Software

Best antivirus software of X - Getting the best antivirus software is crucial, as new cyber threats, like ransomware, spyware, and malware appear every day – they are even more infectious than before. Currently, there are a variety of malicious programs that can steal data stored on your device and also put your privacy at risk.

The majority of antivirus software providers offer all-in-one security packages which include real-time protection from all types of viruses, a VPN, and even a password manager. These security tools can ensure the safety of macOS, iOS, Android, and Windows devices.

Even though the latest operating systems, like Windows 11 and 10 have in-built security solutions, they’re not robust enough to provide all-round protection from the highly advanced malware infections.

The best antivirus – our curated list

Below you will find our best antivirus programs for 2022. All of them have the necessary tools to provide maximum protection and bonus features that you may find useful. Once again, don’t just pick #1 – I recommend investing a little bit of time to find the service that best suits your needs.

1. Bitdefender Antivirus Plus – the best virus protection in 2022

Maximum simultaneous connections: 5 devices, Free version: Yes Platforms: Windows, macOS, Android, iOS

Running for almost two decades, Bitdefender has earned its place among the best antivirus providers. It has over 500 million users, mainly because of its great free version, but the premium options are well-worth your money. And when you add a password manager and a VPN, Bitdefender Antivirus becomes a full cybersecurity suite. No wonder you will find it at the top of most best antivirus lists.

Features and pricing plans

The results from multiple independent antivirus testing labs have shown that Bitdefender is an elite antivirus software. It protects your web surfing, banking, and if you haven’t set automated updates, this service will inform you when it’s time to patch up your system. There’s also a secure browser with a virtual keyboard to prevent keylogging.

Another great feature of Bitdefender is a file shredder that you can utilize for disintegrating those sensitive documents for good. What’s more, your files will be protected from ransomware attacks.

I also particularly liked the anti-webcam hijack feature that comes with the Internet Security 2022 plan. Along with parental controls and a two-way firewall, it helps to keep your children safe.

The only disadvantage of this security suite is that Bitdefender might slow your system down while running in the background if you have an older device. Apart from that, it’s a premium protection tool.

There are three different subscription packages to choose from: the Antivirus Plus, the Internet Security, and the Total Security plans.

The Bitdefender Antivirus Plus costs $23.99/year and allows you to secure up to 3 Windows devices. It’s a standard security suite to help you protect against malware, adware, and ransomware.

The Internet Security plan has additional privacy protection and parental control tools. You can use it on 3 Windows devices as well for $32.00/year.

The most feature-rich package is the Bitdefender Total Security that supports 5 devices for $36.00/year. It’s compatible with both Windows and macOS devices.

If you decide to get Bitdefender, it accepts credit card and PayPal payments, as well as cash at 7-Eleven/ACE. There’s also a 30-day free trial that might help make up your mind before committing.

Verdict

To conclude, Bitdefender found the courage to do things differently and packed the most features into its cheapest version, making it more than an afterthought for most home users. Indeed, when you provide quality for a fraction of the price, it’s hard not to reach the top.

Pros

Best malware protecion
Excellent core
Feature-rich
Excellent free version
Great value for money
Frequent updates
Exceptional scores in independent tests

Cons

Full VPN access requires paying extra
Could use fewer resources while running in background

2. Norton 360 Antivirus – best features if you can afford them

Maximum simultaneous connections: 10 devices, Free version: No Platforms: Windows, macOS, Android, iOS

Norton, after nearly three decades from launch, remains a reputable name in the antivirus industry – independent antivirus testers score it highly. What’s more, this provider packages arguably the most extensive list of cybersecurity tools. This is an amazing service, but it’s among the most expensive suites in 2022 and also doesn’t have a free version.

Pricing plans and features

Norton 360 prices start from $19.99/yr with the Standard plan. In contrast, you get the best Bitdefender suite for such a sum. Standard plan gives you one device, core protection tools, a firewall, 10 GB cloud backup, a VPN, and a password manager. There’s also a SafeCam (Windows only) and Dark Web Monitoring, which is limited to your email only at this stage.

