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Choosing the best antivirus software means finding one that keeps your computer or mobile device safe, doesn’t consume a lot of system resources, is easy to use, and doesn’t bother you until you need it. Here’s what to look for.
Efficiency
Antivirus software scans for known malware and can offer real-time protection. It can also watch for questionable websites and suspicious links to keep you out of trouble. It can also offer protection against ransomware and monitor for unexpected behavior that may be a sign of new and as-yet-unidentified viruses and malware. You want antivirus software that can successfully identify these unknown online threats without noting too many false positives.
You can determine the effectiveness of antivirus software by looking at its detection rate in tests performed by laboratories such as AV-test laboratory. None of this software is perfect—malware is evolving all the time—but you should look for software with an 80 to 90 percent detection rate.
System Resource Light
You don’t want antivirus software that puts a strain on your computer’s resources, such as RAM and CPU power. If after you install the program, websites open slowly, apps download slowly, software opens slowly, or file copying takes longer than expected, you may want to try another service. The good news is that all of our offerings offer a free trial or money-back guarantee to let you try the antivirus before you buy, so if your system feels bogged down after installation, you might want to keep looking. .
Price and discounts
Don’t just pay the sticker price for antivirus protection. Before you buy, check the company’s website for discounts. Another way to save: You can cut costs with smaller antivirus packages if you need to cover three or five devices rather than, say, 10. You may also find discounts per app Amazon page or in commercial establishments such as Best buy.
During the purchase process, pay close attention to renewal costs. Most antivirus tools charge annual fees and only offer discounts for the first year (although you may be able to get a discount by paying for two years up front). These promotional prices can cause you to pay more – sometimes even double the original amount – for years to come.
Packaged services
Antivirus software may come bundled with other security tools such as a password manager and a VPN. Buying a security suite with all these tools lets you manage everything from one account, saving you the hassle of managing multiple accounts — and it can save you money, too.
However, the VPNs in these security suites aren’t always the best tools available. You may want to purchase individual subscriptions or choose a VPN with antivirus if privacy is a primary concern.
Confidentiality
To be effective, antivirus software must monitor what’s going on with your computer, contact the company’s servers for unusual behavior, and provide robust bank protection. The companies say they anonymize this technical data as much as possible to protect your privacy. If you want to learn more, the security companies on our list post privacy policies on their websites, so you can read their privacy statements to learn what the companies do with the information you share.
Protection for other platforms
Microsoft is far away the biggest goal for viruses and malware. Android is secondwith 0.15% of apps installed on Android devices (with Google Play Protect) in the Potentially Dangerous Apps or PHA category by January 2024.
The threat to MacOS and especially iOS is low, in part because of the tight control Apple has over its app stores. Although Macs have been attacked through sideloaded apps, it’s rare, and if you only download apps from the Mac and iOS app stores and stay vigilant when clicking on links and downloading files, you should be OK without an antivirus app on Apple devices. Fortunately, you can be careful when downloading apps by sticking to official app stores, reading reviews and consulting privacy policies.
Avast problems
In test after test, Avast Antivirus for Windows performed well for malware detection, with options ranging from Avast Free Antivirus to Avast Premium Security. We’ve included its antivirus in our list of recommended security app options before.
However, in early 2024 FTC fines Avast $16.5 million to settle charges that the company sold customer browsing information to more than 100 third parties since 2014. until 2020 Avast allegedly collected the data through browser extensions and antivirus software and sold the data through its Jumpshot subsidiary, the FTC alleged. As part of the settlement, Avast is prohibited from selling or licensing web browsing data for advertising purposes.
In response to initial reports in 2020 then-Avast CEO Ondrzej Vlcek said in a statement that he understands that his company’s actions raise questions of trust. To address this, Avast stopped collecting data from Jumpshot in January 2020. and shut down its operations.
Hopefully, the FTC’s actions mean that there will be no more 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 area (listed above).
Kaspersky problems
Let’s talk about Kaspersky Lab, specifically about Federal ban from 2024announced on June 20, prohibiting Kaspersky from directly or indirectly selling anti-virus software or cybersecurity software or services in the US or to US citizens. This broad ban follows a more limited one in 2017 that banned Kaspersky software and services from federal government computers because of alleged ties between Kaspersky and the Russian government.
Based in Moscow, Kaspersky Lab has been producing some of the highest rated antivirus programs for business antivirus needs and home customers for years. Its software consistently earn top scores and rewards for virus and malware detection and endpoint protection from independent testing labs.
“Russia has shown time and time again that it has the ability and intent to exploit Russian companies, such as Kaspersky Lab, to collect and weaponize sensitive American information, and we will continue to use every tool at our disposal to protect US national security and the American people,” Commerce Secretary Gina Raimondo said in the official announcement of the ban.
In a statementKaspersky said it “does not engage in activities that threaten U.S. national security, and in fact has made significant contributions with its reporting and protection against various threats that target U.S. interests and allies.”
The Commerce Department recommends that those using Kaspersky software switch to replacement software from other security companies as soon as possible. To help Kaspersky customers with the transition, Kaspersky will be allowed to provide antivirus updates to its software until September 29, 2024, the department said.
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