Since its establishment, iTop has had an impact on the software utility market. This Hong Kong-based company offers a range of applications that strike the balance between performance, flexibility, and security.

Among their offerings for Windows computers is the iTop Private Browser. This web browser stands out for its cleanliness, security, and speed. It also includes a built-in VPN that allows users to hide their IP addresses and bypass geo-restrictions. By optimizing its network schemes, iTop Private Browser has greatly improved its speed, ensuring users can enjoy distraction-free browsing sessions. Additionally, it features an Auto Trace Shredder function that automatically deletes cookies, caches, and browsing history when users close a tab to prevent data leaks.

If you're looking for a browser that prioritizes privacy while being lightweight and compatible with your system, look no further than the iTop Private Browser – it might just be the alternative browser for you if you like trying out new browsers.

Features

iTop Private Browser focuses on user-friendliness by basing its architecture on Chromium, at the same time relying on its patented speed to show off its functionalities. According to the company, the browser uses military-grade encryption and comes with built-in features, such as an ad and pop-up blocker, as well as a VPN client. However, to fully utilize the functions of the VPN, you will need a monthly subscription if you want unlimited access. 

Despite all of these functions, the browser tends to show ads when you perform Google search, which seems to be sourced by the browser itself. Either that or the ad blocker does not work as intended. If you’re hoping to use extensions for ad blocking, you may look for a different browser right now since you won’t be able to utilize them in iTop’s solution.

By default, all of the protection offered, such as the ad blocker, anti-tracking, and anti-phishing, is turned on, except the VPN. For the VPN, you will have to turn it on yourself, which makes a lot of sense, as not all of us want to be behind a VPN at all times. You can turn on the VPN with just a few clicks by clicking on the VPN icon in the upper right corner. From there, you can let the VPN automatically choose the best location for you, or you can choose it from a list. Note that some locations are behind the VIP pricing plan, while others are free. There are roughly 87 locations to choose from, dispersed across the world. One thing that sticks out is the erroneous dimensioning of the flag icons, which just look like the VPN part of the browser has been rushed in production. 

Privacy

The browser focuses on privacy and brings in a lot of options. Through the VPN, it offers military-grade encryption, as claimed by iTop itself, while also offering various server locations to help you stay protected online and break geo-restrictions. Furthermore, the anti-tracking feature prevents sites from tracking your online activities and, coupled with the ad-blocker, pop-ups, and malicious links are avoided. Another neat function is the Surfing Protection, which serves as a safeguard against visiting harmful websites, shielding you from privacy breaches, online dangers, and unauthorized cryptocurrency mining.

Ease of use

iTop VPN Browser focuses primarily on ensuring user privacy while browsing. It offers a minimalistic set of tools that are designed to prioritize privacy. However, after conducting tests, we found that these features do not impede navigation in any way. In our view, the available features, along with the easy-to-use options, create a user-friendly and uncluttered browsing experience. This makes it suitable for both beginners and those who prefer a simple approach.

Competitors

Vivaldi - Vivaldi's design and approach may not appeal to everyone. The abundance of options on its main search page can be overwhelming. However, Vivaldi stands out among other browsers by offering a commendable environment for work and efficiency. It provides a separate set of task management tools that aid in tab organization and maintaining a clutter-free workspace, focusing on security through Chrome extensions, as it's based on Chromium.

Firefox - Firefox remains highly customizable, allowing you to personalize its look and expand its functionality through a wide variety of extensions and plugins. The recent update significantly enhanced its performance, making it faster and more efficient. It offers a diverse set of features, excels in terms of privacy, and is user-friendly. Additionally, it boasts lightning-fast speed.

Final verdict

If maintaining a high level of security during your browsing sessions is a priority, the iTop Private Browser could be a choice for you. This browser not only offers a secure browsing experience, but it also includes a built-in VPN client and various helpful features like encryption, anti-tracking, and an adblocker. While the settings may be more basic compared to other browsers, they still provide all the essential functionalities that most users require. Furthermore, if you already use a secure browser, there is little here to persuade you to change it for iTop’s solution. Moreover, from the visual and overall functional side, iTop has little to offer when it comes to competing with established browsers like Firefox, Chrome, Edge, Opera, and others. 

iTop Software, the creator of the popular iTop VPN, has recently introduced DualSafe Password Manager. This new tool offers password management for users looking to secure their account information and store all passwords in one place. Once you memorize your master password, all of your other passwords will be auto-saved and auto-filled by the application at no cost (if you choose the initial pricing plan). 

