F-Secure Antivirus Review: Is It Efficient?

Amidst the fun and engaging content found on the Internet lies a dark truth. Invaders are looking for possible ways to gain control over your private information and hamper your device security. Hence, to prevent such uncertain occurrences, it is best to use an antivirus solution to keep your digital safety in check.

F-Secure antivirus is one of the most reliable and modern antivirus solutions on the market. It is packed with strong antimalware capabilities and a range of additional security features to keep your system safe.

But how good is it? Keep reading our F-Secure antivirus review to find out.

F-Secure Antivirus Review: Quick Summary

During my F-Secure Antivirus review, I found it to be efficient, reliable, and simple to use. It offers robust antivirus protection features to keep your system safe from potential cyber threats. These include Ransomware Protection, Virus and Malware Protection, Tamper Protection, Scam Protection, and more. F-Secure utilizes cloud scanning engines, which ensures effective protection while maintaining minimal system resource consumption during scans.

In addition, you can benefit from some of F-Secure's additional security features, such as Unlimited VPN, Password Manager, Parental Control, ID Monitoring, etc.

Furthermore, what I found impressive is that, with F-Secure, you have the option to protect upto 25 devices with a single subscription plan. As a plus, F-Secure has also proved its reliability as a convenient antivirus solution by winning numerous independent lab test awards.

Overall, F-Secure antivirus is a potent antivirus solution that is light on system resources, which makes it ideal for PCs with low hardware specifications. However, it does lack features like firewall protection and webcam protection, which can be found in other competitive antivirus programs.

Pricing Plans

F-Secure offers two paid subscription packages: Internet Security and Total. With a paid plan, you can protect up to 25 devices and choose between one and two-year subscription plans.

The basic package is F-Secure Internet Security that supports upto 25 devices per account (Windows, macOS, Android, and iOS devices). There is no separate trial version for F-Secure Internet Security. Instead, you can take advantage of the 30-day trial of F-Secure Total, which includes F-Secure Internet Security antivirus, ID Protection, and VPN.

On the official website, you can purchase a yearly license for F-Secure Internet Security, covering 5 devices for USD 69.99.

The top-tier F-Secure Total plan includes all the features of F-Secure Internet security, plus extra features like Identity protection and VPN. This plan comes with a free trial. You can sign up for the trial account and use it within 30 days to see if it suits you.

Officially, you will get a yearly license for F-Secure, protecting 5 devices for USD 84.99.

Note: To protect more devices with a single subscription, visit the respective product pages on the official website.

Product Line Overview

F-Secure provides two package options:

• F-Secure Internet Security
• F-Secure Total.

Both plans offer multi-device protection. However, they differ in certain features that set them apart.

F-Secure Internet Security

If you are looking for a basic yet efficient antivirus solution, F-Secure Internet Security is a solid choice. It offers most of the necessary antivirus protection tools to protect your system against harmful threats, such as Ransomware Protection, Browsing Protection, Banking Protection, a Gaming mode for game enthusiasts, etc. As a plus, the version also includes a Parental Control feature, which is rare to find with a basic antivirus plan. Check out the official website for Internet Security pricing plans.

F-Secure Total

It is the flagship product of the F-Secure antivirus line. F-Secure Total includes all the necessary antivirus protection features available in F-Secure Internet Security, along with lucrative extra security features like Password Manager, VPN, ID Monitoring, etc. Aside from these, there are few significant differences between the two plans. Refer to the F-Secure Website for the latest prices on F-Secure Total.

Note: For a detailed comparison, refer to the Features table below.

Compatibility

F-Secure is a multiplatform antivirus solution. It can protect not only your Windows system but also iOS, macOS, and Android with a single subscription. However, before purchasing, make sure your device meets the following OS versions:

• Windows: Windows 10 and later (excluding ARM-based tablets)
• macOS: macOS 12 and later
• Android: Android 10 and later
• iOS: iOS 16.6 and later.

Note: For more detailed information, look at F-Secure's system requirements page.

Installation and Setup

Both F-Secure Total and F-Secure Internet Security require an F-Secure account before you can download its executable file. Follow these quick steps to download the file:

• Visit F-Secure's official website or open My F-Secure
• Sign in with your existing F-Secure account or sign up to create a new one
• Select Add device
• Choose the device you want to protect
• To install on your current device, select This computer.
• Click Download for Windows to get the installation package.

Once downloaded, the program is installed easily.

• Launch the installation file,
• Follow the setup instructions and
• Voila! F-Secure is ready to use with your subscribed plan.