For an extra $30/yr, you also get Parental Control and School Time features - this family-oriented plan that supports up to five devices is called Norton 360 Deluxe. Next come the plans that offer extra identity protection and should prove invaluable to those with the added risk of losing lots of money. Some call them rich people.

After this, prices spike as LifeLock is added to the mix. Here your social security number, name, address, DOB are added to your email monitoring, alerting you whenever this personal data is used by someone when applying for credit or services. You can also initiate Credit Monitoring and Reimbursement in case of identity theft.

Skipping the mid-range Norton 360 with LifeLock offer, we arrive at the Ultimate Plus for $299.88/yr (that’s for the first year and unlimited devices). With this offer, you get Identity Lock that can immediately lock your TransUnion credit file. Furthermore, Transaction Monitoring lets you centralize all info about cash withdrawals and other bank operations.

If that wasn’t enough, Court Records Scanning checks whether some criminal gave your name and DOB to the police. Finally, Norton 360 with LifeLock also checks your 401(k) and home title.

Is there something that Norton Antivirus doesn’t include? Well, you won’t find a file shredder, file encryption, and secure browser. However, you will get Norton Crypto, which is an option to use your device to mine cryptocurrency – great when your device is idle. It's an unusual addition to the service, but certainly something many users will enjoy.

Verdict

To sum up, Norton 360 offers excellent protection while not overloading your device. It’s easy to use but at the same time provides plenty of options for advanced users. And while the prices are high, one would be hard-pressed to find a better deal when buying all the components one-by-one.

Pros

Excellent protection
Plenty of extras
Powerful identity-theft suite
Low resource usage
Easy-to-use

Cons

Expensive
No free version
LifeLock is oriented to the US users

3. TotalAV – the essential free antivirus package

Maximum simultaneous connections: 6 devices, Free version: Yes Platforms: Windows, macOS, Android, iOS, Linux

TotalAV is a reliable antivirus service that protects you from all kinds of online threats. The bar of entry is low, and everyone can make use of their product. Aside from their premium package, they also have a free version. It's available to everyone.

Pricing plans and features

With the TotalAV free version, you're getting the essential level of safety. It includes a malware scanner for your local cleanup. With it, you will be able to purge nasty viruses from your device. On the online frontier, you'll be getting anti-phishing protection. It will filter out fake websites aiming to get your credentials or other information. Customer support isn't off-limits, either.

If you raise the stakes and go with their premium plans, you're getting more of everything. Your security coverage expands a great deal with real-time protection and ransomware shields. On top of that, it also includes a Cloud scanner that gives you more up-to-date countermeasures against zero-day exploits.

There are other benefits, as well. For example, there are disk cleaner and optimization tools. These will help you free up some space in your hard drive and make your startup more efficient.

The tool doesn't aim to hurt your wallet. Premium plans can be had for a fairly reasonable price. When put side by side with most of its competitors, it doesn't seem all that expensive, which is always a positive for the end-user.

Verdict

Overall, TotalAV is a simple but powerful addition to your system. It will remove most online germs you caught while surfing the web, but it won't overload your device. This antivirus can be recommended to everyone who needs a simple solution to stay safe online or offline.

Pros

Good protection against most cyberthreats
Intuitive apps
A basic free version
Fast customer support response times
Real-time and cloud protection
Includes optimisation tools

Cons

Only covers six devices
The browser extension isn’t particularly user friendly
Safe Search doesn’t always work

4. McAfee Total Protection – great cross-platform support with basic plan

Maximum simultaneous connections: 10 devices, Free version: Yes Platforms: Windows, macOS, Android, iOS

Even though John McAfee himself has called his antivirus “one of the worst products on the f*cking planet,” nowadays, you will find McAfee Total Protection on most best antivirus lists. The company was owned by Intel from 2010 until 2017 when Intel and TPG Capital closed a strategic deal to convert Intel’s Security division into a company called McAfee.

Pricing plans and features

McAfee Antivirus offers Windows, macOS, Android, and iOS support starting from the basic plan. However, apps for Apple devices have fewer features. For $29.99/year, you can get a single license for any device. If you subscribe for 2 years, the price decreases to $24.99/year.

