Intego Antivirus review
-
Rūta Rimkienė
Writer
Attention, Mac users: there’s finally an antivirus solution created for you. That’s right - Intego Antivirus is an online security tool primarily intended for macOS. It has excellent real-time protection and malware scanning.
This antivirus can catch even the most recent and advanced threats. For example, the VirusBarrier app offers comprehensive protection against all types of viruses, and NetBarrier is a never-before-seen firewall solution for securing both incoming and outgoing traffic. Other numerous features include a VPN, a system optimization tool, and even parental controls.
Nevertheless, some things could be better. The VPN could be integrated with the app instead of being a separate product, and the NetUpdate feature seemed a little redundant.
But let's not get ahead of ourselves. In this Intego review, we’ll cover everything you need to know about this antimalware software – including features, pricing, and performance.
📢 LIMITED OFFER: Get Intego today, 60%OFF!
| ⭐ Rating: | |
| 🥇 Overall rank: | #15 out of #25 |
| 💵 Price: | from $19.99/year, 1 device |
| ✂️ Free version: | No |
| 🖥️ Platforms: | Windows, Mac |
| 🔥 Coupons: | Intego coupon 60% OFF |
Intego pros and cons
Visit Intego to learn more about the features
Is Intego antivirus good for Mac?
Yes, Intego antivirus is probably one of the best antiviruses for Mac. In fact, it has been designed and developed specifically with macOS products in mind. It includes advanced malware detection and prevention features, as well as real-time protection. Additionally, the antivirus also offers functionalities for performance optimization and online protection.
Intego antivirus is extremely easy to use, and offers excellent customer support for those in need. The pricing might be a little higher than average – but if you care about your Mac’s security, getting Intego is a good choice.
Alternatively, if you're looking for full-power antivirus software, then TotalAV is worthy of your attention. It's one of the leading antiviruses on the market and our number-one provider in terms of performance.
Intego security features
This is probably the first antivirus software we've ever seen that has more features on macOS than on its Windows platform. Granted, the features that it does come with vary in their usefulness, but it’s still an impressive suite.
The Mac version of Intego comes in multiple separate apps for each task. You can also buy the apps separately.
Here are all the Intego features reviewed:
VirusBarrier – Malware scanner
VirusBarrier is the actual antivirus program of Intego. It scans your files and provides real-time protection against malware and viruses.
It’s quite a trustworthy application, as it constantly scores great results in virus detection tests by AV-Comparatives. In other words, Intego detects the vast majority of threats encountered online.
In addition, the feature has a Quarantine section where it puts infected or suspicious files and a Trusted Files section where you can put files that shouldn't be scanned.
VirusBarrier can also scan your iOS device if you connect it to your Mac via Bluetooth. As Intego doesn’t have an iOS app, it’s the only way you can scan your iPhone or iPad with an Intego subscription.
NetBarrier – advanced firewall
NetBarrier is Intego’s custom two-way firewall. It works on Wi-Fi and wired networks and protects both incoming and outgoing traffic. This is unusual for regular firewalls since they tend to protect only one type of traffic. By protecting both inbound and outbound traffic, NetBarrier may prevent apps from leaking your personal data or otherwise communicating with unauthorized domains.
NetBarrier’s user interface is simple enough to be used even by less tech-savvy users but still retains lots of functionality. On the other hand, advanced users who like to tweak everything themselves might miss an option or two.
It’s really convenient how NetBarrier instantly recognizes whether you’re connected to your home, work, or public wifi and changes your firewall settings accordingly. You can also change certain settings manually. For example, you can control which incoming or outgoing internet connections are allowed or blocked.
NetBarrier also shows you if an app or a background script is doing anything fishy. For example, if it’s trying to make unwanted internet connections.
On a more somber note, NetBarrier kept displaying annoying pop-ups. You see, every time we opened a new app, the feature asked if we wanted to allow that app to connect to the internet. This problem was constantly getting in the way. Luckily, Intego remembered my choices, so at least we only had to do it once for each application we used.
