Editorial antivirus & VPN comparison — updated 2026 Features, prices & guarantee terms are set by each provider Affiliate disclosure: we may earn a commission from partner links Editorial antivirus & VPN comparison — updated 2026 Features, prices & guarantee terms are set by each provider Affiliate disclosure: we may earn a commission from partner links
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Methodology

How our antivirus & VPN rankings are built

We want our visitors to understand why a product sits where it sits in our comparison. Below is the full list of editorial criteria, the sources we consult, and the limitations of what we do.

Our editorial scores reflect our own assessment based on publicly available product information, hands-on interaction with the apps we have access to, and neutral third-party sources. They are not independent laboratory benchmarks — for lab results we recommend AV-TEST and AV-Comparatives.
1

Market presence & company history

How long a provider has been active, how stable the company is, and whether the product receives continuous development.

2

Feature set

  • Real-time scanning, firewall, ransomware safeguards
  • Bundled extras (VPN, password manager, parental controls, optimisation)
  • Published results of independent test labs (AV-TEST, AV-Comparatives)
3

Neutral third-party sources

We cross-check our take against other independent review sites and consumer publications to widen the perspective.

4

In-house interaction

  • Usability of the app and dashboard
  • System-impact feel during installation and first scan
  • Standard test-file handling (e.g. EICAR)
  • VPN app layout, installation and platform compatibility
5

User feedback & ratings

  • Ratings on independent review platforms
  • Reader input to Cypheran
  • Provider responsiveness on support channels
6

Affiliate-program conduct

  • Reliability of affiliate payouts
  • Transparency of the affiliate programme
  • Communication with publishers

Note: commissions do not influence our editorial opinion; this criterion only covers the provider's operational conduct toward publishers.

7

Provider jurisdiction

Where the company is legally based and how strict the local data-protection and security regulations are.

8

Reader demand

Anonymised engagement data from our own pages (clicks, conversions) as a signal of perceived relevance. Used as a soft signal — it cannot override the other criteria.

9

Value for money

  • Feature scope relative to price
  • Number of devices included in the plan
  • Transparent renewal pricing and cancellation
10

Customer support

  • Available channels (chat, email, phone, knowledge base)
  • Response speed
  • Quality of issue resolution
11

Update frequency

  • Regularity of product updates
  • Response to new threats
  • Pace of new feature development
12

Data protection & company policies

  • How the provider handles user data
  • Transparency of the privacy policy
  • Past data-protection incidents
13

Compatibility & device support

  • Compatibility with Windows, macOS, iOS and Android
  • Browser extensions where relevant
  • Number of devices covered per licence

What we do not do

  • We do not run independent laboratory benchmarks (detection-rate A/B tests, performance labs, network-throughput measurements). For those, please consult AV-TEST, AV-Comparatives or SE Labs.
  • We do not accept payment to move a product up in the ranking. Affiliate relationships exist, but editorial decisions are made independently of commission rates. See our Terms and the disclaimer above.
  • We do not guarantee that a provider's advertised features, server count or money-back terms are up-to-date. Always verify on the provider's own site before purchasing.
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