iolo Reviews 

3,933
TrustScore 4 out of 5

3.9

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Review summary

Created with AI, based on recent reviews

Considering 193 reviews, reviewers had a great experience with this company. Customers consistently praise the staff's helpfulness, professionalism, and knowledge, often finding them patient and kind in resolving issues. Many appreciate the technical support team's efficiency in explaining solutions, ensuring their PCs remain clean and run smoothly for years. However, some customers expressed dissatisfaction with subscription practices, citing unexpected charges, automatic renewals, and pressure to buy additional services. A few also reported difficulties with customer support navigation, experiencing circular journeys or canned responses, and occasional product malfunctions like deleted passwords or driver issues.

What people talk about most

Product

Users describe ambiguous interactions with product, with many expressing satisfaction and long-term use,... See more

Customer service

People report ambiguous experiences with customer service, with many expressing significant dissatisfaction.... See more

Subscription

Customers consistently express dissatisfaction with subscription practices, frequently reporting unexpected... See more

Staff

Customers had positive experiences with staff, often describing them as helpful, patient, and kind, with some... See more

Service

Consumers find service to be ambiguous, with many reporting unexpected charges for services they did not... See more

Reviews shaping this summary

Rated 4 out of 5 stars

I used this program for many years and like it. It keeps my computer running well. I would like to continue using it, but the program became excessively expensive. So I am switching to Ashampoo. It i... See more

Company replied

Rated 4 out of 5 stars

trying to install system mechanic in new laptop and entering my current license number errors with unable to find license. Is there a different downloadable app that allows me to enter my current lic... See more

Company replied

Rated 4 out of 5 stars

though i really like Sys Mech I prefer the CD version best. it's easier to install and if i ever need to upgrade or make changes to my system all i have to do is put the cd in my drive.

Company replied

Rated 3 out of 5 stars

I'm fairly happy with the performance of System mechanic keeping my PC clean. But I'm rather disgusted with additional surprise charges and constant up-sell pop-ups. I signed up for a discounted year... See more

Company replied


Company details

  1. Software Company
  2. Computer Software Store
  3. Computer Support and Service Company
  4. Software Vendor

Written by the company

Rated #1 by PC Magazine for 8 years in a row, iolo’s flagship performance optimization suite System Mechanic® has been downloaded by over 100 million people worldwide. Located at 150 South Los Robles Avenue Suite 400, iolo is your trusted partner for superior PC performance and protection. Specializing in system optimization and automated computer maintenance, we deliver cutting-edge PC software solutions to boost your device's speed and efficiency. Our top-tier privacy software ensures robust browsing privacy and malware removal, safeguarding your digital experience. iolo is committed to enhancing your computer's performance while securing your online presence. Choose iolo for unmatched expertise in privacy and PC optimization solutions.

New System Mechanic® Ultimate Defense™

All-in-one online privacy, password manager, antivirus, and pc cleaner

All-in-one online privacy, password manager, antivirus, and pc cleaner
More than your average PC tune-up software. Speed up, secure, and simplify your digital life with iolo’s all-in-one Windows® optimization, antivirus, and online privacy software suite.

Contact info

3.9

Great

TrustScore 4 out of 5

4K reviews

5-star
4-star
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1-star

No recent history of asking for reviews

This company hasn't invited customers recently, so reviews may not be representative

Replied to 98% of negative reviews

Typically replies within 1 week

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3.9

All reviews

(3,933)

194 reviews in the last 12 months

Write a review
Companies on Trustpilot aren't allowed to offer incentives or pay to hide reviews. Reviews are the opinions of individual users and not of Trustpilot. Read more

Rated 1 out of 5 stars

do not reply to help me install nSystem…

do not reply to help me install System mechanic ultimate on my new laptop key number you sent dont work

20 October 2025
Unprompted review
iolo logo

Reply from iolo

Hi Paul,

I’m sorry to hear about the trouble with System Mechanic Ultimate Defense on your new laptop. I’d like to learn more about the details of your feedback and personally make sure you get the assistance you need.

Please reach out to me directly at reputation@realdefen.se so I can ensure you resolve this for you.

Best,
RealDefense Reputation Manager

Rated 5 out of 5 stars

Top notch utilities program.

