Dr.Web Antivirus Review (2023 Update): The Pros & Cons

Dr.Web review: summary

Dr.Web is ranked #27 out of 28 antivirus software.

Dr.Web delivers decent protection with its scanner, real-time protection, and other features such as firewall, ransomware protection, and parental controls.

While it stands out in some areas, like parental controls and Android anti-theft features, it falls short in interface intuitiveness, delivers persistent firewall pop-ups, and system slowdown during full scans.

On top of that, Dr.Web does not participate in the independent tests by AV-Test, which is not a good sign. Without these tests, we have no verifiable benchmark to compare it against.

We would stick to one of the proven winners, such as Norton or Bitdefender.

If you want the best protection, we recommend Norton.

Click the links to compare the prices of the best antivirus software:

🥇 Norton Antivirus – The best of 2023
🥈 Bitdefender Antivirus
🥉 McAfee Antivirus

Or read our complete comparison of the best antivirus of 2023.

Test score comparison

We’ve compared the 10 most recent test scores of all antivirus brands. 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.

Click the links to compare the prices of the best antivirus software:

🥇 Norton Antivirus – The best of 2023
🥈 Bitdefender Antivirus
🥉 McAfee Antivirus

Or read our complete comparison of the best antivirus of 2023.

Dr.Web antivirus review

Dr.Web delivers strong scanning and real-time protection against both recognized and new threats. Its user interface may not be as user-friendly as competitors, yet it offers a variety of features with notable customization options. It doesn’t offer a money-back guarantee but compensates with a lengthy free trial.

Dr.Web’s feature set is extensive and adaptable, particularly for automating threat responses. It utilizes a large database, behavioural, and heuristic analysis for malware detection, including zero-day attacks. It has three scanning modes: express, full, and custom. In testing, the express scan was rapid and effective, whereas the full scan was slower, slightly burdening the system but detected 97% of threats.

For customization, the scanner can be set to auto-neutralize threats and shutdown post-scan. Dr.Web’s real-time scanner, SpIDer Guard, delivers excellent immediate protection, with advanced control over its settings. The Preventive Protection offers ransomware protection, behaviour analysis, and exploit prevention, with customizability per user needs.

Additional features include Device and Personal Data management for protection against potential malicious interference. It allows control over webcam and microphone access, printer jobs, and data transfers. Data loss prevention provides protection for selected folders. The parental control feature offers time restrictions, site blocking, and safe search application.

Overall, Dr.Web offers a comprehensive feature set that performs efficiently. While alternatives like Norton offer better malware protection and more features, Dr.Web’s customizable nature and extensive security options make it a strong contender.

Plans

Dr.Web’s antivirus offerings come in three main packages: Security Space, KATANA, and Security Space for Android. The comprehensive Security Space plan costs €33.90/year and covers one device, with the option to add up to five devices for an additional fee.

It includes a scanner, real-time protection, firewall, and other features. Android security can be a free add-on to this plan or a standalone purchase. However, there’s no money-back guarantee and setup may be overwhelming for novice users due to numerous initial firewall pop-ups.

KATANA, costing €14.95/year, is a lighter version focused on detecting zero-day threats but lacks certain features like firewall and parental controls. Installation of Dr.Web’s software is generally straightforward, taking under 5 minutes, and offers a range of easily navigable features, albeit with the scanner oddly placed.

Mobile Apps

For mobile users, Dr.Web offers the Security Space for Android plan with a range of features including scanner, real-time protection, and parental controls, among others. This plan showed excellent results in virus detection and offers commendable anti-theft features. However, it currently lacks an iOS version.

Customer Support

Dr.Web’s customer support leaves room for improvement with its limited options. They offer query forms, phone support, and forums, with English, French, and Russian languages supported. However, they don’t provide 24/7 support as advertised, and the added cost for technical support seems unreasonable.

Conclusion

Dr.Web’s antivirus software performs well, catching nearly all test malware samples and offering effective real-time protection and parental controls.

However, the initial flood of firewall pop-ups and requests to adjust application permissions can be bothersome. Comparatively, it’s priced higher than competitors with similar offerings.

Its Android anti-theft tools are impressive, but missing features like automatic selfie capture for theft are notable. Despite these shortcomings, free trials for up to 3 months allow users to test the product extensively.

Click the links to compare the prices of the best antivirus software:

🥇 Norton Antivirus – The best of 2023
🥈 Bitdefender Antivirus
🥉 McAfee Antivirus

Or read our complete comparison of the best antivirus of 2023.

How do we test antivirus software?

The best antivirus software offer virus protection, identity theft protection, and privacy protection for Windows, macOS, and Android. Some also offer security features for iOS and Linus.

To evaluate which providers are worth your money, we run 11 tests:

> Test 1: 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.

> Test 2: 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.

> Test 3: 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.

> Test 4: 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.

> Test 5: 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.

> Test 6: 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.

> Test 7: 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.

> Test 8: Anti-phishing protection test

We evaluate antivirus browser extensions that block phishing sites by installing them and attempting to visit dangerous URLs.

> Test 9: Ransomware protection test

We assess security suites’ ability to prevent data encryption through exploit prevention and behavioral detection during ransomware attacks.

> Test 10: 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

> Test 11: Operating system and multiple devices test

Operating system and multiple devices: We test antivirus software on Windows, macOS, Android, and iOS devices and award bonus points for unlimited device protection.

> Test 12: 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.

Sources and tools

Below are the sources and tools we’ve used to test the antivirus software:

• Apple Platform Security
• AV-Comparatives Consumer
• AV-Test Android
• AV-Test macOS
• AV-Test Windows
• GRC Firewall Test
• Microsoft Defender
• SpeedTest VPN
• Trustpilot Security Software