Finding a one-stop Mac protection tool becomes difficult, but Intego saves the day with its Mac exclusive antivirus product line-up.
Intego Security Features
Intego products come with plenty of features that make them the most recommended protection tool for Macs. The excellent virus scanner and system optimization make it stand out amongst other protection tools. Let’s look at an in-depth review of Intego and the features it offers, and some alternatives.
Virus Barrier- Malware Scanning
It is crucial to have a capable malware scanner to detect any threats to the computer. The Virus Barrier can detect every type, such as adware, malware, trojans, ransomware, and more. The Virus Barrier gives you an option to scan your iPhone and other externally connected devices to make sure they are malware-free too. It comes with all essential features like an antivirus scanner, real-time protection, and the ability to schedule your scans.
The virus scanner comes with a quick scan and a full scan feature. The quick scan typically takes way less time than the full scan as it only scans the most vulnerable files and directories. The Full Scan option, on the other hand, scans every file and folder on your Mac. The full scan can take hours to complete, but the Quick Scan won’t take more than a few minutes. As soon as the scan ends, the scanner prompts you with the scan results. The report includes the number of files scanned and the list of detected threats. You are then asked to choose your course of action by giving you these features:
Trust- As the name suggests, the trust option spares the detected threat and does not take action. Quarantine- The Quarantine option isolates the file to not infect other files on your computer. Please note that the file still stays on your device. Repair- The Repair option completely eradicates the threat from your device.
The Virus Barrier also comes with an option to alert you while visiting a phishing website and scan your emails for malware. Overall, the Virus Barrier is feature-rich and comes with a solid database for Mac exclusive malware.
Washing Machine- Mac System Optimizer
There are times when your Mac feels unresponsive and needs optimization. You can surely optimize your machine manually, but finding and removing the system junk becomes tedious. The Washing Machine feature does exactly what it sounds like; it cleans your system and optimizes it for a better experience.
Intego offers three optimization options to choose from:
#1. Reclaim
The Reclaim option scans every file and folder on your machine for junk and temporary files. The scan typically takes around 5-15 minutes to scan the entire system and shows you a detailed report. The scan includes cache files, language files, system logs, trash, and more. You can also choose a specific file type if you want. You can analyze every file and choose the files you want to delete. The washing machine then deletes all the files you have selected to free up system resources.
#2. Duplicates
The Duplicates function scans your machine for duplicate files, files with similar content, or copies of the same file. The function might seem in vain, but the sheer number of duplicate files on a typical computer will stun you. Reports showed that our test computer had more than 1000 duplicate files that later saved around 8.3 GB of system resources. As usual, you can choose your course of action and delete the files that you want. The washing machine feature also gives you an option to preview the file directly from the application.
#3. Organize
Organize is a one-of-a-kind feature that helps you make your computer tidier. The feature scans your computer and smartly arranges the files in folders. You can also re-arrange your dock with the organize feature and make your home screen look neat.
Net Barrier- Network Firewall
A Network firewall is essential to protect your device from network-based attacks. The Net Barrier from Intego is a powerful tool that can block suspicious incoming our outgoing connection requests. It comes with three pre-sets; home network, work network, and public hotspot, where the public hotspot is the most secured out of the three. You can specify the apps that you want to connect to the network and block the access of others. Moreover, we suggest you block the application that contains sensitive information, such as messaging applications or work-related applications. Interestingly, the application also alerts you when any script or application tries to connect to the Internet while in the public hotspot mode. You can see the application using the Internet in real-time and choose whether to block their connection requests. Intego has done a great job with its network barrier by including handy features and services. Surely, you should consider using Intego’s Net Barrier if you frequently travel and connect to public networks.
Personal Backup
If you have used Apple products for a while, you must be aware of the Time Machine feature, which backs up your entire device. Intego’s Personal Backup performs a very similar function but with many added benefits. You can choose to backup specific files and folders to an external device or a cloud server using the Personal Backup tool. You can find these three handy options in the Personal Backup tool:
#1. Bootable Backup
The Bootable Backup option creates a local backup of every file on your system to an external device. The external device can later boot the system to the same configuration as when the backup happened.
#2. Synchronize
Synchronize comes in handy primarily when you work with multiple devices. The feature replicates your actions on all of your connected devices and saves a ton of your effort. The feature works ideally even when the devices are kept far from each other.
#3. Restore
As the name suggests, the feature restores any selected backup file onto your computer. Overall, the Personal Backup is a much better choice than Apple’s native Time Machine tool due to the features that Intego brings to the table. The synchronize function and the particular backup features give it an edge over its competitors.
Content Barrier- Parental Protection
The Internet has become a necessity of every generation, especially during the current pandemic. Children need complete access to the Internet for their studies and recreational purpose. It becomes highly crucial to monitor the kids and only let them visit children-friendly websites.
The Content Barrier gives complete parental control over the child’s internet activity. You can even see the things your child types in online forums or chatboxes. The application, by default, blocks all adult content so that your child never accesses it mistakenly. Intego’s Content Barrier is one of the best parental protection tools made for Mac. You should definitely give it a shot if you have children going through tender age of development.
Intego’s Protection Plans
Intego has a protection plan for every use case possible, a home user or an enterprise solution. Currently, they offer the following four programs:
#1. Internet Mac Security
The Internet Mac Security is the basic protection plan from Intego. The program includes the Virus Barrier (real-time malware protection) and the Net Barrier (network firewall). The feature set is suitable for house computers that will do fine with essential protection. You can choose between 1, 3, or 5 Macs under the Internet Mac Security plan.
#2. Content Barrier Secure
The Content Barrier Secure is Intego’s most popular offering. The plan adds Content Barrier to the features from the Internet Mac Security Plan. This plan is especially for you if your family includes small kids that access the Internet every day.
#3. Washing Machine Secure
The Washing Machine Secure plan only includes the Mac Washing Machine utility from Intego. The plan is excellent for you if your Mac has degraded in performance. Features like Organize and Reclaim are great ways to free up your system resources.
#4. Mac Premium Bundle
The Mac Premium Bundle plan brings all of Intego’s security applications under one roof. The plan includes the Net Barrier, Content Barrier, Virus Barrier, Washing Machine, and Personal Backup. This plan is made for you if you want zero compromises with your Mac’s security.
Need an Alternative?
Intego’s Mac security line-up is awesome, but some alternatives compete for head-to-head with it. Here are some alternatives you should check out:
Mackeeper
Mackeeper follows a similar strategy to Intego’s line-up, ensuring security and optimization simultaneously. You also get added benefits like an included VPN and a handy adblocker.
Clean My Mac
Clean My Mac is a great alternative to Intego’s Washing Machine application that comes with more features. More than 15 million Mac users already download the application due to its excellent functionality. You can even eliminate malware along with system junk and large files using the application.
Conclusion
No doubt Intego’s Mac Security line-up is the best in class. The Mac Security line-up has excellent features like the Net Barrier, Content Barrier, Virus Barrier, Washing Machine, and Personal Backup. These features make sure your Mac is free of malware and performs its best in all scenarios. That said, you should definitely try Intego if you are a Mac user and let us know your experience.