Washing Machine – system optimizer
The Washing Machine app is a system optimizer and cleaner. It allows you to delete cache files, logs, downloads, and the contents of your trash bin. Once Intego completes the scan, you can choose the files you want to delete.
The app can also look for duplicate files on your system. And it’s quite a helpful feature. In some instances, duplicates can take up quite a bit of storage space. We also like that there’s a preview function that allows you to sneak peek into the file before choosing to delete it.
Finally, the Washing Machine will help you to declutter and organize your files into folders. You may really like this feature if you’re anything like us and tend to just toss everything onto your desktop.
Has your Mac gotten slower? It might be time to clean it – the best way to get rid of old files is to use the Washing Machine system optimizer from Intego antivirus. It will scan your Mac, get rid of all the old and duplicate files, empty your trashcan, and even organize your files into neat little folders. You won’t have to manually sort through everything yourself
Get IntegoPersonal Backup
Personal Backup allows you to backup your files onto external media, like an external hard drive or a USB key. In this way, this feature is more advanced than the Mac’s native Time Machine, which only keeps the backup directly on your device. Personal Backup also lets you synchronize your data between two computers. In addition, the feature restores your files when needed.
We like that it has the function to backup your files automatically on a preferred schedule. For instance, you can set it up to back up your whole PC to your NAS every morning.
ContentBarrier – Parental Controls feature
ContentBarrier is a Parental Control feature. It can either block certain websites and apps or whitelist the content you want your kid to see.
You can choose the level of content protection for each user of your macOS device. There are four levels of protection available. These include No Protection, Monitored, Safe Web Surfing, and Restricted Internet.
However, the main gimmick of ContentBarrier is that it can read chats. In turn, the app can alert you if it detects any predatory speech patterns from the person on the other line. On the other hand, the speech patterns it seeks are a bit basic, i.e. “I am your friend” or “How old are you."
There’s also the Recording tab that allows you to record keystrokes, as well as periodically receive screenshots of the device.
Intego VPN (Privacy Protection)
Intego has a VPN to offer for Mac and Windows users alike – it’s called Privacy Protection. However, instead of being integrated into the antivirus itself, it is a separate product with separate pricing plans. If you’re looking for an antivirus with an integrated VPN, Intego is not the one. The VPN is also not proprietary – it uses the server infrastructure of Private Internet Access (PIA) VPN. This provides some trust that the software is genuinely good and protects your data well.
Intego VPN features include:
- AES-256 encryption
- Kill switch
- 30,000 servers in 84 countries
- Split tunneling
- Ad blocker
- Obfuscation mode
The VPN is also useful for unblocking streaming services and other geo-restricted content. You can use the Intego VPN on 10 devices simultaneously, and connect through OpenVPN and WireGuard protocols.
NetUpdate – apps updater
NetUpdate is the most basic application of the Intego bundle. Essentially, it’s just an app that updates other apps in the Intego suite.
In all truth, this feature seems a little redundant – all the updates could be automatically installed, ensuring that your apps are always running the newest and the best versions.
Intego antivirus for Windows – review
The Intego antivirus for Windows is a relatively new tool, as it was only released in September 2020. It includes features such as real-time scanning, network security, online web shield, PUA protection, and smart scans.
Design-wise, this antivirus app reminds me of other antimalware products like Avast. Likewise, its functionality is reminiscent of the free versions of lots of Windows antivirus solutions, which might not fully justify a price that starts at $19.99 a year.
On the other hand, even though it doesn’t have that many features, Intego Windows actually offers real-time scanning. It protects you when visiting potentially dangerous sites or opening email attachments. This function isn’t present in many free antivirus programs, thus the app might still be worth paying for.
The Windows version of Intego also allows you to scan your computer for viruses. You can choose between a quick scan and a complete virus scan.