Note: You don't need to provide payment information to access the 30-day fully functional free trial. Please note that the trial is only available for the F-Secure Total plan.

F-Secure Antivirus: Interface

During my F-Secure antivirus review, I found the interface clean and intuitive, which makes the program an excellent choice for individuals who prioritize easy and hassle-free navigation. F-Secure maintains a consistent user interface across both F-Secure Total and F-Secure Internet Security Plan. However, there are some noticeable differences in the feature sets and settings available in each version.

Upon opening F-Secure for the first time, you will encounter a unique user interface designed with flat images. The dashboard features a clear layout and cards that highlight all the available features. Each card visible in the dashboard includes a button for quickly initiating the desired feature.

• Device Protection
• Password Vault (Only in F-Secure Total)
• Privacy VPN (Only in F-Secure Total)
• ID Monitoring (Only in F-Secure Total)
• Secure Browsing
• People and Devices

Next to these cards is a vertically formatted card that displays recent events, which I found to be a handy inclusion. It provides information on the latest updates, scan information, etc.
For more detailed customization options, you can simply click on the cards, which will take you to their dedicated pages, where you can make changes. However, for advanced customization, I suggest you navigate to the settings page.

Settings

The settings page has the following options:

• Device Protection
• Scanning settings
• Privacy VPN (Only in F-Secure Total)
• Scam Protection
• Updates
• Notifications
• Privacy
• Support

You can customize your privacy requirements based on your needs. However, if you are a novice user, I suggest keeping the settings at default.

Note: The available options in the Settings menu will change based on your F-Secure subscription plan.

Impression: Navigating through F-Secure's interface was easy. It provided a streamlined experience by displaying all the essential cards in the dashboard. I appreciate the inclusion of quick action buttons for Device Protection and Privacy VPN.

F-Secure Antivirus: Features Review

After extensively testing F-Secure, I have provided a list of its core features and my experience with them.

Security Features (Common to F-Secure Total & Internet Security)

Real-time Protection

Similar to any other antivirus solution, F-Secure antivirus provides real-time protection through various protection elements such as Viruses and Threats, Secure Browsing, and Automatic Scanning, all of which are enabled by default. These key features are included in both F-Secure Total and Internet Security.

What I found fascinating about F-Secure's real-time protection is that it uses the F-Secure Ultralight Exploit and Malware Scan Engine to detect and block malicious attacks while quietly operating in the background. Furthermore, it provides continuous minute-to-minute protection by utilizing exploit detection, file scanning, and memory scanning to make sure your system remains safe from evolving cyber threats.

Antivirus Scanning

Similar to other antivirus solutions in the market, F-Secure offers two convenient scanning options, including Quick Scan and Full Scan. You can also schedule scans and even enable USB Storage scanning when necessary. To ensure your system remains protected at all times, F-Secure utilizes Automatic Background scanning, which can detect and remove harmful files before they can cause potential damage to the system.

Ransomware Protection

To protect your system from malicious app intrusion, F-Secure utilizes a powerful Ransomware Protection feature. Enabled by default, this feature actively monitors specific folders present in your system to safeguard them against harmful changes made by ransomware or other dangerous applications. You can also customize this protection by viewing and adding additional folders to make them extra secure.

In addition to its ransomware protection, F-Secure utilizes another strong security feature called DeepGuard. This feature keeps your system extra secure by monitoring available applications and preventing suspicious ones from accessing the Internet without your permission.

Impression: What I found particularly impressive about both features is the option to view and customize apps and file folders. It makes the program efficient while providing a sense of reliability.

Scam Protection

The Internet can be a scary place if you are not mindful of the websites that you visit. Hence, to save you from the dark abyss of the Internet, Scam Protection comes to the rescue. I have explained the two main functions of Scam Protection:

Browsing Protection

This feature protects you from visiting suspicious websites that can jeopardize the safety of your system and valuable information. It automatically blocks malicious sites that may contain malware, phishing schemes, or exploit vulnerabilities, ensuring you stay safe online. Furthermore, you can manage exceptions if you find a page to be secure.

During my F-Secure antivirus review, I particularly found its reputation score beside each search result to be an impressive addition. This score especially helps to quickly assess whether a site is safe to visit.

Banking Protection

It automatically activates whenever you access any banking or payment website to keep your transaction secure. By doing so, it blocks any attempts from nefarious hackers to intercept your online banking session and prevents stealing your sensitive data.

