🚀 Partnership inquiries: fahim@fahimai.com | Trusted by 250,000+ monthly readers across 17 languages 🔥

🚀 Partnership inquiries: fahim@fahimai.com

AuraVPN vs AdGuard VPN 2026: VPN or Identity Theft Suite?

by | Last updated Oct 1, 2026

Winner
AdGuard logo
3.5
  • Free Plan: 3 GB Every Month
  • Kill Switch & Split Tunneling
  • 65+ Locations, 53 Countries
  • DNS Ad & Tracker Blocking
  • 10 Devices Per Paid Account
  • Cyprus-Based, Outside 14 Eyes
  • Paid Plans from $2.40/month
Runner Up
auravpn
3.5
  • $1M Identity Theft Insurance
  • Credit Monitoring & Fraud Alerts
  • Antivirus Scored 98-100%
  • Password Manager & Vault
  • Parental Controls on Family
  • 60-Day Money-Back Guarantee
  • Paid Plans from $10/month

⚡ Quick Verdict:

  • Pricing: AuraVPN plans run $10 to $32/month. AdGuard VPN runs $2.40 to $11.99/month.
  • Best for: AuraVPN for identity theft protection with a VPN included. AdGuard VPN for a cheap VPN that blocks ads.
  • Key difference: AdGuard has a kill switch and server choice. Aura has neither, but adds credit monitoring, antivirus and $1M insurance.
  • Our pick: AdGuard VPN for most VPN shoppers. Both earn the same score, so price and VPN tools broke the tie.
auraVPN vs adguard vpn

The cheaper VPN here isn’t the weaker product.

AuraVPN and AdGuard VPN both hide your IP address from websites.

But only one of them is really a VPN company.

Aura sells identity theft protection, with a virtual private network tucked inside.

AdGuard sells a standalone VPN service that can also block ads.

So the right pick depends on what you want protected.

Overview

This AuraVPN vs AdGuard VPN comparison covers pricing, privacy, speed and extra tools.

We read both vendors’ documentation, pricing pages and published user reviews.

Our writers also spent hands-on time with each app.

Those notes appear in the “What Our Team Noticed” sections below.

By the end, you’ll know which one fits your needs.

What is AuraVPN?

AuraVPN is the VPN built into Aura’s all-in-one security plans.

You can’t buy it on its own.

All Aura plans bundle it with credit monitoring, antivirus software and identity protection.

Aura routes you through a VPN tunnel automatically, with no settings to learn.

Aura recommends it on public Wi-Fi at airports, hotels and cafes.

It also blocks known malicious sites and phishing pages for safe browsing.

Aura VPN Review: Is This The Best VPN for Privacy and Speed??

AuraVPN

⭐ 3.5/5 | 💰 From $10/month

Identity theft protection with a VPN, antivirus and password manager built in. Every adult plan includes $1M in identity theft insurance.

AuraVPN Pricing

Aura prices by household size, not by feature tier. Every adult plan gets the same core features.

PlanPriceBest For
Family$32/monthHouseholds with kids and up to five adults
Couple$22/monthTwo adults sharing one account
Individual$12/monthOne adult who wants full identity protection
Kids$10/monthParents focused on child online safety

Pricing verified October 2026.

AuraVPN pricing

Free trial: Aura offers a 14-day free trial on every plan. You can cancel without being charged.

Money-back guarantee: All plans come with a 60-day refund window.

📌 Note: Adult plans include the VPN, antivirus, password manager and $1M insurance. The Family plan covers up to five adults and unlimited children’s Social Security numbers.

⚠️ Price check: Some review sites list Individual, Couple and Family at $15, $29 and $50. Prices shift with billing terms, so confirm the total at checkout. Aura also costs more than most standalone VPN services.

Key Benefits of AuraVPN

Here’s a quick look at what Aura does best.

