The Best Antivirus Software of 2024 (2024)

Malware can be sneaky. Without proper protection, it can infiltrate your devices with ease. What’s more, there’s countless pieces of malware roaming the internet. Just going online can damage your system. That’s why having antivirus software is a must, especially now that everything is digital.

It’s a good thing there are plenty of options, but at the same time, it makes choosing the perfect antivirus all the more overwhelming. Let us start by saying that no antivirus software is perfect. All the 40+ antiviruses we tested had some kind of downsides and catches. You just have to find the software that can best provide your cybersecurity needs.

Based on our recent round of antivirus tests and comparisons, we selected the top 10 options currently available. Our top picks range from well-known brands like Norton and TotalAV, to lesser known newcomers like Surfshark. Ready to find the best match for you? Keep reading.

Statistics

The Best Antivirus Software At A Glance

Summary of the Best Antivirus Software

1. TotalAV Antivirus - The Best Antivirus Software for Malware Protection
2. Surfshark Antivirus - The Best Antivirus For Digital Security
3. Norton Antivirus - The Best Cross-Platform Antivirus Software
4. Kaspersky Antivirus - The Best Free Antivirus Software
5. McAfee Antivirus - The Most Complete Cybersecurity Software
6. Bitdefender Antivirus - The Best Antivirus Software for Malware Detection
7. Trend Micro Antivirus - The Best Antivirus Software for Web Protection
8. Avast Antivirus - The Best Antivirus Software for Mac
9. ESET Antivirus - The Best Antivirus Software for Windows
10. Vipre Antivirus - The Best Antivirus Software for Android

Feature Highlight

• 1. TotalAV Antivirus - The Best Antivirus Software for Malware Protection

  SecurityScore:

  9.7 /10

  View Packages

  

  How We Review

  Product Specs

  Virus Detection	Yes
  Malware Detection	Yes
  Firewall	No
  On-demand Scanning	Yes
  On-access Scanning	Yes
  Behavior-based monitoring	Yes

  

  View Packages

  Pros

  • Free option with excellent malware detection
  • Real-time protection and manual scans
  • Automatic malware definition database updates
  • Smart Scan goes beyond just scanning for malware

  Cons

  • Lacks a firewall
  • Email support takes time to respond
  • Prices increase after the first year

  All-Around Digital Security Protection

  TotalAV is the Swiss Army knife of antivirus software. It can do a lot of things besides fight malware. The most basic TotalAV subscription includes the antivirus software itself, a tool that can help optimize device performance, and a tool that checks browsers for trackers, malicious extensions, and other online dangers. That’s just the basic configuration. We opted for the top protection package, which also included a VPN for privacy boost, an ad-blocker, and an encrypted password vault. All those features helped us be more digitally healthy.

  >> Learn More: Review of the Total VPN by TotalAV

  

  Focusing on the antivirus software itself, we tested it by hiding a malware test file (Eicar-Test-Signature pictured above) in several places within our computer. TotalAV did well finding them – even those that we hid several folders deep and those that we put into .zip archives, two of the sneakiest hiding places of malware. That shows that TotalAV scans reach deep into the cracks and crevices of operating systems.

  Manual malware scans weren’t the only ways TotalAV detected malware, though. We were also able to set up scheduled scans to make the software look for malware on a regular basis, even if we forget to scan our computers ourselves.

  There was also this feature called real-time protection, which didn’t scan the whole computer, but did look for malware in files and folders we opened and downloaded. We kept this feature on the whole time, and it kept us safe as we downloaded email attachments or files from shared cloud folders.

  TotalAV scan types	How it works
  Full scan	Scans every corner of your device
  Quick scan	Scans the most common areas malware hide in
  Real-time protection	Scans as you open and access files
  Scheduled scans	Full or quick scans that run on schedule

• 2. Surfshark Antivirus - The Best Antivirus Software For Digital Security

  SecurityScore:

  8.9 /10

  View Plans

  

  How We Review

  Product Specs

  Virus Detection	Yes
  Malware Detection	Yes
  Firewall	No
  On-demand Scanning	Yes
  On-access Scanning	Yes
  Behavior-based monitoring	Yes

  

  View Plans

  Pros

  • Virtual private network, antivirus, identity protection, and secure browsing in one plan
  • 24/7 live chat support
  • Scheduled, quick, and full scans
  • Regular automatic updates of virus database

  Cons

  • Not yet available on iPhones
  • Doesn’t have on-access detection on Windows
  • Requires a Surfshark VPN subscription
  • Lacks behavior-based detection

  All-In-One Cybersecurity Toolkit

  Much like TotaAV that offers a whole suite of digital safety tools, Surfshark offers multiple features and programs. It’s best known for its Surfshark VPN – one of the best VPNs available today with a 9.5 out of 10 rating from us. So when Surfshark launched its antivirus software, we jumped on the opportunity to test it. It didn’t disappoint.

