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The best antivirus software 2021 -
You'll need one of the best antivirus programs, free or paid, on your Windows PC. Windows gets attacked much more often than any other software platform, and using a PC without antivirus software is just asking for trouble.
Fortunately, Windows 8.1, 10 and 11 come with Microsoft Defender Antivirus, which was once awful but is now among the best free antivirus programs available. If you just want to keep your PC free from infection, Defender might be all you need. But it can't match the extra features that come with the best paid antivirus software, and even some other free programs.
If you've got kids at home, you can get a premium security suite that includes parental controls along with antivirus software. Many suites also include VPN service, password managers, backup software or even identity-theft protection — all bundled more cheaply than if you bought each feature on its own.
Each brand's antivirus programs share one malware-detection "engine," but more features get added as subscription prices rise.
For example, Kaspersky has the free Kaspersky Security Cloud, the basic Kaspersky Anti-Virus, the midrange Kaspersky Internet Security and the premium Kaspersky Total Security. Norton LifeLock has even more plans mixing in various levels of protection.
Here's our list of the best paid antivirus programs. Don't forget to check out our list of the best free antivirus software halfway down this page.
The top 3 best antivirus brands -
1. Kaspersky Antivirus -
Kaspersky provides the best antivirus protection overall
Kaspersky Total Security combines one of the world's top-rated malware-detection engines with a ton of useful features. It's the best antivirus software you can buy today.
2. Bitdefender Antivirus -
Bitdefender offers the best value in antivirus software
Bitdefender Antivirus Plus combines great malware protection with an assortment of useful features and an easy-to-use interface, all at a very affordable price.
3. Norton Antivirus -
Norton packs in everything but the kitchen sink
Norton's antivirus products offer a password manager, unlimited VPN data, identity theft protection, parental controls and even online storage. If you're willing to pay full freight, you'll get almost every kind of digital security you could ever need.
What is the best antivirus software?
Our first choice is Kaspersky Total Security. It delivers excellent malware protection, a full complement of extra features and an easy-to-use interface.
Right behind that are the entry-level Bitdefender Antivirus Plus, the best bargain in antivirus software, and Norton 360 Deluxe, which offers a ton of extra features, including unlimited VPN service and LifeLock identity protection.
Any of these three would serve you well, but the ideal choice depends on your circumstances. See our section on how to choose the best antivirus software below, or our stand-alone antivirus buying guide.
For the best free antivirus, we like Kaspersky Security Cloud Free, which sailed past Bitdefender Antivirus Free Edition for the top spot. Both offered excellent protection without system slowdowns, but Kaspersky's free program lets you schedule scans, adds a ton of useful extras and had the smallest system impact we've ever seen.
Our free rankings immediately follow our paid rankings below.
The best free antivirus software -
A good paid antivirus suite is a digital-protection jackknife, often bundling in parental controls, identity theft protection, a password manager, backup software, cloud storage, a firewall, a system optimizer and software for Mac, Android and iOS as well as Windows.
But what if you just want Windows antivirus software without all of those pricey extras? And what if you can't afford to pay for antivirus software? One of the best free antivirus programs might be exactly what you need.
• Best internet security suites
• The best Windows 10 antivirus software
Free antivirus software used to be a step down from the paid software and involved trade-offs. The protection wasn't as good and you'd either have to put up with ads filling your screen or with constant nags to upgrade to a paid program.
What are the best free antivirus programs?
Kaspersky Security Cloud Free Antivirus may be the best free antivirus program we've ever seen. It has excellent malware protection, a decent set of extra functions and features, and a system-performance impact so small that our computer actually sped up after we installed the program.
Bitdefender Antivirus Free Edition is still the best "set it and forget it" free antivirus option. It takes care of itself and doesn’t need user intervention. If you need to put antivirus software on your grandparents' computer, or you don't want to think about it at all, this is the perfect solution.
The sleeper here is Microsoft Defender Antivirus, aka Windows Defender, which is built into Windows 8.1 and 10. It's now one of the best antivirus programs altogether. You don't have to install or download it — it's already on your PC.
If you want an unlimited password manager or a hardened web browser, Avast Free Antivirus might be for you. Its malware protection is much better than it once was, although its performance impact is fairly heavy.
Avast's stepsister AVG has the same malware-detection engine, but lacks Avast's full slate of useful extra features. But it does have a file shredder and system optimizer.
