⚡ Quick Verdict:
- Pricing: Bitdefender VPN bundles start at $59.99/yr. AuraVPN starts at $12/month for the Individual plan.
- Best for: Bitdefender VPN for people who just want a cheap VPN. AuraVPN for families who want identity theft protection with a VPN built in.
- Key difference: Bitdefender gives you a kill switch and server choice. Aura has neither, but adds credit monitoring and $1 million in insurance.
- Our pick: AuraVPN for most households. It covers your identity, money, and devices in one app.
Bitdefender VPN and AuraVPN both come from security companies.
But they are not built for the same buyer.
Bitdefender sells a classic virtual private network with a kill switch and split tunneling.
Aura sells identity theft protection, and the VPN is just one piece of it.
So the real question is simple.
Do you want a better VPN, or a bigger safety net?
Overview
This Bitdefender VPN vs AuraVPN comparison covers VPN features, identity protection, pricing, and support.
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.
By the end, you’ll know which one fits your online security and online privacy needs.
What is Bitdefender VPN?
Bitdefender VPN is a premium VPN from the Romanian security company Bitdefender.
It wraps your internet traffic inside an encrypted VPN tunnel.
That keeps your online activities hidden from your internet provider.
The service is powered by Hotspot Shield’s Catapult Hydra protocol.
It also supports WireGuard and OpenVPN to keep connections stable.
You manage it from your Bitdefender Central account, next to Bitdefender’s products.
The company is based in Romania, which sits outside the 5 Eyes alliance.
Here’s a quick video look at the app in action.
Bitdefender VPN
A simple VPN from a known antivirus maker. You get a kill switch, split tunneling, and 10 device slots. It’s the cheaper pick if you only need a VPN.
Bitdefender VPN Pricing
Bitdefender sells its VPN inside four security bundles. Here’s what each one costs.
| Plan | Price | Best For |
|---|---|---|
| Bitdefender Total Security | $59.99/yr | Antivirus users who only need light VPN use |
| Bitdefender Premium Security | $79.99/yr | Users who want Bitdefender Premium VPN with no data cap |
| Bitdefender Ultimate Security | $89.99/yr | Users adding identity protection tools |
| Bitdefender Ultimate Security Plus | $119.99/yr | Households that want the full bundle |
Pricing verified September 2026.
Free trial: Yes. Bitdefender Premium VPN comes with a 7-day free trial.
Money-back guarantee: 30 days on both monthly and annual plans.
📌 Note: There’s no free plan. A limited free version comes with an active Bitdefender security package. It’s capped at 200MB of daily traffic. You can pay by credit card, debit card, or PayPal. Crypto and bank transfer aren’t listed for consumer plans.
⚠️ Warning: Our table uses our tracked bundle prices. Separate research lists the standalone VPN at $6.99 per month, or $39.99 for the first year ($3.33/month). That monthly rate is cheaper than Surfshark and NordVPN. First-year deals often renew higher, so check before you pay.
Key Benefits of Bitdefender VPN
Here’s what makes Bitdefender VPN worth a look:
- Kill Switch: It cuts all internet traffic if your VPN connection drops. Your real IP addresses stay hidden.
- Split Tunneling: Choose which apps or certain websites skip the VPN tunnel. Handy for banking apps that block VPNs.
- 10 Simultaneous Connections: One license covers 10 devices at once. That’s the same number most small families need.
- Ad Blocker and Anti-Tracker: It blocks targeted ads and harmful websites. Public Wi-Fi protection kicks in at cafes and airports.
- Big Server Network: Over 4,000 servers in 54 countries help you reach geo restricted content.
- P2P Friendly: Torrenting is allowed on every server. No hunting for special servers.
What Our Team Noticed
Our writer signed up for Bitdefender VPN and used it for everyday browsing on a laptop and phone. Here’s what stood out:
Bitdefender VPN Pros & Cons
✅ Pros
- Kill switch and split tunneling included
- Clean app that connects in a few seconds
- Up to 10 simultaneous connections per license
- P2P file sharing allowed on all servers
❌ Cons
- No Linux, router, Apple TV, or Fire TV support
- Doesn’t work in China (no obfuscation)
- Vague privacy policy with no separate VPN logging policy
What is AuraVPN?
