Most of the backup software we review are paid products – at best, they offer a free version with fewer features – but that’s not the case with UrBackup.
UrBackup is free backup software, open-source and with a client/server backup system, that works in the background while your PC is motoring through other tasks, so you won’t even notice it.
It has a very minimal footprint on your PC because much of the management is handled by a web interface, and it works on a host of alternative platforms too.
Urbackup is open source, meaning that it’s functionally free as long as you adhere to its terms and conditions in both personal and commercial settings, so it could be a viable option if you want basic small business backup without having to pay.
It’s not just for Windows, either. The client application works on MacOS and a variety of Linux systems, and on the server side, it supports Windows, Debian, Ubuntu, RedHat, several other Linux versions and systems like FreeNAS, QNAP NAS and other NAS systems.
(Image credit: Urbackup)
Features
UrBackup uses image and file backups to deliver fast, unintrusive, complete file preservation in the background while your system runs. It also keeps a continuous watch on folders and systems to ensure faster incremental backups, so you don’t have to make a fresh start each time you want to preserve files or folders.
File backup, management, and restoration are possible through the web interface, and backups can be configured, started, restored and logged using the small client installed on your home system.
Because this app largely uses a web interface, it’s mostly designed for web and NAS-based backups rather than local backups.
Restoration is also possible if you download a version of UrBackup that can be used to create a bootable USB stick – handy if you need to restore a system that has encountered technical difficulties and so won’t boot.
Backups can be made to the standard Microsoft VHD format or as a file-by-file replication, and the same files on different computers are only saved once – a handy move to preserve space.
The app’s logging and reporting options are extensive, and you can send backups anywhere, from local destinations and external hard disks to network and NAS-connected locations.
It’s certainly ideal if you want a simple and lightweight app to send backups to network and NAS locations, and UrBackup’s open-source status is a boon for people on a budget or those who want to use Linux distributions.
Delve into the options in the web interface and plenty of customisation is available. You can restrict the maximum number of backups and how much bandwidth is used, tweak permissions, back up mail servers, view extensive logs and monitor the status of your various backup locations.
This free app is missing many features compared to commercial backup apps, though. You’ll find more encryption and scheduling options elsewhere and a more comprehensive range of cloud options on many other tools. Many other backup apps also have additional modules for verifying backups, cleaning up and wiping files and other sundry computing tasks.
(Image credit: Urbackup)
Interface and use
UrBackup is a free and focused app with a narrow remit, which is fine if you just need core backup functionality without an intrusive app.
It’s pretty quick to get started, too. Download the Server app, configure the network location where your backup will be stored, specify what you want to back up and let the app work.
Anyone who uses this tool, though, does need to have plenty of computing experience to get the most out of it. The tiny downloadable client is easily navigable for experienced users, but it makes nothing easy for beginners and is quite basic.
The web interface is similarly complicated, but it is packed with options – dozens, if not hundreds, that allow you to tweak virtually every aspect of your backup regime.
As before, though, you’ll need to be a pretty experienced PC or Linux user to get the most out of this app, even if there’s loads of potential here for creating unintrusive and personalised backup schedules and regimes.
UrBackup is certainly not the only app out there with this level of customization, and if you opt for systems from Macrium or EaseUS, or enterprise systems from Veeam or Acronis, you’ll find those options crammed into a far more accessible and understandable interface.
And because UrBackup is primarily an online tool, its performance will largely depend on your internet connection.
It took just over ten minutes to preserve our document and Excel folders and nearly twenty to handle our media and mixed file folders. Those are results that put it into the mid-table in our latest selection of backup tools, which is undoubtedly a decent result for a free piece of software.
Support
(Image credit: UrBackup)
You won’t get the support system here that you will with commercial apps that have dedicated teams.
The best option for support with UrBackup is to head to the forums – UrBackup has an active and helpful community that can help with most issues. It’s also worth checking out the developer blog to see if extra features or fixes are coming in future updates to the app.
Elsewhere, there’s an issue tracker, FAQ, online manuals, and server support, but that’s all.
Competition
Any of the big commercial options will outmatch UrBackup in te, so we’d advise you to look to faster tools from big names like Acronis Cyber Protect, EaseUS Todo Backup, and Macrium if you need any level of backup.
If you want a free product, then Uranium, FBackup, Hasleo and Cobian tools do the job without asking you to spend a penny. And if you don’t like those, even more free versions are available elsewhere.
Be aware, though, that many of those free versions – while more accessible and competent – include adverts that try to upsell you to paid products. You won’t find that in UrBackup.
Verdict
This free, open-source app is a very niche and particular bit of software – an ideal backup option for anyone experienced with networks, interfaces and navigating tricky apps or anyone who wants to support open-source software or backup on Linux.
Beyond that, though, it’s tricky to recommend this tool unless you really know what you’re doing and have security measures incorporated into your systems elsewhere. Other apps are easier to use, faster, or have more support options. There’s also no encryption built-in to UrBackup, which is a huge risk to any home or business user.
UrBackup is an admirably open-source option that will sate some people who want a low-key, low-resource “send and forget” backup tool, but it’s hard to recommend for most people beyond those technically-minded few who will be comfortable with this kind of software.
Uranium Backup is a broad and effective backup software solution for small businesses, and it combines well with another product called Supremo Console to offer backup and management for larger enterprises – and there’s even a free version, too.
On paper, then, Uranium Backup tries to be all things to all people – even to those who don’t want to pay for their backup products. But can it compete with similarly versatile rivals, like EaseUS Todo Backup or Acronis Cyber Protect?
The first Uranium tier after the free version is the Base product, which adds features like drive image and FTP support alongside backup synchronization.
Nanosystems, the company behind Uranium, is based in Italy and only offers pricing in Euros, so we’ve converted here.
The Base version of Uranium costs €80, which converts to $90, and that’s for a lifetime licence – the same price as EaseUS ToDo Backup Home.
(Image credit: Nanosystems)
The Pro version is available in a few variations depending on what you need: there are specific options for tape backup, SQL and Exchange support and Shadow Copy (VSS) support. It’s €150 or $168 for a lifetime licence.
The Pro Virtual edition costs €229 or $256 and adds all of the aforementioned features alongside Hyper-V and VMWare support.
If you need all that functionality alongside the ability to manage and monitor endpoints from a single interface, there’s a Professional product that costs €216 or $241 – and that one is also available on a subscription for €18 or $20 per month.
At the top of the tree is Uranium Backup Gold, which includes every possible feature for €290 or $324. If you want more management options for backup across a business, then Supremo Console is a web management interface that’s available on a monthly subscription with pricing that varies based on how many devices you need to monitor.
There’s lots going on with the different options, but the pricing is reasonable. At the lower end, Uranium’s costs tally well with rival products from companies like EaseUS, and at the top end Uranium is more affordable than many enterprise options from rivals such as Acronis.
Features
The free version of Uranium is relatively basic, but it’s fine if you want to preserve files and folders.
Using the free product you can back up to local or network destinations. You can specify how many copies you want to keep – handy if you don’t want your backups to overwhelm your disk space – and you get basic scheduling options, too.
There are plenty of options for tweaking your backups, too, if you want to tweak exactly what files and folders are in your backups.
It’s an entry-level array of features for a free product, and it’s well-suited to sole traders who need to preserve files and folders – but the lack of encryption and synchronization in the free version means that the Base product is more suitable for any kind of professional backup, even in the smallest organizations.
Step up to the Base product, and you do get synchronization and 256-bit encryption alongside password protection and loads of extra features, like the option to backup Exchange mailboxes.
You can run Uranium as a Windows service, employ differential or incremental backups, send files to FTP destinations and use Backup Drive Images and cloud backups, with loads of different cloud services supported.
Step up to one of the Pro products and you add Backup to Tape functionality alongside the SQL and Shadow Copy options if you’ve picked that product, and at the top level there’s Hyper-V and VMWare support. And then the Gold version gets everything – you don’t have to pick a Pro product that suits you.
It’s a good range of features, although having a web console locked away behind the Supremo Console product is a bit restrictive. If you want an enterprise-level offering like that, backup options from companies like Veeam and Acronis include web consoles as part of the offering.
(Image credit: Nanosystems)
Interface & Use
Uranium’s interface is straightforward, if a bit busy. Open the app, and you’re greeted with a list of your existing backup sets on the left-hand side, and in the main window, there’s a list of common tasks, like starting a new backup to a litany of potential destinations or configuring a new destination.
It can look a bit confusing at first, but the interface is saved by a row of larger icons at the top of the window. These open wizards for common tasks like creating a new backup or restoring an existing backup, and one of them allows you to run a pre-configured backup. These buttons are large and well-labelled, and they’re the easiest way to get to your backup jobs quickly.
Handily, one of the large buttons at the top of the window opens the options menu, and another loads Uranium’s web console if your version includes that module.
