⚡ Quick Verdict:
- Pricing: Aura plans run from $10 to $32 per month. Malwarebytes plans run from $44.99 to $159.99 per year.
- Best for: AuraVPN for identity theft protection with a basic VPN. Malwarebytes VPN for a lean, low-cost privacy VPN.
- Key difference: Malwarebytes gives you a kill switch, MultiHop, and server choice. Aura skips those but adds credit monitoring, insurance, and parental controls.
- Our pick: AuraVPN for most households. It guards your identity, money, and devices from one app.
Most people compare AuraVPN and Malwarebytes VPN right after a scare.
Maybe it was a data breach email or a strange card charge.
Both brands pair antivirus software with a VPN.
But only one is built around identity theft protection.
The other is a lean privacy VPN from an anti-malware brand.
That split decides which one belongs on your devices.
Overview
This AuraVPN vs Malwarebytes VPN comparison covers ten key areas.
We reviewed documentation, pricing pages, and user reviews for both tools.
Our writers also spent hands-on time with each one.
Those notes appear in the “What Our Team Noticed” sections below.
What is AuraVPN?
AuraVPN is the virtual private network inside Aura’s all-in-one safety app.
You can’t buy it alone, and it isn’t a paid add on.
Every one of the Aura plans includes it.
Aura is an identity theft protection service first.
It watches your personal information, bank accounts, and credit reports for fraud.
Aura suggests using a VPN whenever you join public Wi-Fi in airports and cafes.
This short review video walks through the app.
🏆 Winner: AuraVPN
One app covers your VPN, antivirus, and credit. Each adult gets $1 million in identity theft insurance.
AuraVPN Pricing
Aura keeps pricing simple. Every plan gets the same core features.
| Plan | Price | Best For |
|---|---|---|
| Family | $32/month | Up to five adults plus kids |
| Couple | $22/month | Two adults sharing one account |
| Individual | $12/month | One adult |
| Kids | $10/month | Parents focused on child safety |
Pricing verified September 2026.
Free trial: Yes. Aura gives you 14 days free, and you can cancel without charge.
Money-back guarantee: Aura backs its plans with a 60 day money back guarantee.
📌 Note: There’s no tiered service. Plans differ only by who is covered. The Family plan covers up to five adults and unlimited kids’ Social Security numbers.
⚠️ Price check: Some review sites list three main plans at $15, $29, and $50 a month. Month-to-month billing often explains the gap. Confirm the final price at checkout.
Key Benefits of AuraVPN
Here’s what makes Aura worth a look:
- $1 Million Insurance: Each adult member gets up to $1 million in identity theft insurance. It covers eligible losses and legal fees.
- Credit Lock: You can lock your Experian credit file instantly. That stops most credit inquiries on your Experian file.
- Fast Fraud Alerts: Aura claims it flags credit fraud up to 250 times faster than rivals. It checks your data against billions of data points.
- Real Time Protection: Aura antivirus scored 98% to 100% in tests, catching most malware. It runs on Windows, Mac, and Android.
- Family Safety: Parental controls add safe gaming and screen time limits. Parents can also filter harmful sites.
- U.S. Fraud Specialists: Real people help you recover after identity theft. That support comes with every plan.
What Our Team Noticed
With Aura installed, our writer explored the alerts dashboard, VPN, and antivirus. Here’s what stood out from that hands-on time:
AuraVPN Pros & Cons
✅ Pros
- $1 million identity theft insurance for each adult
- Credit monitoring with an instant Experian credit lock
- Antivirus scored 98% to 100% in malware tests
- Parental controls and a password manager included
❌ Cons
- No kill switch, and you can’t choose a server
- Not built for high-end streaming or torrenting
- Pricier than VPN-only services
What is Malwarebytes VPN?
Malwarebytes Privacy VPN comes from a company known for its anti malware solution.
It runs on WireGuard for faster speeds than older VPN protocols.
The network lists 470+ worldwide servers in 45+ countries.
Those Malwarebytes servers come from Mullvad, a Swedish VPN company.
You can buy the VPN alone or bundle it with other Malwarebytes products.
Windows devices and Macs get a desktop app. Android and iOS get mobile apps.
Watch the review below for a quick tour.
Malwarebytes VPN
A simple WireGuard VPN with a kill switch. Pair it with antivirus for one yearly bill.
Malwarebytes VPN Pricing
Malwarebytes bills yearly. Pick the plan that matches the tools you need.
| Plan | Price | Best For |
|---|---|---|
| Standard | $44.99/yr | Antivirus only |
| Plus | $59.99/yr | Antivirus plus the VPN |
| Total | $159.99/yr | Device security, VPN, and identity protection |
Pricing verified September 2026.