18 October 2025
Unprompted review
iolo logo

Reply from iolo

Thanks, Terry! We’re thrilled to know you’re enjoying System Mechanic and finding it to be a top-notch PC optimization tool. Appreciate you choosing iolo!

Rated 5 out of 5 stars

very very good

17 October 2025
Unprompted review
iolo logo

Reply from iolo

Thanks so much, Karl! We're glad to hear you’re enjoying your experience and that System Mechanic is delivering strong PC optimization results. Appreciate you choosing iolo!

Rated 1 out of 5 stars

I found myself auto-renewed for a…

I found myself auto-renewed for a product that I never wanted or ever planned on using. You can see on the BBB site that this business has a habit of playing these games with no warning and unwanted autorenewals. My advice is to avoid doing business with this company at all costs and stick with those who operate with integrity and who appreciate their customers.

14 October 2025
Unprompted review
iolo logo

Reply from iolo

Hi Dave,

I'm very sorry to hear about your experience and truly appreciate you taking the time to share it. I understand how frustrating unexpected renewals can be, and I take concerns about billing transparency seriously.

Our intention is never to surprise customers with charges — renewal reminders are sent before billing, but it’s clear this process didn’t meet expectations in your case. I’d like to personally review what happened and make sure this is fully resolved for you.

Please contact me directly at reputation@realdefen.se to discuss this matter more.

Best,
Logan D.
RealDefense Reputation Manager

Rated 3 out of 5 stars

Update not compatible across all platforms

Like the program but when they updated to the latest version of System Mechanic Ultimate Defense with the new Byepass+ they only updated it for the computer not for an android phone, now my phone does not sync with my computer I have to manually update my phone. Should not release a new update unless its compatible across all platforms, contacted customer they have no idea when the latest version will be available for my phone, REALLY?

10 October 2025
Unprompted review
iolo logo

Reply from iolo

Hi Ronald,

We really appreciate your detailed feedback. I understand how inconvenient it can be when device syncing doesn’t work as expected.

I've shared your comments internally, but please feel free to reach out to me directly at Reputation@RealDefen.se if you would like to share more.

We appreciate your support of iolo and are grateful for your candid feedback.

Best,
Reputation Manager

Rated 1 out of 5 stars

IOLO charges for unauthorized technical service

I have uses System Mechanic for many years and believed that the service was effective. This year I booked the service anew and subsequently was charged a monthly fee of $19.95 for technical support which I neither authorized of utilized. I was unable to achieve refund of those spurious charges and was invited to purchase a 3-year subscription instead. When I asked to see that offer in writing that was denied, and I was told there is no way to contest the charges in writing. I have since cancelled the SM subscription as i am dissatisfied with the service and no longer believe that it results in improved performance of my computer

13 October 2025
Unprompted review
iolo logo

Reply from iolo

Harry,

I deeply apologize for the poor experience. I understand how frustrating it can be to encounter unexpected charges and difficulty obtaining a clear resolution. That’s not how we intend to treat our long-time customers.

It sounds like there may have been a miscommunication or a lack of clarity regarding the LiveTech subscription. I’d like to personally review what happened to ensure the situation is corrected FOR YOU and that your feedback is properly addressed with our billing team.

Please reach out to me directly at reputation@realdefen.se so I can look into this in detail and help make things right.

Best,
Logan D.
RealDefense Reputation Manager

Rated 2 out of 5 stars

Regret Buying Plus Spam

Bought Iolo product some years ago and noticed no difference. I got rid of it.

Of late, emails from Iolo inviting me to buy Iolo Drive Updater. I unsubscribed on seeing the first yet two more lots of spam.

Update after reply from Iolo. I sent an email to the addres you gave last night. In the meanwhile, a fourth email in a fortnight from Iolo has arrived. This is an abuse of the contact details stored by your company. My advice is always never to buy from spammers.

Update after further reply from Iolo.
I sent my email to the address you gave, which I copied from here.
I have had no emails advising me that my message couldn't be sent .
All this hassle could have been avoided had my request to unsubscribe been promptly dealt with.

24 September 2025
Unprompted review
iolo logo

Reply from iolo

Paul, thanks for calling this out! I understand how that’s frustrating. We don’t want anyone receiving messages they didn’t ask for.

