In this day and age when crime has spread into the technological sphere and has been active there for quite some time, your devices’ online security should never be taken lightly. There are some truly outstanding basic antivirus solutions that will keep your individual devices safe but sometimes the best approach is ‘one suite to rule them all’ – yours and your family’s desktops, laptops, smartphones, and tablets.
In addition to protecting multiple devices at the same time, these bundles often have other perks that make them attractive as your go-to comprehensive security systems. Depending on the provider, they may include a virtual private network (VPN), password manager, firewall, file vault, webcam protection, parental controls, rescue disk feature, and other extras. Regardless, opting for an online security suite will surely get you more than basic functionality.
One of the best things about it is that you only need to pay for one plan – no hassle and juggling with all the different devices, subscriptions and accounts.
It will get you the classic virus protection along with robust ransomware protection mechanisms, as well as a firewall, email spam filter, and vulnerability scanner. All the usual, right? This is where the typical stops and extras begin, including a highly secure browser for online banking, handy password manager, Wi-Fi security advisor, and an impressive set of parental controls.
This isn’t all, by far. Users opting for Bitdefender Total Security will also have at their disposal a file shredder, microphone and webcam protection, as well as an outstanding website defense system which blocks malicious URLs from harming your devices. There are also some practical PC optimization tools like deleting unnecessary files and lowering loading times.
This all sounds fine and dandy but nothing beats the first-hand experience which you can get during a risk-free 30-day trial period that doesn’t even require your credit card details. That said, all the power this online security suite provides might take some toll on your resources.
On top of the basics like detailed and customizable virus scans, this online security suite package will provide your devices with a secure web browser, password manager, smart firewall that doesn’t depend on user input, webcam defense, file backup, as well as software updater.
The plan will protect your privacy by blocking webcam spying, as well as using easy VPN encryption to hide your data from ISPs and hackers.
It even has a module focused on your children’s safety called Safe Kids – a set of parental controls that includes smart social media monitoring. And while the spam filter and troubleshooting wizards aren’t super-efficient, the overall platform is worth every penny.
A fully-integrated no-log VPN allows you to browse anonymously and more securely, adding bank-grade encryption to your sensitive financial details. There’s also a password manager for generating, storing and managing all your passwords and credit card information.
Another extra is the 50GB cloud backup storage where you can store files you want to protect against data loss due to device failures, theft, or ransomware. The US users have an additional bonus – they can take advantage of the suite’s dark web monitoring features which will help them stay safe from identity theft.
There are a lot of tools, but you won’t have to worry about Norton 360 Deluxe draining your devices’ resources – it’s very lightweight. That said, it can be run on half the devices that Bitdefender suite can – 5, but this just might be enough for most users, especially considering all the advantages it carries. On top of it all, it’s reasonably priced and users get 24/7 phone and chat support.
The next-level URL filtering capabilities will keep you safe while browsing the web while adjusting its efficiency to your own requirements. There are also excellent parental controls, social media privacy tools, as well as PC maintenance and optimization mechanisms.
The latter may not impress the more experienced user as it doesn’t have all the customization tools boasted by some of the more complex suites but this makes it highly accessible to beginners.
To prevent data theft, Trend Micro’s suite product has effective measures in place and there’s also a secure vault for safekeeping your sensitive files. A standard in the industry, there’s an integrated password manager so you won’t have to worry about memorizing and protecting all your different passwords.
This all sounds great, but you don’t need to believe us, try this online security suite yourself before buying, during the 30-day free trial.
Other advanced traits include a secure browser, password manager, data shredder, automatic software updater, web shield that blocks dangerous websites and downloads, webcam protection, as well as ransomware defense. Mobile devices will make use of a call blocker, app advisor, RAM boost, battery saver, sim security, anti-theft features, and a photo vault.
But wait, there’s (even) more. The Wi-Fi Inspector will scan your home and public networks for weaknesses, while sandbox will let you open suspicious files in a safe. Avast Ultimate will even let you safely use other virus protection on your PC alongside it.
Those more experienced in these waters will enjoy all the configuration options while not making it any difficult on the beginners either.
We only had a bone to pick with Avast’s attempts at peddling its other products through this platform and the fact that at moments it would consume more resources than we would have preferred.
Regardless of its light weight, it will give you peace of mind security-wise, thanks to the features like effective and predictive antivirus protection, password management, WiFi Security VPN, accurate phishing prevention, protection against identity theft and webcam spying, and other great features and options.
Interestingly, it won’t only cover the usual operating systems, but also devices running on ChromeOS. However, what impressed us the most was its unusually generous 70-day no-questions-asked money-back guarantee should you end up disappointed with any part of the product or simply don’t want to continue for any other reason.
Having said that, we were slightly displeased with the fact that the iOS app didn’t have a malware scanning option – it has a password management feature, secure browser, and backup option.
It won’t drain your resources to do all this either and there’s even a battery-saving mode for when you need it. Once you install it, it will keep a low profile and bother you only when absolutely necessary. You will be able to fine-tune your security profile with one of 150 detailed settings.
All this is available for users of Windows, Mac, Android, and even Linux devices. However, iOS users should look elsewhere as this product has no protection tools for their devices.
You can test out the service with all its features for free during a 30-day trial period and you won’t even have to leave your credit card details.
The app will provide all the usual (award-winning protection and configurable firewall) and some extras, such as password manager, app performance optimization, encrypted storage, safe web browsing, and others. If you’re a customer in the US, you’ll even get access to the extra identity theft protection features.
There’s a 30-day money-back guarantee for everyone who finds this software inadequate and free phone and chat customer support for everyone requiring help with anything related to the platform.
The Game Booster mode lets you play games in a safe environment without sacrificing performance, while the heavy-duty firewall blocks any unauthorized attempts at connecting to the Internet and malware loading via downloaded apps.
Its comprehensive identity protection features aren’t limited to the US – they’re also available in Canada, the UK, Demark, Ireland, Germany, Austria, Finland, Italy, Norway, Poland, Sweden, Turkey, Switzerland, and the Netherlands.
Although all these features are excellent, some are missing, such as performance optimization and encrypted file storage, for example.
Features covered by this security package include high-grade threat and ransomware protection, defenses against identity theft, USB rescue drive, as well as parental controls. There’s even a free VPN thrown in, although it is limited to 150MB per day.
Some downsides are present, so you won’t really get a rich feature set as you might with some others – no password manager, automatic updates of your apps, cleanup tool, or unlimited VPN (you can purchase these separately though). There’s a 30-day free trial to see how this platform works out for you.
