Scanguard Antivirus Review: How Good Is It Really? [2024]

#1 Scanguard Review in 2024

Scanguard, a relatively new player in the antivirus world, has been making waves with its all-inclusive security suite. As someone who's been in the cybersecurity field for years, I've seen my fair share of antivirus solutions come and go. But Scanguard caught my attention, and I decided to test it thoroughly.

In this detailed Scanguard review, I've examined every aspect of Scanguard, capturing 18 screenshots to show you what's really going on under the hood.

Here's what you'll learn in this article:

• How effective Scanguard is at stopping malware
• If it can prevent phishing and ransomware attacks
• How quickly it scans your system
• Whether it will slow down your computer
• If Scanguard is as trustworthy as it claims to be

Let's examine and see what Scanguard has to offer.

In a Hurry? Here's a Quick Summary

Scanguard is a robust antivirus solution that offers a range of features to protect your device. After thorough testing, I found that it's a good alternative to top antivirus solutions like Bitdefender and McAfee, but it's not quite as robust. Here are more details:

What You'll Like:

• User-friendly interface with dark mode option
• Real-time protection against various threats
• VPN service included for enhanced privacy
• Password manager for secure credential storage
• Smart Scan feature for quick system checkups

What You May Not Like:

• Limited customization options for scans
• VPN speed can be inconsistent
• Some features feel basic compared to competitors
• Upsells during purchase process

What Makes This Scanguard Review Different?

Many antivirus Scanguard reviews you find online are not based on actual hands-on experience. They often just rewrite information from the official website, which doesn't give you a real picture of how the software performs.

I'm different. I actually bought Scanguard, installed it on my own devices, and used it extensively. My primary test device was a Dell XPS laptop, but I also tried it on other systems to get a comprehensive view.

Over two weeks, I tested Scanguard thoroughly, running scans, testing its features, and seeing how it performed in real-world scenarios. I captured numerous screenshots along the way, ten of which I've included in this review to give you a visual guide to the software.

Keep reading for an honest, detailed look at what Scanguard has to offer.

Buying Scanguard

Getting started with Scanguard was simple, but not without a few obstacles. When I landed on their website, I noticed they offer only one version of their antivirus software: Scanguard Essential Antivirus. This package includes a password manager (called Password Vault) and two additional licenses for free.

"The package had a big discount of 75%, which caught my eye, but be prepared for some upsells during the checkout process."

Clicking on "Buy Now" opened a popup window where I had to create an account or login. After creating my account, I moved to the checkout page. Here's where things get a bit complicated - Scanguard only allowed me to pay with PayPal. While this might be convenient for some, I would have preferred more payment options.

Once I agreed to let Scanguard use my PayPal account, the purchase went through efficiently. However, be prepared for a series of upsell attempts. Scanguard opened several windows and popups offering additional protection features like extra device protection, a VPN, and an ad blocker. I ended up purchasing the VPN and protection for 10 devices, which added to the final cost.

Installation

After navigating through the upsells, I finally got to the order confirmation window. From there, I could download the Windows installer. The installation process was surprisingly quick and easy. It took just 1.5 minutes, and there were no additional options or steps to worry about.

Once installed, Scanguard immediately started updating its virus definitions. This is a good sign, as it shows the software is keeping up-to-date with the latest threats. The update process was efficient and didn't take too long.

Overall, what impressed me was how effortless the installation was. Unlike some other antivirus software I've used, Scanguard didn't require a restart or any complex configuration. It was ready to go right after installation, which is great for users who want immediate protection without any trouble.

Scanguard updates its virus definitions immediately after installation.

Interface

Scanguard's interface is one of its strong points. The dark-themed window gives it a modern, attractive look that's easy on the eyes, especially during long sessions. While you can't change the background or skin of the antivirus window, I found the default dark mode quite appealing.

The main window displays your device's protection status prominently. If the real-time scanning module is disabled, it will warn you to enable it -- a crucial feature for maintaining continuous protection.

Scanguard's main interface with protection status and scan options

A standout feature is the big green "Run Smart Scan" button in the center of the screen. This makes it easy for users to quickly initiate a comprehensive scan of their system.

