If all you’re using to protect your digital privacy and security is a VPN and your own vigilance, you’re still leaving yourself vulnerable to various online threats like phishing, malware, identity theft and ransomware. To fully protect yourself, you need to start putting together an arsenal of privacy and security tools.
Using a trustworthy VPN is a great start because a VPN can boost your online privacy by encrypting your internet traffic and masking your true IP address. But a VPN is only one piece of the puzzle. A VPN can’t stop you from entering your personal information into a phishing site, protect your device if you mistakenly download malware or keep track of your online login credentials. Similarly, antivirus won’t save you from the perils of weak, easily cracked passwords. For thorough protection, you’ll need several services, like a password manager, antivirus software, cloud storage, secure email and identity protection.
In the past, you’d have to get each service individually from separate providers. Although that segmented approach is still valid, a handful of VPN companies have made things a bit easier by bundling various privacy and security services under one umbrella.
The convenience of bundling is undeniable, but what about potential pitfalls? Is it really cheaper to bundle all of your privacy and security tools? Is it safer to take a diversified approach rather than sharing more of your data with a single entity? Do you trust your VPN provider to deliver a top-notch antivirus software, password manager, cloud storage or email client, or is it better to choose an established dedicated provider of these additional services?
That’s something you’ll ultimately need to decide on your own, but I’m here to help you make an informed decision, based on more than a decade testing and reviewing services like VPNs and password managers. Here’s everything you need to know about bundled VPN subscriptions and whether it’s the right path for you to take.
What services can you bundle with your VPN?
Each VPN approaches bundling differently and not every VPN that offers bundled services offers the same suite of tools. With some VPN companies, you can only access the additional services when you bundle them with the VPN. Others offer a bit more flexibility, allowing you to get each service on its own. If you choose to bundle, the provider you go with will largely depend on the specific services you need. Generally, you can expect VPN bundles to include some combination of the services I’ve highlighted below.
Password managers
With a password manager, all you need to do is remember a single password, and the password manager takes care of the rest — suggesting strong passwords and keeping track of all of your login credentials for each individual online account. This frees you up to create strong, unique passwords for all of your accounts, and helps minimize your risk of falling victim to brute force and credential-stuffing attacks.
Antivirus
If your computer is infected with malware, a malicious actor could potentially spy on your activity, gain control of your device or steal your sensitive personal data. A good antivirus program stays up to date with the latest threats, continuously scanning for malware, detecting it and blocking it from infecting your device. If malware is detected on your computer, the antivirus software can remove it.
Encrypted cloud storage
With cloud storage, you can access your files securely from anywhere, without needing to carry around a physical external hard drive. Some VPN providers offer encrypted cloud storage options that let you store your files securely with end-to-end encryption, ensuring that no one else (not even the cloud storage provider) can access your vault. Secure cloud storage services encrypt your files in traffic and at rest — meaning that your files are protected while they’re being transferred as well as when they’re stored on servers located in physically secured data centers.
Traditional email is notoriously one of the least secure methods of digital communication, in large part because it wasn’t built with privacy in mind. Although your email messages are encrypted in transit, once they land in your recipient’s inbox, they’re not encrypted at rest, which means they could be scanned for targeted advertising purposes. Secure email providers like Proton Mail use end-to-end encryption to secure your email messages to ensure only you can view the content of your emails. You can even send password-protected email messages to a recipient who isn’t using a secure email provider.
Identity protection
Identity protection services typically include features like data removal, dark web monitoring, identity theft insurance, SSN monitoring, credit monitoring and credit reports. Many of these services can be accessed individually (and some at no cost), but if you don’t already have access to them through your bank or elsewhere, having a suite of identity protection tools in one place can be convenient in addition to offering you greater peace of mind.
NordVPN offers several subscription options with access to various bundled privacy and security services.
Why you might want to bundle other services with your VPN
If you’re serious about staying private and secure online, then you’ll need more than just a single tool. At the very least, you should have a VPN, password manager and antivirus, but the more tools you have working to keep you safe online the better the protection. Bundling multiple services offered by your VPN provider may make sense for you for a number of reasons.
Convenience
Perhaps the most compelling reason to bundle additional privacy and security services with your VPN is convenience. Having all the tools you need managed by a single provider means that you only need to keep track of a single login and a single subscription charge that renews at the same interval. No need to juggle five different logins and five different subscriptions that renew at different times throughout the year. You’ll also benefit from a consistent user experience across services in the same ecosystem. And limiting your contact to a single customer support unit is far more convenient than having your conversations scattered across various individual providers.
NordVPN is one of the companies offering cybersecurity bundles, including combinations of VPN, anti-malware, ad blocker, password manager, cloud storage and identity protection at varying prices. NordVPN told me via email that bundling “enhances overall protection, simplifies account and subscription management, and is often more cost-effective than purchasing each service separately. This all-in-one approach helps people to ensure they have the essential tools to stay safe online without the hassle of managing multiple providers.”
Easy access to additional privacy and security tools
Bundling offers a streamlined approach to managing your online privacy and security, especially if you’re a beginner just starting to build your digital privacy toolbox. At the same time, it may make you more inclined to use additional tools that you wouldn’t have otherwise used to protect yourself online. Bundled services may even introduce you to additional privacy and security tools you may not have been familiar with.
UK-based privacy advocacy group, Privacy International, is optimistic about how bundled services can foster greater awareness in available privacy tools and bring them more into the mainstream.
“We’re excited by the increased interest in privacy and security tools and services. People want stronger protections for their data and these companies are helping to make tools accessible to more people,” Privacy International’s Press team told me via email. “A customer interested in VPNs will now be able to learn about the benefits of other tools like a password manager. Security is hard, however, and these firms have to prove to users that they’re living up to their promises.”