Parental Control

Available in both F-Secure plans, the Parental Control feature is designed to help you monitor and manage your child's digital activity. With this feature, you can add a device and create a profile for your child. Once set up, you can limit screen time, block specific types of online content, and establish a bedtime routine for device usage. For mobile devices, there's an extra feature called App Control, through which you can take full control over your kid's app usage, including calls and SMS.

However, my experience with the feature was underwhelming. It felt basic and lacked the variety and advanced options found in other antivirus parental control features, such as those offered by Bitdefender and Kaspersky.

F-Secure Total - Exclusive Features

The features mentioned below are only available in the F-Secure Total plan.

Unlimited VPN

Although basic, F-Secure's VPN service is still effective and secure. Compared to standalone VPN services, the F-Secure VPN feature is restricted by server count and locations. However, it still performs well in the key areas. One of the interesting factors is that the VPN service allows for unlimited bandwidth, even in its 30-day free trial period. Apart from that, the service reliably hides your IP address and establishes secure connections in 20+ different countries. F-Secure's VPN utilizes a strong encryption layer by using OpenVPN (TCP) and IKEv2 protocols.

Impression: Although F-Secure's VPN may have some limitations, it provides strong protection and security for individuals seeking anonymity in their everyday online activities without requiring them to purchase additional software.

Password Manager

F-Secure offers a basic password manager tool. Similar to any other password management tool, you will need to create a master password before you can start managing your passwords in one place. This feature in F-Secure allows you to create and import passwords with ease. To enable autofill functionality, you will need to install the F-Secure password manager extension, which is available for popular browsers such as Chrome, Edge, and Firefox.

ID Monitoring

This feature allows you to check if your email ID and other items, such as payment cards, phone numbers, etc., have been leaked in a data breach. If it finds any leaks, F-Secure offers detailed information regarding the breach so that you can take necessary actions to keep your digital safety in check.

F-Secure Antivirus Review: Performance

Performance plays a crucial role when selecting a good antivirus program, especially if you are a multitasking ninja. Hence, in this section, I will share my performance experience with F-Secure antivirus.

Note: I conducted the performance test for F-Secure using a virtual machine. Please keep in mind that the application's performance may vary depending on your physical system configuration.

Performance (Independent Lab Test Results)

Based on AV-Test's latest test reports, F-Secure has demonstrated its potential by achieving perfect scores of 6 out of 6 across Protection, Performance, and Usability metrics. Furthermore, F-Secure has also proved its reliability as a potent antivirus solution by achieving a score of 100% in protection against 0-day malware attacks.

Furthermore, according to the latest AV-Comparatives Real-World Protection test report, F-Secure successfully blocked 99.6% of malware attacks but, on the downside, recorded a high number of false positives (37).

Impact on CPU

Compared to other antivirus programs I have tested so far, my experience with F-Secure was noticeably different, especially during system scans. During my F-Secure antivirus review, I tested its scanning performance on a virtual machine. F-Secure completed the scan quickly without hampering the system's performance. Below is the resource usage I encountered during the scan.

My System specifications are:

• Processor - AMD Ryzen 5 3500U, 2100 Mhz, 4 Core(s), 8 Logical Processor(s)
• RAM - 12.0 GB
• OS - Windows 11 Home Single Language
• Graphics - AMD Radeon Vega 8 (Integrated)

Quick Scan

The Quick Scan in F-Secure took around 15 minutes to complete. During this time, it scanned 9560 files and did not detect any threats. The quick scan process consumed 45.3 MB of RAM, and CPU usage fluctuated between 10% - 19.65%.

Full Scan

Although F-Secure performed well during the Quick Scan period, it slightly fell behind during the Full Scan. The Full Scan test took over an hour, which tested my patience. I stopped the scan before completion, but I managed to gather some useful insights into its performance.

When I initiated the Full Scan, CPU and RAM usage spiked to 21.71% and 58.4 MB, respectively. However, resource consumption decreased over time, utilizing 16.97% of CPU resources and 44.5 MB of RAM.

Impression: Even though the Full Scan took a long while to complete, I was able to surf through a few tabs operating in the foreground. F-Secure impressively handled the scanning task without straining the system, which is commendable.

How Good is the Support?

F-Secure offers multiple support options, including Live Chat, Community Forum, User Guide, and Telephone Support. However, it lacks email support.

I found the User Guide helpful. It contains sufficient information regarding F-Secure to help you navigate its features with ease. Live Chat assistance is available 24/7. However, depending on your luck, you may encounter occasional wait times.

 In my experience, the support assistants were patient, thorough, and effective in resolving my queries and providing clear guidance throughout the process.

