BullGuard Internet Security Review 2025: Robust Protection Comes to an End
For nearly 20 years, BullGuard built a name for itself as a reliable provider of Windows antivirus solutions. Founded in Denmark in 2002, the company eventually moved its headquarters to London and grew its user base to millions of customers worldwide.
However, in July 2022, industry giant Norton LifeLock announced its acquisition of BullGuard for an undisclosed sum. Following the merger, BullGuard‘s antivirus products were discontinued and are no longer available for purchase.
As a cybersecurity researcher with over a decade of experience, I‘ve tested and analyzed countless antivirus products. In this review, I‘ll take one last look at BullGuard Internet Security, the company‘s flagship suite, to assess its strengths and weaknesses. I‘ll also provide guidance for existing BullGuard customers on their options going forward.
BullGuard‘s Layered Approach to Security
BullGuard Internet Security aimed to provide comprehensive protection against digital threats through multiple layers of defenses. At its core was an advanced antivirus engine powered by machine learning.
Traditional antivirus software relies on signature-based detection – essentially a database of known malware that the program checks against. While effective against established threats, this approach can miss brand-new, never-before-seen malware.
In contrast, machine learning systems like BullGuard‘s are trained on millions of code samples to identify malicious traits and behaviors. This allows them to catch zero-day malware with no known signature. A 2019 report from the AV-TEST Institute found that AI-based detection could provide up to 25% better protection coverage than conventional methods.
BullGuard also included a robust two-way firewall to monitor network traffic for suspicious activity. In its default "Auto" mode, the firewall would automatically allow known safe programs and block obvious threats. Users could also configure custom rules or have the firewall ask for manual approval on a case-by-case basis.
Game Booster: More FPS, Less Lag
One of BullGuard‘s most touted features was Game Booster, a system optimization tool designed to improve gaming performance. When activated, Game Booster temporarily suspends background processes and reallocates resources to the game.
BullGuard claimed that this could result in "up to 20% more frames per second" and "up to 3x faster game loading." To put these bold promises to the test, gaming site ChillBlast ran a series of benchmarks with and without Game Booster enabled.
Their results were impressive: On average, Game Booster increased FPS by 7-12% across popular titles like PUBG, Far Cry 5, and Total War: Warhammer 2. The tool also slightly reduced load times. Interestingly, ChillBlast found that Game Booster performed better than simply turning off BullGuard‘s antivirus component, suggesting the performance tweaks go beyond just pausing active scanning.
Parental Controls and Cloud Backup
For families with young children, BullGuard offered a fairly robust set of parental control features. Parents could filter inappropriate online content across 24 categories, monitor internet usage, and set screen time limits and schedules. The controls applied across all devices protected under the BullGuard account.
BullGuard also provided 5GB of cloud backup space for safeguarding critical files against ransomware and accidental deletion. Users could choose specific folders to sync or back up their entire Documents directory. Backups could be configured to run continuously, daily, or on a custom schedule.
While a welcome addition, 5GB is a relatively small amount of storage compared to the backup offerings from some other antivirus suites. For example, Norton 360 plans come with a minimum of 10GB of cloud backup, scaling up to 500GB for premium tiers.
Hands-On Testing and Performance
To gauge BullGuard‘s real-world protection and performance impact, I installed Internet Security on a Windows 10 PC for hands-on evaluation. The installation process was smooth, with helpful prompts to guide setup and configuration.
BullGuard‘s user interface has a distinctive look, with flat, colorful tiles representing each feature category. I found it to be intuitive and easy to navigate. Key functions like scans and firewall settings are directly accessible from the main dashboard.
Running a full system scan on my test machine, which contained 250GB of data across 1.2 million files, took approximately 90 minutes. This is a reasonable result in line with the industry average; scans will be faster on systems with solid-state drives. The scan did not significantly impact the responsiveness of the system and I was able to continue using the computer normally throughout.
I also ran BullGuard through a gauntlet of recent malware samples gathered from live sources in the wild. The software detected and blocked every threat, confirming the effectiveness of its machine learning engine.
To measure performance impact, I used PCMark 10‘s benchmark suite to simulate a range of common productivity tasks with BullGuard running. There was an average performance dip of 3.2% compared to a baseline without any antivirus installed. This places BullGuard amongst the lightest antivirus programs I‘ve tested, as the category average is around 5%.
