Modern antivirus programs aren’t just antivirus tools. They’re often big security suites, bundling additional security features along with malware protection. Many of the best antivirus suites we recommend include a built-in virtual private network (VPN) service.

You don’t need a built-in VPN in your security suite of choice — especially if you already have a VPN you prefer — but it can be very convenient.

Do you need a VPN at all?

Clearly, you can use the internet without a VPN. It’s not a mandatory online tool.

That said, VPNs have a lot of advantages. They can provide extra protection when you use public Wi-Fi hotspots — public Wi-Fi isn’t as dangerous as it used to be, but there are still some risks. They create a secure tunnel that shields your online activity from your internet service provider — although you’re trusting your VPN provider of choice with that data instead. They let you access geographically restricted websites, which can make them extra useful for streaming services. People who use BitTorrent and other peer-to-peer file sharing tools often depend on VPNs to shield their file-sharing activity.

And let’s be honest: VPNs are also becoming more common now that an increasing number of U.S. states are cracking down on adult websites, too.

What’s the advantage of a VPN built into antivirus software?

The advantage of a VPN built into antivirus software is convenience. You’re getting a convenient tool built into the security suite you already use. You don’t have to install an extra program and juggle an extra system tray icon on your PC.

You don’t have to pay for an extra subscription, either. Rather than subscribing to a VPN for an extra yearly fee, you’ll get a VPN bundled with the security suite you subscribe to. You won’t have to deal with multiple yearly subscriptions. (A built-in VPN is a feature often found in premium antivirus programs, not free antivirus tools.)

A security suite’s built-in VPN tool may include features that block known malicious websites and other dangerous online junk while you’re connected to the VPN. However, most dedicated VPN services offer similar dangerous-site-blocking options.

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If you have already hunted down the best VPN for your needs and you have strong feelings about it, a VPN built into your antivirus program probably isn’t the right option for you. You can use whatever VPN you like with whatever antivirus tool you like.

On the other hand, a bundled VPN tool in an antivirus program is perfect if you don’t have strong feelings about a VPN and you just want something convenient. For example, Norton 360 Deluxe has a built-in VPN that’s configured to automatically start whenever you connect to public Wi-Fi. It’s the perfect set-it-and-forget-it extra security feature for people who don’t want to juggle a lot of programs. Of course, you can also open Norton and connect to the VPN whenever you want — you still have that control.

What’s the downside of a VPN built into antivirus software?

VPN tools built into antivirus programs are often less feature packed. Dedicated VPNs may offer more knobs and switches. They may provide a larger number of VPN servers you can connect to in a wider variety of geographical location. Those servers may be faster, and they may deliver a better streaming experience. A dedicated VPN service may not care if you use BitTorrent or other peer-to-peer file-sharing tools to download and upload files, but the VPN built into an antivirus may not approve of that.

Chris Hoffman/IDG

Chris Hoffman/IDG

Chris Hoffman/IDG

A dedicated VPN may also offer extra anonymity when it comes to payments, too — for example, Mullvad offers an anonymized payment system where you can actually mail the company cold hard cash rather than having your name and credit card number associated with your account.

Additionally, dedicated VPNs may be more up-front about a no-logging policy and may bring in third-party auditors to provide extra assurances of privacy, while built-in VPNs in antivirus suites may not.

But, for the average person who just wants some extra protection while connecting to public Wi-Fi networks without an extra subscription, program, and account to juggle, an antivirus suite’s built-in VPN may be perfect.

A convenient feature, but not an essential

You don’t need a VPN as part of your antivirus software. But it can be nice to have.

If you already have a VPN you love and have strong feelings about, you can keep using it with whatever antivirus program you like.

On the other hand, if you want convenient access to a VPN without any extra subscriptions, applications, and accounts to juggle, a VPN built into an antivirus tool might be perfect.

It’s all about convenience. You don’t have to pay for any of this if you don’t want to — you can assemble your own online security suite out of free tools. You can combine a capable free antivirus and a capable free VPN — but bear in mind that you need to ensure you choose a trustworthy free VPN, as there are a lot of questionable free VPNs out there. And bear in mind that a free VPN usually won’t offer the fastest speeds — and it may have limits, like only letting you transfer a certain amount of data each month before you need to pay up.

Be sure to check out PCWorld’s guides to the best antivirus software and the best VPN services to find the right options for you.