Panda Dome is positioned as the most attractive antivirus service. If you look at its screenshots, you'll see attractive icons and transparent backgrounds. No other service I've tested comes close in terms of visual design.
Still, looks aren't everything and a good antivirus is much more than its user interface. That's why, in this Panda Dome review, I'll talk about its security suite, additional features, pricing, and customer support to give you a complete overview. If you want to know everything about this service, you've come to the right place.
If you're looking for excellent protection and customization options, buy it. Alternatively, you can consider Norton 360 Deluxe. If you're looking for comprehensive protection (including VPN) for up to 5 devices, Norton 360 Deluxe is significantly cheaper.
Panda Dome Advanced Security provides a 1-year subscription plan for Windows and Android, with paid options available for all platforms. Users can customize coverage based on the number of devices and the subscription period, from one to three.
Antimalware
Panda antivirus scanner is intuitive and capable of detecting a wide range of malware. It offers three scan options: critical areas, 7 minutes; full scan, unrestricted, lasting between 1 and 3.5 hours; and custom scan.
While effective, scan times, especially full scans, are slower than top-tier competitors like Norton and BitDefender. Panda's macOS scan also performed well but was noticeably slower, lasting over 4 hours. Although it's not part of the main antivirus engine, it's a useful complement for advanced threat detection.
Antiphishing
Our team explored the Panda Dome Safe Browsing feature, which is available on all paid plans. It effectively blocks harmful URLs and permits users to customize rules for exceptions. Users can also see how many URLs are blocked or allowed, classified as malware, or phishing. Overall, it's a solid antiphishing tool.
Password Manager
Panda Dome password manager edition offers essential features, as secure storage for passwords, credit card details, and login IDs, and it displays auto-login, auto-fill, and auto-save, with security strengthened by a zero-knowledge privacy policy and two-factor authentication 2FA via Google Authenticator and Authy. The built-in password generator creates strong passwords up to 32 characters long, and its auto-fill function worked perfectly in our tests.
However, it lacks advanced features such as emergency access or password sharing, nor does it include a desktop app; it only includes browser extensions for Chrome, Firefox, and Edge, and mobile apps for Android and iOS.
VPN
Panda Dome VPN version is available on several plans, including the free one, but it is quite limited. Only the top plan, Panda Dome Advanced Security - 3 Devices, 1 Year - Download, includes unlimited data and server selection.
Panda VPN suffers from poor performance, with high ping times and inconsistent download and upload speeds. For basic, casual use, Panda VPN is sufficient, but it's not ideal for users looking for optimal protection and speed.
Other Security Features
Panda's additional security features offer a comprehensive set of tools, although they have some inconsistencies in performance and coverage.
Rescue Kit
Panda Dome's Rescue Kit is an excellent feature for rescuing infected Windows and It permits users to create a bootable rescue USB on a working device and use it to disinfect a malware-infected computer.
File Encryptor and Shredder
Panda Dome Advanced Security includes both an encryption and a file shredder, using Password Depot for encryption and It also enables users to password-protect files, create self-extracting archives, and permanently delete sensitive information to prevent recovery.
PC Cleanup
Panda Dome's cleanup tools are useful for maintaining device performance, and they offer options to free up space, manage startup programs, defragment the user's hard drive, and schedule cleanups.
Parental Controls
The parental controls edition of Panda Dome for PC is included in the basic edition and only offers content filtering. The standalone Panda Dome Family version add-on is much better, offering GPS tracking, application blocking, time control, and many more features, but it concentrates on mobile devices, limiting options for desktop users.
Data Shield
Data Shield offers protection against ransomware by preventing unauthorized access to important files. It also uses decoy files and backups to detect ransomware and recover data without taking up much space. It's an effective and intuitive tool.
Additional Features
Panda Dome also includes other features:
Anti-theft Tools: Tracks and locks your device, with additional features like photo capture and motion sensors for Android.
Web Protection: Blocks phishing sites and malicious links.
Dark Web Scanner: Alerts users if their email has been compromised.
Virtual Keyboard: Protects against keyloggers.
USB Security: Scans USB drives for malware.
Update Manager: Keeps your software up-to-date.
Is Panda Dome safe?
Panda Dome Advanced Security is a completely safe antivirus, but it has some shortcomings. Its malware lab test scores aren't very impressive, especially compared to the competition.
AV-Comparatives conducted extensive testing of Panda Dome in March. However, the average number of false positives was slightly higher: 65 cases. Most of the top-scoring services only detect up to 10 false positives, placing Panda at the bottom of the scale.
They received the AV-Test Certified certification, and their malware scores were quite good. However, more recent results should give users more confidence.
Overall, Panda Dome's antivirus effectiveness seems to be quite good, but more data wouldn't hurt, nor would fewer false positives. The number of available features will vary depending on the version chosen.
The difference between the free and premium versions is huge; they could almost be considered different products. I'll be reviewing all of their features, so keep this in mind when considering a subscription.
How good is Panda Antivirus?
Panda Dome is an excellent antivirus service: it offers good protection. Anti-malware and useful subscription benefits. Paid options take it to the next level, with several features that expand the usability.
That said, its malware removal tools occasionally produce false positives. Additionally, some features use built-in operating system tools, and some of the more expensive pricing plans are quite expensive. That said, even in its most expensive version, Panda Dome will be useful for those who need advanced features.