We tested our latest slate of backup apps with a 42GB document folder, a 2.5GB spreadsheet folder, a 162GB folder of media and an 82GB file that mixes all of those file types. We backed them up to three different SSDs to weed out any inconsistency.
Uranium’s best results came when working with documents and our folder of media files. When working with both tests, it returned averages just above fourteen minutes – times that just crept into the top half of our results tables.
That’s a reasonable pace, but lots of other apps were much faster. Acronis, Macrium, and EaseUS were notable speedsters when backing up files and folders, and were several times faster than Uranium in those tests. It’s no disaster, though – other apps, like those from Cobian, Genie and Retrospect, were much slower too.
When working with our spreadsheets folder, Uranium’s average of thirty-five minutes was poor – only two other apps in our slate of nearly twenty were slower. And that result cascaded into a near hour-long backup average when working with our folder of mixed files. That, again, is one of the slowest results in our tests.
It’s a bit of a mixed bag when it comes to speed. If you need to preserve documents or media files, then Uranium is reasonable, but it struggled with more complex tasks.
Support
(Image credit: Nanosystems)
Uranium has the usual offering of a knowledge base, video tutorials and manuals online, but technical support is restricted to a web form with no indication of how long you’ll have to wait for a response.
Some rivals offer phone support and there’s no sign of a forum on Uranium’s website, either, so it’s quite a barebone offering. If you’re protecting mission-critical data and may need fast support, this may not quite cut it.
Competition
Indeed, you’ll get more support from EaseUS, Acronis and many other products, especially if you pay for one of the higher-tier versions.
Elsewhere, Uranium competes reasonably well with rivals in terms of features, especially if you upgrade to one of the enterprise-level products, and we like the fact you can choose which version you need for your business.
The only real downside is that Uranium can’t compete on speed. As we’ve seen, it’s a reasonably sluggish and inconsistent product in this area, and many of its rivals are much faster.
Verdict
Uranium may not be the fastest, but it does compete well in other areas. It has a good range of features, including cloud support and lots of versatility when it comes to backup sources and destinations. It also has flexible options for buying products and subscriptions.
Value is important with Uranium, too, and it either competes with its rivals or undercuts them, with the differences becoming more stark as you scale up through the products.
As a good value business and enterprise option, then, there’s plenty to like about Uranium, but look elsewhere if you need speed or extensive support.
NymVPN is a distributed privacy solution that seeks to address the trust limitations of traditional VPNs. By leveraging blockchain technology, Nym aims to decentralize control over privacy, shifting it away from VPN providers and into the hands of individual users.
This new model does away with the need to trust any of the VPN server providers in your network – and the innovative approach to privacy uses a Mixnet, which routes traffic through distributed nodes to obfuscate its origin.
While NymVPN promises cutting-edge privacy, it's still in beta (though this also means that it's free). Compared to our best VPNs, however, it's missing several core features. To see whether it's worth checking out, I'll take a look at NymVPN in more detail, evaluating its speed, feature set, privacy options, and how it measures up in the current VPN landscape.
Features
This is a weird one. There's plenty to talk about if you're interested in how NymVPN works, but as the client is still in beta it's pretty bare-bones.
There isn’t even a kill switch built into the app. Both a kill-switch and split tunneling are reportedly "on the way" but, in the meantime, you're left with a VPN that's little more than a connect button and a list of countries to choose from.
So, what does NymVPN promise? Unparalleled anonymity, eventually. The whole VPN is based on the concept of a "Mixnet".
Instead of a normal VPN, which routes your traffic through a single VPN server, NymVPN uses a distributed set of "nodes" that all route your traffic back and forth. If you're thinking that this sounds pretty similar to Tor, you'd be correct. The difference is that NymVPN bakes all of this functionality into a crypto-currency ecosystem that allows node operators to be rewarded for providing high-quality networking to the Mixnet. Bandwidth isn't free, after all.
NymVPN promises the ability to distribute its own Nym token to node operators based on how well they provide quality of service (less dropped packets, more traffic mixed, you get the idea). They call this "proof of mixing", which guarantees an objective, crypto-backed way to see which nodes are serving your traffic in an anonymous way.
The actual NymVPN blockchain also promises to integrate with current blockchains while scrubbing the metadata that many of these protocols leak – reducing the overall privacy of blockchain transactions.
There aren't a lot of extras in NymVPN's roadmap. It's focused solely on improving privacy and expanding the existing blockchain to integrate with other products, so even when NymVPN finally reaches release, if you're looking for a VPN that's part of an integrated security suite, then this one probably isn't for you.
Features score: 5/10
Server network
Most VPN providers either rent out networking servers hosted by a third party or use their own managed servers at locations they control. For example, ProtonVPN hosts one of its Secure Core network clusters in a disused military base in Iceland.
NymVPN takes a different approach, using entirely distributed servers provided by volunteers in what it calls a "Mixnet". You can actually see every server that provides either routing or endpoint services to the Mixnet through its own dedicated server explorer, but unless you're interested in how individual nodes are performing, you're probably better off sticking to the location selector inside the app itself.
Currently, there are only 29 countries to choose from across Europe and Asia. You also can't choose between specific locations in the app, although I suspect this may change with time. You can, however, choose both your entry node and your exit node to optimize your connection.
Server network score: 6/10
Apps
There are beta clients of NymVPN available for Windows, MacOS, Linux, Android, and iOS. They're all more of a "proof of concept" at the moment, so each app works more or less how you'd expect a normal VPN to work.
The actual app design is pretty pleasing. It's all minimalist greys and whites with orange highlights, which is easy on the eyes. If you prefer a less funky aesthetic, the available dark mode swaps white to black.
While there are relatively few options to choose from, they all come with helpful tooltips that explain more about the functionality, and in-depth explainers link out to the support pages if you fancy doing some heavier reading.
One issue I've got with the layout is that there's relatively little information available about your connection on the main connection page. You can't see your IP address at a glance or, more importantly, how long your current subscription is going to last.
You also need to enable the ability to choose your entry hop from the settings menu. This feels like something you'd always want to be able to change, and it's not like it clutters the connect page when you enable it.
Overall, the NymVPN clients are all functional and pleasing to look at. The biggest complaint I have is that occasionally the app fails to connect, but this is to be expected in a beta.
Apps score: 5/10
Ease of use
NymVPN is very easy to use once you get past the initial login. Much like ExpressVPN, NymVPN asks you for login credentials that are mailed to you when you sign up.
The app doesn't work until these details are entered, so it's a little confusing not being given a login page first. That said, the actual connection process is straightforward and simple. You choose between "Anonymous" or "Fast" connections, both of which are clearly explained, and then hit connect.
However, I can foresee NymVPN being harder to use in the future if you're not informed about how cryptocurrencies work. I don't know how it's going to work just from trying out the beta, but you're going to need to top up your VPN with crypto continually to keep it working once the full rollout is here.
Ease of use score: 8/10
Speed and performance
There's good and bad here. For clarity, I use a 100 Mbps line with Ookla Speedtest to get a reading on the average speeds a VPN provider offers. Anyway, reading through NymVPN's white paper, the first objection I had was: "Wouldn’t a mixnet make this VPN incredibly slow?"
The answer is: Yes. Yes it does.
It's been a long time since I've used a VPN where I felt the lag made it nigh-unusable, but NymVPN's Anonymous mode took me there.
I'm not sure whether this is going to change as the network scales upwards, but connecting to Germany gave me speeds of 0.87 Mbps. Yes, you did read that correctly. I thought this might be a fluke, so I tried out the UK servers, too. No dice. Reading into it, the "Anonymous" setting pushes my traffic through five different servers.
The "Fast" setting, on the other hand, only uses two mixnet servers, so maybe it's a little better, right? Turns out, it's a lot better. I saw an average of 59.91 Mbps download and 16.85 Mbps upload, which is more than enough to stream video. The latency isn't that bad either.
While I'm sure the Anonymous settings make NymVPN absolutely bulletproof, the browsing experience is worse than going through the Tor network, which is saying something. I really hope that NymVPN gives you the ability to choose how many mixnet servers you want to use in the full release. as it stands, there's basically no point in using anything other than the Fast setting.
Speed and performance score: 3/10
Unblocking
This isn't a self-styled streaming VPN, but NymVPN does fairly well for a product that focuses on anonymity over other VPN use cases.
To figure out how well a VPN provider unblocks streaming content, we test against Netflix across the US, UK, Japan, Canada, and Australia, as well as Disney+ and Amazon Prime. There are also some regional providers we test, such as BBC iPlayer, ITV, 9Now, and 10Play.
I could access Netflix in the US, UK, and Japan, but it wouldn't let me access any content in either Japan or Australia. Disney+ and Amazon Prime worked, as well as BBC iPlayer, but I couldn't get ITV, 9Now, or 10Play to let me in despite connecting several times and bouncing between Fast and Anonymous settings.
