Downloadable Tools & Online Safety Services
We’ve done our homework by putting together a collection of helpful tools for you so that you don’t have to spend time finding them for yourself.
There so much available here that’s FREE, as well as premium products with free trials.
If you decide to click-through and purchase from one of the providers listed below, we might receive a small commission which helps us keep our service going.
ONLINE SECURITY TOOLS
If you want to use different passwords for each online log-in you have and let a password manager either simply store or, even better, generate and manage all your various online log-in details, then check out the very highly-rated apps below:
1Password – one of the top 10 password managers worldwide. It’s FREE for 30 days.
So many online accounts and services offer the added security of 2-factor authentication now. It means that even if someone knows your username and password, it would be virtually impossible to log-in – a BIG step-up in security for everyone (particularly if you regularly re-use passwords!)
Any of these apps can be installed on your phone (Authy can also be installed on laptops and desktops) and generate the random 6-digit code that changes every 30 seconds for each account that you link to the app.
When you sign-in to your account, as well as your username and password, you’ll be asked for the current 6-digit code for that account.
Bear in mind, with the exception of Authy (which you can sync across multiple devices), if you change your phone, you will also have to link the accounts in the new app on the new phone before you get rid of your old one, otherwise you won’t be able to sign-in to any of them.
Special note for free VPN services: On security grounds, we are very wary of suggesting our users try any of the free VPN services out there (please read this article for our full take on it).
As a result we will never include a free VPN provider in our list below. The providers we highlight here are long-established and independently-audited for security compliance.
As always, please also be aware that free versions of apps that have paid-for premium alternatives often come with annoying privacy settings that can mean you’re marketed to upgrade, or annoying ads pop-up all over the place. This health warning does not apply to premium apps with free or trial periods, but you should still check very carefully what contact and data permissions you give to any software provider.
Many of the antivirus products above can be upgraded to full online security suites with a VPN, password manager and other elements. That can get quite expensive.
The software in the all-in-one packages below has been put together by third parties to balance protection with value.
While these packages might not bring together the specific brands you might be looking for, they can represent fantastic value for money while tackling some of the major online security issues at the same time.
