Is Guardio Legit? What You Need To Know Before Signing Up

Can You Trust Guardio To Keep You Safe Online? 

Guardio has only been around since 2018, but the company has quickly gained attention for its innovative browser-level approach to cybersecurity. While Guardio provides solid protection for more than 1.5 million Chromium-based browser users, it is relatively expensive when compared to true all-in-one providers that offer broader identity theft and cybersecurity features. 

If you're debating whether or not Guardio is the best identity theft protection service for you, consider its customer feedback.

• What users like about Guardio: Users appreciate Guardio’s user-friendly, browser-based phishing protection that defends them from fake websites, malicious links, and scam emails. 
• What users don’t like about Guardio: Users have complained that Guardio is expensive, limited in scope, and sends unnecessary pop-up notifications about non-existent online threats (especially as upgrade-bait for its free plan members). 

The choice will ultimately come down to what type of protection you need and how much you want to spend. Guardio offers numerous positives, but it may not be the best value on the market. 

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What Does Guardio Do? Features, Plans, and What To Expect as a User

Founded about six years ago, Guardio offers real-time protection at the browser level. Unlike traditional antivirus software that looks for device threats, Guardio focuses on browser-level online security and preventing malware from being downloaded. 

Guardio also defends users against dangerous and suspicious sites, malicious extensions, and phishing scams, while also sending alerts regarding personal data leaks. 

The company offers a free Basic protection plan, as well as a Premium plan with security and identity theft protection add-ons. The Premium plan includes a seven-day free trial period, after which time customers are charged $14.99/month.

Here’s a look at the features and pricing for both plans:

While Guardio has garnered strong reviews from some tech publications and Trustpilot users [*], many people point out the service’s limitations — namely the high price for widely available features, its lack of a traditional antivirus program, and limited identity theft protection.

Guardio typically lumps its key features into the following categories: browser protection, identity protection, email and SMS security, and support. Before you sign up, take a look at what the major features actually do. 

Real-time browsing protection

Guardio comes as a browser extension for Chromium-based browsers (Chrome, Edge, Opera, etc.) and works across Android and iOS mobile devices as well as Mac and Windows computers.

Once installed, Guardio Premium can scan, block, and remove malicious extensions and downloads in your browser. It will also automatically detect and prevent unwanted notifications and browser hijacking attempts. 

Since Guardio prevents you from accessing and downloading harmful material, it can stop most malware from ever getting to you. It also claims to disable malware on your browser. With no third-party malware tests available for Guardio, however, it's unclear how effective it is at blocking viruses and other threats [*]. 

What you need to know: Guardio may protect you from harmful extensions and downloads while you’re on a Chromium browser; but if you encounter malware while using a different browser type (or while offline), Guardio will not detect it. 

Fake and malicious website warnings

One of Guardio's greatest strengths is its safe browsing feature, which warns you of dangerous and potentially harmful websites. The company claims to use a combination of dynamic fingerprinting, advanced heuristics, and machine learning to monitor and block websites exhibiting malicious behavior [*].

Guardio blocks websites for many reasons, including malware, phishing, malvertising, scams, and permissions abuse. It may even warn you if you visit a website that is too new to know much about it.

What you need to know: Guardio's website protection works well, but it may not outperform the safe browsing and content filtering features that come installed with most modern browsers. 

Phishing protection

Guardio offers several types of phishing protection, from blocking phishing websites that try to extract your information to filtering out phishing attempts from your emails and text messages. The service scans messages from unknown and unsaved senders — flagging suspicious emails and sending suspicious texts to junk mail.

What you need to know: Guardio's phishing protection does well in complementing the built-in security on most email and text message systems, but it won't work for everyone. For example, Guardio's text message filter currently only works on iOS devices, and email security only works for Gmail [*].

Data breach notifications

Guardio monitors the Dark Web for signs of your personal information, alerting you as soon as something is detected. The service looks for private data associated with up to five linked email addresses, which could include names, phone numbers, passwords, credit card information, and IP addresses. 