This isn't terribly surprising, as the service relies on a mixnet of several different node providers to route your traffic.
There's no port forwarding option, but torrenting works as long as you're not looking for the absolute best speeds from the fastest VPN. Choosing the "Anonymous" option won't make a massive amount of difference to your unblocking capabilities for streaming, either, as your endpoint node will be the same regardless.
I'd say it might be worth it using the "Anonymous" feature for torrenting, but in practice the speeds you get are so abysmally slow that it actually causes connection issues with torrent clients. Even if you can maintain a connection with a peer, it'll take days to download even a few GB – so it's really not a good idea.
Unblocking score: 4/10
Privacy and security
NymVPN is being developed as a privacy-first network, drawing inspiration from the decentralized design of the Tor network as well as distributed VPN projects like Orchid. The way NymVPN works is quite complex, so I'll break down the basics of how the network functions and what it aims to achieve.
Nym operates using a protocol similar to onion routing, where traffic travels through multiple nodes between the entry and exit points. Each node encrypts the data differently, making it difficult for an adversary to track individual packets or streams of traffic.
The key difference between NymVPN and Tor is in their threat models: NymVPN is built on the assumption that a sufficiently large adversary, such as a government, could correlate traffic across both entry and exit nodes on the network. We're talking about powerful entities with access to vast amounts of data, and potentially even the ability to control a significant portion of the network's traffic.
To combat this, NymVPN sends traffic to multiple nodes on the network, mixing several traffic streams together from different users to obfuscate where and when traffic is being sent.
NymVPN also generates fake traffic and mixes it with real data to obscure traffic patterns, making correlation attacks far more difficult. However, this comes with a significant overhead cost compared to traditional VPNs, which impacts your overall speeds more as you use more Mixnet nodes.
The technology behind NymVPN is impressive, but since it's still in beta, it's not yet fully equipped to handle all of your privacy needs
As I've already mentioned, I noticed the absence of a kill switch feature. Without a kill switch, you are vulnerable to attacks where an adversary could force you to disconnect from the NymVPN network, causing your device to fall back on an unencrypted connection.
I've also noticed DNS and IPv6 leaks while using the client, which undermines the privacy of the app. DNS is a somewhat separate challenge from encrypting internet traffic, so I have to assume that NymVPN is going to solve this one by eventually supporting DNS servers inside the Mixnet as well. Time will tell.
Privacy and security score: 5/10
Track record
NymVPN doesn't have much of a track record as a VPN provider as it's still in beta and not yet an established player in the VPN market.
However, Nym itself is an established blockchain vendor with a strong commitment to building privacy solutions. The Nym blockchain has been in development since 2018, with its public mainnet being deployed in 2021. Since then, it has partnered with Google, Brave, and Signal amongst other notable partners.
It's not just all big-name tech companies, either. Nym has gained significant support from privacy advocates and academics across the industry, including notable figures like Chelsea Manning, a well-known data privacy advocate.
That said, it's difficult to recommend NymVPN based solely on its VPN track record. If you're looking for a more experienced, commercial VPN provider with a proven history, you may want to consider other options.
Track record score: 4/10
Customer support
Don't expect to find a 24/7 support team here. Sending an email ticket through the support page is the best chance you have of getting in touch with a NymVPN developer directly, although it does have Telegram and Discord accounts where you can chat with other users.
There's plenty of literature on how Nym's blockchain works and how the design enhances your privacy, but the actual support pages are a little lacking. Admittedly, NymVPN itself is still in beta and doesn't have a lot of extra knobs to turn, but it does feel like the support section is an afterthought.
Customer support score: 2/10
Pricing and plans
NymVPN is currently in beta testing – which means it's free to use for now. The VPN will eventually adopt a fast, crypto-based payment system using the Nym blockchain. Essentially, it acts as an anonymous bridge for onboarding and offboarding cryptocurrencies.
In simple terms, you'll be able to use various cryptocurrencies, such as Bitcoin, Ethereum, and Monero, that can be converted into Nym's proprietary token. This token is then used to pay for your VPN connection on the network.
In practice, this means there's no traditional subscription model. Instead, you fund your account with cryptocurrency and your usage is billed based on bandwidth consumption, making it quite different from other VPN providers.
I always approach crypto projects that use proprietary tokens with a healthy dose of skepticism. Paying DVPN server operators sounds great in practice, but if the token you're paying them with is worthless, then you're doomed to failure.
However, the underlying technology here appears sound. Nym has the ability to easily onboard and offboard multiple cryptocurrencies from different blockchains which means you won't be stuck with an unusable token. That said, it remains to be seen how stable the economics of this model will be in practice when NymVPN is monetized.
Pricing and plans score: 5/10
Should you use NymVPN?
Right now, NymVPN is an interesting experiment in crypto-driven anonymity. It's not a VPN I would recommend for day-to-day usage, however, as it's still missing some critical privacy features that make it useful as a secure VPN.
It's also somewhat slower than other VPNs that use WireGuard, but this is to be expected given the unique Mixnet setup.
However, it's definitely one to watch when it comes out of beta. I've seen plenty of decentralized VPNs that claim to revolutionize the market, but NymVPN looks like it has a real shot at doing so.
Time will tell whether it can make the monetization work and incentivize its node operators properly but, in the meantime, you should look to a traditional VPN provider for best-in-class privacy and security.
NymVPN alternatives
1. NordVPN – from $3.09 per month The best VPN overall NordVPN is a provider with over a decade of experience. It offers VPN servers in over 140 locations, along with a "Double VPN" feature, which routes your traffic through two separate servers. This makes it more difficult to correlate your VPN traffic. NordVPN also provides obfuscated servers, which wrap your VPN connection in an HTTP layer, helping to bypass VPN blocks in countries with strict censorship, such as China. On top of that, NordVPN excels at unblocking streaming content. View Deal
2.ExpressVPN – from $6.67 per month The best VPN for beginners and the most secure ExpressVPN offers lightning-fast speeds across the globe and has one of the best server networks of any VPN we’ve reviewed. This is due in part to its custom Lightway protocol, which delivers faster speeds compared to traditional VPNs while also reducing battery usage, particularly on mobile devices. View Deal
NymVPN FAQs
What is NymVPN?
NymVPN is a decentralized privacy solution built on blockchain technology. It uses a Mixnet architecture to route traffic through multiple nodes, enhancing your anonymity compared to traditional VPNs.
How does NymVPN differ from traditional VPNs?
Unlike centralized VPNs, NymVPN routes traffic through a network of independent nodes operated by volunteers. This decentralized approach ensures that no single entity has full control of the network, providing additional privacy.
Is NymVPN free to use?
During the beta phase, NymVPN is indeed free to use. However, once the full version is released, it will adopt a pay-per-use model based on cryptocurrency transactions.
How secure is NymVPN?
NymVPN offers strong privacy protections through its Mixnet architecture but is still in beta and lacks essential features like a kill switch. DNS and IPv6 leaks were observed during testing, so it's not yet fully reliable for privacy-sensitive tasks.
BetterRoaming is a global eSIM provider that offers affordable prepaid data plans for travelers in over 160 countries. The company aims to provide reliable connectivity at local rates without the hassle of physical SIM cards or expensive roaming fees.
With a free eSIM that can be easily installed on compatible iOS and Android devices, BetterRoaming offers coverage across a wide range of destinations, including popular travel spots like Switzerland, Mexico, and India.
In our experience, BetterRoaming delivers on its promise of easy setup, transparent pricing, and solid network performance in most locations. However, some users have reported slow speeds and connection dropouts, as well as difficulties reaching customer support. We think that BetterRoaming is a competitive option for budget-conscious travelers seeking flexible eSIM data plans, but service quality may vary depending on the destination.
BetterRoaming offers affordable prepaid eSIM data plans for travelers in over 160 countries. The company provides a variety of flexible plans to suit different needs and budgets, with prices starting as low as $1.99.
BetterRoaming's pricing structure is designed to be cost-effective and transparent, with no hidden fees or roaming charges. For budget-conscious travelers, this just might be the provider you’re looking for.
Here are a few of BetterRoaming’s features that stood out to us:
Dual eSIM Functionality
BetterRoaming supports dual eSIM functionality, allowing users to keep their primary SIM card active while using the BetterRoaming eSIM for data. This feature is particularly useful for travelers who want to maintain access to their home number for calls and texts while using local data services abroad.
Affordable and Flexible Plans
BetterRoaming offers a variety of affordable and flexible data plans to suit different travel needs and budgets. Users can choose from short-term plans for quick trips or longer-term plans for extended stays. The company also provides the option to top up data or extend plans directly through the app, giving users greater control over their mobile data expenses.
24/7 customer support
BetterRoaming provides 24/7 customer support to assist users with any questions or issues they may encounter. The support team is available via live chat, email, and phone, ensuring that users can get help whenever they need it, regardless of their location or time zone.