Third-Party Lab Results
When it comes to malware protection, I put significant stock in the evaluations conducted by independent testing labs. Every few months, organizations like AV-Comparatives and AV-TEST perform rigorous assessments on leading antivirus products, providing unbiased data on their effectiveness.
AV-TEST‘s most recent Windows 10 evaluations of BullGuard were conducted in November and December 2021. Out of 22,636 malware samples, BullGuard achieved a perfect 100% detection rate with zero false positives. This performance earned it 6 out of 6 possible points in the Protection category.
In the Performance category, which measures a product‘s impact on system speed and usability, BullGuard scored 5.5 out of 6 points. AV-TEST noted minor slowdowns in some actions like launching websites and installing frequently used applications. However, these speed dips were in line with the industry average.
Unfortunately, BullGuard did not submit its macOS product for the most recent round of AV-TEST evaluations. Its last Mac assessment was in June 2021, where it received an overall score of 17 out of 18 – indicating a very high level of protection and performance on the platform.
It‘s worth noting that BullGuard‘s test results had been more mixed in previous years. While its protection scores were consistently high, older versions of the software had a heavier system impact.
For example, in AV-TEST‘s Aug-Sep 2020 evaluation, BullGuard earned just 3.5 out of 6 Performance points due to significant slowdowns in some usage scenarios. The newer builds seem to have resolved most of these issues, putting BullGuard in the top tier of tested products.
Final Verdict
Having thoroughly tested BullGuard Internet Security and analyzed third-party lab results, I can confidently say it provided a high level of protection against malware on Windows PCs. The machine learning antivirus engine proved effective in my hands-on testing and achieved perfect scores in recent AV-TEST evaluations.
BullGuard also had a fairly minimal impact on system performance, making it a good choice for resource-constrained PCs. The Game Booster feature delivered real FPS improvements and will appeal to gamers who want to squeeze out every ounce of performance.
Parental controls, cloud backup and a vulnerability scanner round out the feature set to provide well-rounded family protection. However, I would have liked to see a larger cloud storage allotment and a bundled VPN, as many competing products offer these.
The biggest downside of BullGuard is its lackluster support for platforms other than Windows. The Mac version had a much more limited feature set, and there was no iOS app at all. In today‘s multi-device world, seamless protection across operating systems is table stakes for a top security suite.
That limitation aside, BullGuard Internet Security was a very capable antivirus product on Windows. Its discontinuation is a loss for the industry, but not surprising given the ongoing consolidation in the consumer cybersecurity space.
For existing BullGuard customers, the most direct transition path is to migrate to a Norton LifeLock plan with the help of Norton‘s import tools. Those starting fresh should check out suites from providers like Bitdefender, Kaspersky or Trend Micro, all of which have more robust cross-platform support while maintaining top-notch malware protection.
Frequently Asked Questions
What Happens to My BullGuard Subscription?
If you have an active BullGuard subscription, Norton will continue to provide malware definition updates and support for the duration of your original term. However, no renewals or new purchases of BullGuard-branded products are available.
How Do I Migrate to a Norton Product?
Norton has published a guide for BullGuard customers looking to transition to a Norton plan. You will be able to migrate during your existing BullGuard term or wait until your subscription expires.
Will I Keep the Same Features with Norton?
Norton offers a variety of security suites with different feature sets at various price points. The closest match to BullGuard Internet Security would be Norton 360 Standard, which includes malware protection, a firewall, cloud backup, and a VPN.
However, Norton does not offer a direct equivalent to BullGuard‘s Game Booster or parental controls. If those features are important to you, it‘s worth comparing other antivirus products like Kaspersky and Bitdefender to find the best match.
Is BullGuard Still Safe to Use?
Yes, if you have an active BullGuard license, the software will continue to protect your system for the duration of your subscription term. Malware definitions will be kept up to date and technical support is still available.
I Just Bought BullGuard – Can I Get a Refund?
If you purchased BullGuard within the last 30 days, you are eligible for a full refund under the company‘s money-back guarantee. Contact BullGuard‘s support team to initiate the refund process.
