Malwarebytes Privacy VPN Review 2024: Is It Worth It?

Malwarebytes offers one of the most respected antivirus software. In 2019, it partnered with Mullvad to use its network of servers and create Malwarebytes Privacy VPN. However, there have been complaints that Malwarebytes Privacy is just an inferior version of Mullvad VPN. So, is there any reason to use it?

After my tests, I can say you’re better off using a premium VPN. Malwarebytes VPN does connect you to Mullvad’s server network, but it offers slower speeds, inferior mobile apps, and much worse privacy features. I’d stick with Mullvad, or you can try one of the best VPNs on this list.

My global team and I faced too many annoying issues while trying to stream safely with Malwarebytes Privacy. Although there were a few instances where it let us stream in high quality with encrypted connections, most of the time it wasn’t possible.

However, since Malwarebytes Privacy VPN has servers in multiple countries, it may be possible to safely access different platforms and libraries from anywhere. It just takes a bit of trial and error to see what it will work with.

Works With: Netflix, Max, and Amazon Prime Video

We began testing by trying to watch Netflix securely while using its server in Dallas.

The show loaded in high quality, and it never buffered

We could safely access Netflix UK, Japan, and Italy. However, our tests with the Brazil library weren't as successful, as we could only watch Netflix Originals.

We were also able to access Max in HD without issues.

I could watch Max safely with several other US servers too

Unfortunately, during tests with Amazon Prime Video, it was unreliable. While we could stream while connected to the Barcelona server, we had to wait 20 seconds for videos to load. Tests with the US and New Zealand servers were also unsuccessful with Prime Video.

Doesn’t Work With: Hulu, Disney+, and BBC iPlayer

While testing its US and UK servers, we were unable to safely access any of these platforms.

Switching between different browsers and US servers didn't help

Disney+ loaded indefinitely during our final tests. This happened no matter which US server we connected to. We were also unable to stream the Italy and UK Disney+ libraries.

Finally, we got an error message while trying to watch BBC iPlayer videos with the Manchester server. The server in London wouldn’t even load the browsing menu.

To find a VPN that will let you encrypt your connection and continue to watch all your local platforms in great quality, check our list of the top VPNs for streaming.

Our speeds fell significantly in most tests with Malwarebytes Privacy VPN. We tested a variety of Malwarebytes’ worldwide servers to observe its overall performance.

To try and make sure our tests are fair, we test each server numerous times to create averages, which are displayed below. All tests were done with the WireGuard protocol as it was the fastest option available.

We lost 34% on nearby servers and 62% on distant ones

The top VPNs generally only lower your speeds by 10-20% on nearby servers (around 5,000km away or closer). We’ve even seen some of the fastest VPNs maintain our rates by 40% on servers across the globe. Not only is Malwarebytes much slower overall, but it always lowered our speeds by more than 20%, no matter which server we chose.

At less than 400km away, many VPNs only lower speeds by 5%

There’s also no way to tell how crowded the servers are, which makes optimizing speeds a chore. For example, the Osaka server was much faster than the one in London. That seems strange since it’s so much farther away, but this could be due to overcrowding. Unfortunately, this isn’t something the VPN displays.

Mullvad is not the fastest VPN, but it gets better rates out of its servers than Malwarebytes does. To see how these results compare to the top options, you can check out our list of the fastest VPNs.

I was able to maintain low ping rates on Malwarebytes’ VPN to play online with minimal lag. Your ping lets you know how long it takes your data to travel, which affects how quickly your character can respond to your commands. You want a rate below 85ms for smooth gameplay, and the closest server gave me a ping of only 11ms.

I could still run and shoot with the same responsiveness

Unfortunately, I was experiencing a “slow server frames” issue while playing. This was a problem on the server end with Counter-Strike 2. It did cause some lag, but I felt like my character was actually moving a bit more swiftly with the VPN connected oddly enough.

Overall, as long as you can find a nearby server, Malwarebytes Privacy is a good option to keep you safe while gaming.

Malwarebytes Privacy VPN offers 470+ servers in 45 countries. This is smaller than average, and it misses out on several heavily populated regions. Most locations are in Europe and North America (with 15+ cities available in the US). There are also a few options in Oceania, Asia, and South America, with only one server in Africa.

I do wish Malwarebytes Privacy let you search for locations

It uses Mullvad’s servers, and they’re partially rented. With Mullvad, you can directly choose which server you connect to. This is nice because the site tells you exactly which servers it rents and which ones it owns. That lets you avoid rented servers if you so choose. Unfortunately, Malwarebytes doesn’t indicate which servers you’re connecting to.

On the plus side, Mullvad (and Malwarebytes Privacy) don’t use any virtual servers. So, the lack of information won’t get you into trouble here. Mullvad’s servers are also RAM-based, and they increase your security by deleting all of their information with each reboot. Similar to Mullvad, you can usually connect quickly. It rarely took more than 3 seconds for me.

Malwarebytes VPN doesn't provide dedicated IP addresses. Many VPNs offer these for an added charge. I don’t normally make use of them, but they’re a nice option if you need a static IP address for running a website or similar purposes.

