Customer Ratings & Reviews

I am not one to typically buy antivirus software since I find the preinstalled version of Defender on Windows sufficient. But I wanted to give Webroot a run to see how it performs. The software is easy to download and install. After the installation process is finished, the activation process is straightforward too. I also enjoy how the app itself is only about 35MB in size. While the UI is easy to navigate, it does appear outdated. It reminds me of software from the 2000s. Compared to modern antivirus software, it certainly looks outdated. But if it can do the job of keeping a device secure, I’m not complaining. A neat feature that this antivirus app offers is that it automatically updates. It's one of those things where you set it and forget it. Manual scans can also be performed through the UI, and they are extremely quick. Most of my scans are less than 30 seconds. Other security options can be toggled on/off (they are on by default), like Web Shield, USB Shield, Script Shield, and so much more. There is also a neat tool that displays active processes that can then be monitored or blocked. In terms of use, this is certainly one of the lightest antivirus programs I have used. It does not take up a lot of resources. In total, all of Webroot’s processes take up about 1% of my PC’s 32GB of memory. The individual processes can take up between 0.1%-0.4% of memory. And when it's running a scan, it takes up 6% of my CPU. For the most part, I did not run into any issues. But then I started running some stress tests. The first test wasn’t intentional but did come up. I was running some benchmark software on my PC that had some automation built into it. Well, the automation tool must’ve triggered something in the antivirus because it detected it as a malicious tool and quarantined it. This was a false positive, so I proceeded to whitelist the .exe file that triggered the warning and ran the benchmark again. Unfortunately, Webroot was still crashing my benchmark software after whitelisting the file. It wasn’t until I had disabled the antivirus that the automated benchmarks were able to be completed. I then decided to perform some website protection testing to see how Web Shield holds up. I had intentionally visited a malware-ridden website, and Chrome did do its initial job in stopping me from visiting the site. I still proceeded to the site to test Webroot. Unfortunately, no warning banner had stopped me from heading to this website. I then tested a website without SSL encryption (an unencrypted website), which I would think would at least trigger a warning from Webroot. Unfortunately, still nothing. I did some digging, and I found that there is a Chrome extension that must be installed and enabled for Web Shield to function. Chrome had installed the extension, but I had to manually enable it for it to work. After enabling the extension, the malicious website was blocked but I was able to still access the unencrypted website. I wanted to mention this for those who will be using this antivirus software on their loved ones' devices. Just verify that the extension is enabled; otherwise, they can certainly be easily exposed to malicious websites. Overall, Webroot is a lightweight antivirus software that performs quickly and efficiently. But it is not the most accurate. I had issues with false positives, and it did not stop me from accessing an unencrypted website. I also did not see any notice that an extension was necessary for web protection. Luckily, throughout my testing, I discovered that the extension was disabled and then proceeded to enable it. While I did run into these issues while performing some of the more technical stuff, this antivirus tool is perfect for your loved ones who aren’t the most tech-savvy. If you would like peace of mind knowing that your loved ones are protected from malicious stuff on the internet, you cannot go wrong with installing this antivirus tool on their computers.

Webroot Essentials is a fairly straightforward antivirus program, which is likely both its biggest strength and its biggest limitation. It's designed for people who want basic security across many devices without having to spend a lot of time managing settings, dealing with complicated menus, or worrying about software slowing down their computers. After spending some time with it, I think it does a pretty good job of accomplishing that goal. It’s more of an install it and forget it kind of software, rather than having an antivirus program you are consistency going back to. The interface itself is pretty basic, which seems appropriate for this particular product. Everything is easy to navigate because there really isn’t much to navigate. You can check your protection status, run scans, and access additional security tools without having to dig through endless menus. Someone who isn't especially comfortable with computers should have very little trouble figuring out the main functions. Scanning is really the main thing this does, it’s more broad detection and prevention based, rather than a deep comprehensive scan. The scanning is incredibly fast, my desktop approximately 45 seconds to complete. That's extremely quick compared to some of the antivirus programs I've used over the years. The program checks files and active processes and then provides a fairly simple summary of the results. You don't get a tremendous amount of information, but I suppose that fits with the overall philosophy of Essentials. For someone who simply wants to run a scan and get back to what they were doing, that's certainly appealing. My favorite feature is actually the active process management tool, which is accessible by right clicking on the webroot icon in your task bar. This provides a list of processes currently running on your computer and lets you inspect them and control how the security software handles them. You can allow, monitor, or block individual processes, and there are tools for terminating untrusted processes as well. You can accomplish the same thing with windows built in process monitor, but I’ve always found that version clunky. Webroots process management tool is much easier to use, and faster to load. The software isn’t particularly demanding on system resources. I do quite a bit of work on my computer, often with multiple programs and processes running simultaneously, and I don't want security software interfering with everything else I'm doing. I haven't encountered issues with it unnecessarily restricting the programs I use, which goes back to the statement I made earlier about it being an install it and forget it types of software. I also like that I can install it across multiple platforms, from my PC to my iPhone, all with the same activation code. I did notice that I can’t see my other installed devices though, so it’s very much a local program. Overall, it’s a great bare bones anti-virus program. It’s definitely a benefit to have on your computer, and if you are somebody who doesn’t like dealing with limitations caused by other anti-virus software, then this one is right up your alley.