Potential cost savings
The overall cost of comprehensive online privacy and security is another important consideration. Although the combination of available services is vast — giving you nearly limitless options to choose individual services from different companies and minimize your spending — you still may be able to save money by bundling. Even if a bundled subscription is slightly more expensive than an á la carte combination you cobbled together, consider whether paying a little more for the convenience factor of staying in a single ecosystem makes sense for you.
“We firmly believe users want ecosystems, not products,” Proton VPN’s general manager David Peterson told CNET. “They want the ease of use that ecosystems provide and don’t want to have to rely on multiple products and companies.”
Why you may want to go á la carte
On the other side of the coin, there are several reasons why bundling may not be the optimal solution for you. Sometimes going with individual providers could make more sense depending on your needs and specific situation.
Potential cost savings
While bundling may save you money, going á la carte with your privacy and security subscriptions isn’t necessarily more expensive. It all comes down to your needs and how much looking around you’re willing to do. With a little digging, you may be able to uncover quality individual services that add up to a cheaper price than a VPN bundle. However, going this route will take a bit more time and energy than just bundling with a single provider. CNET’s coverage of VPNs, password managers, antivirus and identity theft protection software can get you a head start if you’re the value-hunting type.
Is it safe to put all of your privacy and security eggs in one basket?
Another thing to consider is whether you’re comfortable with trusting a single entity to manage your entire privacy and security service portfolio under one roof. Is it safe to store that much data with one company? The company might sell your data, suffer a data breach, go under or be sold to a new owner. At that point, the fate of your data could become uncertain. It’s often safer to diversify rather than keep all of your eggs in one basket.
Proton’s Peterson acknowledges that this is an issue, but maintains that services that respect privacy can be a strong alternative for privacy-minded folks fed up with Big Tech.
“Google or Apple’s offerings are so compelling because they provide ecosystems that allow users to operate online through one platform,” Peterson said. “But this broad scope also allows these companies to collect data on every aspect of their private lives. We need alternatives that respect privacy and allow users to operate online without their data being harvested.”
Thorin Klosowski, security and privacy activist at the Electronic Frontier Foundation, encourages consumers to be especially mindful of proper security hygiene when bundling multiple services under one roof.
“Having so many critical services — specifically a password manager, email, and cloud backup — behind one login is easier, but also means you should take the time to consider any potential risks to you personally if someone gained access to that login, and you should be comfortable with making a strong password and using two-factor authentication for that account,” Klosowski told me.
Do you trust the quality of your VPN company’s other services?
Another thing to keep in mind is that there’s no shortage of dedicated antivirus, password manager, secure email, ID protection and secure cloud storage companies that have long been firmly established in the industry. Do you trust the antivirus or password manager solution that your VPN provider just cooked up? Could these companies be spreading themselves too thin, potentially leaving themselves vulnerable to dangerous oversights that could weaken one or more of their services? Are they allocating sufficient resources to all of their products? Klosowski agrees that this could be an issue with certain companies.
“Make sure you trust that company’s privacy and security practices on all fronts — not just one part, like its VPN offering or password manager — before you sign up,” Klosowski said. “If they drop the ball on any of those promises in the future, even to just one of the bundled services, it may subtly undermine the others, but at that point it might be tough to take your business elsewhere.”
The VPN companies I spoke with all pointed to their established privacy and security track records to alleviate misgivings people may have.
“For users wary of choosing a bundled solution from a VPN company over long-established, specialized providers, NordVPN emphasizes the quality, transparency, and independence of each service within its ecosystem,” NordVPN said. “Products like NordPass and NordLocker are built by dedicated teams under the Nord Security umbrella, with a strong focus on advanced security standards, usability, and independent audits, similar to leading standalone solutions.”
“Some bundled VPNs might compromise on quality and features just to tick a box,” Proton’s Peterson said. “However, each Proton product offers a viable standalone alternative, with its own roadmap, that can respond to a specific user need on its own.”
Shay Peretz, ExpressVPN’s chief information officer, told CNET via email, “Our privacy-first approach is fundamental to everything we do at ExpressVPN. This philosophy doesn’t change as we expand our services — in fact, it becomes even more critical. Each new feature adheres to our rigorous security standards and commitment to user privacy that have defined our VPN service. Additionally, regular independent audits verify our privacy claims and ensure we maintain the trust our users place in us.”
Your VPN’s bundles might not check all the boxes you need
But even if you fully trust your VPN company, it may not offer all of the services you want to use — in which case, you’ll need to purchase separate services anyway. Additionally, if you already have additional services you’re happy with, then there might not be a compelling reason to switch to a VPN bundle. Luckily, most VPN companies that have bundled plans offer basic “VPN-only” tiers that are available for much cheaper. Conversely, some VPN companies have pricing structures that offer far less flexibility than others, which might lead you to pay for services you don’t even want or need.
Final thoughts
Bundling additional services with your VPN is a convenient and potentially budget-friendly way to go, especially if you’re a beginner just starting to put together your online privacy and security toolbox. Bundling may be the right solution for you if you want the convenience and consistency that come with dealing with a single provider.
On the other hand, you can also easily put together your own custom package based on your needs — which can even be cheaper than bundling if price is a primary concern for you. Going á la carte may be the right solution for you if you want more granular control over your privacy and security toolbox or if you don’t want to risk putting all of your eggs in one basket.
Either way, it’s imperative that you do your research to ensure the providers you choose are trustworthy, transparent about what they do and are properly equipped to maintain the services they offer — because not all companies are. But if you’re leveraging the right tools and taking steps to protect yourself online, you’re already on the right path.
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