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Comodo Antivirus Review (2024 Update): The Pros & Cons
By Tibor Moes / Updated: November 2023 / Rating: 3 of 5
Comodo Antivirus 2024: Review Summary
Comodo is ranked #28 of the 28 best antivirus of 2024.
Comodo offers a broad range of features, but disappointingly, many underperform. Its virus scanner only found 93% of the malware samples, which is below average.
Comodo’s additional features like phishing protection, secure browser, and ad blocker fail to meet expectations. Plus, it still promotes the non-existent cloud backup and VPN features.
On the positive side, Comodo’s firewall provides excellent protection, and the virtual desktop tool is helpful for safely running suspicious apps. However, many rivals offer similar and superior features.
On top of that, Comodo does not participate in the independent tests by AV-Test, which is not a good sign. Without these tests, we have no benchmark to compare it against. We would stick to one of the proven winners, like Norton 360 Deluxe.
If you want the best protection, we recommend Norton.
Ranking | #28 of 28 |
Anti-malware | ✅ |
Anti-phishing | ✅ |
Firewall | ✅ |
Password Manager | – |
Unlimited VPN | – |
Operating systems | Windows, macOS, iOS, Android |
Click the links to read the reviews of the best antivirus of 2024:
🥇 Norton 360 Deluxe – The #1 in 2024
🥈 Bitdefender Total Security
🥉 TotalAV Antivirus
Or read our complete comparison of the best antivirus for Windows 11.
Comodo Antivirus 2024: Full Review
We tested Comodo and found its malware detection lacking compared to top-notch rivals like Norton. While it has a decent firewall, its other features like anti-phishing and ad-blocking fall short. In our tests, real-time protection stopped only 93% of threats. Its paid plan, now lacking VPN and cloud storage, offers poor value.
If you’re seeking strong protection, we recommend considering other options. Avira is our top free pick for 2024, and for a comprehensive paid suite, Norton stands out.
Anti-malware
We ran multiple tests on Comodo’s anti-malware features and found them mediocre at best. Compared to top-performers like Norton, its quick scan was disappointing, missing malware that others caught effortlessly. The full scan did better but still only identified 92% of threats.
Comodo offers four scan types: Quick, Full, Rating, and Custom. The Rating scan, which checks files against a cloud database, gave unreliable results, labeling trusted files as risky. The Custom scan was the only one that performed without issues, allowing for targeted scans.
Comodo’s real-time protection managed to block just over 87% of nearly 1,200 malware samples we tried to install. This is below the 100% rates achieved by premium antiviruses like Bitdefender. Plus, customization options are limited, making it hard to adjust scan settings or whitelist files.
For those seeking robust real-time protection, we’d recommend looking at alternatives like Bitdefender, Avira, or Norton.
Anti-phishing
In our tests, Comodo’s anti-phishing feature fell flat. Google Chrome itself outperformed Comodo in blocking phishing sites. Additionally, its web protection only works with Internet Explorer and Firefox, limiting its effectiveness. If phishing is a concern, we’d recommend sticking with Chrome or opting for Norton or McAfee, which outperformed both.
Firewall
On the flip side, Comodo’s firewall is a strong suit. It successfully detected a variety of network attacks that Windows’ own defenses missed. Users can pick from four modes: Block All, Custom Ruleset, Safe Mode, and Training Mode. Safe Mode is the go-to for most, but advanced users will appreciate the customization options in the other modes. In particular, the firewall lets you easily whitelist applications, which is a user-friendly touch we enjoyed.
If you’re after an excellent firewall, Comodo is a good choice. However, for comprehensive protection that includes robust anti-phishing, you may want to look elsewhere.
Virtual desktop
Comodo’s Virtual Desktop is essentially a sandbox for testing potentially malicious files. It’s effective but tailored for advanced users. In our testing, malware run in the Virtual Desktop didn’t impact the main system, making it a good tool for pros but unnecessary for the average user.
Secure shopping
The Secure Shopping feature is more of a secure browser with multiple protective elements like blocking keyloggers and detecting fake SSL certificates. Though promising, we found it buggy. For example, it failed to prevent screenshots, contradicting one of its supposed core functions. If you’re looking for a secure browser, Bitdefender offers a more reliable feature.
Ad blocker
Comodo’s Ad Blocker was a letdown. Available as a Chrome extension, it failed to block any ads during our tests. We’d suggest turning to established alternatives like Avira’s ad blocker or even ProtonVPN’s built-in feature.
Additional features
Comodo’s Internet Security offers a variety of extras, but many didn’t meet our expectations. KillSwitch, an advanced version of Windows Task Manager, did impress us. It lets you not just end processes but also monitor network activity and usage patterns.
Gaming Mode is another usable feature, designed to mute notifications during full-screen applications. However, it falls short of Norton’s gaming mode, which automatically optimizes system performance and turns on by itself.
