Malwarebytes Privacy VPN Review

As with many internet security companies, Malwarebytes (MWB) decided to launch an online privacy service, Malwarebytes Privacy VPN, to compliment their offerings. Most users know Malwarebytes for its anti-virus, anti-ransomware tools, junkware removal tools, and others. The ransomware attacks in 2016 made the company even more popular. Although Malwarebytes security is available for Windows, Mac, iOS, and Android, the VPN service is only available for Windows and macOS at the time of our review. They mention that support for iOS, android, and Chrome will be coming soon.

As you might expect, they offer a professional website for their product. Interestingly, Malwarebytes Privacy VPN is a reseller of another VPN called Mullvad. We noticed that by connecting to the VPN using a program called Glasswire. It saw an inquiry from the Mullvad network when we connected. Also, you only get the option of protecting five devices at one time. There is not a way to add more or pay for fewer licenses. We will take a look at what this service has to offer, the ins and outs, and how it performs on several tests.

What Does Malwarebytes Privacy VPN Cost?

Unfortunately, the company does not offer many options. You can see in the image that you can either buy a year of the VPN service alone for $59.99, or you can get device security as well as the VPN for $99.99 a year. Of course, both plans allow for 5 licenses. That does not include tax. As far as payment methods go, they surprised us by only offering Visa, MasterCard, Discover, AMEX, and PayPal. We would expect a privacy company to offer more options. The company offers a 60-day money back guarantee which gives you plenty of time to test the service.

Where is Malwarebytes Located and Why Does it Matter?

As we mention in the table above, the creators founded Malwarebytes in Illinois. The headquarters for Malwarebytes is in Santa Clara, California. It matters because they fall under US jurisdiction. The company states that they do not collect data and sell it to 3rd party sources. Specifically, they do not log your DNS requests, bandwidth usage, or the websites you visit while connected to the service. However, they collect some information when you isit their website and sign up for service. You are welcome to take a closer look at their privacy policy. We understand some of the reasons behind their efforts, and appreciate their no-logging policy. Some users will still prefer a company located in a country with better privacy laws.

Where Does Malwarebytes Privacy VPN Have Servers?

As we mentioned earlier in our review, Malwarebytes resells Mullvad VPN. This means that they utilize the Mullvad network. They mention that VPN users have access to 300 servers in more than 30 countries. This lines up with Mullvad so we’re guessing they have full access to their network. Sometimes resellers have partial access but that doesn’t appear to be the case. While some VPN providers offer larger networks, Malwarebytes covers a lot of ground. Take a look at the list below and make sure you’re desired server location is listed.

What Features does Malwarebytes Privacy VPN Offer?

Although this one does not have many options, it does have some important features including a VPN kill switch. The first screen you see to the left is the opening screen. On the next screen, you can see the gear. That is where you find the settings. Under this heading, you see Advanced Settings, Auto-Connect, and Auto Launch. Under advanced settings, you find the Kill Switch.

Now, we will lay out specifically the features.

• Auto Launch – Launches the VPN when the computer starts up.
• Auto Connect – Similar to the option above, this feature allows the app to launch when you first open it.
• Dark Mode – The ability to change the colors on the interface. As you see, we used Dark Mode so everything would be easier to read.
• Kill Switch – Feature that will stop all internet traffic, should the connection to the VPN drop. It will resume once you reconnect.
• Set Alternate DNS – This feature is useful if you have specific DNS servers you would like to use.

Does Malwarebytes Privacy VPN Leak?

Using a DNS leak test can help find out whether or not a VPN is secure. If you see your real IP address, you are not safe. WebRTC leaks can also expose your IP address. This test shows both components as well as a few others. Not surprisingly, Malwarebytes VPN is safe and secure. As you can see in the image, it passed with flying colors. We drew boxes around the matching numbers so you could easily see the results.

How is the Performance? Hint – it’s Fast

Now that we know the VPN is secure, speed tests are also important. Depending on what you are doing, speed can make or break your experience. In the images below, you can see that we tested several servers. As you see in the first image, our unprotected connection was 412.73 Mbps when tested to a server in Chicago.

By using the same speed test server, we got a result of 268.38 Mbps while connected to a VPN server in Chicago. That is about a 35% speed loss and is great to see.

We also tested other servers in the Malwarebytes network.

• Los Angeles, CA – 343.47 Mbps
• Frankfurt, Germany – 256.00 Mbps
• Sydney, Australia – 177.33 Mbps

We found the performance of their network to be consistently fast, no matter which server we chose. That shows that MWB has a good network behind it and is suitable for streaming.

Netflix and BBC iPlayer Tests

We started by testing Netflix. Surprisingly, we were able to get around the geo-restrictions in the US and UK. As you see, we boxed the UK style rating and used the Manchester server. We also suggest that you use an incognito/private browser window to get it to work properly. This means that we were able to successfully stream different regions of Netflix including the United States.

Our next test shows that Malwarebytes VPN failed at unblocking BBC iPlayer. This is not uncommon as popular streaming services got out of their way in trying to block VPN networks from accessing their content.

Customer Service

For customer support, MWB offers several options. They offer a live chat feature, a knowledgebase, and email. Of course, it depends on the type of help you want or need. You can access all three of those options from their website. We are glad to see that they have those options for everyone.

Conclusion

By taking a look at all the points, Malwarebytes Privacy VPN performed relatively well. The VPN did not have DNS leaks, it offers a nicely sized network, and the speed is among some of the best we have seen. That said, there are some good points and some improvements the company can make to further enhance the service.

Good Points

• Fast server connections
• No logging policy
• Good customer service
• Easy to use interface
• No DNS or WebRTC leaks
• Able to unblock Netflix

Improvements

• Add VPN apps and support for iOS and Android devices
• List the VPN protocols and encryption levels used in the app
• Fix blocking issue with BBC iPlayer
• Add more payment methods, specifically cryptocurrency
• Offer monthly pricing (right now only annual)
• Increase server locations

If you are looking for a fast VPN for everyday web surfing and to unblock Netflix, Malwarebytes Privacy VPN is a good choice. Their price is right in line with other leading VPNs and they have a reputation for quality support. While Malbarebytes falls outside our list of the top 10 VPNs, we feel good recommending the service to those who don’t mind that the company is based in the United States (5 eyes) and the lack of support for mobile devices.