The priority has been set on security, which is why AES-256 encryption comes as standard across all plans, offering the current industry standard for protection. There are also other additional security features that the app offers, but for those, you will have to pay for a premium plan. All in all, if you’re looking for a place to store your passwords and have the health of your passwords monitored, then DualSafe presents a solid entry into the world of password managers.

Plans and pricing

The initial tier offers basic functionalities that are more than enough for most users, and to top it all off, it is completely free. With it, you can save as many passwords as you like, and the auto-fill and auto-save functions will work fine. Though, you will be limited to only three devices. 

If you’re looking for additional features, such as unlimited devices, and health checks for your passwords, dark web monitoring, and alerts, you will have to choose the premium plan. The premium plans also have an Emergency Access function. When you are unable to access your data, the individual you grant emergency access to can request the exportation of your data or modify the Master Password for DualSafe Password Manager. For the premium plans, there are two payment options: a monthly one that costs $5.99 a month and an annual one that allows you to save 65% and pay $2.08 a month for a total of $24.99 for the entire year.

Setup and in use

The setup is pretty straightforward; once you download the .exe file, run it, and the app will be installed on your desktop and browser of choice (Chrome in our case). From here, you will be asked to create your iTop account using your email or simply sign in using your Google or Facebook account.

After you log in, you will have to create a new master password, the only one you will need to remember going forward. A neat feature is that the recovery code the app generates for you is available as a PDF download so you can store it securely. 

Interface and performance

The app's interface is modern and stylish, with a rail menu on the left side that leads you to all the app's functions. In the upper part is the search bar, which can help you find items you saved in the app itself, like notes or login details. 

Importing all of your passwords is easy; you can import from all major browsers, or if you have your passwords in a .CSV file, you can import that as well. We had a properly formatted database of passwords, which were imported quickly and functioned flawlessly. Other than that, you can manually add your login details if you so wish, though we would go with the import option, as it's fast and hassle-free. 

The Windows app boots up quickly, and we haven't noticed any issues in using it. Similarly, the browser extension immediately springs into action when trying to log in to a site you frequent, and either offers to auto-fill or save the login details in its vault. Overall, we've had quite a positive experience with the app.

Security

The DualSafe Password Manager, utilizes the advanced AES256 encryption method to keep your data secure. It also employs a zero-knowledge architecture, ensuring that only you can access your information. Even the DualSafe Password Manager team cannot view your login details because all passwords are end-to-end encrypted.

To protect your passwords, DualSafe Password Manager creates backups, ensuring they are preserved even if there is a device malfunction. Before being backed up, the passwords are encrypted for security. As a result, they are highly secure and practically impossible to decipher. Furthermore, all your data is regularly updated so that you can access it from the browser extension or app. When it comes to the password health check feature, you have the ability to assess the strength of your passwords. This feature examines all saved passwords for any security vulnerabilities. Provides an overview of outdated, duplicated, and weak passwords that may pose risks to your security. We understand that it can be challenging to create unique passwords for each of your logins, which is where DualSafe offers its password generator. With DualSafe, you can effortlessly generate complex passwords. It even provides time-based, one-time passwords for an added layer of security. The Password Generator features of DualSafe allow you to easily create personalized passwords with varying lengths and combinations whenever you need to create an account or update your existing passwords.

Support

While there is a detailed manual for the application, the ticket support system that is available to users covers all of iTop’s products. In short, this means longer wait times to get support from a customer support representative. The app itself is not that complicated, and most of its functions are straightforward, still, we would like to see more responsiveness for this application alone. 

The competition

Bitwarden - Bitwarden is an exceptional password manager that offers a comprehensive range of features without any cost. While there are certain premium features available, none of them seem unreasonable to us. Free software doesn't get much better than this.

