Clario Review

Clario is the new kid on the block in the antivirus technology world. Well, we say antivirus, but it actually offers a lot more than that, which we’ll explore in this Clario review. 

Essentially, Clario aims to be your all-in-one for online protection, with anti-malware functionality, data breach monitoring, ad-blocking, anti-tracking, a virtual private network (VPN) powered by NordVPN and, of course, traditional antivirus capabilities.

Key Takeaways:

• Clario’s user-friendly application is colorful, personalized and easy to use. For non-technical people, Clario’s simple language and step-by-step guidance is helpful.
• For more experienced antivirus users, the lack of customization and functionality may be frustrating. Also note, there is no Windows version.
• Clario uses only some of NordVPN’s core capabilities. This is good for users interested in streaming content from abroad, but Clario will disappoint if you want deeper VPN customization features.
• Clario’s annual plan covers six devices for $5.75 per month. It is certainly cost effective, considering that NordVPN alone costs $3.71 per month on the two-year.

There’s a lot to love about Clario’s glossy, consumerized application. If you sometimes find antivirus technology like Bitdefender a bit of a minefield to navigate, Clario will feel like a breath of fresh air. Speaking of Bitdefender, Clario actually uses its antivirus engine.

However, while this security app is certainly a joy to use, we wanted to make sure that this application has substance as well as style. Check out our best antivirus guide if you’d like to compare the best options out there.

Clario is only available on macOS, iOS and Android at the moment. We completed this review using the Clario 13.4 version.

• Is Clario Safe to Use?

  Yes. Clario is a security solution that protects your computer from malware and other viruses. It also features a VPN that safeguards your online privacy by encrypting and hiding your internet connection.

• How Much Does Clario Cost?

  The annual plan covers six devices for $5.75 a month, or you can choose a monthly plan, which covers three devices, for $12.

• Is Clario a Malware?

  No, quite the opposite. Clario is an anti-malware solution that protects your computer against viruses and other forms of malicious software.

• What Is Clario for Mac?

  Clario for Mac is a software package that aims to be your all-in-one for online protection, with anti-malware functionality, a data breach monitor, a virtual private network powered by NordVPN and, of course, traditional antivirus capabilities.

Clario Review: Alternatives

Clario Antivirus Strengths & Weaknesses

Features

While many security tools are full of jargon and technical language, Clario is refreshingly human and straightforward. However, for more experienced antivirus users, the lack of customization and functionality may be frustrating.

Clario’s application features a central dashboard, which gives you an overview of the status of the security tools you’re using, along with any actions you should take at the top of the page. For example, it noticed that our data has been leaked in eight data breaches, and encouraged us to take action in the dashboard.

Aside from the central interface, Clario divides its offer into three tabs: “browsing,” “identity” and “network,” each of which comes with their own features.

Browsing

Clario’s browsing tab is designed to help you browse the web securely. It gives you the option to install a browser extension for Google Chrome and Safari, which is a nice touch for those who use Apple but still prefer Chrome (read our full Chrome review).

The browsing tab also enables you to turn on a VPN to enhance the privacy of your browsing experience. At first, we were a little confused when we turned on the VPN option, as we couldn’t see any server location choices. However, if you go to the top bar on your Mac, you’ll see a small Clario icon, where you can choose a VPN location. 

Clario is powered by NordVPN (read our NordVPN review). While NordVPN is certainly a top VPN choice, Clario’s version of the VPN lacks some of its best features, with no option for split tunneling or a kill switch. There are also only 20 countries to choose from, so, if you’re looking to access a particular country, definitely check out Clario’s free trial before committing.

Essentially, Clario uses some of NordVPN’s capabilities, but includes only some of the most basic features. This might be enough for people who want to stream content in certain countries, but if you’re into torrenting or want to fine-tune your VPN settings, Clario won’t hit the mark.

The last feature in the “browsing” tab is browsing protection, which applies real-time antivirus protection and anti-malware scanning to your browsing experience. It’s quick to turn on antivirus; you simply toggle a switch.

Clario’s antivirus is powered by Bitdefender, a leading and trusted antivirus provider. This backing adds to the credibility of the solution. Read our Bitdefender antivirus review for more details.

Identity

The “identity” tab features a data breach monitoring service, which alerts you if your email address or password has appeared in a data breach so you can protect your online identity. 

This is a nice feature, but identity protection is something that Mac users already have access to with Apple’s keychain service. The other two widgets in this tab are essentially duplicates of other functions. 

The “access to data” widget refers to anti-malware protection, while the “personal info online” widget refers to a VPN, so these aren’t anything different from what we’ve covered in the browsing tab.

