VIPRE vs Webroot (2026): which should you pick?
As of Nov 12, 2026, Webroot grades higher than VIPRE: 2.6 against 2.4 out of 4.0.
Checked Nov 9, 2026 and Nov 12, 2026 · graded Nov 9, 2026 and Nov 12, 2026 by ToolGPA
VIPRE grades higher on value for money. Webroot grades higher on platforms. They get the same grade on the free plan, features and ease of use.
Price, platforms and features side by side. The table says where each price was read and when.
VIPRE
Home antivirus in three tiers, from basic scanning to a VPN bundle
Webroot
Lightweight cloud antivirus, with identity and VPN bundles
Which one is for you
Pick VIPRE if
- Fits if you run one Windows PC and want a basic antivirus
- Works for Windows users who may later want a VPN in the same bundle
Look elsewhere if
- Skip it if you use a Mac or iPhone, as the listing shows Windows only
- Watch out: the page does not say how many devices a plan covers
- Pricey if you renew: the yearly prices shown are heavy discounts off $38.49, $60.49 and $153.99
- Tight if you want the firewall, patching or privacy tools, which are on the dearer tiers and Windows only
Pick Webroot if
- Fits if you have an older or slower PC that heavier antivirus bogs down
- Works for buyers who want a password manager on the lowest plan, Essentials, at $34.99 the first year
Look elsewhere if
- Skip it if you want to know your renewal price before you buy, as no plan states it
- Not for you if you want a VPN on Essentials, as it starts at Smart Protection and covers only 3 or 5 devices
- Tight if you want parental controls or the cleaners on a Mac, as they're Windows only
- Watch out: every price is a first-year price shown against a higher regular one, such as $62.99 against $89.99
- Watch out: text scam detection and breach alerts work on phones only, not on computers
How we grade them
| 2.4GPAVIPREFair | 2.6GPAWebrootGood | |
|---|---|---|
| Value for money | BAntivirus Plus is $14.99 a year, but that is shown as 61% off $38.49. At the full $38.49 it is about $3.20 a month, still near the cheaper quarter of antivirus. Renewal and device count are not stated. | CEssentials for 5 devices is $62.99 the first year, shown against $89.99, and Webroot doesn't state the renewal price. If year two is that $89.99, two years cost $152.98, about $6.37 a month, close to the dearer quarter of antivirus. |
| Free plan and trial | C30-day free trial for new users, and a 30-day money-back guarantee. The page does not mention a card. | CNo free plan, but a 14-day free trial with no credit card needed. Two weeks is enough to see whether it slows your PC. |
| Features | BReal-time and cloud protection, firewall, email protection, patching and a VPN on the top tier. Nothing in the listing is missing from the job. | BCloud antivirus, a firewall, web threat blocking and a password manager on every plan, then a VPN and identity monitoring from Smart Protection, and cloud backup on Total. Parental controls and the cleaners are Windows only. |
| Ease of use | BNo store rating on record. It is installed software that starts working after install. | BNo store rating on record. Webroot says it installs quickly, scans fast and takes up little space, and there's nothing to set up first. |
| Platforms and integrations | DThe firewall, phishing protection and patching are listed as Windows only. Android Security is a separate product that was not priced. No integrations. | BWindows, Mac, Android and iPhone. Text scam detection is phones only and parental controls Windows only, and there's no API on record, so it stops at B. |
| Best for | a basic Windows antivirus | light antivirus for older, slower PCs |
The GPA is the average of the five grades: an A is 4 points, an F is none. The full reasons are on each tool's page: VIPRE and Webroot. How we grade
Price against what you get
VIPRE starts at $1.25 a month when paid by the year and scores 2.3 out of 4 on features, ease of use and platforms. Webroot starts at $2.92 a month when paid by the year and scores 3.0.
Webroot scores higher, and starts $1.67 a month higher: the question is whether the extra is worth that to you. Of the other antivirus apps on the chart, 2 score higher than VIPRE for less, and none scores higher than Webroot for less.
Features, ease of use and platforms, averaged
What paid plans start at, a month (each step along is roughly double) →
- The best score at each price
- Has a free plan
- No free plan
Where they differ
- Webroot also covers password manager.
At a glance
| VIPRE | Webroot | |
|---|---|---|
| Pricing | Free trial | Free trial |
| Starts at | $14.99 per year (Antivirus Plus; page does not say whether this renews) | $34.99 per year for 1 device (Essentials), first term; renewal price not stated |
| Free plan | None | None |
| Free trial | 30-day free trial for new users | 14-day free trial, no credit card required |
| macOS | ||
| Windows | ||
| iOS | ||
| Android | ||
| Made by | VIPRE Security Group | Open Text Corporation |
| Price read from | vipre.com | webroot.com |
| Checked | Nov 12, 2026 | Nov 9, 2026 |
Worth knowing
VIPRE
- The pricing page does not say how many devices a plan covers or whether the shown yearly price is a first-term price.
- The firewall, phishing protection, patching and privacy features are listed as Windows-compatible only.
- Android Security and Privacy Shield are separate products listed in the home menu; they were not priced here.
