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Why upgrade to Essentials


Userlevel 3
I have been using Webroot anti virus for a couple of years now. My subscription is getting ready to expire. I'm debating whether to upgrade to Essentials. I was interested in the phishing attack, firewall and deleting unrecoverable files features. I'm unfamiliar with the backup and sync features since I am using only one computer and back up my files with external and flash drives. Other than those features I mentioned would it be worth getting over the regular anti-virus? Are there any other reasons as to why I should upgrade? Is it as easy to use as the regular anti virus and more secure?
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Best answer by Kit 18 August 2012, 04:43

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Userlevel 3
Hi JDMoose!
 
I would certainly encourage the Essentials upgrade, precisely for those features you mentioned.  The firewall is going to give you stronger protection, especially from malware accessing your network in the event an infection does get through.  That way, the infection would not be able to download other malware, or upload your keystrokes, personal data, etc.  The system cleaner is a handy one-click maintenance tool for eliminating temp/junk files that accumulate over time, and using redundant deletion techniques to make them completely unrecoverable.  If you have yet to use our backup and sync, I think you'll like it when you try it.  You can very quickly and easily upload files of your choosing, like documents, photos, or music to your online portal.  Then if you're ever on a friends computer, or any computer in the world, you can view, edit, or download your files.  SecureAnywhere Essentials is equally easy to use, and the user interface would look virtually the same with a couple additions.  The program would still have the tiny footprint and lightning fast speed you're already used to. 
 
If you have any Android devices, or plan on getting any in the future, then I would actually recommend upgrading to SecureAnywhere Complete.  That would include all the features of Essentials, plus mobile device protection, 10 GB of backup and sync, and password management.  So if you have mobile devices, it might be worth taking a look at Complete.
 
Let me know if you have any questions, and welcome to the community!  :D
 
Wes B.
Online Chat
 
 
Userlevel 7
Would second everything that Wes advises and more. Have been using it myself for a number of years (in previous incarnations) ands would not be without it. Light, unobtrusive, and says exactly what it says on the tin.
Userlevel 3
Thanks so much for the info on Essentials and welcoming me to the community. I appreciate the help. It looks like Essentials will be the one I'll be purchasing. I did look at Complete and I would be intersted in it if I had a smart phone. I just hope Webroot is still offering the 15 month subscription when mine expires in 50 days.
Userlevel 7
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@ wrote:
Thanks so much for the info on Essentials and welcoming me to the community. I appreciate the help. It looks like Essentials will be the one I'll be purchasing. I did look at Complete and I would be intersted in it if I had a smart phone. I just hope Webroot is still offering the 15 month subscription when mine expires in 50 days.
You can buy it now and when it expires then you can install the new key! And Welcome to the Webroot Community Forums!
 
HTH,
 
TH
 
Userlevel 7
It's also possible to upgrade at any time for the new year plus the prorated cost of the upgrade for the remaining time on the current account.  For example, if there are 60 days left, have the cost for the new year, and then 1/6th the cost of the difference in package price.  Feel free to get in touch with our sales team. They have answers that can get you set with the level you want without paying a bunch.
Userlevel 3
I tried calling customer service and they told me the only way they could do that is if I ordered a three year subscription for $119, in which I do not prefer to do. I then sent a help ticket and this is the reply that I received as well as being directed to the forum which I really appreciated.
 
"If you were to upgrade to SecureAnywhere Essentials what you would want to do is to wait until the last day of your subscription and then perform the new installation for Essentials and enter the new Keycode.  This would ensure that you have the full amount of time on your subscription."
 
"The installer for SecureAnywhere Essentials will automatically remove the version you have now and then install the latest version of SecureAnywhere Essentials when you upgrade your license.  The entire process should take no more than 2 minutes to complete.  Also, a great resource for our customers is the Webroot Community Forum  http://www.community.webroot.com    You can find a ton of information there regarding our products and you can join the Community and ask questions there as well."
 
