TotalAV Review 2024: Is It BEST Cheap and Safe Antivirus?

A Complete Hands-on TotalAV review along with its Features, Pros, Cons, Comparison, and Pricing, in simple terms for your quick understanding:

Almost every computer or mobile device today is protected with some kind of antivirus solution. People have become wiser and more cautious when it comes to cybersecurity. Cyber-attacks themselves have become bolder over the past couple of years.

So if you need a substantial device or internet protection, the only way to get it is via a cybersecurity tool or anti-virus software that’s loaded with features and capable of combatting both known and new threats. There is no shortage of solutions in the market that meet these parameters.

Let us bring your attention to the often talked about TotalAV, through this tutorial.

TotalAV Review – A Complete Hands-on

With this article, I’ll be sharing my experience of using TotalAV. We’ll discuss what it’s like to put its various features to work and ultimately determine whether it deserves the hype that has engulfed it recently.

So without much further ado, let’s get started with this hands-on TotalAV review.

What is TotalAV Antivirus

TotalAV is a popular and budget-friendly antivirus software that you can use to protect your computer from a wide range of threats. This feature-rich tool can shield your computer from malware, ransomware, phishing threats, and virus attacks while also performing various system optimization-related functions.

As a user, you have the option to either go with its free version which only possesses the core antivirus engine, or opt for the premium version that grants you real-time protection from almost all types of cyber-security threats.

TotalAV for iPhone, Android, Windows, and Mac can protect you against the following threats:

• Ransomware
• Trojans
• Adware
• Phishing Attacks
• Malware

TotalAV enjoys a solid reputation in the market. It is 100% safe to download and use. After using it for a few days, I can also confidently say that it is quite effective in performing its duties as an anti-virus solution. As of today, TotalAV has over 30 million users, most of whom consider it to be the best anti-virus solution out there.

How to Download TotalAV Antivirus Solution

#1) Go to TotalAV official website and select the OS version of the software you wish to download. If you want to download the software on your PC or wish to download TotalAV for Android or iPhone, you’ll find specific links on the website.

#2) After downloading the .exe file, open it to start the installation.

#3) Click Yes, when prompted with the message shown below.

#4) Click Finish when the installation is complete.

#5) Enable real-time protection from threats immediately after installation by clicking the “Enable Protection” button.

TotalAV download and installation are now complete.

Now that you have a basic gist of what TotalAV is all about, let’s pick apart the tool’s various components and features to truly understand how efficient it is at doing what it promises to do further down below in this TotalAV Review.

Technical Specifications of TotalAV

The Interface

You expect nothing less than a user-friendly, beautiful-looking interface from an anti-virus and security tool that is as popular as TotalAV. Thankfully, TotalAV does not disappoint in this department. The interface harbors a sleek black aesthetic with features lined up intuitively on the left-hand side of the screen to make navigation simple.

As soon as you launch the software on your system, you are greeted with the results of the last scan you performed. You will be presented with all crucial information pertaining to your scan results. For instance, the above screenshot clearly depicts the current security status of my personal laptop.

You can immediately start a new scan or request TotalAV to perform other functions from the initial home page itself. It is easy to navigate and simplistic with its aesthetic choices. You’ll have absolutely no problem using this software from the moment it is launched.

Features

TotalAV’s strongest quality is of course its features. Let’s look at them one by one and determine how TotalAV fares in its ability to facilitate optimal system security.

#1)  System Scanning

Full system scanning basically serves as the hallmark of any anti-virus tool. Like many of its contemporaries out there, TotalAV also lets you perform quick and deep system scans of your entire device. The scan, even the deep scan method, is relatively faster in detecting malware, Trojans, adware, ransomware, etc. in the system.

After a scan, you are presented with the option to either quarantine the detected threat, whitelist it, or delete it entirely.

Here’s how the scanning works:

• Select ‘Malware Scan’ from the left-hand side of TotalAV’s interface.

• Choose between ‘Quick Scan’ and ‘ System Scan’.
• Wait for the scan to be completed, after which TotalAV will present you with a full report of the scan just conducted.

If malware is detected, you can choose whether to quarantine, whitelist, delete, or do nothing about it.

TotalAV quickly distinguishes itself from its contemporaries with the ‘Smart Scan’ feature. This feature lets TotalAV focus its scanning efforts on regions of your PC or mobile that are most likely to be infected by a threat.

You also have the option to customize your scan. You can simply go to the settings section and choose which type of files to scan, run scheduled scans on a weekly, monthly, or fortnightly basis, and select the start and end times of your scans.

#2) Real-Time Protection

Real-Time protection is one of the features that made me pay attention to TotalAV. The software shields your PC and mobile device from real-time protection on default as soon as you launch it. TotalAV will stand guard over your device for ransomware, adware, malware, phishing attacks, and other types of threats in real-time.

Any threat detected will automatically be quarantined or deleted based on what you configure the software to do. You can also set up this feature to exclude certain files, processes, and folders from being assessed.

