Backup expert Acronis is adding full-fledged anti-virus and anti-malware functionality to its backup software this year (as anti-virus farmers have been adding backup features to their products for years). Data protection with Acronis is thus given a new dimension, although there are still a few hooks and eyes.
Acronis True Image 2021
price Standard (€ 59.99 / 89.99 / 119.99); Essential (€ 49.99 / 79.99 / 99.99); Advanced (€ 69.99 / 99.99 / 199.99); Premium (€ 99.99 / 149.99 / 159.99); for 1/3/5 computers
Language Dutch
OS From Windows 7, Mac OS 10.11, iOS 10.3, Android 5.0 and above
Website www.acronis.com
8 Score 80 
- Pros
- Cloud storage and antivirus (Advanced and Premium)
- User friendly
- Very complete backup function
- System recovery and backup
- Negatives
- Advanced and Premium only as a subscription
- Cloud storage limited to Acronis Cloud
- No cloud storage and antivirus for Standard and Essential
Where many backup programs focus on just one or a few scenarios of system or data recovery, True Image really covers them all. The user-friendly Dutch-language interface offers backup and recovery of files, folders, disks, mobile devices and even the entire system. You can make backups on a hard drive and NAS, and in the cloud. There are also utilities such as disk cloning, system cleaning, folder sync, and software testing in a sandbox.
Prevention is better
Prevention is better than cure (restore in this case), which is why Acronis already protects specific folders and files against ransomware for several versions. This functionality is now being expanded to a full anti-malware feature. Your existing antivirus package can therefore be removed. In fact, it must be removed, because if Acronis finds another security package, it will disable its own security. There is no dedicated firewall and anti-spam function, as well as options for scanning a single file or folder – it is now always either a quick or a full system scan. Acronis uses a proprietary artificial intelligence engine for behavioral analysis as well as a traditional virus signature scanning engine. The latter has licensed it from ‘one of the top antivirus suppliers’, but Acronis does not want to say which one that is. Technology President Stanislav Protassov just wants to confirm that it is neither a Kaspersky nor a Chinese engine; both are sensitive. However, those looking on their PC will quickly find references to Bitdefender (bdcore.dll).
If you don’t need the Acronis antimalware, the Standard and Essential versions are the best buy. These offer three months of antivirus, then it stops. The Advanced and Premium versions do offer a year of antivirus as part of the subscription, along with storage in the proprietary Acronis cloud and advanced cryptographic features. But for a family with several computers, the total price quickly increases if you really want to be able to use all the options.
For the Standard and Essential versions, there is not much after the antivirus has been shut down that warrants an upgrade to the new 2021 version. The important wish to be able to make backups to cloud services other than Acronis itself is also still lacking.
Conclusion
Acronis True Image offers very good backup functions. With the addition of anti-malware, it further expands the protection and the first results of AV-Test are very good. although it is difficult to assess them properly if Acronis does not say which engine it uses. A pity are the limitations on cloud storage and the loss of functionality if you prefer not to take out a subscription.