Total VPN Review 2026: Safe and Simple

We recommend using Total VPN if you're an existing TotalAV user, especially if you don't require a premium VPN service. Total VPN passed all of our leak tests, and it unblocked all of Netflix's geo-restricted content.

Total VPN offers basic VPN functionality: a kill switch abd several VPN protocols, but not much else. We also hope to see Total VPN submit its no-logs policy for third-party auditing so we can feel secure while using it.

We'll explore Total VPN's features and functionality so you can determine if it's what you need in a VPN.

At a glance

Price	Starts at $1.59/mo
Free version	No
Max # of connected devices	5
Number of servers	1,000+ servers in 90+ countries
VPN protocol	WireGuard, OpenVPN, Hydra, IPsec
Encryption	AES-256
No-logs policy	No logs
Headquarters	United Kingdom
Netflix access	Yes
Learn more	Get Total VPN

Star rating summary

Change logs

Test date	Change logs
April 3, 2026	Improved US-to-US performance: download speed dropped only ~4%
November 20, 2025	No recorded changes
August 21, 2026	Passed WebRTC leak test, passed kill switch test
April 28, 2025	Failed WebRTC leak test, failed kill switch test
October 24, 2024	Unblocked all four Netflix libraries (U.S., CA, U.K., AU)
May 9, 2024	Failed to unblock Netflix AU

Our experience

We tested TotalAV's virtual private network (VPN) on our MacBook running macOS Tahoe. This time, we downloaded the standalone app. 

Heads up, Total VPN's standalone app is different from the Total VPN app that's included with the antivirus. The standalone app offers more servers, several protocols, and split tunneling. But there's no clarity about this from Total VPN, which can make for a confusing user experience.

Otherwise, the Total VPN dashboard is pretty basic and easy to grasp. There's a giant connect button, the current server location, and an option to change locations. Although we didn't receive a tutorial from TotalAV this time around, its simple interface makes it easy to pick up for beginners.

One issue we ran into was trying to find information on the VPN and its features. TotalAV isn't forthcoming with any of its offerings, and we wish it offered more VPN-specific language.

Total VPN is a simple VPN, but we were glad that it mostly worked. It bypassed Netflix's geo-restricted content with all the servers we tested, prevented data leaks, and it didn't have a noticeable impact on our speeds.

Mobile experience

We also downloaded the Total VPN app on our Android device. The mobile dashboard is basically identical to the desktop app, so we didn't have any trouble switching from one device to the next.

On Android, Total VPN dropped our download speeds by an average of 52%, but we didn't notice any difference while browsing. It also successfully unblocked a couple of Netflix libraries.

Total VPN prices and plans

Total VPN only has one plan, which costs $1.59/mo. It includes TotalAV antivirus and Total Adblock. You can also opt for one of TotalAV's antivirus plans, but only the Internet Security and Total Security plans include the VPN.

The best deal is to either purchase the Total VPN package or the Total Security plan. Both come at a decent price for the first year, but Total Security costs a bit extra and comes with extras like a password manager. Total Security also allows for double the amount of devices.

Plan	Total VPN	TotalAV Internet Security	TotalAV Total Security
Price per year	$1.59/mo	$39.00/first yr	$49.00/first yr
Max # of connected devices	5	6	8
Learn more	View plan	View plan	View plan

If you're curious about which antivirus software offers the best VPN, TotalAV is one of the better-priced options we've seen. And the yearly pricing model is great for the first year.

Here's how other VPNs included with antivirus programs compare:

• Bitdefender VPN: Starts at $2.50/mo
• Norton Secure VPN: Starts at $3.33/mo
• Total VPN: Starts at $1.59/mo

TotalAV offers a significantly discounted introductory price; but if you aren't happy, you can receive a full refund within 14 days of purchase if you're on a monthly plan or within 30 days if you're on an annual plan.

Total VPN features

Because this VPN began as part of an antivirus package, it doesn't have as many features as standalone VPN providers, like Surfshark or CyberGhost. What it does offer is strong encryption and a nice list of servers as well as a user-friendly dashboard where you can quickly toggle between TotalAV features.

Server count and countries

• 1,000+ servers in 90+ countries

TotalAV doesn't list its server count, but that's okay as long as the ones available work well, which they do. Plus the locations of the servers offered are pretty good, as there are options across Europe, Africa, and Asia.

Other top VPNs with unlisted server counts offer a similar number of countries. For instance, ExpressVPN offers 105 countries and CyberGhost offers 100 countries.