Network

There are two features in the network section. One protects your privacy while using public WiFi, and the other protects your privacy as you browse via your home network. While these features do different things, they’re both part of one tech capability: the VPN function.

For the average consumer, this explanation of digital security and protection can be helpful. However, security experts might feel like the Clario app is over explaining things they already know. 

Another nice touch within the network tab is the option to select trusted networks, where Clario will automatically disengage the VPN. This would be suitable for people who want to use their VPN only when connected to public WiFi networks. 

Security Education

As you click on widgets throughout the Clario application, you’ll see headers toward the bottom of the page under the heading “get an extra level of protection.” Each header links to an article that gives you recommendations to further improve your security. For security newbies, these bite-sized articles are a straightforward way to learn about online protection.

Clario Features Overview

	Visit Clario
Features
Password manager
File shredder
Multi-OS support	Mac, iOS & Android
Parental control
Disk cleanup
VPN
Profiles
Protection
Ransomware protection
Webcam protection
Real-time monitoring
Secure browser
Download protection
Phishing protection
Firewall
Operating System
Windows
macOS
Linux
Android
iOS
Usability
Desktop UI
Mobile application
Browser extension
Support
Help Center
Forum
Live Chat
Phone
Email
24/7 Support
Video Tutorial
Misc
Free Plan

Pricing

Clario comes with a seven-day free trial, which is good for users who want to get a feel for the app before committing to a purchase. Beyond that, the annual plan covers six devices for $5.75 a month, or you can choose a monthly plan that covers three devices for $12. 

Prices

1-month plan

$ 12/ month

1-year plan

$ 5.75/ month

$69 billed every year

Save 52 %

Clario is certainly cost effective, considering that NordVPN alone costs $3.71 a month on the two-year plan — although the NordVPN version you get with Clario is the scaled-down version. For families and non-technical users looking for security assurance as they browse the web, Clario is a good option that won’t break the bank.

There is no free plan with Clario. If you’re interested in using free antivirus technology, we’d recommend you read our free antivirus comparison article.

User-Friendliness

Clario’s user-friendly application is colorful, personalized and easy to use. For non-technical people, Clario’s simple language and step-by-step guidance is very helpful. 

Clario is definitely trying to humanize the often complex world of cybersecurity and privacy. Its interface rivals the best consumer apps. It’s sleek, straightforward, and its content is friendly and educational. 

For users looking for more granular choices over the features they’d like to use, though, Clario comes up short. It provides all the basics and does so well, but the app is probably too basic for tech lovers and VPN aficionados.

Protection

Clario’s glossy interface means that it doesn’t feel like a heavyweight antivirus solution, but its own AV test results indicate that this solution rivals big players like Norton and Avast. You can read our Norton review and our Avast review for more details.

As soon as we downloaded the app, we ran a full system scan. This took about five minutes in all, which isn’t bad — although Clario notes this can take up to 20 minutes. There are also options to scan specific files and folders, rather than run a full system scan.

Clario’s web protection for Chrome and Safari is solid. It worked well for us, showing warnings when we visited risky websites. However, if you use another browser like Firefox or Vivaldi, Clario won’t work in-browser (read our Firefox review and Vivaldi review). 

That said, Clario’s real-time malware protection is always on. If you download a suspicious file, it should automatically identify and quarantine it, even if it’s been downloaded from a browser that’s not supported.

Support

In keeping with its commitment to humanizing security, Clario’s technical support function is pretty excellent. It offers 24/7/365 live chat support and promises that you aren’t speaking to a bot, but a real person. This makes the support experience feel more personal.

When we tested a live chat session, it was delightfully speedy. Our customer support agent got back to us within one minute when we asked about the real-time threat protection feature. Their replies were quite high-level, helping us use the software rather than explaining the geeky details of how it works or its benefits.

In addition to in-app chat support, Clario’s blog has a lot of resources that aim to demystify security and privacy concerns to its users. 

The Verdict

Clario is a solid choice for people looking for a capable antivirus and VPN protection without the technical details. If you sometimes find security solutions overwhelming and difficult to understand, Clario is perfect for you — unless you’re a Windows user, of course.

Ultimately, Clario covers the basics well for Mac, plus iPhone and Android mobile apps, but we think it might be a little too simplistic for more technical users. That said, Clario is still relatively new, so it will be interesting to see how this product develops in the coming years.

We’d love to know what you think of Clario. Are you one of the early adopters? If so, how did you find its features? Let us know if you think this disruptive newcomer is here to stay. Thanks for reading.