AuraVPN Top Benefits
  • $1M identity theft insurance: It covers eligible losses and legal fees after identity theft. U.S. fraud specialists help you recover.
  • Credit and bank monitoring: Aura watches your credit reports, bank accounts and Social Security activity. It flags suspicious financial transactions in linked financial accounts.
  • Faster fraud alerts: Aura says it spots credit fraud up to 250 times faster than rivals. It checks your personal information against billions of data points.
  • Instant credit lock: You can lock your Experian credit file in one tap. A credit lock stops most credit inquiries from new lenders.
  • Antivirus included: Reviewers who test Aura antivirus report 98% to 100% detection. It stops viruses, spyware and ransomware as they appear.
  • Family safety tools: The Family plan adds parental controls, safe gaming and screen time limits. Parents can filter harmful sites and manage app usage.
AuraVPN homepage

What Our Team Noticed

Our writer signed up for Aura and explored the dashboard, VPN and alerts. Here’s what stood out from that hands-on time:

Aura VPN Review: Is This The Best VPN for Privacy and Speed??

AuraVPN Pros & Cons

✅ Pros
  • $1M identity theft insurance on every adult plan
  • Credit, bank and dark web monitoring in one app
  • Antivirus scored 98% to 100% in malware tests
  • 14-day free trial plus a 60-day money-back guarantee
❌ Cons
  • No kill switch, so torrenting isn’t recommended
  • You can’t pick your own server location
  • Not sold as a standalone VPN

What is AdGuard VPN?

AdGuard VPN is a standalone VPN service from Adguard Software Limited.

The company is based in Cyprus, outside the 5/9/14 Eyes alliances.

It encrypts your traffic and hides your real location behind a new IP address.

AdGuard uses its own proprietary protocol instead of OpenVPN or WireGuard.

That protocol makes VPN traffic look like regular HTTPS traffic.

A free version gives you 3 GB of data each month.

AdGuard VPN Honest Review - Watch Before Using

AdGuard VPN

⭐ 3.5/5 | 💰 From $2.40/month

A lightweight VPN from the team behind the AdGuard ad blocker. Free plan, kill switch and split tunneling included.

AdGuard VPN Pricing

AdGuard sells one paid plan with three billing terms. Longer terms cost less per month.

PlanPriceBest For
1 Month$11.99/monthShort trips or trying the paid tier
1 Year$3.99/monthMost people who want a full-time VPN
2 Years$2.40/monthLong-term users chasing the lowest rate

Pricing verified October 2026.

Adguard VPN pricing

Free trial: There’s no timed trial. Instead, the free plan gives you 3 GB per month.

Money-back guarantee: 30 days on yearly and 2-year subscriptions. Monthly plans aren’t covered.

📌 Note: Every paid AdGuard VPN subscription unlocks all the features, unlimited data and 10 devices. You can pay by card, PayPal or cryptocurrency.

⚠️ Price check: Some review sites list the 2-year plan at $119, or about $2.99 per month. The yearly plan bills $47.88 upfront. Confirm the total at checkout.

Key Benefits of AdGuard VPN

Here’s a quick look at what AdGuard offers.

Adguard VPN top benefits
  • Free plan: You get 3 GB of data every month without paying. It’s enough for light browsing on the go.
  • Ad and tracker blocking: You can route traffic through DNS servers that block ads and trackers. Pages load cleaner without a second app.
  • Kill switch and split tunneling: The kill switch stops leaks if the VPN connection drops. Split tunneling lets you exclude certain websites or apps.
  • Censorship-resistant protocol: Traffic is disguised as normal HTTPS. That helps on networks that try to block VPNs.
  • Wide device support: Apps cover Windows, macOS, Android, iOS, Android TV and Linux. Browser extensions run in Chrome, Firefox and Edge.
  • No-logs privacy: AdGuard says it doesn’t log IP addresses, browsing history or timestamps. It also follows GDPR rules.
Adguard VPN homepage

What Our Team Noticed

Our writer set up an AdGuard account and used the app on desktop and mobile. Here’s what stood out from that hands-on time:

Untitled design 2 33

AdGuard VPN Pros & Cons

✅ Pros
  • Free plan with 3 GB of data every month
  • Built-in kill switch and split tunneling
  • Paid plans from $2.40/month on the 2-year term
  • DNS filtering blocks ads and trackers
❌ Cons
  • No third-party audit of its no-logs claims
  • Speeds can drop sharply on distant servers
  • No 24/7 live chat support

Feature Comparison

Each tool has unique features the other lacks. Here’s how they compare across 10 key areas. Aura covers far more ground, but AdGuard is the stronger VPN.