LogMeOnce - Prefer not to use master passwords? LogMeOnce offers an alternative method for securing your vault by using a selfie or scanning a QR code. Additionally, they guarantee that their free tier will always remain the same, providing unlimited password storage and 2FA.

For more alternatives, check out our Best free password manager of 2023.

Conclusion

The DualSafe Password Manager offers reliable security features and an attractive free plan. It is a great choice for individuals who are new to password security or find advanced tools challenging. While the free option provides a secure space to store passwords, the subscription plans offer enhanced security measures and protection against data breaches.

When we last looked at Techsmith’s screen recorder Snagit in 2022, we were fans. It was a simple to use, yet relatively full featured too for screenshot or a screen capture of your desktop. 

If you wanted video editing software capability, there was always Techsmith's other offering, Camtasia, but that product was, and is, typically marketed to professionals, and Snagit's icing on the cake was full macOS compatibility.

However, Camtasia now supports macOS, and perhaps realising it needs to step up, Techsmith have released Snagit 2024. How does it fare? Read on to find out.

• You can try Snagit 2024 by clicking here

Techsmith Snagit 2024: Pricing & plans

• No price increase since 2022, which can only be a good thing. Plus, there’s no subscription: you purchase the software outright, with a one-off fee for a perpetual licence that includes one year of product updates. 

Despite an economy in freefall,  Snagit costs the same now as it did then - $63, bundles including a year's subscription to 'Assets with Snagit' or a perpetual licence for Camtasia notwithstanding.

Any purchase includes one year of maintenance updates, which means, if you time it right, you could get the next major revision for free too.

Should you wish to continue to update your software after that, you don’t need to pay the full price again, but only $35.

If you’re not sure if Snagit’s for you, you can take advantage of its 15-day free trial offer and see how this software can integrate with your workflow.

• Pricing & plans: 4 / 5 

Techsmith Snagit 2024: Interface

• If it ain’t broke, don’t fix it: the interface looks exactly as it did in the previous version, but that’s no criticism. 

Launch Snagit 2024, and you’d be forgiven for thinking you’ve opened a previous version by mistake: everything looks the same - the icons, their location, even the welcome screen.

Taking screenshots or screen captures is done from the red button in the top left of the interface. You’re offered a list of options, from what to capture (a webpage, a section of the screen, the full screen), burn effects into the screenshot, or whether to simultaneously take a photo from your webcam and burn that in too. If you choose to do this, it’ll appear top left of the recording by default.

All this burning in is Snagit's nadir - a distinct lack of customisation that the rest of it never falls into. For instance, once you’ve taken a screenshot, you have access to numerous tools which you can customise to suit your needs. 

You’re able to add call-outs, create arrows of various styles, including double headed and T-styled ones, add text, apply shadows, group objects together, it’s all quite impressive, and helps you turn a screenshot into an effective tutorial, or one filled with useful information.

Remember, if you'd like a more in-depth look at the software's core feature set, be sure to check out our Snagit 2022 review. The rest of our 2024 review will focus on improvements in the latest version that have made us sit up and take notice.

• Interface: 4 / 5 

Techsmith Snagit 2024: Cursor focus

•  A great addition to make it easy for the viewer to keep focussing on that all important cursor. 

You know how it is: you create a tutorial video to explain how a specific part of the interface works, but your viewers get lost in the process, as they keep losing track of the cursor’s location.

Snagit 2024 offers a double-edged, if familiar solution for this: a highlight and a click animation option. You can find them by clicking on the single chevron to the right of the ‘Capture Cursor’ toggle switch.

Highlight will surround your cursor with a semi-transparent coloured halo, making it much easier to see where it’s located on the screen. By default it’s yellow, but you can select any other colour if you so choose.

Click Animation is just as useful: clicking will now be represented by an expanding coloured circle, making it obvious what you clicked on, for your viewers to follow. By default that effect’s red, but you can also change that.

These features are a clear example of Techsmith playing catchup with Snagit's competitors, and burning them into a recording is a step backwards. However, they'll prove invaluable to anything you produce in Snagit, and so we're happy with their inclusion.

• Cursor focus: 4.5 / 5 

TechSmith Snagit 2024: Video editing capabilities

• Combining videos is a rudimentary yet vital editing tool, and it’s a very welcomed addition to Snagit, but we crave more.

