Software downloads
Download privacy software
The browsers, VPNs, password managers and security tools worth installing, each scored out of 100 and linked straight to the developer’s official download.
- 48 apps
- 10 categories
- Official sources only
Browsers
All 7 ranked
Tor BrowserThe Tor Project91The browser for real anonymity: your traffic is routed through three volunteer relays.Free, open sourceAvailable for Windows, macOS, Linux, Android 
BraveBrave Software90A Chromium browser that blocks ads, trackers and fingerprinting the moment you install it.Free, open sourceAvailable for Windows, macOS, Linux, Android, iPhone & iPad 
Mozilla FirefoxMozilla88The independent, open-source browser that blocks trackers by default.Free, open sourceAvailable for Windows, macOS, Linux, Android, iPhone & iPad 
VivaldiVivaldi Technologies84A deeply customisable browser from Norway with mail, calendar and tracker blocking built in.FreeAvailable for Windows, macOS, Linux, Android, iPhone & iPad 
Google ChromeGoogle76The world’s most used browser: fast, secure and tied closely to your Google account.FreeAvailable for Windows, macOS, Linux, Android, iPhone & iPad 
Microsoft EdgeMicrosoft72Microsoft’s Chromium-based browser, built into Windows and packed with Copilot.FreeAvailable for Windows, macOS, Linux, Android, iPhone & iPad 
OperaOpera66A feature-packed browser with a free built-in VPN, ad blocker and AI assistant.FreeAvailable for Windows, macOS, Linux, Android, iPhone & iPad VPNs
All 6 ranked
ExpressVPNKape Technologies92A polished, easy VPN with its own Lightway protocol and more audits than almost anyone.Paid+5Available for Windows, macOS, Linux, Android, iPhone & iPad, Chrome, Firefox, Edge, Smart TV, Router 
Mullvad VPNMullvad VPN AB91No email, no account details, one flat price: the VPN built for anonymity.Paid, open sourceAvailable for Windows, macOS, Linux, Android, iPhone & iPad 
Proton VPNProton AG90Swiss, open source and audited, with the only truly unlimited free VPN plan worth using.Freemium+3Available for Windows, macOS, Linux, Android, iPhone & iPad, Chrome, Firefox, Smart TV 
SurfsharkSurfshark90Unlimited devices on every plan, strong features and some of the lowest long-term prices.Paid+4Available for Windows, macOS, Linux, Android, iPhone & iPad, Chrome, Firefox, Edge, Smart TV 
NordVPNNord Security88One of the fastest VPNs available, with audited no-logs claims and a long list of extras.Paid+4Available for Windows, macOS, Linux, Android, iPhone & iPad, Chrome, Firefox, Edge, Smart TV 
CyberGhost VPNKape Technologies84A beginner-friendly VPN with servers labelled by streaming service and a long refund window.Paid+4Available for Windows, macOS, Linux, Android, iPhone & iPad, Chrome, Firefox, Smart TV, Router Antivirus
All 6 ranked
BitdefenderBitdefender94Top-scoring malware protection with a light touch on your system and a free Windows edition.FreemiumAvailable for Windows, macOS, Android, iPhone & iPad 
Norton 360Gen Digital88Full-strength protection bundled with a VPN, cloud backup and identity monitoring.PaidAvailable for Windows, macOS, Android, iPhone & iPad 
MalwarebytesMalwarebytes84The go-to second-opinion scanner, now a full real-time antivirus with a free cleanup tool.FreemiumAvailable for Windows, macOS, Android, iPhone & iPad 
KasperskyKaspersky80World-class detection from a Russian company, now banned from sale in the United States.FreemiumAvailable for Windows, macOS, Android, iPhone & iPad 
McAfeeMcAfee78A big-name security suite with unlimited device plans, identity tools and a scam detector.PaidAvailable for Windows, macOS, Android, iPhone & iPad 
TotalAVTotal Security76A simple, beginner-friendly antivirus with a clean-up tool and a VPN in one app.FreemiumAvailable for Windows, macOS, Android, iPhone & iPad Password managers
All 6 ranked
BitwardenBitwarden93Open source, audited every year, and free on unlimited devices.Freemium, open source+5Available for Windows, macOS, Linux, Android, iPhone & iPad, Chrome, Firefox, Edge, Safari, Web 
NordPassNord Security92A clean, modern password manager using XChaCha20 encryption, from the makers of NordVPN.Freemium+5Available for Windows, macOS, Linux, Android, iPhone & iPad, Chrome, Firefox, Edge, Safari, Web 
1PasswordAgileBits91The most polished password manager, with a unique Secret Key and Travel Mode.Paid+5Available for Windows, macOS, Linux, Android, iPhone & iPad, Chrome, Firefox, Edge, Safari, Web 
Proton PassProton AG90A Swiss, open-source password manager with built-in email aliases.Freemium, open source+5Available for Windows, macOS, Linux, Android, iPhone & iPad, Chrome, Firefox, Edge, Safari, Web 
RoboFormSiber Systems90The original form-filler, with unbeatable autofill and a long, clean security record.Freemium+4Available for Windows, macOS, Android, iPhone & iPad, Chrome, Firefox, Edge, Safari, Web 
DashlaneDashlane84A browser-first password manager with phishing alerts and dark web monitoring.Paid+2Available for Android, iPhone & iPad, Chrome, Firefox, Edge, Safari, Web Ad & tracker blockers
