The ZoneAlarm Insider’s Guide
Everything we know about ZoneAlarm 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.
ZoneAlarm
The Insider’s Guide
Firewall, antivirus and anti-ransomware for home PCs and phones
Every plan, grade, refund rule and rival among antivirus apps, read from ZoneAlarm’s own pages.
Made by Check Point Software Technologies · checked Nov 12, 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 ZoneAlarm’s own pages, its app-store listings and our grades. Every fact in it is on ZoneAlarm’s page too, where it is kept up to date. Checked Nov 12, 2026.
Part 01 · Overview
Welcome
What it is, who it suits, its grades and the ten things to know first
2.6
GPA, above 13 of the 25 other antivirus apps we grade
ZoneAlarm is a home security line from Check Point Software Technologies. It includes free firewall and antivirus downloads, paid Pro Antivirus + Firewall and Extreme Security NextGen suites, a separate Anti-Ransomware product and a mobile security app. Prices could not be read from the site during this check.
To get you started, here are 8 things to know about ZoneAlarm, taken from its own pages and our grades.
No plan price could be read, and the threat emulation and mobile protection are only on the top suite.
- 1
Best for a free firewall for a Windows PC
ZoneAlarm offers a free antivirus and a free firewall for PCs, with paid suites above them.
- 2
There is a free plan
Free Antivirus and Free Firewall downloads are offered for PCs.
- 3
It runs on 4 platforms
Windows, macOS, Android and iOS.
- 4
Two-way firewall
Blocks inbound attacks and outbound connections from a PC; a free firewall edition is offered.
- 5
Real-time antivirus
Scans against a cloud database of signatures for viruses, spyware, Trojans and worms.
- 6
Anti-phishing
Checks fields that ask for personal details before they are filled in.
- 7
A 2.6 GPA, above 13 of 25
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 ZoneAlarm 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.
ZoneAlarm at a glance
- Pricing
- Free plan
- Free plan
- Yes
- Free trial
- None stated
- Runs on
- macOS, Windows, iOS, Android
- Made by
- Check Point Software Technologies
- Category
- Antivirus & Malware Protection
- Our grade
- 2.6 GPA, good
The report card
Best for a free firewall for a Windows PC
ZoneAlarm offers a free antivirus and a free firewall for PCs, with paid suites above them. No plan price could be read, and the threat emulation and mobile protection are only on the top suite.
| Subject | Grade | Comment |
|---|---|---|
| Value for money | C | No plan prices are recorded, so it sits in the middle of antivirus where no price is published. |
| Free plan and trial | B | Free Antivirus and Free Firewall downloads are offered for PCs, with no time limit. One person could live on them. |
| Features | C | Two-way firewall, antivirus, anti-phishing and anti-ransomware, but threat emulation and the mobile protections are listed only for Extreme Security NextGen. |
| Ease of use | B | No store rating on record. It is installed software with nothing to configure to start. |
| Platforms and integrations | B | Extreme Security NextGen lists Windows, macOS, Android and iOS. The other products list fewer platforms. No integrations listed. |
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 ZoneAlarm is for
- Fits if you want a free firewall or antivirus on a PC
- Works for someone who wants one paid suite across PC and phones
Who it is not for
- Skip it if you want to compare prices first, as none could be read
- Tight if you stay on the free downloads, which cover PCs only
- Watch out: threat emulation and mobile protection are only on Extreme Security
- Watch out: products other than Extreme Security list fewer platforms
Good to know
Good for
- People who want a free PC firewall or antivirus to start with
- Households that want one suite across Windows, macOS, Android and iOS
Worth knowing
- Plan prices are not recorded: the product and pricing pages answered with a bot check, so nothing could be read.
- The home page lists Extreme Security NextGen for Windows, macOS, Android and iOS; the other products list fewer platforms.
- Threat emulation and the mobile protections are listed only for Extreme Security.
Part 02 · Pricing
What it costs
Every plan, the free plan, ways to pay less and how prices have moved
ZoneAlarm's current pricing could not be confirmed from its own site.
No plan prices are recorded, so it sits in the middle of antivirus where no price is published.
We could not confirm ZoneAlarm’s current prices from its own site, so this guide lists no plans. zonealarm.com has them.
Part 03 · Features
What it does
Its main features, where it runs, what it works with and who makes it
4
Places it runs: macOS, Windows, iOS and Android
Firewall, antivirus and anti-ransomware for home PCs and phones. Here is what it does, as its own site describes it, and what it covers: AI features, malware protection.
Extreme Security NextGen lists Windows, macOS, Android and iOS.
- Two-way firewall
- Blocks inbound attacks and outbound connections from a PC; a free firewall edition is offered.
- Real-time antivirus
- Scans against a cloud database of signatures for viruses, spyware, Trojans and worms.
- Anti-phishing
- Checks fields that ask for personal details before they are filled in.
- Anti-ransomware
- Uses Check Point technology to detect ransomware and restore files; also sold as a separate product.
- Threat emulation
- Inspects documents and email attachments in a cloud sandbox. Listed for Extreme Security.