On the left side of the UI, you'll find a sidebar with shortcuts to different feature categories:

• Malware Protection
• Internet Security
• System Tune Up
• Password Vault
• Family Sharing
• Settings

I particularly liked how hovering over each shortcut automatically opens menus with features in that category. This intuitive design makes navigating the software a breeze, even for less tech-savvy users.

For those who prefer using Scanguard in their native language, the software offers 12 language options in the General Settings. This multilingual support is a nice touch, making the software accessible to a wider audience.

Overall, I found the interface to be user-friendly and well-organized. The dark theme, combined with the logical layout of features, makes for a pleasant user experience.

Major Features

Next, we’ll take a look at the major features of Scanguard antivirus. Let’s break down what makes Scanguard stand out and why it could be a good fit for your security needs.

Real-Time Protection

Scanguard's real-time protection is the first line of defense against various online threats. It actively guards against malware, trojans, spyware, adware, ransomware, and other security threats in real-time.

Scanguard's real-time protection settings for customized security

You can configure the real-time protection from the Settings menu. The options available include:

• Scanning inside archives
• Verbose logging (not recommended for regular use due to high disk space consumption)
• Choosing file types to scan (all, smart, or custom)
• Selecting action for detected malware (quarantine or delete)
• Choosing quarantine folder location
• Setting virus definitions update frequency

During my Scanguard review tests, when Scanguard detected threats, it opened a popup window in the lower right corner. This window displayed information about the threat and confirmed that it had been neutralized. I found this feature particularly useful as it kept me informed about potential risks without being overly disruptive.

Scan

Now let’s go over the different scanning options Scanguard offers to keep your device clean and secure. You can choose between three types of scans: Smart, Full, and Custom. Let’s explore what each scan does.

Smart Scan

The Smart Scan is Scanguard's all-in-one solution for quick system checkups. It checks for malware, security and privacy issues, PC performance issues, system junk, and duplicate files with just one click.

The Smart Scan in progress, showing real-time results

In my Scanguard review tests, the Smart Scan was quite thorough. It scanned 13,546 files and, while it didn't find any threats on my system, it did identify:

• 13 startup items
• 1,769 items across my four installed browsers (cached items, passwords, and cookies)
• 250 MB of system junk
• 1 duplicate file

After the scan, Scanguard presents a summary and allows you to make recommended adjustments directly from the results window. It also provides security recommendations, such as running a data breach check, protecting mobile devices, and performing a full system scan.

Full Scan

For a more comprehensive check, Scanguard offers a full system scan. You can access this by clicking the Scanguard logo on the left-hand side, then Malware Scan, followed by System Scan.

Full scan detected threats and displayed action options

In my tests for this Scanguard review, the full scan took about 35 minutes to complete, scanning over 600,000 files. It found 3 threats from my previous web protection tests. The scan results window clearly shows the threat name, type, and allows you to choose between quarantine or delete actions for each threat.

Custom Scan

For more targeted scanning, Scanguard offers a custom scan option. You can access this by going to Malware Protection > Malware Scan, and clicking on the "custom scan…" link in the lower right corner.

Custom scan options allowing for tailored scanning preferences

The custom scan lets you specify which folders and files to scan or ignore, whether to scan inside archives, and whether to scan subfolders. This level of customization is great for advanced users who want more control over their scans.

Scan Preferences

Scanguard also offers various scan settings that you can customize according to your needs. These include options to:

• Scan removable drives
• Scan inside archives
• Choose file types to scan
• Start new scheduled scans

Scan settings are diverse: start/end time, scan inside archives, and more.

For scheduled scans, you have several options: running it daily, weekly, or monthly, choosing start/end times, and deciding whether to scan during active hours or not.

VPN

Scanguard's VPN service, which I purchased separately, is a valuable addition to its security suite. Once activated, the VPN feature becomes accessible from the Internet Security tab of the main interface.

Scanguard's VPN interface showing available server locations

The VPN window displays a list of 48 supported servers across 35 countries, with the US having the highest number of servers (12). A useful feature is the Killswitch option in the lower left corner, which cuts your internet connection if the VPN service stops, ensuring your data remains protected.