On the downside, the Cloud Backup and VPN features don’t work. We faced errors trying to use them and found out that they’ve essentially been “under maintenance” for years. Additionally, Comodo’s Task Manager showed us a blank screen, rendering it useless.
In summary, while Comodo has a laundry list of extra features, most either malfunction or simply don’t work. This paints an overall disappointing picture for an otherwise promising suite.
Mobile app
Comodo’s Mobile Security app for Android and iOS has room for improvement. On Android, it features a virus scanner, safe browsing, ID protection, and more. However, when we tested the virus scanner with malware samples, it detected only 93% of them—below Norton’s 100% detection rate.
The anti-phishing tool, unfortunately, didn’t fare well, underperforming even Chrome’s built-in features. The ID protection tool, designed to alert you about data breaches, failed in our tests.
Wi-Fi Security only checks for unprotected networks, lacking the robustness seen in competitors like McAfee. App Lock, which lets you secure specific apps, is basic but works.
To access premium features like VPN and Secure Vault, we had to upgrade. The vault did its job, letting us lock files securely. The VPN offers unlimited data, a nice perk. Despite limited server locations, the speeds were good. Still, given the other features’ shortcomings, we wouldn’t recommend the premium plan.
The iOS version of the app is even more limited, offering just safe browsing and ID protection in its free plan.
In summary, Comodo’s mobile app is lackluster. Most features either didn’t work well or were ineffective. For a comprehensive mobile security solution, you’re better off considering other options like Norton or Bitdefender.
Customer support
Comodo’s customer support is a mixed bag. They offer live chat, email, phone support for paid plans, a knowledge base, and forums. We found the live chat slow and not too helpful, especially when asking about the mobile app. Our email questions about desktop software got quick initial responses but required multiple exchanges to get to the point. Mobile app support was nearly absent; our questions went unanswered.
Phone support, available only to premium users, was decent but not compelling enough to justify buying a plan. The knowledge base has useful guides, but it’s cluttered with outdated articles. Their forums sometimes provided good answers, but reliability was an issue.
In summary, Comodo’s support is passable but lacks consistency and thoroughness, particularly for mobile users. If customer service is a priority for you, consider other options like Bitdefender or Norton.
Plans and pricing
Comodo’s offerings are confusing due to outdated information on their website, but it essentially boils down to a free plan and a paid plan. The free option, Internet Security Premium, gives you a decent set of features like a malware scanner, firewall, and real-time protection. For a free plan, it’s okay but not great; we’d recommend Avira’s free software for better protection.
The paid plan, Internet Security Pro, costs $29.99/year for one PC. It doesn’t add much except Geek Buddy support and a $500 virus-free guarantee. Essentially, you’re paying for support and a somewhat dubious guarantee, not better security features. We don’t find the upgrade worth it.
Comodo Mobile Security has free and paid versions for Android and iOS. The Android version offers features like a virus scanner and Wi-Fi security, while the iOS app is far more limited. We tested the Android app and found its features hit-or-miss. Premium add-ons like VPN and Secure Vault aren’t bad, but not enough to justify the cost. Better all-in-one packages exist, like those from Norton and Avira, that offer superior mobile and desktop protection.
In summary, Comodo’s plans are difficult to navigate due to misleading information. The free plan offers basic protection, but there are better free options. The paid plan doesn’t provide sufficient value to justify the cost. Comodo’s mobile offerings are subpar compared to industry leaders. We advise looking elsewhere for more robust and trustworthy protection.
Click the links to read the reviews of the best antivirus of 2024:
🥇 Norton 360 Standard – The #1 in 2024
🥈 Bitdefender Internet Security
🥉 TotalAV Antivirus
Or read our complete comparison of the best antivirus for Mac.
Test score comparison
Next to our own anti-malware tests, we analyze those by AV-Test. We’ve compared the results of the 10 most recent tests for Windows 10. The tests were performed by AV-Test, the German anti-malware test lab. They use three factors:
- Protection (1-6): Antivirus protection against malware attacks.
- Performance (1-6): System slowdown caused by the antivirus.
- Usability (1-6): Frequency of false alarms and disruptions.
We used their results, and this formula, to calculate the final score:
Final Score = 60% Protection + 20% Performance + 20% Usability.
Brands not listed in the table haven’t participated in the analysis by AV-Test. This is usually not a good sign. Because most reputable brands, except Panda, ESET, and Sophos, partake in the test.
Source: AV-Test.
Click the links to read the reviews of the best antivirus of 2024:
🥇 Norton Antivirus Plus – The #1 in 2024
🥈 Bitdefender Antivirus Plus
🥉 TotalAV Antivirus
Or read our complete comparison of the best antivirus for Android.