FeatureAuraVPNAdGuard VPN
Starting Price$10/month$2.40/month
Free Plan❌ (14-day trial)✅ 3 GB/month
Kill Switch❌✅
Split Tunneling✅✅
Choose Server Location❌✅
Ad & Tracker BlockingMalicious sites only✅
Identity Theft Insurance✅ $1M❌
Credit Monitoring✅❌
Antivirus✅❌
Password Manager✅❌
Best ForIdentity protection bundleBudget VPN with ad blocking

1. VPN Protection & Privacy

AuraVPN: Aura’s VPN encrypts your internet connection and hides your IP. Aura says it stores no browsing history. It may still log your IP during a session. There’s no kill switch, which most VPN providers include.

AuraVPN VPN & Online Privacy

AdGuard VPN: Its security measures include AES-256 encryption and a kill switch. It keeps no IP addresses, history or timestamps. However, the AdGuard VPN protocol is proprietary and hasn’t been independently audited.

Adguard VPN Review - Brutally Honest Review!

⚠️ Warning: AdGuard hasn’t passed a third-party audit, and Aura doesn’t publish its protocols. If verified online privacy matters most, compare premium VPNs that publish audits.

2. Servers, Speed & Streaming

AuraVPN: Aura lists over 100 virtual locations, but the app picks your server for you. Connection speeds stay fast with little slowdown. It’s a decent all-rounder, not built for heavy streaming or torrenting.

AdGuard VPN: It covers 65+ locations in 53 countries, with over 800 servers. Reviewers who tested AdGuard VPN saw speeds fall from 65 Mbps to about 10 Mbps. It unblocks Netflix, Disney+ and BBC iPlayer, but struggles with Amazon Prime and Peacock.

⚠️ Warning: The free version caps speeds at 20 Mbps, so expect slow speeds on big downloads. AdGuard VPN’s performance on streaming platforms varies by server. Run speed tests on a US server and a nearby one, checking upload speed too.

Nearby servers handle video calls and online gaming best, losing about 20% speed. With Aura, you can’t pick even a few server locations yourself.

3. Malware & Ad Blocking

AuraVPN: With Aura installed, the antivirus scans Windows, Mac and Android devices. It caught the vast majority of threats and blocked most malware files in testing. It lacks a firewall, scheduled scans and scan logs, though.

AuraVPN Antivirus

AdGuard VPN: AdGuard VPN has no antivirus or malware protection. Instead, it can block ads and trackers through DNS filtering. AdGuard puts ad blocking at the center of its lineup.

Untitled design 3 43

Can AdGuard VPN block ads on every page? Not fully. For full-page blocking of ads, pair it with the AdGuard ad blocker.

4. Scam Protection & DNS Filtering

AuraVPN: Aura blocks known scam, phishing and malicious websites for added protection. Its spam call and message filter catches robocalls. Aura also offers spam list removal to cut junk mail.

Call & Message Protection | Aura

AdGuard VPN: You can choose DNS servers that filter ads, trackers and dangerous sites. AdGuard DNS also works as a standalone dns server on any device.

Untitled design 2 48

5. Identity Theft Protection

AuraVPN: This is where Aura shines. It scans the dark web for your personal information and alerts you to data breaches. Home title monitoring and address monitoring catch identity thieves who target your property or mail.

AuraVPN Identity Theft Protection

AdGuard VPN: There’s no identity theft protection here. AdGuard protects your traffic, not your credit or Social Security number.

Aura’s identity theft protections are reactive, so alerts come after something happens. That’s why $1M in identity theft insurance per adult member matters.

AuraVPN Identity Theft Insurance

6. Credit & Financial Monitoring

AuraVPN: Aura watches credit reports, bank accounts and investment accounts. Investment account monitoring flags odd withdrawals, and you can lock your Experian file instantly. Scores may differ across credit scoring systems, so treat them as a guide.

Aura Credit Monitoring Review: Why I Use It For My Family

AdGuard VPN: AdGuard offers no credit or financial monitoring. You’d still check your annual credit report on your own.

Aura also watches for financial fraud across every account Aura monitored for you.

AuraVPN Financial Fraud Protection

7. Personal Data & Email Privacy

AuraVPN: Aura scans data broker sites for your details and requests removal. That shrinks what data brokers can sell to marketers and scammers.

Aura Data Broker Removal Explained: What Actually Protects Your Privacy

AdGuard VPN: AdGuard Temp Mail gives you throwaway email addresses for sign-ups. It keeps spam out of your real inbox. It can’t remove data already out there.

