We recommend starting with one of the strongest best free internet security options above. Impact on system resources: No one wants an antivirus that slows down your PC. Gone are the days when the primary internet baddie was the computer virus. Effectiveness: Of course, the most important factor is how effective the antivirus engine is against malware and other threats. When it comes to the best virus scanners and best anti-malware tools, there are tons of choices. Mobile devices may also be susceptible to malware, so protect yours with a security program that can remove malware from your smartphone.
Make sure to choose one of our best security software options with robust protection against all kinds of online threats. Cybercriminals find ways to reach even the most careful among us. Social engineering tricks, phishing scams, malicious URLs and infected downloads… the list goes on. You can find this in their paid products, but why not go with a full-service free option instead? You can avoid some forms of malware by practicing smart digital habits like using secure messaging apps and checking that websites are safe before you use them.īut hackers are craftier than ever. McAfee is the same as Norton - a free trial, but no free version. Norton offers only paid antivirus software. You may have been expecting to see some big-name antivirus players on this list, like Norton, McAfee, or Malwarebytes.
Sadly, its malware protection has suffered for it.įeatures: Qihoo comes with an impressive suite of bonus features, including cleanup and tuneup utilities, an adblocker, and more. Essential protection: Qihoo formerly used the same core antivirus as Bitdefender and Avira, but it no longer does. Features: Unfortunately, this free cybersecurity solution is missing many features you would expect to see, such as web-based security, protection against malicious websites, and personal data protection. Check Point ZoneAlarm is a free antivirus-firewall combo that licenses its antivirus engine from security giant Kaspersky.Įssential protection: Pairing strong antivirus prevention with a firewall can be good enough for basic computing. Essential protection: Adaware Antivirus Free has received mixed scores in past independent tests, and PCMag cautions that Adaware has no recent test scores to show.Īnd for an antivirus, protection should always be the 1 concern. So here are few more antivirus products to consider.
It’s extremely short on features, though, and we’d like to see more coverage from the testing labs, too. Sophos also received a poor phishing protection score from PCMag. But unlike the other major players on this list, Sophos has few independent lab test results to prove its efficacy.
The company will continue to support the antivirus software for the time being, but their overall support for Windows 7 has ended, and they recommend you upgrade to Windows Essential protection: PCMag reports that Sophos achieved excellent scores in their hands-on tests and excellent protection against malicious websites. Many free third-party apps are more effective at keeping you safe. Still, PCMag gives it a rather lukewarm review. Its malware detection capabilities have improved, and it performed well in hands-on testing. If this app is already on your PC, you might be wondering why you should even bother with a free third-party antivirus solution. Nevertheless, the allegations remain inconclusive, and Kaspersky is consistently a top-rated antivirus product.
Russian cybersecurity firm Kaspersky has faced allegations of inappropriate connections to the Kremlin, prompting the US, the UK, and the Netherlands to ban the use of Kaspersky products across government agencies. Avira has been creating antivirus applications for a long time, with the first one dating back to Bitdefender protects millions devices around the world and is consistently recognized by independent test labs like The Independent IT-Security Institute. It’s unlikely anything is getting through this. Need a second opinion? One of the pioneers of free antivirus software for Windows, AVG has consistently won awards from AV-Comparatives over the past decade - including Top-Rated Product in their most recent test. Lifewire praises its Do Not Disturb Mode, which blocks pop-ups while you watch movies or play games. Features: Offering an easy-to-use interface, a secure web browser, a network security scanner, and more, Avast has a wide range of useful bonus features. Avast continues to support Windows 7, even though Microsoft has stopped updating that operating system. Essential protection: Avast Free Antivirus consistently ranks extremely high for its core virus protection engine and malware removal tools. Looking for the best free antivirus software? One of the oldest antivirus companies, Avast has been protecting people since and is trusted by more than million users around the globe.