On the video side of things, Snagit 2022 allowed you to cut out parts of a clip which were superfluous to your needs, but nothing more. We've always lamented Snagit's lack of editing capabilities and, in truth, we're still unimpressed. 

Our guess as to why Snagit's video editing features are such thin-gruel is that it's a strategy to funnel you towards, and justify the existence of, the more established and capable Camtasia.

However, with Snagit 2024, Techsmith have deigned to give us one other feature that should have been there from the start: the ability to combine videos.

This is super simple:  by clicking on a big, blue, ‘Add Videos’ button, you’ll be presented with all the videos you’ve created, with the one you’re currently working on first in the list. Videos are combined in the order they're clicked, and a 'Combine videos' button completes the process. 

More video-editing features, please, Techsmith. We know you make Camtasia, but that's not the point.

• Video editing capabilities: 3.5 / 5 

Techsmith Snagit 2024 : Integration with Techsmith Screencast

Screencast is Techsmith's collaborative tool, for sharing captures with others, has now been rolled into Snagit, after a fashion. 

Via the share menu (which already offers export to other apps and services like Camtasia, Slack and YouTube), your Snagit content will be uploaded to Techsmith’s servers, and once processed, can be shared via a link with others, who can then view the footage and offer comments and suggestions. 

Screencast is a simple way to interact with colleagues, and there are useful accessibility features here too, such as adding captions and audio description to your work. 

Unfortunately, Snagit integration only goes as far as uploading your captures to the service, which is then accessed via a web browser. It's very simplistic. 

We're also obliged to mention that this is a subscription service that requires a Techsmith account.  A free plan allows storage of up to 25 uploaded videos, while the number of screenshots you can share is unlimited, but you shouldn't expect tech support if you go that route.

• Share integration with Techsmith’s online collaboration tool is nice, if you don’t mind the free plan feeling like a sales pitch, and switching to your web browser to actually use the service.

• Integration with Techsmith Screencast: 3/5

TechSmith Snagit 2024: Scorecard

Should I buy?

Buy it if...

You need an easy and versatile way to take screenshots, with an extensive list of tools to markup and annotate them, along with simple screen captures, including your webcam and audio.

Don't buy it if...

You require advanced editing capabilities, and you’d prefer more versatility when recording, including the ability to remove your webcam or cursor effects in post production. 

TechSmith Snagit 2022: Alternatives

Techsmith's very own Camtasia, is well worth consideration, as it the Mac-only ScreenFlow. 

We've also highlighted the best free screen recorders.

Why you can trust TechRadar  We spend hours testing every product or service we review, so you can be sure you’re buying the best. Find out more about how we test. 

TruthFinder allows users to search large databases that include public records that are maintained by government agencies, as well as social media profiles. The platform sifts through this data to offer reports that contain all the relevant details of the individual you're researching. While this may sound a bit out of place from a moral side, there are reasonable scenarios where looking into someone's background makes a lot of sense. 

With that being said, it is essential to note that TruthFinder should not be used to conduct employee background checks, tenant screening, or verify consumer credit. As a note, the service can not be used for purposes that violate the Fair Credit Reporting Act. In essence, you should look at services like TruthFinder as a faster service for obtaining information that is publicly available but more difficult to aggregate on your own. All of the data it aggregates is from reliable and authorized sources, as per its legal obligation. These databases are regularly maintained and inaccuracies removed, as per the company’s claims.   

Plans and pricing

TruthFinder offers a few pricing options, the People Search option starts at $28.05 per month with an option to pay bi-monthly, for a total cost of $46.56 or $23.28 a month. With this plan, you will get everything that the platform offers in terms of people search, including unlimited person reports and location reports, with social media profiles, location history, and much more. For unlimited phone reports, and more limited details for the people search option, there is the Reverse Phone Lookup plan that costs $4.99 a month. If you’re looking for someone’s employment history and email and phone information, then this plan makes a lot more sense.  