Installing and activating a BetterRoaming eSIM is a straightforward process designed for ease of use. To get started, simply download the BetterRoaming app on your eSIM-compatible device and follow the step-by-step instructions provided.
The app guides users through the eSIM installation process using a QR code. Once the eSIM profile is downloaded, users can select their desired data plan based on their travel destination and data needs.
After purchasing a plan, eSIMs automatically activate upon arrival at the destination, ensuring a seamless transition to local data services. BetterRoaming provides ample resources for new users, including a comprehensive FAQ section, installation guides, and 24/7 customer support. The app also allows users to easily manage their accounts, track data usage, and top up their plans as needed.
BetterRoaming: Coverage and speed
BetterRoaming offers eSIM data plans with 4G/5G connectivity in over 160 countries worldwide. The company partners with local network providers to ensure reliable coverage and competitive speeds in each destination.
BetterRoaming is available in many popular travel destinations, including:
USA
UK
Germany
France
Japan
Australia
While BetterRoaming generally provides solid network performance, some users have reported slow speeds and connection dropouts in certain locations. The actual speed and coverage quality may vary depending on the local network infrastructure and congestion levels in each country. However, BetterRoaming claims to work with reputable local providers to maintain a consistent user experience.
Compared to other eSIM providers, BetterRoaming offers competitive coverage and pricing. However, some competitors like Airalo may provide more data at lower costs in specific regions. Ultimately, the best provider depends on the user's specific travel destinations, data needs, and budget.
BetterRoaming offers 24/7 customer support to assist users with any questions or issues they may encounter. Support channels include live chat, email, and phone, ensuring help is available whenever needed, regardless of location or time zone.
However, some customer reviews suggest that the quality of BetterRoaming's customer service may be inconsistent. While the company claims to provide round-the-clock assistance, a few users have reported difficulties reaching a support representative and slow response times.
For minor issues that can be resolved without personalized assistance, BetterRoaming also offers self-help resources in the form of a knowledge base, installation guides, and FAQs.
BetterRoaming: Final verdict
BetterRoaming is a good eSIM provider under most conditions. It offers decent performance, affordable plans, and responsive support for travelers across 160+ locations worldwide. However, there are a few situations where it falters when compared to established players like Flexiroam, Ubigi, or Airhub.
Online reviews report occasional issues with customer support, especially with the delay associated with reaching the right representative to get your issues resolved. While the plans are affordable, BetterRoaming’s network of telecom providers can be a bit of a hit-and-miss when it comes to coverage and speed. While you shouldn’t have to worry about it in most locations, remote areas in particular may see coverage suffering.
BetterRoaming: FAQs
Who owns BetterRoaming eSIM?
BetterRoaming is owned by serial entrepreneur Hakan Koç, who previously founded AUTO1 Group. Koç launched BetterRoaming in 2023 to provide affordable eSIM data plans for international travelers.
How does BetterRoaming work?
BetterRoaming provides eSIM data plans that work in over 160 countries. Here's how it works:
Download the BetterRoaming app and install the free eSIM on your compatible device. This can be done in under a minute by following the in-app instructions.
Purchase a prepaid data plan for your destination through the app. You can do this anytime, even without an internet connection.
When you arrive at your destination, your data plan will automatically activate and connect you to a local mobile network.
BetterRoaming's eSIM works alongside your existing SIM card, allowing you to keep your original number while using affordable data abroad. The service provides 4G/5G connectivity through partnerships with local carriers in each country.
What is the cost of a BetterRoaming eSIM?
BetterRoaming offers a variety of affordable prepaid data plans, with prices starting as low as $1.99. Specific prices vary by country and data allowance. For example:
In Brazil, a 1GB/7-day plan costs $4.99
In India, a 1GB plan costs $2.99
In the USA or China, a 1GB plan costs $3.99
The eSIM itself is free to install. You only pay for the data packages you purchase, with no additional fees or charges. BetterRoaming aims to provide transparent pricing with no hidden costs.
Retrospect Solo is one of the relatively rare backup software tools available on both Windows and Mac. As the name suggests, this product is designed for individual systems rather than organisational use. For business, Retrospect is an ideal option for sole traders or small companies that need to protect individual PCs.
It’s certainly not your only choice if that’s what you need, though, with individual products from EaseUS and Macrium leading the charge when it comes to individual system protection.
Retrospect Solo for Windows costs $49 for a lifetime licence, with that price rising to $129 if you want a year of email and phone support and maintenance included. The Mac version mirrors those prices.
Those standalone figures are a mixed bag: that lifetime licence is cheaper than either equivalent EaseUS or Macrium option, but Retrospect’s one-year support and maintenance upgrade, called ASM, makes the product more expensive.
Retrospect is also available in several different versions. The Desktop product covers five systems and prices start at $116 for a lifetime licence and $159 for a premium version, or from $10 per month if you buy a subscription. Server options rise in price accordingly.
The product can be customized with add-ons to support additional servers, PCs and email accounts.
If you’re in business and want to protect individual systems, though, the Desktop product looks like the best value – that lifetime subscription might be more expensive than the Solo product, but it protects five systems and so is capable of handling your business by adding some extra PCs.
(Image credit: Retrospect)
Features
If you want to stick with Solo, though, then don’t worry – you’re still getting a good set of features.
It handles full, incremental and differential backups. You can preserve entire drives, entire PCs, computers on your network and your documents and settings, and you can specify if you only want to backup pictures, music, movie files or documents – handy if you're going to preserve a particular type of file.
In terms of backup destinations, you can choose from removable drives, local drives, and cloud storage, with support included for more than twenty cloud providers, including Amazon S3, Dropbox, Google Cloud Storage, Microsoft Azure, and more. There’s also support here for NAS systems from Synology, QNAP and others. That’s impressive because lots of backup apps include limited cloud support, and it’s especially useful in a business setting.
Once you’ve configured your settings there’s a one-click backup option if you want to use them again, and a wizard guides users through the entire process.
You can schedule backups for specific days of the week, repeating intervals or a single date – a reasonable selection although you will find more scheduling ability elsewhere. Delve into the backup options and you can opt for verification, data compression, anomaly detection and more, with a broad array of options available for anyone who wants to delve into some trickier menus.
Elsewhere there are extensive restoration options, a file-finding option, disaster recovery and an option to recover mailboxes from backups. The reporting is particularly extensive. There are additional modules for repairing backups, verifying media and transferring your backups to other destinations.
Combine these options together and you’ve got a powerful backup tool. You can protect and migrate your online mailboxes between providers, use the cloud for extra protection, write scripts for specific tasks, and secure your backups with encryption and multi-factor authentication.
Switch over to the Mac version and you’ll find similar features. Retrospect on Apple’s platform supports complete data protection, cloud backup, email protection, scripting, anomaly checking and most of the other features that make Retrospect Solo such a fully-featured product for individual systems.
(Image credit: Retrospect)
Interface & Use
Retrospect Solo might be packed with features, but the core application is not attractive – it looks old-fashioned and intimidating, at least initially.
Many of the icons are tiny and not labelled; it’s sometimes hard to find the options you need, and you’ll have to delve through nests of menus to find your way.
There are two saving graces: the presence of some helpful wizards to guide newer users through common processes, like setting up backups, and an app called Retrospect Dashboard that presents key information, like scheduled backups, recent tasks and storage capacities, in a friendlier visual format.
Still, the main app is not particularly accessible, particularly to those who don’t know their way around software.
We tested our latest slate of backup apps with a 42GB document folder, a 2.5GB spreadsheet folder, a 162GB folder of media and an 82GB file that mixes all of those file types. We backed them up to three different SSDs to weed out any inconsistency.
Retrospect proved itself a mediocre performer in our tests. Its best result came with our folder of spreadsheets, where it took five minutes and ten seconds to back up the files – but the best apps we’ve tested, including EaseUS and O&O DiskImage, took two and three minutes respectively.
Retrospect took twenty-seven minutes to back up our folder of documents, twenty-three minutes when handling media, and thirty minutes with a mixed folder. The Mac version returned similar results.
When it comes to speed, this is a mediocre app, and if pace is a priority, you’ll want to look elsewhere.
Support
(Image credit: NovaBACKUP)
Instead of taking the lead in the results tables, NovaBACKUP makes a big deal of its support offering – and rightly so.
You can submit support tickets, call a phone line that’s open between 9 am and 5 pm, and consult an extensive knowledge base. You can schedule appointments with the support team, dive into a forum, watch webinars, and get setup assistance depending on the product you’ve purchased.
Competition
EaseUS’s app is much faster than Retrospect in every category, and single-PC versions of apps from Macrium, Paragon and O&O are faster, too.
So if you’re chasing speed and those options are available at comparable prices – and they often are – they’re all going to be better options. For the most part they’ve got more up-to-date interfaces, too.