Price comparison
We’ve compared the prices of the top antivirus products for Windows. To make it a fair comparison, we looked at what it would cost us, to protect a single Windows PC with the most essential features:
- Anti-malware
- Anti-phishing (web protection)
- Firewall
- Password manager
- Unlimited VPN (no data limit)
A few notes:
- Some brands are missing features, lowering their value for money.
- Prices are second-year prices in the USA, without first-year discounts.
- Prices are rounded up for readability (e.g., $99.99 becomes $100).
Brands have different prices outside the USA. See those on their website.
Click the links to read the reviews of the best antivirus of 2024:
🥇 Norton 360 Advanced – The #1 in 2024
🥈 Bitdefender Premium Security
🥉 TotalAV Antivirus
Or read our complete comparison of the best antivirus for iOS.
User reviews
We’ve compared the user reviews of all antivirus brands. We’ve used the scores and review count of TrustPilot, a leading user review platform. However, take these results with a grain of salt, as some brands actively attempt to increase their ratings.
Personally, we are wary of exceptionally high scores. Especially those by brands such as TotalAV, known for aggressive marketing and sales tactics.
We consider scores between 4.0 and 4.5 good and realistic. Higher scores are dubious, and lower scores indicate that the brand might have a poor product or customer service. McAfee’s scores, for instance, are worrying.
Source: TrustPilot.
Click the links to read the reviews of the best antivirus of 2024:
🥇 Norton 360 for Gamers – The #1 in 2024
🥈 Bitdefender Total Security
🥉 TotalAV Antivirus
Or read our complete comparison of the best VPN of 2024.
How we test antivirus software
Below we describe how we run our tests. For even more details, visit our blog posts on how we test antivirus software.
Anti-malware protection test
We analyze antivirus software’s capability to detect and eliminate known and unknown malware, using heuristic analysis for behavior monitoring.
We conduct in-house tests and analyze those from labs like AV-Test, SE Labs, and AV-Comparatives to determine the best malware protection.
Malware includes adware, keyloggers, ransomware, rootkits, spyware, trojans, viruses, worms, and more. Other cyber threats, usually not classified as malware, are (zero-day) exploits, hacks, identity theft, phishing attacks, scams, and social engineering.
False positives test
False positives occur when antivirus software misidentifies legitimate software, files, or websites as malicious. We rely on AV-Test’s large-scale analysis of false positives in its usability test to guide our evaluations.
System performance test
We measure the CPU load during antivirus software system scans and consider AV-Test’s performance results on the slowdown caused by antivirus software when opening websites and handling software.
Firewall test
We evaluate two-way firewalls that filter incoming and outgoing data and allow users to set rules to regulate data streams. We use the ShieldsUP! test to determine if the antivirus software blocks all ports.
Password manager test
We assess password managers’ ability to create, store, and autofill secure passwords, as well as additional features like two-factor authentication and biometric login.
Virtual Private Network (VPN) test
We evaluate built-in VPNs on their security, privacy, speed, compatibility with streaming services, unlimited data access, and support for peer-to-peer networks and torrent clients.
Parental control test
We examine parental control features, such as screen time rules, website/app blocking, and real-world location tracking. We test these features on a device and attempt to circumvent them, checking if the activity is accurately reported in the parental control admin.
Anti-phishing protection test
We evaluate antivirus browser extensions that block phishing sites by installing them and attempting to visit dangerous URLs.
Ransomware protection test
We assess security suites’ ability to prevent data encryption through exploit prevention and behavioral detection during ransomware attacks.
Bonus features test
We test any additional cybersecurity tools such as:
- Ad Blocker
- Anti-theft
- Dark web monitoring (identity protection)
- Email protection
- File encryption
- File shredder
- Gaming mode
- Microphone protection
- PC maintenance features
- Secure browser (hardened browser to protect your online banking)
- Secure cloud storage (cloud backup)
- Spam filter
- Startup optimizer
- Tune up tools
- Virtual keyboard
- Webcam protection
Ownership and reputation test
We analyze the trustworthiness of antivirus companies, especially concerning customer data. We read press releases, news articles, and privacy policies to determine their reputation.
Frequently Asked Questions
Below are the most frequently asked questions.
Is Comodo a good antivirus program?
Comodo is ranked #28 of 28 antivirus programs. The ranking is based on its protection, performance, price, and features. Find the best protection in our comparison of the best antivirus of 2024.
How do we test antivirus software?
We analyze the protection from malware, the performance impact on a PC, and the number of false positives. On top of that, we test various security features such as the firewall, password manager, VPN, and more.
Author: Tibor Moes
Founder & Chief Editor at SoftwareLab
Tibor has tested 39 antivirus programs and 30 VPN services, and holds a Cybersecurity Graduate Certificate from Stanford University.
He uses Norton to protect his devices, CyberGhost for his privacy, and Dashlane for his passwords.
Comodo Antivirus
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