We tested the quick scan feature and it took Intego about 3.5 minutes to complete it. It’s a very good result for a quick scan, however, some applications (like Avira) are able to perform it more quickly.
There’s also the Quarantine tab that locks up infected files so that they can no longer harm your computer.
Overall, Intego Antivirus for Windows is basically the VirusBarrier app on the macOS version.
Plans and pricing
Intego offers three pricing tiers for Mac devices and a single tier for Windows. All tiers include different amounts of Intego apps and features. Here’s the full Intego pricing breakdown:
| Plan | Price |
| Mac Internet Security | $19.99/year |
| Mac Security and Performance | $26.99/year |
| Mac Premium Bundle | $34.99/year |
| Intego antivirus for Windows | $39.99/year |
As is evident, Intego is not the cheapest antivirus option for Mac. The cheapest plan offers only the most basic Mac protection. By contrast, the cheapest TotalAV subscription not only costs a little less, but also includes features such as ransomware protection, disk cleanup, and system optimization tools.
Besides, Intego subscription plans don’t include a VPN. Instead, you have to pay an extra $19.99/year to add the VPN to your chosen Mac protection suite.
In terms of payment options, you can pay with PayPal and a bunch of different credit cards. However, the purchase requires a lot of personal information. You have to fill in a huge form with all kinds of personal details like your real name and address of residence.
Nevertheless, here is a more comprehensive breakdown of what each Intego subscription plan includes:
Mac Internet Security
The Mac Internet Security plan from Intego offers basic but sufficient protection for your macOS device. It includes only one app – NetBarrier X9.
Nevertheless, it seems enough to protect your Mac from viruses and malware in real-time, as well as offer a comprehensive and extensive firewall. You can get the Mac internet security for 1 Mac for only $19.99year for the first year.
Mac Security and Performance
This is the newest version of Intego antivirus for Mac. It is still in its beta phase, so you can’t buy it as a full product and instead have to sign up for beta testing. That means that you can enjoy the Intego antivirus product for free – although you should probably be prepared for bugs.
The Mac Total Protection plan includes:
- Mac Washing Machine X9
- NetBarrier X9
You can get the Mac Security and Performance for $26.99/year for 1 Mac. The price increases after a year.
Mac Premium Bundle
This is the most expensive and the most extensive Intego antivirus plan for Mac. The bundle includes every Intego app, as well as real-time protection. Here’s what you can find in the Intego Mac Premium Bundle:
- NetBarrier
- Mac Washing Machine
- ContentBarrier
- Personal Backup
You can get the Mac Premium Bundle for 1 Mac for $34.99/year. The price increases after a year.
Intego Windows Antivirus
Intego antivirus solution for Windows starts at $39.99/year for 1 device. You can also opt for the Family subscription to protect 3 devices, and the extended subscription for 5 devices. All Intego Windows Antivirus plans include the same features:
- Online Web Shield
- Smart Scan
- Zero-day protection
- Financial protection
- PUA protection
- Scheduled scans
- Automatic updates
- Network security
Keep in mind that the prices here are for the first year only.
Does Intego have a free trial?
Intego offers a 14-day free trial for all its plans, so you don’t have to dive right into paying a hefty sum to get your Mac some protection. You can download any Intego plan and any solitary app for free, and use it for 2 weeks without any payments.
One downside is that the free trial plans are only available through a dedicated Intego Free Trial page. You will not be granted a free trial while purchasing products from the regular pricing page. But you don’t need to worry – Intego also has a generous 30-day money-back guarantee, so you can try the service without any risks, and get your money back if it doesn’t suit your needs.
Ease of use and setup
Both Mac and Windows versions of Intego Antivirus are really easy to set up. You simply need to download the installation package from the official site of Intego and install the software.
We liked that Intego didn’t try to push any annoying add-ons or additional programs I didn’t sign up for. In other words, no junkware!
Keep in mind that while the Windows version will be installed as a single program, the Mac version will result in 5 different mini applications. The idea behind having a different app for each function kind of makes sense because each tool has lots of functionality. Despite this, we’d prefer to have everything on a single application, as jumping from app to app to find what you’re looking for can be a bit annoying.