That said, Retrospect fights back in other areas. Its cloud options are virtually unmatched, for instance, and its range of add-ons adds flexibility, admittedly for an extra price. And when it comes to core backup options, it has a good range of features once you get beyond the interface.
Verdict
Retrospect is an intriguing app that will successfully serve the needs of many home users and small businesses.
Positively, it has good core features, excellent cloud ability and great support, so if you need an app for cloud backup this should be at the top of your list.
Negatively, though, it’s not particularly fast and it suffers with an ageing interface, so it’s not the best option for anyone who needs speed or a beginner who may need more signposting in the interface.
If you’re aware of those foibles, though, then Retrospect could still do the job for lots of people – especially if you want to use the cloud for your backup.
NovaBACKUP is a serious bit of backup software for businesses of all sizes as well as home users, and its German coders specialize in enterprise-level data protection – so we’ve got high hopes for this particular bit of software.
Indeed, if you head to NovaBACKUP’s website you’ll see products for specific tasks, like disaster recovery or Microsoft 365 backups, and even areas where the company caters to particular industries, from dentistry to accountancy.
At first glance, then, there’s plenty to like – but should you deploy NovaBACKUP in your business?
It may be good news that NovaBACKUP is a high-end backup solution designed for enterprise, but brace yourself for the pricing – because this app is not cheap.
A one-PC licence for NovaBACKUP costs €100, which at the time of writing converts to $110, including an admittedly generous 1TB of cloud storage. A single-server licence costs €400 – or about $443 – and includes 250GB of cloud storage.
If you need a bespoke solution for your business, then you’ll need to talk to NovaBACKUP to work on a solution together – which makes sense, because then you should get a backup deployment that works for you and maximises value.
NovaBACKUP offers products for companies that need endpoint protection for remote workers, for businesses that need centrally-managed local and cloud backup for PCs, laptops and servers, and even packages for managed services providers who want to provide Backup-as-a-Service to other organisations.
(Image credit: NovaBACKUP)
Features
It’s expensive, yes, but NovaBACKUP is absolutely packed with features. You can preserve any files or folders, local or external drives, operating systems and send them to local drives, external drives, your 1TB of NovaBACKUP cloud storage space or any S3 compatible storage. Network-attached locations are also supported.
Additionally, NovaBACKUP now includes hybrid backup, which ensures more robust data protection by storing your data in three places, on two different types of media and with one copy stored offsite – what’s often referred to as a “3-2-1 backup strategy”. That’s important if you preserve mission-critical information in a commercial or healthcare environment.
It’s a comprehensive start, and NovaBACKUP also includes image backups for disaster recovery, VHD and VHDx backups, incremental backups, bare metal restoration and strong compression and encryption settings, including 256-bit AES and Blowfish encryption.
You can enjoy email notifications about your backup jobs – particularly helpful if you’re handling data in a business – and flexible file restoration means you can recover backups from any location.
NovaBACKUP offers extensive scheduling options, backup verification, custom commands to be performed around your backups, and there are extensive filtering options. In terms of core backup features, NovaBACKUP is excellent – there is nothing missing.
(Image credit: NovaBACKUP)
Opt for the Server product and you get support for Microsoft Hyper-V and VMWare backups and Microsoft SQL and Exchange support. Both apps include optional central management and monitoring features – ideal for businesses.
Upgrade to a Server Provider version – or another customised NovaBACKUP solution – and you can also add user account management, unlimited cloud storage, self-hosted cloud storage, and setup assistance.
Interface & Use
NovaBACKUP has every backup option that home and business users could possibly need, even if you wouldn’t know it from the aesthetic. The app looks decidedly old school, with old-fashioned fonts and graphics used throughout.
Still, if you get beyond the visuals then it’s pretty easy to use. Large icons on the home screen represent key backup options, and if you delve into the settings then it’s the usual list of backup sources on the left-hand side with more advanced options in a central window.
Backup logs and schedules are in their own tabs. And while there aren’t many easy wizard options for creating backup jobs, this enterprise-level app provides plenty of granularity that professionals will surely appreciate.
We tested our latest slate of backup apps with a 42GB document folder, a 2.5GB spreadsheet folder, a 162GB folder of media and an 82GB file that mixes all of those file types. We backed them up to three different SSDs to weed out any inconsistency.
And while NovaBACKUP was never slow, its results slipped consistently into the mid-table when stacked up with almost twenty other backup tools.
Its best results came when working with our Excel folder and our selection of mixed media files – it returned averages of four minutes and eighteen minutes respectively. Both of those numbers crept into the top half of our results tables.
Nova averaged sixteen minutes with our folder of documents, and seven minutes with our media files.
None of those results are slow, but lots of other apps are quicker – tools like Acronis Cyber Protect, EaseUS ToDo Backup and Macrium Reflect are notable options that easily outpace NovaBACKUP.
Support
(Image credit: NovaBACKUP)
Instead of taking the lead in the results tables, NovaBACKUP makes a big deal of its support offering – and rightly so.
You can submit support tickets, call a phone line that’s open between 9 am and 5 pm, and consult an extensive knowledge base. You can schedule appointments with the support team, dive into a forum, watch webinars, and get setup assistance depending on the product you’ve purchased.
Indeed, it’s probably the pricing that restricts NovaBACKUP’s appeal. While this is a fantastic tool for any business that wants to take backup seriously, especially if you want to build a bespoke package or protect servers, it’s probably overkill for home and small business users.
It’s got every feature you could possibly need, though, alongside excellent support options – there’s no doubt it earns its keep. And while it’s not the fastest, that is moot if you’re backing up to servers, network or cloud destinations.
NovaBACKUP is an excellent preservation option for businesses – expensive, sure, but you get what you pay for.
Appointment scheduling tools streamline the booking process by letting clients pick their own time slots. You avoid the back-and-forth emails and phone calls. These systems sync with your calendar and send automatic reminders.
Having scheduling built into your website builder offers unique advantages. Your clients never leave your site to book appointments. The integration feels seamless and maintains your brand experience throughout. You can customize the booking page to match your website's design perfectly.
Squarespace's Acuity Scheduling brings professional appointment management to your website. It handles everything from simple consultations to complex group classes. The tool can work independently, but also integrates smoothly with your Squarespace site.
We tested Acuity against other scheduling solutions to see how it performs. Our review covers pricing accuracy, feature depth, and real-world usability. You'll discover whether this tool fits your business needs and budget.
Squarespace Acuity: Pricing
(Image credit: Squarespace)
Acuity subscriptions are separate from your Squarespace site subscription, meaning you can use Acuity on its own or integrate it with your Squarespace website.
There are three plans to choose from for this product, starting with the Emerging plan. This plan is ideal for start-ups and solo entrepreneurs. It costs $20/mo ($16/mo on annual billing) and offers essential appointment management features like calendar syncing and automatic reminder emails.
Next, the Growing plan at $34/mo ($27/mo for a yearly subscription) supports 2-6 calendars and additional perks like SMS reminders and support for packages, memberships, and subscriptions.
Lastly, the $61/mo ($49/mo annually) Powerhouse plan supports up to 36 calendars and includes advanced features like multiple time zones and custom API and CSS integration. In the end, it’s all about picking the right plan based on the size and complexity of your business.
Although you don’t need a Squarespace website builder subscription to use Acuity, building your website on the platform makes it super easy to integrate your site with the scheduling tool. Check out our Squarespace promo codes page to find the best discounts across the Squarespace range of tools.
Squarespace Acuity: Features
(Image credit: Squarespace)
Acuity offers scheduling features that rival dedicated appointment platforms. You get unlimited appointments, payment processing through Stripe/Square/PayPal, and automated email/SMS reminders. The system handles recurring bookings, group sessions, and custom intake forms seamlessly.
Compared to competitors like Calendly, Acuity actually provides more business-focused features. Calendly excels at simple meeting scheduling, but, Acuity supports subscriptions, memberships, and gift certificates. You can create appointment packages and offer multiple services with different durations.
Other website builders offer basic scheduling, but few match this level of depth. WordPress booking plugins require technical setup and multiple extensions. Wix provides simpler booking widgets without advanced payment or business features.
Acuity's integration ecosystem includes 40+ apps through Zapier and direct connections to Google Analytics. However, it lacks some team-specific integrations that Calendly offers, like CRM connections to Salesforce or HubSpot. That's because the focus stays on service-based businesses rather than sales teams.
Squarespace Acuity: Ease of use
(Image credit: Squarespace)
Acuity strikes a good balance between power and simplicity. The setup wizard guides you through essential configurations like time zones, booking intervals, and client permissions. We found the interface intuitive even for non-technical users, though it's more complex than basic schedulers like Calendly.
Its learning curve sits in the middle range among scheduling tools. Beginners can get basic booking running quickly, but mastering advanced features takes time. The "look busy" feature and buffer time settings show thoughtful design for real-world scheduling challenges.
