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Webroot Antivirus is cloud-based antivirus and antimalware software that includes additional features like a firewall, phishing protection, and defense against ransomware for full-coverage protection in a lightweight package. With multiple customizable plans at various pricepoints, there are options to suite everyone’s needs.
At U.S. News & World Report, we take an unbiased approach to our ratings. We adhere to strict editorial guidelines, maintain a separate business team, and provide transparency on our methodology.
Webroot SecureAnywhere Antivirus ties for No. 5 in our Best Antivirus Software of 2022 rating. Webroot is a subsidiary of Carbonite, which, in turn, is a subsidiary of OpenText, which provides enterprise information management software, including security software, to companies. Webroot is aimed at consumers and small businesses, and is known for its very small size and fast operation, creating little overhead on systems where it’s installed.
Less accurate antivirus detection than several competitors, according to experts
Lack of dark web monitoring
Webroot Antivirus is a cloud-centric antivirus and antimalware package that also includes phishing protection, a firewall, and ransomware protection. Webroot comes in three versions for consumers: the basic antivirus package, Internet Security Plus with Antivirus, and Internet Security Complete with Antivirus. The advanced versions offer protection for smartphones and tablets, and they include licenses for additional computers. The base price for the base antivirus package is $39.99 for one device for one year. Internet Security Plus with Antivirus is $59.99, which includes licenses for three computers. Internet Security Complete with Antivirus is $79.99 per year for five computers. These prices, however, are sometimes discounted.
Professional reviews of Webroot praise its light impact on devices and fast operation. They note that the speed is due to its design, which lets suspicious software run in a bubble so it can be analyzed rather than depending on matching it with a list of antivirus signatures. This approach is more likely to catch previously unknown malware. However reviewers criticize Webroot’s difficulty with passing standard antivirus detection tests, as well as its relatively high number of false positives in which it identifies software as malware that isn’t actually malware.
While Webroot may not meet the detection standards of some high-end competitors, it surpasses them in speed and low impact on devices. Webroot may give false positives, but it will cover basic antivirus and antimalware needs with a few extras like a virtual private network (VPN) and webcam protection.
Webroot offers three levels of protection based on its antivirus software, plus it offers a business version intended to protect small and medium enterprises and managed service providers. All three of the personal antivirus products use the same antivirus software, but more advanced packages add extra features. Webroot for business is part of the larger OpenText managed detection and response cloud-based protection and is priced according to the application.
The basic version of Webroot ($39.99 per year for one device) includes only the antivirus software itself, which has the following features:
Threat protection for PC and Macintosh computers
Memory-based scans
Identity security, including protection against ransomware changes
Repair to ransomware corrupted files
Browser protection to block phishing and otherwise dangerous websites
Firewall protection
Network connection monitor
Webroot’s Internet Security Plus with Antivirus ($59.99 per year for one device) includes all of the features of the antivirus listed above, plus the following features:
Security for smartphones and tablets (including iOS and Android devices)
Password and login protection
Chromebook protection
Support for up to three devices.
Webroot Internet security Complete with Antivirus ($79.99 per year for one device) expands the list of features and the number of supported devices. The additional features include the following:
Cleans the device and improving performance by reclaiming drive space and deletes unnecessary files
Eliminates traces of online activity by removing temporary files, cookies and browsing history
Support for up to five devices
Webroot for Gamers ($39.99 for one device) is similar to Webroot Antivirus, but marketed for gamers, emphasizing its light overhead and fast operation. It includes the features of the basic antivirus, but also includes the system optimization from Webroot Complete. It’s only available for single computer installations. Webroot for Chromebook is a limited version that sells for $14.99 per year, with a regular price of $24.99. Webroot for Chromebook offers the following protections:
Antivirus protection against malware and spyware
Prevents visits to unsafe websites
Protects against fake apps and malicious downloads, bad browser extensions and phishing attempts
Protects against sites that attempt to steal personal information
Webroot WiFi Security is a virtual private network (VPN) for Wi-Fi connections that can be added to any level of Webroot Antivirus. It also can be added as a stand-alone VPN. In addition to providing VPN services, WiFi Security performs web filtering with Windows, MacOS, and Android devices, screening out suspicious and phishing websites.
Webroot Endpoint Protection is the business antivirus and antimalware package. It includes a number of features that are outside the usual scope of consumer protection, including a cloud-based management console, contextual threat intelligence and what Webroot calls its Evasion Shield, which includes a comprehensive ability to detect and prevent script-based attacks, while still allowing desired scripts to be white-listed. Webroot includes managed detection and response from two sources, the Webroot MDR from Blackpoint and the OpenText MDR. These provide an AI powered threat detection capability as well as the Blackpoint service with its own security operations center (SOC) and advanced malware and threat defense.
The Webroot Antivirus Software is available with three levels of protection. They are the basic Antivirus, which is currently offered at $29.99 for the first year. The annual cost is $39.99. The Internet Security Plus with Antivirus is currently offered at $44.99 per year for three devices, with the regular price being $59.99. Internet Security Complete is currently offered at $59.99 for five devices for one year with the regular price per year being $79.99.
Both Webroot and McAfee are excellent antivirus packages, and both will provide good value for the dollars spent. However, independent testers complained about false positive results from Webroot, meaning that the software identified software as malware when it wasn’t. While rare, such results can cause problems if necessary software is erased or if the user loses confidence in the results. In the real world, Webroot’s performance-based identification is sufficiently different from how McAfee spots virus and malware activity that those third-party tests may not be accurate. The bottom line is that both products do an excellent job of detecting viruses, malware and phishing activity, but McAfee has a broader range of capabilities, which may not matter to you, depending on your requirements.
If you had to choose one, McAfee is more widely used, and that might be a reason to choose it. But for some uses, Webroot’s light touch and fast operation could make the difference.
Trend Micro is a capable antivirus product that works well, as is Webroot. However, Trend Micro has better ransomware protection. Perhaps equally important, especially for long-term use, Webroot has been found by most reviewers to have a particularly difficult user interface that some list as cluttered, while others say is hard to understand and use. Trend Micro’s user interface is said to be simple and straightforward. In some tests, both products produced high levels of false positives, which can be problematic for any security software. Webroot’s cloud-centric design does give it an edge in performance, which may be a reason to choose it over Trend Micro.
All Webroot antivirus packages include a host of highly effective antivirus and malware protections. However, Webroot antivirus software lacks some cybersecurity features that many other antivirus software vendors include, most prominently a VPN. Instead of a single all-inclusive solution, Webroot sells a number of different cybersecurity protections that can be used on their own or with its antivirus software.
Webroot says it updates its virus definitions more than 100 times a day. More complete software updates are issued several times a year, typically every month according to Webroot. All virus definitions and software updates are conducted automatically and invisibly to the user.
Webroot's "passive mode" allows users to temporarily disable antivirus protection, which it advises against. But this "passive mode" allows you to run another antivirus program alongside Webroot's for extra protection.
If you need to uninstall Webroot antivirus or cybersecurity software, it recommends using Webroot Setup Wizard, the same program used when you initially install its products. Alternatively, Webroot offers special Uninstall Utilities, which can be found on the Webroot website.
Still looking for more information about antivirus software or trying to find the best antivirus software for you? Explore the directory below to learn more.
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