If you continue to receive emails after unsubscribing, please email me at reputation@realdefen.se
with the address those emails were sent to (and any subject lines you have). I’ll personally advocate internally to silence any unwanted notifications.

Best,
RealDefense Reputation Manager

Edit: Hi Paul,

I appreciate your attempt to contact me at my Reputation@RealDefen.se inbox. Unfortunately, I have not received anything from you, so I cannot help at this time. Please try to resend the email. If that does not work, I will find another way to assist you.

Rated 1 out of 5 stars

AVOID IOLO, unless you like bait and switch and wasitng your time.

I just reordered IOLO System Mechanic after it having lapsed for 3 months. They keep popping up notices about discounts on renewals etc.. i ordered ONLY the System Mechanic for $9.95 and nothing else. I even tried to check the 'NO, I don't want anything else' box. The next thing I knew, a window popped up with two bills. I called their number, and as others have said, customer service was completely unhelpful trying to tell me I ordered tech support and whatever.
Completely misleading advertising and bait and switch tactics. Now I remember why I didn't want to sign up again. I've disputed this with my credit card. Save yourself the time, don't sign up at all. I figured IOLO being a California company, would be safe to deal with WRONG. IOLO is not an honest company. AVOID IOLO, save yourself time and aggravation.

22 September 2025
Unprompted review
iolo logo

Reply from iolo

Hi Captian D,

We’re sorry to hear about the trouble you experienced with your recent renewal. We understand how frustrating it can feel when the billing process doesn’t match your expectations, especially if you were only trying to repurchase System Mechanic without any extras.

Our intention is never to mislead or pressure customers into additional services. While optional offers may appear during checkout, we always want those to be clear and easy to decline. We regret that this wasn’t the case in your situation, and your comments are being shared with our team to help improve both transparency and customer communication.

Please reach out to me directly at reputation@realdefen.se
so I can personally assist in resolving your billing issue. I want to make sure you’re only charged for the service you intended to purchase and that this doesn’t happen again.

Best,
RealDefense Reputation Manager

Rated 4 out of 5 stars

Could not afford renewal

20 September 2025
Unprompted review
iolo logo

Reply from iolo

Hi Lynn, thank you for your 4-star review and for sharing your experience. I understand how frustrating it can be when renewal costs don’t align with expectations, and I’m truly sorry this left you disappointed. Your feedback is important and helps the company continue improving. No customer should ever feel disregarded, and I want to make sure your concerns are fully addressed. Please feel free to reach out to me directly at Reputation@RealDefen.se
so I can personally assist you.

Rated 5 out of 5 stars

everything

Everything

19 September 2025
Unprompted review
iolo logo

Reply from iolo

Hi John,

Thank you for the 5-star review! We’re thrilled to know everything met your expectations, and we truly appreciate you taking the time to share your feedback. If you ever need any assistance, we’re always here to help.

Rated 1 out of 5 stars

Misleading rip-off

I thought I was purchasing a 3-year renewal of my laptop software application. One week later when trying to apply new license key, I found out I was sold a 3-year Tech Support package which I did not need. I called and asked for a refund, and I was willing to renew the software application for both myself and my wife. I was denied the $677 refund less than a week after signing up. Needless to say, I will discontinue use of Iolo for any software or technical needs.

15 September 2025
Unprompted review
iolo logo

Reply from iolo

Hi Randy, I’m very sorry to hear about the confusion and frustration with your recent purchase and refund request. I can completely understand how upsetting it must be to believe you were renewing your software, only to later discover it was a different service you didn’t need.

Your feedback about both the purchase experience and refund policy is extremely important, and I’ll make sure it’s noted so improvements can be made to prevent situations like this in the future. No customer should feel misled or dismissed when trying to resolve an issue.

If you’d like, please contact me directly at Reputation@RealDefen.se
so I can personally look into this further and work toward a resolution.

Rated 1 out of 5 stars

Too expensive

Too expensive. Have used Iolo for many years with a one-off subscription. Will NOT pay annual subscription.