Client-facing booking pages are clean and straightforward. Your customers can select services, pick times, and complete intake forms without confusion. The mobile experience works well, though some users report the timezone selector is small and easy to miss.
That said, Acuity lacks specific accessibility documentation or WCAG compliance features. While most scheduling tools don't prioritize accessibility, this could still be a limitation for businesses serving diverse clients. Its interface relies heavily on visual cues and mouse interaction, which may challenge users with disabilities.
Squarespace Acuity: Tools
(Image credit: Squarespace)
Email notifications
Acuity lets you send automated emails to clients about their appointments, packages, and subscriptions. Currently, you can send various notifications to your clients including initial confirmation, reminders, cancellations, follow-ups, package/gift certificate orders, and subscriptions, including payments, renewals, and cancellations.
If you're on the Growing or Powerhouse plans, you can send text message appointment reminders so your clients don’t miss a booking. Plus, to make sure your team stays on the same page, you can set up internal notifications to keep your staff informed about new, rescheduled, or canceled appointments.
Lastly, to reach out to your clients with promotions, updates, and more, you can also send marketing emails using Squarespace Email Campaigns.
Syncing appointments with third-party calendars
Acuity easily syncs with calendar programs like Google, iCloud, Outlook Office 365, Outlook Exchange, and Outlook.com. Any changes made to your appointments in Acuity, whether canceled, rescheduled, or edited, are automatically reflected in your synced third-party calendar. For instance, Google Calendar updates almost instantly, while Microsoft Calendars may take up to 10 minutes to reflect these changes. Plus, to prevent clients from booking appointments when you're busy, you can also block off time in Acuity for events on your third-party calendar.
You can even let your staff members see Acuity appointments on their personal calendars by syncing their third-party calendars. To do this, simply add them as a contributor if you're using a Squarespace account or as a user if you're logged in with an Acuity account.
Payment processor integrations
Squarespace lets you collect payments for appointments by integrating with popular payment processors like Stripe, Square, and PayPal. Before accepting payments, you must connect at least one of these processors to your Acuity account. However, once connected, you can manage your payment preferences and account settings through the processor’s online portal or mobile app.
Remember, the payment processors used in Acuity are separate from those in Squarespace Commerce, and each comes with its own terms and conditions. For instance, Square’s processing fees differ depending on how the payment is made, while Stripe’s fees vary by country (USA, UK, Ireland, and Australia).
Scheduling blocks
Squarespace Acuity's Scheduling Blocks let you smoothly integrate your scheduling page into your Squarespace site.
This means your visitors can book appointments directly without leaving the site. Setting up a scheduling block is simple; just edit the page, click "Add Block," and select "Scheduling." You can then choose which schedule to display, whether it's your general schedule or one for a specific calendar, appointment type, or category.
Similarly, you can display a calendar from an Acuity account that is not linked to the Squarespace website as a custom link. Plus, for improved privacy, you can password protect your scheduling page, limiting access to only those with the password.
Squarespace Acuity: Integrations
(Image credit: Squarespace)
Acuity integrates with Google Analytics to help you track how clients interact with your scheduler. With its valuable insights, you can refine your booking process and improve appointment rates.
Getting started is fairly simple. Just sign up for a Google Analytics account and follow the guide available on their site. After setting up the integration, it may take up to 24 hours for statistics to start populating in Google Analytics. Acuity will only send events that occur after the integration is live. When using Google Analytics for conversion tracking, keep in mind that conditions are case-sensitive. For instance, entering "Page_view" instead of "page_view" can stop your goals from tracking properly. So, it's better to consult Google's documentation on custom dimensions and metrics for accuracy before you get started.
Further, with the help of API services like Zapier, you can integrate with several third-party apps. Some key integrations include syncing your appointments with personal or business calendars, setting up video conferencing, and connecting with tools for social media, email marketing, accounting, conversion tracking, CRM, or other client engagement applications. These integrations help you to streamline your workflow and enhance your scheduling capabilities.
Squarespace Acuity: My verdict
With its wide range of features, seamless integrations, and flexible pricing plans, Acuity makes it easy to manage scheduling, payments, and client communications all in one place. Whether you just launched your first business or are part of a larger team, you get the tools to improve your booking flow, client engagement, and grow your business efficiently.
But, don’t just take our word for it, it's always best to try out the features for yourself. So, if you have a website on Squarespace or are currently on a free trial, give Acuity Scheduling a test run and see if it meets your expectations.
If you want to learn more about what Squarespace offers, you can read our full Squarespace review here.
McAfee is undoubtedly one of the most popular antivirus providers in the world. The McAfee Total Protection suite, for instance, has been a mainstay in the world of digital security for years. While it still offers solid device security and antivirus, McAfee shifted gears and expanded its offerings by releasing a completely new line of products referred to as McAfee+.
Despite Total Protection still being available (and the fact that there’s some overlap between its features), the new iteration takes a different approach. Primarily, it adds a larger emphasis on advanced safeguards like identity protection and parental controls.
So, choosing such a solution can often seem overwhelming and daunting. That is why we’ll carefully guide you along, outlining the features starting from the cheapest McAfee Essential plan all the way to the flagship Ultimate plan, hopefully helping you find something that works for your needs and budget.
(Image credit: Future)
McAfee: Plans and Pricing
The entry-level plan provides a decent foundation for individuals and small families. It supports up to five devices on a single subscription and provides the basic tools like a VPN and core identity protection services. The price is generous, starting at $39.99.
The first plan with the plus moniker is McAfee+ Premium, starting at just $49.99/year ($69.99/year for the family plan. You can view this tier as a small upgrade from the Essential, as it’s identical, save for unlimited device support. Do note that although you’ll receive a basic online account and personal data scans and identity alerts (just as with the low-tier version), you won’t receive any identity theft protection. Opting for the family plan provides you access to parental controls and supports two adults and up to four children.
Up the ladder, McAfee+ Premium introduces identity theft restoration, helping recover your identity if you fall victim to identity theft, while also offering credit monitoring. Pricing starts at $89.99/year or $119.99/year if you go for the family plan, which covers the same number of individuals as the Premium.
The most comprehensive option is McAfee+ Advanced. Costing $199.99/year for a single individual and $249.99/year for the family plan, it unlocks full service for online accounts and personal cleanup. Moreover, it supports credit lock and allows credit monitoring with three major credit bureaus.
Note that all the pricing applies to the first year of subscription. Renewal will drastically bump up the pricing - $119.99 for Essential, $149.99 for Premium, $199.99 for Advanced, and $279.99 for Ultimate. Despite Total Protection still being available (and the fact that there’s some overlap between its features), the new iteration takes a different approach. Primarily, it adds a larger emphasis on advanced safeguards like identity protection and parental controls.
So, choosing such a solution can often seem overwhelming and daunting. That is why we’ll carefully guide you along, outlining the features starting from the cheapest McAfee Essential plan all the way to the flagship Ultimate plan, hopefully helping you find something that works for your needs and budget.
Compare McAfee subscriptions
McAfee Essential
McAfee+ Premium
McAfee+ Advanced
McAfee+ Ultimate
Operating system:
Windows, macOS, Android, iOS, Linux
Windows, macOS, Android, iOS, Linux
Windows, macOS, Android, iOS, Linux
Windows, macOS, Android, iOS, Linux
Max devices:
Up to 5
Unlimited
Unlimited
Unlimited
Starting price:
$39.99/yr
$49.99/yr; Family plan $69.99/yr
$89.99/yr; Family plan $119.99/yr
$199.99/yr; Family plan $249.99/yr
Firewall:
✔️
✔️
✔️
✔️
Password manager:
✔️
✔️
✔️
✔️
File shredder:
✔️
✔️
✔️
✔️
VPN:
✔️
✔️
✔️
✔️
Account clean-up:
❌
Scans only
Scans only
Full service
Personal data clean-up:
❌
Scans only
Full service
Full service
Identity theft monitoring:
✔️
✔️
✔️
✔️
Identity restoration:
❌
❌
✔️
✔️
Credit monitoring:
❌
❌
1 bureau
3 bureau
Credit lock:
❌
❌
❌
✔️
The Core of McAfee Protection
Even McAfee’s cheapest plan will provide you with effective AV and web protection, meaning that the differences between entry-level subscriptions and the more expensive options are identity theft protection features and the number of devices supported.
Employing a multi-layered approach, McAfee combines real-time scanning, AI, and cloud technology to defend against known and evolving threats, and does a great job against malware, spyware, ransomware, and viruses.
Case in point: the latest tests by AV-Comparatives show that McAfee scored 99.6% in online detection rate, with the same score in online protection. However, it does lag behind the competition in terms of offline detection rate, scoring just 79.3%.
(Image credit: AV-Comparatives)
Another snag is that McAfee is trigger-happy, raising 15 false alarms during the evaluation by AV-Comparatives.
