TotalVPN review

TotalVPN is a virtual private network service included in the TotalAV security package. It’s integrated into the antivirus software and offers all the essential features to hide your online activities, IP address, and identity.

Naturally, this begs whether a package-deal VPN can be as good as a standalone VPN service. Well, this TotalVPN review is all about answering that question.

We tested TotalVPN from multiple angles to learn how well it performs regarding speed, security, versatility, geo-block removal, and other crucial areas. Then, we summarized the results to see how it compares against other leading VPN services. So, dive into our TotalVPN review to find out what we uncovered.

TotalVPN short review

TotalVPN is an up-and-coming virtual private network service that isn’t impressive by itself but is a solid addition to the excellent TotalAV package. Here’s a rundown of our main topics in this TotalVPN review.

• Speed. We’ll cover TotalVPN’s connectivity first, as it’s arguably the most vital aspect of any VPN because it influences the overall user experience and the performance of other features (i.e., streaming and torrenting).
• Pricing. Knowing how much TotalVPN costs and which TotalAV plans include this perk is vital.
• Security. VPNs are primarily a security tool, so it’s paramount to overview their technical specifications.
• Features. Nowadays, customers expect various bonus perks from their VPN providers. This topic also covers dealing with geographical restrictions and torrenting.
• Compatibility. We’ll review the TotalVPN software, what devices and operating systems it works with, and whether it’s easy to use.

Speed and performance

TotalVPN offers two tunneling protocol options – OpenVPN and IKEv2/IPSec. These are pretty standard in the VPN industry and can provide solid speeds. However, the fastest VPNs on the market utilize modern options like WireGuard and its variations.

But that doesn’t mean that TotalVPN can’t ensure swift and lag-free connections with what it has. Let’s see how the service fared in the speed tests we conducted.

TotalVPN OpenVPN speed test results

The OpenVPN tunneling protocol is the default option when booting up TotalVPN on any OS. Thus, it’s paramount to thoroughly test it to ensure the average customer experience is satisfactory.

• Baseline speed: 500 Mbps download/ 497 Mbps upload and 2 ms ping

	Upload (Mbps)	Download (Mbps)
Australia	48	6
Canada	31	21
Japan	67	15
UK	39	42
US	36	18

As you can see, the results could be better. The average download retention rate was roughly 9%, while upload speeds averaged even lower. Other notable issues during our tests include the inability to connect to specific servers. In our case, it was Germany.

TotalVPN IKEv2 speed test results

On some platforms, you can switch from OpenVPN to IKEv2 if the primary tunneling protocol doesn’t meet your expectations. Let’s see how the secondary option fared in our manual tests.

• Baseline speed: 500 Mbps download/ 497 Mbps upload and 2 ms ping

	Upload (Mbps)	Download (Mbps)
Australia	312	29
Canada	401	268
Germany	275	344
Japan	269	199
UK	338	240
US	167	120

The IKEv2 tunneling protocol resulted in significantly better speeds during our tests. On average, the protocol retained around 70% of the initial download speed, while upload speeds had more variability.

In conclusion, you should opt for IKEv2 with TotalVPN whenever possible if you prioritize connection speeds.

Plans and pricing

As mentioned, TotalVPN isn’t a standalone service and requires subscribing to TotalAV to unlock it. The top-shelf antivirus service offers multiple subscription tiers, which vary by price and included features. Below is a table summarizing customer options.

	TotalAV Total Security	TotalAV Internet Security	TotalAV Pro	TotalAV Free
Price	$49.00/year	$39.00/year	$19.00/year	$0.00
Devices	6	5	3	1
Advanced ransomware protection	✅	✅	✅	❌
Real-time protection	✅	✅	✅	❌
System clean-up tools	✅	✅	✅	❌
Cloud-based malware scanning	✅	✅	✅	❌
VPN	✅	✅	❌	❌
Password manager	✅	❌	❌	❌
Ad blocker	✅	❌	❌	❌
Anti-malware scanner	✅	✅	✅	✅
Anti-phishing protection	✅	✅	✅	✅

As you can see, TotalVPN is included in the TotalAV Internet Security and Total Security plans.

