F-Secure vs VIPRE (2026): which should you pick?
As of Nov 12, 2026, F-Secure and VIPRE share a 2.4 GPA, and only F-Secure has a free plan.
Checked Oct 17, 2026 and Nov 12, 2026 · graded Oct 17, 2026 and Nov 12, 2026 by ToolGPA
F-Secure grades higher on platforms. VIPRE grades higher on value for money and ease of use. They get the same grade on the free plan and features.
Price, platforms and features side by side. The table says where each price was read and when.
F-Secure
Finnish antivirus and VPN suite that renews at the new-customer price
VIPRE
Home antivirus in three tiers, from basic scanning to a VPN bundle
Which one is for you
Pick F-Secure if
- Fits if renewal price hikes put you off, as Total is stated to renew at the same price
- Works for people who want to pay for 2 years at once, at $124.99 for 5 devices on Internet Security
Look elsewhere if
- Skip it if you want a VPN or password vault on the cheaper plan, as they're Total only
- Not for you if you want free day-to-day protection, as the free Online Scanner only cleans a PC on demand
- Watch out: the same-price renewal is stated for Total only; the Internet Security page doesn't say what it renews at
- Tight if you're on iPhone and want a VPN kill switch, which works on Windows, Mac and Android only
Pick VIPRE if
- Fits if you run one Windows PC and want a basic antivirus
- Works for Windows users who may later want a VPN in the same bundle
Look elsewhere if
- Skip it if you use a Mac or iPhone, as the listing shows Windows only
- Watch out: the page does not say how many devices a plan covers
- Pricey if you renew: the yearly prices shown are heavy discounts off $38.49, $60.49 and $153.99
- Tight if you want the firewall, patching or privacy tools, which are on the dearer tiers and Windows only
How we grade them
| 2.4GPAF-SecureFair | 2.4GPAVIPREFair | |
|---|---|---|
| Value for money | CInternet Security for 5 devices is $124.99 for 2 years, about $5.21 a month, just above the dearer quarter of antivirus. Total for 5 is $149.99 for 2 years and is stated to renew at that same price. | BAntivirus Plus is $14.99 a year, but that is shown as 61% off $38.49. At the full $38.49 it is about $3.20 a month, still near the cheaper quarter of antivirus. Renewal and device count are not stated. |
| Free plan and trial | CThe free Online Scanner cleans a Windows PC on demand but doesn't guard it, and Total has a 30-day free trial. Nothing free protects you day to day. | C30-day free trial for new users, and a 30-day money-back guarantee. The page does not mention a card. |
| Features | BAntivirus, ransomware, banking and scam protection on every plan, with scam text filtering on phones. Total adds an unlimited VPN, a password vault and identity monitoring. The VPN's kill switch skips the iPhone. | BReal-time and cloud protection, firewall, email protection, patching and a VPN on the top tier. Nothing in the listing is missing from the job. |
| Ease of use | C4.41 from about 490 App Store ratings: middling for this category, and not many people behind it. | BNo store rating on record. It is installed software that starts working after install. |
| Platforms and integrations | BWindows, Mac, Android and iPhone. No web app, API or integration list on record, so it stops at B. | DThe firewall, phishing protection and patching are listed as Windows only. Android Security is a separate product that was not priced. No integrations. |
| Best for | a renewal price that matches the first one | a basic Windows antivirus |
The GPA is the average of the five grades: an A is 4 points, an F is none. The full reasons are on each tool's page: F-Secure and VIPRE. How we grade
Price against what you get
F-Secure starts at $4.17 a month when paid by the year and scores 2.7 out of 4 on features, ease of use and platforms. VIPRE starts at $1.25 a month when paid by the year and scores 2.3.
F-Secure scores higher, and starts $2.92 a month higher: the question is whether the extra is worth that to you. Of the other antivirus apps on the chart, 4 score higher than F-Secure for less, and 2 score higher than VIPRE for less.
Features, ease of use and platforms, averaged
What paid plans start at, a month (each step along is roughly double) →
- The best score at each price
- Has a free plan
- No free plan
Where they differ
- F-Secure also covers password manager.
At a glance
| F-Secure | VIPRE | |
|---|---|---|
| Pricing | Free plan | Free trial |
| Starts at | $49.99 per year for 1 device (Internet Security) | $14.99 per year (Antivirus Plus; page does not say whether this renews) |
| Free plan | F-Secure Online Scanner scans and cleans a Windows PC for free, on demand; it is not ongoing protection. | None |
| Free trial | 30-day free trial of the full version of F-Secure Total | 30-day free trial for new users |
| macOS | ||
| Windows | ||
| iOS | ||
| Android | ||
| Made by | F-Secure | VIPRE Security Group |
| Price read from | f-secure.com | vipre.com |
| Checked | Oct 17, 2026 | Nov 12, 2026 |
Worth knowing
F-Secure
- The VPN, password vault and identity monitoring come only with Total, not Internet Security.
