2024 The Best Antivirus Software TotalAV Antivirus Software
TotalAV also features:
- Real-time malware protection
- Anti-phishing protection
- System cleanup
- VPN (Virtual Private Network)
- Password manager
- Data leak monitoring
- Identity theft monitoring (for U.S. users)
- While I appreciate most of TotalAV’s features, its password manager and ad blocker are not outstanding, and their functionalities are somewhat basic. Additionally, I’m not a fan of TotalAV constantly promoting more expensive products during the checkout process.
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TotalAV offers reasonable pricing, utilizes a powerful anti-malware engine, provides a 7-day free trial, and comes with a 30-day money-back guarantee. If you’re looking for antivirus software that is not only user-friendly but also boasts a near-perfect malware detection rate and practical network security features, TotalAV is a solid choice.
| Overall Ranking | 3rd out of 75 Antivirus Software |
| 🔥 Firewall | Yes |
| 👤 VPN | Yes (Unlimited Traffic) |
| 🎁 Free Version | Yes |
| 💸 Price | US$19.00/year and up |
| 💰 Money-back Guarantee | 30 days |
| 📀 Operating Systems | Windows, Android, iOS |
Comprehensive Review of TotalAV
TotalAV is an intuitive and powerful malware defense solution with excellent additional features.
In all tests, TotalAV’s malware detection rate is nearly perfect, the interface is user-friendly, and the additional features are very practical. I particularly like TotalAV’s web protection, VPN, and identity theft protection features (limited to U.S. users).
TotalAV offers a variety of affordable packages, supports all major operating systems, is cheaper than most competitors, and provides a 30-day money-back guarantee.
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TotalAV Security Features
Virus Scan
TotalAV’s malware scanning engine is powered by Avira’s robust anti-malware engine, which is a great advantage for users because Avira’s scanning engine is among the best in the market. TotalAV provides four different virus scans:
- Quick Scan: Scans temporary files where viruses commonly reside.
- System Scan: Scans the entire system for malware.
- Smart Scan: Scans for malware, junk files, and tracking cookies.
- Custom Scan: Allows scanning of a specific file or folder or the entire disk.
I first tested the System Scan on my computer, and it took approximately one hour with no noticeable impact on computer performance, which is excellent. Many competitors (such as Norton) put significant strain on the CPU during system scans.
The scan results from TotalAV are impressive. I downloaded nearly 7 test files on the device, including viruses, trojans, ransomware, rootkits, spyware, and keyloggers.
TotalAV detected almost all test files (99.6%) through the System Scan, including encrypted ransomware and spyware, which some products fail to identify as malware. I’m pleased with TotalAV’s performance in this regard.
Referring to several peer test results, TotalAV’s average detection rate exceeds 99%, significantly higher than the industry average of 90%. However, competitors such as Norton and Bitdefender achieved a 100% detection rate in our tests.
If you don’t have time for a system scan, you can also use Smart or Quick Scans. Both scans took about ten minutes in the test.
After TotalAV’s scan is complete, you can take actions on the detected malware, such as cleaning, adding to the whitelist, isolating, or ignoring. If you’re unsure about how to handle a specific file or unsure of its source, it’s best to choose isolation. Fortunately, TotalAV did not produce any false positives in the test.
These test results are excellent; if you want antivirus software with outstanding malware scanning capabilities, TotalAV is a great choice.
Real-time Protection
TotalAV’s real-time malware protection runs continuously in the background, scanning every downloaded file and analyzing applications to ensure viruses can’t harm your device.
To test TotalAV’s real-time scanning engine, I downloaded various malicious files from a secure Google Drive folder, including ransomware, backdoor programs, and rootkits, and installed them all on my PC. When I downloaded the first malicious .exe file, TotalAV immediately caught it and placed it in isolation before I attempted to run it.
Next, I downloaded a compressed (.zip) file containing around 500 viruses. Although TotalAV allowed me to download this compressed file, it issued a warning when I attempted to unzip it.
Then, I ran a ransomware simulator. TotalAV detected the file encryption process and prevented the ransomware test from locking any system files.
TotalAV’s real-time protection, similar to top competitors like Norton 360, is outstanding. Real-time protection is a crucial part of any anti-malware scanning engine, and TotalAV’s real-time malware protection indeed impressed me.