Adguard VPN AdGuard Temp Mail

8. Password Tools & Browser Helpers

AuraVPN: Aura’s password manager creates strong passwords for your online accounts and syncs them across apps. It warns you if a saved password shows up in a breach. A digital vault keeps sensitive information locked away.

Updating your Vault Information | Aura

AdGuard VPN: There’s no password manager. AdGuard Assistant is a browser helper for managing filtering on certain websites. It’s one of several AdGuard products you can pair with the VPN.

Adguard VPN AdGuard Assistant

9. Devices, Apps & Support

AuraVPN: Aura runs on Android, iOS, Mac and Windows. Individual plans cover 10 devices, and Family plans cover 50 across five adults. Aura’s antivirus doesn’t work on iOS devices, so check your operating system.

AdGuard VPN: AdGuard VPN’s apps cover Windows, macOS, Android, iOS, Android TV, Linux and browser extensions. The Windows version offers integrated mode, which pairs the VPN with the ad blocker. Customer support works through email and a ticketing system, with no 24/7 chat.

⚠️ Warning: Neither tool suits China. AdGuard struggles with the Great Firewall. Aura doesn’t support China or parts of the Middle East.

10. Pricing & Cost

OptionAuraVPNAdGuard VPN
Free option14-day free trialFree plan (3 GB/month)
Lowest priceKids: $10/month2 Years: $2.40/month
Single userIndividual: $12/month1 Year: $3.99/month
Short term / CoupleCouple: $22/month1 Month: $11.99/month
HouseholdFamily: $32/month10 devices on any paid plan
Refund window60 days30 days (yearly and 2-year)

AuraVPN: You pay more because the other features include insurance, credit monitoring and antivirus software. If you’d buy those anyway, the bundle can save money. If you only want a VPN, it’s hard to justify.

AdGuard VPN: The 2-year rate is less than a quarter of Aura’s cheapest plan. The free plan lets you try it risk free before you buy AdGuard VPN. Any AdGuard VPN subscription includes 10 simultaneous connections.

Different Scenarios

If You Need…ChooseWhy
Tight budgetAdGuard VPNPlans from $2.40/month
Identity theft protectionAuraVPN$1M insurance and credit monitoring
Torrenting or P2PAdGuard VPNHas a kill switch
Protecting kids onlineAuraVPNParental controls and safe gaming
Blocking ads everywhereAdGuard VPNDNS filtering built in
Beginner-friendlyAuraVPNOne app, no settings to tweak

💰 Your Budget

If you only need a VPN, AdGuard costs a fraction of Aura. Aura makes sense if you’d pay for identity theft protection services anyway.

🔌 Your Devices

Both cover 10 devices on paid plans, including mobile devices. AdGuard adds Linux, Android TV and desktop apps. Mobile apps and Windows PC setup take minutes with either.

🛡️ What You Want Protected

Pick AdGuard for online security on public Wi-Fi and fewer ads. Pick Aura to guard your credit, bank accounts and identity.

🎓 Your Experience Level

Aura’s VPN has nothing to configure, which suits beginners. AdGuard adds server choice, DNS options and site exclusions.

🆓 Free Trials and Demos

AdGuard’s free plan never expires, so testing costs nothing. Aura offers a 14-day trial you can cancel without charge.

🛟 Support Options

Aura connects you with U.S. fraud specialists after identity theft. AdGuard’s support team answers by email, not 24/7 chat.

Switching Guide

Already using one of these tools? Here’s what changes if you switch.

🔄 Switching from AuraVPN to AdGuard VPN?

✅ What you’ll gain:

  • A kill switch for safer P2P use
  • Your choice of server locations
  • A free plan and far lower prices

❌ What you’ll lose:

  • $1M identity theft insurance
  • Credit, bank and dark web monitoring
  • Antivirus and a password manager

📋 How to switch:

  1. Export saved logins from Aura’s password manager first.
  2. Create an AdGuard account and install the AdGuard VPN app.
  3. Cancel Aura within 60 days for a full refund.
🔄 Switching from AdGuard VPN to AuraVPN?

✅ What you’ll gain:

  • Identity theft protection with $1M coverage
  • Credit lock and faster fraud alerts
  • Antivirus, parental controls and a vault

❌ What you’ll lose:

  • DNS-based ad and tracker blocking
  • Server choice and a kill switch
  • Low VPN pricing and a free tier

📋 How to switch:

  1. Cancel AdGuard within 30 days on yearly plans for a refund.
  2. Start Aura’s 14-day free trial.
  3. Add your SSN, bank accounts and devices to the dashboard.

