These third-party antiviruses have more effective malware scanners, are easier to use, and come with better and more advanced cybersecurity protections. There are many reasons to like Windows Defender — especially as Microsoft has worked really hard to improve it over the last few years.
It now offers:. It even includes simple PC performance and health reports as well as parental controls with content filtering, usage limitations, and location tracking. Because Windows Defender now includes all of these useful features, users are wondering whether they can rely on Defender alone to protect their computers or need to use a third-party antivirus.
I ran Defender through the same rigorous tests that I use for all third-party antivirus products. I downloaded around a thousand malware files — including viruses, trojans, ransomware, adware, cryptojackers, keyloggers, and rootkits — in order to test the disk scanning and real-time protection functions. In addition to all of this testing, I measured CPU performance during various situations — like while using high-powered programs during disk scans — as well as testing every single feature to assess its overall ease of use.
If you value the security of your PC and all of your online accounts, you need to invest in higher-quality internet security software. Norton is better than Windows Defender in every aspect — it has higher malware detection rates, better internet security protections, more additional features, and coverage for more platforms.
Norton also has a really good password manager with all of the essentials, like auto-saving, auto-filling, and biometric login, as well as extras such as a password auto-changer which only the best password managers like Dashlane and LastPass have. Norton is available in a variety of p ackages. Norton is also easier to use than Windows Defender, has a variety of pricing plans for every budget, and offers a generous day money-back guarantee.
Download Norton Now. Even though Windows Defender is also partially cloud-based, it still slowed down my system during scans. Bitdefender has some of the strongest web protections of any antivirus on the market. Bitdefender has anti-phishing, a VPN, parental controls, a password manager, system tuneup tools, and lots more, all inside a well-laid-out and intuitive dashboard.
Download Bitdefender Now. TotalAV also includes some really good extra features which Windows fails to include in its built-in protections — including a VPN, system tuneup tools, and identity theft protections. TotalAV is much easier to use than Windows Defender and comes with good malware protection and great PC optimization tools to enhance device performance. Download TotalAV Now. Avira Prime comes with a day money-back guarantee. However, there are also high-quality and perfectly safe freebie antivirus apps, and the trick is to be armed with the knowledge that helps you to pick the right free antivirus.
With that said, follow us into the armory…. Today's best free security download is Avira Free Antivirus Avira takes the title of our favorite freebie right now - beating out all the competition including Microsoft Defender. In addition to scoring brilliantly for pure protection from independent test labs, it also comes with a whole host of features like scam protection, password manager and even a free VPN.
A worst-case scenario is that an antivirus program might be completely fake — and actually do nothing, except perhaps steal your personal data, or get up to other malicious activities. Some malware will pretend to be an antivirus, too. Today's best free security download is Avira Free Antivirus Avira takes the title of our favorite freebie right now. In addition to scoring brilliantly for pure virus protection from independent test labs, it also comes with a whole host of features like anti-ransomware, scam protection, password manager and even a free VPN.
A free online security app - at least when it comes to the big-name security firms who make the cut for our best free antivirus roundup - can provide excellent core protection obscure or less reputable brands may not — so obviously be wary there. This will keep you safe, and so the short answer to our question of whether free software is enough for your computer is: yes, it is. A good free app from a quality vendor — the software makers who are ranked top by the independent testing labs in report after report — will keep your PC secure, broadly speaking.
However, what you need to remember with a free virus protection is that you are only getting the bare minimum of security, however solid that may be. Note that Windows 10 will automatically disable its own Windows Defender antivirus when you install third-party antivirus.
If you uninstall the third-party protection, Windows 10 will turn back on its own antivirus. Norton antivirus provides industry-leading security software for PC, Mac, and mobile devices. Note, we don't think antivirus protection is terribly useful outside the Windows realm. In addition to malware and virus protection for your computer and mobile device, this antivirus suite provides GB of backup to the cloud, safe-browsing tools, a secure VPN, password manager, parental controls and LifeLock identity theft protection and fraud alert.
While not all of those services are necessarily best in their respective class, getting them all in one package is a compelling option. If you'd like to take a step up in securing your PC without taxing your wallet, it's hard to beat Bitdefender's free antivirus software for Windows The Windows security software offers real-time monitoring for viruses, malware, spyware and ransomware protection.
Bitdefender Antivirus Free Edition is easy to set up and stays out of your way until you need it. And the protection this antivirus product offers is solid. Bitdefender antivirus software consistently earns top marks for its antivirus protection and usability from the respected AV-Test independent testing lab. The free antivirus version covers one Windows PC.
Malwarebytes does protect your PC from a virus or malware attack, scoring reasonably well in recent independent testing for guarding against malware threats. But that's not really what Malwarebytes is known for. If you find yourself in trouble, the go-to disinfectant for many is Malwarebytes. To get the antivirus company's free antivirus version, download this trial version , which "downgrades" to a no-fee on-demand cleaner with fewer features that detects and removes viruses and malware when you run an on-demand antivirus scan after 14 days.
In addition to the four antivirus apps we recommend above, a handful of other anti-malware tools are worth considering among the best antivirus protection if you find them at a better price or just prefer to use one over our picks above. It feels like McAfee Antivirus has been around forever, first on its own in the '80s, then as part of Intel starting in , and then again on its own when Intel spun it off in And McAfee Total Protection has been around forever because quarter after quarter it creates solid, modern antivirus software that protects your PC.
In recent evaluations by AV-Test, it had high scores on both protection and performance. Maybe this antivirus provider is not as well known to consumers because of its focus on enterprise security, Trend Micro antivirus quietly brings its business expertise to the home with its Trend Micro Maximum Security tools.
Trend Micro's software earns high marks from AV-Test -- consistently scoring well for detecting zero-day attacks and widespread viruses and malware. And Trend Micro does a good job of not taxing system resources. Free version? It earns high scores for usability and offers solid virus protection.
The free antivirus version of Sophos Home gives you virus protection for three Windows PCs -- using the company's high-scoring anti-malware tool -- plus a day trial of the company's malware-removal tool. Test after test, Avast Antivirus for Windows performs well for malware detection with options ranging from Avast free antivirus software to Avast Premium Security.
And we've included its antivirus in our list of recommended security app options before. But Avast was in the news for several months for its non-antivirus business, so we looked at the company, specifically reports at the end of that Avast allegedly collected user data with its browser plug-ins and antivirus software and then sold data it collected through its Jumpshot subsidiary in early In response to the reports that his company gathered and sold the details of its customers' online activities, Avast CEO Ondrej Vlcek said in a statement that he understood that his company's actions raised questions of trust in his company.
To address that, Avast terminated Jumpshot data collection in January and closed its operations because the data collection business wasn't in line with Avast's privacy priorities.
These newer reports follow another in from Avast that its internal network was breached , possibly to insert malware into its CCleaner software, similar to an earlier CCleaner hack that occurred prior to Avast's acquiring the Windows utility.
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