You see, the whole service is built by the team behind Proton Mail, so the privacy posture feels consistent across products. Apps are open-source, independently audited, and easy to use after a recent UI refresh.

The network scale is substantial, with coverage across well over a hundred countries and a large pool of high-capacity servers. Streaming access is strong on eligible plans, and P2P is allowed on designated locations.

I mean, support isn’t 24/7 yet, but response quality is solid and live chat hours cover most of the day in Europe. Altogether, Proton VPN belongs on any shortlist where privacy and streaming must coexist.

Why It’s Important to Have VPN These Days

Daily Internet use leaks more than you may realize: IP address, location hints, device traits, and a trail of DNS queries. A VPN wraps traffic in encryption and swaps your apparent IP for a server’s, reducing tracking across networks you don’t control. That matters on café Wi-Fi, school networks, airports, and rentals.

Furthermore, many services now geo-fence content, price, or features. A reputable VPN lets you choose a region to regain a consistent experience while still encrypting transport. You see, even at home, your ISP can monetize DNS lookups or throttle certain traffic. A VPN’s private DNS and tunneling blunt both behaviors.

I mean, a VPN isn’t a cure-all: it won’t fix malware, weak passwords, or scam sites. But combined with a password manager and updates, it forms a practical baseline.

But not all VPNs are made equal, and you’ll want one with independent audits, modern ciphers, and clear policies rather than marketing slogans.

Safety Tips While Using VPN

Using a VPN safely is mostly about configuration and habits. Think of the tunnel as a strong corridor; it still matters what doors you open. Below are practical, step-by-step tips that map to how Proton VPN – and similar services – actually work in the real world, including public Wi-Fi, streaming, and P2P scenarios.

Lock in a kill switch before anything else

Turn on the kill switch so traffic stops if the tunnel drops. In Proton VPN, open Settings → Connection and enable Kill Switch (consider Advanced Kill Switch if you want “VPN only” networking). Test it: connect, pull your internet briefly, and confirm apps pause rather than leak.

Match protocol to your network conditions

Start with WireGuard for speed and stability. If a network blocks VPNs, switch to the Stealth option to disguise traffic as standard HTTPS. On restrictive corporate or school networks, let “Smart Protocol” auto-select, then override manually only if you see failures or captchas.

Use split tunneling intentionally, not by default

Split tunneling routes selected apps outside the VPN. Enable it only when necessary – for example, to let a banking app use your real region while the browser stays tunneled. After setup, revisit rules monthly and keep the kill switch requirements in mind when splitting traffic.

Pick server types for your task

For streaming, select Plus-labeled or streaming-optimized locations. For P2P, connect to P2P servers and then enable port forwarding where supported. For maximum privacy, use Secure Core even though it’s slower. Favor nearby servers for gaming or video calls to keep latency down.

Pair the VPN with protective DNS filtering

Turn on NetShield to block known malware, trackers, and ad domains at the DNS layer. This reduces drive-by downloads and cuts page noise. If a site breaks, temporarily downgrade the filtering level rather than disabling the VPN entirely, then re-enable protection afterward.

Mind account, devices, and telemetry

Use a unique email and a strong password for your VPN account, plus two-factor authentication if available. In the app, disable optional usage/crash analytics if you prefer extra quiet. Periodically review signed-in devices and revoke ones you don’t recognize.

Re-check tunnel status during server changes

When you switch servers or protocols, the tunnel briefly re-establishes. Pause sensitive actions during that transition. In desktop apps, wait for the “Connected” state and a new VPN IP before resuming downloads, admin sessions, or streaming logins.

Pros and Cons of Proton VPN

Proton VPN targets privacy first without giving up consumer features like streaming and app polish. Below is how that balance shakes out in practice; the highlights reflect audits, protocol breadth, and special servers, while constraints touch support hours and a few platform quirks.

Expect quick connects, steady throughput on nearby nodes, and reliable streaming unblocks with Plus servers. If you need multi-hop or Tor over VPN, speeds drop as privacy layers increase. The free tier is practical for light use, but the full experience really starts with VPN Plus.

Proton VPN Prices

There are three tiers. Free costs nothing and focuses on basic privacy. VPN Plus unlocks the core feature set most people want. Proton Unlimited bundles the VPN with Proton Mail, Drive, Calendar, and Pass for an all-in privacy stack. Pricing varies with term and promotions.

On long terms, VPN Plus often lands in the low single digits monthly, while month-to-month sits near the standard premium rate. Expect ten simultaneous devices on paid plans, access to the full global network, all protocols including Stealth, streaming unblocking, P2P with port forwarding, Secure Core, NetShield, and Tor over VPN.

Free users connect one device and use a smaller set of locations with unlimited data but without streaming/P2P features. Refunds include a 30-day window, typically prorated by usage. If you’re testing waters, begin monthly, verify the features you care about, then switch to a discounted multi-year plan when confident.

Here’s a more detailed breakdown of the different tiers offered by Proton VPN, including their current pricing (as publicly listed) and what features they unlock.

You see, selecting the right plan depends on how many devices you have, whether you stream or torrent, and how much value you want beyond just the VPN. I mean, the Free plan is genuinely usable – but if you want full access, you’ll likely move to the paid tier. And also long-term commitments often reduce the monthly cost significantly.

How Good Is the Proton VPN Free

As free VPNs go, Proton’s offering is unusually usable. It has no data cap, avoids ads, and uses the same encryption and audited apps as paid tiers. You’ll get a handful of entry locations and one device at a time. Performance fluctuates at peak hours because free servers carry heavier load.

Streaming libraries and torrenting are intentionally excluded, and advanced toggles like Secure Core or NetShield are locked. For everyday privacy on public Wi-Fi, that’s acceptable; you’ll still encrypt traffic and hide your IP. If you plan to stream regularly or seed torrents, stepping up to VPN Plus is the straightforward move.

In practice, casual users report smooth browsing, light streaming on open sites, and stable connects – especially with WireGuard. If a captive portal or network blocks VPNs, try the Stealth protocol. If speed dips, reconnect to rotate within the free pool; that often lands you on a less busy server without extra tinkering.

Conclusion

Proton VPN nails the fundamentals: audited no-logs, open-source apps, modern protocols, and strong specialty servers. It also performs where consumers notice – snappy connects, reliable unblocking on Plus servers, and practical UI. I mean, support could extend to 24/7 and macOS guidance could be clearer, but the core service is excellent.

If your priorities are privacy with credible transparency, smooth streaming access, and optional P2P with port forwarding, Proton VPN is an easy recommendation. The free plan is genuinely useful for casual protection, and VPN Plus is the sweet spot for most people. The thing is… few VPNs combine privacy pedigree and everyday convenience this well.

I tested how it performs for streaming, gaming, public Wi-Fi, and work travel, and I dug into its newest tech like post-quantum encryption and Threat Protection Pro.

You see, a VPN shouldn’t just claim privacy; it should demonstrate it with independent verification and resilient infrastructure. So when you add consistent unblocking, easy apps, and clear setup flows, NordVPN starts to look like a practical default for most people.

Quick take: Who is NordVPN best for?

If you want a VPN for everyday use that still scales to tougher tasks, NordVPN hits a rare balance. It’s fast on nearby and long-haul routes, handles streaming reliably, and now supports Apple TV with a native app.

Privacy-focused users also get concrete assurances, including repeated no-logs assessments and memory-only servers that avoid disk persistence. And if you mostly need casual protection and occasional geo-unblocking, the Plus plan usually makes the most sense. 

Pricing, Plans, and the Black Friday NordVPN deals

NordVPN’s headline discounts are aggressive on longer terms, and renewal prices are higher afterward, so plan accordingly. During the current Black Friday window, two-year plans start around $2.99/month and include three extra months, with similar extras on annual tiers.

Nord offers several bundles. The “Basic” tier is VPN-only; “Plus” adds tracker/ad blocking and a password manager; “Complete” folds in encrypted cloud storage; “Prime” adds identity-protection benefits in supported regions. All plans include a 30-day money-back guarantee, which functions like a risk-free trial if you cancel in time.

Here’s a more detailed breakdown of the different tiers offered by NordVPN, including their current pricing (as publicly listed) and what features they unlock. 

Privacy and No-logs: Verified Repeatedly

NordVPN is headquartered in Panama and operates a strict no-logs stance that has undergone multiple third-party assurance engagements. The most recent assessment, conducted by Deloitte Audit Lithuania with ISAE 3000 methodology, again verified the accuracy of the no-logs statement at the end of 2024.

Nord also runs RAM-only servers, so operational memory is wiped on reboot, and it publishes guidance on enabling post-quantum protection with NordLynx. That future-proofing is now available on Windows, macOS, iOS, Android, and tvOS, and you can toggle it in settings when using NordLynx. Post-quantum encryption isn’t visible day-to-day, but it hardens long-term confidentiality.

Speed, Protocols, and Real-World Performance

NordVPN’s in-house NordLynx (WireGuard-based) protocol is the best pick for most people, combining low latency with high throughput. Independent and hands-on tests this year found excellent retention on both nearby and transatlantic links, which aligns with my experience streaming and downloading large files. OpenVPN remains available for compatibility, and NordWhisper is aimed at restrictive networks.

The current network spans roughly 8,300+ servers across 126–127 countries, which helps with congestion avoidance and IP freshness for streaming. If one location slows, switching servers in the same country often restores full speed.

Streaming: Netflix, BBC iPlayer, and Smart TV Support

For unblocking, NordVPN remains dependable across popular platforms. BBC iPlayer and Netflix access typically works from UK servers; if you hit an error, clear cookies, reconnect, or try a nearby UK city. Nord also provides step-by-step BBC guidance. Apple TV users can install the native tvOS app directly from the App Store – no router gymnastics required.

SmartPlay (built-in smart DNS logic) runs automatically inside the apps. For devices without VPN apps, set up Smart DNS on the device or consider a router install. If a service blocks one IP range, switch servers or momentarily rotate protocols to refresh the route.

Security Extras: Threat Protection Pro, Kill Switch, and Encryption

Threat Protection Pro blocks malicious sites, trackers, and intrusive ads, and scans downloads before they reach your system. It works even if the VPN tunnel is off, so you keep a baseline of defense between sessions. A system-wide kill switch, plus an app-level variant on desktop, prevents accidental exposure if your connection drops.