If you're looking to access content from different countries, you'll have plenty to choose from with this VPN. Total VPN offers server locations in Canada, Germany, Japan, and more. It also offers servers in major U.S. cities including Los Angeles, Chicago, and New York City.

No-logs policy and headquarters

• Total VPN logs policy: No logs
• Total VPN headquarters: United Kingdom

There's not much information on Total VPN's no-logging policy and the language in the privacy policy is somewhat vague. The most we know is that the VPN claims to not log your metadata, but there may be IP information logged.

We also know that TotalAV has been tested, at least with its antivirus product, by independent testing labs.

Unfortunately, VPN logging policies are not always independently verified, so the most information we know is that the privacy policy is unclear. It claims not to log user activity, though some IP-related data may be collected.

Making sure your VPN doesn't log your data is important when choosing a VPN. Data logs can be traced back to you. Since TotalAV's headquarters is in the U.K., and England is a Five Eyes alliance country, there's always a chance that the government can demand any logged data that any company within its borders has on you.

Kill switch

A kill switch severs your internet connection in the event your VPN connection drops. This keeps your IP address hidden even if the VPN isn't active.

We couldn't find the setting to turn off the kill switch, but it passed our kill switch test, so we're not too concerned.

Split tunneling

Total VPN offers split tunneling, but only on Android as far as we could tell.

Split tunneling routes traffic through multiple VPN servers or no server at all, depending on what you choose. You would need split tunneling when you log in to your mobile banking app, for example.

Most mobile banking sites don't like VPN-encrypted traffic, so split tunneling allows you to encrypt all your traffic while also logging in to your bank quickly.

VPN protocol

VPN protocols determine how your data is encrypted. It's best if you have some options, so you can choose which one you want, as they do have different benefits depending on your VPN situation.

Total VPN used to offer just OpenVPN and IKEv2. We're glad to see WireGuard, Hydra, and IPsec protocols have been added since our last test.

Total VPN test results

Most people use VPNs for safety, security, and the ability to unblock geo-restricted content on streaming sites. Of course, none of those matter if the VPN slows your internet connection down past the ability to be viable.

That's why we test for speed, the ability to unblock streaming, and IP address leaks. 

Speed tests

• Speed test results: Total VPN dropped our download speeds by an average of 35%.

When testing your VPN for speed, you'll need to look for download speed, which determines how fast you can view things on your end, like streaming video or webpage loading. You also need to keep an eye on your ping number: the higher it is, the more likely you'll notice a lag.

Finally, upload speed is important if you're working and need to do things like add screenshots to your VPN review. If it takes forever to upload a piece of media, it can slow down your workday a lot.

We started our testing by running our baseline internet speed prior to connecting to Total VPN.

Test type	No VPN	US to US	US to CA	US to EU	US to AU
Download speed	425.52 Mbps	409.92 Mbps	237.96 Mbps	244.88 Mbps	210.48 Mbps
Upload speed	275.39 Mbps	185.43 Mbps	166.00 Mbps	130.34 Mbps	95.28 Mbps
Latency (ping)	16 ms	16 ms	60 ms	139 ms	197 ms
Download speed % difference	N/A	-3.67%	-44.08%	-42.45%	-50.54%
Upload speed % difference	N/A	-32.67%	-39.72%	-52.67%	-56.40%
Latency % difference	N/A	0.00%	+275.00%	+768.75%	+1,131.25%

We always start testing by selecting the fastest/optimal location option, if there is one. Total VPN connected us to a server in Dallas, which is the closest location, and it only dropped our download speeds by about 4%. It also kept the same latency.

But once we started selecting servers outside the U.S., our download speed dropped by 44% to 50%. Surprisingly, the U.K. server was better than the Canadian server for download speeds. This could be due to better quality U.K. servers and less congestion on that path.

Otherwise, these speed results are consistent with what we come to expect from VPN testing. Typically, servers that are closer to your physical location should have minimal impact on your speeds. It may take some tinkering to find close-by servers that work well for you.

Netflix tests

• Netflix test results: Total VPN successfully unblocked all the Netflix libraries we tested.

Netflix is relentless against VPN usage. If it detects your VPN, Netflix will block you from streaming until you disconnect. We test all the VPNs we review against this formidable opponent.

	US to US	US to CA	US to UK	US to AU
Did it work with Netflix?

Although it's struggled in the past, Total VPN has had a good streak of unblocking Netflix during our most recent tests. This time, it unblocked all four libraries: Netflix U.S., Canada, U.K., and Australia.

