Webroot
Lightweight cloud antivirus, with identity and VPN bundles
Webroot report card
Good · out of 4.0 · graded Oct 17, 2026
Best for light antivirus for older, slower PCs
Webroot is a small, cloud-based antivirus built not to slow a computer down, and every plan includes a firewall and a password manager. Five devices on Essentials are $44.99 the first year. What comes next is the catch: Webroot doesn't say what it renews at, so the second year is a guess.
Who Webroot is for
- Great if you have an older or slower PC that heavier antivirus bogs down
- Handy when you want a password manager on even the cheapest plan
- Good for US buyers who want identity theft cover with their antivirus
Who Webroot is not for
- Skip it if you want to know your renewal price before you buy, as it isn't stated
- Not for you if you want a VPN on the cheapest plan, as it starts at Smart Protection
Why Webroot gets a 2.6
Five grades, each with its reason. The GPA is their average: an A is 4 points, an F is none.
- CValue for moneyEssentials for 5 devices is $44.99 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 $134.98, about $5.62 a month, above the dearer quarter of antivirus.
- CFree plan and trialNo free plan, but a 14-day free trial with no credit card needed. Two weeks is enough to see whether it slows your PC.
- BFeaturesCloud 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.
- BEase of useNo store rating on record. It's built to install quickly and scan fast, and Webroot says it takes up little space.
- BPlatforms and integrationsWindows, 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.
What these grades rest on. Graded from this listing, whose facts were read from Webroot's own pages on 17 October 2026. Not based on using the product, and shorter than our full reviews. How we review and grade.
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<a href="https://toolgpa.com/tools/webroot#review"><img src="https://toolgpa.com/badge/webroot.svg" alt="Webroot: 2.6 GPA on ToolGPA" width="196" height="56"></a>Where Webroot stands among antivirus apps
Webroot's GPA of 2.6 is higher than 7 of the 14 other antivirus apps we grade, and level with 2.
It stands best on features (B, above 4 of 14) and worst on value for money (C, above 3).
Its paid plans start at $2.92 a month when paid by the year, against a middle price of $4.17 for the category: 2 of the 10 others that charge start lower.
On features, ease of use and platforms it scores 3.0 out of 4. Nothing scores higher for less, though at least one tool matches that score at a lower price.
Each grade against the category
Every bar is all 15 antivirus apps we grade, cut by the letter each got. Webroot’s own letter is outlined.
- CValue for moneyAbove 3 of 14, level with 11
- CFree plan and trialAbove 3 of 14, level with 7
- BFeaturesAbove 4 of 14, level with 10
- BEase of useAbove 2 of 14, level with 10
- BPlatforms and integrationsAbove 0 of 14, level with 14
Price against what you get
Each dot is one of 11 antivirus apps. Further left costs less, and higher up scores better on features, ease of use and platforms. Point at a dot to see which tool it is.
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
Keep Webroot, or make your own?
Keep it
To replace Webroot 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.
It costs $34.99 a year.
What you could not
- An engine that recognises new malware as it appears.
- Servers in dozens of countries, kept fast and private.
- A password vault, the last thing anyone should make for themselves.
- Apps for macOS, Windows, iOS and Android that stay in step with each other.
- AI features, unless you pay a model provider for each request yourself.
- The depth: we grade its features B, which means it covers the whole job.
What this rests on. Webroot’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.
What is Webroot?
Webroot is OpenText's consumer antivirus, a cloud-based scanner that uses machine learning and is built to stay small on the device. Essentials covers antivirus, a firewall, scam protection and a password manager; Smart Protection adds a VPN and identity monitoring, Premium adds credit monitoring and fraud reimbursement, and Total Protection adds cloud backup and parental controls.
Webroot is a paid product with a free trial, starting at $34.99 per year for 1 device (Essentials), first term; renewal price not stated. See every plan
Good for
- Older or slower PCs that need light antivirus
- Households covering Chromebooks along with PCs, Macs and phones
- US buyers who want identity theft cover with their antivirus
Worth knowing
- 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
- 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.
Webroot pricing
- Starts at
- $34.99 per year for 1 device (Essentials), first term; renewal price not stated
- Free plan
- None
- Free trial
- 14-day free trial, no credit card required
| Plan | Price | What you get |
|---|---|---|
| Essentials | $34.99per year for 1 device, first term; renewal price not stated | Antivirus, firewall, scam and breach alerts, password manager. Shown against $49.99. 3 devices $41.99 ($69.99), 5 devices $44.99 ($89.99). |
| Smart Protection | $53.99per 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 | $64.99per 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 | $89.99per 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. |
Read from webroot.com on Oct 17, 2026. Prices change, so confirm with Webroot before you buy.
Ways to pay less
- Other savings30% 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.
Stated on webroot.com
Webroot alternatives
- Webroot vs Trend Micro
Free plan · from $29.95/yr
- Webroot vs Norton 360
Free trial · from $84.99/yr
- Webroot vs Bitdefender
Free plan · from $49.99/yr
- Webroot vs Malwarebytes
Free plan · from $59.99/yr
- Webroot vs Sophos Home
Free trial · from $59.99/yr
Common questions
Is Webroot free?
No, Webroot is a paid product, but you can try it first. 14-day free trial, no credit card required.
How much does Webroot cost?
Webroot lists 4 plans. Essentials: $34.99 per year for 1 device, first term; renewal price not stated. Smart Protection: $53.99 per year for 3 devices, first term; renewal price not stated. Premium: $64.99 per year for 5 devices, first term; renewal price not stated. Total Protection: $89.99 per year for 5 devices, first term; renewal price not stated. Prices were read from webroot.com on Oct 17, 2026.
What platforms does Webroot work on?
Webroot is available on Windows, macOS, Android and iOS.
Does Webroot offer any discounts?
Webroot publicly lists the following: 30% to 50% off the first year.
Does Webroot have a Linux app?
No Linux app was listed when its pages were read on Oct 17, 2026. Webroot is listed for Windows, macOS, Android and iOS.
Is Webroot open source?
Webroot is not described as open source on its own site, as read on Oct 17, 2026.
Who makes Webroot?
Webroot is made by Open Text Corporation.
What are the alternatives to Webroot?
The closest alternatives to Webroot in our directory are Trend Micro, Norton 360, Bitdefender, Malwarebytes and Sophos Home. Each one has a side-by-side comparison with Webroot.
How does Webroot compare with other antivirus apps?
Webroot's GPA of 2.6 is higher than 7 of the 14 other antivirus apps we grade, and level with 2. It stands best on features (B, above 4 of 14) and worst on value for money (C, above 3).
Is Webroot good value for money?
ToolGPA grades Webroot C for value for money. Its paid plans start at $2.92 a month when paid by the year, against a middle price of $4.17 for the category: 2 of the 10 others that charge start lower. On features, ease of use and platforms it scores 3.0 out of 4. Nothing scores higher for less, though at least one tool matches that score at a lower price.
Could I make my own version of Webroot?
To replace Webroot 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. It costs $34.99 a year. What you could not make: An engine that recognises new malware as it appears. Servers in dozens of countries, kept fast and private. A password vault, the last thing anyone should make for themselves. Apps for macOS, Windows, iOS and Android that stay in step with each other. This is a judgement from its listing. We have not built one.
Sources for this page
The prices, plans, platforms and features above were read from these pages on Oct 17, 2026.