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Trend Micro Antivirus Review (2024 Update): The Pros & Cons

By Tibor Moes / Updated: November 2023 / Rating: 4 of 5

Trend Micro Antivirus Review 2024

Trend Micro Antivirus 2024: Review Summary

Trend Micro is ranked #11 of the 28 best antivirus of 2024.

Trend Micro is a good antivirus program, but not our favorite. It has great anti-malware protection, no impact on the speed of your PC, and most important security features.

However, it has a firewall booster rather than a complete two-way firewall. And if you want the unlimited VPN, you’ll have to buy the Premium Security Suite, which is quite expensive.

We prefer Norton 360 Deluxe. It has better test scores, more security features, and a lower price. It’s simply a better antivirus program.

  • Malware protection: 96%. Trend Micro detected and removed most of the 1,200 malware samples in our test.
  • Speed impact: 100%. Trend Micro’s anti-malware engine is lightweight and did not slow down our test PC.
  • Features: 80%. Trend Micro offers anti-malware, anti-phishing, unlimited VPN, and more. But it misses a complete firewall.
  • Price: 60%. A complete security suite, including unlimited VPN, is far more affordable at Norton.

If you want the best protection, we recommend Norton.

Ranking  #11 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.

Trend Micro Antivirus 2024: Full Review

We tested Trend Micro and found its malware scanning and real-time defense to be top-notch. It also has handy privacy tools that boost your online and offline safety. However, when we compared it to other leading antivirus solutions, its extra features didn’t really shine. Still, it’s an easy-to-use software with strong core functions that will likely satisfy most users.

Anti-Malware

We put Trend Micro’s anti-malware capabilities to the test and were mostly impressed. It uses both signature-based scanning and machine learning, making it effective against known and new threats. We used nearly 1,200 malware samples for testing, including viruses, ransomware, and more, and hid them in various places on our computer.

The quick scan finished in 4 minutes and caught most of the malware in critical areas. That’s faster than many competitors. The full scan took 47 minutes and discover 96% of the malware samples. Importantly, these scans didn’t slow down our computer; we could still stream HD video.

Trend Micro’s real-time protection was equally strong. It monitors web activity and stops any malicious downloads. To test this, we tried to download our malware sample archive again. Trend Micro blocked each one, preventing any risk to our computer. It even defended against a range of web-based exploits in our tests.

In summary, Trend Micro’s anti-malware features are fast, effective, and don’t bog down your computer. While not perfect, they’re close, offering strong protection against a wide array of threats.

Anti-phishing

We evaluated Trend Micro’s anti-phishing feature by visiting hundreds of suspicious sites on various browsers like Chrome, Firefox, and Edge. The software consistently blocked access to phishing sites, even those that browser-based defenses missed. Whenever it blocked a site, a pop-up gave us the option to proceed anyway or whitelist the site, which we found user-friendly.

In short, Trend Micro’s anti-phishing is effective and easy to use, offering solid protection against fraudulent websites.

Password manager

We tried out Trend Micro’s password manager and had mixed feelings. It offers robust security with 256-bit AES encryption and features like a password generator and two-factor authentication. However, we found it less user-friendly compared to market leaders like 1Password.

During our tests, the browser extension worked well and even bundled extra features like an ad blocker. But the app was disappointing; it didn’t sync with the extension, leading to an empty vault when switching between the two.

One plus is its zero-knowledge protocol, ensuring only you can access your data. The downside is that if you forget your master password, there’s no way to recover your account—a limitation when compared to options like LastPass, which offers account recovery methods.

In functionality, the password manager covers basics like password storage and autofill effectively. But we felt it lacked advanced features and overall ease of use. While it gets the job done, it doesn’t stand out in a crowded market.

VPN

We tested Trend Micro’s built-in VPN, called VPN Proxy One Pro, and found it a mixed bag. On the upside, it’s fast and simple to use, allowing choices between WireGuard and OpenVPN protocols. Our connection speeds remained strong, even when connecting to distant servers.

Security-wise, it uses strong 256-bit AES encryption and comes with an ad blocker. We didn’t notice any data leaks in our tests, which is reassuring. However, it lacks key security features like a kill switch, which could be a concern for more privacy-conscious users.

Another drawback is the VPN’s privacy policy. It logs more data than we’d like, including location and browsing habits. This is far from the no-logs policy offered by premium VPN services like ExpressVPN.

Streaming support was also limited; it only worked for Netflix during our tests. Plus, the server network is small, covering just 15+ countries, which restricts your options for fast local connections. Advanced features like split-tunneling are also missing.

In summary, VPN Proxy One Pro offers speedy and straightforward VPN service but falls short in privacy and feature-set compared to standalone VPNs. It’s fine for basic needs but not ideal for those seeking comprehensive VPN features and strict privacy.

PC Health Check-Up

Trend Micro offers a Windows-only system optimizer with options like fixing security vulnerabilities and improving startup time. We found this feature underwhelming. For instance, its disk cleaning feature failed to free up any space, whereas Windows’ built-in tool recovered 300 MB. Overall, many of its functions can be easily performed by Windows’ native utilities.