Encryption defaults are modern: AES-256/ChaCha20, Perfect Forward Secrecy, and the new post-quantum layer when using NordLynx. Together, these controls raise the cost of interception and keep routine browsing, streaming, and public Wi-Fi use private.

Apps, Setup, and NordVPN Login on Every Device

Installation is straightforward on Windows, macOS, Linux (now with GUI), Android, iOS, and Apple TV. After you install, open the app, complete NordVPN login, and use Quick Connect for the nearest fast server; or pick a specialty server (P2P, obfuscated, Double VPN) from the list. Ten simultaneous devices are supported per account, and browser extensions exist for Chrome-family and Firefox.

For home-wide coverage, you can configure supported routers. While NordVPN lacks a native router app, reputable guides note it as a strong router VPN given speed and security, just expect a more manual setup than services with dedicated router firmware.

New in 2025: Post-quantum Rollout, tvOS Maturity, and Server Expansion

Early 2025 saw post-quantum encryption broaden beyond Linux to mainstream desktop, mobile, and TV platforms, controllable via a simple settings toggle when using NordLynx. Meanwhile, the Apple TV app that debuted in late 2023 has matured and is widely available in the App Store. Server coverage continues to expand incrementally.

“NordVPN not Connecting” or “Is NordVPN Down”? – Fixes That Work

Connection issues are usually local and solvable in minutes. Start by switching servers in the same country, then change protocol to NordLynx or OpenVPN, and clear cookies if streaming sites throw errors. If you suspect a wider outage, check a status checker or social channels for real-time signals.

• Restart the app, then try Quick Connect; if that fails, manually pick another city in the same country.
• Toggle protocols: NordLynx → OpenVPN UDP → OpenVPN TCP; test each for stability.
• Disable Threat Protection temporarily to isolate conflicts with filtering.
• On mobile, turn Airplane Mode on/off to refresh the network stack.
• Flush DNS (desktop) and clear browser cookies, then reconnect and reload.
• If BBC iPlayer refuses to load, switch UK servers and clear app/browser cache.
• Still stuck? Reinstall the app, or try the browser extension as a short-term workaround.

If nothing helps, contact support via live chat inside the app – having your OS version, protocol choice, and timestamps ready speeds up triage.

Server Network, Specialty Tools, and a Note on Meshnet

Nord’s large footprint aids speed and access diversity. Specialty modes include Double VPN, Onion-over-VPN, obfuscated servers, and optional dedicated IPs. Historically, Meshnet allowed private device-to-device links for file-sharing and gaming; reports indicate it’s being sunset in December 2025, with resources shifting to Threat Protection. Plan alternatives if you rely on that workflow.

Deals, Trials, and Referral/Affiliate Ecosystem

Seasonal promos offer the best entry pricing; renewals are higher, so consider extending during sales to lock value. There’s also a 30-day refund window you can treat like a test drive. Beyond that, Nord regularly runs refer-a-friend perks that grant extra months, and long-running creator partnerships keep discounts easy to find during big retail events.

iOS and Everyday Use

On iPhone and iPad, NordVPN feels light and fast with NordLynx, auto-connect on untrusted Wi-Fi, and a one-tap server list. Streaming apps work smoothly once you clear old location data. If you need a “set and forget” mobile VPN that stays out of the way, this one fits.

What I’d Change

Split tunneling isn’t available on iOS and macOS, which power users will notice. Some renewal prices jump more than expected, so it pays to set calendar reminders. Finally, a native router app would simplify whole-home setups for non-technical buyers, though guides make manual installs feasible.

Verdict

NordVPN remains one of the fastest, most privacy-proven VPNs you can run daily. Between verified no-logs audits, post-quantum encryption, and polished apps – including Apple TV – it’s a strong choice for streaming, travel, and public Wi-Fi. The best value typically lands during Black Friday NordVPN promos, but even at standard sale pricing, the Plus bundle is easy to recommend.

Investing in a strong antivirus software solution should be a top priority for anyone who is using devices that can connect to the internet, such as computers, smartphones, and tablets. However, the increasing number of sophisticated online threats calls for an extra layer of protection, especially if you are spending a lot of time browsing, working through online-based platforms, streaming web content or gaming.

This is where the need for a virtual private network (VPN) comes in. A VPN is a service that can secure your online traffic and identity and act as a shield against an impressive range of potential dangers, such as account hacking, man-in-the-middle and DDoS attacks, fake WiFi hotspots, and other internet connection-related malicious techniques used to get access to your private information. But with so many available VPN solutions, how can you know which VPN is the best? And can you protect all your devices with it?

The recommendation of our How To Remove team is Surfshark VPN, a reliable and constantly expanding service that gives its users the ability to download free VPN and connect an unlimited number of devices simultaneously. In a market that is so competitive, this is a very generous offer that makes Surfshark VPN stand out since most VPNs have strict limits on how many devices you may use with a single subscription. The service comes with feature-packed apps for Windows, Mac, Android, iOS, Linux, Amazon FireTV, and Android TV, as well as add-ons for Chrome, Firefox, and Edge, thus covering all your devices with one account.

Can I test Surfshark before I spend my money on it?

Those who want to test Surfshark VPN can get a 7-day trial period when they download the Surfshark app from the Google Play Store or the Apple App Store. Users who purchase the service can enjoy all the perks of a premium membership to Surfshark VPN for 30 days, and if within these days they decide that this is not a good match for their needs, they can request a refund.

Once the VPN subscription is activated, Surfshark will hide your real IP address, shield you from Distributed Denial of Service attacks, bypass regional bandwidth restrictions, and allow you to browse from anywhere in the world through encrypted connections.

The company supports over 3,200 encrypted servers in 100 countries. To further strengthen their security, the VPN implements the WireGuard protocol, which is known for creating an encrypted tunnel for the user’s internet traffic.

Another layer of protection comes from the fact that Surfshark’s servers are RAM-only. This means that, as soon as the server is turned off, all user data will be permanently wiped out, leaving no way to retrieve it.

And speaking of user data, Surfshark VPN protects it with military-grade AES-256 encryption and stops prying eyes from tracking users’ online sessions.

Those of you who are looking for a one-stop solution can get complete online protection through a suite of security tools offered by the company. It includes not only the VPN service but also antivirus and ID protection.

How much does Surfshark VPN cost?

There are monthly, annual, and biannual service plans available. The one-month plan is a little on the higher end compared to the plans that you can get from rivals like ExpressVPN and NordVPN. However, if you sign up for a longer plan, you’ll see that your monthly subscription will end up significantly lower.

With the 30-day money-back guarantee included with every plan, you can try out the service risk-free and make an informed decision about whether Surfshark VPN is the best match for you. Help is available 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, on the main website through live chat, e-mail, manuals, articles, and a page with FAQs.

Conclusion

With Surfshark VPN, you can safely browse the web for work or fun without worrying about being tracked or exposed to insecure web connections. You can connect as many devices as you want with one account and get all the protection you need from a VPN service in one place.

If you are looking for a good deal and are willing to subscribe for a longer period, Surfshark is a very affordable alternative in a market full of VPN options. We recommend taking advantage of the service’s 30-day money-back guarantee to make sure it meets all of your requirements.

Restoro Repair Tool wants to ensure that your PC is fast and stable and that you know that this should be your priority. However, PC problems are inevitable, and sooner or later they occur. Whether it is that your computer is no longer new and it runs into certain issues such as freezing, sluggishness, sudden crashes, etc. or you have recently installed/uninstalled something that has caused system configuration disturbance and errors, or malware has caused some damage, fixing these things isn’t always easy.

However, there are specialized tools such as Restoro Repair Tool that can make things much easier even if you are not a computer guru. This software is promoted as an all-in-one repair tool, capable of repairing common computer errors, protecting you from file loss, repairing damage caused by malware, preventing hardware failure, and optimizing your PC for maximum performance.

But can Restoro really do all that? Our “How to remove” team decided to take a thorough look at this program and come up with a detailed review that will hopefully help you decide if this is indeed the right tool to invest in.

What is Restoro?

Restoro is an optimization software created by Kape Technologies that was released in 2018. Unlike most optimization apps on the market, this tool is promoted as a powerful system solution that promises to “restore your PC to its greatness” not only by optimizing it but also by repairing malware damage.

Our review starts with a look at the Restoro website, where the developing team of professional IT experts and programmers claims that they are constantly working on increasing the capabilities of the software through innovation.

What makes us an impression is that Restoro’s team is focused on the users. Unlike many other popular optimization tools that have limited options for direct communication with the support team, Restoro’s team provides its users with technical support at any time over the phone, email, or through the online chat form.

Restoro Repair Tool for Windows

Restoro installation

Users can download Restoro from the official website. The download and installation process takes just a few seconds and requires you to simply follow the instructions on the screen.

What speaks well about the app is the fact that there is no hidden bundled software within the installer. Users can install Restoro without worrying about adding some unwanted PUPs on their PCs afterward.

System requirements

The main idea of any system optimizer is to maximize the performance of your PC, thus, being modest when it comes to the consumption of your resources is what you should be looking for.

That being said, Restoro is made to be as lightweight as possible, which lets it run on even the eldest and slow computers and diagnose and fix them.

How does Restoro work?

As soon as you open Restoro, its simple and intuitive interface will make you feel at home. The app will scan your PC for problems in your hardware, security, and system stability which will take about five minutes.  

Once the scan completes, you’ll see a detailed report of your system’s issues. You can examine the report and see all problems and threats on your PC.

To fix them, you don’t need to do anything special but simply click the Start Repair button and wait for Restoro to do its repair. The entire repair process is almost fully automated. This is ideal for users who aren’t that computer savvy and don’t feel comfortable constantly being prompted to choose different options they don’t understand or take action.

The repair process covers five categories, and shouldn’t be interrupted until it completes. Once the process is finished, your PC should be repaired and you don’t need to do anything else.

What can Restoro repair?

Restoro works as an all-in-one program that is capable of restoring broken or missing registry entries and fixing settings, removing junk files, clearing corrupted files, fixing startup programs, etc. This helps users to get rid of unnecessary clutter on their computer, free up precious disk space and increase computer response time, which allows them to use its maximum capacity and power.

