The Intego Insider’s Guide
Everything we know about Intego in one document: what it costs, its grades, getting a refund, getting help and what else to look at. Read it here, or keep a copy.
Intego
The Insider’s Guide
Mac antivirus and firewall suite, with a VPN and a Windows edition
Every plan, grade, refund rule and rival among antivirus apps, read from Intego’s own pages.
Made by Intego · checked Oct 17, 2026 · toolgpa.com
Contents
- 01WelcomeWhat it is, who it suits, its grades and the ten things to know first
- 02What it costsEvery plan, the free plan, ways to pay less and how prices have moved
- 03What it doesIts main features, where it runs, what it works with and who makes it
- 04Where it standsIts grades against its category, and whether to keep it or make your own
- 05The alternativesThe tools it is most often weighed against, side by side
- 06Quick answersThe questions people ask about it, each answered in a line or two
- 07About ToolGPAWho made this guide, what else is on the site, and how to cite it
ToolGPA put this guide together from Intego’s own pages, its app-store listings and our grades. Every fact in it is on Intego’s page too, where it is kept up to date. Checked Oct 17, 2026.
Part 01 · Overview
Welcome
What it is, who it suits, its grades and the ten things to know first
2.0
GPA, above 0 of the 14 other antivirus apps we grade
Intego makes security software built mainly for Macs. Intego ONE combines real-time antivirus with a firewall, adds the SmartClean cleanup tool on Advanced, and adds Intego VPN and an iPhone app on Complete. A separate Intego Antivirus for Windows covers PCs.
To get you started, here are 8 things to know about Intego, taken from its own pages and our grades.
- 1
Best for antivirus and a firewall built for Macs
There's nothing free to try, and Android phones aren't covered at all.
- 2
Paid plans start at $3.33 a month when paid by the year
As its pricing page puts it: $39.99 per year at renewal (Essential, 1 Mac), after a first year for $29.99.
- 3
It runs on 3 platforms
macOS, Windows and iOS.
- 4
Real-time Mac antivirus
Scans continuously and on a schedule, and removes viruses, malware, spyware and adware written for macOS.
- 5
Mac firewall
Monitors every network connection on the Mac, blocks intrusions and lets you set rules for which apps may go online.
- 6
SmartClean
Advanced and Complete clear junk files, caches and app leftovers, uninstall apps fully and monitor CPU, memory and disk use.
- 7
A 2.0 GPA, above 0 of 14
That is against the other antivirus apps we grade, on value, the free plan, features, ease of use and platforms.
- 8
Keep it
To replace Intego you would be making an engine that recognises new malware as it appears. That is not a weekend's work, with an AI app builder or without one.
Intego at a glance
- Pricing
- Paid, from $39.99 per year at renewal (Essential, 1 Mac), after a first year for $29.99
- Free plan
- No
- Free trial
- None stated
- Runs on
- macOS, Windows, iOS
- Made by
- Intego, since 1997
- Category
- Antivirus & Malware Protection
- Our grade
- 2.0 GPA, fair
The report card
Best for antivirus and a firewall built for Macs
Intego is built for Macs, with real-time antivirus and a firewall you can set rules on, plus cleanup tools on Advanced and a VPN on Complete. Five Macs on Essential cost $122.48 over two years. There's nothing free to try, and Android phones aren't covered at all.
| Subject | Grade | Comment |
|---|---|---|
| Value for money | C | Essential for 5 Macs is $52.49 the first year, then $69.99, so two years cost $122.48, about $5.10 a month, just above the dearer quarter of antivirus. That covers Macs only: an iPhone needs Complete and a PC a separate product. |
| Free plan and trial | F | Nothing free: no free version and no trial. A 30-day money-back guarantee is the only safety net, and that isn't a trial. |
| Features | C | Real-time Mac antivirus, a Mac firewall with app rules, SmartClean on Advanced, and a VPN with an iPhone app on Complete. The gaps are in the listing: Essential and Advanced cover Macs only, and Windows needs a separate product. |
| Ease of use | B | No store rating on record. It's a Mac app that scans and guards on its own once installed, though it needs macOS 12.4 or later. |
| Platforms and integrations | B | Macs, an iPhone through Complete, and Windows through the separate Antivirus for Windows. No Android, API or integrations on record. |
An A is worth 4 points, a B 3, a C 2, a D 1 and an F nothing. The GPA is the average of the five.