Finally, there is the Reverse Email Lookup plan that costs $29.73 a month, for unlimited email reports and unlimited person reports. The reports offered here are more limited compared to the People Search plan, however, you do get all the reports delivered to your email conveniently. There is also an option for you to customize your pricing plans with the help of their customer support team if what they have per default does not suit you. If you want to download and view reports offline, there is a $3.99 monthly fee for this service. Summing up, there is also a Dark Web Monitoring service that costs $2.99 a month and offers the services of monitoring known hacker gathering places for your password and credentials.  

Payment can be made via major credit and debit cards or PayPal and Amazon Pay for digital payment options.

Features

TruthFinder offers many of the same features that you’d expect to find with other background check services. These include searches that cover both public and private databases, plus the ability to identify potential associates and relatives of your search subject. 

If TruthFinder correctly manages to identify the person you are searching for, you could receive a report containing many essential details about their life. These will be collated from birth records, social media profiles, and criminal histories.

The TruthFinder platform also offers self-monitoring tools, meaning you can view your record to see what potential employers, or other people who search for you, will see on the platform. Through TruthFinder, you can even claim a particular record as your own. If you do this, you’ll be able to correct factual inaccuracies on it or hide it from other TruthFinder users.

If you’re getting suspicious calls from a number that you don’t recognize, you may be able to use TruthFinder to identify its owner via the reverse phone lookup feature. In some cases, TruthFinder may even be able to reveal social media profiles or photographs associated with the number you are searching for.

Interface and in use

The TruthFinder interface is slick and easy to use. To perform a search, all you need to do is enter the search subject’s name and their local city. Next, TruthFinder will ask questions to help narrow down possible results, such as the gender, age, and known locations of the individual being searched for. You are also requested to provide your first and last name, email, and zip code.

After that, TruthFinder will display a series of loading screens and progress bars. However, although these pages are visually attractive, it’s hard to avoid the feeling that they are presented for show. There are also enticing statements about how you may be “shocked” to see what is in this individual’s report, and you also have to verify that you are over 18 years old. There is also some marketing as 5-star favorable service reviews are flashed non-stop during the process.

Eventually, TurthFinder will show you a list of candidates who match your search query. You can identify the correct person based on a few factors, such as address and social network. During our testing, TruthFinder successfully identified the majority of people we tried searching for.

Once you’ve found the correct person, you’ll have to pay for your report before opening it. The final report screen is a lengthy interactive document containing a wide range of information on your search subject, including location history, contact information, and possible relatives. Strangely, TruthFinder also includes extraneous information in reports, such as horoscopes and astrological signs.

Support

If you run into trouble or have any difficulty using TruthFinder, you can turn to the help section of the platform’s website. Unfortunately, the information presented here isn’t as detailed as we’d like, but there are some articles on essential topics such as “Cancel Account” and “Is TruthFinder Safe?” Consequently, If you need assistance, you’ll probably be better off contacting the service via the toll-free number, which is available Monday to Friday, 10 AM to 10 PM ET. TruthFinder support staff are available on weekdays and work extended hours, so your query will be responded to quickly.

There are not many companies that offer 24/7 customer support, and unfortunately, TruthFinder is not one of them. 

We were disappointed to find limited other options, such as chat, videos, or a user forum. We also did not find a direct email or a support portal. While not perfect, the support system that is in place will surely answer your queries fairly quickly. 

Security

The service offered is secure and private, ensuring that the person you’re looking up will never be able to know that you tried looking them up, using their phone, email, or any other personal information. Data protection is entrusted to the 256-bit encryption mechanism, an encryption protocol used by the US Army, which will safeguard all of your classified information. Moreover, the platform employs SSL certificates from Cloudfllare Inc. guaranteeing your privacy and data security. An additional layer of security can be obtained by utilizing the platform’s Dark Web Monitoring services, but if you’re a diligent and conscientious internet user, you can skip the expense. 

The competition

One major limitation of TruthFinder is that you can’t use the service to complete pre-employment background checks as it is not FRCA compliant. If you are looking for such a service, consider People Trail instead. People Trail is licensed to perform pre-employment background checks and doesn’t require you to sign up for a lengthy membership as TruthFinder does.

PeopleFinders is another background checking service in direct competition with TruthFinder. If you’re not keen on TruthFinder’s hefty monthly cost, you’ll be glad to hear that PeopleFinders’ prices start at a more budget-friendly $2.95.

