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Total VPN alternatives make sense if you want an audited VPN, or you no longer need the TotalAV antivirus bundle. Total VPN streams well and passed leak tests, but it has no audit and its bundle prices rise after the first year.
The services below include standalone VPNs with outside audits, plus options if you still want a security bundle. Our Total VPN review covers what you would leave behind.
Total VPN Alternatives for Streaming: NordVPN or Surfshark
Total VPN unblocked eight of nine streaming sites in TheBestVPN’s tests, so streaming alone rarely forces a switch. NordVPN and Surfshark, both from Nord Security, are the usual streaming picks: the first has 6 audits in our table, the second unlimited devices.
For Audited Privacy and a Free Plan: Proton VPN
Total VPN has no audit and no RAM-only servers, PrivacySavvy notes. A free plan with no data cap and 5 audits in our table make Proton VPN the safest no-cost option, with paid plans from about $2.99 a month.
For Torrenting: PIA
Total VPN allows P2P on all servers, but its logging policy is unaudited. PIA is the torrent specialist here: port forwarding, unlimited devices and 3 audits by Deloitte in our table.
For Strict Privacy: Mullvad
If the UK base worries you, Mullvad’s Swedish base comes with 10+ audits. Mullvad keeps sign-up anonymous with account numbers and backs that with 10+ audits in our table, for about $5.40 a month.
For Lower Prices: PureVPN or CyberGhost
Total VPN starts near $1.59 a month in year one, so watch the renewal when comparing. Cheaper audited plans come from PureVPN, near $2.15 a month with 4 KPMG audits, and CyberGhost, near $2.19 with 3 Deloitte audits.
For TVs and Routers
Total VPN’s TV support depends on the app version you use. For TVs, NordVPN and Surfshark have native apps, while a router such as ExpressVPN’s Aircove covers every device at once, as our guide to a VPN for smart TV explains.
Price Comparison
Total VPN starts from about $1.59 a month on the annual bundle, and TotalAV Total Security costs $49.00 a year, vpnpro reports. The alternatives above run from free to about $5.40 a month in our price table.
Free or Paid
Total VPN has no free plan, so an audited free tier is a real saving for light users. Free users can choose Proton VPN, which sets no data cap, or Windscribe, which allows up to 15 GB, according to our refund table. Both are audited.
A Quick Rule
Want an audit? NordVPN, Proton VPN or Mullvad. Free and audited? Proton VPN. Unlimited devices? Surfshark or PIA. Still want antivirus? Keep a separate antivirus and pick any audited VPN.
Switching Without a Gap
If you keep TotalAV’s antivirus, you only need to replace the VPN part. Install the new VPN, test it, then turn off Total VPN inside the TotalAV app.
Several Devices
Total VPN covers six devices, VPN.com reports. NordVPN allows 10, Surfshark and PIA set no limit, and Mullvad allows 5, our device table records.
Remember that TotalAV’s antivirus may cover different devices from the VPN. Count both before choosing a plan.
Families
Families often value the antivirus side of TotalAV. You can keep it and add an audited VPN with enough devices for everyone.
Keeping Protection Running
Turn off Total VPN’s kill switch before removing it, so it does not block traffic while another VPN starts. Overlap both VPNs for a day or two, then uninstall the old one so its network settings stop interfering.
Testing an Alternative
Compare streaming results on your own services, since that is Total VPN’s strength. Then run a leak test using our guide to checking if a VPN is working.
Try the same streaming sites you used with Total VPN. That gives a fair comparison of streaming.
Ownership
Nord Security owns NordVPN and Surfshark, and Kape owns PIA, CyberGhost and ExpressVPN. Proton VPN and Mullvad are independent companies. Total VPN belongs to Point Wild, the US group behind TotalAV and Hotspot Shield.
Point Wild also owns UltraVPN, which uses similar technology. Switching within the group changes little on privacy.
What You Give Up
You give up a cheap first year bundled with antivirus and an ad blocker. If you still need those, budget for them separately.
Leaving Total VPN
Total VPN offers a 30-day money-back guarantee. After that, cancel auto-renewal in your TotalAV account before the next billing date.
Are Total VPN Alternatives Worth the Switch?
If you need verified privacy, yes. If you mainly want antivirus with a basic VPN, the bundle may still suit you in its first year.
Related pages on Total VPN cover whether Total VPN is safe, Surfshark vs Total VPN and what Total VPN costs.
Readers weighing similar options can also read UltraVPN alternatives and iolo VPN alternatives.
How We Research
This page draws on our Total VPN research, including TheBestVPN, PrivacySavvy, VPN.com and vpnpro, read on 21 October 2026. The main source for this brand is TheBestVPN’s Total VPN review. Partner figures come from our audit, price, device and refund tables. We do not run our own tests. Our full approach lives on the About Us page.
Total VPN Alternatives FAQ
NordVPN for audits and speed; Proton VPN for a free audited plan.
Yes. Keep the antivirus and turn off its VPN once the new one works.
Surfshark and PIA, our device table records.
Proton VPN, with no data cap.
The Verdict
The best Total VPN alternatives add audits: NordVPN for speed, Proton VPN for free use, Surfshark or PIA for unlimited devices and Mullvad for strict privacy. Keep TotalAV’s antivirus if you still want it.