Who Intego is for
- Great if your household runs on Macs and you want a firewall with app rules
- Handy when you'd like Mac cleanup tools in the same subscription
- Good for sharing, as 3- and 5-seat plans give family their own logins
Who it is not for
- Not for you if you want to try it first, as there's no free version or trial
- Skip it if your household has Android phones, which Intego doesn't cover
- Pricey if you want the VPN, as it only comes with Complete at $89.99 a year after the first
Good to know
Good for
- Mac owners who want antivirus and a firewall built for macOS
- People who want Mac cleanup tools in the same subscription
- Households with a mix of Macs and iPhones on one plan
Worth knowing
- The advertised prices are first-term discounts of 25% to 35%; plans renew automatically at the full price, such as $39.99 a year for Essential.
- There is no free version or free trial; a 30-day money-back guarantee is offered instead.
- The VPN and iPhone app come only with Complete; Essential and Advanced cover Macs only.
- Intego ONE needs macOS 12.4 or later, and Windows PCs need the separate Antivirus for Windows.
Part 02 · Pricing
What it costs
Every plan, the free plan, ways to pay less and how prices have moved
$3.33
A month to start, paid by the year
Intego is a paid product, starting at $39.99 per year at renewal (Essential, 1 Mac), after a first year for $29.99.
That covers Macs only: an iPhone needs Complete and a PC a separate product.
Essential, 1 year
$39.99
per year for 1 Mac at renewal, after a first year for $29.99
Antivirus and firewall. First year $29.99 (25% off); 3 Macs $41.24 then $54.99, 5 Macs $52.49 then $69.99.
Essential, 2 years
$74.99
every 2 years for 1 Mac at renewal, after a first 2 years for $56.24
Essential paid for 2 years at a time: $56.24 for the first 2 years, then $74.99 every 2 years.
Antivirus for Windows
$49.99
per year for 1 PC at renewal, after a first year for $39.99
Real-time antivirus, web shield and ransomware protection for Windows. 3 PCs $54.99 then $66.99; 5 PCs $69.99 then $84.99.
Advanced, 2 years
$129.99
every 2 years for 1 Mac at renewal, after a first 2 years for $90.99
Adds SmartClean. 1 year: $48.99 the first year (30% off), then $69.99. Also sold for 3 or 5 Macs.
Complete, 2 years
$149.99
every 2 years for 1 Mac at renewal, after a first 2 years for $97.49
Adds Intego VPN and the iPhone app, for 1 Mac and 1 iPhone. 1 year: $58.49 the first year (35% off), then $89.99.
Read from intego.com on Oct 17, 2026.
Ways to pay less
Other savings
25% to 35% off the first term of Intego ONE
First year for 1 Mac: Essential $29.99, Advanced $48.99, Complete $58.49, then $39.99, $69.99 and $89.99 a year. Two-year terms get the same discounts.
Stated on intego.comOther savings
20% off the first year of Antivirus for Windows
Antivirus for Windows costs $39.99 for the first year on 1 PC, then renews at $49.99 a year.
Stated on intego.com
Part 03 · Features
What it does
Its main features, where it runs, what it works with and who makes it
3
Places it runs: macOS, Windows and iOS
Mac antivirus and firewall suite, with a VPN and a Windows edition. Here is what it does, as its own site describes it, and what it covers: disk cleanup, vPN, malware protection.
Real-time Mac antivirus, a Mac firewall with app rules, SmartClean on Advanced, and a VPN with an iPhone app on Complete.
- Real-time Mac antivirus
- Scans continuously and on a schedule, and removes viruses, malware, spyware and adware written for macOS.
- Mac firewall
- Monitors every network connection on the Mac, blocks intrusions and lets you set rules for which apps may go online.
- SmartClean
- Advanced and Complete clear junk files, caches and app leftovers, uninstall apps fully and monitor CPU, memory and disk use.
- Intego VPN
- Complete includes a no-logs VPN using the Lightway protocol, plus an iPhone app with Wi-Fi network checks and a security assessment.
- Shared seats
- 3- and 5-seat plans let you invite family or friends to their own seat without sharing your login.
- Antivirus for Windows
- A separate PC product with a web shield against phishing and fake sites, ransomware and banking Trojan blocking, and scheduled scans.
Where it runs
- macOS
- Windows
- iOS
What it works with
Its own pages name no integrations.
Intego is made by Intego, and has been around since 1997.