The first viable plan costs $39.00/year and bestows various antivirus security measures, system scanning options, and a VPN for up to 5 devices.

Meanwhile, the second (or final TotalAV subscription) option costs $49.00/year and adds a password manager and robust ad blocker to grant a comprehensive cybersecurity set for 6 different gadgets. Buyers should note that these prices are introductory and will increase upon renewal after the first year. You must notify TotalAV in advance via email if you don’t want to renew your subscription.

All paid plans come with a 30-day money-back guarantee, meaning you can test the service for up to a month without worry. Regarding payment methods, interested users can purchase the service using a credit card, PayPal, Google Pay, or Apple Pay.

Can you get TotalVPN for free?

Although TotalAV offers a solid free plan, it doesn’t include TotalVPN. That means the only way to get TotalVPN for free is by using the 30-day money-back guarantee.

Firstly, you must purchase either the TotalAV Internet Security or Total Security plan since only these options include TotalVPN. Then, you have to request a refund during the first month of the subscription. Also, don’t wait until the very last minute because refund processing may take some time (up to 7 business days, to be exact).

If that sounds like too much work, then consider a different VPN with a free trial, such as NordVPN. Many high-quality services offer time-limited tests on mobile app stores that don’t require payment. Instead, you’ll need to add your credit card details. If that’s also unacceptable, then your remaining alternative is a trustworthy free VPN.

Is TotalVPN safe?

Logic dictates that TotalVPN should be a secure VPN because it’s part of a well-rounded cybersecurity product. And while this service has all the necessary basic security features to keep your online activities private, there’s an absence of extra perks we’ve grown to expect from standalone VPN providers. Below is a summary of the critical security measures TotalVPN covers.

Encryption	AES-256
Tunneling protocols	OpenVPN, IKEv2
Kill switch	✅
RAM servers	❌
Privacy policy	No logs
Security audits	❌

So far, everything seems pretty standard on the surface. Naturally, that perception can change after some hands-on testing. So, let’s dive deeper into the results that our extensive research uncovered.

Encryption

TotalVPN doesn’t try to reinvent the wheel regarding encryption and opts for the industry-standard AES-256 encryption cipher. It strikes the perfect balance between privacy and performance.

For starters, your online activities will be invisible to various third parties, such as your ISP, public Wi-Fi network administrators, and wannabe hackers. Additionally, 256-bit encryption ensures that no modern computer can crack your browsing data within your lifetime if someone manages to get a hold of that information.

Tunneling protocols

TotalVPN customers can switch between two tunneling protocols – OpenVPN (TCP/UDP) and IKEv2/IPSec. Once again, these options are standard and well-regarded in the VPN industry. They’re pretty old, which can be considered either a benefit or a drawback (depending on your perspective).

On a positive note, these protocols are secure, reasonably fast, compatible with various devices, and had plenty of time for addressing known security issues. However, their long life span means they’re running on age-old technologies and have bloated codebases.

Most importantly, they’re outdated because modern tunneling protocol options exist and are superior in almost every way. For example, WireGuard is wicked-fast, efficient, and open-source, meaning any diligent VPN service can implement it easily. More so, they can use the existing WireGuard version to create a proprietary alternative (as is the case with NordVPN’s NordLynx).

Kill switch

You won’t find a worthwhile VPN service without a reliable kill switch for preventing IP address exposure. If you’re unaware, a kill switch is a toggled feature that disconnects your internet whenever the VPN tunnel is disabled. This ensures that your actual IP address and location aren’t exposed if the VPN tunnel abruptly stops due to unforeseen consequences.

Unfortunately, TotalVPN is quite inconsistent in this regard because the kill switch is only available in the Windows app. The feature comes in manual or automatic modes for added versatility.