Just like Bitdefender, McAfee offers most features for everyone and adds only a few in the pricier plans. The core package includes a VPN, a password manager, file encryption, and a file shredder, among other features.

Keep in mind that this antivirus also has a plan for couples which gives 2-year protection services for up to 5 devices for $39.99/year price. However, if you need security for more devices, McAfee's Family plan costs $49.99/year.

Talking about mobile security, I really liked the mobile-oriented Guest Mode, which allows you to lock certain apps and give the phone to your kids to play some games or watch some videos.

I also must mention Home Network Security – it allows managing all devices connected to the wifi and alerts you of any intrusion attempts.

If you’re interested in McAfee, you can purchase the subscription plans with a credit card or PayPal account. Also, there’s a 30-day money-back guarantee for you to test all the features without the risk of committing to an unsatisfactory service.

It’s important to note that McAfee doesn't have a free version.There used to be one for a now-defunct product called Security Cloud, but I don't think we'll see something similar in the near future.

Verdict

Looking at the results from the independent tests, I can say that McAfee does great most of the time. However, there are more than a few below-average results from MRG Effitas that didn’t certify Avira and this antivirus in Q2 2020.

When summed up, it’s clear that McAfee belongs on this list, but it’s certainly not at the very top. Nevertheless, I can recommend this antivirus software to anyone, especially families and groups with many devices.

Pros

All plans support majort platforms
Generous device limits
Basic package is feature-rich
Solid firewall
Home Network Security feature is a godsend

Cons

Some independent test results are poor
Performance could be better
Apple products have fewer features

5. Avira Antivirus – best free plan on the market

Maximum simultaneous connections: 25 devices, Free version: Yes Platforms: Windows, macOS, Android, iOS

Pricing plans and features

500 million users have made the right choice by choosing Avira Antivirus, as it’s one of the best antivirus software available in both free and premium segments.

Features and pricing plans

Avira’s free version is great. It includes a VPN, a firewall, and a password generator when most of the time you’ll be paying extra to get some or all of them.

The Pro version has advanced ransomware protection and greatly expands the available suite of features. It includes a complete web protection for safe online shopping, as well as email protection. You can get the Avira Antivirus Pro plan for as low as $30.99 per year for 1 device.

There’s also the Internet Security suite which includes automatic software updating feature, a tool for browser safety, and a password manager along with regular malware protection solutions. It costs $3.42 per month for the security of 1 device.

Additionally, there are yearly subscription packages available – 1-year, 2-year, and the 3-year options. If you’re on a tight budget, it’s best to get the 3-year subscription which costs $34.69/year for the Pro plan, and $43.33/year for the Internet Security suite.

This antivirus software is compatible with Windows, macOS, Android, and iOS devices. You can manually select how many devices you want to protect – one, three, or five – during the payment process. The company accepts PayPal and credit card payments and offers a 30-day money-back guarantee.

Furthermore, what distinguishes Avira from other antiviruses is its system optimization tools. For example, you can speed up the booting of your device or concentrate the juice towards one resource-heavy task, such as video rendering. Also, it includes crypto mining features, letting you make money as your computer is idle.

However, it’s important to note that not all features are available for both macOS and Windows devices – email protection and download scans are for Windows users only.

Verdict

I was glad to see great scores from independent test labs. Avira Internet Security got the maximum of 6 points in performance, protection, and usability testing by AV-Test in October 2021.

Additionally, tests completed by AV-Comparatives in September and October 2021 also show impressive results. According to the experts, it successfully blocks 99.2% of cyber threats and is rated as an advanced security tool in terms of its malware protection features and performance.

I would conclude that Avira antivirus is a great security solution that offers a decent price-quality ratio and has great test results.