Part 04 · Standing
Where it stands
Its grades against its category, and whether to keep it or make your own
0/14
Other antivirus apps it is graded above
Intego's GPA of 2.0 is higher than 0 of the 14 other antivirus apps we grade, and level with 1.
It stands best on ease of use (B, above 2 of 14) and worst on free plan and trial (F, above 0).
Its paid plans start at $3.33 a month when paid by the year, against a middle price of $4.17 for the category: 3 of the 10 others that charge start lower.
On features, ease of use and platforms it scores 2.7 out of 4. 3 tools score higher and cost less.
Each grade against the category
Every bar is all 15 antivirus apps we grade, cut by the letter each got. Intego’s own letter is outlined.
- CValue for moneyAbove 3 of 14
- FFree plan and trialAbove 0 of 14
- CFeaturesAbove 0 of 14
- BEase of useAbove 2 of 14
- BPlatforms and integrationsAbove 0 of 14
Price against what you get
Each dot is one of 11 antivirus apps. Further left costs less; higher up scores better on features, ease of use and platforms. Intego is the marked dot.
What paid plans start at, a month (each step along is roughly double) →
Keep it, or make your own?
Whether this is something you could build for yourself with an AI app builder, and what you would give up.
Keep it
To replace Intego you would be making an engine that recognises new malware as it appears. That is not a weekend's work, with an AI app builder or without one.
That makes this kind of software worth paying for, not this one in particular: 13 of the 14 other antivirus apps grade higher. It costs $39.99 a year.
What you could not
- An engine that recognises new malware as it appears.
- Servers in dozens of countries, kept fast and private.
- Deleting system files without breaking anything.
- Apps for macOS, Windows and iOS that stay in step with each other.
- Sharing with other people, which means accounts and invitations.
What this rests on. Intego’s listing: what it does, where it runs, what it plugs into and what it costs. It is a judgement about the kind of software this is. We have not built a replacement for it, and making your own means looking after it too. How we decide, and every tool’s verdict.
Part 05 · Alternatives
The alternatives
The tools it is most often weighed against, side by side
Malwarebytes, Bitdefender, Norton 360, Sophos Home and TotalAV
The 5 tools Intego is most often weighed against, with where each one differs from it.
- 2.2GPA
Malwarebytes
Free plan · from $59.99/yr
Malware scanner and real-time protection, with VPN and ID plans.
- Malwarebytes has a free plan. Intego does not.
- Only Malwarebytes lists an Android app.
- Only Malwarebytes lists a browser extension.
- 2.8GPA
Bitdefender
Free plan · from $49.99/yr
Antivirus suites for computers and phones, with a free Windows tier.
- Bitdefender has a free plan. Intego does not.
- Only Bitdefender lists an Android app.
- Intego also covers disk cleanup.
- 2.8GPA
Norton 360
Free trial · from $84.99/yr
Antivirus suite with VPN, password manager and PC cloud backup.
- Only Norton 360 lists an Android app.
- Intego also covers disk cleanup.
- Norton 360 also covers password manager and ad and tracker blocking.
- 2.4GPA
Sophos Home
Free trial · from $59.99/yr
Business-grade antivirus for up to 10 Windows PCs and Macs.
- Only Sophos Home lists an Android app.
- Intego also covers disk cleanup and vPN.
- 2.0GPA
TotalAV
From $99/yr
Antivirus with tune-up tools, plus VPN and ad blocking on higher plans.
- Only TotalAV lists an Android app.
- Only TotalAV lists a browser extension.
- TotalAV also covers password manager and ad and tracker blocking.
Part 06 · Questions
Quick answers
The questions people ask about it, each answered in a line or two
12
Questions, each answered in a line or two
The short version of everything above, for when you only need the answer. Each one is told in full in its part of the guide.
Is Intego free?
No. Intego is a paid product, starting at $39.99 per year at renewal (Essential, 1 Mac), after a first year for $29.99.
How much does Intego cost?
Intego lists 5 plans. Essential, 1 year: $39.99 per year for 1 Mac at renewal, after a first year for $29.99.
What platforms does Intego work on?
Intego is available on macOS, Windows and iOS.
Does Intego offer any discounts?
Intego publicly lists the following: 25% to 35% off the first term of Intego ONE; 20% off the first year of Antivirus for Windows.
Does Intego have an Android app?
No Android app was listed when its pages were read on Oct 17, 2026. Intego is listed for macOS, Windows and iOS.
