If you've been looking for the best antivirus software out there but don't want a heavy beast that slows down your device then Webroot Secureanywhere is worth a look. It's up there as one of the best internet security software options thanks to a great combination of power and price.
Like most antivirus solutions there are a few tiers to pick from, hopefully tailoring the features ideally to your needs. Grab the basic Antivirus entry option to save a buck, go for Internet Security Plus to get more device coverage and extra features. Or go full safety with the Internet Security Complete package.
We'll guide you through the selection and their differences so you can find the best option for you in this Webroot SecureAnywhere review.
Webroot SecureAnywhere: AntiVirus
- $29.99 annually.
- Light footed antivirus solution.
This is Webroot SecureAnywhere's entry option with antivirus protection as its core. That is not a bad thing though. Many of the features in the other packages could be surplus to your requirements so don't write this one off because it's minimal.
In fact minimalism is one of the greatest appeals here with a very clean build that puts very little strain on your processing power. This uses cloud based brains while the imprint on your machine is very small at just 4MB for the installer. A smart way of working that's proved viable from many testing results.
While this will keep your laptop zipping along quickly it also offers intelligent support that adapts to attacks, even when they're new. While this works on both PC and Mac, it is a web-based security system so requires an internet connection. But since that's the way in for attacks anyway this isn't an issue.
A full scan at installation is standard, with checks for malware, analyzing installed applications, establishing a baseline and optimizing performance for your system.
Webroot will let new, unknown programs run, but under strict monitoring. If the brain in the cloud deems it a threat, everything from the point of recognition can be rolled back. This got the software a Level 2 certification from MRG-Effitas testing, meaning while it didn't immediately wipe out all threats, it did remove them all within 24 hours.
Malware work was similarly excellent with 100 percent of malware removed, including all ransomware attacks and phishing also.
Webroot SecureAnywhere: Internet Security Plus
- $44.99 annually.
- Includes smartphone and tablet cover.
The Webroot SecureAnywhere Internet Security Plus package sits in the middle, offering another layer of security on top of that which the basic deal delivers. This takes the cover beyond your computer to smartphones and tablets.
At time of publishing the app is available on both Android and iOS but they're not identical. The iOS version protection comprises secure browsing and password management but not the scanning and blocking of iOS apps.
You get coverage for up to five devices at the same time for this package. There is an option for a VPN with WiFi scanning, but you need to pay extra for this add-on.
Webroot SecureAnywhere: Internet Security Complete
- $59.99 annually.
- 25GB online cloud storage.
The top end Webroot SecureAnywhere Internet Security Complete deal offers you, on top of everything listed above, the addition of free cloud storage and online activity protection.
This top-tier deal gets you 25GB of online cloud storage which is, of course, totally secure. This will also cover you for up to five devices at once, including smartphones, Macs, PCs and tablets.
You get a high level of online identity, shopping and banking protection. This is protected against the likes of keyloggers, spyware and other threats online. The mobile specific browser protection furthers this security for web use when on the move. This blocks malicious websites and phishing attacks before you even load them.
There is a dedicated Secure Web Browser for iOS devices but also offers a high-level of protection for Android based browsing use.
How good is Webroot SecureAnywhere Antivirus?
- Super low impact on device performance
- Powerful cloud based intervention
Now this is where things start to get a little tricky. When evaluating antivirus software and their capabilities, we lean on industry experts like AV Test and AV Comparatives. These specialist websites perform regular and extensive testing on all of the top antivirus software to determine how effective they are at blocking malware attacks, while also evaluating the effects that software has on your computer’s performance. Great, so what’s the issue?
Webroot SecureAnywhere Antivirus isn’t on either of these websites’ regular testing schedules, so they only have limited data on Webroot SecureAnywhere Antivirus’s performance.
In 2019, AV Test found a 99.3 percent chance of detection of malware, compared to an industry average of 99.8 percent. Protection against 0-day malware was far lower than the industry average of 97.1 percent at a high of 81.1 percent. While these test results aren't amazing, they may not take into account how Webroot works, with that rollback system that removes threats and effects within 24 hours. So take any negativity here with a pinch of salt.
AV Test found that the performance score was an impressive 5.5 out of 6 with factors like slowing down when launching popular websites at an average of 16 percent but just 12 percent for Webroot.
As for AV Comparatives, it hasn’t covered a Webroot product since 2012. Given its performance in the AV Test evaluation though, it’s easy to see why. There are just far more effective programs out there to protect your devices with. Based on this limited, but rather worrying data, we can’t recommend Webroot SecureAnywhere Antivirus over the competition. It’s better than no antivirus, but that’s about the best we can say.
Webroot Secureanywhere review: Price
We’ve already covered the prices of the various options that Webroot Secureanywhere offers but we’ve collated them here for your convenience:
- Webroot Secureanywhere: Antivirus - $29.99 annually.
- Webroot Secureanywhere: Internet Security Plus - $44.99 annually.
- Webroot Secureanywhere: Internet Security Complete - $59.99 annually.
OK, so Webroot SecureAnywhere Antivirus isn’t as good as the big names in the field. That’s to be expected, but if the price is right then it still might be a compelling option for people on a tight budget, right? Wrong.
Webroot SecureAnywhere Antivirus costs $29.99 to cover a single device for a year. For that price, you could get three devices covered using Bitdefender Antivirus. You can also get coverage for three devices for $37.49 for the first year, but this is more expensive than just about any other service. And if you really only need a single device covered then you could get Norton 360 Antivirus for $19.99 for the first year.
There are some savings to be made if you pay for multiple years up front, but the competition offers these deals too, so Webroot still ends up being more expensive than its rivals.
Should you buy Webroot Secureanywhere?
No. Short and sweet, but that’s the truth of it. Webroot SecureAnywhere Antivirus has an incredibly spartan feature set and performs significantly worse than every other antivirus program that we reviewed in industry standard tests - if it can even get into the testing pools at all. To top it all off, Webroot SecureAnywhere Antivirus isn’t even any cheaper than its rivals, in fact it's more expensive than some of the biggest names in the game.
None of this is to say that Webroot is bad - it's just that the rest of the pack is better. It’s certainly better than having no protection on your computer, but considering the fact that you can get Avast Free Antivirus for the princely sum of zero dollars, we can’t even recommend it as a last resort. AVG Antivirus is another good option for free so be sure to check out our AVG vs Webroot showdown feature for more details. If you’re running an antique computer from the land that time forgot and nothing else will run on it, this might be your best option. Otherwise, avoid.