  Surfshark’s antivirus software comes with a Surfshark One subscription – a package that combines Surfshark’s several privacy and digital security tools, including its famed VPN. And that’s one thing you might not like about it; a VPN subscription is included and required to use Surfshark’s antivirus software. If you already have a VPN, you’d be paying for two VPN services. On the other hand, though, if you don’t already have one, you’ll save money by buying Surfshark One, especially since the antivirus software adds only $1.49 per month to the cost of the VPN subscription. All in all, we paid only $3.14 for the whole bundle.

  Frankly, though, Surfshark’s antivirus software isn’t the most advanced or well-developed. It doesn’t have a firewall yet, for example, but it’s getting better. Similar to TotalAV, it now offers real-time protection. What’s most intriguing about Surfshark – and the main reason it made its list – is the fact that numerous cybersecurity tools are included in its affordable subscriptions, including the VPN. Surfshark One isn’t just a cybersecurity tool; it’s an entire toolkit.

  >> Related: Surfshark VPN review

• 3. Norton Antivirus - The Best Cross-Platform Antivirus Software

  SecurityScore:

  9.5 /10

  View Plans

  See Also

  What is the difference between free anti-virus software and paid anti-virus software?Free vs. Paid Antivirus: Should You Pay?Does Antivirus Slow Down Your Computer?Microsoft Defender Antivirus Review

  

  How We Review

  Product Specs

  Virus Detection	Yes
  Malware Detection	Yes
  Firewall	Yes
  On-demand Scanning	Yes
  On-access Scanning	Yes
  Behavior-based monitoring	Yes

  

  View Plans

  Pros

  • Affordable introductory prices
  • 24/7 phone and live chat support
  • Highly-rated iOS and Android apps
  • Lots of extras (cloud backup, parental control features, etc.)

  Cons

  • Prices will more than double after the first year
  • A history of class-action lawsuits due to alleged security breaches
  • Not the best desktop app experience
  • Collected a ton of user data and shared it with third parties

  

  Mobile Device Protection At Its Finest

  Our next entry is one you’ve likely heard about before. Norton is a respected name in the industry. It has been around for decades, offering malware protection to computers and laptops. In our most recent test, though, we found it to be the best antivirus software for mobile devices.

  Most of us spend the majority of our time online on our smartphones. That’s why smartphones have become prime targets of malware nowadays. What’s worse, we store a lot of valuable and sensitive information on our phones. For example, personal photos, credit and debit card information, and even digitized documents. Malware can compromise and leak those files to hackers, which can lead to identity theft and fraud.

  >> Also Read: What To Do When Your Phone Has Been Hacked

  In our experience, Norton’s mobile protection provides the best protection against malware. It’s easy to navigate and use, with its scan function available in just a press of a button. If you’re an Android user, there are also widgets that you can use to quickly execute actions.

  Norton is also quite thorough. In an audit by AV-Test in May 2023, Norton detected 99.9-percent of the latest and most prevalent Android malware at the time. That’s above the 97.3-percent average score.

  It’s also worth noting that Norton’s smartphone apps provide more than just malware protection. Depending on your subscription, you can gain additional features to boost your device’s performance or protect you or family members from other online threats. You can, for example, blacklist websites frequented by online predators to safeguard your kids.

• 4. Kaspersky Antivirus - The Best Free Antivirus Software

  SecurityScore:

  9.1 /10

  View Packages

  

  How We Review

  Product Specs

  Virus Detection	Yes
  Malware Detection	Yes
  Firewall	No
  On-demand Scanning	Yes
  On-access Scanning	Yes
  Behavior-based monitoring	Yes

  

  View Packages

  Editor’s Note: The German cybersecurity agency BSI put out a warning that the anti-virus software developed by Moscow-based Kaspersky poses a threat of “a serious hacking attack.” This warning came as Russia’s invasion and attacks on Ukraine escalated.

  Additionally, Kasperksy is banned from government computers in several countries, including the U.S. and Canada.