Does Intego have a Linux app?
No Linux app was listed when its pages were read on Oct 17, 2026. Intego is listed for macOS, Windows and iOS.
Is Intego open source?
Intego is not described as open source on its own site, as read on Oct 17, 2026.
Who makes Intego?
Intego is made by Intego. It dates from 1997.
What are the alternatives to Intego?
The closest alternatives to Intego in our directory are Malwarebytes, Bitdefender, Norton 360, Sophos Home and TotalAV.
How does Intego compare with other antivirus apps?
Intego's GPA of 2.0 is higher than 0 of the 14 other antivirus apps we grade, and level with 1.
Is Intego good value for money?
ToolGPA grades Intego C for value for money. Its paid plans start at $3.33 a month when paid by the year, against a middle price of $4.17 for the category: 3 of the 10 others that charge start lower.
Could I make my own version of Intego?
To replace Intego you would be making an engine that recognises new malware as it appears.
Where this guide comes from
The prices, plans, platforms and features were read from Intego’s own pages on Oct 17, 2026, and the grades were given on Oct 17, 2026. Graded from this listing, whose facts were read from Intego's own pages on 17 October 2026. Its store page showed no prices to our reader when we went back to check it. Not based on using the product, and shorter than our full reviews.
Every tool we list gets five grades, A to F, each with its reason, and a GPA that averages them. How each is decided is at toolgpa.com/grades. This guide is ToolGPA’s own work; it is not made, paid for or approved by Intego. Prices change, so check intego.com before you buy.
Part 07 · About
About ToolGPA
Who made this guide, what else is on the site, and how to cite it
1,880
Tools graded, in 47 categories
ToolGPA grades software the way a school report grades a pupil: five subjects, a letter for each with the reason written beside it, and a GPA that averages them. Prices, plans and platforms are read from each maker’s own pages and dated, so you always know how fresh a figure is.
ToolGPA is free to read. It may earn a commission from affiliate links and it works with sponsors, but anything paid for is labelled and no one can pay for a grade. Every tool on the site has a guide like this one, free to download and pass on. It all lives at toolgpa.com.
1,880
tools graded
47
categories
426
price changes on record
579
apps priced in 12 countries
What else is on toolgpa.com
- Intego, kept up to dateEverything in this guide, with prices and grades as they are todaytoolgpa.com/tools/intego
- How grades are givenThe rules behind every letter and every GPAtoolgpa.com/grades
- Value chartsWhat each tool costs against what it scores, for every categorytoolgpa.com/charts
- CompareAny two tools side by side, plan by plantoolgpa.com/compare
- Price changesEvery price rise and cut on record, each with its sourcetoolgpa.com/price-changes
- Prices by countryWhat apps cost on the App Store in 12 countriestoolgpa.com/prices-by-country
- Pay lessEvery public discount: yearly billing, students, nonprofitstoolgpa.com/save
- Keep or makeWhich tools are worth paying for, and which you could build yourselftoolgpa.com/keep-or-make
Scan for the live page
Prices and grades as they are today
Quoting this guide?
Please name ToolGPA and link to the live page, so readers can check the figures for themselves:
ToolGPA, "Intego: The Insider's Guide", checked Oct 17, 2026. https://toolgpa.com/tools/intego
Know someone choosing between antivirus apps?
Send them this guide: toolgpa.com/tools/intego/guide
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See our other guides
The best-graded antivirus apps after Intego, each with an Insider's Guide of its own.
- Antivirus & Malware Protection Insider's GuideEvery one of the 15 antivirus apps we grade, compared
- Avast Insider's GuideFree antivirus for PC, Mac and phones, with paid Premium and Ultimate3.0 GPA
- AVG Insider's GuideFree antivirus for Windows, with paid Internet Security and Ultimate2.8 GPA
- Bitdefender Insider's GuideAntivirus suites for computers and phones, with a free Windows tier2.8 GPA
Choosing software? Every tool graded, every price dated.
Compare tools at toolgpa.com ›Everything in this guide is ToolGPA’s own summary of what Intego’s pages, its app-store listings and public reviews said on the dates shown. Grades are our judgement under the rules at toolgpa.com/grades. ToolGPA uses affiliate links and may earn a commission from them, and it works with sponsors; anything paid for is labelled, and no one can pay for a grade. Intego is a trademark of its owner, and this guide is not made, paid for or approved by Intego. Prices and plans change: check intego.com before you buy.