#3) Web Shield Extension

The internet is one of the likeliest sources of threats like malware, virus, and ransomware. TotalAV shields you against the possibility of some websites online infecting your system with the Web Shield Extension feature. This is a Chrome extension that will monitor each website you visit for threats. This feature automatically redirects you to websites that may be harmful.

Web Shield also grades all the sites you visit with a green tick (secure) or a red tick (potentially dangerous). This feature makes TotalAV capable of protecting you from threats online and delivering a safer browsing experience.

#4) System Tune-Up

Besides being a good antivirus and security protection tool, the platform also lets you optimize your system’s performance with a comprehensive set of tune-up tools. You can use the software to scan for and delete junk files, duplicate files, and browser cookies.

The software is also ideal for detecting and uninstalling unwanted applications. You can also boost your system’s start-up speed with just a few clicks using this platform.

To clean junk files, for instance, you can follow the steps below:

• Select ‘System Tune Up’ from the left-hand side of the screen.
• Hit ‘Scan’ to find junk files.

• Select the junk files you wish to remove and hit ‘Clean Selected’.
• Your system will now be free of junk.

You can follow the same procedure to delete duplicate files, browser cookies, and unwanted applications from your system.

#5) VPN Protection

TotalAV facilitates secure and private browsing with its magnificent VPN. The platform allows you to connect to servers in more than 120 locations. It does so without slowing down your browsing speed. TotalAVs VPN protection is ideal for safe browsing and bypassing geo-blocking URLs.

To use VPN, do the following:

• Select ‘VPN’ from the left-hand side of the interface.
• Choose your desired VPN location.

• Hit Connect.

You can now enjoy browsing online in complete anonymity.

#6) Password Vault

Password Vault is a feature that allows you to store, manage, and retrieve your login credentials. It is a great feature to have if you are someone who occasionally forgets the password and user-name info. This feature also allows you to create a master password, which users can then use to access all other passwords.

#7) Identity Protection

With identity theft being rampant online, this is the feature I was most looking forward to when I bought the TotalAV subscription. Thankfully, I wasn’t disappointed. The software monitors all crucial aspects related to your identity like credit cards, health insurance, SSN, etc. 24/7.

You will be instantly notified if any of these sources of your identity have been compromised. The software gets you to work proactively to resolve any issues that could result in information pertaining to your identity being exposed. If you do fall victim to identity theft, then you can fall back on TotalAV’s $1,000,000 insurance policy guarantee.

#8) Data Breach Protection

This is another feature that made me a fan of TotalAV. The software is capable of protecting you from all sorts of phishing scams online that could potentially harm your data’s integrity. It monitors your email account to determine if any of your email addresses have been compromised.

The software also helps you generate unique passwords to protect sensitive data and keep them away from unethical players online. All passwords generated are securely stored in a vault. The software will monitor your entire system non-stop to proactively stop any instance of a data breach detected.

#9) Total Ad block

With Total Ad Block, you can block unwanted ads and pop-ups for a far more uninterrupted browser experience. However, you’ll have to subscribe to TotalAV’s relatively expensive total security plan to get access to this feature.

The Mobile Application for Android and iOS

Your Mac and Windows systems aren’t the only things Total AV shields. The anti-virus software is also available as an app for both iOS and Android devices. The best part about this app is the real-time 24/7 protection your phone gets.

Once installed, the software checks each and every app downloaded and installed for threats like viruses, malware, etc. on your phone.

It will protect you while you browse the internet on your phone as well. It can instantly block any malicious site and content online before you even have a chance to access it. You can also use this software to secure your device when connected to an open Wi-Fi network, thus effectively protecting you from hackers on a vulnerable network.

The app can also serve as a good VPN for your mobile phone that allows you to browse the internet anonymously. In hindsight, the TotalAV mobile app works in the same way and offers some of the same features that its desktop-based counterpart offers.

Customer Support

TotalAV offers its users 24/7 phone, email, and live chat support along with quite a responsive help center. Whenever I reached out to TotalAV with a query or issue, the response was always immediate. The customer team was polite and patient with me as I explained the issue plaguing my experience.

The agent was precise and clear in his instructions, which I appreciated. The response by email, however, wasn’t that fast. I waited for about 8 hours to get a response from the TotalAV team on my last email to them. On the other hand, the live chat team is simply phenomenal. This is the best way to request support from the TotalAV team.

TotalAV Pricing

First and foremost, you can download and use TotalAV for free with limited features. The free version will allow you to do the following:

• Perform Malware Scan
• System Clean Up
• Real-Time protection
• WebShield protection

Its pro version will cost you $29 for the first year, after the completion of which you will be charged $119/year. This plan protects 3 devices

If you wish to enjoy TotalAV’s VPN service along with its core antivirus engine, then you can opt for the Internet security version of the tool. It will cost you $39 for the first year. Later it will cost you $145/year. This plan will protect 5 devices

If you also wish to enjoy TotalAV’s password vault and Total Ad Block feature, then we suggest you opt for the Total Security version which will cost you $49 for the first. After the first year, this plan will cost you $179/year.