When connected to a server, you can see the uptime, download speed, and upload speed, which I found quite handy. However, the VPN settings are somewhat limited, with only two protocols available: IKEv2 (default) and OpenVPN.

To test the VPN speeds for this Scanguard review, I used fast.com. Here are the results I got:

• No VPN: 450 Mbps download, 320 Mbps upload, and 4 ms latency
• Australia, Sydney: 240 Kbps download, 11 Mbps upload, and 420 ms latency
• US, Chicago: 240 Mbps download, 33 Mbps upload, and 129 ms latency
• Spain: 17 Mbps download, 27 Mbps upload, and 67 ms latency

As you can see, the VPN speeds varied significantly depending on the server location. While the US server maintained decent speeds, the Australian server showed a dramatic slowdown.

For privacy testing, I used ipleak.net and perfect-privacy.com. Unfortunately, the results were not satisfactory as my real location was revealed in both tests. This is a concern for a VPN service, as it should improve your privacy online.

Web Protection

Scanguard's web protection features, known as WebShield, can be accessed from the Internet Security tab. It's designed to block access to malicious websites that may attempt to gather personal information or install malware on your computer. I like this feature and it's as good as the one you can find in Norton or TotalAV, other antivirus alternative I have appreciated for their privacy features.

During my tests, I accessed several known malicious websites across multiple browsers. Here are the results:

• Malicious website test: Scanguard's WebShield successfully blocked the threat.
• WICAR: Threats were blocked on WICAR malicious test pages and downloads, as well.
• AMTSO: Scanguard's WebShield blocked all but a download threat and phishing page.
• EICAR: Scanguard blocked all but 1 threat.

Scanguard's WebShield blocking a malicious website

While Scanguard's WebShield performed well in most cases, it's worth noting that it didn't provide perfect protection. The fact that it missed a download threat, a phishing page, and one EICAR threat suggests there's room for improvement in its web protection capabilities.

Data Breach Checker

The Data Breach Checker is a useful feature accessible via the Internet Security tab. It allows you to check if your passwords have been compromised in known data breaches.

Data Breach Checker interface for checking compromised credentials

To use this feature, you simply enter your email address, and Scanguard will inform you if your information has been part of any known data breaches. The results are displayed on a new webpage, making it easy to understand the status of your online accounts.

In my test, the result was reassuring: "Great news, this email hasn't appeared in any known breaches." You can check as many email addresses as you wish, which is particularly useful if you have multiple accounts or want to check for family members.

This feature provides a quick and easy way to evaluate your online security and take action if any of your accounts have been compromised.

Junk Cleaner

The Junk Cleaner, found in the System Tune Up tab, is designed to scan your system for superfluous files that waste disk space and can be safely removed. In my tests, it scanned my laptop in under 10 seconds and identified several categories of junk files:

• Cached Windows updates
• Recycle Bin trash
• Temporary files
• Thumbnails
• Windows error reporting files
• Windows logs

Junk Cleaner results displaying categories of unnecessary files

The tool provides a breakdown of the number of files and the amount of space they occupy in each category. However, I found that the level of detail provided about these junk files was somewhat limited. This lack of specificity might make some users reluctant about deleting files without knowing exactly what they are.

When you're ready to remove the junk files, you simply click the "Clean Selected" button. In my experience, the cleaning process was quick and efficient.

Duplicate File Finder

This System Tune Up feature is designed to locate duplicate files that are unnecessarily taking up disk space. It scans for duplicate images, music, videos, and other documents.

Duplicate File Finder results showing detected duplicate files

During my test, it found just one duplicate file, which I was able to remove with a single click. While this feature worked as advertised, its usefulness will depend on how organized you keep your files. For those with many duplicates, this could be a handy tool for freeing up disk space.

Application Uninstaller

The Application Uninstaller is a simple feature that scans for all software installed on your system and allows you to quickly remove multiple unwanted applications.

