It is the question we get most often: "I already have a VPN, do I still need an antivirus?" The short answer is yes, and the reason is simple: they protect two different things.

What an antivirus protects

An antivirus defends the device. It checks the files you download, the apps you install, the attachments you open and the processes running in the background. It is the barrier stopping a malicious program from getting in, encrypting your documents or recording what you type.

Without an antivirus, your computer is exposed even when your connection is encrypted.

What a VPN protects

A VPN defends the connection. It encrypts the traffic between you and the internet, hides your IP address and makes what you do unreadable to anyone sharing the same network: hotel Wi-Fi, café Wi-Fi, airport Wi-Fi.

Without a VPN, your browsing is readable by more people than you imagine. But a VPN on its own does not stop a virus you have already downloaded.

Who needs both

  • People who work outside the office: public networks and company documents are a risky mix.
  • People who shop and bank from their phone: you need both the encrypted connection and app protection.
  • Parents: content controls live in the security suite, not in the VPN.
  • Frequent travellers: unknown networks every day, devices holding your entire life.

The mistake that costs the most

Buying the two products separately. Two separate subscriptions cost far more than one suite including both features, and you also end up managing two apps, two renewals and two expiry dates.

The best solutions today combine antivirus, VPN, password manager and data breach monitoring in a single package, often for less than the price of a standalone VPN.

What can happen on public Wi-Fi

On an open network in a café or airport, anyone connected to the same network can try to observe unprotected traffic or set up a fake network with a believable name, such as "Airport_Free_WiFi". Anyone who joins the fake network routes all their traffic through the attacker's device.

Today most websites use encrypted connections, which reduces the risk. But a VPN adds a layer of protection over all of the device's traffic, including apps, and makes the fake network useless.

What can happen without an antivirus

A VPN does not check what you download. If you open an infected attachment, install pirated software or click a fake update, the malware gets in anyway, VPN or no VPN. It is the antivirus, with real-time analysis and ransomware defence, that stops it.

The most common myths

  • "With a VPN I am anonymous and safe from everything." No: a VPN hides your address and encrypts your connection, but it does not protect you from malware, phishing or what you share voluntarily.
  • "An antivirus also protects the connection." Only partly: some suites include a VPN, but an antivirus alone does not encrypt your traffic.
  • "A free VPN is the same as a paid one." Many free VPNs have data caps, low speeds and in some cases fund themselves with their users' data.

How to work out what you need: a checklist

Answer yes or no:

  • Do you often use public Wi-Fi?
  • Do you work away from the office with company data?
  • Do you travel abroad and want access to your usual services?
  • Do you keep important photos and documents on your computer?
  • Are there children at home who download games and apps?
  • Do you bank and shop online?

If you answered yes mostly to the first three, you need a VPN. If you answered yes mostly to the last three, you need an antivirus. If you answered yes to questions in both groups, the best-value choice is a suite combining the two.

Suites that combine both

Surfshark One combines an unlimited VPN, antivirus and breach alerts with unlimited devices. NordVPN's higher plans add threat protection and a password manager to the VPN. Kaspersky Premium includes a VPN inside a complete antivirus suite with parental controls.

How to choose without getting it wrong

Count how many devices you need to cover, decide whether you really need an unlimited VPN and compare the first-year price with the renewal price.

Or take our free quiz: in four questions we tell you whether an antivirus is enough or a full suite is the better deal, and where to pay less for it.