In the end, Mullvad provides Malwarebytes with secure servers, but the network is still limited. To find a VPN with a much larger server network, you can read this list of better options.

Malwarebytes Privacy VPN proved to be safe in my tests (including against WebRTC and IPv6 leaks). It’s only missing a few useful customization tools.

Tests were successful with all protocols and worldwide servers

On top of the features I’ll discuss below, it also has several auto-connect options. These come with most VPNs. It lets you program the VPN to connect as soon as you boot up, when the app is launched, or when you connect to new networks.

It also offers a multihop feature, although I rarely find these practical. This lets you send your traffic through 2 servers for added security. You can choose your own servers or have it pick the first one for you. This can only be done with Malwarebytes’ proprietary protocol. However, with the encryption level Malwarebytes’ offers, it shouldn’t be necessary.

Encryption & Protocols

The VPN utilizes AES 256-bit encryption, a level that’s nearly impossible to crack. It’s the same technology employed by many militaries and banks worldwide. This is expected as it’s standard with most top VPNs.

I recommend connecting through the WireGuard protocol, although it offers its own option too. WireGuard is a highly regarded protocol that’s known for being one of the fastest around, while still prioritizing safety. Malwarebytes’ protocol, like much of its app, is difficult to find any information about, and live agents are coy regarding it.

Kill Switch

Malwarebytes’ kill switch functions properly, but I wish it was more customizable. This is an essential feature that blocks your internet connections in the event that the VPN unexpectedly disconnects. I think of it as your last line of defense in case anything goes wrong.

The problem is the kill switch automatically activates Auto launch and Auto connect. Most VPNs let you configure all of these options separately. It’s all a bit annoying.

Split Tunneling

The VPN allows you to use this feature with its Connection rules setting. This can block certain apps, IP addresses, or ports from connecting without the VPN. But, it can also let you choose which ones bypass the VPN. Most providers call this split tunneling, and it’s nice if you want to keep something like your banking app out of the tunnel to avoid any inconveniences.

Unfortunately, just like with the multihop feature, you can only use this with Malwarebytes’ connection protocol.

I don’t know if Malwarebytes is irresponsible with your data, but it stores more than I’m comfortable with. It’s also headquartered in one of the worst countries for a VPN company, and there have been no independent audits of its policies.

The biggest problem is how unclear its policies are and how difficult it is to get answers from its support staff, which makes them hard to trust. This is especially disappointing because its partner, Mullvad VPN, has quite possibly the best privacy policies in the game.

Does Malwarebytes Privacy Keep Logs? Yes

Malwarebytes’ support staff could never point me to a separate policy for the VPN. The only policy I could find on its site was for all of Malwarebytes’ products. I had no choice but to assume the VPN follows the same procedures as something like its antivirus software, which typically logs more data.

It states it may store an anonymized version of your IP address, and even your geolocation (down to the longitude and latitude). This is on top of the information it needs to keep its services running like timestamps, your operating system, your app version, and more.

It’s possible it stores less if you only use the VPN, but this isn’t clear. This is just one more instance where I wish Malwarebytes had much better customer support because it was impossible to get more information about this via email or live chat.

Was Malwarebytes Privacy Audited? No

The customer support agents would not answer questions about this. I also couldn’t find any evidence online that the VPN had undergone any third-party audits. These are very important to me because they show that a VPN truly follows its policies. So, this makes me even more uneasy about trusting the company with my data.

Based in the US

Malwarebytes is headquartered in a 5 Eyes Alliance country, a group that promises to share information gathered about their citizens. It’s never good when a VPN company is located in one of these countries, but the US is one of the worst. It’s well-known for its surveillance practices, and I’d be worried it could demand Malwarebytes to alter its policies.

Does Malwarebytes Privacy VPN Work in China? No

I have zero faith that Malwarebytes Privacy VPN can work in China after speaking with its staff.

They were vague, and most VPNs brag when they work in China

They didn’t offer any tips for using the VPN in the country and couldn’t share any evidence it has customers there. While several VPNs have been banned in the country, there still haven’t been any publicly-reported cases of individuals being punished for using them. My team and I don’t condone any illegal activities, so we advise you to read up on the laws before using a VPN.

If you choose to try one while in the country, you can read our list of VPNs that have been proven to work in China.

You can torrent with all of Malwarebytes’ servers, but you’ll wait longer for your downloads. I tested it by accessing a 700MB file, which takes me about 3 minutes to complete with no VPN connected. While on the nearby Dallas server, it took me about 20 minutes to finish. It’s not a huge wait, but if you have a slower connection this could be quite annoying.

It also doesn’t offer port forwarding, which allows you to seed and download torrents faster. The company doesn’t talk about torrenting much on its site, and it’s obviously not a priority. You can easily find a VPN that’s set up for fast and safe P2P connections if you look into this list of the best VPNs for torrenting.

Torrenting is legal in most countries, but downloading copyrighted content isn’t. My teammates and I stand against any form of copyright infringement. So, we ask that you please only download torrents within the public domain.