Quick comparison
The products on this list side by side: our score, a highlight and a link to our full review.
| Product | Score | Highlight | Review |
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| 1Norton | 9.8Best Overall | Advanced antivirus protection for PC, Mac, Smartphones, and Tablets | Read review |
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| 2TotalAV | 9.5Great | Real-Time antivirus with daily virus definition updates | Read review |
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| 3Aura | 9.3Very Good | Get antivirus, VPN, and identity protection | Visit |
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| 4Bitdefender | 9.0Very Good | Multi-layered protection against ransomware | Read review |
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| 5Avast | 8.8Very Good | Earned top scores in Third-Party Lab Testing | Read review |
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| 6Avira | 8.7Very Good | Blocks and removes 100% of viruses and malware | Read review |
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Our picks in detail
A closer look at the products on this list, with what we like and what could be better.
Founded in 1991, Norton is one of the biggest names in the security business. It's a veteran, for sure, but clearly not outdated. It consistently tops our yearly ranking for its unbeatable detection rates and real-time protection against viruses, malware, ransomware, spyware, and other types of threats.
What we like
- Protects against all kinds of malware, viruses, spam, and more
- Detects and blocks phishing websites and suspicious emails
- Proactive protection with Smart Firewall + Intrusion Prevention System
What could be better
- Requires a little bit of learning curve for first-time users
- Limited reporting capabilities
More than 30 million users worldwide are using TotalAV, and here’s why. It offers real-time protection against viruses, malware, spyware, and other online threats. It has one of the easiest interfaces to use and works on practically every device and operating system. It’s no surprise then that it has a consistently superb rating in TrustPilot, garnering 4.8 stars out of 5 from 77,566 reviews as of this writing. And it’s not just the users either.
What we like
- Easy to use: TotalAV antivirus has a user-friendly interface and is straightforward to install and set up.
- Good value for money: TotalAV antivirus offers a range of paid plans that are reasonably priced and include a range of features.
- Comprehensive protection: TotalAV provides a variety of security features to safeguard users from malware, network attacks, and other online threats.
What could be better
- Limited features in the free version: The free version of TotalAV antivirus includes only basic antivirus protection and does not include some of the more advanced features available in the paid versions.
- Mixed reviews: Some users have reported mixed results when using TotalAV antivirus, with some praising its effectiveness and others reporting issues with its performance.
Bitdefender is a well-respected and widely used cybersecurity company that offers a wide range of products and services to protect individuals, SME’s, and large enterprises from cyber threats. The company's products are known for their high level of protection against malware as well as their regular updates to protect against new threats.
What we like
- Real-time protection against all viruses and ransomware
- Regular updates to the software to protect against new threats
- Provides a feature not found in most antivirus software: parental control
What could be better
- Limited features on Mac compared to Windows
- The iOS app is a little underwhelming
Avast Antivirus is a robust cybersecurity tool that offers a range of protective features. From malware detection to real-time scanning, Avast is designed to safeguard your devices from online threats. It boasts a user-friendly interface suitable for beginners while offering advanced options for those seeking deeper customization. It is used by over 435 million users worldwide and prevents over 1.5 billion threats every month.
What we like
- Strong malware protection
- User-friendly interface
- Award-winning antivirus software
What could be better
- Some advanced features are available only with premium plans
- Occasional pop-up ads for additional products
Avira is a German antivirus solution with a long history that dates back to 1986. Today, it protects over 500 million devices worldwide. Users like it for its simplicity and extensive features that include a VPN, password manager, web and email protection, file shredder, software updater, PC optimizer, and more. Of course, the main draw is definitely its award-winning antivirus scanner and the new anti-ransomware feature.
What we like
- Cloud-based anti-malware engine
- Excellent real-time protection against malware, including ransomware and Banker Trojans
- Comes with a free browser extension that blocks phishing websites, infected popups, trackers, bloatware, and more
What could be better
- The backup module is a bit outdated
- There are numerous popup ads in the free version
How we rank these products
Our scores are editorial opinions out of 10 and are reviewed regularly. We look at four things:
- Features what the product does and how well it does it.
