In the fall, the kids go off to school and come back with homework…and maybe a sniffle. Mixing with the other kids is a great way to pass around a cold. You probably have them wash their hands when they get back, but do you check their devices? School is also a dandy place to pass around computer viruses and other malware. You need antivirus software on all the computers your family uses.
Sorry to drop another back-to-school task in your lap, but don’t be discouraged. We’ve reviewed more than 40 antivirus utilities so you can easily select one that fits your needs. We’ve gathered the top 10 tested products here, along with what to look for when selecting the right antivirus for you.
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More About Our Picks
Bitdefender Antivirus Plus
Best Overall Antivirus
Bottom Line:
With impressive antivirus lab results and a collection of features that puts many full security suites to shame, Bitdefender Antivirus Plus is an excellent choice for protecting your PC.
Pros
- Outstanding scores in independent lab tests and our web protection tests
- Enhanced ransomware protection
- Active Do Not Track
- Banking protection
- Offers a VPN
- Many security-centered bonus features
Cons
- Unlimited VPN access requires separate subscription
Why We Picked It
You can buy an antivirus utility that does everything an antivirus should, or you can buy one that does more—way more. That would be Bitdefender Antivirus Plus. The Plus in this case represents a multitude of features. Ransomware protection, a hardened browser for your financial transactions, VPN protection for your connections, a feature that smacks down ad trackers, automatic detection of missing security patches, a simple password manager…the list goes on. While its name says antivirus, this product’s feature list beats many security suites.
Not only that, but it’s also a good antivirus. The independent testing labs routinely grant it perfect or near-perfect scores, and it aces many of our hands-on tests. Its ransomware-specific defense system proved itself in testing, too. And its Autopilot feature means that all this happens with minimum bother for you, the user.
Oh, there are a few minor nits. The password manager doesn’t have all the fanciest features, for example. And if you want unlimited use of the VPN, you must pay a bit extra. But, overall, this is a marvelous choice for antivirus protection.
Who It’s For
If you want maximal antivirus protection with minimal interaction, just fire up Bitdefender Antivirus Plus and turn on its Autopilot. Now you can sit back and do, well, anything you want!
Best for Multi-Device Households
Bottom Line:
McAfee AntiVirus Plus protects every Windows, Android, macOS, and iOS device in your household, all for an excellent price, though it does less on Apple platforms.
Pros
- Security for all your Windows, macOS, Android, and iOS devices
- Excellent scores in our hands-on tests
- Robust firewall
- Virus protection pledge
- New interface focuses on the user
Cons
- Some features not working at present
- Very slow full scan on Windows and macOS
- One lab test failure
- Mac edition less feature-rich than Windows or Android
- Even fewer features for iOS
Why We Picked It
Installing antivirus protection on your main production computer is a good thing. Extending that protection to all your other devices is even better. With McAfee AntiVirus Plus, one subscription lets you install security software on every Windows, macOS, Android, and iOS device in your household. When all your devices are armored against attack, the whole network benefits.
McAfee gets plenty of high scores from the independent labs, though there are occasional slips. Its scores in our own hands-on tests are simply dazzling. And it goes beyond basic antivirus protection, with Ransom Guard, a simple firewall, a scan for missing security patches, a system to foil cryptojacking, and more. You’ll have to dig a little to find the My Network security scanner, but it’s worth the effort.
Who It’s For
How many computing devices are there in your household? If you lost count, if you couldn’t begin to say how many, McAfee AntiVirus Plus is just the antivirus you need. You can use any protected device to extend an installation invitation to any unprotected device, until your whole network is wrapped in protection.
Best for Techies
Bottom Line:
In lab tests and our own hands-on tests, ESET NOD32 Antivirus earns some impressive scores. It also packs extras that go far beyond the antivirus basics, such as exploit protection and device control.
Pros
- Some excellent scores from independent labs
- Some good scores in our hands-on tests
- HIPS component blocks exploits
- Comprehensive device control
Cons
- Poor score in our hands-on malware blocking test
- Device control too complex for most users
- Ransomware protection not effective in testing
Why We Picked It
When you see ESET’s blue-eyed cyborg mascot gazing serenely from the screen of ESET NOD32 Antivirus, you just know you’ve got some high-tech protection. It hits top scores in some independent lab tests and some of our own tests—we always like to see both. And ESET goes beyond many competitors with unusual high-tech features like its UEFI (Unified Extensible Firmware Interface) scan, a cut above the more common boot sector scan. It even looks for intrusions in the WMI (Windows Management Instrumentation) database.
Yes, you need some technical expertise to understand and make use of these high-tech features. The same is true of the Host Intrusion Prevention System (HIPS), which aims to detect and block attacks that try to leverage vulnerabilities in the operating system or in popular programs. As for the Device Control system, it’s a techie’s dream. You can exert total control on all types of external devices, or on individual devices. For example, you could ban the use of USB drives, so the kids don’t bring home malware with their homework, but specifically allow use of devices you’ve vetted yourself. At the device or type level, you can block all use, force read-only access, or just display a warning.
Who It’s For
Some antivirus tools do their best to work in the background with no technical involvement by the user. That’s not ESET NOD32 Antivirus. This product is great for those who want to get their hands dirty, taking an active role in security protection. If you have the knowledge and skills to use them, ESET has the features for you.
Best Breadth of Features
Bottom Line:
G Data Antivirus gets decent marks from the independent testing labs and excellent scores in some of our own tests. Beyond basic antivirus, it includes a spam filter as well as components designed to fight ransomware and other malware types.
Pros
- Excellent score in our hands-on malware protection test
- Protects against banking Trojans, keyloggers, ransomware, and exploits
- Includes spam filter
Cons
- Mixed scores in independent lab tests
Why We Picked It
The G Data website states that G Data released the first antivirus program in 1985. Whether or not it was the very first, G Data Antivirus has a long and storied history. Two of the four independent labs we follow give the nod to this venerable tool in their latest tests. AV-Test gives it the top possible rating, while its scores in tests by AV-Comparatives range from passing to perfect. In our hands-on malware protection and malicious download defense tests, G Data scored very near the maximum.
Over the course of its evolution, this antivirus tool has picked up quite a few bonus security tools. With the regular antivirus disabled, its behavior-based ransomware protection layers detected half the samples we threw at it. An exploit detection component scored better than most competitors in testing. Other bonus features include spam filtering, BankGuard protection for financial transaction, active defense against keyloggers, and fine-grained control over startup programs.
Who It’s For
Some folks lean toward the newest, shiniest antivirus protection, while others prefer a mature product that’s had plenty of time to shake out any weaknesses. G Data Antivirus is definitely full-grown, and includes quite a few security bonuses. It’s just thing for those seeking a well-aged antivirus tool.
Best for Speedy Scans
Bottom Line:
Malwarebytes Premium now functions as a full-blown antivirus, not just an assistant to your main antivirus. It earns excellent scores in our hands-on tests and its scores with independent testing labs are improving.
Pros
- Maximum possible score in our hands-on malware protection test
- Excellent scores in phishing and malicious URL blocking tests
- Speedy full scan
- Includes exploit protection, ransomware protection, behavior-based detection
- More independent lab test results
Why We Picked It
For years, the cleanup-only Malwarebytes Free has been the go-to solution when your regular antivirus can’t do the job, but it was always a specialty tool, not for everyday use. Malwarebytes Premium, on the other hand, offers all the features you expect in a full-scale antivirus, starting with scanning on demand, on schedule, and on file access. Its full scan is speedy, and it uses a variety of techniques for real-time protection, including behavior-based detection, ransomware activity detection, and protection against exploit attacks.
It’s true that lab results for Malwarebytes are mixed, some great, some so-so. The company contends that its advanced detection techniques aren’t a perfect fit for standardized tests. In our own hands-on tests, it proved highly effective, earning a rare 10 of 10 points for malware protection and excellent scores for defending against malicious and fraudulent web pages.
Who It’s For
Anyone who’s used Malwarebytes Free to remedy another antivirus tool’s slip-up will appreciate the full-powered Malwarebytes Premium. Even if you never needed that kind of rescue, this product’s speedy scan and excellent hands-on test results are a big draw.
Best for Single-Desktop Protection
Bottom Line:
Norton AntiVirus Plus gets impressive scores in independent lab tests and our own hands-on tests, and it and offers a wealth of useful features. However, it’s expensive and doesn’t offer deals for multiple-computer households.
Pros
- Excellent scores in independent lab tests and our hands-on tests
- Data Protector foils ransomware attacks
- Includes online backup, firewall, exploit protection, password manager, and other bonus features
Cons
- Expensive
- No multi-license pricing
Why We Picked It
Quick, name three antivirus companies. Was one of them Norton? Probably. Norton’s antivirus prowess has developed over decades, and Norton AntiVirus Plus is the pinnacle of that evolution. All the testing labs we follow report on Norton’s capabilities, and it gets plenty of perfect scores. Norton also aces our hands-on tests, including a test using a dozen real-world ransomware samples.
There’s more to this product than just antivirus, too. Its firewall protects against both outside attacks and betrayal from within, without bombarding the unsuspecting user with confusing popup queries. A separate module enhances firewall protection by detecting and blocking exploit attacks. Other bonus features include a backup system that can archive your files locally or in the provided online storage, a spam filter for those who still need such a thing, a simple password manager, and more.
The one thing you don’t get with Norton is multi-device protection. This antivirus is strictly for Windows, and it’s a single-license product, with no volume discounts. If you need more Norton, try the company’s suite products.
Who It’s For
Not everyone needs to protect a houseful of devices. Some of us are happy with a single, powerful computer, protected by a single, powerful antivirus. Is that you? If so, Norton AntiVirus Plus is just what you need.
Best for Thrifty Users
Bottom Line:
The affordable Sophos Home Premium expands on basic antivirus with protection forged in the company’s enterprise-level products, including a convenient remote management app.
Pros
- Excellent scores in some hands-on tests
- Convenient mobile management app
- Protects against ransomware, keyloggers, exploits
- Remotely manages up to 10 PCs or Macs
- Inexpensive
Cons
- Limited results from testing labs
- Parental control and webcam protection limited
- So-so phishing test score
- Advanced features require uncommon tech expertise
Why We Picked It
Sophos is a big name in business-level antivirus, with remote management to keep the IT team in charge of security. Sophos Home Premium brings that same remote management to you, the consumer. You can install antivirus protection for your family and friends, whether they’re across town or across the country, and manage all the installations without leaving your lair. Best of all, it’s seriously inexpensive, with a 10-license price that matches what many competitors charge for just three licenses.
This antivirus only has one recent lab test score, but it’s a good one—AAA certification from SE Labs. In our hands-on malware protection test it managed 100% detection and scored 9.9 of 10 possible points. It also earned 100% for defending against malware-hosting web pages. But its protection doesn’t stop there. Packed in its tiny local agent program are effective ransomware protection, defense against exploit attacks, an admittedly less-effective parental control content filter, protection for your financial transactions, webcam hijack prevention, and more.
As noted, you can manage all your installations from a convenient online console. More recently, Sophos has extended that remote control ability to apps for Android and iOS, meaning you can exercise your remote control powers from anywhere.
Who It’s For
Are you the default security expert for your extended family or circle of friends? Are you tired of driving across town to rescue your beloved uncle after he clicked something he shouldn’t have? With Sophos Home Premium you can take good care of your peeps from wherever you happen to be.
Best for No-Frills Protection
Bottom Line:
Its DeepGuard behavior-based detection system and web-kitraffic scanning feature make F-Secure Anti-Virus a powerful malware fighter, but its ransomware protection stumbled in our testing.
Pros
- Excellent lab test scores
- Good scores in our hands-on tests
- Detects brand-new malware, including ransomware
- New, cheerful interface
- Inexpensive
Cons
- Behavioral detection missed some ransomware samples
- No phishing protection
Why We Picked It
Sometimes you feel like a suite, sometimes you don’t. F-Secure Anti-Virus sticks to the essential tasks of an antivirus: scanning for malware on demand, on schedule, and on file access. An F-Secure full scan is speedy, a re-scan even speedier, and it has a simple, streamlined user interface. As a bonus, the typical price for one antivirus license gets you an F-Secure threefer.
When we last reviewed it, F-Secure had test results from all four of the labs we follow, and an aggregate labs score of 9.1 points (with 10 points the maximum). Only two of the latest reports include F-Secure, but it got a perfect score from AV-Test and passed a grueling test by MRG-Effitas. A network-level filter blocks access to dangerous malware-hosting websites, though it doesn’t attempt detection of phishing frauds. And the antivirus took a decent score in our hands-on malware protection test.
Who It’s For
If you want an inexpensive, speedy antivirus tool that does its job without a lot of fuss, F-Secure Anti-Virus is for you.
Trend Micro Antivirus+ Security
Best for Single-PC Protection
Bottom Line:
In addition to malware protection for one Windows computer, Trend Micro Antivirus+ Security offers layered protection against ransomware, a firewall booster, protection for online banking, and more. However, it earns both excellent and dreadful scores in lab tests and our own tests.
Pros
- Perfect score in our antiphishing test
- Perfect score against malware-hosting pages
- Layered ransomware protection
- Multifaceted browser extension
- Many bonus features
Cons
- Tanked our hands-on malware protection test
- Some failures in independent lab tests
- Social network protection choices dated
- No multi-device volume licensing
Why We Picked It
Though it originated in Los Angeles, Trend Micro is now a global security corporation based in Japan, one that’s acquired many other security businesses over the years. Its collective technology makes Trend Micro Antivirus+ Security more than just an antivirus. Among other components, Trend Micro features: Pay Guard to protect your financial transactions; a Firewall Booster; spam filtering with a separate Fraud Buster component; multi-layered ransomware protection; a detector for unauthorized cryptocurrency mining; and markup of dangerous links in search results and social media.
But does it work? AV-Test’s latest report gives Trend Micro a perfect score, and past evaluations by SE Labs certified it at the top AAA level. It doesn’t take top scores from AV-Comparatives, though. And it failed two admittedly difficult tests by MRG-Effitas. On the plus side, it earned very good scores in our tests of defense against malicious and fraudulent websites.
Like Norton, this is a single-device product, with no volume discounts. If you want a multi-device license from Trend Micro you’ll have to opt for one of its suite products.
Who It’s For
Don’t turn to Trend Micro Antivirus+ Security to protect a house full of computing devices. That’s not what it’s for. Rather, install it on that one essential computer where you spend your work and play time.
Where Did Kaspersky Go?
Kaspersky Anti-Virus has topped the antivirus lab testing charts for many years, garnering perfect scores, or at least near-perfect. It has also held PCMag’s Editors’ Choice honor for countless years. It’s both attractive and effective. And it no longer appears in our list of best antivirus products. Here’s why.
For years, Kaspersky has faced accusations and censure based on its Russian origins, though none of the accusations have come backed by hard evidence of malicious behavior. We at PCMag focused on the capabilities of the products, not on the brouhaha around the company. However, the current war in Ukraine has raised the stakes. Governments and third parties are cutting ties with Kaspersky. The FCC labeled Kaspersky a national security risk.
After consideration, we can no longer recommend you purchase Kaspersky security products. We’ve left the reviews in place, with a warning, since they provide useful information. But at least for now, we’re removing Kaspersky products from our “Best of” lists.
What Are Viruses, Malware, and Ransomware?
We call it antivirus, but in truth it’s unlikely you’ll get hit with an actual computer virus. Malware these days is about making money, and there’s no easy way to cash in on spreading a virus. Ransomware and data-stealing Trojans are much more common, as are bots that let the bot-herder rent out your computer for nefarious purposes. Modern antivirus utilities handle Trojans, rootkits, spyware, adware, ransomware, and more. As noted, PCMag has reviewed more than 40 different commercial antivirus utilities, and that’s not even counting the many free antivirus tools. Out of that extensive field we’ve named several Editors’ Choice products and honored others with a four-star rating. If you have malware, one of the products listed in this article should take care of the problem.
It’s Surprisingly Easy to Be More Secure OnlineThese commercial products offer protection beyond the antivirus built into Windows; the best free antivirus utilities also offer more than Windows does. However, Microsoft Windows Defender Security Center is looking better and better lately, with some very good scores from independent testing labs. The combination of good lab scores and a great score in our hands-on malware protection test was enough to bring it up to 3.5 stars. It doesn’t appear in this roundup of commercial antivirus products, naturally.
We Listen to the Antivirus Testing Labs
We take the results reported by independent antivirus testing labs very seriously. The simple fact that a company’s product shows up in the results is a vote of confidence, of sorts. It means the lab considered the product significant, and the company felt the cost of testing was worthwhile. Of course, high scores in the tests are also important.