Final verdict

TruthFinder is a helpful tool if you need to look up a long-lost relative or double-check what information about yourself is available in the public domain. It is one of the top-rated platforms for conducting background checks. Moreover, it provides the option to perform reverse phone lookups and check if your personal information is being sold on the dark web. Rest assured, the website is reliable and secure. However, it is important to note that a monthly membership fee is required for unlimited searches. If you only need to conduct a single search, it may be more practical to consider an alternative service that offers pricing based on individual reports. 

We've also highlighted the best employee background check services.

Why you can trust TechRadar  We spend hours testing every product or service we review, so you can be sure you’re buying the best. Find out more about how we test. 

Auvik is a cloud-based network monitoring solution that aims to simplify network monitoring and management. The final goal of the entire platform is to increase your efficiency as you support your network. By creating a physical and logical map of your network (routers, switches, firewalls, etc.) you will get automatic network monitoring for all mapped devices. 

While there are metrics that you can track out of the box, it would be helpful to have a greater level of customization when it comes to this aspect, but by no means are the out-of-the-box KPIs bad. Its monitoring capabilities also extend out to devices like PCs, phones, and printers. Auvik has the capability to provide services to multiple separate networks, enabling administrators handling various independent clients to merge all of their networks into one account, thereby simplifying management. 

Plans and pricing

When we head to the pricing tab to navigate the company website, it isn't very reassuring to see that we need to exchange our company credentials- including a business email- in order to get the pricing info.  

If you want to get the exact pricing, which is custom-made, you will have to go through their sales channel. There is a calculator on their website (which sometimes freezes), in which you can calculate an approximate amount of money you will have to pay for the services. Remember that the services are charged per device, and a minimum device number is 5, regardless if you have less than that. We’ve managed to get a rough calculation of $25 per device license, making the service quite pricey. 

We would appreciate a few tiers of plans, that would help less advanced users know exactly what they’re getting and how much it will cost. Playing gymnastics with the calculator or going through the sales team, is not something we find amusing. 

Features

Auvik is designed to monitor your network for events, and provide alerts that can be used preconfigured (with 50 available), or even customized for your needs. The included alerts are based on the best practices from the industry, and range from informational to emergencies. With the custom options available, administrators can also select the frequency to receive the alert.

With Auvik in action, much better control of the network can be performed. Administrators gain access to real time network metrics with data on topology, config history, and device performance, that not only gives a snapshot on current performance, but also can be compared as this data gets stored for years back for comparison purposes. Insights then get revealed, such as if the poor performance is due to the IDP or the internal network, or if the SSL VPN has reached the license limit by tracking the number of simultaneous VPN licenses in use.

Support

Auvik offers a range of resources and tools to assist users in maximizing the platform's support capabilities. These resources include online manuals, a knowledge base, and a user community forum. Additionally, Auvik provides round-the-clock email support and phone assistance during business hours. It sets itself apart by prioritizing partner support and offering a range of services and tools to aid partners in achieving success. These include a partner site, co-branded marketing materials, and dedicated partner assistance.

You have the option of sending a message if you didn’t find an answer to your question in the extensive knowledge database, or if you simply want to get in touch and discuss some specifics. On the support part of the page there is also a prominent support number, so you can always pick up the phone and dial their support for any issues you may have. When it comes to configuration issues, we would recommend consulting the knowledge database or simply the extensive forum, prior to calling support, as you may be directed to the manuals first.

Final verdict

Auvik is a comprehensive network management platform that is packed with various features that aim to help IT professionals manage their networks more easily and faster. The network mapping and management capabilities offer enhanced visibility, and it is fairly easy to set up. 

While some parts are more difficult to configure, overall, we would argue that the platform is designed for ease of use. However, its scalability and performance are really good, allowing you to effectively monitor large networks. 

The pricing aspect could have been done better, but perhaps that comes down to personal preference in the end. Support is fairly decent, with a lot of documentation available on the forums and knowledge base. Therefore, if you’re looking for a powerful network management platform, Auvik could be the solution for you, just keep in mind you will have to pay for the powerful feature set.  

We've also featured the best wireless routers, best Wireless Access Points and the best VPN