The Application Uninstaller shows users a list of installed applications

In my tests, it found 115 applications, and I was able to uninstall a few of them easily. The main advantage of this feature over the native Windows uninstaller is that you can select multiple applications to uninstall at once, which can save time if you're doing a major cleanup of your system.

Startup Manager

The Startup Manager scans your PC for autorun programs that can increase Windows boot time. It displays each application, its publisher, and provides a switch to enable or disable it from auto-running at system startup.

Startup Manager interface displays the autostart applications

While this is a useful feature, it's essentially a simplified version of the native Startup manager included in Windows' task manager. Its main advantage is the user-friendly interface, which might be more approachable for less tech-savvy users.

Browser Cleanup

This feature scans all your web browsers and removes private browsing data. In my tests, it scanned my four installed browsers for cached items, passwords, and cookies, finding a total of 1,769 items.

Browser Cleanup provides you with a list of items marked for deletion

The cleanup process for this Scanguard review was quick, taking just a few seconds. This feature can be particularly useful for maintaining privacy, such as preventing identity theft, especially if you share your computer with others or are preparing to sell or give away your device. However, I recommend other top antivirus programs like Bitdefender and Norton for increased privacy.

Password Vault

Scanguard's password manager, called Password Vault, can be accessed via the left side menu in the main UI. It first asks you to assign a master password to the vault. Once unlocked, you can start adding accounts.

Password Vault interface showing stored login credentials

For each entry, you can specify a display name, URL, username/email, and password. The Password Vault also includes a password generator and strength indicator, which are useful for creating and assessing strong passwords.

Scanguard's Password Vault works in tandem with a browser extension that provides buttons to autocomplete logins. The extension can also save your account usernames and passwords when you log into them, eliminating the need to manually add accounts to the Vault.

Game Mode

Game Mode is a feature designed to optimize system resources for gaming. When enabled, Scanguard will detect launched games and adjust its operations to ensure your gaming experience is uninterrupted by antivirus activities.

Game Mode settings for optimizing system during gameplay

You can enable Game Mode from the general Settings > Game Mode menu. From there, you can also manually add games or exclude games from this optimization. This feature is particularly useful for gamers who want to ensure their antivirus doesn't impact their gaming performance.

System Performance Impact

During my tests, I observed Scanguard's impact on system performance. During a full scan, Scanguard used about 50-60% of CPU power and roughly 200 MB of RAM. This is slightly above average compared to other antivirus programs I've tested.

Task Manager showing Scanguard's resource usage during a scan

It's worth noting that there are no settings related to adjusting the impact on system performance. For users with less powerful systems, this could potentially be a concern, especially during intensive scans.

Scanguard Review: Conclusion

After thoroughly testing Scanguard, I can say it's a solid antivirus solution with some room for improvement. Here's a summary of my findings for this Scanguard review:

Pros:

• User-friendly interface with dark mode
• Comprehensive Smart Scan feature
• Effective real-time protection
• Integrated VPN service
• Useful system optimization tools
• Game Mode for uninterrupted gaming

Cons:

• Limited customization options for scans
• VPN performance issues and privacy concerns
• Some features feel basic compared to competitors
• Above-average system resource usage during scans

Scanguard offers a good range of features that cover most aspects of digital security. Its user interface is one of its strongest points, making it accessible even for less tech-savvy users. The Smart Scan feature is particularly useful for quick system checkups, and the real-time protection seems effective at blocking most threats.

However, there are areas where Scanguard could improve. The VPN service, while a nice addition, had inconsistent speeds and failed some privacy tests. Some of the system optimization tools, while functional, don't offer much beyond what's already available in Windows. For more robust solutions, I recommend visiting TotalAV, Norton, or Bitdefender.

In conclusion, Scanguard is a decent choice for users looking for an all-in-one security solution with a user-friendly interface. It's particularly suitable for those who value ease of use and don't need highly advanced customization options. However, power users or those with specific security needs might find some of its features lacking compared to more established competitors.

Octav Fedor (Cybersecurity Editor)

Octav is a cybersecurity researcher and writer at AntivirusGuide. When he’s not publishing his honest opinions about security software online, he likes to learn about programming, watch astronomy documentaries, and participate in general knowledge competitions.