We have to mention one program that's not antivirus software, but which we recommend anyway: Malwarebytes Free. While antivirus tries to stop malware from infecting your machine, Malwarebytes functions as the cleanup crew, sweeping out less-harmful adware or potentially unwanted programs that the antivirus software ignores. It works well alongside any antivirus program.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)-
1. What’s the catch with free antiviruses?
There is no such thing as a truly free antivirus. You‘re always going to “pay” with something. Most antivirus companies limit the free version of their software to only offer basic protection. This leaves a lot of holes in your computer’s cybersecurity defense. The antivirus company hopes you’ll recognize you’re not well-protected, and they’ll try to get you to upgrade to the paid plan by sending you a ton of notifications and advertisements.
Some other antivirus companies even sell free users’ data to large corporations for marketing purposes — the popular free antivirus Avast (who also owns AVG) was just accused of doing this exact thing.
If you’re only using your device for simple online browsing or word processing, you’re probably fine with a free antivirus (and the ones on this list are the best free antiviruses out there). But, in general, if you store any kind of sensitive information on your Windows device, it’s always better to invest in a full-featured internet security suite than it is to trust a free antivirus.
2. should I use another free antivirus instead of Windows Defender?
Windows Defender is not a bad antivirus — it even ranks a little bit better than some third-party free antiviruses. But it just can’t compete when top cybersecurity companies like Avira are handing out excellent free antivirus software with protection against threats Windows Defender doesn’t protect against (like phishing sites, malicious web trackers, data breaches, etc.).
Indeed, most of the products on this list have substantially better free antivirus protection than Microsoft’s built-in Windows Defender antivirus.
You can read this blog post if you’d like to learn more about why Windows Defender isn’t good enough to keep users safe in 2021.
3. What’s the best free antivirus?
Avira is my #1 pick for the best free antivirus in 2021. It has one of the best antivirus scanners on the market, it’s very easy to use, and it has a great range of additional features (web protection, performance optimization tools, a password manager, a game booster, and a VPN).
While Avira Free is a really good antivirus, it does have some limitations — you can only use it on one device, it doesn’t provide ransomware protection, and the bundled VPN is limited to only 500 MB per month (barely enough to watch a few videos).
If you want full virus protection, a VPN with no limitations, and coverage for up to 5 Windows, Mac, Android, and iOS devices, I recommend you take a look at Avira Prime.
4. Is Avast free?
Yes, Avast does have a free antivirus, but I don’t recommend you use it, as Avast has been accused of collecting and selling user data for profit — you can read more about what happened here.
If you need a free antivirus, take a look at our list of the best free antiviruses in 2021 or just download Avira Free. But please keep in mind that all free antiviruses have some limitations — for example, Avira’s excellent free antivirus doesn’t have ransomware protection, and you can only use it on one device.
If you want the best protection for all of your devices, you need to pay for a premium antivirus program like Norton or Bitdefender.
5. What are the most common types of viruses that affect Windows computers?
While there are literally billions of malware attacks reported annually, trojans and adware are consistently the most common types of malware found on Windows computers.
Trojans look like other files with extensions like .exe and .doc — but once downloaded, trojans can initiate a backdoor attack to steal user data, to incorporate a Windows device into a botnet, to give a hacker direct access to a computer, or to simply crash and erase the entire OS.
Because hackers are constantly developing new malware for Windows, it’s crucial that your antivirus uses a malware database that’s consistently updated. Avira’s malware scanner is based in Avira’s cloud, so its malware database is always up-to-date, with no need for users to worry about downloading or installing database updates.
6. Will Windows allow me to install a free antivirus?
Absolutely! Windows will automatically turn off Microsoft’s built-in virus protection when a new third-party antivirus software is installed. If you decide to uninstall your third-party antivirus, your PC will automatically ask you to reactivate the Windows Defender antivirus.
That said, if you’re going to replace Defender, you should consider investing a little bit into premium cybersecurity protection. Free antivirus software just isn’t as good as paid antivirus softwares — you really do get what you pay for, and when it comes to keeping all of your devices and digital data safe, a paid antivirus like Norton 360 is definitely worth the investment.
If you’re looking for advanced protection and a lot of other great cybersecurity features, check out this list of the best premium antivirus products on the market.
