TotalAV Review
Despite having only launched in 2016, Total AV has quickly become one of the leading — and best — antivirus software providers around. Its top-notch antivirus detection capabilities and an endless list of features, even on the entry-level tier, has made it the go-to choice for thousands of happy customers around the world.
Overall Performance
4.9
User Experience
4.5
Features and Add-ons
4.9
Tech Support
4
Price
3
OUR SCORE
OUR SCORE
4.9
Overall Performance
4.5
User Experience
4.9
Features and Add-ons
4
Tech Support
3
Price
What we liked
100% detection rate when tested by Virus Bulletin
Packed with features even on the entry-level tier
Clean, intuitive interface that doesn’t slow down your devices
30 day money back guarantee
What we weren’t sure about
Phone support only covers billing-related issues
Entry-level subscription only includes protection for one device
Overall Performance
TotalAV offers one of the smoothest scanning experiences we’ve seen. Running a full scan took about 25 minutes. And, more to the point, the scan was quiet and had zero effect on our device’s performance.
The app does pop up on top of everything as soon as a scan finishes, which interrupts your flow. This is annoying, but not necessarily a deal-breaker, as long as you time your scans so that they don’t run while you’re in the middle of a game or streaming a particularly suspenseful episode of your favourite show.
To date, Total AV hasn’t been tested by AV Test. That said, it had a 100% detection rate with no false positives when tested by Virus Bulletin, a highly-respected UK-based certification authority. What’s more, Total AV’s antivirus detection engine is licensed from Avira, which has aced AV Test’s most recent rounds of testing.
User Experience
Setting TotalAV up is quick and painless. Installation takes a little over a minute. Once that’s done, you register your account and the software automatically updates its definitions and runs your first scan.
We really liked the interface. While there’s a lot going on, it never feels cluttered. You can easily navigate between all of the different sections using the menu on the left hand side of the app, and everything is pretty much self-explanatory. Even better, you can perform most functions — from scheduling scans to changing your account password or contacting customer support — without leaving the app.
The only thing that bothered us is that the app can be a bit intrusive. In particular, popup notifications take up a little too much screen space for our liking. That said, getting rid of notifications is easily achieved by going into the app settings, so this feels like a minor quibble.
Features and Add-ons
TotalAV’s entry-level Essential package is chock full of features. Some of the standouts include a VPN, an ad-blocker and a disk cleaner that searches for duplicate files and junk data that can slow down your device.
You’ll also get access to a suite of device optimisation tools (PC only) and a browser manager and cleaner you can use to clear cookies and delete your browsing history.
If that’s not enough for you, the more expensive packages pile on more features. Antivirus Pro adds a password manager and an ebook on antiviruses to the mix, while the Ultimate package adds priority support and a smartphone optimiser. Total AV has also partnered up with Experian to offer a unique take on identity protection (though, unfortunately, this feature is only available in the US and at an extra cost).
To be fair, we did miss some functionality. Case in point, there are no parental controls, file backup or cloud storage. However, given the sheer breadth of what’s on offer, especially on the entry-level package, this seems like a very minor complaint.
Tech Support
You can reach TotalAV’s customer support via email, by phone or on live chat 24 hours a day. Disappointingly, phone support only covers billing issues. So if you need to speak to someone in real time about a technical problem, live chat is your best bet.
TotalAV do warn that waiting times can be long, and they recommend upgrading to priority support if you’re a ‘novice’ or a ‘technophobe’ so that your queries will be fast-tracked. The catch is that priority support is only available on the Ultimate package, which means you’ll have to fork out an extra $50 a year compared to the entry-level Essential package.
The website also has a knowledge-base (but, for some reason, no forum). We’ve found this to be well-organised and easy to navigate. The search function is helpful and everything is written in simple language that’s easy to follow. That said, we think adding screenshots to the guides would have helped break up the text and make things clearer for the more technically challenged.
Price
TotalAV offers three packages: Essential Antivirus, Antivirus Pro and Ultimate Antivirus. While all three packages are considerably more expensive than a lot of the competition, the Essential is one of the most comprehensive packages around.
Subscriptions for the first year also come at a sizeable discount. You’ll get $80 off on the Essential and Pro packages and $90 off the Ultimate package. There’s also a 30-day money back guarantee.
Here’s a roundup of TotalAV’s offerings, the cost of a one-year subscription and an overview of what you get for the price:
| Essential Antivirus | Antivirus Pro | Ultimate Antivirus |
|---|---|---|
| $99.95 / €99.95 / £99.95 (First year: $19.95 / €19.95 / £19.95) | $119.95 / €119.95 / £119.95 (First year: $39.95 / €39.95 / £39.95) | $149.95 / €149.95 / £149.95 (First year: $59.95 / €59.95 / £59.95) |
| Antivirus protection for 1 device (PC, Mac, Android or iOS), plus: | Antivirus protection for up to 3 devices (PC, Mac, Android or iOS), plus: | Antivirus protection for up to 5 devices (PC, Mac, Android or iOS), plus: |
| Firewall | Everything on the Essential package | Everything on the Pro package |
| Disk cleaner | Antivirus ebook | Priority support |
| Browser cleaner and manager | Safe password storage | Smartphone optimizer |
| Web shield extension (Chrome only) | ||
| Device performance and optimisation tools (PC only) | ||
| 30-day money-back guarantee |
Summary
While it isn’t exactly cheap — we’d say the Pro and Ultimate tiers are two of the most expensive antivirus packages around — Total AV packs an impressive amount of punch.
Its smooth performance and intuitive interface make it a joy to use. And with so many features bundled up in a single package — from top notch antivirus capabilities to password management, privacy protection and more — this could easily become the only internet security software you’ll ever need.
