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I tested every free antivirus I could find against thousands of Windows malware files. The 5 downloads here each offer free virus protection alongside a decent set of free internet security tools.
That said, every free antivirus is going to include a few frustrating limitations. I tested and ranked each free antivirus for malware detection, ease of use, and additional cybersecurity features. Read the full Norton review here. Your Windows computer already comes with Windows Defender — which, as we saw in our full review , is a decent free antivirus. Plus, Windows Defender consistently ranks below the top antivirus scanners in testing. To keep your PC as safe as possible, you need the kind of protection that you can only get from third-party antivirus software.
Some of the free programs on my list also include additional cybersecurity protections. In general, cybersecurity companies reserve their highest level of security for paying users. Here are a few of them:. Avira Free Security for Windows is my favorite free Windows antivirus in — it has one of the best anti-malware engines on the market, includes more free features than any other competitor, and is really easy to use.
Paid programs like McAfee and Norton are equally effective at detecting malware, but their full disk scans will slow down your system much more than Avira will. The Safe Shopping browser extension for Firefox and Chrome is really good — it blocks suspicious phishing sites, web trackers, and unwanted advertisements. The extension also automatically recommends links to better deals when shopping online.
If you want a fast and reliable VPN with unlimited data, multi-device support, and advanced system optimization tools, you should consider upgrading to Avira Prime , which is one of the best antivirus suites of Download Avira Free Now. Another thing that makes Panda a good choice for Windows users is the Rescue Kit feature, which allows you to download a bootable version of Panda to a USB drive and then use the USB drive to clean an infected PC and get it up and running again.
You can only get unlimited VPN data and access to servers around the globe on the Panda Dome Premium plan, which also offers useful extras like a firewall, anti-phishing protections, advanced system tune-up tools, a password manager, and parental controls.
With lightweight malware scanning, an automatic gaming mode, a Rescue Kit, and a VPN, Panda is an excellent free internet security product.
Download Panda Free Now. Web Shield also detected a couple of low-trust online stores and tech support scam sites that most competing antiviruses missed. TotalAV also has decent system tuneup tools — these tools found and removed more than 20 GB of junk and duplicate files on my computer.
To get these features, you need to upgrade to TotalAV Internet Security or TotalAV Total Security adds a VPN, a password manager, and ad blocker — both of which are cheaper than most cybersecurity suites and come with a risk-free day money-back guarantee. All TotalAV purchases have a day money-back guarantee. Sophos Home Free offers pretty good anti-malware protection. It also includes some helpful web protections, and covers up to 3 PCs.
In addition to multi-device protection and remote management, Sophos is also a decent choice for families because it has free parental controls. Sophos Home Free is pretty good, and Sophos Home Premium adds advanced malware and ransomware scanning, additional web protections, and coverage for up to 10 devices — and it has a day money-back guarantee.
Sophos offers pretty good antivirus scanning and remote management for up to 3 devices — which is pretty generous for a free antivirus. Users looking for coverage on up to 10 devices, advanced malware and ransomware protection, and advanced web safety tools should upgrade to Sophos Home Premium.
Download Sophos Free Now. Kaspersky Security Cloud — Free is good at detecting and removing malware, and it also comes with plenty of extras — including:. All Kaspersky purchases include a day money-back guarantee.
Download Kaspersky Free Now. There is no such thing as a truly free antivirus. Most antivirus companies limit the free version of their software to only offer basic protection. Most of the products on this list have much better cybersecurity protections for keeping your device and data secure online. 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. If you decide to uninstall your third-party antivirus, Windows Defender will ask you to reactivate its malware protections. RON Romanian leu. Professional Reviews. Affiliate Commissions. Reviews Guidelines. Short on time? Download Avira Free Security for Windows here. Sophos — Good real-time scanning with remote access for 3 PCs. Kaspersky — Free extras like a VPN, dark web monitoring, and a password manager. You can read more about our decision here.
Bitdefender is one of my favorite antiviruses of It has an excellent cloud-based malware scanner and more additional features than most competitors.
Why should I use a free antivirus instead of Windows Defender? What are the most common types of viruses that affect Windows computers? Will Windows allow me to install a free antivirus? Read Review Visit Website. Share It: 0. About the Author Scott Jackson is an internet security researcher who has spent the last two decades working as an IT technician, programmer, and cybersecurity consultant with more than a dozen Fortune companies.
He spends his time researching hacking trends and helping make sure that people stay safe on the internet. Was this article helpful? Please tell us what we can improve This field is required.
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