Other than that, both versions of Intego were easy to use. If you enjoy simplicity, you’ll especially like the Windows application because it is extremely intuitive and won’t leave you confused. Even if it’s your first time using an antivirus solution.
When you get used to the abundance of mini-apps, the Mac version also doesn’t cause too big of a headache. However, we can see that it was created with a bit more advanced users in mind. That’s because it offers quite a few advanced features that can be configured manually.
Overall, we don’t have too many complaints about using Intego. Its design is pleasant and it functions really smoothly - just like any modern piece of software should.
Intego mobile app
Even though Intego doesn’t have any mobile applications, it offers certain functionality with iOS mobile devices. Its VirusBarrier feature can connect to your iOS device via Bluetooth and scan it for viruses and malware.
No other Intego Mac application connects to mobile devices. Honestly, if you’re looking for an antivirus solution for your phone, Avira, Malwarebytes, or any other brand will be a much better choice than Intego.
Customer support
When it comes to Intego customer support, we don’t have much to complain about. I like the fact that you can contact their live chat for an immediate solution to your problem. Their support agents are helpful and are really quick with their answers. Unfortunately, the chat isn’t available 24/7.
Other than that, you can submit a request and receive the answer to your email. Keep in mind that, when filling out the form, it’s mandatory to submit a lot of information. This includes your email address, your first and last name, country, the name of the product, the serial number, and the exact version of your OS.
However, if you’re a bit tech-savvy, you can read through their knowledge base which includes lots of troubleshooting topics. They vary from compatibility issues to various app setup manuals.
There’s also the option to submit viruses or malware that affect Mac devices in case you identify any new ones.
Intego video review
Short on time? Watch our comprehensive Intego antivirus video review to get acquainted with the Mac antivirus solution. Find out all about its pricing, features, and how well it performs in terms of malware and virus protection.
Is Intego antivirus good?
All in all, Intego is a really good antivirus solution. It has continuously proven to reliably detect online threats, offers a free version, and is quite easy to use.
However, you should remember that it’s a Mac-oriented tool first and foremost. Even though its both Mac and Windows versions will protect you from viruses and malware, only the macOS version offers a myriad of features that will make your cyber life much easier.
Also, the price of Intego might turn some of its potential users away. If you’re one of them and aren’t ready to pay for this Mac antimalware tool, I suggest you download the free trial just in case. Maybe you’ll change your mind.
Best antivirus deals this week:
More Anti-Virus guides from Cybernews:
Kaspersky antivirus review: the golden standard of an antivirus, examined
Best Mac antivirus software: top Mac protection with perfect detection rates
Panda Dome Antivirus review: unique suite for casual and advanced users alike
Malwarebytes review: top-notch malware removal and virus mitigation
FAQ
Is Intego for Mac any good?
Yes, Intego is a really good antivirus solution for Mac, as it was specifically created for macOS. It not only continuously scores great results in virus and malware detection tests, but also offers quite a lot of features you might not find anywhere else. It also has a free 7-day trial.
Who owns Intego?
Currently, Intego is owned by Kape Technologies. This UK-based computer software company acquired Intego back in 2018. Kape Technologies owns a few other major brands - for example, they acquired Private Internet Access (PIA) VPN in 2019.
Does Intego slow down Mac?
No. Intego isn’t likely to slow down your Mac device because it is specifically designed for macOS 10.13 and is fully optimized for efficiency. Also, even though I found a couple of user reviews that complain of slower speeds when Intego is in use, I didn’t experience any slowdowns even during malware scans.
Is Intego trustworthy?
Yes, Intego is a trustworthy and legitimate antivirus solution for Mac devices. It offers comprehensive protection against all kinds of viruses and malware, as well as helps with device performance optimization, and protects your information online with its firewall and VPN solutions.
Comments
Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked