- Best Virus Protection For Windows 10 2016
- Best Antivirus Software
- Best Free Virus Protection For Windows 10 2018
- Best Virus Protection For Windows 10 Free
- What Is The Best Virus Protection For Windows 10
Antivirus software is nearly as crucial as a PC’s operating system. Even if you’re well aware of potential threats and practice extreme caution, some threats just can’t be prevented without the extra help of an AV program—or a full antivirus suite.
Free Windows Keylogger is software which let you know about the activities, your children and employees do, when they are using computer and internet. Windows keylogger download.
Best Virus Protection For Windows 10 2016
Award-winning antivirus for Windows 10. Avast has earned many accolades, but the best reward is the loyalty of our 435 million users. We enjoy serving the largest community of any antivirus company in the world — and we’re thrilled to continue protect you when you upgrade your PC to Windows 10.
- Comodo Antivirus for Windows 10 Comodo Antivirus for Windows tops it all – delivering complete virus protection for $4.99/yr with smart and robust features to safeguard your computers even from the most vulnerable unknown threats and zero-day attacks.
- The Virus & threat protection is the flagship antivirus for Windows 10. It functions just like any antivirus application. It functions just like any antivirus application. Additionally, any third-party antivirus can be run in this window as well.
- Best Antivirus Software for Windows 10 in 2019 Bitdefender Antivirus Plus 2018. Bitdefender Internet Security 2018. Kaspersky Total Security. Webroot SecureAnywhere AntiVirus. Norton Security Standard. Avast Pro Antivirus. Trend Micro Antivirus+. McAfee AntiVirus Plus. Windows Defender.
- Windows 10 Antivirus Software Windows 10 is now the largest Microsoft operating system and is by far the best ever. The antivirus intergrated with Windows 10 is the new Microsoft Defender and is now vastly improved, however it is still recomended to get an antivirus from a leading provider to detect faster againest day 0 threats.
- Aug 21, 2019 We've tested more than 40 utilities to help you pick the best antivirus protection for your computers. These commercial products offer protection beyond the antivirus built into Windows 10.
Antivirus suite cheat sheet
Our quick-hit recommendations:
- Best overall antivirus suite:Norton Security Premium[symantec.com]
- Best budget antivirus suite:AVG Internet Security[avg.com]
- Best antivirus suite for newcomers:Trend Micro Maximum Security[trendmicro.com]
Read on to learn why these products rank best.
You could, for example, visit a website that unintentionally displays malicious ads. Or accidentally click on a phishing email (it happens!). Or get stung by a zero-day threat, where an undisclosed bug in Windows, your browser, or an installed program gives hackers entry to your system.
We’re not suggesting that PC security software is fool-proof. Antivirus software often can’t do much to stop zero-day exploits, for example. But it can detect when the undisclosed vulnerability is used to install other nasty bits, like ransomware, on your machine. Anyone who actively uses email, clicks on links, and downloads programs will benefit from an antivirus suite.
Our recommendations strike a balance between excellent protection, a worthwhile selection of features, and minimal impact on your PC’s performance. You can read about how we test antivirus suites below.
Updated 9/10/19 to include our review of Bitdefender Total Security 2020, which offers solid protection, including tools that focus on parental control. Scroll to the end of the article to find links for all of our antivirus software reviews.
Best overall antivirus suite
Norton Security Premium still does an excellent job of protecting your PCs, doesn't bother you too much, and has a very easy-to-use interface. Norton protection doesn't come cheap, however, at $110 per year for up to 10 devices.
Norton Security Premium is an old name in security, but it has an easy-to-use interface, highly rated protection, and a number of helpful extra features. It’s on the higher end of the price spectrum at $110 per year (your first year is discounted to $55), but you can install it on up to 10 devices. (Read our full review.)
Best budget antivirus suite
AVG does an excellent job of protecting your PC. Its interface is not great, but for $70 you can protect all the Mac and Windows PCs in your household, as well as your Android devices.
AVG Internet Security does an excellent job of protecting your PC, but it’s interface could be a lot better. Nevertheless, with unlimited installs for $70 per year, it’s hard to beat this popular security solution. (Read our full review.)
Best antivirus suite for beginners
Trend Micro Maximum Security has an easily navigable interface, great protection, and the price is right. Some of its privacy features didn't work reliably in our tests, but the cloud protection scanning is an interesting feature, and Mute Mode is a great take on the usual gaming mode feature. Overall, Maximum Security is a good choice for antivirus on Windows.
Many antivirus suites create an interface that’s as simple as possible for users to understand—but sometimes the software becomes too stripped down. That’s why our recommendation for novices is Trend Micro Maximum Security.
This antivirus suite, which provides highly rated protection, strikes a nice balance between complexity and simplicity: Four category icons at the top let you dive deeper into the suite, but if all you need to do is a scan, that option is right there in the center of interface. You can’t miss it.
Overall, no matter what you need to get done in Maximum Security, the interface doesn’t leave you with any guesswork.
What to look for in an antivirus suite
There are three basic requirements that an antivirus suite needs:
- High detection rate for malware and other threats
- Low impact on system resources
- An easy-to-use interface
That’s not all to consider, however. These days, many security suites come with extras such as a backup service for your most essential files, Android apps for mobile security, a more advanced firewall, family protection (read: child restriction) features, and the right to use the program on multiple PCs. Whether you need those extras depends on your personal situation.
How we test
First, we take a look at the interface to determine how easy or complicated it is. Does the interface make it easy to get at essential tools like PC scans and password managers, for example, or is everything buried under multiple clicks? Are there elements that look like they should be clickable but aren’t? Are alerts interactive or purely informational, and does that make sense in context?
We also examine the features on offer. Every good antivirus suite should have the basics like scanning and real-time protection, but many vendors offer elements that go beyond basic security like password managers or firewalls. We try to discern whether any of these extra features are particularly useful, or just frills that look nice but don’t serve a practical purpose.
To test the suite’s demand on system resources, we run two benchmarks. The first is PCMark 8’s Work Conventional test, which simulates a variety of workloads including editing spreadsheets, browsing the web, and running video chat.
We run the benchmark before the security suite is installed. Then we install the software, have it run a full scan on our Windows 10 test machine, and start a second run of the benchmark at the same time. Then we compare the overall scores to see if the decline between the two benchmarks is significant.
As a harsher stress test, we also use Handbrake to transcode a video before and after installing the A/V. On most home PCs, this encoding task utilizes 100 percent of the CPU. We then compare transcoding times to see if there’s any significant decline.
Our test machine is an Acer Aspire E15 with an Intel Core i3-7100U, 4GB RAM, and a 1TB hard drive. Each security suite is tested on a clean install of Windows 10 Home.
As for the antivirus suite’s detection capabilities, we’ll rely on the opinions of security researchers dedicated to this task. We’ll take into consideration reports from outlets such as A-V Comparatives, A-V Test and SE Labs.
We’ll also take pricing into account and what you get for it.
Whenever possible we’ll review security suites using a free trial to get a sense of what consumers see when they first try out a new product.
Best antivirus: All of our reviews
Looking for a cheaper option or something with more flexibility? Or perhaps you just want to see what else is out there? Below is a list of all the antivirus suites we’ve reviewed. We’ll keep evaluating new ones and adding them here, so be sure to come back to see what else we’ve tested.
We should all know the rules of how to protect our privacy and keep Windows secure: Don't tap questionable links or download apps from shady sites, don't open unexpected messages and emails, don't give out personal information, use secure passwords, and keep your Windows software up to date.
You can also take a few extra steps to make sure you're safe online with a PC: Use a password manager to keep track of login credentials, a VPN to protect your internet traffic, and an end-to-end encrypted messaging app to keep people from spying on your communications.
But if you are looking for a place to start with keeping your Windows device secure, a good first step is to run the best antivirus software. The best antivirus solution monitors your app downloads and watches for malicious software and suspicious software behavior.
And here's the first important thing for you to know about the best antivirus software: Microsoft Defender -- the free antivirus program and security software that comes free with Windows 10 and until recently was called Microsoft Windows Defender -- does a fine job of protecting your PC. (Amazingly, Microsoft provided no built-in protection for Windows back in the days of Windows 98 and XP.) Using Microsoft Defender should be your starting point for the best antivirus security on Windows, and most users will find they don't need to go any further.
However, you can make the case that the Windows security ecosystem is healthier when users don't depend on just one company for protection from a virus or malware. If you favor robust platform diversity, you can easily find solid virus or malware protection from third-party security companies that are up to the task of guarding your PC for free. And most let you also protect all your devices with an annual subscription -- though, it's important to note, that's largely unnecessary outside the Windows realm.
To that end, we've put together a list of the best antivirus solutions for Windows, encompassing both free antivirus programs and subscription options. These picks of the best antivirus programs are a combination of recommendations from independent third-party labs AV-Test and AV-Comparatives and our hands-on testing.
Note that the free and paid services discussed here are independently chosen by our editors. CNET gets a share of the revenue if you subscribe to any of the paid services through the links on this page.
Our recommendations
Looking for free antivirus protection or virus detection, willing to pay for broad antivirus coverage across all your devices, or needing to remove a virus or malware from your PC right now? Here's where to start.
MicrosoftBest Antivirus Software
Free version? Yes, built into Windows 10
![Windows Windows](/uploads/1/2/5/2/125297153/361150427.jpg)
Paid version: Windows Defender Advanced Threat Protection is available to corporate users for a fee
Honestly, if you consistently practice safe computing -- you keep your software up to date, for example, you use strong passwords (with the help of password manager) and you steer clear of unexpected emails and links -- you probably can stay clear of trouble such as zero-day attacks and ransomware attacks. And with Microsoft's free Microsoft Defender Antivirus software running on Windows 10, you have a safety net if you do let your guard down. (Note that Microsoft recently changed the name of Windows Defender to Microsoft Defender and has expanded the service to other platforms.) This antivirus program is literally built into Windows -- just leave it turned on (it is by default) and let it do its thing and this will cover the basics. Microsoft pushes new updates daily.
NortonPlatforms: Windows 10 plus MacOS, Android, iOS
Cost: $100 per year for five devices, on sale for $60
For a long time, respected security company Norton Security from Symantec has earned high marks from AV-Test for virus and malware detection. A five-device subscription via Norton Security is normally $99.99, but you can sign up for $59.99 to get coverage across PCs, Macs, Android devices, and iPhones and iPads. (But note, again, that we don't think antivirus protection is terribly useful outside the Windows realm.) In addition to malware and virus protection, you get 100GB of automatic backup to the cloud, safe-browsing tools, a VPN, an easy device management via a web-browser console and LifeLock identity-theft protection.
MalwarebytesPlatforms: Windows 10 plus MacOS, Android
Free version? Yes, after 14-day trial expires
Paid version: $40 per year for one device, $60 per year for three devices
Malwarebytes does protect your PC from a virus or malware, scoring well in recent independent testing for guarding against malware infections. But that's not really what Malwarebytes is known for. If you find yourself in trouble, the go-to disinfectant for many is Malwarebytes. You can get protection and disinfection for one device for $40 a year. To cover 10 devices -- any combination of Windows, MacOS and Android -- it's $130. To get the 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 scan.
Also worth considering
In addition to the three 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 for whatever reason prefer to use one over our picks above.
Platform: Windows
Free version? Yes
Paid version: $80 per year for three PCs; $120 Family Pack per year for 15 devices
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 anti-virus software for Windows 10. The Windows security software offers real-time monitoring for viruses, malware and 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 it offers is solid. Bitdefender 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. For broader protection, Bitdefender Internet Security is $80 MSRP and available at the moment for $45. It lets you protect three computers, set up parental controls on a kid's computer and run a VPN. To protect every device you own, the Bitdefender Family Pack can secure 15 total device -- Windows, Android, iOS and MacOS -- in your home for $120 MSRP and discounted to $60 right now.
Platforms: Windows, MacOS, Android
Free version?Yes
Paid version: $80 per year for three PCs
The free antivirus tool from Avast earns top marks from AV-Test for virus and malware detection. And it can also remove viruses and malware to get your system back under control after an attack. The free antivirus program monitors one PC and can also warn you about an unsecured Wi-Fi network and has a password manager. If you want to guard more than one device, starting at $80 you can protect three PCs, block spam and phishing emails, and identify shady websites with Avast Internet Security software. Avast also has free antivirus tools for Android and MacOS and a security app of iOS that includes a VPN and can watch for unprotected Wi-Fi networks.
If you need to cover more than three PCs, AVG -- which was acquired by Avast in 2016 -- offers similar coverage against online threats through its AVG Internet Security software, starting at $80 for 10 PCs.
Platforms: Windows 10 plus MacOS, Android, iOS
Cost: $120 per year for 10 devices, on sale for $45
It feels like the company has been around forever, first on its own in the '80s, then as part of Intel starting in 2010, and then again on its own when Intel spun it off in 2017. And it's been around forever because quarter after quarter it creates solid security software that protects your PC. (In recent evaluations by AV-Test it had perfect scores on detecting 0-day attacks and blocking current widespread viruses and malware.) McAfee Total Protection guards against viruses and offers ransomware protection, wards off shady websites, includes a password manager and lets you manage all your protected devices through web console. A 10-device subscription is normally $120 MSRP, but currently is $45 for any combination of Windows, MacOS, Android and iOS devices.
Platforms: Windows 10 plus MacOS, Android, iOS
Cost: $90 per year for 10 devices, on sale for $50
Maybe not as well known to consumers because of its focus on enterprise security, Trend Micro 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 -- scoring 100 percent of detecting 0-day attacks and widespread viruses and malware. And Trend Micro does a good job of not taxing system resources. Trend Micro's 10-device subscription for computers and mobile devices is $90 MSRP but discounted currently at $50.
Platform: Windows
Cost: $59 per year for three PCs
If you are looking for something easy to set up and use, ESET NOD antivirus may meet your needs. It earns top scores for usability and offers solid virus protection. And its Android antivirus gets top marks in third-party tests.
Best Free Virus Protection For Windows 10 2018
What about Kaspersky?
Because the company has been in the news the past few years, let's talk about Kaspersky Lab -- specifically about the federal ban that blocks US government agencies from using Kaspersky products.
Based in Moscow, Kaspersky Lab has for years produced some of the best antivirus software for business and home customers. But in 2017 the US government prohibited Kaspersky software on federal government computers because of alleged ties between Kaspersky and the Russian government.
Best Virus Protection For Windows 10 Free
Notably, the ban does not apply to its consumer products. But, like China-based Huawei, the question remains: If the federal government doesn't think the products are safe enough for its own devices, should consumers avoid it as well?
In a statement sent to CNET, the company said, 'Kaspersky Lab has no ties to any government, and the company has never, nor will ever, engage in cyber offensive activities. Kaspersky Lab maintains that no public evidence of any wrongdoing has been presented by the U.S. Government, and that the U.S. government's actions against Kaspersky Lab were unconstitutional.'
In Kaspersky's favor, it continues to earn top scores and awards for virus and malware detection and endpoint protection from independent testing labs. And it's reasonably priced, with basic antivirus protection for three devices running $30 a year, or blanket protection for 10 devices -- with Kaspersky Total Security -- for $75 a year. In comparison, the Webroot SecureAnywhere AntiVirus program costs $37.50 per year for three devices -- and a single device on SecureAnywhere AntiVirus costs $30 a year.
In the end, even though no one has ever publicly produced a 'smoking gun' linking the company to Russian intrigue, we think any of the options listed above are a safer bet. And, if you are a US government employee or work with the federal government, you'll want to steer clear of Kaspersky.
Antivirus basics: What to look for
What Is The Best Virus Protection For Windows 10
Picking the best antivirus for Windows means finding one that keeps your PC safe, doesn't take up a lot of system resources, is easy to use and stays out of the way till you need it. Here's what to look for.
Effectiveness. Antivirus scans for a known virus and malware, of course, and can offer real-time protection. And it watches for shady websites and suspicious links to keep you out of trouble. It can also offer ransomware protection and monitor unexpected behavior that may be a sign of new and not-yet-identified viruses and malware. You want antivirus that can successfully identify these unknown threats without flagging too many false positives.
Light on system resources. You don't want antivirus that taxes your PC's resources. If after you install antivirus, websites open slowly, apps download or open sluggishly, or file copies take longer than expected, you may want to try another service. The good news is, all our picks offer a free trial to let you try out the antivirus program, so if your system feels sluggish after you install antivirus solutions, you may want to keep looking.
Cost and discounts. Don't just pay the sticker price for antivirus. Before you buy, check for discounts on a company's website. Another way to save: The prices we list above are for 10 devices -- if the company offered that package -- but you can trim your cost with antivirus packages if you need to cover just three or five devices. You may also find discounts on an app's Amazon page.
Privacy. To be effective, antivirus software needs to monitor what's going on with your PC and check in with company servers about unusual behavior. The companies say they anonymize this technical data as much as possible to protect your privacy. But if you want to know more, the security companies on our list post privacy policies on their websites, so read their privacy statement to learn what the companies do with the information you share.
Protection for other platforms. Microsoft is by far the biggest target for viruses and malware. But Android is second, with the largest threat coming from sideloaded apps -- those you install outside Google's Play Store. Google said in the last quarter of 2018, 0.99 percent of apps installed outside the Play Store were a potentially harmful app, or PHA. For those installed from the Play Store, the number drops to 0.042 percent. To stay safe, we do not recommend sideloading apps, but sometimes, like with Fortnite, you might want to. In that case, running virus and malware protection from a trusted security company is not a bad idea.
The threat to MacOS and especially iOS are low, in part because of the tight control Apple has over its app stores. While the Mac does rarely come under attack via sideloaded apps, if you download apps only from the Mac and iOS app stores, and keep your guard up when clicking links and download files, you should be OK without an antivirus app on Apple devices.
Originally published April 23. Updated to clarify Norton pricing details and LifeLock service options.
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