We're happy that you can now watch Netflix with Total VPN and enjoy content from around the world.

DNS leak tests

• DNS leak test results: Total VPN passed its DNS leak tests.

Domain Name System (DNS) is the internet's phonebook. It translates the language we speak into computer language and back again, so what we type into our web browsers takes us to the page we're looking for online. This also means that personal information like your IP address is shared in these online interactions.

When you use a VPN to encrypt your traffic, it hides that personal information so anyone spying can't see what you're doing. Total VPN kept our true location private and passed this test.

WebRTC leak tests

• WebRTC leak test results: Total VPN passed its WebRTC leak tests.

Web Real-Time Communication (WebRTC) communicates similarly to DNS by trading information, but when you're establishing a phone or video connection. In this capacity, there's also the potential that your IP address is leaked, so making sure your VPN masks it is essential for privacy.

Since so much of the internet uses video and audio now, WebRTC is not just for Zoom meetings and Signal calls. Total VPN successfully encrypted our data when tested for WebRTC leaks.

Kill switch test

• Kill switch test results: Total VPN passed its kill switch test.

Another security factor we test on VPNs is the kill switch test. If you have the kill switch enabled, your VPN should stop your IP address from being detected if you switch servers or lose your VPN connection.

We started from a server in Germany, then switched to a server in France. There were no leaks as we changed from one server to the other.

Total VPN compatibility

TotalAV is compatible with Windows, macOS, Android, and iOS. The site says it has downloads for Windows and Mac as well as apps available in Apple's App Store and the Google Play Store, so you can also download the iPhone or Android app to protect your smartphone.

Since you can connect up to 5 devices simultaneously, Total VPN is good for a single person or couple who have a few devices each, or a family where each person uses it on only one device.

If you need a VPN that covers more, we suggest one like Surfshark or Private Internet Access (PIA), which offer unlimited simultaneous connections.

Total VPN customer support

Total VPN offers live chat support and online guides, but it's not the most intuitive about finding those. The only phone number we found was in reference to billing support (833-201-8681).

We'll go over each customer support option below.

Live chat

We found a note in TotalAV's terms of service that it offers 24/7 chat support, but when we clicked on the link, it just led us to the same Support page. We explored the Help Center thoroughly, and all we could find were self-help guides.

It took a Google search for "total av support chat" for us to find the TotalAV chat. We double-checked that the link was secure and actually from the TotalAV site before going through with the chat, but this could be dangerous for anyone who isn't savvy to cyberthreats.

Despite the trouble finding the chat, it was quick and easy to use. It started with a chatbot, but as soon as we requested to speak with a human, it immediately connected us.

The TotalAV support team was fast to respond and knowledgeable. We just wish TotalAV would make it easier to find live chat.

Online guides

For the VPN, you need to visit the Total VPN site and select the Support button. From there, you can select categories for technical product support, account support, and billing support for further information.

If your issue doesn't fall within one of the three categories on the support page, you'll need to hunt for the live chat.

Total VPN user reviews

• Apple App Store rating: 4.3/5
• Google Play Store rating: 3.9/5
• Trustpilot rating: 4.2/5

Total VPN receives solid marks on the App Store, where users highlight its ease of use and fast setup. Google Play ratings are lower, with some Android users reporting connectivity issues and trouble with server reliability. 

Trustpilot reviewers are generally positive, praising the value for money and straightforward interface, though some note the VPN drops connection after the device goes into sleep mode — a known issue our own review also encountered.

Top alternatives

Whether you're looking for a clearer privacy policy or a VPN that can let you watch content from all over the world, we've listed some VPNs that are proven to be safe and effective.

Bottom line: Is Total VPN good?

Total VPN works well as an add-on for TotalAV's antivirus product. We liked that it prevented data leaks and unblocked all the Netflix libraries that we tested.

Overall, we wouldn’t recommend purchasing TotalAV solely for its VPN, but we would recommend using it if you're already on board with TotalAV antivirus. VPNs that are bundled into another product are extremely useful to switch on in a pinch.

If you need to encrypt your Wi-Fi connection in a hurry and prevent your data from leaking, Total VPN does the trick. But if you're looking for a large server network or features like double VPN and optimized servers, we'd recommend a top-tested VPN alternative.

See how Total VPN compares to some of our top alternatives:

• NordVPN vs. Total VPN
• Surfshark vs. Total VPN

FAQs