Is Softonic safe and legit? Website to download software
On Windows, you have hundreds of websites to download software and games. You can download your favorite apps from the Microsoft Store if you want to rely on something other than third-party sites.
If you often try out new software, you may have come across a site called Softonic. Softonic is a site that offers users free software, but the important question is: is it safe and legal to use Softonic?
A new Windows user may think twice before downloading software from third-party websites. And it is very important to check if the site offering free software is safe and legit. But before you understand all those things, it is important to know the history of Softonic International.
What is Softonic?
Softonic is actually a site. The name of the company is Softonic Internationaland its web portal located in Barcelona, ​​Catalonia, Spain.
The site was established a long time ago June 1997and to this day it provides users with free Windows apps, games, Android apps and many other things.
You can find many other things on Softonic website such as Roblox Games, Chrome extensions, Browser Games, etc.
According to the website, softonic.com, the company’s main domain, is visited nearly 100 million times a month. This makes Softonic one of the world’s largest apps and software platforms.
More importantly, Softonic can also be accessed from smartphones. It has an interactive user interface that loads well in mobile web browsers.
The mobile app compatibility allows mobile users to download apps without relying solely on the official app stores.
Is Softonic safe?
Now let’s move to the main part of the article. Before downloading software, ask yourself:Is it safe to download from Softonic‘.
The official site claims that Softonic is a safe online location to download software and games. According to the site, they have experts who review the programs.
If we have to rely on this, Softonic is a safe site to download software and games. However, there are quite a few things you should know.
A few user reviews on forums like Reddit, Quora, etc. claim that the site is not 100% safe and legit. This is because it does not host all software on its server. When you hit the download button, it fetches the download link from the official site and then offers you the download.
The problem here is that where it retrieves the download link is compromised; you will end up downloading a malicious file. So there are always some hidden criteria and risks when downloading programs from third party websites.
The site has never experienced any major backlash from users for providing malicious files. This makes the site one of the leading and reliable sources for Windows software and games.
Is Softonic legal to use?
As long as the site is available in your region, it is 100% legal to use Softonic. You can download the software without worrying about fines or legal issues.
The site claims to provide free software, but that is not 100% true. When you download and install premium software from the site, you will be asked to enter the purchase details.
So the site provides you with the installation files; what you do with it depends on you. For example, if you try to download the Avast Premium antivirus, you will get the installation file. After installing it, you can only use the trial version of the product and after that you will be prompted to purchase the license to continue using it.
Softonic Reviews – Is It Legitimate and Safe?
Trustpilot is one of the leading sites that review companies and let you know if you can trust them.
The site had already reviewed Softonic and gave it a fairly positive review. The site gives Softonic 4.3 out of 5 stars. In addition to that, the site also has a review section that shows you real reviews from users.
However, some reviews claim that the site tries to install bundled applications. So it’s still best to preview the files before downloading.
How do I download software from Softonic?
Now that you know what Softonic is, you may want to know how to download software from it. It is quite easy to legally download software from Softonic. To do so, follow the steps below.
1. First open your favorite web browser and visit en.softonic.com
2. You will see a huge one search bar on the homepage. You should use that to search for your favorite software.
3. For example, we are going to download Avast Free Antivirus. We need to open it and click on the “Free Download” knob.
4. Clicking the “Free Download” link will start downloading Avast Free Antivirus on your computer.
That is it! You must follow the same steps for every software you want to download.
How do I download safe content from Softonic?
Most files available on Softonic are safe and legal to download. However, it is still recommended to scan the downloaded files before installing them.
This is because if Softonic is ever attacked and hijacked by hackers, they can inject malicious scripts into the software. So it is always best to scan the files before installing them to stay safe.
Also check that the programs you download from Softonic are updated. Outdated software can contain bugs and glitches that can cause problems. Also, older versions of apps have an increased risk of cybersecurity attacks.
So, this guide is all about Is Softonic safe and legal. We have tried to answer all your questions related to Softonic. If you need more help on this topic, let us know in the comments. And if the article helped you, share it with your friends.