Where it runs
- macOS
- Windows
- iOS
- Android
What it works with
Its own pages name no integrations.
ZoneAlarm is made by Check Point Software Technologies.
Part 04 · Standing
Where it stands
Its grades against its category, and whether to keep it or make your own
13/25
Other antivirus apps it is graded above
ZoneAlarm's GPA of 2.6 is higher than 13 of the 25 other antivirus apps we grade, and level with 5.
It stands best on free plan and trial (B, above 18 of 25) and worst on features (C, above 1).
Each grade against the category
Every bar is all 26 antivirus apps we grade, cut by the letter each got. ZoneAlarm’s own letter is outlined.
- CValue for moneyAbove 5 of 25
- BFree plan and trialAbove 18 of 25
- CFeaturesAbove 1 of 25
- BEase of useAbove 4 of 25
- BPlatforms and integrationsAbove 5 of 25
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 ZoneAlarm 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.
What you could not
- An engine that recognises new malware as it appears.
- 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.
What this rests on. ZoneAlarm’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
Avast, AVG, Avira, Bitdefender and Malwarebytes
The 5 tools ZoneAlarm is most often weighed against, with where each one differs from it.
- 3.0GPA
Avast
Free plan · from $77.99/yr
Free antivirus for PC, Mac and phones, with paid Premium and Ultimate.
- Only Avast lists a browser extension.
- Avast also covers vPN.
- 2.8GPA
AVG
Free plan · from $79.99/yr
Free antivirus for Windows, with paid Internet Security and Ultimate.
- Only AVG lists a browser extension.
- AVG also covers vPN.
- 2.4GPA
Avira
Free plan
Free antivirus suite with a VPN, PC cleaner and password manager.
- Only ZoneAlarm lists a macOS app.
- Avira also covers password manager, vPN and ad and tracker blocking.
- 2.8GPA
Bitdefender
Free plan · from $49.99/yr
Antivirus suites for computers and phones, with a free Windows tier.
- Bitdefender also covers password manager and vPN.
- 2.2GPA
Malwarebytes
Free plan · from $59.99/yr
Malware scanner and real-time protection, with VPN and ID plans.
- Only Malwarebytes lists a browser extension.
- Malwarebytes also covers vPN and ad and tracker blocking.
Part 06 · Questions
Quick answers
The questions people ask about it, each answered in a line or two
8
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 ZoneAlarm free?
ZoneAlarm has a free plan. Free Antivirus and Free Firewall downloads are offered for PCs.
What platforms does ZoneAlarm work on?
ZoneAlarm is available on Windows, macOS, Android and iOS.
Does ZoneAlarm have a Linux app?
No Linux app was listed when its pages were read on Nov 12, 2026. ZoneAlarm is listed for Windows, macOS, Android and iOS.
Is ZoneAlarm open source?
ZoneAlarm is not described as open source on its own site, as read on Nov 12, 2026.
Who makes ZoneAlarm?
ZoneAlarm is made by Check Point Software Technologies.
What are the alternatives to ZoneAlarm?
The closest alternatives to ZoneAlarm in our directory are Avast, AVG, Avira, Bitdefender and Malwarebytes.
How does ZoneAlarm compare with other antivirus apps?
ZoneAlarm's GPA of 2.6 is higher than 13 of the 25 other antivirus apps we grade, and level with 5.
Could I make my own version of ZoneAlarm?
To replace ZoneAlarm 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 ZoneAlarm’s own pages on Nov 12, 2026, and the grades were given on Nov 12, 2026. Graded from this listing, whose facts were read from ZoneAlarm's own pages on 12 November 2026. 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 Check Point Software Technologies. Prices change, so check zonealarm.com before you buy.
Part 07 · About
About ToolGPA
Who made this guide, what else is on the site, and how to cite it
5,038
Tools graded, in 95 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.
Every grade, review and ranking on ToolGPA is our own judgement. No company can pay for a grade or change one. Every tool on the site has a guide like this one, free to download and pass on. It all lives at toolgpa.com.
5,038
tools graded
95
categories
739
price changes on record
579
apps priced in 12 countries
What else is on toolgpa.com
- ZoneAlarm, kept up to dateEverything in this guide, with prices and grades as they are todaytoolgpa.com/tools/zonealarm
- 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, "ZoneAlarm: The Insider's Guide", checked Nov 12, 2026. https://toolgpa.com/tools/zonealarm
Know someone choosing between antivirus apps?
Send them this guide: toolgpa.com/tools/zonealarm/guide
ToolGPA elsewhere: youtube.com/@toolgpa
See our other guides
The best-graded antivirus apps after ZoneAlarm, each with an Insider's Guide of its own.
- Antivirus & Malware Protection Insider's GuideEvery one of the 26 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 ZoneAlarm’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. Every grade, review and ranking on ToolGPA is our own judgement. No company can pay for a grade or change one. ZoneAlarm is a trademark of its owner, and this guide is not made, paid for or approved by Check Point Software Technologies. Prices and plans change: check zonealarm.com before you buy.