AuraVPN is the VPN inside Aura’s all-in-one security app.
Aura is mainly an identity theft protection service, not a VPN provider.
The app bundles a VPN, antivirus software, a password manager, and credit monitoring.
It also scans the dark web and data broker sites for your personal information.
Every plan includes the same core features, so there’s no tiered service.
Aura is a U.S. company based in Boston.
This short video shows how the pieces fit together.
AuraVPN
Identity protection first, VPN second. You get $1 million in insurance and fast fraud alerts. Try every feature free for 14 days.
AuraVPN Pricing
Aura has four plans. All Aura plans share the same features, so you only pay for more people.
| 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 protecting one identity |
| Kids | $10/month | A kids add on for child protection |
Pricing verified September 2026.
Free trial: Yes. Aura offers a 14-day free trial on all plans. Cancel before it ends and you won’t be charged.
Money-back guarantee: Aura backs every plan with a 60-day money back guarantee.
📌 Note: The Family plan covers up to five adults and unlimited children’s Social Security Numbers. Each adult member gets up to 10 devices, with 50 devices across the whole plan.
⚠️ Warning: Our table shows our tracked rates, which match annual billing. Separate research lists monthly billing at $15 (Individual), $29 (Couple), and $50 (Family). Pick annual billing if you plan to stay.
Key Benefits of AuraVPN
Here’s what makes AuraVPN worth a look:
- $1 Million Insurance: It covers eligible losses and legal fees from identity theft. Few VPN services offer anything like it.
- Fast Credit Fraud Alerts: Aura says it flags credit fraud up to 250 times faster than rivals. That includes most credit inquiries.
- Experian Credit Lock: Lock your Experian credit file instantly. It stops new accounts opened in your name.
- Dark Web Monitoring: Aura checks your details against billions of data points. You get an alert when something leaks.
- Parental Controls: The family plan adds safe gaming, screen time limits, and filters for dangerous sites. It also flags cyberbullying.
- U.S. Fraud Specialists: Real people help you recover after identity theft. You’re not left to fix it alone.
What Our Team Noticed
Our writer used the free trial to test Aura’s VPN, alerts, and antivirus. Here’s what Aura monitored and what stood out:
AuraVPN Pros & Cons
✅ Pros
- $1 million identity theft insurance on every plan
- Credit, bank, and dark web monitoring in one app
- Parental controls included in the Family plan
- 14-day free trial plus a 60-day money-back guarantee
❌ Cons
- VPN has no kill switch
- You can’t choose a server location
- Antivirus lacks a firewall and scheduled scans
Feature Comparison
Bitdefender VPN vs AuraVPN is really a VPN versus a security suite. We’ll compare 10 key areas, from encryption to price.
| Feature | Bitdefender VPN | AuraVPN |
|---|---|---|
| Starting Price | $59.99/yr | $12/month |
| Free Plan | ❌ (200MB/day with a Bitdefender bundle) | ❌ |
| Kill Switch | ✅ | ❌ |
| Split Tunneling | ✅ | ✅ |
| Choose Server Location | ✅ | ❌ |
| P2P / Torrenting | ✅ All servers | ⚠️ Allowed, not advised |
| Credit Monitoring | ❌ | ✅ |
| Linux Support | ❌ | ❌ |
| Money-Back Guarantee | 30 days | 60 days |
| Best For | Budget VPN users | Families wanting identity protection |
1. VPN Encryption & Security
Bitdefender VPN: It uses AES-256 encryption, which Bitdefender calls the strongest encryption available. The automatic kill switch blocks all traffic if the tunnel drops. Some users have reported inconsistent leak protection, so run a leak test after setup.
AuraVPN: Aura’s VPN encrypts your internet connection at home and on public Wi-Fi. It blocks known phishing pages and malicious websites before they load. But there’s no kill switch, so a dropped connection can expose your traffic for a moment.