Restoro has a huge database with Microsoft files that it uses to replace the corrupted or missing Microsoft files in your computer. This database is automatically updated and contains only genuine and clean files.

Damaged DLLs can also be fixed by Restoro. The program replaces the missing or broken DLLs with new, healthy ones from its extensive Microsoft files database.

The software will also fix the damage left on your PC by malware such as viruses, Trojans, etc.

What does Restoro not fix?

On the official website, the developers of Restoro are completely transparent about what the program shouldn’t be expected to fix. This includes:

• Repair or replacement of files that belong to 3-rd parties that are not included or provided with the Windows Operating System.
• Repair compromised Antivirus software. Restoro is only a complementary program to your main security software and should not be expected to work as a substitute.
• Restoro does not fix hardware issues but only scans and suggests hardware that may be replaced for better performance.

Restoro PC Repair tool

What are Restoro’s features?

There are several features that make Restoro a powerful and competing repair tool. In fact, the app is a blend between an antivirus, a system optimization tool, and a user-grade technical tool that pretty much offers all the basic features the users may need:

Is Restoro safe?

Restoro is a legitimate program that does not initiate illegal or malicious processes on a computer. Besides, unlike other PC optimization programs which commonly bundle dubious free apps inside their installers, Restoro has a clean installation wizard with no additional bloatware or freeware alongside.

A common practice of many system repair and optimization tools is to display nagging advertisements and redirects to sponsored sites, but Restoro has a clean interface and does not spam its users with unwanted pop-ups, ads and redirect prompts.

Another rather unethical practice that is common among this system repair type of software (also known as scareware) is the display of false positives and on-screen alerts that keep warning the users about different PC errors and issues. We are pleased to notice that Restoro does not disturb its users unnecessary and shows accurate scan results that detect existing issues.

Who should use Restoro?

Probably one of the best features of Restoro is its ability to fix all detected issues automatically with just a single click from your side.

This is a great convenience for less experienced users who just want to fix a certain problem quickly and without the need to worry about not being savvy enough.

In order to do that, the software is using a remarkable technology – it holds a remote database of authentic and updated Windows system files, which can replace the broken ones on the scanned system. The database is continually updated, so there is no need to worry about replaced files being out of date.

The application is also a perfect solution for the removal of adware, browser hijacker, ransomware, trojan, keylogger, and other malicious programs. It detects and removes them in a few clicks. Restoro can be an excellent help in dealing with the consequences caused by severe and persistent virus infections.

From what we can conclude from our experience, Restoro is a perfect tool for both – IT gurus that need a reliable tool that saves them time, as well as less computer-savvy users who need an automated PC optimization program with a simple interface.

Is Restoro Trustworthy?

When it comes to programs that have access to registries, DLLs, and other sensitive system files, and have the ability to make changes to them, your main concern should naturally be related to their safety.

However, Restoro seems to have proved as trustworthy software and has received many certifications to prove that, including:

• The AppEsteem Confirmation
• The McAfee Security Scan
• The Norton Trust Seal

Attention: Make sure that you download Restoro from its official website and install only legitimate apps from reliable developers on your computer.

How much does Restoro cost?

Restoro has a free version that can do an initial scan and point out the problems of your PC. To fix those problems, however, users need to purchase a license. The program gives a choice between three different licenses:

• A one-time repair license for $29.95
• One license valid for one year with unlimited use for $39.95
• Three licenses valid for one year with unlimited use for $59.95.

The company offers full Money back guarantee to anyone who is not happy with the repair of their PC under their Refund policy.

Pricewise, in our opinion, Restoro stands as an affordable PC optimization solution compared to other tools from the same class and combines a number of handy features in a single all-in-one software interface.

Final thoughts on Restoro

Based on our experience with the app, Restoro is a PC optimization and repair tool packed with useful features that can fix a wide range of common PC issues. With its automated scanning and repair process, this tool is ideal for even the less experienced users. Restoro’s ability to repair damage caused by malware and restore corrupted or missing system files from its up-to-date database, makes this app stand among the best optimization applications that are currently available on the market. Besides, it helps to avoid costly computer technician fees and improves computer performance at an affordable rate.

Our recommendation would be to use Restoro alongside your professional antivirus app and have it fix common PC issues for you whenever they occur.

]]> https://howtoremove.guide/restoro-repair-tool-review/feed/ 1 https://howtoremove.guide/intego-antivirus-windows-review/ https://howtoremove.guide/intego-antivirus-windows-review/#respond Wed, 25 Nov 2020 16:53:59 +0000 https://howtoremove.guide/?p=154903 Intego Antivirus for Windows Review

Intego Antivirus for Windows is a relatively new product developed by Intego, thus bringing an otherwise Mac-oriented antivirus manufacturer to the Windows platform. Intego Antivirus for Windows is characterized by strong security and ease-of-use but lacks any extra features outside of its antivirus functionality.

Intego is a renowned antivirus vendor best known for its highly-secure Mac antivirus suite that offers quality protection against all kinds of malware as well as a number of extra features such as a backup tool and parental controls. Recently, Intego also came up with a new product – an antivirus for Windows PCs that further expands the variety of options offered by the company. However, we all know how oversaturated the Windows security software market is (and has always been) so the question here is: “Does an antivirus program for Windows that comes from a developer primarily known for its Mac products has what it takes to be worth using in 2020?”. Well, if you are interested in finding out the answer to this question, stay with us as we take a closer look at what Intego Antivirus for Windows has to offer.

Overview

At first glance, the Intego Antivirus for Windows is an intuitive and easy to use program capable of quietly keeping your PC protected without obstructing your workflow or requiring any extensive setting up from your side. However, being a relatively new antivirus developed by an antivirus vendor that is mostly known for its Mac products, there are bound to be certain shortcomings associated with this program, especially when comparing it to better established Windows security products that have been around for longer. Still, we will stay objective and tell you all that is worth mentioning about this antivirus so that you can decide for yourself if the latter is worthy of your consideration.

Setting up and Interface

The Intego Antivirus for Windows is both easy to set up and easy to use once installed, making it perfect for inexperienced users and/or ones who would rather not be bothered with extensive and time-consuming setting up and customization and who would prefer to use an antivirus that gives them optimal protection right off the bat, as soon as it gets installed, without the need to tinker with its settings to get the best out of it. If this sounds good to you, then Intego may be a good fit for your preferences.

The installation of the program is intuitive and everybody could easily complete the process without any problem. Once the program starts, you will be greeted by a clean interface that is easy to navigate through and shows you all the main options and functions on its main screen so you will probably not have to dig through pages and windows of settings to find what you need. On the left side of the antivirus window, you will see the main sections/tabs of the program – those are Dashboard, Scans, Quarantine, Security Reports, and Settings, and in the central part of the screen are the specific options for the section you have chosen, all of which are laid out in an easy to understand way, without the use of any unnecessary technobabble.

All things considered, if you are looking for an antivirus that will require minimum effort from your side to get going and that will probably not make you look for a user’s manual to figure out how to use a given function, then the Intego Antivirus for Windows would probably be a good option. However, if you are a more tech-savvy user who would prefer to have a wider range of options and features to choose from and tinker with, this antivirus may not satisfy your needs as it more or less a barebones product that offers little more than the basics of what antivirus is supposed to have (more on that in a moment).

Security and Performance

In terms of security, Intego does a fair job of keeping Windows computers protected both in real-time (the real-time protection is enabled by default) and on-demand, through its several scanning options. One good sign that tells us more about the protective capabilities of the program is that it is VB100 Certified, which is to say that the antivirus can stop no less than 95.5% of the malware listed in the WildList Organization’s “Wild List” of security threats. In short, those are malware samples that spread uncontrollably among a wide portion of the user base. The VB100 Certificate also means that Intego for Windows gives no more than 0.01% false positive malware alerts and that these results are recorded when the antivirus is used with its default/out-of-the-box settings, which further shows that one could simply install the program and it will offer its best protection without the need for the user to further customize any of its settings to improve the provided security.

However, despite the VB100 Certification, it must be said that Intego Windows is currently outmatched by many of its more popular and established competitors, including Norton, Avira, Avast, and others. Tests from different researchers show that even though the antivirus performs well against known threats that are included in its database, managing to stop all of them, it doesn’t always manage to stop malware samples that it is unfamiliar with, especially if those samples are of Ransomware threats. Strong heuristic and behavior-based detection is an especially important and, for that reason, sought-after feature in antivirus programs because it enables the antivirus to stop even threats that it has never encountered before and that are not present in the database of the program. Attacks from such malware are known as Zero-Day attacks and those are probably the most devastating because fewer security tools can counteract them. Now, the fact that Intego for Windows may occasionally fail to stop an unknown threat doesn’t mean that its protection against such malware is non-existent, it most certainly is present in the program, however, as we already stated, results show that there are simply antiviruses that do this better than Intego, at least for the time being.

One nice thing about Intego’s security is that it can detect not only Windows malware but also Mac and Linux malware on Windows PCs, making it a great option for users who have not only Windows but also Mac and/or Linux computers, especially if they tend to frequently transfer data between the different machines. A Mac or a Linux virus may not be able to damage your Windows PC but could stay hidden and undetected inside the latter and eventually get transferred to a system that it can actually damage. However, if you have Intego on your Windows machines, the chances of this happening would be greatly reduced.

As far as the performance of the antivirus is concerned, the program is very lightweight and its footprint on the overall system performance, both during scans and while the program is on stand-by, is virtually unnoticeable. This is good news for users who don’t have particularly powerful machines and would prefer not to burden their systems with overly-taxing antivirus suites that may slow-down the computer.

Scans and other Functions

When it comes to scanning, Intego offers everything you’d expect from a modern antivirus program. It has four different types of scan – Complete Virus Scan, Quick Scan, Custom Scan, and Schedule Scan.

The Complete Virus Scan will look for malware in the whole system and would take longer to complete than the other ones. Tests have shown that this scan option takes about 2 hours to complete on average but this largely depends on the computer itself, how big its hard-drives are, and how much data is stored in them. However, it’s worth noting that the time required to complete this scan is quite longer than that of other antivirus programs, which usually take anywhere from 60 to 90 minutes to go through the whole system.

