BullGuard offers fully functional cross-platform anti-malware tools, mobile security apps, and Internet of Things (IoT) solutions. The majority of BullGuard evaluations identify it as a capable and trustworthy solution for fundamental security. Although it provides useful features like cloud backup and parental controls, these are only included in the more expensive plans.
In this BullGuard Antivirus review, we’ll discuss the benefits and drawbacks of the program’s features, customer service, security, and cost. If you’re considering obtaining it, we’ll guide you through it so you’ll understand what to expect.
What is BullGuard?
The company was begun in 2002 by entrepreneurs from Denmark. This London-based business BullGuard has been creating well-known consumer antivirus software and security products. It has been around for more than 15 years and has developed into a well-known brand.
Now the reliable anti-malware program called BullGuard is a part of NortonLifeLock Inc. Yes, BullGuard antivirus has been bought by NortonLifeLock, and the suite will soon change its name to Norton, removing the BullGuard moniker completely.
The news need not be sad for BullGuard devotees and admirers because Norton antivirus is currently one of the top antimalware programs available. Norton offers all the wonderful features that BullGuard had, like Parental Control, PC optimization, and cloud backup.
Features of BullGuard
The majority of security suite features, such as real-time protection, a firewall, and antivirus scans, as well as more upscale features like Game Booster, are all included in BullGuard antivirus.
Remember that BullGuard offers three levels of protection: antivirus, internet security, and premium protection. Each has more features than the one before it. In the Plans and Pricing section, you may view their distinctions.
By the way, the dashboard of every BullGuard version displays a locked VPN icon. None of the plans include a VPN; you must purchase one separately.
Real-Time Protection
Excellent anti-malware protection is provided by BullGuard’s real-time protection, which operates in the background with no lag. In order to stop new malware files from being downloaded or opened on your system, BullGuard’s real-time security continually monitors downloads and online activity, analyses every file before you open it, and keeps an eye on any open processes. In addition to preventing ransomware, cryptojacker, and keylogger programs from operating on the system, BullGuard’s real-time security also blocked and flagged them before they could harm Your PC. The “security level” of BullGuard may also be adjusted by advanced users in the antivirus settings. The efficacy of BullGuard is derived from a mix of cutting-edge security technologies, such as:
- Dynamic Machine Learning: Monitoring new and emerging dangers together with your device’s behavior allows it to autonomously learn from its experiences.
- Sentry Behavioral Engine: Effectively blocks damaging programs from attacking your devices by detecting recognized malware behaviors.
- Signature-based Detection: Known and novel software signatures are examined for indications of malware.
And BullGuard doesn’t let us down, its real-time security is superb. Before malware is loaded on your device, the program may identify up to 100% of threats.
Antivirus scans
Advanced machine learning techniques and a sizable malware database are used by BullGuard’s virus scanner to find all sorts of threats. The machine learning engine examines file behavior to find rootkits and zero-day threats while the malware database compares user files to a massive list of known malware.
BullGuard offers three types of scans:
- Quick Scan – It scans the registry, current processes, temporary files, and other areas of the computer where viruses are frequently discovered.
- Full Scan – It examines the whole disc.
- Custom Scan – It scans a single file, folder, or region on the drive.
It is rather basic when it comes to the Custom Scan option. There is no option to select more than one folder when choosing to scan a single file or folder. Additionally, the scanning procedure doesn’t open a distinct window, which is rather unusual. It appears counterintuitive that the Antivirus area on the main dashboard just has a little loading bar.
Go to the Advanced tab of the feature if you want additional specialized scanning choices.
Cloud Backup
A cloud backup capability is included in both BullGuard Internet Security and Premium Protection. You receive 5 GB of secure online storage space, allowing you to restore your data in the unfortunate event that something catastrophic occurs to your device.
You can program the tool to automatically back up your data every day, which is extremely useful.
Game Booster
BullGuard’s game booster recognizes when you’re playing games on your PC automatically and optimizes your CPU utilization to maximize game performance.
On desktop computers with four core processors, Game Booster ensures that two of those cores are exclusively used for gaming while one or two of the other cores are made available for other software. This increases the power of your PC, enabling it to play demanding video games at high frame rates even in CPU-intensive environments.
This guarantees that background applications won’t cause the game to lag.
Firewall
The firewall from BullGuard runs invisibly in the background, keeping an eye on incoming and outgoing traffic and providing security against a variety of threats, including vulnerabilities, man-in-the-middle attacks, backdoor invasions, and rootkits. You don’t need to launch the program or make any adjustments because the firewall is always detecting and defending your network.
Although the majority of users will likely be satisfied with the default firewall settings. There is a basic drop-down menu with 4 security choices from the main BullGuard dashboard:
- Manage Rules – It informs BullGuard of the applications that have internet access.
- Logs – It keeps a log of every network traffic entering and leaving it.
- Network Activity – It shows the network’s local and distant IP addresses.