  Kaspersky responded that it is a privately-managed company with no ties to the Russian government and that the BSI warning and bans were politically motivated. We will keep you updated on this development as new information comes forward.

  Pros

  • Comprehensive set of features even for the free version
  • Behavior-based malware detection
  • 100 percent detection in our virus detection test
  • Extra features like password manager and VPN

  Cons

  • Alleged ties to the Russian government
  • No phone or live chat support for free users
  • iOS app has limited features
  • 2019 security flaw that allowed hackers to spy on users’ browsing data1

  

  Free Antivirus Software, Premium Protection

  Even with all the allegations surrounding Kaspersky, we still believe it’s a strong option for detecting malware. We especially recommend it to those who are looking for a free antivirus.

  While Kaspersky offers a number of paid options, we were most impressed by the free software. We used it to hunt down five viruses we purposely hid in our computer and it found them all. For comparison, even the premium antivirus software we paid for didn’t catch all five. McAfee caught just four of five; Norton got three; Surfshark found three as well. And again, we were using Kaspersky’s free software at the time.

  We later learned that the free Kaspersky antivirus uses the same virus database as the premium one. It’s just that the paid-for software comes with several protection-enhancing features. It includes access to a VPN, online payment protection, real-time scanning of files, and so on. Those features can go a long way in protecting you online.

  Whether you stick to the free version or get a premium subscription, you’ll get top-quality virus protection from Kaspersky.

  FYI: Kaspersky offers parental control features as well, which can help you limit your kids’ screen time and protect them from online dangers, such as the most dangerous apps for kids.

• 5. McAfee Antivirus - The Most Complete Cybersecurity Software

  SecurityScore:

  8.8 /10

  View Plans

  

  How We Review

  Product Specs

  Virus Detection	Yes
  Malware Detection	Yes
  Firewall	Yes
  On-demand Scanning	Yes
  On-access Scanning	Yes
  Behavior-based monitoring	Yes

  

  View Plans

  See Also

  Do You Still Need Antivirus Protection Software in 2024?

  Pros

  • Antivirus packages with VPN, identity protection, and more
  • Real-time detection of threats
  • Customizable firewall protection
  • Easy to navigate apps

  Cons

  • Lengthy scans
  • Alleged security breach by Russian hackers in 2019
  • Real-time and background scans affected system performance
  • Frequent notifications when you turn off some features

  

  Multiple Digital Safety Tools In One App

  If TotalAV is the Swiss Army knife of malware protection, McAfee is a digital safety multi-tool. With McAfee’s most comprehensive subscription, we enjoyed safety nets beyond just malware protection. It also included a VPN, a password manager, identity monitoring, a secure browser add-on, three-bureau credit monitoring, ID theft insurance, and so on. You need all those if you want to ensure the safety of your data and personal information when browsing the internet.

  Of course, a service like that is going to cost a pretty penny. A one-year subscription can cost as much as $199.99, but if we do the math, it’s actually a good value. A VPN alone can cost up to $15 per month, while identity protection with credit monitoring can cost upwards of $20 per month. Meanwhile, McAfee’s premium subscription costs roughly $17 per month. You can find out more about McAfee subscriptions in our McAfee pricing page, but here’s a quick rundown.

  McAfee Premium (individual)	$49.99/year
  McAfee Premium (family)	$69.99/year
  McAfee Advanced (individual)	$89.99/year
  McAfee Advanced (family)	$119.99/year
  McAfee Ultimate (individual)	$199.99/year
  McAfee Ultimate (family)	$249.99/year

• 6. Bitdefender Antivirus - The Best Antivirus Software for Malware Detection

  SecurityScore:

  8.7 /10

  View Plans

  

  How We Review

  Product Specs

  Virus Detection	Yes
  Malware Detection	Yes
  Firewall	Yes
  On-demand Scanning	Yes
  On-access Scanning	Yes
  Behavior-based monitoring	Yes

  

  View Plans

  Pros

  • Perfect score in our virus detection test
  • Protects up to 15 devices
  • Affordable pricing starting at $38.98 for the first year
  • Behavior-based malware detection

  Cons

  • History of security breaches that affected customers’ privacy
  • Low iOS app ratings
  • No free trial but has a free version with limited features
  • Price likely to increase after the first year

  

  Impressive Malware Detection

  Remember Kaspersky’s impressive run in detecting malware? It was one of the only two antiviruses we tested that caught all five pieces of malware. The other one was Bitdefender.