The Quick Scan, on the other hand, takes about three or four minutes to finish as it only scans certain specific locations where malware is most likely to hide. These locations aren’t always the same and could change after an update of the antivirus if the developers have determined that certain different locations on the computer are more likely to contain malware. This is a good thing, in our opinion, as it improves the effectiveness of the Quick Scans and increases the chances of spotting newer threats using only this scanning option instead of the Complete Virus Scan.

Custom Scan will allow you to scan separate folders if you suspect that they may have malware in them and Schedule Scan will let you plan a scan into the future that Intego will perform automatically. You can set Intego to perform weekly or daily scans but there are not as many other scheduling options here as there are with other competing antiviruses.

By default, Intego for Windows will be set to carry out a weekly scan but you can change this if you don’t want it. As we already said above, the scans of the program would usually have no impact on system performance so you can start any type of scan and leave it in the background to finish while you are doing something else on your PC without worry that this will slow-down the latter.

In terms of other functions, here is the area in which the Intego Antivirus for Windows falls short, especially if we compare it to its more all-around competitors. To put it bluntly, Intego for Windows is little more than a malware scanner and removal program – it lacks any extra functions and features such as a built-in Firewall, VPN, parental controls, password manager, browser extensions, etc. Of course, the presence or lack of such extras do not define how good antivirus is at doing its primary job, that is to protect you from malware, but the truth is that there are many antivirus products out there that offer at least some form of additional features, including some security suites that have free versions that still come with certain extras that Intego for Windows lacks. It is also worth mentioning that this isn’t a characteristic present in all Intego products – the Mac version of the Antivirus offers parental controls, a backup tool, and a system optimizer among other bonus features, which comes to show that put more focus on their Mac product, which, to be fair, is perfectly understandable, seeing as how this is the product that the company is best known for.

Still, if you only need an antivirus to keep your computer safe and don’t particularly care about any of those other features that we mentioned, Intego for Windows could definitely satisfy your needs despite its lack of any more advanced functions.

Customer Support

Next, we must say a couple of words about the customer support offered by Intego’s Windows version. There is currently only one support variant and that is via e-mail available in the English and French languages. Unfortunately, there isn’t live chat or over-the-phone support so you must make to be as exhaustive in your email inquiries as possible so that you will receive a helpful answer and would hopefully not need to write another email with follow-up questions and wait for more to have those answered. To be fair, though, Intego’s promise that email inquiries by customers would be answered within the same business day or, if the email is sent too late that day, on the next business day, is being consistently kept and the answers to the user’s questions are always informative and helpful. Still, it would have been nice to have at least one other option to contact the support team of the antivirus.

In addition to the over-the-email customer support, Intego also offers a knowledge base on their website where users can find useful information about the company’s products, including the Intego Antivirus for Windows. However, it must be said that the information available about the Windows product is much more scarce and less detailed compared to that of the Mac antivirus. While this is somewhat understandable, it would be nice if the knowledge base gets updated to include more useful info about the Windows version of Intego – there are currently really not that many articles to inform the users about the specifics of this antivirus.

Pricing and money-back policy

Finally, we need to tell you about the pricing of this antivirus and the inclusion of a money-back policy which is a much-appreciated aspect of this product. Intego for Windows is affordable and a bit less expensive in comparison to other Windows antivirus solutions on the market. Of course, one must not forget that the functionality of Intego is, as mentioned earlier, very limited and there are virtually no bonus functions, tools, or features – only the antivirus itself. 

Intego’s tier 1 plan labeled Personal protects one PC for one year and is priced at €26.99. The tier two option is the Family plan and it offers protection for three Windows machines for a price of €36.99, making the effective price per protected device only about €12.33. However, what’s quite bizarre is that the tier 3 plan, labeled Extended, comes at a price of €73.99 which actually increases the effective price per protected PC, making it about €24.66. In other words, if you purchase the Family plan twice, you’d pay the same price as that of the Extended plan but would get protection for one more device making it virtually pointless to go for the Extended plan. In our opinion, if you need protection for two or more Windows PCs, the Family plan is the best option out of the three as its effective discount for more devices is quite good and you’d get protection for all your machines. Unfortunately, there currently doesn’t seem to be an option to get Intego for Windows and Mac within a single subscription plan.

Does Intego Antivirus for Windows has a free version?

The Intego Antivirus for Windows doesn’t have a free version but it has a 7-day free trial. The Intego Antivirus for Windows free 7-day trial allows users to test the program, see if it meets their requirements, and decide whether to purchase the full version.

Once the trial period ends, the antivirus would no longer work and the user would be prompted to purchase the paid version to continue using the program. If you download the trial version and eventually decide you don’t want to purchase the antivirus, it is best to uninstall the trial version because after the 7-day period is over you won’t have any use for it.

Does Intego offer a money-back guarantee?

Intego offers a money-back guarantee on a “no questions asked” basis. The Intego money-back guarantee allows users to refund the program within a 30-day period after purchasing it irrespective of the reason they might decide to do so.

This is a great aspect of the refund policy of Intego and is certainly one of the highlights of this product seeing as how very few antivirus vendors offer such an option. It doesn’t matter even if the program works perfectly and you experience no issues with it, you’d still have the option to refund it and get your money back so long as you request that within the 30-day period we mentioned. In addition to the 7-day free trial, the 30-day money-back guarantee really gives you all the opportunity you may need to figure out if this program is for you or if you should instead look for something else.

Final Notes

There is definitely a lot of work to be done towards enhancing and perfecting Intego, especially in the features department and the ransomware-protection of the program. However, other than that, Intego Antivirus for Windows is definitely an adequate and dependable security tool for Windows PCs capable of keeping the latter safe with minimal need for interaction from the side of the user. It’s pricing is fair and if you don’t mind the lack of bonus functions and/or don’t care about them, you can save some money by getting Intego for Windows instead of any of the more highly-priced alternatives out there.

Nowadays, most people use their smartphones way more than their computers and many don’t even have a computer, to begin with, seeing as how a smartphone or a tablet could, for the most part, fulfill their digital and virtual needs while also being way easier to carry around. This ever-increasing dependency on phones and tablets leads to a logical in the importance of keeping our mobile devices safe and secure with all means available at our disposal. When it comes to digital security, in general, the first thing that pops into our minds is antivirus programs/apps. Indeed, antivirus software for smart devices has been around for quite a long time now. However, it still hasn’t gotten to the point where it can match its desktop/laptop counterparts. Many software developers offer seemingly functional security solutions for Android and iOS devices but the truth is that very few of those products are actually worth their while. Our job here is to go through the popular security options for Android smart devices and give you a list of the five best antivirus tools that can actually do their job of keeping your device’s system out of harm. In our list, we will start with the least impressive (in our opinion) of the reviewed apps and finish with the one we liked the most.

Total AV – security and optimization

The highlight of Total AV is the optimization functionality it offers. Many antivirus suites for Android (including the ones on this list) come with optimization features but Total AV seems to do this a bit better than its competitors. The app manages to quickly find and clean all junk and cached data as well as duplicate files. It can also help improve performance and battery life by finding resource-draining apps that are not currently in use and force-stopping them (of course, this last feature isn’t such a big deal because most modern smartphones have apps with similar functionality preinstalled on them).

Of course, the most important aspect of an antivirus remains its ability to protect the device it is installed on and, in the case of Total AV, security tests confirm that the antivirus has a detection rate of 99%, meaning that it can recognize and stop all but one percent of the malware that gets thrown at it – pretty impressive, yet there are other apps on this list that show even better results.

Total AV also offers a built-in VPN service, which is a neat addition to the apps’ functionality but you must pay extra for it. The VPN comes with a satisfying number of servers and server locations yet it lacks the advanced features offered by the top names on the VPN market so whether you should get it or not depends on your specific needs. If you are okay with a simpler VPN that still gets the job done, you could try Total AV’s offering but if you need a more advanced tool, you should probably check some other options.

When it comes to purchasing Total AV’s mobile antivirus app, you have two options: one of them is to get the Total AV Premium package, which gives you security tools for PC, Mac, iOS, and Android. Of course, if you are only looking for an Android antivirus, getting the Premium package is unnecessary so the other way to get the Total AV Android antivirus is to download its Free version from the Google Play Store and then upgrade it to the paid version. We didn’t cover the Free Total Av Android app because it isn’t something that we’d recommend as it lacks many of the features that make the paid version worth recommending.

Avira Mobile Security – strong security and nice bonus features for free

Avira is a top brand in the antivirus business and has been around for a long time so it is hardly a surprise that its mobile antivirus offering has made it onto our list.

A highlight of Avira’s antivirus products, in general, and its mobile tool, in particular, is that most of its security features can be used for free. Yes, Avira Mobile Security is a free-to-use Android antivirus app and not one that simply pretends to be protecting you while it is simply flooding you with ads but one that can actually provide your device with high-tier security and protection against pretty much all malware that may try to attack you. Tests confirm that Avira Mobile Security stops 100% of the threats that get thrown at it with the help of its Cloud-based database, which keeps the antivirus definitions of the app up-to-date without the need to wait for any software updates to be installed.

The bonus features of the app include a Privacy Advisor feature, Identity Protection, and a built-in VPN. The Privacy Advisor feature will keep a close eye on apps that require extensive permissions such as access to your camera, browsing data, and location and force stop them if they begin to act suspiciously. The Identity Protection tool focuses on keeping your email accounts secure by letting you know if any of them have been breached so that you can get them back under your control. Lastly, the VPN service that is added to Avira Mobile Security is free but it only comes with 500MB of bandwidth per month. This is hardly enough to get anything done but if you only need to hide your traffic for a short amount of time or access a certain geo-restricted site, it might still come in handy to have it. Of course, you also have the option to upgrade the free Avira VPN to the paid variant that offers unlimited bandwidth but if you are going to be paying for a VPN service, you might as well try some of the standalone VPN options out there that will probably offer you greater value for your money.

In addition to all the aforementioned features, Avira Mobile Security can also keep perpetrators from using your camera and mic without your knowledge by blocking unauthorized attempts from different apps to access them.