DNS leak protection

You’ll need flawless DNS and IP leak protection to ensure your connection details remain hidden while the VPN is enabled. You can do so with third-party leak-checking tools like dnsleaktest.com or ipleak.net. This is precisely what we did while testing TotalVPN, and the results were mostly satisfactory.

For the most part, connections were stable, free from leaks, and with appropriate IP and DNS addresses. However, there were instances where our connection to Germany had an IP address from Prague, the capital of the Czech Republic.

Another issue we couldn’t overlook was the inability to seamlessly switch between different VPN servers without exposing our IP address. You have to disconnect from your current server and then manually connect to another one, thus leaving a potential gap for IP leakage in the middle. Of course, that’s not an issue on Windows devices where you can enable the kill switch.

Logging

Data logging is a hot topic when discussing VPN services because there’s no clear answer as to what defines a truly reliable no-logs VPN. Some characteristics showcase whether a provider is more reliable than others, so let’s see how TotalVPN fares in those areas.

The situation isn’t great regarding jurisdiction because TotalAV is based in the UK, a core member of the 5-Eyes alliance. This wouldn’t be of concern if the provider would conduct an independent audit of its privacy policy to assure customers that their data isn’t excessively shared with authorities and other third parties. However, so far that isn’t the case.

Additionally, there are no anonymous payment methods for the service, for example, cryptocurrencies. Unsurprisingly, the sign-up process also lacks privacy assurances and requires entering your email address in all cases.

Servers and locations

According to TotalVPN’s website, the service offers a humble network of 50 servers across 30 countries. This server number is minimal compared to other VPNs in the industry. Moreover, there’s little information about the fleet’s technical specifications, so it’s unclear who’s responsible for the hardware and whether it’s running on RAM modules.

Below is a table with details about TotalVPN’s country coverage.

Continent	Countries
Europe	Austria, Belgium, Bulgaria, Czech Republic, Denmark, Finland, France, Germany, Greece, Hungary, Iceland, Ireland, Isle of Man, Italy, Moldova, Netherlands, Norway, Poland, Romania, Serbia, Slovenia, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland, UK
Americas	USA, Brazil, Canada, Chile, Mexico
Asia	Hong Kong, Israel, Japan, Singapore
Rest of the world	Australia, New Zealand

It’s worth mentioning that the US, the UK, and Australian servers are categorized by city, making it more convenient to connect to specific regions in those countries. This detail is critical if you need to unlock a US IP address from a particular state.

Is TotalVPN good for streaming?

Like most VPNs, TotalVPN claims it can bypass geographical restrictions and unlock foreign content. For many, this translates to the ability to access movies and TV shows from abroad on popular streaming platforms like Netflix, Max, Disney+, and many more. Naturally, we had to put these claims to the test to see if TotalVPN can be considered a worthwhile streaming VPN.

Platform	Does it work?
Netflix	❌No
Amazon Prime Video	❌No
Hulu	❌No
Max	❌No
Disney+	❌No
BBC iPlayer	❌No
YouTube TV	❌No
YouTube	✅ Yes

Unfortunately, our efforts to unblock our favorite video content with TotalVPN were fruitless. We started with the popular Netflix platform and tried to unlock various regional libraries, including the US, the UK, Canada, Australia, and even Japan. Other services like the BBC iPlayer, Max, Peacock, and Hulu also yielded unsatisfactory results.

These subpar results can arguably be attributed to TotalVPN’s meager server numbers. After all, a top-quality streaming VPN needs thousands of IP addresses to effectively unblock content for numerous customers. Additionally, this VPN focuses more on cybersecurity features, which means it’s fair to assume that streaming is a lower priority.

Is TotalVPN good for torrenting?

TotalVPN is an alright option if you’re looking for a torrenting VPN to secure your P2P activities. For starters, the service lacks servers optimized for peer-to-peer data transfer. It also can’t guarantee ultra-fast connection speeds without the WireGuard protocol. Moreover, it would be ill-advised to torrent without the added security of a kill switch.

On a positive note, TotalVPN doesn’t restrict P2P traffic on any of its servers. There are also server options worldwide, making it easy to create the optimal circumstances for swift downloads.