What Our Review Didn’t Cover

This comparison focused on individual users and small households. We didn’t run formal speed tests on every server or check every streaming service. We also didn’t file an identity theft insurance claim with Aura. Features and prices reflect October 2026 and may change.

Final Verdict

CategoryWinner
💰 PricingAdGuard VPN
🔒 VPN Privacy ToolsAdGuard VPN
⚡ SpeedAuraVPN
🛡️ Identity ProtectionAuraVPN
🦠 Malware ProtectionAuraVPN
🚫 Ad BlockingAdGuard VPN
📱 Device SupportAdGuard VPN
🏆 Overall WinnerAdGuard VPN

💡 Why AdGuard wins: Both tools earn the same score of 3.5. We broke the tie on entry price and VPN tools. Most readers here want a VPN first.

🏆 WINNER: ADGUARD VPN

AdGuard VPN wins 4 out of 7 categories.

Best for: Budget VPN users, ad-free browsing, public Wi-Fi protection

AuraVPN and AdGuard VPN solve different problems. Aura is an identity protection suite that happens to include a VPN. AdGuard is a VPN first, with ad blocking on top.

Aura is the better pick if identity theft worries you more than tracking. Aura helps with insurance, a credit lock and fast fraud alerts, which are real value. For a VPN alone, though, it costs too much and lacks a kill switch.

The best VPN for most readers here is AdGuard. Use AdGuard VPN’s free plan first, then upgrade if the speeds suit you.

More of AuraVPN Compared

Here’s how Aura holds up against other VPN services:

AuraVPN vs NordVPN

AuraVPN wins on: antivirus on every plan, parental controls, U.S. fraud specialists

NordVPN wins on: a kill switch, manual server picks, an audited no-logs record

AuraVPN vs ExpressVPN

AuraVPN wins on: $1M insurance per adult, children’s SSN coverage, an Experian credit lock

ExpressVPN wins on: the Lightway protocol, servers in 100+ countries, stronger streaming access

AuraVPN vs Surfshark

AuraVPN wins on: bank and credit monitoring, home title alerts, data broker removal

Surfshark wins on: unlimited devices, CleanWeb ad blocking, cheaper multi-year VPN plans

Other identity protection services, like Identity Guard, skip the VPN entirely.

More of AdGuard VPN Compared

Here’s how AdGuard holds up against other VPN services:

AdGuard VPN vs NordVPN

AdGuard VPN wins on: a free 3 GB tier, a protocol disguised as HTTPS, a Cyprus base under GDPR

NordVPN wins on: independent audits, a much bigger network, faster WireGuard-based speeds

AdGuard VPN vs Proton VPN

AdGuard VPN wins on: built-in DNS ad filtering, a lower 2-year rate, integrated mode with the ad blocker

Proton VPN wins on: unlimited free data, open-source apps, audited no-logs claims

AdGuard VPN vs Private Internet Access

AdGuard VPN wins on: a free plan, a GDPR-bound home base, a censorship-resistant protocol

Private Internet Access wins on: unlimited connections, open-source apps, servers in 91 countries

For deeper setup steps, see our full AdGuard VPN review. It shows how to use AdGuard VPN step by step. It also covers settings that make AdGuard VPN work better.

Frequently Asked Questions

Is Aura a good VPN?

It’s decent for public Wi-Fi and everyday browsing. It lacks a kill switch and server choice. That makes it weak for torrenting and heavy streaming.

Is AdGuard VPN safe to use?

Yes, for everyday privacy. It uses AES-256 encryption, a kill switch and a no-logs policy. Its proprietary protocol hasn’t been independently audited, though.

Does AdGuard have a free VPN?

Yes. The free plan gives you 3 GB of data each month. Speeds are capped at 20 Mbps. Paid plans remove the data limit.

What is the monthly cost of Aura?

Individual costs $12/month, Couple $22/month and Family $32/month. A Kids plan runs $10/month. Every plan carries a 60-day money-back guarantee.

Is paying for Aura worth it?

Yes, if you want identity theft insurance, credit monitoring and antivirus together. If you only need a VPN, cheaper options work better.

Related Articles