  What’s most impressive about Bitdefender is that it didn’t have any trouble finding sneaky types of malware. We hid one several folders deep and another inside a .zip archive. Bitdefender found both. Another malware we hid camouflaged as a .pdf file. Bitdefender found it too.

  We also loved that Bitdefender has a real-time protection feature. This goes hand-in-hand with its malware detection. Anytime we accessed a file, downloaded something off of the internet, or launched a program, Bitdefender scanned it for malware. Nothing gets past it, which is why it’s our pick for malware detection.

  FYI: Expanding its horizons, Bitdefender now offers an identity protection service. This service leverages Bitdefender’s antivirus to actively steer users away from digital threats that can cause identity theft, such as malware.

• 7. Trend Micro Antivirus - The Best Antivirus Software for Web Protection

  SecurityScore:

  8.6 /10

  View Packages

  

  How We Review

  Product Specs

  Virus Detection	Yes
  Malware Detection	Yes
  Firewall	Yes
  On-demand Scanning	Yes
  On-access Scanning	Yes
  Behavior-based monitoring	Yes

  

  View Packages

  Pros

  • Great Windows, iOS, and Android apps
  • Social media privacy scanner
  • “Firewall booster” for Windows
  • Monthly and yearly subscriptions

  Cons

  • Clunky Mac app
  • Requires way too many computer restarts when installing or updating
  • The full scan option was buried deep beneath the app’s settings
  • Not as configurable as other antivirus software

  

  Online Malware Protection

  Malware can spread from one device to another by transferring files, plugging in an infected flash drive, or simply connecting to the same local network. But by far, most types of malware come from the internet.

  And what do they say? “An ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure.” Trend Micro lives by those words. Rather than simply eliminating malware once it gets into your device, Trend Micro prevents malware from entering your devices via the internet in the first place. It has a feature called “firewall booster” which complements the built-in firewall of Windows devices. It’s configured to stop botnets, it has an Intrusion Detection System (IDS), and it even lets you manually block incoming or outgoing traffic from certain programs.

  That feature coupled with malware detection gives Trend Micro a high chance of blocking off malware and harmful programs.

• 8. Avast Antivirus - The Best Antivirus Software for Mac

  SecurityScore:

  8.5 /10

  View Plans

  

  How We Review

  Product Specs

  Virus Detection	Yes
  Malware Detection	Yes
  Firewall	Yes
  On-demand Scanning	Yes
  On-access Scanning	Yes
  Behavior-based monitoring	Yes

  

  View Plans

  Pros

  • Comprehensive virus protection features
  • Easy to install and download on Mac
  • Free version for Windows, Mac, iOS, and Android devices
  • Affordable pricing for up to 10 devices

  Cons

  • No phone or live chat support
  • Pop-ups despite paying for the premium version
  • Sold anonymized browsing data of users to third parties
  • Extensive data collection

  

  User-Friendly Malware Protection for Mac

  It’s a common misconception that Macs don’t need antivirus software; they do. The built-in macOS antivirus is far from foolproof, so it’s best supplemented by a third-party antivirus. And if you’re looking for one for your Macbook or iMac, might we recommend Avast?

  Avast detects malware well. It provides protection against different types of malware, adware, spyware, and even ransomware. It can also include a VPN – another must-have cybersecurity tool. And in case you haven’t heard, Avast is now part of the same group as Norton, AVG, and Avira. Those are all reputable antivirus brands, and with their malware databases combined, they provide a broad range of protections.

  The reason we picked Avast for macOS is the user-experience. Avast’s macOS app is streamlined to the point that it sometimes feels like it was designed specifically for Macs. We didn’t have to deal with complex navigations or cluttered controls – everything was laid out neatly for us in the homescreen. If that’s what you want from your Mac antivirus, then definitely consider Avast.