- Sold with a 30-day money-back guarantee.
Webroot
- Every price is a first-year price, shown against a higher regular price; Webroot's pages do not state what plans renew at.
- The VPN starts at Smart Protection and covers only 3 or 5 devices depending on the plan.
- Parental controls and the activity and clutter cleaners work on Windows PCs only.
- Text scam detection and breach alerts work on iOS and Android only.
Key features
VIPRE
- Real-time and cloud protection
- Uses machine learning and cloud-enabled scanning to detect malware, spyware and ransomware.
- Firewall and email protection
- Advanced Security adds a firewall plus protection against phishing and spam. These features are listed as Windows only.
- Third-party patching
- Advanced Security keeps other installed apps up to date; listed as Windows only.
- Privacy tools
- The Ultimate bundle adds a webcam and microphone blocker, browsing track cleaner and dark web scanner.
- VPN
- The Ultimate bundle includes an unlimited VPN described as covering all devices.
Webroot
- Cloud-based antivirus
- A cloud-based, machine-learning antivirus aimed at zero-day threats; Webroot says its scans are quick and the app takes little space.
- Firewall and Web Threat Shield
- Every plan includes a firewall and network monitor, plus blocking of risky websites, phishing and ransomware.
- Scam protection
- Text scam detection and breach alerts on phones; Smart Protection and Total add Scam Check, ID Check before payments and a 24/7 scam hotline.
- Password manager
- A password manager comes with every plan, alongside protection for personal details typed into AI chats.
- Identity protection
- Higher plans monitor the dark web and financial accounts, add credit bureau monitoring and give US-based restoration help with up to $1M in reimbursement.
- Cloud backup and parental controls
- Total Protection adds unlimited cloud storage for one PC or Mac and parental controls, which run on Windows only.
Plans
VIPRE
Antivirus Plus$14.99
per year; renewal price and device count not shown
Malware, spyware and ransomware detection, real-time scans and cloud-enabled protection. Shown as 61% off a crossed-out $38.49 a year.
Advanced Security$19.99
per year; renewal price and device count not shown
Adds third-party patching, phishing and spam protection, a firewall and behavioral analysis, all Windows only. Shown as 66% off a crossed-out $60.49 a year.
Ultimate Security Bundle$39.99
per year; renewal price and device count not shown
Adds a browsing track cleaner, webcam and microphone blocker, dark web scanner, document auditing and an unlimited VPN. Shown as 74% off a crossed-out $153.99 a year.
Webroot
Essentials$34.99
per year for 1 device, first term; renewal price not stated
Antivirus, firewall, scam and breach alerts, password manager. Shown against $49.99. 3 devices $48.99 ($69.99), 5 devices $62.99 ($89.99).
Smart Protection$53.99
per year for 3 devices, first term; renewal price not stated
Adds VPN, identity and dark web monitoring for 1 person, and up to $25k scam reimbursement. Shown against $89.99; 5 devices $69.99 ($99.99).
Premium$64.99
per year for 5 devices, first term; renewal price not stated
Essentials plus credit bureau monitoring and up to $1M fraud expense reimbursement for 1 person. Shown against $129.99; 10 people $124.99.
Total Protection$89.99
per year for 5 devices, first term; renewal price not stated
Premium plus VPN for 5 devices, parental controls and unlimited cloud backup for 1 PC or Mac. Shown against $179.99; 10 devices $149.99.
Ways to pay less
VIPRE
No public discounts listed.
Webroot
- Other savings
30% to 50% off the first year
Essentials $34.99 (from $49.99), Smart Protection $53.99 ($89.99), Premium $64.99 ($129.99) and Total Protection $89.99 ($179.99) for the first year.
Common questions
Which is cheaper, VIPRE or Webroot?
As of Nov 12, 2026, VIPRE is cheaper to start with: $1.25 a month when paid by the year, against $2.92 a month when paid by the year for Webroot. VIPRE starts at $14.99 per year (Antivirus Plus; page does not say whether this renews), and Webroot starts at $34.99 per year for 1 device (Essentials), first term; renewal price not stated.
Which has a free plan, VIPRE or Webroot?
As of Nov 12, 2026, neither VIPRE nor Webroot has a free plan. Both have a free trial.
Which platforms do VIPRE and Webroot run on?
As of Nov 12, 2026, only Webroot lists macOS, iOS and Android apps. Both list a Windows app. A platform missing from a listing is one its maker's pages did not mention.
More comparisons
How this page was made
- The verdict at the top follows a fixed rule. When both tools are in the same category and either is in our top three for it, the verdict follows that ranking: the higher-placed tool is our pick. The top three weigh who each tool suits as well as its grades, so a pick can go against the GPA. Otherwise the page does not pick one and says which grades higher: the higher GPA first; on a tie, the one with a free plan, then the one that starts cheaper in dollars a month, counted the same way for both; if they are still level, what the choice depends on.
- The grades are our own, from each tool’s review or report card. The GPA is their average.
- Prices, plans and platforms come from each tool’s listing. The table above says where each price was read and when.
- The differences and the answers to the questions are worked out from those listings.