To Bundle or Not to Bundle: Your Guide to VPNs and Other Cybersecurity Service Packages

CNET

4 days ago

Even though VPN bundle subscriptions have been around for a few years now, the trend is showing no signs of slowing down. A handful of the companies we've traditionally thought of as 'VPN companies' are becoming much more than just VPN companies. They're essentially rebranding as comprehensive cybersecurity solutions -- a one-stop shop to cover all of your online privacy and security needs.
But there's an abundance of bundles, and it can sometimes be challenging to tell which ones offer the services you need at a good value for comprehensive cybersecurity protection. Ultimately, it comes down to your specific use and needs, as well as your budget.
I've spent a decade reviewing VPNs, specifically, and have dabbled in reviews of other cybersecurity services like password managers. Based on that cumulative experience, I've laid out the most notable VPN bundles available, along with recommendations for both bundles and a la carte options, with the help of some reviews from other CNET colleagues, particularly for antivirus services.
Breaking down the bundles
Each VPN provider that offers bundled services delivers a slightly different suite of tools. The providers of note here are Proton, Nord Security, Surfshark and ExpressVPN. Here is what each offers and what each one charges for its basic VPN plan as well as bundled subscription options. (Note that ExpressVPN currently doesn't offer a tiered pricing structure.)
Proton
Proton is for the privacy purist who wants comprehensive privacy and security protections from a trailblazer in privacy tool bundling.
VPN Plus: $10 per month, $48 for the first year (then $80 per year) or $72 for the first two years combined (then $80 per year)
VPN
Proton Unlimited: $13 per month, $120 per year or $192 for the first two years combined (then $120 per year)
VPN
Password manager
Encrypted cloud storage
Secure email
Encrypted calendar
Nord Security (NordVPN)
NordVPN is excellent for power users and anyone who wants a premium bundle that ticks many boxes. While its Threat Protection Pro anti-malware protection isn't a full-fledged antivirus solution, it comes close and has been approved by AV Comparatives as a reliable anti-phishing tool.
Basic: $13 per month, $60 for the first year (then $139 per year) or $81 for the first two years combined (then $140 per year)
VPN
Plus: $14 per month, $72 for the first year (then $180 per year) or $105 for the first two years combined (then $180 per year)
VPN
Anti-malware protection
Password manager
Complete: $15 per month, $84 for the first year (then $219 per year) or $129 for the first two years combined (then $219 per year)
VPN
Anti-malware protection
Password manager
Encrypted cloud storage
Prime: $18 per month, $108 for the first year (then $372 per year) or $177 for the first two years combined (then $372 per year)
VPN
Anti-malware protection
Password manager
Encrypted cloud storage
ID protection
Surfshark
Surfshark is great for budget-conscious users looking for unique bundling options that include antivirus, private search and a personal detail generator. However, Surfshark is the only VPN company listed here that doesn't include a password manager.
Starter: $15.45 per month, $48 for the first 15 months (then $79 per year) or $54 for the first 27 months (then $79 per year)
VPN
Personal detail generator
One: $18 per month, $51 for the first 15 months (then $99 per year) or $67 for the first 27 months (then $99 per year)
VPN
Personal detail generator
Antivirus
Data leak alerts
Private search
One-plus: $20.65 per month, $91 for the first 15 months (then $119 per year) or $108 for the first 27 months (then $119 per year)
VPN
Personal detail generator
Antivirus
Data leak alerts
Private search
Data removal
ExpressVPN
ExpressVPN is somewhat of an outlier because it doesn't have a tiered pricing model and only offers a VPN, password manager and ID protection tools. It's also expensive, but if you're looking for one of the best VPNs on the planet and a capable password manager, then ExpressVPN is a solid bet.
Monthly: $13 per month
VPN
Password manager
Yearly: $100 per year (initial term lasts 15 months)
VPN
Password manager
Dark web scanner
ID theft insurance
Credit scanner
Two-year: $140 for the first 28 months (then $117 per year)
VPN
Password manager
Dark web scanner
ID theft insurance
Credit scanner
Monthly credit report
Data removal
VPN bundles at a glance