A security suite must offer robust protection without slowing down your device. In the past, McAfee struggled in this department, building up a reputation as a resource-intensive program. You’ll be happy to learn that the team improved the engine so much that it’s now the fastest AV in the world.
According to AV-Comparatives performance tests from April 2025, McAfee had an impact score of 2.6, which indicates that its impact on the device is minimal.
McAfee scores fairly well with the big testing labs right now. (Image credit: AV-Comparatives)
McAfee Essential
McAfee Essential is a powerful antivirus in a small package. For example, the firewall is fairly capable, if a bit limited, as it only controls outbound traffic, leaving inbound connections to the native OS firewall. Similarly, the True Key Password Manager helps you create and sync passwords across devices. The only downside is that it’s restricted in terms of form-filling, since you can auto-fill login credentials.
All subscriptions (including this one) come with VPN access in the form of McAfee Safe Connect. Generally, the VPN is ok for the money you dish out, employing AES-256 encryption to keep your data safe, and somewhat surprisingly, comes with a no-logs policy.
It also includes some essential VPN functions like a kill switch, split-tunneling, and auto connection, along with a modest network of 50+ countries.
The addition of a VPN is nice, but it leaves plenty of things to be desired. At times, the performance tends to be poor, especially on distant servers, which eliminates it as a viable solution for streaming.
The biggest stain, though, is the fact that you can only use the full-featured VPN if you turn on auto-renewal. If you disable auto-renewal, McAfee will limit your monthly data to 500MB per month.
This is a common practice for McAfee and is stated in their terms of service. It's a way for the company to incentivize customers to remain subscribed and to protect them against a lapse in their security protection, but such a limitation is puzzling in 2025.
McAfee Essential also lets you dip your toes in identity theft protection, including basic identity monitoring to help you find your personal information online and on the dark web.
McAfee+ Premium
The first upgrade doesn’t introduce that much and is, for lack of a better term, only a slight improvement over the Essential tier. So, is there a reason to purchase the Premium?
It depends purely on your needs.
For an extra $10, you get support for unlimited devices, and more importantly, there is a Family version you can opt for that unlocks a powerful set of family controls (we’ll talk about these a bit later). Premium unlocks the online account scans feature, which tracks down unused online accounts and personal data scans that do well in finding your information on data broker sites.
That said, if you don’t require as broad a support and aren’t interested in parental controls, it’s likely better to stick with the entry-level tier.
McAfee+ Advanced
As a mid-tier subscription plan, McAfee+ Advanced is a convincing option. In addition to the protections and features found in the first two plans, it introduces a nifty system scan that tracks down any vulnerabilities and junk files on your computer.
While a fine addition, McAfee again doesn’t let you resolve the issues, meaning you’ll have to fix these problems on your own. Considering the ‘Advanced’ plan is relatively pricey, this limitation borders on lazy and certainly doesn’t reflect the ‘advanced’ part.
At a glance, it may seem that the plan doesn’t add all that much for an extra 40 bucks, but it may be worth it for the identity theft restoration services alone.
For starters, the service will provide access to a real-life fraud resolution specialist, who will, if things come to a head, assist you every step of the way. Furthermore, you’ll receive a Lost Wallet service, where these specialists cancel and replace all the documents on your behalf.
To top it all off, you’ll also receive Identity Theft Insurance, which covers any costs incurred by the identity theft, allowing you to receive up to $1 million in eligible expenses, such as legal fees, stolen funds, or lost wages.
McAfee+ Advanced bumps up your overall protection with credit monitoring. Although supporting only TransUnion, McAfee will send monthly reports and flag any suspicious transactions.
McAfee+ Ultimate
The jump in value between Advance and Ultimate is very impressive. This is most apparent when you take a look at the Personal Data Cleanup and Online Account Cleanup features. Limited in the mid-tier, here McAfee will not only identify problems but also automatically resolve them on your behalf.
Other than that, the Ultimate plan also supercharges the identity theft protection features.
In addition to everything in the previous plan, McAfee+ Ultimate introduces credit lock and expanded credit monitoring features. Credit monitoring support extends to Equifax and Experian, and you can also opt in to receive daily reports, in addition to monthly breakdowns.
Credit lock is particularly interesting, allowing you to “lock down” your credit card, thus stopping companies from obtaining a copy of your credit history without your permission.
Lastly, McAfee+ Ultimate adds another $1 million to the identity theft insurance.
McAfee+ Family plans
While all McAfee+ subscriptions provide unlimited protection, opting for one of the Family versions includes functions designed to keep you and your family safe.
Let’s start with the identity theft protections. Features from individual plans are identical to those found in the family-oriented packages, extending the protection to two adults and up to four children. Put differently, you can scrub your kids’ birthdates and other identifiable information, such as Social Security Numbers, from the web, thus protecting them from identity theft and any future credit issues.
Still, the tour de force in the family plans is the Safe Family parental control app, which provides parents with the ability to stay on top of their children’s browsing habits.
You can easily set time limits for devices and restrict usage during certain times. We also love the aptly-named Digital Time-out, which allows you to pause the internet connection on your children’s devices.
Safe Family also comes with website filtering options you can use to block access to sites according to available categories. The good news is that this filter works in both regular and incognito mode, and it’s impossible to bypass with a VPN. App blocking works pretty much the same, allowing you to block apps on a category basis (e.g., social media).
You also get a better insight into juniors’ browsing habits through detailed reports that outline which websites they’ve visited.
Finally, by leveraging GPS, Safe Family’s location tracker grants you the option to keep an eye on your children’s location on a live map and view their entire location history. This isn’t just a simple location tracker, though, as it also supports geofencing that enables you to receive notifications if your child leaves or enters designated locations.
McAfee Antivirus: Final Verdict
Differences in its product lineup (and their pricing) aside for a moment, going for McAfee is a safe choice. Not only is the underlying antivirus engine good at rooting out the nasty stuff, but even the entry-level subscription will provide you with plenty of useful security tools.
However, the said tools are either not well-implemented or suffer from a slew of limitations that make them nothing but a poor take on dedicated products. In addition, while basic identity theft features are certainly a welcome addition, only the pricier Advanced and Ultimate tiers make them fully worthwhile.
With all that in mind, if you don’t require extra bells and whistles and are looking to protect only a handful of devices, then the Essential plan provides quite a lot of bang for your buck. If you need a more capable solution and are willing to pay a premium price, other antivirus programs simply provide a better service, often at a more affordable price point.
Sometimes, a tiny change can make all the difference. So it is with the Iiyama ProLite XCB4594DQSN. It's a large, 32:9 aspect ultrawide productivity monitor with a native resolution of 5,120 by 1,440. The difference is that it measures 45 inches where 49 inches has typically been the norm for the best ultrawide monitors we've reviewed.
That makes it a touch more ergonomic in terms of desk space. But it also improves the pixel density by a small but arguably critical quotient. To that you can add VA panel technology with strong all-round specifications, including 165Hz refresh and sub-1ms claimed response, plus excellent connectivity including USB-C with 90W of power delivery and a KVM switch.
All told, this new Iiyama amounts to a single monitor with the desktop real estate of dual 1440p panels, plus good connectivity. It's a very appealing proposition for anyone who needs one of the best business monitors to multitask, view several applications in parallel and generally have plenty of on-screen elbow room.
Iiyama ProLite XCB4594DQSN: Design & features
(Image credit: Iiyama)
Needs lots of desk space
Excellent connectivity
OSD could be more intuitive
Specs
Panel size: 45-inch
Panel type: IPS
Resolution: 5,120 x 1,440
Brightness: 450 cd/m2
Contrast: 3,000:1
Pixel response: 0.8ms MPRT
Refresh rate: 165Hz
Colour coverage: 100% sRGB
HDR: DisplayHDR 400
Vesa: 100mm x 100mm
Inputs: DisplayPort 1.4 x1, HDMI 2.0 x1, USB-C with 90W power delivery x1
Other: USB-A hub, LAN, KVW switch
Iiyama doesn't traditionally go in for aesthetic theatrics, and that's no different for the Iiyama ProLite XCB4594DQSN. Sober suited, you could say anonymous, albeit with slim bezels on three sides that add a contemporary air, it's nevertheless well-built and has all the features you'll likely want for a high-spec productivity monitor.
The stand offers a good array of adjustment, including height and tilt, plus a touch of pivot to help get the horizontal level just right, though the lack of swivel is a disappointing omission. Still, it's good to have decent adjustability on a 45-inch panel like this where the sheer size alone makes for challenging ergonomics.
On the subject of size and scale, this is a curved panel but courtesy only of a relatively gentle 1500R arc. With such a large wide-aspect format, a little more curve would arguably make viewing the furthest extremities a bit more comfortable.
As for connectivity, that's the real highlight. For starters, you get USB-C with 90W of power delivery for effortless single-cable connectivity of a laptop. There's also a triple-port USB-A hub. Thus with the single cable you can not only drive the display and keep a laptop charged, but also connect peripherals like keyboard, mouse and external storage.
