Bitdefender VPN: Speedy Hydra Tech, But Excessive Data Collection

Like other white-label VPNs, Bitdefender VPN’s privacy policy is confusing.

Bitdefender’s “home solutions privacy policy” includes a short, three-paragraph section about the VPN’s data collection.

It states that the VPN collects your real IP address, which is the most sensitive data a VPN can log. Not only is it personally identifiable, but Bitdefender doesn’t clarify when this data is deleted.

Importantly, Bitdefender VPN uses Aura’s server network, protocols, and software, so all VPN-related data is collected and processed by Aura.

As a result, Bitdefender VPN users are covered by a combination of Bitdefender’s and Aura’s privacy policies. Unfortunately, both allow significant collection of personally identifiable data.

Romania & US Jurisdiction

Bitdefender is based in Romania, which is subject to EU data retention rules and data-sharing agreements.

To make matters worse, Aura is based in the US, a jurisdiction widely regarded as poor for data privacy.

This combination of jurisdictions, along with a complicated privacy policy and excessive logging, makes Bitdefender VPN a poor choice for privacy.

Bitdefender claims its VPN can “unlock media from all over the world.” In our experience, this is not true. Bitdefender is, in fact, a poor VPN for streaming.

In our tests, Bitdefender VPN didn’t work with Netflix on any server, including the UK and US. It also failed to unblock HBO Max and Amazon Prime Video.

Based on our regular testing, Bitdefender can’t compete with the best Netflix and HBO Max VPNs.

Like most VPNs, Bitdefender VPN can unblock YouTube videos, which is useful if the site is blocked on your network at school or work.

Unblocks BBC iPlayer & ITVX

Surprisingly, we were able to access free UK platforms like BBC iPlayer and All4 using the UK server.

Its download speeds are fast enough for HD streaming. However, it doesn’t offer dedicated streaming servers or any special tools to bypass geo-restrictions.

Overall, we do not recommend this VPN for streaming.

Bitdefender VPN includes a decent set of technical features, such as a kill switch, ad blocker, a public Wi-Fi setting, and more.

It has improved in recent years, but it still struggles with basics. In our testing, the kill switch leaked our IP address when we switched servers without disconnecting first.

Overall, it still needs key improvements. Until then, we can’t call Bitdefender VPN a fully secure service.

No IP, WebRTC or DNS Leaks

In our most recent tests, we were pleased to find that Bitdefender VPN no longer leaks DNS requests. In fact, we detected no leaks at all.

Safe & Open-Source Protocols

Bitdefender VPN supports top protocols: OpenVPN and WireGuard. We prefer WireGuard for its excellent speeds, low data usage, and modern encryption.

As a rebranded version of Hotspot Shield, Bitdefender VPN also offers Hydra, a proprietary protocol that’s extremely fast.

Failed Our Kill Switch Test

Disappointingly, Bitdefender VPN’s kill switch leaked our real IP address when changing servers without disconnecting.

This is common among lower-tier VPNs, but we expect vendors to fix the issue or at least warn users to disconnect before switching servers.

Security Features We’d Like to See

Bitdefender VPN has improved since our last review. It no longer leaks DNS requests and offers more technical features. Still, it’s missing:

• A kill switch that protects your IP address when switching servers, not just when the internet connection drops.
• An independent security audit to verify the server infrastructure and code.

Bitdefender’s server list spans 53 countries, with most locations in Europe and North America.

To its credit, the VPN’s city-level options in North America help bypass US sports blackouts.

Here’s a list of Bitdefender’s city-level servers in the US, Canada, and the UK:

• US: Atlanta, Charlotte, Chicago, Dallas, Denver, Houston, Los Angeles, Miami, New York, Newark, Phoenix, Portland, San Jose, Seattle, Washington
• Canada: Montreal, Toronto, Vancouver
• UK: London, Manchester

There are fewer options in Asia, but you’ll still find a decent selection, including Hong Kong, Indonesia, Japan, and Singapore.

Disappointingly, there are only three server locations in South America. In Africa, there are only two.

Overall, Bitdefender VPN’s coverage is decent, but it’s far less extensive than top VPNs. For example, CyberGhost covers 100 countries and offers city-level choices in the US, UK, and eight other countries.

Some VPNs are easy to use thanks to strong design, while others are easy because they have few features. Bitdefender VPN falls into the latter category.

That doesn’t mean the design is bad — we found it straightforward — but its limited functionality isn’t impressive.

Android & iOS Applications

The mobile apps use a simple layout. The VPN is easy to find, located within one of five tabs at the bottom of the screen.

There’s a central Connect button and an easy-to-find server selector.

Servers are listed alphabetically by country. Since there aren’t many locations, it’s easy to find what you need.

There’s also a connection timer and a data meter if you’re using the free version.

That’s the extent of the VPN’s functionality. You can use the antivirus and security tools in the other tabs, but there are no additional VPN settings.

Windows & macOS Applications

The Mac and PC versions require Bitdefender Total Security to be installed. You can launch the VPN on its own, but if you don’t plan to use Bitdefender’s other features, the Total Security app feels like bloatware.

The VPN app itself is even simpler than the mobile version. It has an easy-to-navigate server list, which we like.

The settings menu is easy to find, but sparse. The option to auto-connect on unsecured Wi-Fi is useful.

However, many features we expect from a top-tier VPN are missing. We would absolutely expect a reliable kill switch, for example.

Bitdefender offers dedicated VPN apps for Windows, Android, macOS, and iOS. Beyond these major platforms, device support is limited.

There’s no Smart DNS and no router support, so you can’t use Bitdefender VPN on Apple TV or game consoles. There’s also no Android TV or Fire TV Stick app.

To make matters worse, there are no browser extensions, which many VPN users rely on.

Great Ad & Tracker Blocker

As an antivirus company, it’s no surprise that Bitdefender’s ad and tracker blocker performs well in our tests. It blocked over 90% of intrusive ads and trackers, better than some top-tier VPNs.

However, a dedicated browser extension like uBlock Origin can deliver even stronger results.