Webroot Essentials SecurityAnywhere is an easy to install and use security suite with excellent default settings but also plenty of configuration options and advanced features. Installation I installed Webroot Essentials SecurityAnywhere on two PCs, 3 phones, and one Chromebook. All the installations were very simple to complete and didn't take long. The PCs are both running Windows 11 26H2. The phones are all Android running versions 13, 14, and 17. The Chromebook is an older one with 8 GB of RAM and an i3 CPU. I wasn't planning to install it on the Chromebook because I didn't expect it would be supported. After I was so pleased with the install on Android, I thought I'd give it a try. Not only is it supported, but there's actually a Chrome OS specific version of Webroot SecureAnywhere on the Play Store! So I installed that and it worked as one of my 6 included licenses. I was afraid they would run a long scan at the end. They each did run a scan at the end of the install but none of them took long to complete it. I'll include a screenshot of the end of the install on one of my PCs where it shows the initial scan it runs. It only took 35 seconds for it to scan over 89,615 files. Included Webroot Essentials includes SecurityAnywhere anti-virus, anti-malware, firewall, Real-time Shield for programs, Web Shield, Privacy Shield, LastPass password manager, Web Threat Shield browser plugin, and Phishing Shield. There are also components specific to phones like "Text Scan Protection" and malware scanning of apps as well as website threat protection for phones. When you install on the PC, it seems like it enabled most everything automatically and by default. I haven't changed any of the settings yet and I'm very happy with how it's working. On mobile devices, you need to manually enable things like "Webroot for Chrome" and "Text Scam Protection", allowing access for it as well. It's quick and easy to do, but make sure you enabled those after the install on mobile devices. Speed and Compatibility The install is fast and so is scanning. I don't notice any impact to system performance. Two of the phones I installed it on have lower-end CPUs. One is what I would consider a slow, lower-end CPU. Webroot is working great on all three phones. And it's the same deal on the PCs. Even games on my PCs seem to be unaffected. By default it's configured not to run scans when a program or game is running full screen, so I guess that's why, but I was still skeptical. As I mentioned, it really hasn't impacted performance in any way I can notice. The phones on Android 13 and 14 both have 8 GB of RAM and the one on Android 17 has 12 GB of RAM. I'm not sure if RAM is major factor it in working so well, but that gives some idea of the phones I'm using. It may work just as well with less. And it seems the CPU doesn't need to be extra new or fast. I also haven't run into any compatibly issues. There are a ton of configuration options so if you find things that don't work and you think it could be due to Webroot SecurityAnywhere, there are probably logs that will show you where the problem is and you can probably change a setting to fix it. I thought I would run into compatibility issues on my PCs with some of the games, or gaming hardware related applications that I have installed. So far I haven't had any compatibility issues or any reason to change any of the default settings. It came with settings configured in what seems to be a well secured manor but I still don't have it blocking anything I use. Configuration I've used a lot of Windows security tools and often find the settings to be scattered and hard to find. For me the layout is more logical with Webroot SecureAnywhere than I expected. The main screen looks clean with a nice list of expandable categories on the right. Most of those have a gear that opens a screen with additional settings, still each screen feels less cluttered than I expected, making it easier to work with. Don't get me wrong, I don't think it's over simplified. It has tons of settings, including some very advanced once I didn't expect to see in a consumer product. I'll give two examples. From the main screen you can click the gear to the right of "PC Security", and then at the bottom right click the "View Active Connections" button. This lets you see any program that has connections over the network at anytime you want. One other feature that I think is powerful and wasn't expecting is the "SafeStart Sandbox". This will let you run a suspicious program in a "sandbox" that lets you see what it does while providing a layer of protection from harm it could do. From the main screen just click on the gear to the right of "Utilities", click on the "System Control" tab, and then click the "Run SafeStart Sandbox" button. The other versions have a lot less options, but good options specific to those devices. Please see my screenshots showing some of the settings and features that are available. LastPass One of the tools included is really a separate application called LastPass. It's a password manager with a browser extension on PC and an app for phones. You can store your passwords in it and it can automatically fill credentials when you login. The information stored in LastPass then stays in sync with the app on your phone. The phone app can also autofill information from into apps and websites on your phone. LastPass also has a Windows app you can install from the Microsoft Store. I found the Windows app, the browser plugin, and "Vault" web page all to be very very similar in features, if not the same. It was easy for me to import my passwords in and it's very fast to search and find the one you want. The auto-filling on web pages works great. It has many pre-defined item types for when you're saving a new item in LastPass. You can always just customize your own too. While you can setup Multi-Factor Authentication to get into LastPass, it doesn't support saving MFA codes along with individual items, so you would just continue to receive a text or us an authenticator app to handle that. Imported nearly 500 items and it handled them very well. It's great having them in a secure password manager not tied to other ecosystems I use that I can access from my phone or PC with ease. Summary The Webroot Essentials, to me is a much fuller featured security package than it's name would suggest, having the word "Essentials" in it. I've been impressed by the included security tools and overall feature set as well as the way I haven't seen speed degradation or compatibility problems with applications or games. I've found Webroot Essentials to be an easy way to add a number great security tools on up to 6 devices!