- The free Online Scanner only cleans a PC on demand and does not protect it continuously.
- The same-price renewal promise is stated for Total; the Internet Security page does not say what it renews at.
- The VPN kill switch works on Windows, Mac and Android only.
VIPRE
- The pricing page does not say how many devices a plan covers or whether the shown yearly price is a first-term price.
- The firewall, phishing protection, patching and privacy features are listed as Windows-compatible only.
- Android Security and Privacy Shield are separate products listed in the home menu; they were not priced here.
- Sold with a 30-day money-back guarantee.
Key features
F-Secure
- Antivirus and ransomware protection
- Protects against viruses, ransomware, spyware, infostealers and other malware, with a gaming mode on Windows.
- Scam protection
- Rates online stores, blocks scam and phishing sites, and filters scam text messages on phones using AI detection.
- Banking protection
- Checks that banking sites are genuine and secures the connection while you bank or shop.
- Unlimited VPN
- Total includes F-Secure VPN with no traffic limit, virtual locations and a kill switch on Windows, Mac and Android.
- Password vault and identity monitoring
- Total stores and autofills passwords, flags weak or reused ones, and watches the dark web for leaked personal data with expert help.
- Same price at renewal
- F-Secure says a Total renewal costs the same as a new subscription rather than rising after the first year.
VIPRE
- Real-time and cloud protection
- Uses machine learning and cloud-enabled scanning to detect malware, spyware and ransomware.
- Firewall and email protection
- Advanced Security adds a firewall plus protection against phishing and spam. These features are listed as Windows only.
- Third-party patching
- Advanced Security keeps other installed apps up to date; listed as Windows only.
- Privacy tools
- The Ultimate bundle adds a webcam and microphone blocker, browsing track cleaner and dark web scanner.
- VPN
- The Ultimate bundle includes an unlimited VPN described as covering all devices.
Plans
F-Secure
Online Scanner$0
Free on-demand scan and cleanup for Windows PCs.
Internet Security, 1 year$49.99
per year for 1 device
Antivirus, ransomware, banking, shopping and scam protection. $64.99 for 3 devices, $69.99 for 5.
Internet Security, 2 years$89.99
every 2 years for 1 device
Internet Security paid 2 years at a time. $114.99 for 3 devices, $124.99 for 5.
Total, 1 year$69.99
per year for 1 device
Adds unlimited VPN, password vault and identity monitoring. Renews at the same price. $79.99 for 3 devices, $84.99 for 5.
Total, 2 years$124.99
every 2 years for 1 device
Total paid 2 years at a time, renewing at the same price. $144.99 for 3 devices, $149.99 for 5.
VIPRE
Antivirus Plus$14.99
per year; renewal price and device count not shown
Malware, spyware and ransomware detection, real-time scans and cloud-enabled protection. Shown as 61% off a crossed-out $38.49 a year.
Advanced Security$19.99
per year; renewal price and device count not shown
Adds third-party patching, phishing and spam protection, a firewall and behavioral analysis, all Windows only. Shown as 66% off a crossed-out $60.49 a year.
Ultimate Security Bundle$39.99
per year; renewal price and device count not shown
Adds a browsing track cleaner, webcam and microphone blocker, dark web scanner, document auditing and an unlimited VPN. Shown as 74% off a crossed-out $153.99 a year.
Ways to pay less
F-Secure
- Other savings
Lower yearly rate on 2-year plans
Total for 1 device is $124.99 for 2 years against $69.99 a year, and Internet Security is $89.99 for 2 years against $49.99 a year.
VIPRE
No public discounts listed.
Common questions
Which is cheaper, F-Secure or VIPRE?
As of Nov 12, 2026, VIPRE is cheaper to start with: $1.25 a month when paid by the year, against $4.17 a month when paid by the year for F-Secure. F-Secure starts at $49.99 per year for 1 device (Internet Security), and VIPRE starts at $14.99 per year (Antivirus Plus; page does not say whether this renews).
Which has a free plan, F-Secure or VIPRE?
As of Nov 12, 2026, only F-Secure has a free plan. VIPRE does not, though it has a free trial.
Which platforms do F-Secure and VIPRE run on?
As of Nov 12, 2026, only F-Secure lists macOS, iOS and Android apps. Both list a Windows app. A platform missing from a listing is one its maker's pages did not mention.
More comparisons
How this page was made
- The verdict at the top follows a fixed rule. When both tools are in the same category and either is in our top three for it, the verdict follows that ranking: the higher-placed tool is our pick. The top three weigh who each tool suits as well as its grades, so a pick can go against the GPA. Otherwise the page does not pick one and says which grades higher: the higher GPA first; on a tie, the one with a free plan, then the one that starts cheaper in dollars a month, counted the same way for both; if they are still level, what the choice depends on.
- The grades are our own, from each tool’s review or report card. The GPA is their average.
- Prices, plans and platforms come from each tool’s listing. The table above says where each price was read and when.
- The differences and the answers to the questions are worked out from those listings.