Even better, there's a LAN port, too, enabling comprehensive connectivity through that single port. Once you've gone single-cable, you won't want to go back to that old rat's nest of cables. The USB hub also allows for support for KVW switch capability, so you can easily share this display and any connected peripherals across two PCs.
Those highlights aside, the rear of the display also includes a pair of HDMI ports and DisplayPort, all of which support the full 5,120 by 1,440 resolution at 165Hz. The catch? All these various connectivity features are harder to set up than need be.
Iiyama has chosen some suboptimal default settings, for instance, which means you'll have to spend a fair amount of time in the unfriendly OSD menu just to get this monitor running at the right resolution and refresh over various inputs. Once you've got everything configured correctly, it's all good from there. But Iiyama would do well to look again at the OSD and default settings.
Iiyama ProLite XCB4594DQSN: Performance
(Image credit: Iiyama)
Punchy, quick VA panel
Decent pixel density
Limited HDR support
We've seen plenty of 49-inch panels with the familiar if still spectacular 5,120 by 1,440 pixel native revolution. The difference here is that the Iiyama ProLite XCB4594DQSN is a 45 incher.
That obviously makes it a touch smaller while still being a very expansive display. It also bumps the pixel density up from 108 DPI to 118 DPI compared to those 49-inch panels. That isn't a dramatic improvement. But it's just enough to make a visible difference to the crispness and quality of fonts.
For sure, a 27-inch or even 32-inch 4K monitor has much better pixel density again. But the increase to nearly 120DPI definitely helps and is particularly noticeable in MacOS, which arguably benefits even more from the DPI bump than Windows. That detail aside, this is a very nice example of the VA breed of LCD panel. It's very punchy, with a brightness rating of 450 nits, and boasts excellent contrast.
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It's nicely calibrated, too, albeit this isn't a panel aimed at content creation pros and doesn't offer pre-calibrated Adobe RGB or DCI-P3 modes. Overall, this is a really vibrant, pleasant display. OK, it's no OLED panel. But then you'd be looking at far, far more money for an equivalent OLED monitor.
Speed-wise, this panel will almost certainly be plenty quick enough for most users. The 165Hz refresh ensures nice, low latency and the 0.8ms response spec is impressive. That said, there is some noticeable overshoot with the response-accelerating overdrive feature set to one of its more aggressive modes. It's not a huge problem, but if you're sensitive to that kind of thing, an IPS panel remains a better option.
Another relative weakness is HDR support. For starters, this isn't a true HDR panel. It offers basic HDR signal processing. But there's no local dimming, so the ultimate dynamic range is limited. Iiyama likewise hasn't done a great job of calibrating SDR content in HDR mode. So, you'll really need to jump between SDR and HDR modes depending on content types, which is a bit of a pity.
Iiyama ProLite XCB4594DQSN: Final verdict
(Image credit: Iiyama)
The Iiyama ProLite XCB4594DQSN doesn't do anything radical. However, the large panel and ultrawide format makes for an extremely effective productivity tool. For sure, it's an intriguing alternative to a pair of 1440p monitors.
The 45-inch as opposed to 49-inch diagonal also makes for slightly improved pixel density and font rendering. That also applies to the comparison with more conventional 27-inch 1440p monitors. This Iiyama is just that little bit crisper while still providing a huge canvas for multitasking.
The actual panel quality is good, too, with a slick 165Hz refresh and fairly speedy responses for a VA panel. Factor in the 450 nit brightness and basic HDR support and this panel is well up for some multimedia and games on the side.
Connectivity is another strong point, with USB-C, LAN and a KVM switch. All told, this is a genuine productivity powerhouse and the only obvious snags are a slightly frustrating OSD menu and some poorly chosen default settings, none of which are enough to spoil what is otherwise a strong overall package.
The BenQ MA32OU is one of those monitors, and the moment I connected to it, I knew there was something special about this display. I rotate monitors like some people rotate their socks. I've gotten pretty good at knowing if any of the best business monitors will be a hit after only spending a little bit of time with it. The BenQ MA32OU is from BenQ's line of monitors specifically designed for Mac users. It's sleek, white, minimal, seamless MacOS integration and incredibly similar color profiles to the MacBook.
The BenQ MA32OU is packed with color calibration and integration software with Mac, solving the color inconsistency between MacBook displays and larger external monitors.
(Image credit: Collin Probst // Future)
BenQ MA32OU: Pricing & availability
The BenQ MA32OU is a premium external display option for MacBook users at $600. While it's more affordable than Apple's Studio Display, it still holds plenty of advanced features tailored to MacOS users. As of September 2024, BenQ has made the MA32OU available for pre-order with a general release slated for later this year.
(Image credit: Collin Probst // Future)
BenQ MA32OU: Unboxing & first impressions
Like every other monitor I tried from BenQ, unboxing the MA32OU was straightforward and clean. The monitor was securely packed alongside essential accessories including a USB-C cable, HDMI cable, power cord, and necessary documentation. Setting up the monitor itself is super easy, and it took only a few moments. The MA32OU was up on my desk and operational moments after arrival, fitting beautifully on my monitor arm.
The overall design language fits the Apple ecosystem, with simplified ports on the back, much like an Apple monitor. However, what is remarkable is that, unlike an Apple monitor, this display has an HDMI option.
Whether this is the best monitor for MacBook Pro is a matter of taste. But the BenQ MA32OU features a MacBook-like inspired design with a sleek white chassis and slim bezels, making it a stylish addition to any workspace. The Ergonomic stand offers essential height, tilt, swivel, and pivot adjustments, making for a great and highly customizable viewing angle. However, my preferred use case for monitors is to put them on a monitor arm for aesthetics. The ports are great, just enough to give me everything I need. It has USB-C with PD charging, another with charging capabilities, a USB-C port, and two HDMI Ports. These ports were able to get me set up for success without much work at all. Lastly, I appreciate that this monitor doesn't use any barrel connector but uses IEC, making it easy to power.
The build quality is solid, and the picture quality is gorgeous. Plugging into this monitor makes my MacBook display feel monstrous, thanks to the high resolution and clean 16:9 aspect ratio, and since the port offering is simple, it works excellently alongside my Thunderbolt Dock.
(Image credit: Collin Probst // Future)
BenQ MA32OU: In use
I've had the opportunity to use the BenQ MA32OU monitor as my primary display for a couple of weeks now. Over this time, I have been thrilled with the performance of this screen. It shines with vivid color accuracy and high resolution, allowing for even more content on the screen at once, 99% sRGB, 95% DCI-P3 coverage, and proprietary Mac color-tuning technology. When I move between my MacBook Pro's screen and the MA32OU, I can't tell the difference between the two color-wise. This is a huge win, especially if I'm working on creative projects or just for my sanity of moving between displays constantly throughout my day.
Depending on my working setup, I try to balance simple, minimalist, and frictionless. What I mean by frictionless is that it doesn't take a long setup time or any time for me to get to work. When I used to do a lot of voiceovers and vocal work, I had a mic on my desk; now that I don't do that as much, my mic is still in my home office but not as readily accessible. I treat my entire setup with this same logic. Simple and minimal-ish while keeping frictionless. The MA32OU is that kind of monitor to me. It doesn't mess around by adding what could be in a dock, if needed, somewhere else. But it also hasn't minimized so far that it only has Thunderbolt. At my setup, in particular, I have (as you can see in the picture with the ports) the main computer Thunderbolt plugged into a Satechi Thunderbolt 4 Dock, giving me a few more ports to run to my MacBook Pro. However, I also have the HDMI running to an HDMI cable that can be used to plug into another laptop or desktop I am testing, and I am using the other USB-C ports to keep things tidy and run my BenQ monitor lightbar and my Insta360 Link.
Continuing down the line of frictionless work, Display Pilot 2 software makes using this monitor as seamless as if I were working with a first-party Apple monitor. I can sync brightness and volume controls in a way I cannot do with any other monitor. While it sounds small, it has been super handy to adjust to. For those working long hours, BenQ’s eye-care features, such as Low Blue Light and Flicker-Free technology, help reduce eye strain, making it suitable for extended use. The HDR performance is good but not exceptional, with the 600-nit brightness providing decent contrast but not technically being as bright as I would like it if I weren't in a basement dungeon of a home office (only one tiny window)
(Image credit: Collin Probst // Future)
BenQ MA32OU: Final verdict
The BenQ MA320U is an impressive external monitor that excels at delivering a seamless MacBook experience with stunning color accuracy, flexibility, and frictionless usability. While it may not have the absolute best HDR performance or audio capabilities, it remains an excellent choice for creative professionals seeking a reliable, MacBook-optimized display at a competitive price. If you're a MacBook user looking for a great monitor, you must check this out. If you don't use a MacBook but want a reasonably priced monitor, the MA32OU may still be a great option.
