⚡ Quick Verdict:
- Pricing: Avast starts at $49.99/first yr (Premium Security). McAfee starts at $39.99/yr (Essential).
- Best for: Avast SecureLine VPN suits people who want a long trial and 10 device slots. McAfee suits existing antivirus customers who want identity protection too.
- Key difference: Avast supports OpenVPN, WireGuard and its own Mimic protocol. McAfee Safe Connect VPN runs on Catapult Hydra and logs your IP address.
- Our pick: Avast VPN, mainly because it does not log identifiable browsing data and gives you a 60 day free trial.
Both of these come from antivirus companies, not VPN companies.
That single fact explains almost every difference between them.
Avast built a standalone product with its own protocol and apps.
McAfee built a switch inside a bigger security bundle.
One of them logs your IP address. The other does not.
Overview
This Avast VPN vs McAfee VPN comparison covers pricing, servers, protocols and privacy policy.
We also look at streaming, device support and security features.
Our sources are published specs, both privacy policies and our own review notes.
Our writer has hands-on time with Avast SecureLine VPN.
Observations on McAfee come from our published review and its documentation.
What is Avast VPN?
Avast SecureLine VPN is a virtual private network built by the Avast antivirus team.
It encrypts your internet connection and hides your real IP address.
The service runs about 700 servers across 34 countries.
That is a small network next to what most VPNs offer.
You get apps for Windows, macOS, Android, iOS and Android TV.
Avast is based in the Czech Republic, outside any data-sharing alliance.
🏆 Winner: Avast SecureLine VPN
A 60 day trial is rare in this market. Ten device slots and a proper kill switch help too.
Avast VPN Pricing
Avast sells the VPN inside its wider security packages.
| Plan | Price | Best For |
|---|---|---|
| Free Antivirus | Free | Basic malware cover with no VPN tunnel |
| Premium Security | $49.99/first yr | Households wanting Avast products on multiple platforms |
| Ultimate | $49.99/first yr | People who want SecureLine plus cleanup and AntiTrack |
Pricing verified September 2026.
Free trial: Yes. Avast offers a 60 day free trial, one of the longest in this market. You must add payment information first, but nothing is charged until the 60 day trial ends.
Money-back guarantee: Avast refunds paid subscriptions within 30 days of purchase. Cancel before renewal to avoid a second charge.
📌 Note: Both paid tiers carry the same first-year price in our data. Ultimate adds Avast Cleanup Premium, AntiTrack and Secure Browser PRO on top of the same VPN tunnel.
⚠️ Pricing conflict flagged: Third-party sources list standalone SecureLine plans near $4.29–$4.59 per month on multi-year terms. Our CSV records the bundle pricing shown above, so the table uses those figures. Check the checkout page before you buy.
Key Benefits of Avast VPN
Here is what you actually get when you use Avast SecureLine VPN:
- Long free trial: The 60 day free trial runs on every supported platform. That is long enough to run your own speed tests and stress tests.
- Three protocol choices: The app supports the OpenVPN protocol, WireGuard and the proprietary Mimic protocol. Mimic exists to disguise VPN traffic on restrictive networks.
- Smart VPN mode: Smart VPN lets you set rules so the tunnel can automatically connect for banking sites or torrenting servers.
- Kill switch: If the vpn connection dies, the kill switch cuts your internet so nothing leaks during connection drops.
- Wide device support: One subscription covers 10 devices across Windows, Mac, Android, iOS and Android TV.
- Public network safety: Using the VPN on a public network raises security against man-in-the-middle attacks on café and airport Wi-Fi.
- Less tracking: Masking your location limits price discrimination and stops third party advertisers profiling your online activities.
What Our Team Noticed
Our writer signed up for Avast SecureLine and ran it as a daily driver for several days. Here is what stood out from that hands-on time:
The clip below walks through the same session.