Pros: -Provides protection for up to 6 devices, including iOS and Android. -Includes LastPass password manager. -Tiny footprint results in minimal disk and system resource usage, making it an excellent choice for older systems. Pro and a Con: Because virus and malware definitions live in the cloud rather than on your device, it requires very little space and system resources. However, to remain fully effective, it needs a constant, solid internet connection. If your device is online most of the time, you will be fine. Installation and Performance: Installation was quick and a breeze on my MacBook Neo, taking less than 2 minutes. Since I got the base 256gb storage my priority minimal disk usage, and protection that wouldn't bog down my system. Webroot fit the bill since it's known for being the least resource-heavy on disk and system performance. Because the definitions live in the cloud, it took only 27 MB of disk space. I also didn’t encounter any issues running it alongside AdGuard on both of my devices. Scanning and Features: The first scan was very fast, lasting under 7 minutes compared to previous experiences where it would take almost an hour. I’m sure with faster SSDs on higher-end models this would go a lot quicker compared to the slower one on the MacBook Neo. Besides malware protection, there’s also some useful utilities like a system optimizer to clean up files that are no longer needed, a system report, and system control to kill and monitor processes. Mobile Experience: For mobile devices, I installed the app on my iPad Pro. Installation from the App Store, logging in with my account, and completing the initial setup and scan took less than 5 minutes. It only supports Safari for monitoring online threats when browsing the web. There are other features available like a VPN, but those require a plan upgrade. Just like on Mac OS, the app doesn't seem to drain many resources on my iPad. Conclusion: It’s been a while since I installed antivirus software, mainly due to how much storage and system resources traditional programs use, causing random slowdowns just trying to open files or applications. Webroot Essentials has changed my stance on them based on how well it performs while staying hidden most of the time. This is a great option to consider for anyone looking for solid protection without giving up precious resources on their devices.