⚠️ Warning: Neither VPN has obfuscation. Bitdefender VPN doesn’t work in China. Aura doesn’t officially support China or parts of the Middle East.
2. Servers, Speed & Streaming
Bitdefender VPN: Bitdefender offers over 4,000 servers in 54 countries. You can pick any VPN server, like a UK server, from the server list. The favorites system saves the ones you use most.
Speeds are good nearby, but ping times and download speeds drop on servers in Japan and Australia. Specialist providers like NordVPN and ExpressVPN are faster. BBC iPlayer works, but there are no dedicated streaming servers.
AuraVPN: Aura gives you 100+ virtual locations, but the app picks one for you. Speed loss feels small for browsing. It isn’t built for heavy streaming, and P2P is allowed but not advised without a kill switch.
⚠️ Warning: Reports on Bitdefender’s streaming conflict. Some sources say it unblocks Netflix and Disney+. Others say it fails on US Netflix and Amazon Prime Video. Test your services during the trial.
3. Privacy & Logging
Bitdefender VPN: Bitdefender says it keeps no traffic logs. It doesn’t store your IP addresses or browsing history. It does log some technical data for fraud prevention. That includes randomly generated tokens, hashed user data, and user and device IDs.
There’s no separate VPN logging policy, and critics call the main policy vague. A partner helps with providing VPN services. It’s unclear how that data processor handles data under Bitdefender’s instructions, and who processes data for which task.
AuraVPN: Aura keeps a strict no-logs policy and says it doesn’t store browsing history. It may log your IP address for a short time during a session. Aura is a U.S. company, so it sits inside the 5 Eyes alliance.
4. Malware & Threat Protection
Bitdefender VPN: The VPN filters out harmful websites and online threats as you browse. It also blocks intrusive ads. Bitdefender’s wider platform adds threat detection across your devices.
Bitdefender also lists managed detection and response among its security tools.
AuraVPN: Aura antivirus scored between 98% and 100% in malware detection tests. Its real time malware protection blocked most malware files, including ransomware and spyware. It runs on Windows, Mac, and Android.
But it has no firewall, no Wi-Fi network checks, no scheduled scans, and no scan logs. It isn’t as feature-rich as Norton or Bitdefender.
5. Identity Theft Protection
Bitdefender VPN: Bitdefender’s Digital Identity Protection watches for leaked emails and passwords. It comes with higher bundles, not the VPN alone. It’s a lighter tool than dedicated identity protection services.
AuraVPN: This is Aura’s core product. Aura’s identity theft protections scan dark web sources. They also watch your bank accounts, credit reports, and Social Security activity. The alerts are reactive, so they fire after identity thieves act. U.S. fraud specialists then help you fix it.
The $1 million in identity theft insurance gives you added protection on top of those alerts.
6. Credit & Financial Fraud Monitoring
Bitdefender VPN: There’s no credit monitoring in the VPN. You won’t get alerts about credit inquiries or odd financial transactions.
AuraVPN: Aura watches your financial accounts for suspicious charges and flags credit fraud fast. You can lock your Experian file with one tap. Investment account monitoring and home title monitoring help stop financial fraud before it grows.
Aura also tracks changes in your credit file, and the same score shows up across your dashboard. It explains how credit scoring systems react, but you should still pull your free annual credit report.
7. Extra Security Tools
Bitdefender VPN: Additional features include an ad blocker, anti-tracker, and public Wi-Fi protection. Bitdefender uses AI-powered threat detection that improves with each latest version. Desktop notifications tell you when protection turns on.
AuraVPN: Aura’s password manager creates strong passwords for all your online accounts. It warns you when a password shows up in data breaches. A digital vault keeps sensitive information and files locked.
Aura also removes your details from data brokers. Spam list removal and address monitoring cut junk mail and scam texts.
Call and message filters add one more layer against scammers.
⚠️ Warning: If your Aura payment fails, you can get locked out of the password manager. Keep a backup of critical logins.