- Settings – It offers options for blocking particular hosts, selecting which notifications to get, etc.
Tech-savvy users may look into and identify potential network issues through BullGuard’s Logs and Network Activity capabilities, which keep a searchable log of all network activity. The majority of users may simply choose “Allow” or “Block” when BullGuard presents security alerts and let the firewall function.
PC Tune-up
- There are four main performance-enhancing options available in BullGuard’s PC tune-up. Which are:
- Optimize – It identifies and removes PUPs and unneeded background processes (potentially unwanted programs).
- Cleanup helper – It gives graphical information about what is on your computer and indexes junk files.
- Boot manager – It allows you to optimize your boot sequence by showing all applications that launch automatically at startup along with their load durations.
- Duplicate files – It quickly searches all discs for duplicates so that you may eliminate or arrange them.
Overall, the PC tune-up is a useful function that may help you save gigabytes of hard drive space and speed up your computer.
Parental Control
BullGuard offers a large number of parental controls, but only a small number of them are truly effective. BullGuard’s parental controls for desktop users come with four key features:
- Filters – It blocks certain sorts of websites to filter internet information.
- Access – It limits the usage of devices to certain hours and days of the week.
- Privacy – It protects your privacy by preventing some data and keywords from being transferred or even typed into a browser.
- Applications- It hides specific apps behind a password to prevent users from using them.
BullGuard’s filters restrict a wide range of websites, including options for pornographic and illegally obtained software. Unfortunately, BullGuard’s filtering was somewhat erratic during my tests. It effectively prevented access to practically all pornographic websites, but it also blocked kid-friendly news websites like the well-known gaming and pop culture website Kotaku. Additionally, certain dubious information, such as obscene searches on Google Images, was not blocked by BullGuard.
Parental controls for Android users are also provided by BullGuard and are managed through the BullGuard web dashboard, where you can:
- Give the phone a command to launch an antivirus scan.
- Locate the phone using GPS
- Send instructions to the phone to find, erase, backup, or sound an alert.
- View images on your child’s mobile device and keep an eye on the loaded apps.
Overall, BullGuard’s parental controls offer customers who don’t want a lot of tight limitations with basic capabilities.
Home Network Scanner
BullGuard’s network scanner displays the list of WIFI networks and examines the Security flaws.
With the help of BullGuard’s network scanner, you can learn whether your devices have open ports, which hackers might use against you, whether they’re password-protected, and whether the network you’re connecting to is safe. Real-time monitoring and on-demand scanning are additional capabilities.
Even better, the network scanner notifies you whenever a new device connects to your network. This is a helpful function, particularly if you live in a city or crowded apartment complex where others can try to use your Wi-Fi without your permission.
A useful component that may examine and notify consumers of vulnerabilities in their home networks is the network scanner. It is simple to use and offers a helpful layer of security for all Wi-Fi users.
Secure Browsing
The secure browser from BullGuard checks to determine if the websites you visit are using trustworthy domains and valid security certificates. When you submit your information on websites like Amazon, the secure browser also prevents hijackers from capturing crucial information, such as credit card numbers and passwords.
BullGuard’s safe web browser is a decent security-focused browser all around. However, it is not suggested for regular usage.
Ultimate Identity Protection
BullGuard’s ID protection searches an astounding range of diverse sources for personally identifiable information, including the dark web, credit bureaus, forums, social media, and breach databases (PII). Users in the US, Canada, and select European nations are the only ones who can utilize this function.
The categories of ID that BullGuard tracks are as follows:
- Email.
- Phone.
- debit and credit cards.
- Driving License.
- Passport.
- Membership or store cards.
- National IDs.
- accounts with foreign banks.
The majority of rivals that monitor the dark web merely compare email addresses to the database of data breaches that are made publicly available. Experian, a global credit corporation, powers BullGuard’s identity theft technology.
Experian’s standalone Identity Works service costs more than BullGuard Premium Protection, but it doesn’t offer any of BullGuard’s other security features. BullGuard’s ID protection is only included in Premium Protection, but it’s a fantastic deal.
BullGuard’s VPN
The VPN from BullGuard is reliable, safe, and compatible with Netflix and other streaming services, but it must be purchased separately. It offers the majority of the security attributes in premium VPN in 2022, such as 256-bit AES encryption, a stringent no-logs policy, and a kill switch (terminating your internet connection if the VPN connection drops).
Additionally, BullGuard VPN offers servers in 16 nations, which is OK but not particularly noteworthy given that antivirus VPNs like Norton Secure VPN have servers in 30+ nations and stand-alone VPNs like ExpressVPN have servers in 90+ nations.
The VPN service from BullGuard also maintains decent speeds. It can able to surf the internet and stream videos without any lag while it was connected to local servers.
Although there was a definite slowdown when it connects to faraway servers, this was to be expected, and even on such servers, It is still able to watch videos with barely visible buffering.