When a leak is detected, Guardio sends details that include what was leaked, where, and when. It also provides some advice on how to handle the leak. While Guardio's premium service does this automatically, the free version includes a manual security scan feature to identify data leaks. 

What you need to know: Guardio's data leak notification service can be useful, but it only detects personal information connected to your email address. If something like your driver's license or passport leaks, it's unlikely Guardio will see it. 

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Identity theft insurance

Guardio promises to cover eligible identity theft losses up to $1 million for premium members. According to the summary of benefits, covered losses can include expenses incurred during the recovery process, legal costs, lost base wages, child and elderly care, document replacements, and reasonable costs for investigators and accountants [*]. 

To be considered, all claims must be submitted and expenses must be proven within 60 days of the date of discovery. 

What you need to know: While Guardio's insurance coverage is a welcomed addition to the feature list, it is relatively standard in the world of identity theft protection. 

📚 Related: Is Identity Theft Protection Worth It? Only In These Cases →

What Are the Downsides of Using Guardio?

Guardio offers peace of mind for many users, but the service isn't without issues. 

Here are some of the biggest problems you may face with Guardio:

Can’t scan your device for malware — only your browser

While Guardio automatically blocks and removes malicious extensions and downloads, it doesn't come with a malware scan feature. This means if malware manages to infect your device, Guardio has no way of dealing with it. 

Here’s a response from Guardio to a customer on Trustpilot who was complaining about lingering malware [*]:

• Guardio aims to provide comprehensive protection and, in some cases, can block malicious activity to keep you safe. However, because Guardio is browser based, we are not able to remove malware from your PC. It is essential to address the root cause of the problem.

Main features can be replicated by free tools

Guardio is a convenient and intuitive Google Chrome extension, but it's not exactly revolutionary. In fact, you can find most — if not all — of its key features online for free. Here are some examples of free alternatives to Guardio's top features:

• Data leak alerts. Many services offer free Dark Web scanners and notifications, such as Have I Been Pwned, Aura, and Mozilla Monitor.  
• Browsing protection. Most modern browsers offer powerful built-in safe browsing features, including Chrome, Safari, and Firefox.
• Email and SMS protection. Most email providers, including Gmail, include phishing protection as a standard feature. 
• Antivirus protection. Several antivirus providers offer free software that outperforms Guardio's security features, such as Bitdefender. 

Very limited identity theft and fraud protection

Guardio claims to offer identity protection, but — aside from looking for your email address in data leaks — it does little to prevent or resolve identity theft and fraud. Its browser protection may shield you from some of the effects of identity theft, but it won't solve the problem in the long term. 

Here are just some of the identity theft protection features missing from Guardio:

• Antivirus or VPN protection
• Identity monitoring beyond simply checking for email addresses
• Credit monitoring
• Public records monitoring
• Hands-on fraud resolution support

More expensive than most other options

Guardio may take a unique approach to browser cybersecurity, but it’s hard to justify the Premium plan’s price tag given its limited features. For the same (or a lower) price, users can get more comprehensive identity theft protection — and even advanced digital security in some cases. 

Here's how Guardio's pricing compares to its competitors' similar (or superior) plans:

Excessive upgrade pop-ups on Basic plan

Guradio's free plan offers the same services for dangerous website blocking (and alerts) as its premium version, minus the download blocking feature. It also offers a manual scan option that checks for leaked information on demand. 

Unfortunately, many users complain that the free version of Guardio comes with a steady stream of warnings (real and fake) with persistent prompts to upgrade. 