Avast VPN Pros & Cons
✅ Pros
- 60 day free trial on every supported platform
- Connects up to 10 devices on one subscription
- Supports OpenVPN, WireGuard and the Mimic protocol
- Does not log identifiable information about you
- Czech Republic base sits outside data-sharing alliances
❌ Cons
- Only around 700 servers in 34 countries
- No independent audit of the no-logs policy
- Avast paid a $16.5 million FTC penalty in February 2024
- Speeds drop sharply on distant servers
What is McAfee VPN?
McAfee Safe Connect VPN is the tunnel built into McAfee’s security suite.
It encrypts traffic and swaps your real IP for a shared one.
Safe Connect runs roughly 2,000 servers across 47 countries.
The tunnel uses Catapult Hydra, the same protocol behind Hotspot Shield.
Apps cover Windows, iOS and Android, but there is no macOS app.
McAfee is a US company, which places it inside the Five Eyes alliance.
Runner Up: McAfee VPN
The cheapest way in, and the VPN is only part of it. You also get antivirus and identity protection.
McAfee VPN Pricing
Every McAfee annual plan bundles the VPN with antivirus.
| Plan | Price | Best For |
|---|---|---|
| Essential | $39.99/yr | Solo users who want basic online security |
| Advanced Individual | $89.99/yr | People who want identity protection and credit monitoring |
| Advanced Family | $119.99/yr | Households needing separate accounts per member |
Pricing verified September 2026.
Free trial: Yes, seven days. There is also a limited free VPN capped at 500MB per month, which is barely enough for occasional use.
Money back guarantee: 30 days on paid plans. You have to contact McAfee support before the deadline to get the refund processed.
📌 Note: Unlimited bandwidth is normally tied to auto-renewal. Turn renewal off and the data cap can come back.
⚠️ Warning: Renewal pricing climbs steeply after year one. Third-party listings also show a standalone $7.99 monthly option that our data does not carry, so confirm the figure at checkout.
Key Benefits of McAfee VPN
Here is what the bundle actually gives you:
- Automatic Wi-Fi cover: The VPN switches on by itself the moment you join an unsecured hotspot. That protects banking details from man-in-the-middle attacks.
- Strong encryption: Safe Connect uses AES-256 encryption to scramble your data in transit.
- Throttling defence: Encrypting your online activity makes it harder for an ISP or mobile carrier to spot bandwidth-heavy transfers and slow you down.
- Leak protection: The apps include DNS leak protection alongside multi-device support.
- Geo-unblocking basics: Connecting to another country changes the geo location information sites read from you.
- Identity tools included: Advanced plans add dark web monitoring, a security freeze and credit monitoring.
- Android split tunneling: On Android you can pick which apps use the tunnel and which stay on the normal connection.
What Our Team Noticed
Our published McAfee VPN review recorded a speed test of 97Mbps on a nearby server. Download speed never fell under 75Mbps on international hops.
The same review found Netflix blocked the connection on every server tried. Latency also spiked badly on Windows, which rules out gaming.
Note: McAfee does not have a dedicated hands-on block in our media library yet, so the notes above come from our own published review rather than a fresh session.
McAfee VPN Pros & Cons
✅ Pros
- Lowest entry price of the two at $39.99/yr
- Around 2,000 servers, far more than Avast
- Fast Catapult Hydra speeds on nearby servers
- Turns on automatically on unsecured Wi-Fi
- Identity protection and credit monitoring included
❌ Cons
- Logs your IP address and the sites you visit
- No macOS or Linux app at all
- Kill switch missing on iOS and Android
- No P2P support and poor streaming results
Feature Comparison
Here is where the two products actually split apart. We walk through ten areas that decide which VPN service fits your life.
| Feature | Avast SecureLine VPN | McAfee Safe Connect VPN |
|---|---|---|
| Starting Price | $49.99/first yr | $39.99/yr |
| Free Trial | ✅ 60 days | ✅ 7 days + free VPN 500MB |
| Servers | ~700 in 34 countries | ~2,000 in 47 countries |
| Kill Switch (all platforms) | ✅ | ❌ |
| macOS App | ✅ | ❌ |
| Logs IP Addresses | ❌ | ✅ |
| Streaming Services | ⚠️ Mixed | ❌ |
| Torrenting / P2P | ✅ Torrenting servers | ❌ |
| Simultaneous Connections | 10 | 5 |
| Best For | Privacy plus a long trial | Bundled antivirus and identity protection |
1. Server Network and Locations
Avast SecureLine VPN: The server list is short. Avast SecureLine VPN servers number roughly 700 across 34 countries, which limits your options for speed and routing. Coverage thins out badly once you look past Europe and North America toward the Middle East.
McAfee Safe Connect VPN: Roughly 2,000 servers sit in about 47 countries. That is close to triple the footprint, and more server locations usually means a shorter hop to something nearby.
2. Speed and Protocols
Avast SecureLine VPN: You get the OpenVPN protocol, WireGuard and Mimic. Avast tunes its servers to avoid throttling during heavy transfers. Speeds hold up nearby but fall off sharply on distant hops, so it is not a fast VPN everywhere.
McAfee Safe Connect VPN: Catapult Hydra is built for throughput, and it shows in speed tests. The catch is latency, which has been reported to climb around 600 percent on Windows. Fast connection, poor ping.
3. Security Features
Avast SecureLine VPN: The kill switch works across desktop apps and kills the internet on connection drops. DNS leak protection and WebRTC leak protection are handled inside the vpn tunnel, so DNS leaks stay contained.
McAfee Safe Connect VPN: AES-256 encryption is solid, but the extras are the bare minimum. There is no multi hop, no smart dns, and the kill switch only exists on Windows. Advanced security features are the weakest part of this VPN app.
⚠️ Warning: If you use iPhone or Android as your main device, McAfee leaves you without a kill switch. A dropped connection exposes your real IP address before you notice.
4. Privacy and Logging
Avast SecureLine VPN: Avast records timestamps, data volume and connection details. It does not log identifiable information. No independent audit backs that claim, and the Jumpshot scandal still shadows the brand. Avast paid the FTC $16.5 million in February 2024 over selling browsing data.
McAfee Safe Connect VPN: This one logs your IP address and the sites you visit. Records are kept indefinitely and held 30 days after account deletion. McAfee claims a no-logs stance, but the policy is shared with the wider suite and never names the VPN. It also says data goes to any legal authority on request.
⚠️ Warning: Neither service has passed independent audits. If you want a verified no-logs promise, the best VPNs in the wider market publish audit reports and these two do not.
5. Streaming and Unblocking
Avast SecureLine VPN: Its streaming servers reach Netflix, Disney+ and Amazon Prime Video with mixed results. Hulu and BBC iPlayer are the usual failures. Prime Video works more often than the rest.
McAfee Safe Connect VPN: Streaming is simply not a use case here. The VPN fails against Netflix and Hulu, and there is no dedicated streaming tier to fall back on.
6. Device Support and Connections
Avast SecureLine VPN: One subscription covers 10 simultaneous connections. The Windows app, Mac client, Android app and iOS build all exist, plus Android TV. Multiple platforms are genuinely covered, not just listed.
McAfee Safe Connect VPN: Five devices, and no macOS app or Linux client. Device support stops at Windows, iOS and Android, so Mac and Apple TV households are stuck.
7. Apps and Ease of Use
Avast SecureLine VPN: The app is easy to install and easy to navigate, especially for beginners. Avast also ships a hardened browser and browser extensions for people who want more security at the browser layer.
McAfee Safe Connect VPN: The interface is user friendly and fine for beginners. It is also thin on settings, and live chat support quality draws complaints. Reviews describe the experience as basic rather than capable.
8. Automation and Split Tunneling
Avast SecureLine VPN: Smart VPN mode is the standout. You write rules and the tunnel will automatically connect for banking sites, torrenting servers or a named public network. Some people report Smart VPN misfiring on certain networks.
McAfee Safe Connect VPN: Automation is limited to auto-connecting on unsecured public Wi-Fi. Split tunneling exists on Android only, so Windows users get no app-level control.
9. Bundled Extras
Avast SecureLine VPN: The paid tiers pull in Avast antivirus, BreachGuard, patch management and cleanup tools. Avast products lean toward device hygiene rather than identity cover.
McAfee Safe Connect VPN: This is where McAfee pulls ahead. Advanced plans add a password manager, dark web identity monitoring, a security freeze, credit monitoring and up to $1 million in theft coverage.
10. Pricing & Cost
Let us put the plans side by side.
| Tier | Avast SecureLine VPN | McAfee Safe Connect VPN |
|---|---|---|
| Free | Free Antivirus (no VPN) | Free VPN capped at 500MB/month |
| Entry paid | Premium Security — $49.99/first yr | Essential — $39.99/yr |
| Mid paid | Ultimate — $49.99/first yr | Advanced Individual — $89.99/yr |
| Top paid | — | Advanced Family — $119.99/yr |
Avast SecureLine VPN: Ten dollars more to start, but you also get double the device slots and a 60 day free trial instead of seven days. Free trials this long let you test before payment information ever matters.
McAfee Safe Connect VPN: The $39.99 entry point is the cheapest way onto either platform. Move up to identity protection and the annual plan more than doubles.
Different Scenarios
| If You Need… | Choose | Why |
|---|---|---|
| Lowest entry price | McAfee | $39.99/yr beats $49.99 |
| A verified privacy stance | Avast | No identifiable logs kept |
| Mac or Linux support | Avast | McAfee has no macOS app |
| Identity theft cover | McAfee | Monitoring and credit freeze |
| Torrenting or streaming | Avast | P2P allowed, McAfee blocks it |
| A long test window | Avast | 60 days versus 7 days |
💰 Your Budget
McAfee wins on day one and loses on renewal. Avast costs more up front but the 60 day trial means you risk nothing early.
🔌 Your Devices
Mac owners can stop reading here and pick Avast. Android users and iOS users get a working McAfee client, but without a kill switch.
🔒 Your Privacy Bar
McAfee stores your browsing history and hands it to authorities on request. Avast keeps connection metadata only, though neither has an audit to prove it.
🎓 Your Experience Level
Both suit beginners. Avast gives you more knobs once you outgrow the defaults, mainly through Smart VPN rules and protocol switching.
🆓 Free Trials and Demos
Run both before you commit. Free vpns and trial tiers rarely reflect paid performance, so test on your own connection.
🛟 Support Options
Support is a weak spot for both. Avast draws complaints for unhelpful replies, and McAfee’s chat gets similar criticism from vpn users.
Switching Guide
Already on one of them? Here is what changes.
🔄 Switching from Avast to McAfee?
✅ What you’ll gain:
- Roughly triple the servers and more countries
- Identity monitoring, credit freeze and a password manager
- A cheaper first year at $39.99
❌ What you’ll lose:
- Mac support and half your device slots
- Smart VPN rules and protocol choice
- A policy that keeps your IP out of the logs
📋 How to switch:
- Cancel Avast before the renewal date and confirm the refund window
- Buy a McAfee annual plan and download the app on one device first
- Enable auto-connect for Wi-Fi, then add your remaining four devices
🔄 Switching from McAfee to Avast?
✅ What you’ll gain:
- Kill switch across desktop plus WebRTC and DNS leak protection
- Ten device slots, Mac support and Android TV
- P2P servers and better streaming odds
❌ What you’ll lose:
- About 1,300 servers and 13 countries of coverage
- Identity theft cover and credit monitoring
- The lower first-year price
📋 How to switch:
- Request your McAfee refund inside the 30 day window
- Start the Avast 60 day trial and add payment information
- Set Smart VPN rules, then install on the rest of your devices
What Our Review Didn’t Cover
We focused on individuals and small households. We did not test business licensing, router setups, or long-term throughput under sustained load. Server counts and pricing reflect September 2026 and both vendors change them often. If you run a Linux fleet or need a VPN for a team, neither product here is built for that.
Final Verdict
| Category | Winner |
|---|---|
| 💰 Pricing | McAfee |
| 🌐 Server Network | McAfee |
| ⚡ Speed | Tie |
| 🔐 Security Features | Avast |
| 🕵️ Privacy and Logging | Avast |
| 📺 Streaming and P2P | Avast |
| 📱 Device Support | Avast |
| 🏆 Overall Winner | Avast SecureLine VPN |
🏆 WINNER: AVAST SECURELINE VPN
Avast wins 4 of 7 categories.
Best for: Mac households, privacy-first users, people who want to test before paying
Neither of these is a good VPN by the standards of dedicated vpn services. Both are antivirus companies with a tunnel attached, and it shows in the server counts and the missing audits.
Avast wins because it behaves like a VPN product. Three protocols, a real kill switch, ten devices, P2P allowed, and no identifiable logs.
McAfee is the better buy only if you want the identity protection package. As a standalone tunnel it logs too much and covers too few platforms.
If online privacy is the whole point, use Avast SecureLine VPN and take the 60 days to decide.
More of Avast VPN Compared
Here is how Avast holds up against the dedicated players:
Avast wins on: a 60 day trial window, 10 device slots, bundled antivirus in the same subscription
NordVPN wins on: audited no-logs claims, a far larger server list, consistent streaming access, dedicated obfuscated servers
Avast VPN vs ExpressVPN
Avast wins on: cheaper bundled entry, longer trial, device hygiene tools ExpressVPN does not ship
ExpressVPN wins on: speed on distant hops, router firmware, unblocking that rarely breaks, published audits
Avast VPN vs Surfshark
Avast wins on: trial length, Android TV support out of the box, antivirus in the same bill
Surfshark wins on: unlimited connections instead of 10, multi hop routing, cheaper long-term terms, GPS spoofing on Android
More of McAfee VPN Compared
And how Safe Connect measures up elsewhere:
McAfee wins on: identity theft coverage, credit monitoring, one bill for antivirus and VPN
NordVPN wins on: a no-logs policy that survives audits, Netflix and BBC iPlayer access, kill switch on every platform, P2P support
McAfee VPN vs ProtonVPN
McAfee wins on: bundled antivirus, dark web monitoring, simpler setup for non-technical buyers
ProtonVPN wins on: Swiss jurisdiction, an unlimited free tier, open-source audited apps, Secure Core routing
McAfee VPN vs Private Internet Access
McAfee wins on: identity restoration support, brand familiarity, all-in-one billing
PIA wins on: dedicated P2P servers, a court-tested no-logs record, per-app split tunneling on desktop, cheaper multi-year terms
Frequently Asked Questions
Is Avast SecureLine VPN safe to use?
It encrypts traffic and keeps no identifiable logs, so everyday use is safe enough. The missing third-party audit and the 2024 FTC penalty are fair reasons to stay cautious.
Does Avast have a free VPN?
No. The free tier is antivirus only. You get a 60 day trial of the tunnel instead, which needs card details but charges nothing until it ends.
Is McAfee VPN better than NordVPN?
No. NordVPN has audited no-logs, more servers and working streaming. Safe Connect only wins if you specifically want antivirus and identity monitoring on the same bill.
What are the disadvantages of McAfee VPN?
No macOS or Linux app, only five connections, no kill switch on mobile, no P2P, and it fails against streaming. Many vpns cost less and do more.
Does McAfee VPN collect data?
Yes. It records your IP address and browsing history, keeps it indefinitely, and will share it with legal authorities on request. That is the main reason to look elsewhere.
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