In the ever-evolving digital landscape, safeguarding your devices against online threats is paramount. This article, updated on October 26, 2023, delves into the world of antivirus software, offering insights and recommendations to help you choose the best protection for your needs. Our selections are based on rigorous testing and expert opinions, ensuring you receive reliable and unbiased advice.
Gone are the days when a single computer served the entire household. Today, families often juggle numerous digital devices, from laptops and smartphones to tablets, making comprehensive antivirus protection essential. Modern antivirus packages are designed to protect multiple devices and offer a range of features beyond simple malware detection and removal.
While basic, free antivirus programs are still available for PCs and smartphones, offering fundamental protection, today's premium products provide broader coverage and additional functionalities, such as identity theft protection. As a tech writer and PC user, I understand the critical importance of antivirus software in eliminating PC malware, which remains the most prevalent threat. However, protecting against malicious websites, phishing attacks, and online snooping is equally crucial, especially for households with less tech-savvy users.
The cost of comprehensive protection typically involves an annual subscription ranging from £20 to £30 for multi-device coverage. These subscriptions often include extras like a Virtual Private Network (VPN), which encrypts your internet traffic and prevents online surveillance. For those seeking more information on VPNs, numerous resources are available online.
On the other end of the spectrum, free antivirus options exist, with vendors like AVG offering free packages that scan your devices for malicious software. Additionally, Microsoft Defender comes pre-installed on all Windows PCs from Windows 8 onwards. These free solutions are excellent starting points if you suspect your device is experiencing performance issues due to malware.
This review reflects the current antivirus market, featuring a selection of free PC packages and comprehensive software suites designed for multiple devices. The reviews are tailored to families with varying levels of computer experience, emphasizing simplicity, value, and performance.
Choosing the Right Antivirus: Key Considerations
When selecting the best antivirus for your PC or other devices, it's crucial to consider several factors, including malware detection rates, customer service, and system resource usage. According to British computer security expert Graham Cluley, independent virus-testing labs provide valuable statistics on how well antivirus software detects various types of malware, such as ransomware, spyware, and Trojans.
Cluley emphasizes the importance of consulting reviews from reputable independent testing organizations like AV-Test.org and AV-Comparatives, which have a long history of conducting thorough antivirus tests.
In the reviews below, we've included comparable testing lab results from AV-Comparatives to assess the performance of different antivirus solutions across various platforms, including Mac, laptops, and smartphones.
Beyond virus scanning, Cluley highlights the significance of customer service. In situations where you encounter difficulties, having access to timely and helpful support is essential. Resolving malware infections can be a complex process, requiring expert assistance.
Finally, Cluley advises choosing software that operates efficiently in the background without disrupting your computing experience. Consider the software's system resource usage and compatibility with your devices. Many security vendors offer free trials, allowing you to test the software's performance on your system before committing to a subscription. A good antivirus should be unobtrusive, only alerting you when it detects and prevents a threat. When it does appear, it should be easy to use and facilitate the cleanup of any infections.
Testing Methodology
I personally downloaded and tested every function of several antivirus packages, both free and paid, across multiple platforms, including PC, Android, and iOS. I utilized data from independent malware testing lab AV-Comparatives to evaluate the real-world performance of different software against threats and assess their impact on system speed. The software was ranked based on ease of use, the value of extra features, and the level of intrusion.
Top Antivirus Recommendations
Here's a quick overview of our top antivirus recommendations:
- Best Antivirus Overall: McAfee Total Protection
- Best Antivirus for Features: BitDefender Total Security
- Best Antivirus for Families: Norton 360 Deluxe
- Best Free Antivirus: AVG Free
- Best Antivirus for Simplicity: Microsoft Defender
- Best Antivirus for Speed: Malwarebytes Free
Detailed Reviews
1. McAfee Total Protection
Price: £22.49 for five devices
Website: McAfee.com
Verdict: Best Overall
McAfee Total Protection is a user-friendly security suite with excellent virus protection. Founded in 1987, McAfee is a well-established name in the antivirus industry. The software offers high levels of protection, detecting 99.8% of threats in tests by AV-Comparatives, second only to Norton.
Designed for multi-device households, McAfee Total Protection offers protection for up to five devices with a single subscription. Versions are available for Android and iOS. The interface is simple and avoids technical jargon, making it easy to use even for less experienced computer users. Customer support is available via chat and phone.