Here's what some users had to say on TrustPilot and Reddit:

• Horrible pop-ups. I am a writer and I keep getting the pop-up to buy the pro version. If I had wanted to buy something distracting, I would have bought a game. These people are not interested in helping you or improving your experience. They just want you to buy more. [*]
• Do not even think of looking at it unless you want to get ads. I looked at it but did not want it but now it's opening new tabs and advertising on my PC. [*]
• Honestly, it's most likely a scam of some kind. It just randomly pops up saying things like "hackers could steal this password, subscribe today!" Just today I was looking at stuff on Instagram, when a Guardio notification popped up in the corner saying, "Hackers are after your Instagram!" even though I don't have an Instagram account and never have or plan to in the future. [*]

Free trial requires a hold on your credit card for the full subscription price 

One of the biggest complaints from Guardio users revolves around a holding charge that the company puts on credit cards when the free trial is activated. While the entry states "Guardio Hold No Charge" on credit card statements, that hasn't stopped users from voicing their concerns. 

Here are a few examples from Trustpilot: 

• I tried their 7-Day free trial. But what they did is bill $119.88 without my authorization. They were supposed to notify me so I could accept or decline the service within the 7 day free trial. Next thing I see is a charge to my bank account with no contact. My bank however waits 5 days for it to fall off if they don't issue a credit. So my bank is still in the arrears for this amount. [*]
• Couldn’t cancel. I had a look at the product for a day or so and decided the app wasn't for me. I tried to cancel. Several emails and phone calls later, over the course of 6 days. It looks like I'll be the proud new owner of a year subscription. [*]

How Does Guardio Compare To Aura?

Aura and Guardio were introduced at around the same time, but the two providers offer vastly different services. 

While Guardio maintains a narrow focus on browser security, Aura provides more robust and proactive protection that includes antivirus software, Safe Browsing tools, and award-winning identity and credit protection — along with 24/7 U.S.-based support and extensive identity theft insurance. 

Here's a brief look at how Guardio and Aura differ in key areas:

While Aura and Guardio take different approaches to your security, Aura provides more features, higher levels of insurance coverage, and stronger support. 

You should choose Aura over Guardio if you want: 

• A full suite of digital security and phishing protection tools. Along with Safe Browsing tools that are similar to Guardio, Aura provides antivirus software, a VPN, ad-blockers, and anti-trackers for all devices.
• Protection for your bank accounts and credit file. While Guardio offers no financial protection, Aura monitors your credit file with all three major bureaus (TransUnion, Experian, and Equifax) as well as your linked financial accounts — alerting you to any suspicious activity that it finds.   
• Award-winning identity theft protection and Dark Web monitoring. Unlike Guardio, which primarily monitors the Dark Web for basic personal information, Aura scours the Dark Web, public records, and data breaches for misuse of your Social Security number (SSN), driver's license, passport, home and auto titles, and over 100 more pieces of your sensitive personal information. 
• Malware scanning that’s not limited to browser-based attacks. Aura's powerful antivirus software goes beyond browser threats, and scans for multiple types of malware — including viruses, ransomware, and spyware — online and on your device.  
• AI-powered scam call and text protection. Aura uses spam lists and an AI-powered call assistant to block phone scammers and filter out phishing threats from your inbox. 
• Robust family protection, including parental controls. In addition to SSN monitoring and credit freeze support for children, Aura's family plans include parental controls with content filters, screen time limits, and Safe Gaming and cyberbullying alerts. 
• Reliable 24/7 U.S.-based support. Aura’s White Glove Fraud Resolution support team is on standby and ready for your call any time of day or night. 

The Bottom Line: Guardio Does One Thing Well — But That Might Not Be Enough

Guardio's novel approach to cybersecurity makes it a useful tool for online safety. But with its higher price tag, many users understandably want more substantial protection. It may keep you safe from many harmful sites and scammers, but Guardio won't do much to shield you against viruses that end up on your device — or worse, identity theft and credit fraud. 

With data breaches and identity fraud at near all-time highs, you need more than just browser-based malware and phishing protection to stay safe. 

Aura offers extensive protection against modern threats — all for a lower price than Guardio. Before you commit to a Guardio membership, make sure you're getting the protection that you need and deserve.