I will most likely wait until my subscription is close to expiring.
Userlevel 7
Interesting...  I can't speak for the phone call, as I was not there, but even just looking at our customer facing online system ( http://www.webroot.com/renewal/ ) shows that there is no proration for the time remaining now when I plugged in your keycode.  So basically upgrading to essentials is the cost of one year, but upgrades the current time on your current key as well.
 
IIRC, the 15-month offer is expired. : 
 
Though the $119 for three years is a shockingly good offer.  The normal cost for three years is $139.95 (And buying all separately is $180 or so).  So regular price is $5/month.  15 months (3 free) makes it $4/month.  Normal cost for three years is $3.89/month.  The cost you were offered is 15% less than that too.  Well, up to you really.  Considering that all upgrades are automatic since it's a subscription, you get the newest equivalent level for free each time there is a new thing (like 2013).
Edit: Missed an "al"
Userlevel 7
@ wrote:
I have been using Webroot anti virus for a couple of years now. My subscription is getting ready to expire. I'm debating whether to upgrade to Essentials.
Hello JDMoose, Welcome to the Webroot Community Forum. :D
With that answer from Customer Service I'm curious of what you running on your computer now. Are you running the Old Webroot Anti-Virus with Spysweeper or the new SecureAnywhere Anti-Virus program?
Userlevel 3
Thanks for your reply. This forum is very helpful and imfomative. I'm a little confused on your answer. So are you saying if I upgrade to Essentials it will be for 365 days plus upgrades the time to make it about 415 days before my subscription will need to be renewed?
Userlevel 7
@ wrote:
Thanks for your reply. This forum is very helpful and imfomative. I'm a little confused on your answer. So are you saying if I upgrade to Essentials it will be for 365 days plus upgrades the time to make it about 415 days before my subscription will need to be renewed?
 
Glad to hear you enjoy it here. :)
 
Yes, you are absolutely correct.  We can control keycodes directly, so if you upgrade your current keycode, you pay for the one year of the upgrade, and get the existing remaining days upgraded as well.  And from the looks of it, the system is doing the existing days free.
 
So whether you buy one year of upgrade on the same keycode, or buy two years and get a whole third year free (what Sales offered), the existing time gets upgraded as well as long as the upgrade is done to the same keycode.  Then you also don't have to change keycodes in the Agent or uninstall/reinstall or try to remember to change things on a specific day or anything else, since it just upgrades itself automagically for you.
 
@: According to the base records here, he's most likely running WSA already.
Userlevel 3
I see Webroot has extended their 15 months subscription unitl September 9. If I upgrade my AnyWhere Anti virus to Essentials before the expiration date, will I also get my remaining active 48 days added on to the 15 month subscription, since I will be doing an upgrade to a different product instead of a renewal to make it a total subscription time of 503 days, or will I lose the 48 days because I am upgrading? I'm assuming since it Essentials is the upgrade to Anti-virus I will lose the remaining time.
Userlevel 7
If you upgrade your existing key (via the renewal page or if Sales is able to do the 15-month as a renewal, which I don't think they can. 😞 ), you do not lose the time you have currently.  If you purchase a new key, you do.
 
I do not know of any legitimate manner by which to get the 15-month new customer offer when upgrading the existing key, though there may be one, I don't keep track of every marketing offer out there. 
 
When moving from AV to anything higher, the cost is timing and inconvenience.  When moving from Essentials or above to a new key, the sync accounts stay with the old key, so it's a bit more of a consideration.
Userlevel 3
Thanks. Now you see why I am confused. I think the safest bet for the upgrade is just to wait for my anti-virus to expire in a little over a month and purchase or upgrade to Essentials.
 
Since I am currently using the 2012 AnyWhere anti-virus I believe I will be issued a new key anyway just as I did last year when I renewed it.
 
I really appreciate this forum. It sure helps.

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