We follow four labs that regularly release detailed reports: SE Labs, AV-Test Institute(Opens in a new window), MRG-Effitas, and AV-Comparatives. We’ve devised a system for aggregating their results to yield a rating from 0 to 10.
How We Test Malware, Spyware, and Adware Defenses
We also subject every product to our own hands-on test of malware protection, in part to get a feeling for how the product works. Depending on how thoroughly the product prevents malware installation, it can earn up to 10 points for malware protection.
Our malware protection test necessarily uses the same set of samples for months. To check a product’s handling of brand-new malware, we test each product using a large collection of extremely new malware-hosting URLs supplied by MRG-Effitas(Opens in a new window), noting what percentage of them it blocked. Products get equal credit for preventing all access to the malicious URL and for wiping out the malware during download.
Some products earn stellar ratings from the independent labs, yet don’t fare as well in our hands-on tests. In such cases, we defer to the labs, as they bring significantly greater resources to their testing. Want to know more? You can dig in for a detailed description of how we test security software.
What’s the Best Antivirus for Malware?
Antivirus products distinguish themselves by going beyond the basics of on-demand scanning and real-time malware protection. Some rate URLs that you visit or that show up in search results, using a red-yellow-green color-coding system. Some actively block processes on your system from connecting with known malware-hosting URLs or with fraudulent (phishing) pages.
Software has flaws, and sometimes those flaws affect your security. Prudent users keep Windows and all programs patched, fixing those flaws as soon as possible. The vulnerability scan offered by some antivirus products can verify all necessary patches are present, and even apply any that are missing.
Spyware comes in many forms, from hidden programs that log your every keystroke to Trojans that masquerade as valid programs while mining your personal data. Any antivirus should handle spyware, along with all other types of malware, but some include specialized components devoted to spyware protection.
You expect an antivirus to identify and eliminate bad programs, and to leave good programs alone. What about unknowns, programs it can’t identify as good or bad? Behavior-based detection can, in theory, protect you against malware that’s so new researchers have never encountered it. However, this isn’t always an unmixed blessing. It’s not uncommon for behavioral detection systems to flag many innocuous behaviors performed by legitimate programs.
Allow-listing is another approach to the problem of unknown programs. This type of security system only allows known good programs to run. Unknowns are banned. This mode doesn’t suit all situations, but it can be useful. Sandboxing lets unknown programs run, but it isolates them from full access to your system, so they can’t do permanent harm. These various added layers serve to enhance your protection against malware.
What’s the Best Antivirus for Ransomware Protection and Firewalls?
Firewalls and spam filtering aren’t common antivirus features, but some of our top products include them as bonuses. In fact, some of these antivirus products are more feature-packed than certain products sold as security suites.
Among the other bonus features you’ll find are secure browsers for financial transactions, secure deletion of sensitive files, wiping traces of computer and browsing history, credit monitoring, virtual keyboard to foil keyloggers, cross-platform protection, and more. And of course, we’ve already mentioned sandboxing, vulnerability scanning, and application whitelisting.
We’re seeing more and more antivirus products adding modules specifically designed for ransomware protection. Some work by preventing unauthorized changes to protected files. Others keep watch for suspicious behaviors that suggest malware. Some even aim to reverse the damage. Given the growth of this scourge, any added protection is beneficial.
Beyond Antivirus: Install a VPN
Your antivirus utility works in the background to keep out any faint possibility of infestation by malware, but its abilities don’t extend beyond the bounds of your computer. When you connect to the wild and wooly internet, you risk the possibility your data could be compromised in transit. Sticking to HTTPS websites when possible can help, but for full protection of your data in transit you should install a Virtual Private Network, or VPN. This component is important enough that we’re starting to see it as a bonus feature in some antivirus tools.
What Is the Best Antivirus?
Which antivirus should you choose? You have a wealth of options. Bitdefender Antivirus Plus routinely takes perfect or near-perfect scores from the independent antivirus testing labs, and it has more features than some security suites. A single subscription for McAfee AntiVirus Plus lets you install protection on all your Windows, Android, Mac OS, and iOS devices. Its unusual behavior-based detection technology means Webroot SecureAnywhere Antivirus is the tiniest antivirus around. We’ve named these three Editors’ Choice for commercial antivirus, but they’re not the only products worth consideration. Read the reviews of our top-rated products, and then make your own decision.
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