  Did You Know: Although there are fewer viruses that target Apple products, the number has grown remarkably over the past few years. In 2017, there was a 270 percent increase in Mac viruses compared to 2016, and the number of threats have increased ever since.2

• 9. ESET Antivirus - The Best Antivirus Software for Windows

  SecurityScore:

  8.4 /10

  View Packages

  

  How We Review

  Product Specs

  Virus Detection	Yes
  Malware Detection	Yes
  Firewall	Yes
  On-demand Scanning	Yes
  On-access Scanning	Yes
  Behavior-based monitoring	Yes

  

  View Packages

  Pros

  • Trustworthy Windows app (NOD32)
  • Detected 80 percent of threats in our virus detection test
  • Email scanning for Windows Live Mail and Outlook
  • 30-day money-back guarantee

  Cons

  • Cluttered user interface makes it harder to access some features
  • Less frequent updates compared to other software
  • NOD32 is pretty basic compared to other ESET products
  • $39.99 per year is expensive for a single device

  

  Best Protection for Windows

  ESET NOD32 and its trademark picture of a human-like robot has been a common sight in Windows computers for decades. And there’s a reason why it’s a preferred Windows antivirus for many (including ourselves). Although NOD32’s features were basic compared to the other security suites offered by ESET, it’s a sturdy and trustworthy antivirus that reliably detected malware, adware, spyware, and ransomware. In fact, in our virus detection test, NOD32 scored a solid four out of five. That’s better than more than half of the other antivirus software we tested. Aside from that, ESET directly integrated a scanning feature into our Windows email apps, namely Live Mail and Outlook. The scan looked for suspicious attachments and prevented us from opening them. Being on the receiving end of countless email chains from co-workers and friends, this was a feature we really appreciated.

• 10. Vipre Antivirus - The Best Antivirus Software for Android

  SecurityScore:

  8.3 /10

  

  How We Review

  Product Specs

  Virus Detection	Yes
  Malware Detection	Yes
  Firewall	With Advanced Security and Ultimate Security versions
  On-demand Scanning	Yes
  On-access Scanning	Yes
  Behavior-based monitoring	Yes

  Pros

  • Customer support based in the U.S.
  • Protection for individuals and businesses
  • No history of security breaches, privacy violations or lawsuits
  • Detected 100 percent of widespread malware in past month

  Cons

  • In our tests, only detected one out of five viruses
  • No money-back guarantee
  • Personal subscription only covers one device
  • Online help center is pretty limited

  Android Security Like No Other

  Vipre offers antivirus and device security solutions for Windows, Mac, and iOS, but its Android security solution really stood out. Aside from the usual virus protection that Android antivirus apps provide, the Vipre Android Security app included features we typically don’t see in other Android antivirus apps. For starters, the Autopilot feature acted as our security advisor, letting us know of potential weaknesses in our Android settings. The app also allowed us to lock some apps, like our photo gallery, so that only we can access them using our fingerprints. And aside from digital security, Vipre provided our Android phones physical security. The Snap Photo feature, in particular, snapped a front camera picture of anyone who tried and failed to unlock our phones.

Methodology

So that’s about it for our list of the best antivirus software, but before we end this review, we’d like to give you an idea of our methodology.

We wanted to make our assessment as objective as possible, so we tested each software for at least six months. We took careful notes of their strengths and weaknesses, observed how they affected our devices, and monitored their behavior with regards to updates. We also tried to test each software across multiple operating systems to get a feel of their performance on Windows, Mac, iOS, and Android. If you want more specific information, check out the best antivirus for Mac, the best antivirus for Android, the best antivirus for Linux, and the best antivirus for PCs. And last but not least, we compared how each software fared in the following criteria.

Virus Detection

First, we stripped down each antivirus to their most basic feature: virus detection. We performed a virus detection test wherein we downloaded five files, each containing a different type of virus or malware. They ranged from adware to spyware and even Trojan malware. We then performed a full scan using each software and noted which antivirus detected which files. And the result? Well, the majority of the antivirus programs we tested detected at least three of the five files, but there were a couple of software that detected all five files and a few that detected 80 percent of the files.

Now, we don’t recommend doing the virus detection test by yourself unless you know what you’re doing. You could lose important files or even subject yourself to the dangers of having viruses on your computer. However, if you really want to see how an antivirus reacts to malware, you could use a harmless anti-malware testfile such as the one developed by the European Institute for Computer Antivirus Research (EICAR).3

Scans

While we’re on the subject of virus and malware detection, the next thing we tested was whether each antivirus tool scanned on access or on demand. Simply put, those that scanned on access searched for threats whenever the software was running, even in the background. In contrast, those with on-demand scanning scanned only whenever we instructed or scheduled them to scan. We prefer on-access scanning as it stops viruses and malware in real-time whether we remember to scan our computers or not. However, having on-demand scanning is also ideal. We still want to be able to scan our computers whenever we’re feeling anxious, you know?