I feel I am a fairly on top of my computer security and occasionally cautious of where I visit on the internet. So, giving the Webroot software a try was easy to see if my current setup was enough or if I would find a hole in my systems security. Install is super easy for a bunch of devices and varied operating systems. Webroot Essentials can install on up to 6 devices, I started with my main Windows PC. It was pretty straight forward to install and setup. You just have to have the security key ready to activate the software. I went ahead and made sure to tick all the settings that were applicable to my system to root out anything that might be malicious and ran the first scan. After most of a week and daily scans. Webroot did not seem to find anything scary or worrisome. While Webroot barely uses any system resources. I did notice an odd slowdown when I was emptying the Windows Recycle Bin. What normally was right click "Empty Recycle Bin" and a second later, click yes on the pop up. Could take up to 30 seconds with Webroot installed. I uninstalled and the issue went away. Other than that the software was almost unnoticed aside from the daily status report. Either I never entered a dangerous link/site. Or other software I already had on my PC assisted in my safety with Webroot. Time will tell as the license is good for a year. This version of Webroot includes LastPass that can save your passwords for various sites in a web based Vault or as a browser plugin. I added an extension to Chrome and it worked really well. It popped up quickly and was ready to put in my credentials when a login is required. You can also see the saved credentials for use as secure wallet of sorts. That is a bit more useful and easier to access than other app based options that might only be on a home system. While both software titles seem to be pretty good security options for multiple devices. It would be nice to not have to do a Captcha'like security code when accessing the Windows software to see if the report had found an issue. But, guess that's security software being safe.

I have tried several anti-viruses over the years and was pleasantly surprised by the simplicity of Webroot. It runs quietly in the background without the constant pop-ups and reminders that other anti-viruses have led us to believe is normal. The only thing that I can detract from is its rudimentary appearance on the pc as it is fuzzy and pixelated. The phone’s app looks perfectly polished though. *Installation* Downloading and installing was quick and easy. I was not forced to do anything beyond create a login, there is no need to supply a credit card, and thus no forced commitment to auto-renew. Love that! *Scans* The antivirus runs its scan quietly using very little resources on the pc. Similarly, the scan completes quickly on the phone and will continue to run in the background even if you leave the app. Webroot also includes password managing with LastPass as part of the subscription. It is a separate app with a separate login, and you have to ensure you go to your Webroot account portal to activate it. The password manager offers a great way to keep not only passwords, but also a ton of other personal vital information in one secure place such as credit cards and back account info. It is really useful because it can be accessed across platforms and removes the hassle of having info spread out over various locations when it is suddenly needed. *Ease of Use* Webroot is so easy to use that I gave one of my device slots to my mom’s pc as she is not tech savvy. Most antiviruses that I have tried have so much going on that they are a maze to navigate and the constant pop-ups can be both confusing and frustrating, but this one really brings us back to simplicity. This is great when you want to reduce the digital noise but also for people like my mom who have a difficult time navigating virtual spaces. *Conclusion* Overall, Webroot is a budget-friendly simple yet effective antivirus that covers both computers and phones. It gives you exactly what you ask for, protection for your device, and nothing you don’t want. The password manager included is a big plus and incredibly helpful to streamline and simplify life.

Picking a software that protects your personal data whether you are using a phone, tablet or computer is quite confusing these days. Do you need the plain Antivirus or maybe the Standard edition or the Essentials or the Plus, or the Premium or the Deluxe or the Ultimate or maybe the one that is labeled Total Protection will cover it all! It seems the fancier the name the more tools they provide that are beyond that simple need of protecting your data. Webroot keeps it simple and the Essential Software does just that – it covers the essentials without over loading your pc with tools that you will never use. Installing Webroot Essentials was straight forward and I was able to install it on multiple pcs and laptops. I reviewed the default settings and didn’t find any need to make any changes. My only issue with this software is that it does not remove the existing security software – in my case it didn’t uninstall McAfee or Bitdefender which were on some of the devices. I had no problem removing the apps but it would have been better if during the installation that Webroot either identified the software and told me to uninstall it or performed the task on its own. I did not notice any slow downs or issues while playing games or downloading files with Webroot installed. I am trusting that the protection the software is providing will keep my devices safe.