Free trial: Yes. Privacy VPN has a 7-day free trial period.
Money-back guarantee: You get 60 days to request a refund.
📌 Note: Malwarebytes offers the VPN on its own, too. Standalone pricing scales with simultaneous connections: one device, three, or five. Every tier gets all the same features.
⚠️ Price check: The standalone VPN is listed at $39.99, $49.99, and $59.99 per year. There are no discounts or crypto payments. VAT can add up to 20% in some countries.
Key Benefits of Malwarebytes VPN
Here’s where Malwarebytes earns its spot:
- Kill Switch: It blocks all traffic if the VPN connection drops. Your real IP address stays hidden.
- Connection Rules: This is Malwarebytes’ take on split tunneling. You can send certain apps or IP addresses outside the VPN.
- MultiHop: Traffic can pass through two servers in different countries. That gives added protection for sensitive tasks.
- AES-256 Encryption: Your data travels through a strong cipher. WireGuard keeps it quick.
- Private DNS: Malwarebytes runs its own DNS server that doesn’t track traffic. It doesn’t store DNS requests or bandwidth usage.
- Helpful Support: Reviewers describe support as solid, with quick replies. That matters when setup goes wrong.
What Our Team Noticed
Our writer signed into a Malwarebytes account and tried the VPN apps and settings. Here’s what stood out:
Malwarebytes VPN Pros & Cons
✅ Pros
- WireGuard, AES-256, and a kill switch built in
- MultiHop and Connection Rules for split tunneling
- Low yearly prices plus a 7-day free trial
- Quick, solid customer support
❌ Cons
- Smaller server network than most rivals
- Weak for Hulu, Disney+, and BBC iPlayer
- US-based with no third-party audits
Feature Comparison
Now let’s put both tools side by side. We’ll cover ten areas, from identity tools to cost.
| Feature | AuraVPN | Malwarebytes VPN |
|---|---|---|
| Starting Price | $10/month | $44.99/yr |
| Free Plan | ❌ | ❌ |
| Identity Theft Protection | ✅ | ✅ (Total plan) |
| Kill Switch | ❌ | ✅ |
| Choose Your Server | ❌ | ✅ |
| Split Tunneling | ✅ | ✅ |
| Antivirus | ✅ | ✅ |
| Parental Controls | ✅ | ❌ |
| Password Manager | ✅ | ❌ |
| Best For | Families and identity protection | Budget VPN plus antivirus |
1. Identity Theft Protection
AuraVPN: Aura watches your Social Security number, dark web leaks, and data breaches. Home title monitoring and address monitoring catch property and mail fraud. Aura’s identity theft protections are reactive, so alerts come after a problem appears.
Malwarebytes VPN: Identity protection only comes with the Total plan. The Standard and Plus plans guard devices and traffic, not your identity.
Aura’s insurance is the safety net behind all this. Here’s how that coverage works.
2. Credit Monitoring & Financial Fraud
AuraVPN: Aura tracks your credit reports and flags new credit inquiries. Credit scoring systems differ, so scores can vary by bureau. You can still pull your free annual credit report yourself.
Malwarebytes VPN: The VPN plans skip credit tools entirely. Dark web monitoring arrives with the Total plan.
Aura goes deeper on money. It monitors financial accounts, online accounts, and financial transactions for suspicious activity. It also offers investment account monitoring, so identity thieves have fewer blind spots to exploit.
3. VPN Security & Encryption
AuraVPN: Aura encrypts your internet connection and hides your IP address. Aura’s VPN is fast, with minimal impact on speed. It allows P2P traffic but has no kill switch, unlike many VPNs.
Malwarebytes VPN: Malwarebytes pairs WireGuard with AES-256 encryption. Its kill switch settings are easily accessible in the app. That covers the important features most VPNs offer.
⚠️ Warning: Without a kill switch, your IP can leak if Aura’s VPN drops. If you download torrents, Malwarebytes is the safer pick.
4. Servers, Speed & Device Support
AuraVPN: Aura lists 100+ virtual servers, but you can’t choose your server location. You also can’t return to the same server on purpose. Split tunneling lets you pick which apps or sites skip the VPN.
Malwarebytes VPN: You choose from 470+ servers, a small network next to other VPNs. Published speed tests show drops of 34% nearby and 62% on distant servers. Gamers also report high ping.
Device limits differ, too. Aura covers 10 devices per user and up to 50 across five adults. Malwarebytes skips Linux, router setups, Fire TV Stick, and gaming consoles. Neither one is the fastest VPN, and neither offers Smart DNS.
