BullGuard Review What Makes this Antivirus So Special In 2022?

BullGuard Review: Quick Expert Summary

The PC tune-up is an excellent feature that can free up gigabytes of space and speed up your computer’s performance.

Parental Controls

BullGuard There are a lot parental controls out there, but only a few really work.

BullGuard offers four main features to protect desktop users.

• Filters. Filters online content and blocks certain types of sites
• Access. Limits device usage to certain hours of the day and weeks
• Applications. Certain apps can be blocked by locking them behind a password.
• Privacy. Protects data and keywords from being sent or entered into browsers.

BullGuard blocks a variety of websites with options from pornography or pirated programs. Unfortunately, BullGuard was very inconsistent in its filtering. It blocked almost all pornographic sites. However, it also blocked access for websites with kid-friendly content, like Kotaku, which is a popular pop culture and gaming site. BullGuard did not block some pornographic content in Google Images.

Nevertheless, I was capable of adding unsafe URLs to a blocked URL listing and whitelisting sites that BullGuard did not need to block.

You can limit internet access and device usage with the Access feature. It was easy to use the Access feature to schedule usage limits. However, I would prefer to be able set time limits for specific applications. This feature is available through Norton 360’s parental controls.

Privacy filters prevent children from entering credit card numbers online and phone numbers. It didn’t work as I expected, however, allowing me credit card information into Amazon and Gmail.

BullGuard also offers parental controls for Android users.These can be accessed through BullGuard’s online dashboard.

• To initiate an antivirus scan, send a command to your phone.
• You can track the location of your phone.
• You can send commands to the phone to locate, wipe or backup it, and sound an alarm.
• You can monitor installed apps and view photos on your child’s mobile device.

The parental controls for mobile were lacking in my experience. It is possible to monitor the apps installed on your child’s phone and view their photos. However, there are no options to remove or block your children from accessing these apps. Bitdefender, another parental control for mobile users, has the same functionality and blocks certain apps.

BullGuard’s parental control provides basic functionality that users don’t require a lot of restrictions. However there are better options available, such as Norton, McAfee and Bitdefender. BullGuard’s parental control options are still a good choice for parents looking to improve their children’s online safety.

Secure Browser

BullGuard secure browser checks for valid security certificates on websites that you visit. It also checks for trusted domains. Secure browser prevents hijackers from intercepting your personal information, such as passwords and credit card details.

I found that the secure browser blocked known phishing sites as well as sites known for hosting malicious scripts and files. It doesn’t support extensions, and it loads slower than Chrome. If you want a more secure browser than BullGuard’s, you can see our list.

BullGuard’s secure Web browser is overall a good browser for security, but it’s not recommended for everyday use.

Identity Protection

BullGuard ID security scans the darkweb, credit bureaus, forums and breach database for an impressive range of personally identifying information. This is far better than Norton or TotalAV, which offer ID theft protection to US users only.

Here’s a list of PII BullGuard monitors

• Email.
• Phone.
• Credit/debit cards.
• Driving license
• Passport.
• Store/membership cards.
• National IDs
• International bank accounts

Dark web monitoring services are limited to checking email addresses against haveibeenpwned.com’s public database of breached information. Experian, an international credit company, is BullGuard’s identity steal tool.

BullGuard ID protection does not come with Premium Protection. It is however a very good value. Experian IdentityWorks costs more than BullGuard Premium and doesn’t offer any of BullGuard’s security features.

BullGuard VPN (Separate Purchase)

BullGuard’s VPN keeps your data safe and speeds up. It also works with Netflix, as well as other streaming services. But it is not available for purchase. It comes with all of the security features I expect to find in premium VPNs in 2022. This includes 256-bit AES encryption and no logs policy. There is also a kill switch which will cut off your internet connection if your VPN connection drops.

BullGuard VPN also has 16 countries servers. This is not unusual — standalone VPNs like ExpressVPN or Norton Secure VPN can be found in 90+ countries.

BullGuard VPN offers very fast speeds. I was able access the internet and stream video content when connected to local server. There was no slowdown or lags. However, there was a noticeable drop in speed when I connected to distant server. This is to be expected. I was also able to view video with minor buffering.

Here are the results of my speed testing without a VPN.

Here are the results for my speed tests, when I connected to a local Server:

Here are my speed test results when I connected to a remote server.

As you can clearly see from the above pictures, my internet speed was virtually unaffected by being connected to a local host. My download speed rose on the remote server in Australia — it was actually faster than without a VPN — but my internet ping was noticeably slower while browsing and streaming. Pages and videos took about 15-20 seconds to load.

BullGuard also makes it easy to access streaming services such Netflix and other popular sites in Canada. Thanks to BullGuard’s speed, I was able watch HD TV shows and movies in HD without interruptions.

BullGuard VPN is available separately from BullGuard antivirus packages at a comparable price to standalone VPN competitors. This is disappointing since many antiviruses, such as TotalAV and Norton, offer VPNs in their internet security plans.

BullGuard VPN is overall one of my top antivirus VPNs. But it’s hard for me to recommend it when there are standalone VPNs with more servers, features, and a lower price.

Additional Features

BullGuard has a few other features, including:

• Vulnerability scanner. You can identify weaknesses in your computer by scanning the system for pending Windows Updates and unsigned Drivers.
• Cloud backup. This allows you to save documents, photos, music and other files to Google Drive. DropBox. OneDrive.

BullGuard’s vulnerability scanner is very useful. Unpatched weaknesses are one of the major vectors of malware infiltration, so it’s always a good idea have another layer to protect your software.

However, cloud backup tools require users to have a subscription. BullGuard does not need this. Each cloud backup service provides its own user-friendly app.