All in all, considering that Avira Mobile Security is a free to use mobile antivirus solution, it is a surprisingly effective and helpful tool that can be relied upon to keep your Android smartphone safe. Also, if you are willing to spend some money to add even more protection, you can always get the Pro version of the app that adds phishing protection to the mix as well as some other useful bonus features.

McAfee Mobile Security – reliable malware-detection with advanced anti-theft features

McAfee is one of the top names when it comes to developing antivirus software and its security app for mobile devices is definitely worth considering if you are looking for a software tool that can keep your smartphone or tablet safe.

In terms of how well it handles the security of the devices it is installed on, according to tests, McAfee manages to fend off 99% of the malware that it encounters which, for all intents and purposes, should be more than enough to keep your device out of harm provided that you don’t go out of your way to expose the system to unnecessary risks. However, what makes McAfee’s mobile antivirus offering stands above the rest is its anti-theft protection features. Once you activate them, McAfee will be able to locate your phone with pinpoint accuracy and could also allow you to remotely delete all data on the device so that your personal information doesn’t fall into the wrong hands if the smartphone/tablet has been lost or stolen. You can also easily set up alarms to help you find the device and add a message to the lockscreen that tells anyone who may have found the device to an address provided by you. One especially cool feature is the option to remotely turn on the camera of your lost/stolen device and take a picture with it so that you can see the current surroundings of the phone or even the face of the potential thief who may have stolen it from you. All of these features are really easy to use while at the same time being quite advanced and helpful.

McAfee also offers some device-optimization functionality that does a decent job of cleaning up unnecessary data and freeing up storage space as well as stopping apps that are draining the battery and CPU without really being in use.

There is a VPN feature that comes with McAfee Mobile security but it comes at an extra cost so if you are thinking about trying it out, it might be better to first look through the standalone VPN variants available on the market as some of them might give you better value for their price compared to the McAfee’s VPN.

Overall, we really liked McAfee because of its emphasis on protection against losing your device or having it stolen. After all, devices as small as smartphones and tablets are much easier to lose/steal so having those advanced tools to help you get hold of the device once again are especially welcome.

BitDefender Mobile Security – top tier malware protection with helpful added features

BitDefender is another well-established name in the sphere of virtual security and its Android version offers the same powerful anti-malware protection that comes with its desktop counterparts. Tests show that BitDefender Mobile Security is able to detect and stop 100% of the malware that threatens to enter the device – few other mobile security tools can give you this level of protection. In addition to the stellar malware detection and removal capabilities of BitDefender Mobile Security, the tool also comes with several interesting and helpful features.

The Autopilot function keeps scanning is the real-time protection feature of the tool. It continuously scans the device for unusual app behavior and force-stops anything that may be threatening to the device.

App Lock allows you to lock all your apps with a PIN code so that even if someone gets hold of your phone, they won’t be able to use any of the apps installed on it and potentially cause harm this way.

Account Privacy will let you know if any of your credentials for online accounts might have been leaked due to a data breach so that you can quickly react and change the credentials that are no longer secure.

There is even a built-in VPN service offered by BitDefender’s mobile app but it only gives you 200MB of bandwidth per day. If you only occasionally need to use a VPN for some light browsing, then this could be a good option for you. You can also pay a bit extra for a Premium version of the VPN but if you are going to spend money on a VPN service, you might as well go for a standalone VPN that will give you more than the built-in BitDefender offering.

The only issue with BitDefender Mobile Security that is worth mentioning is that the app would occasionally crash for no apparent reason. The company has stated that they are working to fix this problem and it will likely go away with the future patches but, for now, this is the only nitpick that we have with this antivirus.

Norton Mobile Security

Norton may not always get the best rep because its products frequently come preinstalled with new computers and smart devices that users buy but the truth is that Norton’s antivirus solutions are indeed some of the best out there and you won’t go wrong if you trust Norton’s mobile antivirus app with the safety of your smartphone or tablet.

The malware-detection and removal of Norton Mobile Security are of the highest level, with a 100% success rate when it comes to stopping incoming malware attacks dead in their tracks. However, stellar anti-malware protection is not the only thing that comes with Norton Mobile Security – there are also quite a few additional features that can come in handy in different situations.

A feature that we really liked is the so-called App Advisor – it’s function is to scan apps available on the Google Play Store and let you know if the app has any suspicious traits and if it might end up compromising your privacy and virtual safety if you download it. This is a very helpful feature seeing as how, despite all the security measures that are in place in the Play Store, scammers and hackers still frequently manage to sneak in malicious apps that get subsequently downloaded by thousands of users.

Norton Mobile Security also provides protection against attacks that may come from insecure Wi-Fi networks. Whenever you are connected to a public wireless network, the Wi-Fi Security feature will be enabled and will block any attempts to spy on you or to steal data from your device.

Additionally, the Surveillance app protection will warn you whenever a given app tries to gain access to your web location, camera, mic, browsing history, or other data without your permission so that even if there is a potentially malicious app in the device, it won’t be able to access anything that it isn’t allowed to without your knowledge.

On top of what’s been mentioned thus far, Norton also offers several standalone mobile tools, such as a password manager and app-locking tool, that must be downloaded separately. We would have liked it if those were also included in the antivirus but you can still easily download them from the Google Play Store. Norton also has a paid VPN service available for mobile devices but, as with the other VPN offerings on this list, you should probably take some time to go through the products of more specialized VPN providers before you decide which VPN would be best for you.

Final notes

Those were, in our opinion, the best antivirus apps for Android devices available at the moment. It cannot be denied that the features and tools offered by them don’t come even close to their desktop counterparts yet, still, we believe that each and every one of the mobile antiviruses from this list can provide your mobile device with top-tier security and keep it safe from nearly all forms of malware that may try to attack you.

In the past, Mac computers and iPads/iPhones had garnered a reputation for being immune to most malware apps and viruses. This was traditionally always the problem of Windows computers and subsequently of Android devices. But with Apple’s products becoming more and more popular among users, it’s only natural that hackers and cybercriminals will focus their efforts on developing threats aimed at iOS devices.

However, iOS devices don’t allow third-party security apps to provide virus scans. This is due to the fact that all iOS apps are prevented from interacting with the data of any other apps on the device. Also, they cannot interact with the files of the operating system either.

Does this mean that you can’t have an antivirus installed on your iOS device? No. Furthermore, it’s highly recommended to get some third-party app to supplement Apple’s integrated security mechanisms. Only it won’t function as a traditional antivirus in that it won’t scan other apps for viruses.

Instead, we’ve listed the best iOS antivirus applications based on other safety features, such as browsing protection, VPN, theft protection, etc. Here are our top picks.

1. McAfee Mobile Security

McAfee’s Mobile Security app is packed with a bunch of features to make your device extra safe. And one of the things we liked about this product the most is how much attention was given to protecting your data.

Everyone is well aware that our data is our most prized possession, and so making sure no one can get a hold of it is paramount. So it’s equipped with all the most essential features such as safe web alerts and protection from phishing scams.

In addition to that, however, there’s also a very useful Threat Scan feature. It scans all the WiFi connections around you and detects the ones that are unsecured. Furthermore, the Mobile Security app even notifies users when their iOS is outdated. If you don’t know, updating your iOS to the latest version is also crucial for your device’s safety.

Other cool functions include the Media Vault, where you can hide your private photos. It offers an extra layer of protection for sensitive pictures using a PIN or Face ID.

There are theft protection features, as well. So in the event that you iPhone is ever stolen, a precise GPS tracker will be able to locate it. And even if the battery dies, the software saves the location, which still gives you a good chance of finding the device.

Furthermore, if anyone tries to unlock your phone without your knowledge (e.g. a potential thief), there’s the McAfee CaptureCam to alert you about the intruder. After three unsuccessful attempts to unlock the iPhone, the CaptureCam will snap a photo of the person trying to trespass and will automatically email it to you. The device’s location is also included in the email, so you know where it is – also super handy!

2. Avira Mobile Security

Avira offers another outstanding security solution for Apple iOS devices. Only this one shines with its privacy protection features. Namely, the app comes equipped with a quality VPN service to secure your connection and keep your data hidden from prying eyes. What’s important to point out here is that the developer also guarantees that your logs aren’t stored anywhere.

A designated Web Protection feature will provide an extra layer of security during your browsing sessions. And it does so by identifying and blocking malicious programs, as well as any fraud and phishing attempts.

Another very noteworthy function is the Identity Safeguard. This neat feature informs users if ever any of their email addresses are leaked. Avira has a database of compromised email addresses and it can scan your email address(es) against that database. You can even scan the email addresses of all your contacts and know if any of theirs have been compromised.

But it’s not all exclusively about keeping your data under lock and seal. Avira’s Mobile Security app also has features aimed at tackling theft. The Avira Connect function allows you to track the location of your device. And on top of that, it can even sound a very loud, startling alarm if your phone is ever stolen.

And a feature that is less about security but can still come in handy is the Call Blocker function. It speaks for itself pretty much and allows you to block contacts. It’s very easy to use and it’s effective.

3. Norton Mobile Security

The Norton Mobile Security app also boasts powerful web protection mechanisms that are perhaps this app’s most prominent feature. The developer has dubbed it Wi-Fi Security and it scans the network’s hotspot to ensure that it is safe to use. And if a certain network happens to be dangerous, the app simply will not allow you to connect to it.

In addition, the same feature is responsible for scanning the network for malicious hardware that may be trying to breach its encryption. And again, the same formula applies. If anything is found to be suspicious, the app will notify you and block the connection.

Then there’s the Web Protection feature, which goes the extra mile to prevent you from exposure to unsafe web locations. Similarly to the previous function, here the app blocks any dangerous domains.

Norton has a very large phishing website database, and so the Mobile Security app can scan the websites you visit against it.

Now, some might say that Safari is a very secure browser in and of itself and will block most unsafe web locations without help. However, we ran a few tests and found that Safari had a few false positives. And in one case it let a popup slip, which the Norton Mobile Security app successfully blocked.

Last but not least, the app is also equipped with a Device Security feature. This will alert you whenever your iOS needs to be updated. And as mentioned, that can be quite useful. The only downside of this app, however, is that it’s a little pricey for the amount of functions it offers.  

