Webroot Antivirus Review (2025): Is it the right choice?

Full Review

Webroot is a budget-friendly, lightweight antivirus solution that includes a solid password manager, web protection, and a system optimizer. Its password manager, powered by LastPass, is a standout feature, though the web protection can be inconsistent, and the system optimizer may lack depth for advanced users.

Webroot offers plans for Windows, Mac, Android, iOS, and a well-regarded Chromebook app. All packages come with a 70-day money-back guarantee, providing ample time for users to evaluate the product.

Anti-malware

Webroot’s anti-malware scanner uses cloud-based technology and heuristic analysis to detect threats efficiently, minimizing CPU and disk space usage during scans. It offers four customizable scan types: Deep Scan, Full Scan, Custom Scan, and Quick Scan. Users can adjust settings to target PUPs or archived files and easily schedule or initiate scans via right-click.

In testing, Webroot detected 94.3% of malware samples, including trojans and spyware, but lagged behind competitors like Norton and Bitdefender. Its ransomware protection, however, was disappointing, blocking only 7 out of 18 simulated threats. Webroot also struggled with keylogger detection and lacks webcam protection.

While Webroot’s scans are notably fast, averaging 7 minutes, internet browsing may slow during full scans. Overall, it’s a decent, lightweight option but needs improvement in ransomware and keylogger defense.

Anti-phishing

Webroot offers online protection through a series of shields, including its Web Threat Shield, which helps block phishing sites and other web threats. In testing, Webroot blocked 8 out of 10 phishing sites—a decent 80% detection rate, though not as strong as competitors like Norton and Avira. One downside is that not all plans include this feature, and the basic web protections performed poorly, blocking only about half of phishing sites.

The shields can be managed through the main app, allowing users to toggle features like search safety ratings and real-time protection. However, inconsistent naming of the shields, such as “Identity Shield” versus “Privacy Shield,” can cause confusion.

Overall, while Webroot’s anti-phishing tools are adequate, they fall short compared to more effective options available from top competitors.

Firewall

Webroot’s firewall is basic, primarily monitoring outbound traffic while relying on Windows Defender for inbound protection. This approach contrasts with competitors like Avast, which monitor both traffic directions even in their free versions. Additionally, Webroot’s firewall lacks advanced security features such as ARP and DNS spoofing protection and prevention against man-in-the-middle attacks, which are standard in solutions like Norton.

Unlike many other antiviruses, Webroot doesn’t provide options to manage application rules, limiting user control over internet connections. Overall, Webroot’s firewall is underwhelming for a premium antivirus, offering minimal functionality and depending too much on Windows Defender for key security tasks.

Password manager

Webroot includes a subscription to LastPass, one of the top password managers in 2025. LastPass secures user data with 256-bit AES encryption and zero-knowledge architecture, ensuring only users can access their vaults. While a 2022 security breach raised concerns, encrypted data remained safe, and LastPass remains a leading choice in password management.

LastPass is feature-rich and user-friendly, offering an intuitive dashboard, browser extensions, and tools like password generation, auto-fill, and security audits. Its premium features include two-factor authentication (2FA), secure sharing, dark web monitoring, account recovery options, and emergency access. The 2FA options, especially with TOTP tools like Google Authenticator and YubiKey, enhance security.

Despite its past breach, LastPass is a strong, affordable option when bundled with Webroot, making it an appealing addition for users seeking a secure antivirus and password manager combo.

Other security features

Webroot offers several additional security features, but many are basic or underdeveloped compared to competitors.

System Optimizer

Webroot’s system optimizer removes cookies and junk files to enhance privacy and performance. While it successfully cleared 1,238 MB of junk files in our tests, it automatically deletes files without allowing user input, unlike competitors like Bitdefender, which let users review files before removal. The tool also clears browser history, but Webroot overstates its privacy capabilities compared to more comprehensive solutions like VPN-equipped antivirus programs. The included System Analyzer provides only a basic check of system health, with limited actionable insights, making it less effective than advanced system optimization tools from TotalAV or Avira.

Sandbox

Webroot includes a sandbox feature for advanced users to test applications in a secure environment. While it offers some control over permissions (such as internet access and system controls), our experience was mixed—many applications, including malware samples, crashed in the sandbox. While this feature is uncommon in antivirus programs (Comodo being another example), its inconsistent performance limits its usefulness for malware testing.

Identity Theft Protection

Webroot offers strong identity theft protection for US customers through a partnership with Allstate, which includes:

• $1 million in fraud reimbursement
• $50k in stolen funds compensation
• Dark web monitoring
• US-based restoration services
• Credit monitoring (from 1 bureau)
• Financial monitoring

While this package is solid, Norton offers broader coverage, including monitoring from all three major credit bureaus. Outside the US, Webroot’s identity protection is more limited, relying on LastPass’s dark web monitoring, which is not as comprehensive as Dashlane’s. It would be beneficial for Webroot to extend its identity protection services to international users and offer more features in lower-tier plans.

Other Features

• Manual Threat Removal Tool: This tool works as a file shredder but is misleadingly named, which might give users false confidence in removing active malware manually.
• Active Process Control: Similar to Windows Task Manager, this feature allows users to manage running processes but is less intuitive. Advanced users may prefer ESET’s detailed process management.
• Enhanced File Deletion (Secure Erase): This feature allows safe deletion of sensitive files by overwriting them with random data to prevent recovery. It’s conveniently accessible via a right-click menu.
• Reboot to Safe Mode: This handy diagnostic tool makes it easier to enter Safe Mode, which can be useful during troubleshooting.

However, some features, like the manual process control and manual threat removal, seem redundant or poorly implemented, and Webroot lacks advanced extras like Wi-Fi protection or a game booster, which are common in more comprehensive antivirus suites.

Conclusion

While Webroot includes a few useful features, such as the Secure Erase tool and identity theft protection for US users, many of its additional tools are underdeveloped or unnecessary. Webroot could benefit from offering more robust extras like Wi-Fi protection and system optimization tools that provide users with greater control and functionality.

Test score comparison

We conduct in-house anti-malware tests and review the results from AV-Test, a German lab renowned for its objective evaluations. Below is the average of the last 10 AV-Test results for Windows. Their scoring criteria are:

• Protection (1-6): Effectiveness in blocking malware.
• Performance (1-6): Impact on system speed.
• Usability (1-6): Frequency of errors like false alarms.

We calculate a final score using this formula:

Final Score = 60% Protection + 20% Performance + 20% Usability.

While these results influence our choice of the best antivirus for Windows 11, other factors like privacy and identity protection also play a key role. For a similar analysis for Android or macOS, visit our other comparisons:

• The best antivirus for Android.
• The best antivirus for Mac.

Note: Brands not listed in the table either do not participate in AV-Test trials or are tested too infrequently, such as Surfshark Antivirus.

Source: AV-Test (Last updated: December 2024).

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.

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. 

We consider scores above 4.0 very good. Lower scores indicate that the brand might have a poor product or customer service. McAfee’s scores, for instance, are worrying.

Source: TrustPilot. Last Update: December 2024.