Interface and ease of use

TotalVPN is available on the same four desktop and mobile platforms that TotalAV is available on:

• Windows
• macOS
• Android
• iOS

The user interface and overall experience are pretty similar across the board. However, there are some minor differences regarding available features. So, let’s cover each platform separately to uncover those details.

Windows

The Windows app is probably the most feature-rich and robust iteration of TotalVPN. For starters, it’s the only version that includes a kill switch for preventing IP leaks. Customers can switch between two tunneling protocols and enable automatic VPN connections whenever connecting to a questionable Wi-Fi network.

Finding TotalVPN in the TotalAV app is pretty straightforward. Users have to hover above the fingerprint icon and then click the VPN button, which is denoted by the location pin logo. There, most of the screen is occupied by the available server options.

You can toggle the kill switch using the bottom left button. Meanwhile, the cogwheel in the top right opens the VPN tab of the general settings menu for convenient customization.

macOS

The look and feel of TotalVPN on MacOS doesn’t differ much from the Windows version. You’ll find the VPN tab under the Internet Security label without needing to hover over any icons. Once there, you can enable the VPN connection using the large power button in the middle. Server selection is done using the small selection tool below.

We noticed that this TotalVPN version allows you to switch server locations without disconnecting first, thus leaving less room for IP leaking issues. However, it lacks the kill switch and only grants the Connect on Demand feature.

Android

TotalVPN on Android offers a user-friendly interface and essential security features, which you will find under the Quick Protect tab. To be precise, you can enable Real-Time protection, VPN Quick Connect, and App Lock.

Regarding absences, the mobile app lacks a kill switch and the option to allow different tunneling protocols.

iOS

Once again, the iOS version is practically the same as the Android variant. Visually, it resembles the Mac interface with its immense power button at the top and server selection below.

Overall, the user interface is uncluttered and easy to navigate. Note that you won’t find the option to enable a kill switch, try another VPN tunneling protocol, or make other changes to the settings.

TotalVPN additional features

TotalVPN offers the essentials regarding VPN features, which we covered in detail in the previous sections. As a reminder, the VPN includes a kill switch and automatic VPN enabling on unsecured Wi-Fi networks.

However, subscribers also gain a wide range of extra digital security features unrelated to the VPN tool. The added benefits depend on your chosen subscription plan and can include:

• Total Adblock – a robust ad blocker that will greatly improve your online experience by eliminating unwelcome advertisements. It will lead to safer browsing and quicker load times. Our tests showed that Total Adblock is quite powerful against a wide variety of online ads.
• TotalAV – the standard TotalAV package unlocks various antivirus features to keep your devices running smoothly and protected from malware. You’ll be blessed with real-time protection, system tune-up tools, a disk cleaner, ransomware protection, and other vital perks.
• Total Password – the best way to protect your online accounts is to use unique and complex passwords for each. You can conveniently do so with a reliable password manager, which is included in TotalAV’s ultimate subscription plan.

Customer support

You’ll have no trouble finding assistance as a TotalVPN customer because the company offers an immense variety of support options.

24/7 live chat	✅
Email	✅
Phone line	✅ (Australia, Canada, France, Germany, Spain, United Kingdom, United States, Europe, International number)
Guides or articles	✅
FAQs	✅

For example, you have the standard choice of contacting customer service via live chat or email. If the situation is dire, residents from certain countries can call using their designated phone lines. On the other hand, self-sufficient users have plenty of guides and FAQs to peruse, which are conveniently categorized by product.

Conclusion

TotalVPN isn’t particularly special compared to well-known standalone VPN services like NordVPN or Surfshark. It has everything you need to mask your IP address and keep your location hidden at home or on the go.

However, it’s a solid component of an affordable and comprehensive cybersecurity package for protecting your online activities against all possible threats. For example, Total Adblock is well-regarded as a reliable ad-blocking solution, and our tests confirm that. The same sentiment applies to TotalAV and Total Password, all of which you can unlock at an affordable price.

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