This popular VPN officially offers a top antivirus product too

It's official – Surfshark offers one of the best VPN apps on the market and a top antivirus solution.

This is the verdict from AV-test, an independent antivirus testing firm that granted Surfshark's tool the 'TOP PRODUCT' award after thorough testing.

"The fact that Surfshark Antivirus not only meets industry standards but is also recognized as a top product by AV-TEST is incredibly reassuring," said Nedas Kazlauskas, Antivirus Product Manager at Surfshark. "We're committed to continually improving it to keep our users safe."

Three main criteria guided the experts at AV-Test throughout their assessment: protection, performance, and usability.

Surfshark Antivirus did particularly well in both protection and usability and attained a high 5.5/6 score in performance. For more information, you can read the full results here. 

Kazlauskas is said to be especially pleased with the 100% detection rate against advanced 0-day malware attacks. "Additionally, the top marks in the AV-TEST’s Usability category affirm our goal to provide online security that is both effective and easy to use," he added. 

While Surfshark is better known as a secure VPN provider, the provider developed a full security suite back in 2022, Surfshark One, which also includes the Surfshark Antivirus tool.

Why you should use Surfshark Antivirus

A virtual private network (VPN) is an essential tool that secures your online activities by encrypting your internet connection and masking your real IP address. A VPN, however, cannot protect your device from viruses and malware attacks.

This is the job of antivirus software – and it's a job that's never been more important, considering that, thanks to AI tools, attackers can launch more effective large-scale phishing campaigns without much tech knowledge.

Surfshark Antivirus offers real-time protection that'll keep you safe whenever you download, install, or open new programs and files. It'll also help you stay on top of your device's digital hygiene with scheduled scans. These can run in full or focus more specifically on your most-used folders.

It's worth mentioning, however, that you cannot purchase Surfshark Antivirus as a standalone product. It only comes as part of the Surfshark One bundle alongside its VPN, data leak detection system (Surfshark Alert), and a private search engine (Surfhsark Search). 

The good news is that Surfshark's prices are budget-friendly – especially when you consider that you can get all four cybersecurity tools for as little as $2.69 equivalent per month at the time of writing.