Picking the best antivirus software means finding one that keeps your PC or mobile device safe, doesn’t consume a lot of system resources, is easy to use and stays out of the way until you need it. Here’s what to look for.
Effectiveness
Antivirus software runs scans for known malware and can offer real-time protection. It can watch for shady websites and suspicious links to keep you out of trouble. It can also offer ransomware protection and monitor unexpected behavior that may be a sign of new and not-yet-identified viruses and malware. You want antivirus software that can successfully identify these unknown online threats without flagging too many false positives.
You can determine an antivirus software’s effectiveness by checking out its detection rate in tests performed by labs like AV-Test and AV-Comparatives. Look for software with high security rankings and an online detection rate of at least 90%.
Light on system resources
You don’t want antivirus software that taxes your PC’s resources, like CPU power. The antivirus shouldn’t slow your computer down at all while running in the background or have a significant impact on your ability to perform everyday tasks when running active scans.
Scans also shouldn’t take a long time (more than 10 minutes for a regular scan or one hour for a deep or full scan). Similarly, additional tools should have minimal impact on the performance of your device or the specific program (like a browser) those tools are connected to.
While we do consider performance in all of our antivirus reviews, a program’s impact on your device may be different. The good news is that most antivirus programs offer either a free trial or a money-back guarantee, so you can test out how they work on your setup with minimal risk.
Cost and discounts
Don’t just pay the sticker price for antivirus protection. Before you buy, check for discounts on a company’s website. You can also trim your cost with smaller antivirus packages if you need to cover three or five devices rather than, say, 10. You may also find discounts on an app’s Amazon page or at outlets like Best Buy.
Pay close attention to renewal costs. Most antivirus tools charge annual fees and only offer discounts for the first year, though you may be able to get a discount by paying for two years upfront. These promotional prices might lead to you paying as much as double the original amount for the following years.
Bundled services
Antivirus software may come bundled with other security tools like a password manager and a VPN. Buying a security suite with all of these tools lets you manage everything from one account, saving you hassle and money.
However, the VPNs in these security bundles aren’t always the best tools available. You may want to purchase separate subscriptions or choose a VPN with antivirus if privacy is a major concern.
Privacy
To be effective, antivirus software needs to monitor what’s going on with your PC, check in with company servers about unusual behavior and provide sound banking protection. It’s important to protect yourself by making sure the company you work with has protocols for pseudonymizing or anonymizing data so it’s not connected to your identity and encrypting all information — especially anything that can’t be disconnected from your identity.
You’ll also want to consider the number and types of disclosures the company’s privacy policy allows, which dictate what third parties it may give your information to.
Protection for other platforms
Many of us have our important data spread across multiple devices with different operating systems. This makes it important to choose an antivirus that can protect all of these devices. Pay close attention to any features that are limited to a specific operating system.
Customer service
The best antivirus companies offer 24/7 customer service via live chat, phone and support ticket, with fast and helpful representatives. We test all of these methods of communication during our reviews to help you get a sense of the company’s overall commitment to customer support.
Issues with Avast
In test after test, Avast Antivirus for Windows performed well for malware detection, with options ranging from Avast free antivirus software to Avast Premium Security. We’ve included its antivirus in our list of recommended security app options before.
However, early in 2024, the Federal Trade Commission fined Avast $16.5 million to settle charges that claimed the company had sold customer browsing information to more than 100 third parties from 2014 to 2020. Avast allegedly collected the data through browser extensions and antivirus software and sold the data through its Jumpshot subsidiary, the FTC claims. As part of the settlement, Avast is prohibited from selling or licensing any web browsing data for advertising purposes.
In response to the initial reports in 2020, then-Avast CEO Ondřej Vlček said in a statement that he understood his company’s actions raised questions of trust. To address that, Avast terminated Jumpshot data collection in January 2020 and closed its operations.
We hope the FTC actions mean that there will be no further Jumpshot-style activities and that Avast returns to glory as one of the best antivirus software options. Until then, we recommend using one of the many other solid choices in this realm (listed above).
Issues with Kaspersky
Let’s talk about Kaspersky Lab, specifically about the June 2024 federal ban prohibiting Kaspersky from directly or indirectly selling antivirus or cybersecurity software or services in the US or to US citizens. This sweeping ban follows a more limited one in 2017 that prohibited Kaspersky software and services on federal government computers because of alleged ties between Kaspersky and the Russian government.
Based in Moscow, Kaspersky Lab has for years produced some of the highest-rated antivirus software for business antivirus needs and home customers. Its software consistently earned top scores and awards for virus and malware detection and endpoint protection from independent testing labs.
“Russia has shown time and again they have the capability and intent to exploit Russian companies, like Kaspersky Lab, to collect and weaponize sensitive US information, and we will continue to use every tool at our disposal to safeguard US national security and the American people,” Secretary of Commerce Gina Raimondo said in the official announcement of the ban.
In a statement, Kaspersky said it “does not engage in activities which threaten US national security and, in fact, has made significant contributions with its reporting and protection from a variety of threat actors that targeted US interests and allies.”