14 September 2025
Unprompted review
iolo logo

Reply from iolo

Hi 2secure4u, I’m very sorry to hear about your disappointment with the subscription model, especially after being a loyal customer for so many years. I completely understand how frustrating it can feel when a service you’ve relied on changes in a way that doesn’t match your expectations.

Your feedback about pricing and subscription options is very important, and I’ll make sure it’s shared with our team as we continue improving our offerings. No long-time customer should feel undervalued.

If you’d like, please reach out to me directly at Reputation@RealDefen.se
so I can personally look into this further and explore any possible solutions.

Rated 5 out of 5 stars

Very Pleased After Years of System Mechanic

Bought a lifetime subscription to System Mechanic many years ago (maybe 10-15 years). Has not cost me cent to get updates and customer support whenever needed. Keeps my desktop and portable computers optimized. I'm very pleased with the product and company.

11 September 2025
Unprompted review
iolo logo

Reply from iolo

Hi Dickson, thank you for your kind words. We are pleased to hear that you've enjoyed your time using our product and greatly appreciate your continued trust in iolo.

Rated 5 out of 5 stars

Nice aplication

Nice Aplication

10 September 2025
Unprompted review
iolo logo

Reply from iolo

Thank you for the nice feedback, Eka. We appreciate your kind words!

Rated 1 out of 5 stars

System Mechanic subscription

Extended System Mechanic subscription, however monthly Tech Support was hidden within the package and I ended up paying for two months I did not require.
IOLO support was not really interested in my disatisfaction with being billed for something I did not require.
Felt scammed!

6 September 2025
Unprompted review
iolo logo

Reply from iolo

Hi Charles, I’m very sorry to hear about the unexpected tech support charges and the frustration it caused. I understand how disappointing it must feel to be billed for something you didn’t intend to sign up for, and I apologize that your concerns weren’t properly addressed when you reached out.

Your feedback about how the subscription and support options are presented is very important, and I’ll make sure it’s shared so we can work on making things clearer and more transparent.

If you’d like, please reach out to me directly at Reputation@RealDefen.se
so I can personally help review your account and make sure this is resolved for you.

Rated 1 out of 5 stars

iolo are spammers and the "support" is…

iolo are spammers and the "support" is absolutely useless. I've canceled my subscriptions now (via their partner PayPro Global) and also demanded directly to iolo that they remove me from their database in compliance with GDPR, since they keep spamming no matter how many times you click "unsubscribe". The answer I got from iolo was I'm no longer in their database, but the spam keeps coming every day (to the same email adress I've used in all our communication).

I've flagged them as spam now, and so will many others. This is a great way to destroy your own reputation as a company.

Ps. Also, the System Mechanic software itself is really annoying since it stops you from using any other antivirus software on the computer. So you're forced to use their mediocre antivirus, even if you only want the system clean-up function. There is a function to turn off real-time protection, but that doesnt make any difference to Windows. Anywho, I realized that the premium antivirus software brands also can do this system clean-up, so I got no use whatsoever for iolo anymore. Good bye.

1 September 2025
Unprompted review
iolo logo

Reply from iolo

Hi Davidoff, I’m truly sorry to hear about your negative experience. I understand how frustrating it must be to deal with unwanted emails after unsubscribing, and I apologize for the inconvenience and stress this has caused. I also regret that your experience with both the support process and the software itself did not meet your expectations.

Your concerns about GDPR compliance, subscription handling, and antivirus compatibility are very important. I’ll make sure your feedback is passed along so these issues can be reviewed for improvement — both in how we handle communications and how the software integrates with other tools.

If you’d like, please reach out to me directly at Reputation@RealDefen.se
so I can personally assist with making sure your details are fully removed and help resolve this matter.

Rated 5 out of 5 stars

liked the tool to keep my system…

liked the tool to keep my system running fast.

31 August 2025
Unprompted review
iolo logo

Reply from iolo

Hi Darryl, thank you for your 5-star review! We’re glad to hear you’re enjoying the tool and that it’s helping keep your system running fast. We really appreciate your support!

Rated 5 out of 5 stars

loved the program

the way the program works

29 August 2025
Unprompted review
iolo logo

Reply from iolo

Hi Elmer, thank you for your 5-star review! We’re glad to hear you’re happy with how the program works and truly appreciate your support.

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