I’ve been using Webroot Essentials on two Windows laptops, including one I use constantly for software development. It has been dependable and surprisingly light on system resources. Daily scheduled scans run in the background without getting in the way of building or running applications, working with databases, or writing custom scripts. What I appreciate most is that it handles routine protection quietly. The scheduled automation means scans happen without interrupting my day, and I can keep working without having to manage the software constantly, nor does it pop up and "nag" me about features I do not have. It just runs and "does it thing". I did download a sample of pack of a few AV test files ( they appear malicious but are inert and are for testing various malware and AV tools ) - every test file was immediately picked up and quarantined. Nice ! For a final test, I ran a number of AI models locally, the mix of scripts and some tools do frequently trip off these tools - I received one warning and no other interference with anything I ran including ComfyUI, a few custom scripts (powershell), nor did this interfere with Docker or podman. Highlights: low resource usage, scheduled daily scanning, and unobtrusive background operation. Top Features - Cloud based threat detection and frequent threat-definition updates - Works ! Real time protection while browsing, downloading, or opening files - Works ! Ransomware and phishing protection - Works ! Automatic updates and a simple setup - Absolutely, a few clicks and a restart. 3 Minutes ! What I love: Dependable protection that stays out of the way of everyday work. Automatic Updates and instant Quarantining.

I was looking to ditch the free antivirus that came bundled with my PC. It was constantly sending popups to remind me that I hadn’t upgraded to a more expensive paid service for it. I find it annoying. Upon my initial look at Webroot I was skeptical, some online reviews panned the product based mainly on first look lab tests. I dug further, though, and I found that Webroot leans on behaviour-based detection to look at patterns over time to detect unknown malicious programs. I understand it also uses file comparison to detect known malicious files. I found that since Webroot is cloud based it takes up very little room on my drive. 85MB is what I see. Full scans are performed quickly, my laptop’s initial scan took less than five and a half minutes. 200GB on a 1TB drive. Faster than the brand I deleted! This program has a data breach search to let you know if your personal information has been listed for sale. I’m going to tell you that it looks very similar to what I get from haveibeenpwned since the info was worded identically and in the same order as that site. But it’s good info to have however you get it! As a person who lived through the Yahoo data breach I do appreciate how much work it is to change every password I use to another new, unique, password. All 294 of them. I’d rather not do that again! This product includes the use of a password manager run by LastPass so you can store your passwords in a convenient, secure spot. It’s a bummer that the browser extension it uses only works with Chrome, Edge, Firefox, or Opera since I don’t use any of those browsers. Unfortunately, it appears that Webroot’s Web Threat Shield can only be enabled with Edge, Chrome, or Firefox so if you don’t use one of those three then you will not be able to take advantage of that feature either. I’m going to pass on this one but if you prefer one of the supported browsers then this software is lightweight, fast, and not very expensive to maintain a subscription.

Webroot Essentials offers a mix of protection, privacy tools, and password management and even identity theft without making security feel overly complicated. Its AI-powered antivirus is designed to stop threats before they reach your device and also actively monitoring your devices in the background just in case. The privacy protection helps safeguard personal information against online threats while you browse your favorite sites. Real-time anti-phishing adds another useful layer by warning you about potentially malicious websites and search results before you click. The secure password manager is a nice plus, helping you create, store, and manage strong, unique passwords, with autofill to make signing in to your favorite apps and websites more convenient. Compatibility is not an issue. Webroot is compatible with support for PCs, Macs, Chromebooks, smartphones, Apple iOS, and Android. Webroot also emphasizes automatic updates rather than time-consuming manual maintenance. According to Webroot, it scours 95% of the internet three times a day, analyzing billions of web pages, files, and apps to help determine what’s safe online. I’ve been using Webroot Essentials on my PC and Android phone, and thankfully, I haven’t run into any issues or viruses so far. Having that extra layer of protection gives me peace of mind, and it’s nice knowing something is watching my back while I’m online. Overall, Webroot Essentials brings together several useful security features in a package focused on convenience, performance, and keeping protection current.

I've always been one of those "MS Defender" is just fine type of a guy for my daily needs. The vast majority of my PCs only do gaming and web surfing on major known sites so I didn't think anything else was needed. Webroot actually gave me a little more peace of mind with added ID Protection, safe browsing and others like PW manager. One thing I really did like is how ridiculously lightweight it actually is. There is barely any CPU usage when performing scans to even notice a slowdown at all and the file size is small. Another option I do like is that it will perform background scans roughly every hour to ensure no threats are detected. There is no pop ups, ads or anything trying to grab as much money out of your wallet like other viruses....I mean anti virus software like N***** or M*****. When I was using Defender I was using full/deep scans but with Webroot they have a informative window to let you know it is actually kind of pointless to proceed (of course they won't stop you). The very 1st time I proceeded with a full scan took a little over an hour and regular scans about 15 minutes. I know my devices are clean, but with Webroot's super lightweight software not bogging down any resources, there is just a little more peace of mind knowing I have a little bit more protection.