The software includes a built-in VPN, which can be easily enabled to protect your online data and access region-restricted content. However, this feature requires auto-renewal of your subscription.
McAfee Total Protection operates quietly in the background, although it ranked lowest in system performance impact in AV-Comparatives tests. The software also minimizes annoying notifications.
Some extra features, such as ID Protection, require logging into your McAfee account via your browser. ID Protection alerts you to leaked passwords from previous data breaches. You can also configure the software to monitor for other private details, such as phone numbers, on cybercrime websites. RansomGuard protects your files from ransomware attacks, and QuickClean helps speed up your PC by removing unnecessary files.
The mobile versions of the app offer a security score and highlight potential problems, including malware and insecure Wi-Fi.
Key Features: VPN, ransomware protection, PC cleaner, multi-device support
2. BitDefender Total Security
Price: £29.99 for five devices
Website: BitDefender.com
Verdict: Best for Features
BitDefender Total Security offers a wide range of features, including firewalls, antivirus, camera protection, parental protection, and a spam filter. A single subscription protects up to five devices across PC, MacOS, iOS, and Android platforms. Customer support is available via online chat, phone, and email.
The software includes a VPN, but it's capped at 200MB per day. It also features a password manager and SafePay, a secure browser for online banking and shopping.
Other notable features include video and audio warnings, which alert you to potential webcam hijacking attempts, and a ransomware remediation feature, which allows you to recover your data without paying the ransom.
BitDefender Total Security has the least impact on PC speed among the full-featured security suites, according to AV-Comparatives tests. However, the layout and language may be intimidating for less experienced computer users.
The software generates a large number of security notifications, which can be overwhelming. In our tests, it repeatedly warned that a Wi-Fi network was unsafe due to a lowercase password, which can needlessly alarm users.
Key Features: VPN, spam filter, ransomware protection, safe shopping browser
3. Norton 360 Deluxe
Price: £29.99 for five devices (first year), £84.99 on renewal
Website: Norton.com
Verdict: Best for Families
Norton 360 Deluxe offers excellent value, especially for the first year. It includes antivirus, cloud backup, firewall, password monitoring, and a VPN service for up to five devices. 24-hour customer support is available.
Norton's protection is stellar, with a 100% protection rate in AV-Comparatives tests. The software is simple, fast, and operates from a streamlined interface. It has little impact on system performance, ranking second-highest in AV-Comparatives tests.
Extras include Safecam, which alerts you when an application attempts to access your webcam, a password manager, and a dark web monitoring service.
The mobile app offers comprehensive features but can be fiddly to set up initially.
Be aware of the significant price increase upon renewal after the first year.
Key Features: VPN, webcam protection, identity protection, password manager, file protection
4. AVG Free
Price: Free
Website: AVG.com
Verdict: Best Free Antivirus
AVG Free offers decent performance with a 99.9% detection rate in AV-Comparatives tests. It's ideal for reassurance if your system slows down and you suspect a malware infection. It's usable without paying for a subscription, although you'll see messages prompting you to upgrade. It's simple to use, configurable, and doesn't impact your system too much. There's no customer support for non-paying customers.
You can easily upgrade to AVG Internet Security for real-time protection and customer support. However, extras like a VPN are only available with the AVG Ultimate package.
Key Features: Virus scans, paid upgrade to real-time protection
5. Microsoft Defender
Price: Free with Windows
Verdict: Best for Simplicity
Microsoft Defender is free, simple to use, and comes bundled with every new Windows PC. It's almost invisible in use and offers a decent set of features, including scans for viruses, security issues, and screen-time controls. It offered protection against 99.7% of malware in AV-Comparatives tests. It lacks extras and customer support.
Features: Scan for security problems, scan for viruses, protection for children
6. Malwarebytes Free
Price: Free
Website: Malwarebytes.com
Verdict: Best for Speed
Malwarebytes Free is an anti-malware tool that runs scans on your system. Unlike most antivirus software, it works alongside other packages. There's no real-time protection, so it relies on manual scans. It's extremely light and the scans are fast. It has a 99.6% accuracy report from AV-Comparatives. There's no customer support.
Features: Virus scan, scan for potentially unwanted applications