Pros

Feature-rich free version
Compatible with all major platforms
Offers 30-day money-back guarantee
Real-time protection
Features to protect online browsing
Includes VPN services

Cons

Some features are only available on Windows
Can’t protect more than 5 devices
Free version limits VPN usage
Browser extension is needed to use all of its features

6. Trend Micro – simple and secure antivirus for online threat protection

Maximum simultaneous connections: 10 devices, Free version: Yes (Android and iOS) Platforms: Windows, Linux, macOS, Android, iOS

Pricing plans and features

Trend Micro uses AI technologies to scan for malware and potentially unwanted programs, as well as offer its clients real-time protection. One of the nicest parts about the security of Trend Micro is that it actually avoids flagging legitimate websites as suspicious, which is something we see often even among top antivirus suites.

Features and pricing plans

Prices of the paid tiers start at $19.95 /year for the most basic plan. Antivirus+ Security is only available on Windows, and apart from malware scans, the plan offers PayGuard and Folder Shield features for safe shopping and document protection from ransomware.

Trend Micro Internet Security, only available for Windows, is $39.95/year and an added Fraud Buster feature, together with Parental Control. There’s also a PC Optimization Tool and Social Media Privacy Protection, making this a well-rounded plan for any Windows device.

Trend Micro antivirus for Mac, much like the basic tier for Windows, starts at $29.95/year and includes the aforementioned Fraud Buster and Parental controls features, as well as protection for social media. However, unlike the Internet Security tier for Windows, this plan allows only for one device at a time.

Trend Micro Maximum Security for $49.95/year is available for all operating systems. It has the same features as the Internet Security plan, plus a password manager. Also, the number of protected devices increases to 5 at the same time, which is perfect for a group of people.

The best plan in the package, Trend Micro Premium Security suite, costs $59.95/year and allows for protection of up to 10 devices, as well includes a VPN for safe browsing, Dark Web monitoring for personal data protection, as well as full remote diagnosis and repair tools.

Verdict

All in all, Trend Micro is a solid antivirus service. It does well just about everywhere, but the malware detection rate is just above the average – and below the top options. On top of that, this antivirus provider doesn’t support simultaneous scans. Good thing that the scanning process itself is relatively quick.

Pros

Strong protection against online threats
Real-time protection
30-day free trial
Great desktop app
All plans allow up to 10 devices

Cons

No Windows webcam protection
Limited licensing options
No built-in firewall

7. ESET NOD32 – the best lightweight antivirus software

Maximum simultaneous connections: 10 devices, Free version: No Platforms: Windows, macOS, Android

If you aren't phased that NOD32’s product mascot is basically the Judgment Day Terminator, you’ll find a great antivirus in this leading Slovak cybersecurity product. Not only does it include robust anti-malware protection, but it’s also supported on a wide array of devices. It’s also not a memory hog and will run smoothly on weaker machines.

Features and pricing plans

ESET NOD32 is able to achieve a lot of things because their antivirus is genuinely cloud-based. It offloads most of the heavy processing to their servers. This means much less work for your device and better performance.

There's also a Gaming mode, which suspends all scans and notifications, so you can be focused on the more important things, while your antivirus doesn't get in the way.

If you're worrying that basic NOD32 protection might not be enough, you can opt for ESET Internet Security. You'll get a slight price bump, plus protection against harmful Java script, webcam protection, network monitoring, and more. For those who want to go all-in, there's an option to pick ESET Smart Security Premium. It will add ransomware protection, a password manager, and encryption for personal files.

Verdict

ESET aims to be a lightweight solution for your devices. It's perfect for those who need a quick scan once in a while to make sure their devices are clean. Not all antiviruses need an elaborate list of features. However, if you want to go that route, no one's stopping you. By climbing up to higher pricing tiers, you can get a lot out of ESET antivirus products, including support for macOS, and iOS devices, and additional cybersecurity tools.

Pros

Cloud-based
Doesn’t require a lot of system resources
Great malware labs test scores
Remote device control option
xFile encryption against ransomware

Cons

Rather expensive
Only manual updates
Lacks additional features
Customer support is hit or miss

8. Malwarebytes – simple and intuitive antivirus platform

Maximum simultaneous connections: 10 devices, Free version: Yes Platforms: Windows, macOS, Android, ChromeOS

Pricing plans and features

Malwarebytes performs really well in independent lab testing, especially when it comes to detecting malware – be it a zero-day old recent threat, or one that’s been around for more than 4 weeks or more.