F-Secure Antivirus Review: Overall Experience

What I Liked

• F-Secure utilizes a cloud-based antivirus scanner, making the program efficient and easy to use with minimal to no system strain. This ability makes the program especially suitable for people using older laptops with standard system specifications.
• The user interface is clean and intuitive. This simple design makes the program easily navigable for users with minimal technical knowledge.

What I Disliked

• In the antivirus market, the most robust antivirus solutions provide dedicated firewall protection, which F-Secure lacks.
• Although sufficient, the additional features offered by F-Secure are quite basic, which made the experience slightly underwhelming.

Alternatives

Below, I have provided a list of F-Secure's worthy competitors:

Bitdefender Total Security

Bitdefender is a leading name in antivirus solutions. It is known for its intuitive interface and powerful malware protection capabilities. Bitdefender Total Security competes headstrong with F-Secure Total in safeguarding systems against emerging cyber threats. Hence, if you are looking for comprehensive antivirus protection with additional features without purchasing them separately, F-Secure could be a good choice. On the other hand, Bitdefender is widely acclaimed for its robust security performance. Please read our Bitdefender Total Security review before making a choice.

Kaspersky Premium

Despite facing several allegations regarding its integrity, Kaspersky remains a popular choice among tech enthusiasts. Currently, Kaspersky is banned in the USA because of the 2017 FSB (Russian Federal Security Service) controversy. However, it still competes strongly with F-Secure, offering a range of additional features such as PC optimization, Smart Home Monitor, and ID protection, which are not available in F-Secure Total. Both antivirus solutions have user-friendly interfaces. However, F-Secure stands out for its reliability and broader device coverage (up to 25 devices) compared to Kaspersky (up to 10 devices). To learn more about Kaspersky, read our Kaspersky Antivirus review.

Malwarebytes Premium

Both F-Secure and Malwarebytes offer a simple and minimalist user interface. They are both reliable antivirus solutions and offer competitive malware protection. However, their feature sets differ. F-Secure's entry-level plan (F-Secure Internet Security) offers appealing features like Parental Controls, Browsing, and Banking Protection in addition to other robust security protection features, which Malwarebytes Premium lacks. However, it still stands strong as a competitively efficient antivirus program. Discover more about Malwarebytes in our Malwarebytes Premium review.

Avast Ultimate Suite

As the saying goes, there are plenty of fish in the sea. Similarly, there are plenty of antivirus solutions in the market that compete vigorously with F-Secure, and Avast Ultimate Suite is one of them.

Both F-Secure and Avast Ultimate are intuitive and feature-rich antivirus programs that address different issues and problems faced in the cyber world. However, regarding robust protection and the efficiency of additional features, Avast Ultimate gets the edge in this matter. In contrast, F-Secure Total provides a 30-day fully functional trial period along with diverse device coverage with a single subscription, which Avast Ultimate lacks.

Psst! If you are considering buying Avast Ultimate Suite, then feel free to use our Avast Ultimate Suite Coupon Code to get a lucrative discount.

Norton 360 Deluxe

Both F-Secure and Norton 360 Deluxe are multiplatform antivirus programs that offer robust protection and additional features. As a plus, with coverage upto 5 devices, Norton offers additional cloud storage options and includes dark web monitoring. On the other hand, F-Secure antivirus covers upto 25 devices along with a 30-day fully functional free trial period. Both programs are intuitive and offer reliable protection in the end. To get a discount, check out our Norton 360 Coupon Code.

FAQs

Is F-Secure Free?

No. However, F-Secure offers a 30-day, fully functional trial period to test the program before purchase.

Does F-Secure have a Firewall?

No, F-Secure antivirus does not have a dedicated firewall feature, but it leverages Windows' firewall protection.

Is F-Secure reliable?

Yes, F-Secure is a reliable antivirus solution that has demonstrated its reliability by achieving multiple independent lab test awards for best protection.

Conclusion

In my experience, F-Secure is a reliable antimalware solution that offers strong antivirus protection features along with impressive additional features like VPN, Password Manager, ID Monitoring, etc. F-Secure's user-friendly user interface makes it ideal for beginners. However, in my findings, the program lacks the sophistication of a comprehensive antivirus solution. It does not offer features like Firewall and Webcam Protection found in competitors like Bitdefender, Norton, and Kaspersky.

To conclude, if you are looking for a robust antivirus program with additional features, F-Secure Total is a good option. If pricing is a concern, you can look into your F-Secure discount codes. Alternatively, if you only require basic protection, F-Secure Internet Security provides sufficient feature coverage, including Parental Control and Banking Protection, in addition to its strong security features.