Very nice protection suite. You can install it on a PC, also mobile. Its easy to, just create an account, redeem the code and you can choose where to install it and you got protection for a whole year, very good value for the price. Installing it on my PC and laptop was easy and auto updated and did an initial scan and found no issues. What worried me most (as with any of these type of aps) is the footprint, be it CPU time, memory etc. I'm happy to confirm that the footprint in all those areas is minimal. I was able to observe its processes on the task manager on Windows and it barely takes any CPU time or memory at all. It protects against viruses, malwares, phasing attempts and also comes with a firewall and a password manager. There is an icon on the system tray and from there you can open the app to perform a manual scan, it can also notify you of a new app trying to access the internet and if you want to further block it or a allow it (the firewall). Highly recommend it if you are looking for a lightweight protection for your PC and also mobile for a whole year, great value for the price too!

Webroot Essentials is just what it says on the tin: a program to provide essential basic protection against viruses and malware across many different kinds of devices. The basic program takes over for any existing antivirus software on your PC (like Windows Defender), and scans through your files to find anything that looks suspicious. In addition, the program includes some basic utilities that allow you to exert some control over your computer by monitoring or disabling active processes and starting applications with guardrails to see how they function before allowing them broader access to your computer. The password manager function included in the software operates through LastPass, giving Webroot users the same level of access as a LastPass premium membership. This is a welcome addition if you prefer to use LastPass, because it saves about as much in annual LastPass fees as the Webroot product costs. In my time using Webroot, I've found it to be a capable basic antivirus. I like using LastPass, which can be slightly better that using Google Passwords, but is also a little more work. What I don't like about Webroot is all the attempts within the software to get users to buy in to other software from the same company. Through various places in its interface, Webroot essentials links to pages to buy Webroot Backup & Restore, Webroot Secure VPN, and Webroot PC Optimizer. Even when you click on the user guide link within the PC version, the company's website offers a popup that tells you your system isn't performing well and invites you to pay for PC Optimizer. This kind of aggressive push for add-on products does not necessarily have the effect of making users want to pay for additional services — it essentially just highlights how relatively featureless the core software is that it doesn't already include any of those functions. I can recommend Webroot Essentials only for those folks who prefer not to use free antivirus from their operating system provider and who need a LastPass premium subscription. Otherwise, pass on this one.