Behavior-Based Detection

There’s another scanning-related feature that we deemed necessary: behavior-based detection. To understand what it is, we must first explain how traditional antivirus programs detect threats. Basically, when scanning a computer, the antivirus compares programs and files to a database of all known malware. The software may consider a file suspicious if it shares the same characteristics or code base as an existing threat. Now, that’s effective for detecting previously-known threats, but it has little to no effect on malware that is not yet on the database.

That’s where behavior-based detection kicked in. Instead of checking the code of each program and file, behavior-based detection monitored suspicious behaviors of files. For instance, one of the software we tested used this kind of detection to isolate a Trojan virus disguised as a Word file, likely because the .doc file in question tried to access our system files (nice try!). Having behavior-based detection really came in handy, especially since hundreds of thousands of new malware are being registered on a daily basis, according to the AV-TEST institute.4

Cost

We know that the cost is a major deciding factor when it comes to choosing an antivirus software. However, the prices of such tools fluctuate depending on the features, number of devices, and length of subscriptions. To keep them on equal grounds, we compared each software’s pricing for a one-year license that supports one to five devices. On average, the antivirus software we tested cost $30 to $50 for the first year, which breaks down to about $2 to $4 per month. Not bad for total malware protection. Of course, this isn’t the case for business antivirus, only personal.

We also checked if they have a free trial or better still, a free version. What’s the difference? Typically, a free trial includes all the features of the paid antivirus, but it only works for a limited time. Most of the free trials we found lasted up to 30 days only. In contrast, a free version is usually a licensed software that you could use for free indefinitely. The catch is that the features are limited, most likely. You likely won’t see any bells and whistles in your software— like password managers or VPNs, for instance— but you’ll have antivirus protection nonetheless. If you’re hesitant about getting a paid antivirus, we recommend using a free version for the time being.

Privacy Policy

Now onto the more tedious stuff. Because antiviruses needed access to our computers and files to do their jobs, it’s understandable that many of them collected our data. But the questions are: how much data did they collect and how did they use it? To answer that, we delved into each antivirus company’s privacy policy, and boy were we surprised. Many of the companies we looked into collect a ton of data from their users. The data they gathered included:

• Personal information such as contact details
• Payment information
• Browsing data such as the URLs we visited (although some of them anonymized the data before storing them)
• Device information like our MAC and IP addresses, IMEI numbers, and OS version
• Technical and crash reports
• Location information
• Network data
• Usage statistics

And many more! But wait, what’s even more concerning was how they used the data they gathered. Many of the antivirus companies we looked into explicitly said in their privacy policy that they share user data with third parties, usually with their partners for targeted advertisem*nt purposes. Needless to say, we weren’t thrilled. However, that’s the industry norm. So instead of counting out those that do these practices, we gave higher scores to those that didn’t or those that let us manage what data they collected.

Recap

Getting antivirus software is the first step towards staying safe in the digital world. With the right software, you’re sure to find yourself worrying less about the cyber threats looming around online. But it’s not the only digital security measure you can take. Once you get an antivirus software set up, be sure to check our review of the best VPNs and best identity theft protection products.

FAQ

This piece covers a lot regarding antivirus software, but we know that our readers still have plenty of questions.

• What is the best antivirus software?

  In our experience, TotalAV and Kaspersky are the top two antivirus programs, but if you’re looking for other options, Norton, Surfshark One, McAfee, Bitdefender, Trend Micro, Avast, ESET, and Vipre are also top-performers.

• How much does antivirus software cost?

  The cost of an antivirus software typically depends on the features, the number of devices it can protect, and the length of the subscription. The usual cost of a one-year subscription for one to five devices is somewhere between $30 and $40 per year.

• Are free antivirus software good enough?

  Some antivirus software have free versions and free trials. Free versions come with a limited set of features, but they are usually good enough for detecting viruses and malware through on-demand scans. Free trials, on the other hand, offer premium features for free for a limited time. Once they expire, you’ll need to pay for the full version to maintain protection. We recommend having antivirus protection 24/7, so if you’re looking for a free antivirus, we suggest getting a free version versus a free trial.

• How often should I scan my computer?

  We recommend performing a full scan at least once a month, but it’s good practice to scan your computer whenever you download files off of the internet, plug a storage device to your computer, or connect to a public Wi-Fi network. However, most antivirus software these days offer on-access scanning wherein they scan your computer whenever the app is open. In such cases, scans initiated by the user (a.k.a. on-demand scanning) aren’t absolutely necessary.