Guardio Reviews

Getting started with Guardio is simple. When you first access the web platform, it guides you through the main setup steps, beginning with adding the browser extension. In this case, the desktop browser extension is limited to Chromium-based browsers, which is a drawback for users of alternatives such as Firefox or Safari.

You can then connect your Gmail account, connect Google Drive, add family members if your plan supports it, and install the mobile app. Each step is quick to complete, and the mobile app can be downloaded by scanning a QR code or requesting a link by SMS.

You can also set up critical alerts by SMS. When Guardio detects a high-risk scam, it can call you so you receive an immediate warning. The web app has a simple, visually striking interface that is easy to navigate, and its layout is similar to the browser extension.

The dashboard gives you an overview of your security, including how many websites Guardio has scanned and blocked, along with a month-to-month graph of scanned sites.

A To-Do section suggests steps you can take to strengthen your privacy and improve your online safety. In our case, it suggested enabling biometric authentication on the app.

From the app, you can also review protected devices, monitored email addresses and phone numbers, and accounts connected to your email.

Activity history shows threats Guardio blocked by type, allowing to filter what you want to look at.

Guardio’s main protection features include:

• Harmful site blocks (browsing)
• Dangerous download blocks (browsing)
• Suspicious site alerts (browsing)
• Webcam and microphone alerts (browsing)
• Unwanted notification cleanup (browsing)
• Search hijacking correction (browsing)
• Malicious email alerts (email)
• Automatic extension removal (browser extensions)
• Pre-install alerts (browser extensions)

Browsing protection is one of Guardio’s core features, with tools designed to cover several common online risks. It blocks harmful websites and phishing attempts, and it can alert you when a site appears suspicious or has low credibility. Guardio also blocks dangerous downloads from infecting your devices.

The webcam and microphone alerts are also an excellent addition, notifying you when a website has access to these devices.

Guardio not only does it offer a great variety of security tools, but it also enhances the visual component of browsing. The driving force behind this is the Unwanted Notification Cleanup feature, and Search Hijacking Correction.

While the first helps remove distracting browser notifications, the latter detects attempts to change your search engine or browsing settings.

Guardio also offers Chrome extension protection, although there is no dedicated page or log to review extensions that were removed or blocked.

We loved how Guardio's email protection works. After connecting Gmail, the service flags scam and malicious emails by adding labels directly to the messages, making suspicious content easier to spot in your inbox.

You also receive a notification on the Guardio dashboard, giving you another way to keep track of potential threats. The only downside is that, for now, email protection is exclusive to Gmail accounts.

Since email addresses are linked to accounts across different services, Guardio’s dashboard also shows which accounts are connected to your email and their security status. For us, this is one of Guardio’s best features, as it helps you monitor your online identity across multiple apps from one place.

We could check accounts for services like OpenAI, Bolt, Uber, MyHeritage, Steam, SoundCloud, and Booking.com. For each, Guardio displays the information it collects and its security assessment, giving you a clearer picture of where your personal data is shared.

Guardio is available for Android and iOS, as well as Chromium-based desktop browsers. Setting up the mobile app is quick and follows a similar process to the web app.

The main dashboard shows whether browser, call, and email protection are active, and you can open each area to review more details about recent threats.

Call protection warns you before you answer a call that appears suspicious and lets you check recent calls.

The mobile app also includes activity history for the last seven days and lets you check which devices and accounts are protected. Protection settings, however, can only be customized in the web app.

On iOS, the SMS filter adds another layer of protection by detecting smishing attempts and moving suspicious text messages to the junk folder.

Guardio's pricing structure is easy to understand. Users can choose between three dedicated plans tailored to individuals, couples, and households. All plans support unlimited devices and the cheapest entry point per user is the Family plan, supporting up to five members.

When split evenly among all five people, it costs as little as $5.07 per member per month when billed annually, offering a 47% discount per user compared to the Duo plan and a 58% discount per user compared to the Individual tier.

If you only need coverage for two, the Duo plan covers 2 members and works out to $9.50 per member per month when splitting the cost on an annual billing schedule, which provides a 21% discount per user over the single-seat plan.

Finally, for solo users, the Individual plan covers 1 member at $11.99 per month with annual billing, or $18.99 with monthly billing. All paid tiers include full mobile and desktop coverage, scam and phishing protection, proactive data leak alerts, account security insights, and 24/7 support.

Finally, there’s the Guardio VIP add-on: a higher-tier plan that includes priority support and phone access, a dedicated security expert available 24/7 for ongoing guidance, coverage for you plus up to 4 additional family members and $1M identity theft insurance.

Guardio accepts PayPal and the most popular credit and debit cards for payments, but keep in mind there’s no money-back guarantee.

Guardio provides FAQs, a knowledge base, guides, a blog, and information about online scams. You can also contact the support team through the app, website, or browser extension.

During our test, a support reply arrived almost instantly while we were subscribed to VIP. We also contacted the company as a regular user without a subscription and received a similarly quick response. In both cases, we received an answer and a solution within seconds.

VIP members have direct access to a personal security expert and can request a call through the link sent by email or text. This gives the higher-tier plan a more personal support option in addition to its priority service.

Subscriptions support unlimited devices, and the Individual, Duo, and Family plans offer flexible coverage for individuals, couples, and families. With annual billing and all five seats used, the Family plan offers a 58% saving per person compared with the Individual plan, making it a practical choice for families looking to protect their online activity.

On desktop, the extension works with Chrome, Edge, Brave and other Chromium-based browsers, though Firefox and Safari aren’t supported. Plus, its email protection only works with Gmail.

Despite these restrictions, it’s a solid option for individuals and families seeking straightforward, real-time protection.