BullGuard Ease of Use and Setup

BullGuard has a less appealing user interface – it packs many functions into a small space and conceals important settings behind multiple drop down menus.

For example, scheduling scans can be much more complicated than it should.

Here is what I did to schedule a scan. First, I needed to select the Antivirus tab on the dashboard and then click “Settings.”

After that, in the antivirus settings I had to go into Advanced Tab and click on Manage Profiles.

I was then taken into another window which allowed me to personalize and schedule scans.

As you can see the user interface doesn’t seem very intuitive. Once I learned where everything was I was able to navigate the software quickly. BullGuard’s interface is clunky and confusing, especially when Kaspersky and Norton offer so much more user-friendly software.

BullGuard installation is very simple. It takes just a few mouse clicks to install BullGuard. Once you have created an account, the software updates its database with virus definitions automatically so you can immediately start a scan.

BullGuard Mobile App

BullGuard Android Security premium includes an excellent Android security application. Premium protection also includes Internet Security.

Unfortunately, iOS doesn’t have an app. However, we do have a list of top internet security apps for iOS.

BullGuard’s Android app has many useful features.

• Mobile malware scanner.
• Anti-theft protection. Can be used to lock, wipe or locate your phone and set off an alarm for it to go off if it is lost, stolen, or damaged.
• Parental controls. This includes location tracking and content blocking. Call monitoring is also available. Photo monitoring is also possible.
• Cloud backup. Backs messages, calendars, contacts to an encrypted Server.

I tested the Android app using my Huawei P30 Lite. The antivirus scanner performed well and caught all the malware I tested against. It’s also easier to use than the desktop version. The design is great and I had no trouble finding the features.

The mobile app features excellent anti-theft capabilities, and links to BullGuard’s Online Dashboard, BullGuard Mobile Security Manager.

I gave permission for the anti theft tools to locate and wipe me device. With these settings enabled I navigated to BullGuard’s online dashboard.

BullGuard found my phone and pinpointed my exact address. It was incredible!

However, I couldn’t find how to lock my device via the web application. This feature is only available for older Android models (versions 6. x – 4.x). This is a shame as Bitdefender and others allow you to remotely lock your newer devices.

BullGuard’s mobile app is excellent overall. BullGuard worked great in my tests. The theft protections as well as the antivirus scanner were both excellent. My Android was also fast and responsive all the time that BullGuard was on.

BullGuard Customer Support

BullGuard offers several customer support options.

• 24/7 Live Chat
• Email support.
• Prioritized help.
• Blog.
• Forum.
• Product guides.
• Product release notes.

BullGuard has excellent live chat (available in English as well as Danish, Dutch and French), which is also available in German, French, German and Romanian. I tried the English customer support and connected in less than one minute with a representative. This is quite impressive.

After my conversation with the livechat agent, I tested email support (available only in the languages mentioned + Chinese). Unfortunately, my email received by email support took four days to respond. BullGuard’s live chat support is very prompt. I don’t believe there’s any reason to use BullGuard email support.

BullGuard’s prioritized assistance feature is a fantastic tool, especially for users who are less familiar. BullGuard’s team of experts can remotely scan and identify vulnerabilities on your Android or PC. They can also remotely setup BullGuard for Android or Windows and tune-up your devices.

I called to schedule an appointment, and was able get live help within an hour. The agent took control over my computer and ran an extensive malware scan. This caught the test files I had hidden within my system. Users who aren’t comfortable running antivirus software will find it worthwhile to pay an extra fee. However, the premium support is available for three months.

You can also use the forums to ask simple questions and get help. I posted a BullGuard problem on the forum and expected another BullGuard user will help me. But instead, an official customer care agent responded in less that an hour.

Overall I’m impressed with BullGuard customer support. They have live chat that is quick and efficient, they have forums that provide information and support for official issues, and they also offer priority support to those users who are not tech-savvy.

Is BullGuard One of the Best Antiviruses in 2022?

BullGuard features a powerful antimalware scanner, and the best gaming mode available.

BullGuard’s advanced machine-learning software and huge malware database caught 100% malware during my testing. I also tested the game booster feature, which actually increased my framerate as I played it.

BullGuard has many additional high-quality features. Its firewall and network monitor provide the most advanced protection against back-door and network intrusion. Additionally, the identity theft protections provide the most up-to date updates on credit modifications for users in the US, Canada and many European countries.

BullGuard’s Android app is excellent, offering a virus scanner, decent parental control, and some the best anti-theft software on the market.

There are some things I don’t like about BullGuard Mac’s antivirus. The program doesn’t have an iOS app, and it can be difficult to use. I feel that parental controls could be improved.

BullGuard’s security is excellent for Android and Windows users. BullGuard is also my top choice for gamers. For a slightly more expensive price, premium rivals like McAfee or Norton provide comparable features.

BullGuard plans come with a 30-day guarantee. It’s risk-free, so it’s worth a look.

Is BullGuard’s VPN secure? Is it fast?

BullGuard VPN is great. It’s safe, fast and works with Netflix as well as other streaming sites.

BullGuard VPN cannot be purchased separately. Instead, you could purchase a subscription for ExpressVPN at a comparable price and have access to better features.

Is BullGuard good for macOS and iOS?

Not really. BullGuard is a macOS-based antivirus that scans for viruses and offers no iOS security software.

You can find a complete antivirus solution for Mac on our list. You can find a security application for iOS here.

Does BullGuard have a free version?

No. BullGuard offers a 30-day refund guarantee on all its antivirus packages.

While there are many free antivirus programs, I prefer Avira. However, it is always better to have a premium antivirus like BullGuard.

BullGuard Mobile Security is among the most popular Android antiviruses. It offers powerful protections free of charge, including virus scanning and anti-theft.