Privacy Scanner

This feature helps you tighten your browser and social media settings. We found it especially useful for social media, making it easier to manage complex privacy settings on platforms like Facebook and LinkedIn. However, the browser scan was less impressive and worked only with Firefox during our tests.

Trend Micro ID Security (Mobile Only)

This mobile-only feature scans the dark web for your personal information. It’s better than TotalAV but not as robust as Norton’s AI-driven offering. When our test email was compromised, the tool promptly alerted us. Unfortunately, it’s not available on PC or Mac, which limits its utility.

Parental Controls

We found Trend Micro’s parental controls easy to set up but basic in features. You can block websites, set time limits, and block apps. A setup wizard guides you through the process. The web filtering blocks various categories effectively, like adult sites, but faltered with others like weaponry.

Time restrictions are strong and can be easily modified with a password. Program access control also worked well, blocking applications even when we tried to trick it by renaming or moving apps. However, reporting is lackluster—it only tracks blocked website attempts, missing out on app usage or other sites accessed.

Overall, the parental controls are okay but lack comprehensive reporting and some filtering capabilities.

Additional Features

Trend Micro offers extra features like Pay Guard for secure online banking and Data Theft Prevention. Pay Guard launches a secure browser with one click, but didn’t prompt for our regional bank. We’re not sure about the effectiveness of features like Firewall Booster and Folder Shield.

Mobile App

The mobile app is robust, offering malware scanning for Android, web protections, and anti-theft features. You can lock, wipe data, or locate your phone remotely. Parental controls are similar to the desktop version but lack time scheduling and reporting.

Customer Support

Customer support options are ample, with a knowledge base, phone, live chat, and email. Phone support was efficient, but live chat was slow. Email support was quick but not very helpful. The knowledge base is limited.

Plans and pricing

Trend Micro offers four plans. None are free, but they offer a 30-day trial and money-back guarantee. You can choose a one or two-year subscription.

  • Antivirus+ Security: For Windows and Mac, covering one device. You get malware and ransomware protection, a secure browser, and anti-phishing features. It’s okay but not the best deal out there.

  • Internet Security: Windows-only, covers 3 PCs. Adds parental controls, social media privacy, and a PC optimization tool. It’s a good option for families with Windows PCs.

  • Maximum Security: Covers 5 devices, including mobile. Adds a password manager. Good if you need broad protection across devices.

  • Premium Security Suite: This high-end plan covers up to 10 devices and includes dark web monitoring and a personal VPN. It’s decent for full-household protection, but the VPN could be better.

Our Take

  • Basic users: Antivirus+ Security is basic and not the best bang for your buck.

  • Families: Internet Security is good for Windows families, but it’s not multi-platform.

  • Multi-device users: Maximum Security offers a good range of features for up to 5 devices.

  • Full households: Premium Security Suite can protect 10 devices but consider the VPN limitations.

In short, Trend Micro’s offerings are solid but have room for improvement, especially when compared to competitors like Norton.

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.

Plans and pricing

In the table below are the core products with their features and prices.

The prices shown are from the USA. However, most brands have different prices (and currencies) in other regions. So visit the brand’s website to see the price in our country.

Starting price
Devices
Operating software
Anti-malware
Anti-phishing
Parental controls
System optimizer
Password manager
Unlimited VPN
Dark web monitoring
Trend Micro Antivirus Security
$19.99/year
1
Windows
-
-
-
-
-
Trend Micro Internet Security
$39.99/year
3
Windows
-
-
-
Trend Micro Maximum Security
$49.99/year
5
Windows, Mac, Android, iOS
-
-
Trend Micro Premium Security
$59.99/year
10
Windows, Mac, Android, iOS

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.

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.

Final Score
Protection
Performance
Usability
6.00
6.00
6.00
6.00
6.00
6.00
6.00
6.00
5.98
6.00
5.90
6.00
5.98
6.00
5.90
6.00
5.97
6.00
5.85
6.00
5.96
5.95
5.95
6.00
5.94
5.95
6.00
5.85
5.93
5.95
5.95
5.85
5.91
5.95
5.75
5.95
5.87
5.83
5.83
6.00
5.81
5.85
5.55
5.95
5.77
5.70
5.95
5.80
5.60
6.00
6.00
4.00
5.47
5.15
5.90
6.00

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.

Total price
Missing features
$ 50
No firewall, password manager, and VPN
$ 80
No firewall and password manager
$ 90
No firewall
$ 130
No password manager
$ 180
No firewall

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.

Review score
Review count
4.8
5900
4.7
97000
4.4
1600
4.3
14500
4.3
4000
4.2
8300
4.1
13200
4.1
900
3.9
12000
3.9
26600
3.8
19000
3.7
7600
1.2
2000

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 Trend Micro a good antivirus program?

Trend Micro is ranked #11 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

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.

You can find him on LinkedIn or contact him here.