BullGuard’s VPN is generally quite good, however, it might be difficult to justify buying it when a standalone VPN with more servers and functionality is available for a comparable price.
Pricing, Plans and Discounts
BullGuard Antivirus is available in three plans. All of them include a 30-day money-back guarantee, allowing you to test out BullGuard risk-free and determine whether it’s the correct choice for you.
Entry-Level Antivirus: BullGuard Antivirus (PC Only)
BullGuard Antivirus only supports Windows, covers a single device, and offers just three functions.
- Antivirus – Malware prevention in real-time and on-demand disc scanning.
- Vulnerability scanner- checks programs for updates by scanning them.
- Game booster – Increases game efficiency
This plan is very basic overall, but it is also reasonably priced (it costs just $23.99 per year), so consumers who are solely interested in a top-notch virus scanner would find it to be a nice option.
Good Value: BullGuard Internet Security (Windows, Android, Mac)
BullGuard’s best value package is Internet Security, which costs $29.99 per year. It works on Windows, macOS, and Android covers 3 devices and is a little less expensive than other rivals. However, goods like Norton 360 also offer protection for iOS, have more features, and offer greater value in general.
All of the characteristics of BullGuard Antivirus are included in BullGuard Internet Security, plus:
- safe web browser – Ensures the security of your online surfing and enables secure transactions.
- Firewall – Defends you from online attacks and keeps track of your inbound and outgoing traffic.
- Parental Control – Restrict screen time and keep an eye on the websites and applications your kids are using.
- PC tune-up – Cleans away unnecessary files and improves startup.
- Cloud backup – Backup important files in a safe location on the cloud.
Good ID Theft Protection – BullGuard Premium Protection
For $40.00 per year, Premium Protection offers all of the capabilities of BullGuard Internet Security in addition to the network scanner and ID protection functions, and it can protect up to 10 devices.
There are more gadgets here than most of the competition does. Additionally, BullGuard offers some of the greatest identity theft defenses available for customers in the US, Canada, and Europe. In addition, McAfee offers ID theft protection for customers in the US, Canada, and Europe, covers up to 10 devices (including iOS) and has superior parental settings.
You may test out BullGuard Premium Protection risk-free thanks to its 30-day money-back guarantee.
New and existing customers can get up to 65% promotional savings on premium security products using Bullguard coupon codes for a limited period from dpcoupon.com.
Easy to Setup
It was a relaxing process to set up BullGuard. After downloading the.exe file, all you have to do is click the Installation Wizard a few times to finish. The design of the app, though, wasn’t ok. It amuses that the program claims to have an “intuitive UI” throughout the setup process but provides a convoluted user experience. For instance, utilizing the little drop-down menus on the home page to configure the features wasn’t particularly simple.
Fortunately, It can able to navigate the program more easily after capturing screenshots of all its features. Additionally, it draws attention to the fact that the app’s design may use some refinement because it doesn’t seem like it belongs in 2022. Additionally, there is no dark mode, which may be a drawback for certain people.
Bull Guard Desktop App
Download the Windows version of BullGuard antivirus if you want the best protection possible. It gives the maximum functionality and has every feature listed in this BullGuard review.
The macOS version, meanwhile, is subpar. It doesn’t have any additional functionality while looking much, much better than its Windows equivalent. Only scanning, real-time defense, and quarantine are available.
Bull Guard Mobile App
BullGuard’s Android app is rather simple, yet it is still more useful than the macOS version. It contains a virus scanner, parental control module, file backup, and anti-theft functionality that enables you to remotely lock, monitor, or wipe off the device. The parental control module can track the device’s position and view the images saved on the device.
The wifi security function for Android appears to merely check to verify if your wifi network is password-protected.
Customer Support
You can get in touch with their support staff if you have technical problems or simply have a pressing inquiry regarding BullGuard.
If you use their live chat, assistance will be provided right away. Unfortunately, it’s only accessible during business hours, from 2:00 AM to 4:00 PM EST (the hours might seem unconventional because the customer support team is based in the UK).
You may just email help at support@bullguard.com if the live chat feature is down. Reading the numerous product manuals in the knowledge base is an additional choice.
Additionally, there are paid customer help available for PC optimization, product installation, and malware eradication. The cost is determined by how many interventions you require.
Pros
- High rates of viral detection
- Free trials are available for all versions.
- 5 GB of storage for backups
- Friendly client service
- Tools for optimization
- Simple setup
Cons
- Ineffective user interface
- Limitations in macOS app
- Not applicable to the iOS app
- Certain plans are pricey.
Final Verdict
BullGuard is a reliable anti-malware program that can meet the majority of your requirements for online protection. Since it has a long history of great virus detection, it will be effective at doing its primary function.
The program appears to have many additional functions at first sight. Nevertheless, there is no need to worry about whether BullGuard truly has everything you need, because it has been acquired by NortonLifeLock, and become part of Norton antivirus, which has everything you would need, and more.