4. Trend Micro Mobile Security

If safe browsing is a priority for you, then Trend Micro’s Mobile Security app is another product worth considering. This app has powerful browsing protection features, including the obligatory blocking of dangerous websites and any malicious threats. But in addition, there are features making sure to keep your data and browsing history private. There’s even a privacy mode for some social media platforms like Facebook and Twitter.

A Wi-Fi Checker is included to scan the networks around you and alert you about anything suspicious. The feature can even detect MITM (man-in-the-middle) attacks.

Trend Micro’s Mobile Security app is also a great security solution for families due to its good quality parental controls. We tested these controls and, indeed, the app managed to block all adult content we threw at it.

There’s an iMessage Protection feature, which comes especially handy if you get a lot of spam iMessages. With the help of this function, those are carefully sorted away and placed into a junk folder.

In addition, Trend Micro’s app comes with a VPN service, too. However, its functionality is rather limited and certainly not the best VPN service on the market. And another neat feature that, however, doesn’t have much to do with security is “reading mode”. This feature reduces the amount of clutter in websites so that you’re basically only left with the plain text if you’d rather not see distractions like images, etc.

5. Lookout Security & Privacy

The Lookout Security & Privacy app is a perfect solution for identity theft and theft in general. It has all the standard security functionalities that you would expect from a good antivirus. Hence, it can detect and block malicious websites and links and can also prevent you from connecting to dangerous or unsecure networks.

But the anti-theft features are really where this app shines and it has little to no competition in this department.

First off, it comes with a jaw-dropping $1M Identity Theft Insurance package. It’s part of the Lookout Premium Plus suite. And it offers coverage of up to $1 million of your costs incurred from identity theft. This even goes for lost wages, as well as any legal fees and other such expenses.

What’s more, Lookout provides a 24/7 hotline for victims of identity theft. The ID Restoration Assistance Hotline will get you in touch with experts who can help minimize the damage of identity theft right away as soon as an emergency occurs.

Then we found the anti-theft feature to be quite impressive, as well. The function is titled Signal Flare and when activated, it sends you an email with your phone’s location. So if concerns surrounding theft are a big deal to you, then you certainly shouldn’t overlook this app.

Setting up and Interface

An important thing to note about getting started with Webroot WiFi Security is that you only get a 7-day free trial option if you sign up through your Android or iOS smartphone. If you sign up from a desktop, you won’t get the free trial. You could, however, test the desktop client using the free trial after you’ve created an account through your mobile device and then signed in from your PC or Mac computer. This is quite odd and we have no idea why the creators of the VPN have chosen this approach but it is an important thing to bear in mind because the 7-day free trial is your only way of testing the VPN. There is no refund option so once you spend your money on the VPN, even if the service doesn’t work as expected for you, you’d be stuck with it.

Once you create an account, download and install the desktop clients or the mobile apps, and start them, the first thing you will notice the minimalistic interface of Webroot WiFi Security.

The Windows client’s starting screen offers little more than a list of countries/locations to pick from as well as a list of “Recommended” servers that should give you the best performance. There is also a simple system for favourite locations that will show you the ones you connect to the most often and that’s about it. The client doesn’t give you any details about the different servers’ ping values and it doesn’t show you the individual servers in a country. There are also no location filtering options and no mapped interface for those who prefer to have the locations visualized to them in that way.

This simplicity of the client will likely appeal to people who are not particularly familiar with the VPN-type of service, but for those with more experience and higher demands, this might seem a bit underwhelming.

The mobile apps and the macOS client offer pretty much the same functionality and clean interface so if you get used to using the any of the VPN variations, you should have no issue handling the other ones as well.

Privacy Policy

Webroot is an established and well-known North-American company that deals with Internet security for regular users and businesses alike and so this should give the customers of its VPN service some reassurance that their online traffic is in good hands. However, we still need to take a closer look at the specifics of how Webroot WiFi Security handles the data of its users. VPNs are all about keeping one’s browsing private from snooping third-parties but it is also important to remember that your data should also stay hidden from the VPN provider or else the whole purpose of using such a service would largely be defeated.

According to the privacy policy section on the site of Webroot WiFi Security, the VPN doesn’t keep tabs on your IP address, browsing activity, the data you download, share, or view, and it also doesn’t track your DNS requests. All of this is pretty standard and is to be expected from a respected VPN service. However, some logging would still be happening if you use Webroot WiFi Security. As stated in the privacy policy, the date and time of the start and end of a session does get recorded, as well as the bandwidth that is used, the country from which you’ve connected to the VPN (not your IP!), and the number of devices from which you have been using the VPN.

One other thing that caught our attention is what happens if the VPN experiences a crash. According to the privacy policy, information about what happened on the device just prior to the crash might get logged for “troubleshooting purposes only”. The information that may get logged may include DNS requests and some of the downloaded data. This is a bit unusual to say the least but, at the same time, we can see the logic behind it and how it might help prevent future crashes and improve the service as a whole.

When we compare the amount of logging done by Webroot WiFi Security in comparison to most other VPNs we’ve reviewed thus far, it’s fair to say that the logging is significantly more. However, it is still not something we’d consider a deal breaker but it still needs to be kept in mind when thinking about getting this VPN.

Another thing worth noting here is that Webroot WiFi Security has not yet been reviewed by an outsider auditor. Currently, this is the best reassurance you can get that the claims made in the privacy policy of a given VPN are indeed truthful. At the moment, very few VPNs have gone that route and seeing as how Webroot WiFi Security is still a rather new service, we won’t be surprised if it undergoes an outsider audit sometime in the future. However, until then, there is simply no way to confirm anything stated in the privacy policy section on the site of Webroot WiFi Security.

Network and Performance

The size of the network of Webroot WiFi Security is not something to get particularly excited about. It covers only 34 locations at the time of writing and, as mentioned at the start, none of the servers support P2P. On the plus side, however, the distribution of these locations across the globe is good, with the servers not being limited to only in North America and Europe, which is a rather common trait of most smaller VPNs. In addition to North America and Europe, Webroot WiFi Security also has servers in some Asian countries (India, Thailand, Hong Kong, Singapore, Japan) as well as in some South American ones (Brazil, Argentina, Portugal), which is a nice thing to see – many VPNs don’t have servers even in a single South American country and have very few servers in Asia. Webroot WiFi Security even has South Africa as a server location – another thing we don’t see too often with the majority of VPNs.

Overall, even though the number of servers and locations for the network of Webroot WiFi Security is modest, the positioning of the servers mostly makes up for it as it ensures that the majority of users will always have a server that’s relatively near their location so that the connection speed would be adequate.

Speaking of connection speeds, Webroot WiFi Security is definitely not the fastest VPN out there. On a standard 75Mbps Internet, the average connection speed when the VPN is active and the connection goes through a server located in the same country as the user is about 60Mbps. This is nothing to be amazed by but it is still an adequate, albeit a bit below average, speed. When a more distant server is used (for instance, a user from Europe connects to an US server), the speed drops to about 40Mbps, which, considering the longer distance, is to be expected and is not something to complain about. One thing to be pointed out here, however, is that, during tests where a more distant server was used, the average speed of 40-50Mbps would occasionally drop to half of that. There could be many reasons for that so this shouldn’t be seen as a huge issue but it is important to make full use of the 7-days free trial to extensively test the VPN to see if you face any similar issues that may be a dealbreaker for you.

Features

If you are looking for a big number of advanced tools, you will likely not be impressed by Webroot WiFi Security, but as we mentioned in the start of this post, this is not a VPN service that is being sold on its huge variety of features anyway. Still, there are some options that you can play around with, other than the ability to connect and disconnect from the VPN.

For starters, Webroot WiFi Security allows you to switch between different protocols. Currently, there are four different options: L2TP, PPTP, IKEv2, and OpenVPN. For newcomers, this option may not mean much, but more experienced customers should appreciate the protocol variety.

There is a potential issue when using the OpenVPN protocol – if the connection fails, you get the “connection failure” alert in the client but there is no desktop notification, meaning that, if the client is minimized, you’d have no way of knowing that the VPN is currently keeping your traffic hidden until you open the client again. This issue, however, is negated if you toggle on the next feature we will cover.

Like most other VPNs, Webroot WiFi Security, too, has a kill-switch function, the purpose of which is to end your connection to the Internet if the VPN service suddenly stops. The idea is to prevent your traffic from getting exposed to snoopers once the VPN is no longer protecting it. However, again, when the OpenVPN protocol is used, you won’t get a desktop notification and you may not initially realize why your Internet has stopped until you open the client to see that the VPN connection has failed.

The Autostart option here is a bit more limited than that of other VPN products, as it will launch Webroot WiFi Security with the start of your computer but will not automatically initiate a connection – you will have to do that yourself, which, to some extend, defeats the purpose of having an Autostart function to begin with.

Webroot’s VPN also provides you with a powerful web-filtering feature called BrightCloud to keep you from opening potentially harmful and dangerous web addresses. This feature is definitely one of the highlights of this VPN, as it uses the same technology that is employed in Webroot’s security suites. Most other VPNs’ web-filtering tools get the job done but BrightCloud takes it a step further, making it a nice addition to this VPN package.

Content-unblocking is, to some, the most important aspect of a VPN and if a given VPN product cannot provide access to a particular geo-restricted site or service, then its usefulness goes down by quite a bit. This, however, is one of the areas that many VPNs, even well-known and popular ones, seem to struggle. Some won’t be able to unblock Amazon Prime Video, others will fail with Disney+, and most of them will not provide access to US Netflix. In the case of Webroot WiFi Security, we were pleasantly surprised to find out that this VPN has excellent unblocking functionality. It manages to bypass the geo-restrictions for the aforementioned US Netflix, Amazon Prime Video, and Disney+, and it also unblocks a number of other popular geo-restricted services and sites. Overall, if you want to use a VPN for unblocking, Webroot WiFi Security is a great option.

