs) is restricted, outright banned, or otherwise severely limited in China. Bitdefender VPN is country-specific and hence will not function in China or other highly restricted countries. This is to prevent users from inadvertently violating any laws in the country.

Server’s locations

With Bitdefender VPN’s premium services, you have access to more than 50 countries’ worth of servers. Bitdefender has powerful and efficient virtual servers, but their server count and locations aren’t the highest we’ve seen.

Bitdefender VPN’s servers are user-friendly, quick, and able to bypass streaming geo-blocks. Fast and secure servers are still available on the free plan, but you’re limited to three server locations at most.

What Bonuses Does the Paid Version Offer, and How Much Does It Cost?

Pricing is really straightforward with Bitdefender Total Security. There’s a monthly payment and an annual pricing. The text on the site shows that Bitdefender doesn’t believe in multi-year contracts or pricey pricing schemes. Things are simple and economical.

Bitdefender provides a 30-day money-back guarantee on premium products as well as a 7-day free trial.

About Support

Bitdefender VPN’s dashboard provides access to customer assistance and community forums. To access the round-the-clock live chat, phone, and email options, visitors to the support website will need to make their way through the self-help guidelines. 

Additionally, the Bitdefender VPN support website provides direct access to the Support Center. We tried writing to the support chat and were completely satisfied with the communication. We were answered in detail and quickly to all our questions, providing links to back up the information. 

VPN Review: Final Statement 

We have concluded that Bitdefender VPN is an excellent service after extensive testing and investigation. There are numerous servers and countries, and we saw similar quality across all the servers we tested. Ad and tracker blocking, split tunnelling, a kill switch, and a plethora of other options are all available. You get a fantastic VPN when you combine all of this with access to localized streaming libraries.