- Ease of use setup, everyday use and how it works on a phone.
- Value for money prices, free plans or trials, and what each plan includes.
- Security and support how your data is handled and what help is available.
This site earns a commission from some of the providers listed, which can affect the order in which they appear.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)
What is an antivirus? Do you need one?
Think of it this way, would you feel safe leaving your doors unlocked? No, right? Even if you live in a remote property out in the country, leaving your home open will just make you and your family an easy target for burglars and intruders. Similarly, an unprotected computer attracts viruses and hackers who can easily attack you using malware such as spyware, ransomware, adware, trojans, worms, and more.
This is where an antivirus product comes in. It's a computer program designed to scan, detect, and delete viruses as well as other threats from your devices. It also acts as an alarm system or a door lock to help keep viruses, hackers, identity thieves, and other fraudsters at bay. With new online threats emerging every day, it only makes sense to install an antivirus product powerful and sophisticated enough to keep up.
What are some of the dangers of not having anti-virus protection installed?
Without antivirus protection, you are putting sensitive information and your computer at risk. But what exactly are the consequences? Here are a few examples:
- Identity theft
- Loss of personal data such as photos, emails etc.
- Hardware failure
- Slow computer or browser speed
- Frequent freezing or crashing
- Access to files may be restricted
- Loss of money via ransomware attack
- Loss of money via an attack on your online bank account
- Loss of business-critical data
Which features should I look for in an antivirus program?
There are so many antivirus offers available nowadays, all claiming to offer the best protection at an unbeatable price. With dozens of options out there, how do you select the best one for your system? Here, we've outlined 11 features that every decent antivirus program must have:
- Virus detection and removal
- Anti-malware and anti-spyware
- Real-time scanner
- Scheduled scans
- Automatic updates
- Identity protection
- Safe browsing
- Strong firewall
- Intuitive interface
- Minimal resource usage
- Multi-platform compatibility (protection for PC/Mac/Android/iPhone/iPad and more)
And a few more that are nice-to-have: - Email protection
- VPN
- Password manager
- Auto-clean feature
- Adblocker
- Parental controls
- Cloud backup
Does a free antivirus program offer adequate protection?
We understand the appeal of free antivirus software. After all, why pay if you can get adequate protection for free? However, most free antivirus programs only offer basic protection. It's unlikely to provide real-time protection, nor will it protect you from all angles. Plus, you'll have to contend with annoying pop-up ads and a constant reminder to upgrade. And once you run into an issue? Forget getting any technical assistance. In contrast, most paid antivirus programs are complete security suites that include various security enhancements and 24/7 customer support. Proper online security is not something you can get for free unfortunately...
Will antivirus software slow down my computer?
Probably not at all. While older computers used to be much less powerful, making this more of an issue, modern machines can easily take the strain of running antivirus software without negative effects on speed. We have specifically shortlisted antivirus utilities that have little to no impact on your system resources. All of the products in our top list run quietly in the background, so you'll hardly even notice them.
Disclaimer
The aim of this website is to help you find the perfect software for your needs in an easy-to-view comparison list. You can read more about how we review and about our background in the About Us section of this website. Software.fish does not feature all of the software available in the market, we cherry-pick what we consider to be the leaders in each vertical. We try to keep this site updated and fresh, but cannot guarantee the accuracy of the information as well as the prices featured at all times. All prices quoted on this site are based on USD so there could be slight discrepancies due to currency fluctuations. Although the site is free to use, we do earn commissions from the software companies that we have partnered with. If you click on one of our links and then make a purchase, we will get paid by that company. This has an impact on the ranking, score, and order in which the software is presented in our list and elsewhere throughout the site. Software listings on this page DO NOT imply endorsement.