Pricing

There are only two pricing variants – the first one covers 3 devices for one year and the second one – 5 devices for a year. There are no 1-month or 6-month options and there’s also no option to extend your license to 2 or 3 years and get a discount for each consecutive year. The 1-year plan that covers 3 devices would cost you $39.99 ($3.33 effective per-month price) and the one that covers 5 devices is priced at $59.99 ($5 per effective per-month price) for the first year (note that those are discounted prices at the moment of writing and might change over time). If, after year one, you decide to go for a renewal, the prices for both of the plans go up – $39.99 becomes $59.99 for the 3-device license and $59.99 becomes $79.99 for the license that covers 5 devices. If we look at some competing brands, it might seem a bit costly, mainly due to the small number of covered devices and the lack of extending the initial license period in order to get a discount. Still, Webroot WiFi Security is definitely not the most expensive VPN available. If we compare it to Goose VPN, for example, we see that its one-year license is about 20 dollars cheaper, with Goose VPN costing $59,88 for a one-year license. However, it’s worth noting that Goose will give you an unlimited number of devices that you can cover with its VPN, so, if you have more than five devices that need a VPN, it might be better to go for that one.

Final notes

It is obvious that Webroot WiFi Security is still a relatively new VPN, as it lacks many of the more advanced functions that more established products of the same type can offer. Still, there are quite things to like about this VPN – from its well-positioned server locations and its excellent unblocking of geo-restricted content to its powerful URL-filtering feature and overall simplicity and ease-of-use. Of course, for more demanding users, this will likely not be enough and they would require more features and customization freedom from a VPN. If you are one such user, you can always go take a look at our other VPN reviews, where you surely find a product that better suits your needs.

Goose VPN is a VPN service from the Netherlands that offers good connection speeds, decent pricing, and some unblocking functionality. Goose VPN is compatible with all of the most popular platforms, including Windows, macOS, Linux, iOS, and Android and it also comes with a Chrome extension.

It also places no limits on the number of devices you can use it with across all pricing plans, which is a rarity among the other VPNs. However, despite its positive traits, there are also some problems with Goose VPN and, in order to offer you an objective review of this product, we would need to cover both its strengths and weaknesses in more detail, which is what we are going to do through the rest of this write-up.

The importance of ensuring that you can browse the Internet in privacy has never been more important. Seeing as how nowadays everybody – advertisers, hackers, scammers, governments, and other third-parties – wants to learn more about your private virtual life, it can be quite difficult to retain at least some of your privacy while you are browsing the world wide web. This, in turn, has led to the exponentially increasing popularity of the type of service known as VPN. A VPN can help you prevent unnecessary exposure of your online activities to third parties and thus preserve your virtual privacy. There are also some other useful functions of VPNs (such as site-unblocking) that can also be appealing to a big number of users. However, as with any product, not all VPNs are of equal quality and offer the same value-to-price ratio. This is where our reviews can help you by giving you a more in-depth look into the good and bad sides of each VPN service that we cover. That said, if you are not too sure about the purpose of a VPN or the most important characteristics you should be looking at, we advise you to first visit this article to get a better overall understanding of this type of service as a whole. If, on the other hand, you are already familiar with VPN services, let’s get right into reviewing Goose VPN.

Overview

Goose VPN is not at the top of the list of the most popular VPNs. It is certainly overshadowed by other, bigger names, such as ExpressVPN, NordVPN, TunnelBear VPN, and so on. One of the things that are immediately noticeable is that it doesn’t offer quite the same array of customization settings and bonus features when compared to its more well-rounded competitors. However, this might actually make this VPN a rather good fit for people who have never used a VPN before and would rather stick to a more simple option that doesn’t bother you with a bunch of advanced tools that you will probably not need for the moment. With these things in mind, right off the bat, we’d say that, if this is the first time you are getting a VPN, Goose VPN could be a good option for you. Still, don’t go right ahead and purchase it before you’ve gone through the whole review.

Setting up, Interface, and ease-of-use

Very few VPNs have any specifics during their setup and Goose VPN is not an exception here. Whether you want to install either of its desktop clients or mobile apps, Goose VPN is easy to set up and you should face no difficulties. A nice thing worth noting here is that you won’t get charged during the first month of use despite having provided your banking details, which gives you the option to cancel your subscription without paying anything during this 30-day period. This is a nice form of a free trial and it allows you to freely test the service before deciding you want to commit to it.

Once you install the desktop client and start the VPN, you will notice that its interface doesn’t overwhelm you with any intimidating settings and options. You are just given a list of locations and a map to visualize them. You can pick a location using either of those tools. However, there isn’t a Favorites system, meaning that you’d have to manually find your preferred location each time. A plus here is that the locations which support P2P are shown as such.

Once you go to the settings’ section, you will see that there isn’t too much going on there. You have the option to choose between four different protocol types (IKEv2, L2TP/IPSec, PPtP, and OpenVPN) or set Goose VPN to automatically choose the best one for the occasion. The other options in the Settings section are for enabling/disabling the extra features of the VPN, but there are not that many such features to begin with so there aren’t too many settings to play around with.

The mobile apps are even more stripped down – they do have the same dashboard with the map and the servers list but most of the settings you get with the desktop client aren’t there. In fact, the only thing you can configure here is whether to allow the app to automatically connect to the best server for you or to manually choose the server you want to connect to.

All in all, users who are newcomers to the VPN-type of service should be relieved that there aren’t any overly-complex options in the desktop clients or mobile apps of Goose VPN. However, more experienced and demanding users will probably be a bit underwhelmed by the lack of variety and customization freedom and might lean more towards more advanced VPN products.

Privacy and Security

Since VPNs are all about keeping your browsing private and boosting your online security, these aspects of each individual VPN service are essential to the overall reliability of the product. This is why you must never overlook the details regarding the privacy policy and security levels of a given VPN you may consider purchasing. It’s also important to remember that, even if a certain VPN does a good job at preventing third parties from monitoring your browsing, this doesn’t mean that the owners of the VPN themselves do not keep tabs on what you are doing online and use the acquired info for their benefit.

When it comes to Goose VPN, after going through what’s written on its official site with regard to these aspects, we can say that, on paper, the service can be deemed reliable. According to the privacy policy of Goose VPN, the user’s Internet activity doesn’t get tracked or recorded. This includes data such as visited sites, DNS requests, incoming and outgoing emails, usernames and passwords, IP addresses, and any other personally-identifiable data. The VPN also doesn’t log data about which servers of its network you use. The only information that gets recorded is how much bandwidth you’ve used, which is perfectly understandable.

In terms of security, a good thing about Goose VPN is that the people behind it own and themselves manage the servers from the VPN network. This is great news as it tightens the control that the creators of the VPN have over their network which, in turn, boosts security.

One theoretical security-related issue with Goose VPN, however, is its OpenVPN configuration. The issue here is that server certificate authentication isn’t used with this protocol, which might potentially allow attackers to disguise themselves as Goose VPN servers and intercept your traffic. Again, this is a theoretical problem that is unlikely to transfer into real life but it is still there and it is still worth mentioning and keeping in mind, especially since most other VPNs out there don’t have this issue.

Another note we must make here is that Goose VPN is yet to be audited by an impartial outsider. To be fair, very few VPNs have gone through an outsider audit but this is an important step to confirm the privacy and security claims made by the VPNs owners. Until this is done, there’s no way for regular users to be sure that anything said by the VPN company about the data collection or security measures of their product is a hundred percent true. Of course, these audits are costly which is also a possible reason why a lot of VPNs have not gone through them, but the fact that Goose VPN hasn’t been audited is still something you must bear in mind.

Network and Performance

The network of Goose VPN is rather modest, with only 25 countries where its servers can be found. Most of those countries are located in Europe and there are also some servers in Asia, North America, and Australia but no South America or Africa. Overall, the size of the network isn’t particularly impressive and users from out of Europe, Australia, or North America are very likely to have no server near them.

On the plus side, if there is a nearby server you can connect to, you can expect good connection speeds of around 66-67Mbps if you are on a standard 75Mbps Internet. Connections from Europe that use USA servers also yield satisfying speeds between 40 and 60Mbps so even if you are using a more distant server, you can still get some decent performance.

One interesting thing is that, if a single user ends up consuming more than 1% of the entire bandwidth of the VPN network, they will be approached by the company and asked to decrease their bandwidth usage or to make bigger payments. This is disclosed on the official site of the VPN and we like the addition of this measure as it ensures that no one will be able to abuse the network at the expense of other users’ connection speeds.

Features

We already established that Goose VPN is not a particularly feature-rich service as it really doesn’t offer any impressive or advanced tools to its customers. Still, most of the basics are here, so let’s take a look at them.

The kill-switch – this is a very important tool for every VPN as its purpose is to cut your Internet connection if the VPN server you are using goes down or if the whole service itself malfunctions. Stopping the Internet connection whenever this happens helps keep your traffic private by not allowing it to continue after it is no longer being hidden by the VPN. For the most part, Goose VPN’s kill-switch works well but you might sometimes experience a problem where the client crashes and won’t start to connect again until you restart the computer. This isn’t a huge deal and the fix to it is easy but could still be irritating at times.

DNS leak prevention – this feature keeps your DNS from getting leaked while you are using the VPN. DNS leaks could lead to third-parties snooping on your traffic even while you have your VPN service enabled, so it’s a good idea to keep this feature enabled at all times.

Smart server list – when enabled, this feature will automatically connect you to the best server available in the location you’ve chosen. If it is disabled, you will be able to pick from a list of all the servers in said location.

Unblocking – in terms of unblocking capabilities, Goose VPN is something of a mixed bag. While it does unblock US Netflix – one of the most challenging services for a VPN to unblock – it fails at providing access to Amazon Prime Video, Disney +, or BBC iPlayer. If you are looking for a VPN that unblocks everything, you may need to look elsewhere. If, however, you want to gain access to US Netflix from another country, Goose has got you covered, and its high connection speeds will allow you to stream video content from Netflix without any interruptions.

P2P – P2P is supported by this VPN but, as noted above, the servers in only two of the available locations (the USA and the Netherlands) offer this and so if you live far away from those countries, connection speeds may be too low for you to use it effectively.

There are pretty much no other additional features that come with Goose VPN – there’s no VPN-hiding feature or a split-tunneling one, so more demanding users will likely not be amazed by what Goose VPN has to offer them.