Features and pricing plans

Malwarebytes doesn’t have as many pricing plans as other antivirus providers. While there is a free version, it offers only basic scanning for viruses: so it might be best to look into paid plans if you want some additional features.

The Premium plan costs $29.99/year, a good price, considering the number of additional features that are included. With this plan, you’ll get real-time malware protection, ransomware prevention feature and exploit protection. All in all, your device will be protected from all sides. However, if you wish to use more than 1 device on the account, you'll need to pay a little bit extra.

The slightly more expensive Premium + Privacy plan is available for $59.98/year. In addition to full scans and ransomware and exploit protection, this plan also includes something for your privacy – a VPN. Not only will your devices be protected from viruses, but also incoming and outgoing internet traffic and other data.

Verdict

Malwarebytes is a decent antivirus. We wish that the options to use it on multiple devices were a bit more lenient, and there are some missing premium features like anti-theft, device cleaning tools, as well as performance optimization features. Nevertheless, if you’re after a simple antivirus that offers excellent basic protection for your main device, Malwarebytes is a great choice to go for.

Pros

Excellent virus detection rates
Great user interface
Minimal CPU usage
Browser security extension
Plan with a VPN available

Cons

No live chat support
Adding extra devices costs more
Lacks certain premium features

9. AVG Antivirus – reliable protection from a well-known company

Maximum simultaneous connections: 10 devices, Free version: Yes Platforms: Windows, macOS, Android, iOS

Pricing plans and features

AVG is one of the biggest online security companies in the world. Its antivirus product is a super popular solution, with excellent malware and ransomware protection features, as well as handy anti-theft features – everything to keep your devices safe.

Features and pricing plans

Premium AVG plans cost $59.99 for the first year. It’s an all-around security package, offering advanced scans for all the main types of online threats: including viruses, spyware, ransomware, Trojans, toolkits, and more.

But of course, prevention is the best medicine. AVG offers a solid Enhanced Firewall feature, a dedicated VPN for secure browsing, as well as AI-based phishing threat detection. The AI tools use machine learning to scan and locate the possible threats before they get a chance to harm you. Plus, advanced webcam protection will give you peace of mind, so even the most security-conscious users can go through video calls (and save a fortune on sticky tape!).

One of the most unique features AVG can offer comes in a form of an anti-theft phone tracker, allowing you access your phone from a distance, lock it, locate it, and even take a sneaky picture of the wannabe owner.

Verdict

AVG offers a very exciting array of various security features, some of them going above and beyond what regular antivirus should do. However, it is a premium option, and if you're not looking to use all of the features to their full extent, AVG might look a bit expensive. But if you're looking for a premium antivirus including everything – including the kitchen sink – AVG is a great way to go.

Pros

Massive list of features
Simple and intuitive interface
Security tested by third-parties
30-day money-back guarantee

Cons

Pretty expensive
Basic antivirus protection is shaky at times
Knowledgebase could be more helpful
xpensive premium customer support

How to choose the best antivirus software?

Choosing the best antivirus software might seem challenging at first. There are so many options offering a variety of features. So, how to decide which one suits your needs?

Here are a few simple factors that you should consider before choosing an antivirus:

Check security features. The best antivirus solutions should include high quality security features. You can pick one of our top 5 products which are listed above – they come in an all-in-one bundle. However, if you’re already using some kind of online protection (maybe it’s a VPN or a password manager), you can get other antivirus programs that are not so feature-rich.
Seek for all-round protection. If you’re not the only one using a computer or a mobile device, you should consider getting an antivirus that would provide extra protection. Some providers have solid parental control features while others protect your whole home network and alert about possible dangers.
Consider your budget. Not all antivirus programs offer the same bang-for-the-buck ratio. That’s why spending less (or more) can sometimes get you many more features.
Try the software first. Keep in mind that you have to like the software because most companies sell 1-year or longer subscriptions. Thus, you should test it before purchasing. Luckily, the majority of products offer a 30-day money-back guarantee, so testing before buying will save you both time and money.

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