Is TotalAV a Scam? 

If you’re thinking of using TotalAV, you need to know: Is TotalAV a scam? 

Below, we explain whether TotalAV is a scam and discuss some steps you can take to improve your safety when using this product.  

What Is TotalAV?

TotalAV is antivirus software that protects devices from security threats like malware and viruses. 

According to its website, TotalAV checks downloads, installs, and executables for viruses and other threats, providing real-time protection. 

It can also block annoying ads and online threats and is capable of detecting spyware. 

Some of the other features offered include system tune-up tools (that allow you to safely uninstall unused apps), browser cleanup (so you can manage your history and cookies), password storage, and virtual private network (VPN). 

TotalAV is free to install and is compatible with Windows, Mac, Android, and iOS devices. 

Is TotalAV a Scam?

No, TotalAV is not a scam. It’s legitimate AV software. 

However, its reviews are mixed.

AV-TEST, an independent organization that evaluates and rates antivirus and security suite software, rated TotalAV as a “Top Product” in February 2025 after it scored 6 points (“Outstanding”) in three areas: Protection, Performance, and Usability.

PCMag gives TotalAV Free Edition a 2.5 out of 5.0-star rating.  

Among the cons listed are that the AV relies on Microsoft Defender for real-time protection and isn’t great at protecting against phishing. Its Uninstaller feature also can’t uninstall many listed apps.

Its Pro edition is better. PCMag gives TotalAV Antivirus Pro a 3.5 out of 5.0-star rating. 

Notably, most of the comments under the PCMag review are quite negative, with many calling TotalAV a fraudulent company. The main issue people seem to encounter is not being able to unsubscribe easily. 

Techradar similarly gives TotalAV a poor rating – 2 out of 5 stars, with the cons including below-average results from antivirus testing labs and cost. 

On the other hand, Comparitech gives TotalAV a 4.0 out of 5.0-star rating. According to them, TotalAV is #4 out of 30 AVs they reviewed.  

The only things Comparitech doesn’t like about TotalAV are that the renewal rate increases the cost of the AV significantly, there’s no heuristic analysis and no firewall, and the Mac version of the AV is less robust. 

On internet forums, the vast majority of people have very negative opinions about TotalAV. 

The most common complaints seem to be about how pushy TotalAV is and how hard it is to cancel the service. 

TotalAV gets a 4.5 out of 5.0-star rating (from 134k ratings and 5m+ downloads) on Google Play and a 4.6 out of 5.0-star rating (from 65,266 ratings) on the App Store. 

So, Should You Use TotalAV?

Depends.

If you’re OK with what some perceive as aggressive marketing and billing practices by the company, then TotalAV can be a good choice. 

However, there may also be other alternatives worth exploring. 

How to Use TotalAV Safely

• Buy directly from Total AV. Skip third-party sellers and instead purchase directly from the official TotalAV website to reduce the risk of scams.
• Use a virtual card. This can help you protect your financial details and manage auto-renewals.
• Turn off auto-renewal. Though the process is somewhat complicated, you can turn off auto-renewal online to avoid surprise charges. 
• Keep track of your subscription. Set a reminder before renewal, as TotalAV’s renewal price is higher than the initial price. Also, periodically check your email or dashboard for any surprise feature trials that might convert into paid add-ons.
• Turn off pop-ups. TotalAV may show upgrade prompts or alerts to push extra features. You can often suppress these in the settings or with a firewall rule.
• Opt out of SMS and email communications. If you don’t want to receive SMS communications from TotalAV, reply “STOP,” and they will opt you out of all further SMS communications. Similarly, you can also opt out of email communications by clicking on the appropriate link in any email from TotalAV.
• Update software. Keep TotalAV and your operating system updated to ensure you benefit from the latest security patches.