8. Apps, Devices & Ease of Use
Bitdefender VPN: It runs on Windows, macOS, Android, and iOS. The mobile apps are clean, and you can automatically connect on unsafe networks. Connection times are short.
There’s no Linux, router, Apple TV, or Fire TV Stick support.
AuraVPN: With Aura installed, the VPN is one toggle away. It works on Android, iOS devices, Mac, and Windows, with the same dashboard on each operating system. There’s no Linux or router support either.
9. Customer Support
Bitdefender VPN: You get 24/7 live chat, email, and phone support with numbers for many countries. Email replies can take at least half an hour. The general support team handles every Bitdefender product, so VPN questions may not reach a specialist.
A knowledge base with how-to guides and FAQs covers the basics.
AuraVPN: Aura gives you access to U.S. fraud specialists when identity theft happens. That’s a support team built for recovery, not just app help.
10. Pricing & Cost
Here are the plans side by side.
| Tier | Bitdefender VPN | AuraVPN |
|---|---|---|
| Entry | Total Security: $59.99/yr | Individual: $12/month |
| Mid | Premium Security: $79.99/yr | Couple: $22/month |
| Upper | Ultimate Security: $89.99/yr | Family: $32/month |
| Top / Add-on | Ultimate Security Plus: $119.99/yr | Kids: $10/month |
| Free Trial | 7 days | 14 days |
| Money-Back Guarantee | 30 days | 60 days |
Bitdefender VPN: The cheapest bundle is $59.99 a year. Aura’s Individual plan adds up to $144 over 12 months. If you only want a VPN, Bitdefender costs far less.
AuraVPN: Aura’s pricing is premium, and rivals like Identity Guard cost less with fewer features. But Aura helps you drop separate antivirus, password, and credit tools. Compared with other identity theft protection services, you’ll save money by bundling.
Different Scenarios
| If You Need… | Choose | Why |
|---|---|---|
| Cheapest VPN-only option | Bitdefender VPN | Lower yearly cost |
| Family identity protection | AuraVPN | Five adults plus kids |
| Kill switch and server choice | Bitdefender VPN | Aura lacks both |
| Credit fraud alerts | AuraVPN | Built-in credit monitoring |
| Torrenting | Bitdefender VPN | P2P on all servers |
| One app for everything | AuraVPN | VPN, antivirus, and identity tools |
💰 Your Budget
Bitdefender costs less if a VPN is all you want. Aura only pays off if you’d otherwise buy identity and credit tools separately.
🔌 Your Devices
Both skip Linux and routers. Bitdefender fits best if you already use a Bitdefender product.
🎯 Your Main Worry
Worried about hackers on public Wi-Fi? Bitdefender handles that well. Worried about identity thieves draining accounts? Aura is built for that.
🎓 Your Experience Level
Both apps work for beginners. Aura removes choices, while Bitdefender lets you pick servers and tweak settings.
🆓 Free Trials and Demos
Bitdefender gives you 7 days, and Aura offers 14. Test streaming, alerts, and malicious sites blocking before paying.
🛟 Support Options
Aura’s fraud specialists help after identity theft. Bitdefender’s 24/7 chat and phone cover app problems.
Switching Guide
Already using one of these tools? Here’s what to expect if you switch.
🔄 Switching from Bitdefender VPN to AuraVPN?
✅ What you’ll gain:
- $1 million identity theft insurance
- Credit and bank account monitoring
- Parental controls and a password manager
❌ What you’ll lose:
- The kill switch
- Picking your own server location
- P2P on every server with leak protection
📋 How to switch:
- Turn off auto-renew in your Bitdefender Central account.
- Start Aura’s 14-day free trial.
- Install Aura, link your accounts, and lock your Experian file.
🔄 Switching from AuraVPN to Bitdefender VPN?
✅ What you’ll gain:
- A kill switch for safer torrenting
- 4,000+ servers you can choose from
- A lower yearly price
❌ What you’ll lose:
- Identity theft insurance
- Credit and financial fraud alerts
- Data broker removal
📋 How to switch:
- Export your logins from Aura’s password manager.