All 4 ranked
uBlock OriginRaymond Hill95The lightest, most effective content blocker there is, free and fully open source.Free, open sourceAvailable for Firefox, Chrome, Edge 
AdGuardAdGuard Software88System-wide ad and tracker blocking for apps and browsers, plus free browser extensions.Freemium+3Available for Windows, macOS, Android, iPhone & iPad, Chrome, Firefox, Edge, Safari 
GhosteryGhostery84An open-source ad and tracker blocker that shows exactly who is watching on every page.Free, open sourceAvailable for Chrome, Firefox, Edge, Safari, iPhone & iPad 
Privacy BadgerElectronic Frontier Foundation82A tracker blocker from the EFF that learns which sites follow you, instead of relying on lists.Free, open sourceAvailable for Chrome, Firefox, Edge Messaging
All 4 ranked
SignalSignal Foundation96The gold standard for private messaging: end-to-end encrypted everything, almost no metadata.Free, open sourceAvailable for Android, iPhone & iPad, Windows, macOS, Linux 
ThreemaThreema90A Swiss messenger you can use without a phone number or email address.Paid (one-time), open source+1Available for Android, iPhone & iPad, Windows, macOS, Linux, Web 
WhatsAppMeta70The world’s most used messenger, end-to-end encrypted but owned by Meta.FreeAvailable for Android, iPhone & iPad, Windows, macOS, Web 
TelegramTelegram62A fast, feature-rich cloud messenger, but chats are not end-to-end encrypted by default.Freemium+1Available for Android, iPhone & iPad, Windows, macOS, Linux, Web Secure email
All 3 ranked
Proton MailProton AG93The world’s largest encrypted email service, based in Switzerland and open source.Freemium, open source+1Available for Android, iPhone & iPad, Windows, macOS, Linux, Web 
Tuta MailTuta90German encrypted email that even encrypts subject lines, with quantum-resistant encryption.Freemium, open source+1Available for Android, iPhone & iPad, Windows, macOS, Linux, Web 
ThunderbirdMZLA Technologies (Mozilla)86Mozilla’s free, open-source email app, with built-in OpenPGP encryption.Free, open sourceAvailable for Windows, macOS, Linux, Android Encrypted cloud
All 4 ranked
TresoritTresorit (Swiss Post)91Business-grade end-to-end encrypted cloud storage, owned by Swiss Post.Freemium+1Available for Windows, macOS, Linux, Android, iPhone & iPad, Web 
Proton DriveProton AG89Swiss end-to-end encrypted cloud storage that fits in with Proton Mail, VPN and Pass.Freemium, open sourceAvailable for Windows, macOS, Android, iPhone & iPad, Web 
Sync.comSync.com87Affordable zero-knowledge cloud storage from Canada, with a free plan to start.FreemiumAvailable for Windows, macOS, Android, iPhone & iPad, Web 
MEGAMega Limited80End-to-end encrypted cloud storage with a generous free plan and encrypted chat.Freemium+1Available for Windows, macOS, Linux, Android, iPhone & iPad, Web Authenticators
All 4 ranked
Ente AuthEnte92A free, open-source authenticator with end-to-end encrypted sync on every platform.Free, open source+1Available for Android, iPhone & iPad, Windows, macOS, Linux, Web 
Aegis AuthenticatorBeem Development90A free, open-source Android authenticator with an encrypted vault and full control over backups.Free, open sourceAvailable for Android 
Microsoft AuthenticatorMicrosoft78Two-factor codes plus passwordless sign-in for Microsoft accounts.FreeAvailable for Android, iPhone & iPad 
Google AuthenticatorGoogle74The original, minimalist authenticator, now with optional sync to your Google account.FreeAvailable for Android, iPhone & iPad Encryption & file tools
All 4 ranked
VeraCryptIDRIX92Free, open-source disk encryption: protect a whole drive or a hidden encrypted vault.Free, open sourceAvailable for Windows, macOS, Linux 
CryptomatorSkymatic90Encrypt your files before they reach Dropbox, Google Drive or OneDrive.Free (desktop), open sourceAvailable for Windows, macOS, Linux, Android, iPhone & iPad 
7-ZipIgor Pavlov88The free, open-source file archiver with strong AES-256 encryption.Free, open sourceAvailable for Windows, Linux, macOS 
BleachBitAndrew Ziem84A free, open-source cleaner that wipes caches, cookies and logs, and shreds files securely.Free, open sourceAvailable for Windows, Linux How the PrivacyTestLab Score works
Every app is scored out of 100 across five areas, weighted toward the things that decide whether software deserves your trust. A beautiful app that quietly collects everything you do will not score well here.
- PrivacyWhat the company collects, who owns it and what its policies allow.
- SecurityEncryption, audits, track record and how quickly flaws are fixed.
- FeaturesHow complete and useful the product is for its job.
- Ease of useSetup, everyday use and how clearly it explains itself.
- ValueWhat you get for the price, including the free tier and renewals.
85–100 Excellent to outstanding
70–84 Good to very good
Under 70 Fair, with real trade-offs
Where we have published a full hands-on review, the score follows that review’s findings, and the app page links to it. Partner links are marked, and having one never changes a score or a ranking.