Anti-Phishing Protection
TotalAV’s Web Shield is an anti-phishing tool designed to block phishing websites and online malware. Phishing affects millions of users every year, and users unknowingly leak passwords, financial information, and personal data to hackers on fraudulent pages.
In my test, TotalAV’s anti-phishing tool performed well, detecting more phishing sites than Chrome and Firefox browsers caught on their own. TotalAV claims to use the most famous dangerous website blacklist and an AI-based dangerous website detection system. Indeed, TotalAV performs quite well in these aspects. However, in my opinion, Norton and Avira’s anti-phishing protection is more advanced and user-friendly.
TotalAV’s web protection can be downloaded for free as a browser extension or software, and no purchase is required, which is excellent. Overall, TotalAV’s anti-phishing tool is also excellent, better than most competitors, and is undoubtedly a very valuable tool in the suite.
System Optimization
TotalAV’s System Tune-Up helps users clean up junk files and improve computer performance. In testing, its System Tune-Up is one of the best PC optimization programs I’ve encountered among all antivirus software tested, offering more options than Avira and Norton.
System Optimization includes the following features:
- Startup Management
- App Uninstall
- Browser Cleanup
- Junk Cleanup
- Find Duplicate Files
The Startup Manager feature allows you to control which applications automatically run when the computer starts. While Windows operating systems have a similar feature, and the interface is almost the same, you need to search for it in the control panel—it’s appreciated that TotalAV makes this feature easy to find, easy to use, powerful, and runs well.
TotalAV’s App Uninstall feature helps you clean up unwanted or outdated software on your computer, freeing up more space. The Windows operating system also provides application uninstallation functionality. However, I dislike Windows’ “Add or Remove Programs” tool because it often doesn’t work properly. TotalAV makes it easy to browse all applications and uninstall them, even multiple applications at once.
The Browser Cleanup tool helps ensure the privacy of online activities. Your browser stores cookies that can track your activities and sell your personal information, but TotalAV can help you clean up all cookies at once.
TotalAV’s Duplicate File Finder feature can identify and remove duplicate files occupying unnecessary space, a functionality not present in Windows Disk Cleanup itself.
Finally, the Junk File Cleanup feature can clean up residual junk files left after uninstalling or updating applications, which can take up a significant amount of computer space. I was surprised to find nearly 1GB of junk files on my computer, while Windows Disk Cleanup only identified about 30MB of junk files, roughly 3% of TotalAV’s findings.
TotalAV’s system optimization features, while not groundbreaking, perform very well, and the operation is simple. All tools are conveniently located on the computer, making them very accessible.
Safe Browsing (VPN)
TotalAV’s Secure Browse VPN is a good choice for users who want to protect their online activities. If you want to protect your online activities from monitoring by Internet Service Providers (ISPs) and hackers, TotalAV’s Secure Browse VPN is a good security choice. Safe Browsing, like other Virtual Private Network (VPN) products, reroutes all internet traffic through another server located elsewhere in the world, replacing the user’s IP address with a shared IP address on one of TotalAV’s servers.
TotalAV’s VPN is fast, but not the fastest on the market (independent VPNs like ExpressVPN and Private Internet Access are faster). VPNs tend to decrease connection speed somewhat because they encrypt your connection and reroute your data to another server, and the encryption process and the distance from your location to the server affect connection speed.
Fortunately, TotalAV’s VPN speed is quite fast, faster than many built-in VPNs in antivirus software, and it has servers in over 100 locations worldwide.
Network latency, measured in ping, is data used to gauge the time it takes for information to be transmitted from the computer to the server. TotalAV’s VPN noticeably increases network latency, but this isn’t a significant issue; more importantly, download and upload speeds are not heavily impacted.
Another advantage of TotalAV VPN is its ability to unlock all popular streaming services. In testing, I could access numerous streaming platforms such as Netflix US, Hulu, Disney+, and more. Its speed is fast, and videos load instantly without buffering. TotalAV VPN is also a great VPN for torrenting. All its non-US servers support P2P file sharing and are compatible with mainstream torrent clients like uTorrent.
