Webroot vs. Windows Defender - The Ultimate Comparison

A reliable antivirus solution is essential to protect you from cybercriminals these days. You can find paid and free antivirus suites that provide helpful features and give your computer complete malware protection. We give you an in-depth comparison of Webroot vs. Windows Defender to help you make the best decision between these two.

Overall Comparison

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When comparing Webroot vs. Windows Defender, we’ve found that Webroot offers more features and tools to help protect your computer from threats than Windows Defender. 

However, Windows Defender’s malware protection ranks better than Webroot. In independent lab testing, both security software had a minimal impact on your computer’s system performance.

Key Features

Let's take a look at the features that Webroot and Windows Defender offers;

Key Features Compared

It’s important to know what features an antivirus suite has before using the product. Let's take a look at Windows Defender; Windows Defender is a built-in antivirus that comes with all Windows operating systems.

Windows Defender includes features like;

• A Firewall
• Malware protection 
• Virus scanner 
• Windows Defender also has a Find My Device tool that you can use to locate lost devices. 

Webroot is compatible with Macs and PCs with several packages you can choose from with a variety of features such as;

• Advanced protection from malware and ransomware
• Anti-phishing tool
• Password manager 
• An optimizer tool 

Best for Antivirus Features: We declare Webroot the winner in this category. It has multiple packages with several advanced features that Windows Defender does not have.

Windows Defender Features;

Webroot Features;

Malware Protection Capabilities

The primary job of antivirus software is to protect you from all types of malware threats. 

We looked at Independent tests from AV-Test to determine how Webroot vs. Windows Defender fares when looking at malware protection capabilities. 

Windows Defender Results;

Windows Defender detected all the malware attack samples that were used in both tests, giving the software an excellent score.

Webroot Results;

Webroot only detected 66.5% of the 307 zero-day sample malware attacks that were used in the test.

In the detection of the widespread malware attacks over 4 weeks, Webroot performed a little better. The software detected 98.9% of the 2428 samples.

System Performance

System Performance is also very important when it comes to choosing an antivirus solution. We had a look at independent labs to determine how well each software runs. 

Windows Defender Results;

Since Windows Defender is included in every Microsoft Windows license, it does not impact a Microsoft Windows computer in a significant way. Windows Defender scored a 6 out of 6 in the test results.

Webroot Results;

AV-Test scored Webroot a possible five and a half out of six in the last test they participated in. They used various samples of software and spent time on the web while Webroot was performing tasks in the background. 

This was done in 2019 which is the latest test done on Webroot. With this in mind, it means that it can be outdated.

Pricing

Windows Defender is a free antivirus program that comes installed on all Windows operating system devices. 

Webroot does not have a free package but has many paid versions with increasingly advanced features. 

The basic package is Webroot Antivirus and costs $29.99/year with coverage for one device. The next level of protection is Webroot Internet Security Plus, which costs $59.99/year for up to three devices. The highest level of protection is Webroot Internet Security Complete, which costs $79.99/year and includes all the advanced features. It covers up to five devices.

Best Price: There isn’t a winner in this category because Windows Defender doesn’t have a premium paid package. It isn’t possible to draw a comparison between Webroot vs. Windows Defender.

Ease of Use and User-Friendliness

Both of these products are easy for users to navigate. With Windows Defender, you will find a sleek interface. There aren’t any borders, and all the tabs and buttons look lovely against the background. 

All the options are displayed on the left side of the home screen. The only big drawback is the fact that you can’t schedule scans; you have to start them all manually.

Windows Defender Interface;

The Webroot interface is also straightforward and non-intrusive. You can easily navigate through the software no matter your technical abilities and access any feature with just a few clicks. 

Webroot Interface;

Customer Support

Both Webroot and Windows Defender provide customer service for their products. 

For Windows Defender, there is no dedicated customer support service; Microsoft includes general customer assistance for all of its products. You can call its support team or send a message in the online chat. There is also a Get Help app installed on Windows devices. 

Webroot also has a few customer support options. All its products come with 24/7 support from a representative, and you can also call or go through its interactive assistance database. 

Conclusion

When it comes to free antiviruses, Windows Defender is a great security option and even provides better malware protection than Webroot. 

Webroot provides many valuable functions to help protect you from hackers, and it also has a much better interface. Even though it does not have a free package, it is not overly expensive. 

Which antivirus do you think is for you? Choose Now!

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