Here's a look at what each VPN provider offers. Proton Nord Security (NordVPN) Surfshark ExpressVPN VPN ✔️ ✔️ ✔️ ✔️ Password manager ✔️ ✔️ X ✔️ Antivirus X ✔️ ✔️ X Encrypted cloud storage ✔️ ✔️ X X Secure email ✔️ X X X ID protection X ✔️ X ✔️ Personal detail generator X X ✔️ X
Recommended á la carte options
The possibilities are virtually endless, but if you're set against bundling with a single provider, I've put together three potential á la carte packages for you to consider based on CNET's recommended VPN, password manager and antivirus services to help you get started in your search for the optimal combination for your needs. (Pricing is calculated based on each service's annual price, with renewal prices noted immediately after.)
Package 1: The budget-friendly package
This is the package for you if you're looking for a quality package that won't break the bank.
VPN: Surfshark
Password manager: Bitwarden
Antivirus: Malwarebytes
Total: $93 for the first year, then $134 per year
Package 2: The power-user package
This package is great if you're looking for services that offer a variety of features and work on lots of devices.
VPN: NordVPN
Password manager: Keeper -- $40
Antivirus: McAfee
Total: $130 for the first year, then $270 per year
Package 3: The premium package
This package is for you if you want a first-class experience with well-rounded services that work perfectly out of the box and require a minimal learning curve.
VPN: ExpressVPN
Password manager: 1Password -- $36
Antivirus: Norton 360 with Lifelock
Total: $166 for the first year, then $213 per year
What to look for in a VPN bundle
Trustworthiness and transparency
You have to put an enormous amount of trust in your VPN provider that it's doing what it says it's doing to protect your privacy and that it's not logging your online activity when you use its VPN service. You need to similarly trust the VPN company to properly maintain and secure its bundled service offerings. Before choosing a provider, do some research -- read unbiased reviews, get to know the company behind the service and look for regular third-party audits of its services. A trustworthy company should be transparent about what it does to keep you safe online, how it does it and why it does it. If the company doesn't seem trustworthy or transparent about its purpose or processes, choose a different provider.
Services offered
Of course, you'll want a company that offers the specific services you need. Not all VPN companies offer the same bundled services, so choose one that best fits your needs. Even if it doesn't check all of the boxes, you can always get additional services separately. And VPN companies continue to expand their bundled service offerings, so if your VPN doesn't yet offer the service you need now, it may in the future.
Clear privacy policies
Before committing to a provider, make sure to take a look through its privacy policies. Each individual service may have its own separate privacy policy, so I recommend looking through each one to ensure its privacy practices are sound across the board. Even if you don't read through the entire thing, search the page for terms like 'data sharing' and 'data collection' to get information related to how the company handles your data when using each of its services. In general, the less sharing, the better.
Ownership
Do a little digging into the company or ownership group behind the services you're considering. Has the company ever suffered a data breach, data leak or been involved in any unscrupulous data collection or sharing activities? Has company ownership been involved in any legal cases? If so, what were the circumstances and how did the company handle the situation? If you uncover any red flags, proceed with caution.
Final thoughts
After reviewing VPNs for more than a decade, ExpressVPN, NordVPN, Proton VPN and Surfshark are among the providers I trust the most for privacy. I'm inclined to trust each one in the development of any additional privacy or security tool they offer now or in the future -- which is why I can enthusiastically recommend the bundled packages offered by each one. Each VPN I spoke with told me in one way or another that they're still planning on expanding their services to evolve with users' needs, which tells me that bundled services are here to stay and that we can look forward to even greater parity between providers in the future.
Ultimately, to bundle or not to bundle will be a choice only you can make for yourself. I hope this was a useful starting point in your online privacy and security journey, but whichever route you choose to take, make sure to take the time to research the provider(s) you go with to ensure they're doing their part to deliver the protections you need.