Overall, TotalAV’s Secure Browse VPN is fast, reliable, unlimited, and has a wide range of server locations. In testing, TotalAV VPN’s connection speed was very fast, allowing me to watch videos on all major streaming websites. TotalAV VPN is one of the best VPNs I’ve used, easily comparable to some of the big names in the industry (which is why it made it to the list of best antivirus software with VPN in 2024).
Identity Theft Protection (US Users Only)
TotalAV offers a comprehensive identity theft protection package supported by the well-known identity protection service Aura. TotalAV provides multiple identity protection measures for US users:
- Monitoring credit reports, dark web forums, and breach databases.
- Million-dollar identity theft loss insurance.
- Real-time customer support for identity recovery.
TotalAV’s identity protection feature monitors a vast network, including credit reports from organizations such as Equifax, to detect various personal identity information, including social security numbers, credit card numbers, driver’s license numbers, and more. TotalAV notifies you whenever someone uses your information for payments, loan applications, account openings, or online logins.
Since the identity theft protection service is supported by real people, you can communicate with customer service to track progress and resolve any issues promptly. TotalAV’s staff provided a lot of assistance during my testing, and it’s evident that they are well-versed in techniques and tools to avoid identity theft.
The only downside is that TotalAV’s identity theft protection feature is not bundled with any package. However, you can add this feature to your existing TotalAV package, making the annual fee more cost-effective. If you want to protect your data in 2024, TotalAV’s Identity Theft Protection package is an excellent choice.
Password Manager
TotalAV’s Password Vault is a basic password manager that doesn’t match up to dedicated password management software, and this feature is only included in the most expensive suite. The best password managers on the market, such as 1Password and Dashlane, come with a range of security features, including biometric logins, multi-device password sync, two-factor authentication, and password sharing, none of which are included in TotalAV’s Password Vault.
However, its basic password management functionality is still quite good, making it convenient to generate complex passwords, store them in the vault, and automatically fill in login information. While I can forgive the lack of additional features in TotalAV’s Password Vault, it has a significant drawback—it doesn’t have a mobile version!
I’ll explain why this is a crucial issue. Generally, I use a password manager for everything, including social media accounts, financial-related apps, work-related Slack and Asana accounts, streaming accounts—basically, all my passwords are generated and stored by the password manager, and I have no idea what the passwords are. Since I frequently use my phone for internet browsing, having all complex passwords stored in the password manager, and being unable to access the password manager on my phone, means I can’t log in to any accounts that require passwords on my phone.
However, if you don’t need to install a password manager on your phone, TotalAV’s Password Vault is a decent tool for protecting computer passwords. If you do need a password manager on your phone, check out the best password managers of 2024; they all have excellent Android and iOS versions.
Here’s how the TotalAV Password Vault works:
TotalAV prompts users to enter a secure master password to access the Password Vault. You can also import passwords from your browser or a previous password manager. Once you’ve installed the Password Vault, you can use its browser extension, which recognizes stored login information and autofills it. When you enter any login page, a lock icon appears in the username and password fields,
clicking on this icon opens a window, and with a single click, the extension fills in the password.
The Password Vault extension is simple and reliable, and it can recognize even complex two-step login pages.
Overall, I’m not particularly fond of TotalAV’s password manager. It lacks any advanced features or a mobile application (Norton and Avira antivirus suites both include better password managers). However, it does cover the basics, and its features, including autosave and autofill, perform well. While I hope TotalAV improves its password manager, if you just want a simple tool to manage passwords on your computer, it’s a decent choice.
TotalAV Versions and Pricing
TotalAV’s antivirus software is a well-crafted internet security solution, and its pricing for most features is competitive. Oddly, there’s hardly any useful information on TotalAV’s website, and it continues to pitch additional products to users who have already made a purchase.
During the purchase process, I had to close six pop-ups trying to sell me different features, including an “Antivirus eBook”! (If you want useful information on cybersecurity, I recommend our 100% free website!)
TotalAV bombards users with pop-ups pitching various features, including unlimited device licenses, cloud-based malware scanning, and a subscription to the Pro version of the ad blocker, making the purchasing experience quite cumbersome.
I’ve compiled these annoying pop-ups for you:
Antivirus software like Norton, Avira, and Bitdefender typically bundle advanced features into their premium plans. If you purchase Norton’s top-tier product, you get all its premium features. It’s a straightforward process to get the product you want with a single click. I hope TotalAV can provide a simpler purchasing experience.