- Cancel Aura inside its 60-day refund window.
- Install Bitdefender VPN and turn on the kill switch.
What Our Review Didn’t Cover
This comparison focused on home users and families. It isn’t a full Bitdefender Premium VPN review with formal speed or leak tests. We didn’t test business plans or Aura’s insurance claims process. Prices and features may change after September 2026.
Final Verdict
| Category | Winner |
|---|---|
| 💰 Pricing | Bitdefender VPN |
| 🔒 VPN Features | Bitdefender VPN |
| 🦠 Malware Protection | Bitdefender VPN |
| 🪪 Identity Protection | AuraVPN |
| 👨👩👧 Family Coverage | AuraVPN |
| 🆓 Trial & Refund Window | AuraVPN |
| 🛟 Support | AuraVPN |
| 🏆 Overall Winner | AuraVPN |
🏆 WINNER: AURAVPN
AuraVPN wins 4 out of 7 categories.
Best for: Families, identity protection, credit fraud alerts
Bitdefender VPN and AuraVPN solve different problems. Bitdefender is a lean VPN with a kill switch, split tunneling, and lots of servers. Aura is an identity shield that happens to include a VPN.
If you want advanced features for streaming or torrenting, pick Bitdefender. It’s cheaper, and it gives you real control over your connection.
But the vast majority of households face bigger risks than slow speeds. Stolen logins, credit fraud, and leaked data do more damage. Aura’s unique features cover those gaps, which is why it’s our pick.
More of Bitdefender VPN Compared
Here’s how Bitdefender VPN stacks up against other VPN providers:
Bitdefender VPN wins on: lower price, bundled antivirus from the same company, simple split tunneling setup
ExpressVPN wins on: router support, Linux apps, better results in restricted countries like China
Bitdefender VPN vs Surfshark
Bitdefender VPN wins on: a trusted antivirus brand, 7-day free trial, one dashboard for VPN and malware tools
Surfshark wins on: unlimited device connections, a Linux app, a larger lineup of privacy extras
Bitdefender VPN vs ProtonVPN
Bitdefender VPN wins on: easier setup, built-in ad blocker with antivirus bundles, fewer settings to learn
ProtonVPN wins on: a free plan, open-source apps, Swiss privacy laws with audited no-logs claims
More of AuraVPN Compared
Here’s how AuraVPN stacks up against dedicated VPN services:
AuraVPN wins on: identity theft insurance, three-way credit alerts, data broker removal
NordVPN wins on: a kill switch, manual server selection, much stronger streaming access
AuraVPN vs PureVPN
AuraVPN wins on: parental controls, a password manager, U.S. fraud specialists
PureVPN wins on: a lower VPN-only price, server choice, dedicated IP add-ons
AuraVPN vs CyberGhost
AuraVPN wins on: antivirus included, bank account monitoring, family plans that cover kids’ identities
CyberGhost wins on: streaming-focused servers, a kill switch, a Linux app
Frequently Asked Questions
Is Bitdefender VPN trustworthy?
Mostly, for everyday use. It uses AES-256 encryption, a kill switch, and a no-logs promise. But its privacy policy is vague, and it logs some technical data.
How much does Bitdefender VPN cost per year?
Bundles run from $59.99/yr to $119.99/yr. The standalone VPN has been listed at $39.99 for the first year. A 30-day money-back guarantee applies.
Is Aura a good VPN?
It’s fine for safe browsing on public Wi-Fi. It lacks a kill switch and server choice, so it’s weak for streaming or torrenting. Its real strength is identity protection.
What is the monthly cost of Aura?
Plans cost $12/month for Individual, $22 for Couple, and $32 for Family. The Kids plan is $10/month. Monthly billing costs more than annual billing.
Is Aura better than Norton?
For identity protection, Aura holds up well with $1 million insurance and fast credit alerts. For antivirus, Norton offers other features like a firewall. Pick based on your main worry.
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