How to Uninstall TotalAV

If you aren’t satisfied with TotalAV, then don’t fret. Uninstalling TotalAV is really simple. Simply follow the steps below, based on the OS you are using:

Uninstall Guide for Windows:

1. Go to your Windows search bar and type TotalAV.
2. Right-click the TotalAV icon.
3. In the resulting drop-down menu, hit the uninstall/change option.
4. Follow the procedures as dictated to you on the screen to successfully remove the app from your Windows system.

Uninstall Guide for Mac:

1. Open the application folder.
2. Locate TotalAV in this folder.
3. Drag and drop the app into Trash.
4. Right-click the Trash icon and click Empty Trash.

How TotalAV Fares Against its Top Competitors

#1) TotalAV vs McAfee

As someone that has used both of these tools, I feel more than qualified to put them against each other. When it comes to malware detection, I think McAfee is slightly better than TotalAV. That isn’t to say that TotalAV isn’t good at detecting and removing malware.

Where TotalAV shines, however, is in the speed and UI department. It is considerably faster than McAfee and possesses a far more resourceful UI. McAfee has been in the industry for much longer than TotalAV. As such, it has garnered a sizeable user base that is larger than TotalAV.

However, TotalAV is giving tough competition to McAfee by offering a variety of new advanced features that weren’t a part of its offering initially.

#2) TotalAV vs Norton

Both TotalAV and Norton are quite effective as anti-virus tools. I did, however, detect slightly higher malware detection rates in Norton than TotalAV. Norton also has a slight edge over TotalAV when it comes to web security. I do see this change as TotalAV’s Web-Shield feature further evolved as the years passed by.

That being said, TotalAV can easily give Norton a run for its money in the PC optimization department. It also features a VPN that’s above and beyond what Norton offers. Besides this, Norton and TotalAV come packed with features to offer 24/7 complete system protection to their users.

While Norton is popular now, I see TotalAV capturing the market soon if it can keep pace with the momentum it has built recently.

TotalAV Pros and Cons

Should You Try TotalAV

I don’t want to waste any time here and say that TotalAV more than lives up to the hype. This is software that you can use for real-time protection of your PC and mobile devices from threats like ransomware, adware, malware, viruses, and many other threats. The platform’s constant evolution has made it more than capable of tackling most new threats that emerge out there.

Its simplistic interface makes the software very easy to use. You can protect your PC for free with this platform. If you don’t mind paying more, then you’ll also be able to enjoy TotalAVs Ad Block, Password management, and VPN service as well.

Frequently Asked Questions

Q #1) Is TotalAV safe?

Answer: Is TotalAV legit? Yes, TotalAV is completely safe to download, install and use on your PC or mobile. However, I do suggest following some precautions when downloading this software online. Only download the software from the official website.

Q #2) Is TotalAV free?

Answer: TotalAV is free to download and use. You’ll only be able to use its basic malware-scanning features. For more advanced capabilities like VPN, Ad-block, password management, and more, we suggest subscribing to its premium plans.

Q #3) What are some common TotalAV complaints?

Answer: In its initial run, TotalAV drew heavy criticism for its billing and pricing plans. Thankfully, the team behind TotalAV seemed to have learned from their past mistakes and recently introduced several noteworthy changes to the software to a resoundingly positive reception.

Q #4) How often does TotalAV update itself?

Answer: TotalAV updates its virus database almost regularly, which also makes it more than capable to detect and combat the latest threats circulating out there.

Q #5) Can TotalAV slow down my computer or mobile?

Answer: Not at all. On the contrary, you can use TotalAV’s System Tune-Up capabilities to optimize the performance of your device by cleaning up unwanted junk and applications. TotalAV was able to considerably improve my PC’s boot time with one system scan.

Q #6) Should you use TotalAV with another antivirus?

Answer: I would strongly advise against doing so as another antivirus on your system can interfere with how TotalAV performs. Ultimately, multiple antivirus software a system does more harm than good. So best to stay safe and only use one software for protection.

Q #7) Is TotalAV better than Norton?

Answer: TotalAV is better than Norton in some departments. For instance, I believe TotalAV is a considerably better PC optimizer than Norton. TotalAV’s VPN feature is also something I’d prefer over that of Norton’s. When it comes to core features like Anti-Virus protection, however, I think both tools are equally efficient in their functionality and usability.

Q #8) How does TotalAV compare to McAfee?

Answer: Despite being a relatively new tool in the market, I think TotalAV can go toe-to-toe with McAfee. McAfee offers better malware detection, TotalAV surpasses the former in the speed and UI department. TotalAV simply has a better, more user-friendly UI. It is also exceptionally fast in its functioning.

Conclusion

There are many antivirus solutions in the market today and TotalAV is definitely one of the best you can get your hands on. This cross-platform antivirus and security tool does a phenomenal job of protecting your system and your online browsing experience. The interface is sleek and easy to navigate.

Just three steps are all it will take for you to launch this software on your Windows, Mac, Android, and iOS systems. Whether it is ransomware protection or securing your PC against viruses and other sorts of online threats, TotalAV is more than up to the task of combatting these attacks and making sure your PC and the data within it are protected 24/7.