Pricing

Considering the lack of any advanced bonus features and some other complaints we had with this product, the $12,99 per-month price seems to be a bit high. For comparison, VyprVPN, which offers a very wide array of extra features and tools, has a similar monthly price of $12,95. Of course, if you pay for a one-year or two-year subscription with Goose VPN, the monthly price would drop significantly. For instance, the one-year plan costs $59,88, which equals $4,99 a month, and the two-year plan further discounts the default price to $2,99 a month or $71,76 for the whole two-year period. Again, however, the aforementioned Vypr VPN has a better offering for its one- and two-year plans, which are priced at $45 and $60 respectively. Similarly, other competing VPNs also seem to have better pricing plans that are less expensive and offer more features. A final pricing plan from Goose VPN is its “Lifetime” offering, which gives you a permanent license for the service and costs $139 (at the moment of writing). Depending on how long you may end up using Goose VPN, the Lifetime plan might give you the most value. However, considering that this VPN isn’t the most feature-rich one and you may eventually end up transitioning to another, more advanced VPN, we are not sure whether we’d recommend going for it. If, on the other hand you’d like to explore more VPN options, you can find more VPN reviews we’ve written right here.

Final Notes

For newcomers to VPN in general, Goose VPN might be a good option due to its simple interface, ease of use, and its reliable connection speed. Also, if you are a user who needs to use a VPN on a big number of devices, this could also be a particularly good choice as there’s no limit on the number of devices you can cover with this VPN. This fact alone could potentially make this service a rather good choice for business owners who need a VPN that extends to all of their workstations.

Despite these strengths of the service, however, we cannot overlook the negatives we found when reviewing it. The small network, the absence of a third-party audit, the inability to unblock popular services and sites, as well as the unexpectedly high pricing all contribute to this VPN being a mixed bag. Not that it isn’t worth trying out, especially since there is a 30-day free trial, but you must keep in mind the downsides of the service before you decide to commit to it. If you are fine with the mentioned cons and don’t need a particularly feature-filled VPN service, it won’t do any harm trying Goose VPN out and seeing if it does the job for you.

If you are the owner of a small or medium business, you probably want to be able to provide reliable protection to all computers and other digital devices that are used in your business and that form your private business network. One option to do that is by separately installing antiviruses on each device, but this can take lots of time, cost you an unnecessarily big amount of money and it also won’t give you the ability to closely monitor and control the security status of your endpoints (the devices that form your business network). This is why there is a special category of software known as endpoint security solutions that many security vendors offer. Here, we will review one such solution, called Panda Adaptive Defense 360, which is developed by the established antivirus company known as Panda Security.

Panda Adaptive Defense 360 Overview

Panda Adaptive Defense 360 is the highest-tier product offered by Panda Security and it is designed to provide network endpoint protection and management features to its customers. Panda Adaptive Defense 360 will secure not only Windows and macOS workstations, but it also offers protection for Android devices and is one of the few endpoint security solutions that cover Linux machines. Like its competitors, this suite focuses on tries to do most of the security and management work for you, so that you don’t waste any time on manually setting up the protection policies for your endpoints. Of course, you are still given the option to do that with a number of settings that will allow you to fine-tune the way each device is being protected. Overall, Panda Adaptive Defense 360 will greatly boost the security of your network and will give you the opportunity to remotely manage each endpoint device, but the same can be said about pretty much every other decent endpoint security software so it is important to take a closer look at the specifics of Panda Adaptive Defense 360 in order to see what distinguishes it from other similar products.

Interface and usability

Like the majority of endpoint protection packages, Panda Adaptive Defense 360 offers an easy-to-use cloud interface to its customers. This means that you can access the dashboard of the endpoint solution directly from your main browsing app on any of the devices you use. The need for such an interface is obvious, as business owners who care about the security of their network’s endpoints must be able to quickly access the control hub of the endpoint security service if the need to deal with a particular issue on any of the devices arises.

The specific layout of the interface is quite intuitive and gives you just the right amount of information and options without overwhelming you right off the bat with the more advanced settings of the service, which should be appreciated by customers who are first-time users of an endpoint protection and management service.

On the Security dashboard, you will see a couple of helpful widgets that provide helpful and important information about the status of your network. The information presented in them is technically not in real-time but it is very close to that with a delay of just several seconds, so you can rest assured that you are going to be almost instantly notified if a given situation arises.

The first time you log into your Panda Adaptive Defense 360 account and open the cloud service, you should make sure to deploy endpoint clients to all devices in your network so that you can put them under the security “umbrella” of Panda Adaptive Defense 360. Deploying endpoints is not difficult and can happen in a couple of different ways. Firstly, you can manually install clients on each endpoint device. This, however, won’t be very efficient if the number of devices is big and/ or if they are in different places. This is why Panda Adaptive Defense 360 also gives you the option to send out emails with instructions and download links to each endpoint Administrator. From then on, it will be your employees’ job to follow the instructions and download and install the endpoint client on their workstations. Something worth noting here is that, as soon as the first endpoint is deployed, the client will automatically find other workstations connected to the same network, which will allow you to remotely install the clients on the other detected computers directly from the cloud administration interface.

A nice thing about the endpoint clients is that they are super lightweight and are very unlikely to have any noticeable footprint on the performance of the computers they are installed on, so don’t worry even if the workstations your employees use aren’t new or particularly powerful.

The next step, after the endpoints have been deployed is to set security policies for them. This step is optional because Panda Adaptive Defense 360 sets a default policy for each endpoint and, in most cases, this policy will be the best one to use as it balances between providing strong security and avoiding unnecessary disruptions of the workflow. Still, for users who prefer to fine-tune things themselves, there’s always the option to set a different policy for each individual endpoint as well as to change that policy at any time.

The main component of the endpoints’ security policy is its operation mode. This refers to the antivirus component of Panda Adaptive Defense 360 and it controls how aggressive the service’s malware detection and prevention would be. There are three options here: Audit, Hardening, and Lock. Audit is the least aggressive mode and it is generally not recommended as it might potentially allow some forms of well-disguised malware to pass by it. Hardening is the medium setting – it is the recommended one and the one that Panda Adaptive Defense 360 sets by default. In most cases, this operation mode will not lead to workflow disruptions due to false positives but will still stop pretty much all malware that might try to enter an endpoint device. Lastly, the Lock mode is the most aggressive and restrictive of the three and, though it provides the highest amount of protection, if it is enabled, the chances of false positives and blocked content and files that are needed in the employee’s work are increased as well.

Features

Panda Adaptive Defense 360 comes with a plethora of useful features that, for the most part, work automatically to keep your endpoints safe from all kinds of virtual threats.

Panda Adaptive Defense 360’s Endpoint Detection and Response function constantly monitors all endpoints for suspicious events and gathers data from them for further investigation, detection, analysis, and, in case of a detected threat, it alerts the network owner.

Panda Adaptive Defense 360 also offers its customers a Patch Management tool that will look for outdated software across all endpoint devices, notify you about any missing patches, and help allow you to automatically and remotely install said patches to ensure that there are no known security vulnerabilities inside your network. Note, however, that this feature is optional and if you choose to add it to the package, it would make the end price higher.

A highlight of the package is the 100% attestation service, which evaluates apps, programs, and other executables based on 10, 000 different characteristics and concludes whether the specific software is safe to run. If the app/program doesn’t meet the requirements for the 100% attestation certificate, the feature doesn’t allow it to be run on the computer.

Threat Hunting is another security feature focused on stopping attacks that don’t have signatures typical for most malware. According to Panda Security, this feature could even intercept malicious actions that are being performed by insiders.

Of course, the base antivirus engine of this endpoint security solution needs to be mentioned too. It offers protection against a wide variety of cyber threats, including Trojans, Spyware, and Ransomware. The behavior monitoring of the engine also has the potential to spot incoming Zero-Day attacks that are otherwise unknown to the antivirus’ database. Panda Adaptive Defense 360 can also thwart attacks from fileless malware, phishing viruses, PUPs, and in-memory exploits. Though it is usually best to allow the antivirus to do its job without user interference, if you want, you can whitelist different items that are considered as threats if you are certain that they are not hazardous to the computer that is exposed to them. That said, the idea of the antivirus is to work automatically, without any need for you to micro-manage it. In most cases, the only time you’d have to do something related to the security status of any of your endpoints would be when a threat is detected and the antivirus requires you to take a certain action to neutralize it instead of doing this automatically.

Unfortunately, as filled with features the Panda Adaptive Defense 360 suite might be, it still falls behind some of its competitors in terms offered extra perks. For instance, there is no VPN that comes with Panda Adaptive Defense 360, which we would have liked to see considering the relatively high price of the product. For comparison, Avast Business Antivirus Pro Plus, which is a bit less expensive, does come with its own VPN service.

Pricing

As we mentioned above, the price of Panda Adaptive Defense 360 seems to be a bit higher than that of its competitors. There is only one pricing option, which would cost you €68 (around $80) a year per device. For comparison, the per-device price for Trend Micro Worry-Free Services, another popular endpoint security solution, is $59.87, and the price for the aforementioned Avast Business Antivirus Pro Plus is only $56.99 per device. Of course, getting a license for a bigger number of devices or for more years will get you a discount. Note, however, that, to get the discount for a higher number of devices, you’d need to get a license for more than 50 devices. With most of Panda Adaptive Defense 360’s competitors, the discount starts to apply when the license is for more than 10 or 20 devices, so this is yet another downside of the pricing of Panda Adaptive Defense 360. The discount for getting the license for more years is also quite mediocre compared to other endpoint security options on the market.

Final Notes

Panda Adaptive Defense 360 is a great service for keeping all endpoints in your business network away from harm with very little need to do things manually. Still, if you prefer a more hands-on approach, you’d have plenty of opportunity to micro-manage every aspect of the security policy of each device that makes up your network. The user-friendly interface, the robust protection offered by the powerful antivirus engine, and the satisfying number of added extra security and management features seem to make this product worth recommending. However, it must be mentioned that it is not a perfect solution as it does lack some advanced tools such as a VPN that other similar products offer. Also, potentially, the biggest problem with Panda Adaptive Defense 360 is that its pricing is unexpectedly high and the discounts offered for a higher number of protected devices or for additional years are not particularly impressive if we compare them to other options on the market. 

To sum up, if it weren’t for the pricing of Panda Adaptive Defense 360, we’d say it is one of the top endpoint security solutions, but due to its higher cost )that doesn’t reflect a significantly greater number of features), we consider it to be a little bit behind the very best endpoint security products that are available at the moment.