If you can ignore the clutter of pop-ups, you can get an affordable internet security suite from TotalAV. The company has added a bit too much in this regard. So, I’ve outlined the features included in each TotalAV plan, so you don’t have to deal with those promotions during the purchase process.
All paid products from TotalAV come with a 30-day money-back guarantee. I even tested the refund process, and I can assure you of the authenticity of this policy. I received my refund within one working day after submitting the request.
TotalAV offers three basic pricing tiers:
- TotalAV Antivirus Pro Suite
- TotalAV Internet Security Suite
- TotalAV Total Security Suite
The versions and their supported features are as follows:
| TotalAVComplete Security Suite | TotalAVInternet Security | TotalAVAntivirus Pro | TotalAVFree Antivirus | |
| Platform Support | PC, Android, iOS | PC, Android, iOS | PC, Android, iOS | PC, Android, iOS |
| Device Licenses | 6 | 5 | 3 | 1 |
| Advanced Malware Protection | ✅ | ✅ | ✅ | ❌ |
| Real-time Antivirus Protection | ✅ | ✅ | ✅ | ❌ |
| Anti-Malware Scan | ✅ | ✅ | ✅ | ✅ |
| Anti-Phishing Web Protection | ✅ | ✅ | ✅ | ✅ |
| System Cleanup Tools | ✅ | ✅ | ✅ | ❌ |
| Cloud-Based Malware Scan | ✅ | ✅ | ✅ (Optional) | ❌ |
| VPN | ✅ | ✅ | ❌ | ❌ |
| Password Manager | ✅ | ❌ | ❌ | ❌ |
| Ad Blocker | ✅ | ❌ | ❌ | ❌ |
| Phone and Email Customer Support | ✅ | ✅ | ✅ | ✅ |
| Mobile App | ✅ | ✅ | ✅ | ✅ |
| 30-Day Money-Back Guarantee | ✅ | ✅ | ✅ | Free |
Free On-Demand Scanner: TotalAV Free Antivirus
TotalAV Free version is a decent on-demand antivirus scanner with phishing protection. If you only need to clean malware, TotalAV’s free package is quite good. However, without real-time protection, it won’t defend against future malware attacks. Avira Free Internet Security provides real-time protection, system optimization tools, a network security shield, and good mobile protection.
TotalAV Free Antivirus is a good choice for entry-level users, capable of removing malware from your device. After downloading the free antivirus, upgrading to a TotalAV package is also very convenient.
Basic Paid Package: TotalAV Antivirus Pro
This package includes all the essential features of TotalAV, protecting up to 3 devices, priced at US$19.00/year, and includes the following features:
- Malware Scan
- Real-time Protection
- Anti-Phishing Protection
- System Optimization
As mentioned above, I’ve tested these features, and I find them quite impressive. The Antivirus Pro package is decent, with fewer features than Norton 360 Standard but supports more devices, making it a cost-effective choice.
If you need a reliable antivirus suite for protecting 3 devices, the Antivirus Pro plan is a good option, and the iOS and Android plans are also solid.
Most Cost-Effective Package: TotalAV Internet Security
This package provides users with the “Antivirus eBook” (VPN with unlimited browsing data) and all the features of the TotalAV Antivirus Pro package, protecting up to 5 devices, priced at US$39.00/year. It’s more economical than Norton Total Protection for 5 users, although TotalAV Internet Security has fewer features than Norton.
The eBook is not very useful; it contains basic online security advice that you can find on our website. However, the inclusion of VPN and support for more devices makes this plan the most cost-effective for most users.
Additional Protection: TotalAV Total Security
This package is priced at US$49.00/year, providing up to 6 licenses, along with priority technical support, an ad blocker, and a password manager.
I’m not particularly fond of this plan; the features aren’t crucial, and the price is on the higher side. In comparison, Bitdefender’s top-tier package supports more devices and comes with richer additional features. If you need to protect more devices, you can purchase additional device licenses in the Internet Security plan.
As mentioned earlier, TotalAV’s password management feature is not outstanding. If you need ad-blocking functionality, you can find many free ad-blocking tools. The Total Security package doesn’t add compelling features for the price. You can opt for the TotalAV Internet Security package and separately purchase a quality password manager.