Verdict
F - Secure SAFE is a clean and uncomplicated anti - malware entourage that ’s a footling light on features beyond maternal controls .
Pros
Cons
Key Features
Introduction
F - Secure SAFE provides a wide-eyed , unobtrusive selection of antivirus and parental control instrument for habitation users .
It does n’t jack up the price when your subscription renews , make it very easy to opt out to motorcar - renewals only , and it ’s reasonably competitively priced . But is it one of thebest antivirusoptions ?
Pricing
F - Secure SAFE does n’t mechanically sign you up for an auto - renewing subscription , but subsequent age still cost more than the first .
F - Secure has scrapped the plebeian industry drill of have renewals at a higher price than initial subscriptions , which I very much welcome . The caller has also interchange its level so that you get more for your money . Its ingress - level annual $ 34.99/£59.99 subscription now covers three gimmick , rather than one .
In a similar venous blood vessel , you ’ll yield $ 44.99/£79.99 a yr for five gimmick and $ 54.99/£99.99 for seven . One- and two - year subscriptions are usable for up to 25 devices , and if you do n’t want to be billed against the next year , just select “ No ” under the clearly pit “ Renew expiring subscription mechanically ” option on the purchase page .
Features
With consumer anti - malware suite , you ’re paying for more than just virus protection , and F - Secure provide a sound range of mountains of tools for your money . maternal control are put in at install time , with options for straight off arrange time limit and cognitive content filtering for baby of various ages . you’re able to deploy the software for purpose by a young appendage of the household , too .
gadget direction and tracking is available through the same system to all members of your F - Secure account .
There are , of course , a ambit of real - time and on - need scans usable , although your options here are n’t as granular as those of some rivals such asESET Internet Security . For example , if you require boot sector scanning , you ’ll have to black market a full organization scan .
A great deal of F - Secure ’s activity materialise under the bonnet . For example , DeepGuard only allows you to take to the woods program that F - Secure ’s swarm knows to be safe , and ransomware tribute prevents selected folders from being change without permission . There ’s also a notification - free play mode that you could set off via a right - click menu on the software ’s notification sphere icon .
browse protection obstruct untrusting internet site and those that are live to be serious , while web web browser extensions are useable to help oneself provide a secure banking experience that guards against spyware . you’re able to further block any program from downloading file over HTTP , if you need to specifically lock down a system against Trojan horses and the corresponding . However , this is off by nonremittal , since it ’s likely to get in the way of mean solar day - to - Clarence Day natural process .
F - Secure ’s setting interface intimately resemble that of Windows ’ own setting , which is well-fixed , but there really is n’t much there when it comes to feature with which you’re able to actually interact . I ’d have like to see a firewall or an alternative front - end to the integrated Windows firewall .
Malware Detection Performance
F - Secure’smalware detection enginescored a 100 % defense force rating in three out of four of AV - Test ’s most recent real - world and malware computer address sampling - scanning tests . However , its substantial - Earth protection score in February 2022 was 99.5 % , indicate that it failed to spot one malware sampling .
It improved on its carrying out in SE Labs ’ most late tests , with a protection rating that improved from 96 % to 98 % . AV Comparatives does n’t include F - Secure SAFE in its tests .
This is by no means a hapless showing , coming in just a hair below that ofMicrosoft Defenderacross all test . However , Defender is free and comes built in to Windows 10 and 11 , so F - Secure has to compete on features , rather than either toilet facility or performance .
Best Offers
Should you buy it?
F - Secure has a pleasing user interface that blend in well with Windows . It has the core feature you necessitate for family virus protection , expert parental restraint and is unnoticeable .
F - Secure ’s computer virus detecting is loosely good , but it is n’t up to Trend Micro , Kaspersky or Microsoft ’s anti - malware offer , and Microsoft Defender is free .
Final Thoughts
It ’s pleasant to use , but there ’s little in terms of malware defense or features to recommend F - Secure SAFE overMicrosoft Defender . If you ’re here for the extra feature of speech , paid - for consumer rivalKaspersky Internet Securityhas more of them , but F - Secure ’s parental controls are easier to deploy .
Trusted Score
How we test
We use every antivirus suite ourselves , so we can stop out their various features , from scanning pick to integrate extras such as parental ascendency . The resultant role we practice to assessmalware detective work performancecome from reputable examination houses include AV - Test , AV Comparatives and SE Labs .
FAQs
Yes , you need to pay for a subscription for use F - Secure SAFE .
Microsoft Defender scored better in the malware detecting tests recently , but F - Secure does have extra feature .