5. Antivirus & Malware Protection
AuraVPN: Aura’s scanner fights viruses, spyware, and ransomware using a large malware database. It blocked the vast majority of test files. But there’s no firewall, Wi-Fi scan, scheduled scans, or scan logs.
Malwarebytes VPN: Malwarebytes Premium Security comes with every bundled plan. The standalone VPN doesn’t include antivirus, so choose Plus if you want both.
Malwarebytes also offers AdwCleaner for adware and junk programs. Aura’s antivirus is less feature-rich than Norton or Bitdefender, and it doesn’t cover iOS devices.
6. Safe Browsing & Scam Blocking
AuraVPN: Aura blocks known malicious websites, scam pages, and phishing attempts. Spam call and message protection adds cover on your phone.
Malwarebytes VPN: Browser Guard blocks dangerous sites, trackers, and scam pages in your browser. It’s a free extension, so it works alongside any VPN.
7. Data Broker Removal
AuraVPN: Aura scans data broker sites and asks them to delete your details. It also handles spam list removal to cut junk calls and mail.
Malwarebytes VPN: Personal Data Remover sends opt-out requests to data brokers for you. It shrinks your exposure over time.
Malwarebytes also maps your digital footprint. It shows where your email and details appear online.
8. Password Manager & Vault
AuraVPN: Aura’s password manager creates a strong password for every account. It warns you if a saved password appears in a breach. A digital vault protects sensitive information.
Malwarebytes VPN: There’s no password manager here. Malwarebytes protects your personal data by pulling it off risky sites instead.
9. Privacy Policy & Jurisdiction
AuraVPN: Aura says it doesn’t store browsing history. It may log your IP address temporarily during a session.
Malwarebytes VPN: Malwarebytes promises not to track, store, or share network data. It may keep anonymized data, like a public key. Critics call the policy unclear, and it has had no third party audits.
⚠️ Warning: Both companies sit in the US, a 5 Eyes member. Neither is built for China. Aura lacks obfuscation there and in parts of the Middle East.
10. Pricing & Cost
Here’s how the plans line up side by side.
| Plan Level | AuraVPN | Malwarebytes VPN |
|---|---|---|
| Free | ❌ (14-day trial) | ❌ (7-day trial) |
| Entry | Kids: $10/month | Standard: $44.99/yr |
| Single user | Individual: $12/month | Plus: $59.99/yr |
| Two adults | Couple: $22/month | — |
| Top tier | Family: $32/month | Total: $159.99/yr |
| Money-back | 60 days | 60 days |
AuraVPN: You pay a premium, but every plan includes identity theft protection, antivirus, and the VPN. Couples and families save money by sharing one account.
Malwarebytes VPN: Plus is the cheapest way to get a VPN with antivirus here. Total adds identity protection but costs more per year.
Different Scenarios
| If You Need… | Choose | Why |
|---|---|---|
| Tight budget | Malwarebytes VPN | Lower yearly cost |
| Identity theft insurance | AuraVPN | $1 million per adult |
| Kill switch and server choice | Malwarebytes VPN | Aura offers neither |
| Parental controls | AuraVPN | Safe gaming and screen limits |
| Streaming or torrenting | Neither | Both are weak here |
| Beginner-friendly | AuraVPN | One app, zero setup choices |
💰 Your Budget
If you only want a VPN, Malwarebytes costs far less (see Pricing & Cost). If identity monitoring matters, Aura bundles more than typical identity protection services.
🔌 Your Devices
Both run on Windows, Mac, Android, and iOS. Each operating system gets its own app. Linux users are out of luck with both.
👨👩👧 Your Household
Aura’s family plans add unique features. Kids’ SSNs are covered, and online activities get cyberbullying alerts. Malwarebytes has nothing similar for parents.
🎓 Your Experience Level
Aura makes the choices for you, which suits beginners. Malwarebytes gives you server picks, MultiHop, and Connection Rules to tweak.
🆓 Free Trials and Demos
If you want to test Aura, use its 14-day trial. Malwarebytes gives you seven days, so run your own speed checks early.
🛟 Support Options
Aura gives you U.S.-based fraud specialists for recovery. At Malwarebytes, a support ticket is the fix for issues downloading or connecting.
Switching Guide
Already using one of these tools? Here’s what changes if you switch.
🔄 Switching from AuraVPN to Malwarebytes VPN?
✅ What you’ll gain:
- A kill switch and manual server choice
- MultiHop routing through two countries
- A much lower yearly bill
❌ What you’ll lose:
- Credit monitoring and the Experian credit lock
- $1 million identity theft insurance
- Parental controls and the password manager
📋 How to switch:
- Export saved passwords from Aura, then cancel inside your trial or refund window.
- Create a Malwarebytes account and install the Windows app or iOS app.
- Approve the pop up window for VPN setup. Then turn on auto launch and auto connect.
🔄 Switching from Malwarebytes VPN to AuraVPN?
✅ What you’ll gain:
- Bank, credit, and SSN monitoring
- Data broker and spam list cleanup
- Family safety tools for kids
❌ What you’ll lose:
- The kill switch and MultiHop
- Control over which server you use
- A lower price for VPN-only use
📋 How to switch:
- Cancel Malwarebytes within its 60-day refund window if you qualify.
- Start Aura’s free trial and pick the plan for your household.
- Add your SSN, cards, and bank accounts so alerts can start.
What Our Review Didn’t Cover
This comparison focused on individuals and families in the US. We didn’t check older Macs, such as those on macOS Catalina, or router setups. We also didn’t measure how quickly Aura resolves a real insurance claim. Details reflect September 2026 versions and may change.
Final Verdict
| Category | Winner |
|---|---|
| 🛡️ Identity Theft Protection | AuraVPN |
| 💳 Credit & Financial Fraud | AuraVPN |
| 🔒 VPN Security | Malwarebytes VPN |
| 🌍 Servers & Controls | Malwarebytes VPN |
| 🦠 Antivirus | AuraVPN |
| 🚫 Safe Browsing | Tie |
| 🧹 Data Broker Removal | AuraVPN |
| 🔑 Password Manager | AuraVPN |
| 🕵️ Privacy Policy | Malwarebytes VPN |
| 💰 Pricing | Malwarebytes VPN |
| 🏆 Overall Winner | AuraVPN |
🏆 WINNER: AURAVPN
AuraVPN wins 5 out of 10 categories. Malwarebytes wins 4, with one tie.
Best for: Families, identity protection, and all-in-one security
These tools don’t earn the same score because they solve different problems. Aura helps you catch identity theft, credit fraud, and malware from one dashboard. Its VPN is basic, but the other features make up for it.
Malwarebytes is the better pure VPN for less money. You get a kill switch, MultiHop, and WireGuard. Still, the small network and weak streaming hold it back.
Pick Malwarebytes if you want online privacy on a budget. Pick Aura if a stolen identity worries you more than a leaked IP.
More of AuraVPN Compared
Here’s how Aura stacks up against dedicated VPN services:
AuraVPN vs NordVPN
AuraVPN wins on: SSN alerts, parental controls, and bank monitoring in every plan.
NordVPN wins on: A kill switch, far more server countries, and audited no-logs claims.
AuraVPN wins on: Credit locks, identity insurance, and bundled antivirus.
ExpressVPN wins on: Streaming access, router apps, and its Lightway protocol.
AuraVPN vs ProtonVPN
AuraVPN wins on: Fraud specialists, data broker removal, and family tools.
ProtonVPN wins on: A free plan, open-source apps, and Secure Core routing.
More of Malwarebytes VPN Compared
Here’s how Malwarebytes holds up against other VPN picks:
Malwarebytes VPN vs Surfshark
Malwarebytes wins on: A tight antivirus bundle, simple settings, and quick support replies.
Surfshark wins on: Unlimited devices, a bigger network, and audited privacy.
Malwarebytes VPN vs Private Internet Access
Malwarebytes wins on: Browser Guard pairing, MultiHop, and a cleaner interface.
PIA wins on: Unlimited connections, open-source apps, and Linux support.
Malwarebytes VPN vs CyberGhost
Malwarebytes wins on: WireGuard by default, a shorter setup, and bundled malware protection.
CyberGhost wins on: Dedicated streaming servers, more locations, and router support.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is Aura a good VPN?
It’s a decent all-rounder for public Wi-Fi and daily browsing. It lacks a kill switch and server choice. Heavy streamers and torrent users should look elsewhere.
Is Malwarebytes VPN any good?
Yes, for basic online privacy. WireGuard, a kill switch, and MultiHop are solid. The small network, weak streaming, and missing audits keep it behind premium VPN services.
Does Malwarebytes VPN log data?
Malwarebytes says it doesn’t log DNS requests or IP addresses. It may keep anonymized data, like a public key. No outside audit has confirmed these claims yet.
Is it safe to give my SSN to Aura?
Yes, for most people. Aura needs your SSN to watch credit and dark web activity. It’s a legitimate US company, and its insurance covers eligible losses.
Is paying for Aura worth it?
It is if you want identity, credit, and device protection in one bill. If you only need a VPN, a dedicated service costs less and does more.
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