It makes me feel safer online. Easy to use. I believe it is worth it

I am a retired Electronics Technician with over 39 years experience including some in the I.T. (Information Technology) department of my employers. The first thing to explain is the name, Webroot Essentials. It covers the basics of Virus protection and elimination, i.e. The ESSENTIALS, hence the name. The advantage of Webroot Essentials is that it is a lightweight that punches like a heavyweight where it is needed. The program takes up very little space, I checked and on one of my laptops it currently uses 84.7 megabytes which is a tiny amount of space, and uses very little of your CPU's (Central Processing Unit) power and memory which can allow your device(s) to run much faster and be more responsive while Webroot is working in the background to protect your device or during full on scans that you have initiated yourself. In contrast, a cursory scan of the Web revealed that Microsoft's current Defender update package for 64 bit Windows installations is around 254mb for the update package alone and does not include the locally installed space taken up prior to that update. This is due to the fact that Defender requires virus and malware updates as they are discovered by Microsoft engineers/personnel and those updates are locally stored on your devices drive(s) via periodic updates/downloads. These scans by Webroot Essentials , once originally initiated can become so fast that they take only a few minutes to complete which again, keeps your computer running faster than some Virus detection applications do. Webroot Essentials features a "Cloud Based" Threat Intelligence rather than storing them locally on your hard drive, again saving not only time but space! It is my understanding that Webroot can also scan downloaded apps and place unknown apps in a kind of "probationary status" to monitor their actions and alert you to any problems it may detect. Since I don't download anything that I am unfamiliar with I did not experience this facet of Webroot Essentials protection. One of the missing items that I removed a Star for is a VPN. A Virtual Private Network allows you to select a temporary internet I.D. to better protect you from intrusion and attempts to garner P.I.I. or Personally Identifiable Information, malware and more. This feature is an extra cost item but again, this is the Essentials version of Webroot so while it would be nice to have the VPN included it is not, ergo that is the ONLY reason I gave this 4 Stars instead of 5. I pay for (up to) Gigabit download speeds for our home network. I noticed little if any difference in those speeds and to be honest, the greatest slowdown was during the time most folks get home from work and likely logging on to their computers and creating a bit of a bottleneck on the Web. My fastest speed test was a download of 998 mbps and the slowest was 487 mbps. Both speed checks were done with Webroot running a check in the backgroud. I would say the fact that since it is primarily Cloud Based, Webroot is able to protect you without bogging down your computer's CPU with having to continually access your HDD or SSD (Hard Disc Drive or Solid State Drive). To date this seems to be a standout feature for maintaining your computer's speed no matter what it is and keep in mind, you pay for more speed with your Internet Provider. For example, if you pay your provide for a maximum download speed of up to 100 mbps (megabytes per second) having your Virus Detection based in the Cloud versus on your computer may well keep you from dropping your speed a far greater percentage than what I have experienced. In my estimation Webroot Essentials is as competent as the OEM Virus Detection from Microsoft Defender but demonstrably faster in my experience. I recommend it because it doesn't seem to really slow down any of the 3 Windows computers I installed it on but...with the caveat that I do think it should come with a Virtual Private Network (VPN)!

TLDR; This is a lightweight, non-intrusive piece of software the provides solid protection in the every day across multiple devices and platforms. It “may” not offer the most robust protection, so if you are demanding user, check your use case before committing. Most people, however, should find that it meets their needs. Installation was quite easy across devices, and once up and running it is intuitive and rather simple to use. There are recommendations and information along the way, not countless intrusive popups. The help is appreciated as well as the manner it is given. As for protection and coverage, I am happy. I typically keep a good handle on things, but it is nice to have a little extra peace of mind. Thus far, I have not had any real issues, and it has caught a few links and connections that needed to be controlled. I did “stress test” it on another system and it did miss a thing or two that other software acted on. I was actively trying to trigger things, so take that for what it is worth. Not a major issue for me. Beyond that, I like that it is lightweight and the scans are quick. Be it on demand or via schedule, which itself is easy to get going. All in all I have no complaints here so far. There is also easy access to my account, some other features, install options, as well as subscription information. On some level, I wish this was in app, but as is the case with most, it is handled online. It is there, and mostly easy to navigate, but I did find it a bit clunky. Not really an issue, just what I personally felt and something to note. Ultimately, I think this is good software. It works, gives me peace of mind, and I like it. It is multi-device, cross platform, quick, simple, and reasonably priced. I think the value is there. I think it would work for most, my only hesitation being for those who may have more demanding and varied use cases.

A couple of months ago, I was hit with a particularly nasty piece of malware that ultimately led to several thousand dollars in unauthorized transactions. In the weeks leading up to it, I noticed a suspicious service that kept reappearing even after I deleted it. It eventually took a couple of hours of troubleshooting to remove completely. That experience sent me looking for a modern security suite. I've always been skeptical of third-party antivirus and anti-malware software. Over the years, I've used Malwarebytes, Avast, AVG, SUPERAntiSpyware, and others when I needed a one-time cleanup. The problem is that many of them quickly become annoying with upgrade prompts and advertisements for paid versions. Many of my computers have also come with McAfee preinstalled, often bringing multiple applications along with it. I still remember the days when antivirus software consumed a significant amount of system resources, and that perception has stayed with me. What attracted me to Webroot Smart Protection was its lightweight approach. I needed something that could protect multiple computers and phones without noticeably slowing them down. Webroot checked those boxes and supports all of the devices I wanted to cover. One of the first things I noticed was how small and fast it is. It uses only a few hundred megabytes of memory and typically completes scans in less than a minute. I currently have it configured to perform a daily scan. My only complaint is that the scan window appears on screen rather than staying completely in the background. Webroot also includes a password manager powered by LastPass. I've generally had positive experiences with LastPass and regularly recommend password managers to friends and family. I eventually moved to a different password manager after LastPass reduced some of its free features, but if you're already paying for Webroot and it includes LastPass, it's a useful addition. What I especially appreciate is that Webroot has expanded beyond traditional antivirus features. It now includes tools designed for more modern threats, such as AI privacy protection that helps redact sensitive information before sharing content with AI services. It also monitors for exposed credentials and data breaches that may affect your identity. These are practical features that address the kinds of risks many people face today. I'm usually the type of person who will stick with the free version of software and tolerate its limitations to save a few dollars. For years, I relied solely on Windows Defender because it was included with Windows and generally did a good job. My recent malware experience changed my perspective. While there's no way to know whether Webroot would have prevented that specific incident, the financial impact of a successful attack can far exceed the cost of a security subscription. Overall, I've been impressed with Webroot Smart Protection. It's lightweight, fast, covers multiple device types, and includes features that go beyond traditional antivirus protection. In fact, I'm planning to purchase another subscription for my parents' phones. If it helps prevent even one malware infection or scam-related incident, the subscription will easily pay for itself.

