Difference between ios web protection vs vpn with ad block & anti-tracker

Traigan

Hi,

I understand that on IOS web protection & VPN cannot run concurrently and I am not asking about that aspect of the design.

What I am trying to get a better handle on is the difference between using Web Protection versus just using the VPN with ad blocking and anti-tracker enabled. Does web protection offer additional capabilities above and beyond a VPN with ad blocker and ant-tracker enabled? A comparison chart of these two use cases would be handy.

Thanks in advance.

Alexandru_BD

Hello @Traigan,

Web Protection automatically blocks malicious websites. When a URL points to a known phishing or fraudulent website, or to malicious content such as spyware or viruses, the webpage is blocked, and an alert is shown. The same thing happens when installed apps try to access malicious domains. With Web Protection, you are protected from accessing dangerous, phishing, and fraudulent pages.

The Anti-tracker is designed to increase your online privacy and reduce the time needed for websites to load, by hiding your activity from trackers and other web elements that are typically used for marketing or data collection. The ad-blocker included in the VPN app works by blocking unwanted ads. Both the anti-tracker and ad-blocker available in the VPN will work as long as the VPN is connected. There is also a standalone anti-tracker browser extension available and you can find out more here:

https://www.bitdefender.com/consumer/support/answer/28481/

In short, Web protection makes sure that the domains you are accessing don't expose you to online threats (like malware, phishing, miner) and blocks access to dangerous pages. On the other hand, the ad-blocker and anti-tracker serve different purposes: block ads and avoid online profiling. Overall, if we were to define the scope of these features, VPN prioritizes privacy and encryption, allowing access to restricted content and enhancing online anonymity, while Web Protection focuses on safeguarding users against malicious websites and content, ensuring a secure browsing experience.

I hope the information provides more clarity on the topic.

Regards,

Alex