The world of software for your PC and Antivirus/Antimalware has changed a great deal in recent years yet it is more important than ever to have protection against threats installed on your PC. Webroot Essentials is just that, the basic protection you need online and in my experience so far it has been overall pretty good. The only part I had trouble with was the initial setup when I had to verify the email address on my account, the email took over an hour to appear in my Inbox and delayed me being able to install it and get it setup in the time I had planned to do it. Account management and setup was definitely something that I felt could be improved to make the end-user experience easier as it shouldn't take so many steps to download a software and get going when downloading and setting up a game that you've purchased is so much easier by comparison. Beyond that I really like the software once it's installed, it runs quietly in the background doesn't seem to take up much resource and scans fast when you run a manual scan. So for the functionality of the software itself it works and isn't as intrusive as some other Antivirus software that's out there. I would recommend it given the software works great and seems to stay updated without any intervention on my part. Also in testing to intentionally download malware it does work and prevented infection in both tests I tried. Overall I'd recommend it, especially if the sign up/registration process can be improved.

Webroot Essentials promises to be an easy to use, anti-virus software that the everyday person can use to protect their connected devices. These include traditional PCs, Macs, Chromebooks, Mobile Smartphones and Tablets running various software. The features may vary across these devices but the function will be the same. Webroot Essentials offers all of this without slowing down your device or draining excessive battery. After using it for several days, this could benefit the average user. Webroot Essentials offers single device or multi-device, multi platform protection across the most common platforms. This software installs in just a few minutes if you are installing it fresh or the license can be input into an existing Webroot download to extend the current protection. This version offers several benefits including: AI-powered antivirus protection, Real-time anti-phishing, Secure password manager, Live Updates, and more. This software is designed for the average person who may or may not be aware of common security threats against your connected device. It helps keep you protected in the off chance you click on an unsecured link or if your data is at risk of being compromised. It can scan your computer daily, if desired, to keep you protected against viruses. It did briefly slow down one of my devices upon boot up but it was only temporary and it self resolved. I would recommend this software if you feel the need for an additional layer of protection.

On the whole, this is really nice security software package that is basically just what you need and nothing that you don't (in that way, I suppose it really does earn the "Essentials" moniker). The centerpiece is of course the antivirus software (which also detects / prevents malware as well) which defaults to auto-update and auot-scan once per day. I've been testing the Mac version and it seems to not only set itself up reasonably well, but also seems to be quite resource efficient in use (which is important - you don't really want an antivirus sitting there taking up all of your processor and RAM). I haven't had much cause to test the detection / remediation features (thankfully) but it does seem like it would be straightforward to handle anything that came up. Beyond the antivirus, you get anti-fishing protection- which is handy particularly for those that tend to click links without checking them. it has a list of known good pages and known scam pages, so it warns you if the page is identified OR if the page is on the known bad list. Finally, you get a password manager that lets you use complex passwords without having to write them down to remember them (which of course is bad for security). The whole thing is easy to use - easy to install and easy to use day by day. It's important to note that you do have to create a user account to download the software and use it, but that process is also relatively quick and easy. So if you want to up your security online, this is a solid package that fits the bill. Give it a try today!