TOP 5 free Antivirus

👉Antivirus software, or anti-virus software (abbreviated to AV software), also known as anti-malware, is a computer program used to prevent, detect, and remove malware.

Antivirus

 

Paid antivirus vs free antivirus: which should you get?

Antivirus software can be divided into two broad camps: free apps, and products that you must pay money for (usually known as paid or premium apps).

Obviously, the difference between the two is that one involves a financial outlay and the other doesn’t. In this article, we’re going to look at which is the best choice for you between these two options, weighing up various key factors that will help you decide.

Budget

The most important consideration is your budget. If you’re really on limitation of budget when it comes to your PC and the software you’re running on it, a free alternative is obviously a tempting option. And the good news is there’s nothing wrong with getting a freebie antivirus app.

We hasten to add that you should be careful about which free piece of software you download and install. Don’t grab an app from some company you’ve never heard of, or just any old antivirus – make sure you search for software from a well-known vendor like panda, Avira.

Note that some antivirus developers offer their premium products on long-term contracts at what works out very cheaply in terms of a monthly rate, and these apps give you a lot more in terms of features. So the overall value proposition, at least with some products such as those which top our best paid antivirus list, is actually very strong. Check out how reasonable some of the best names in the business have made their premium offerings:

Furthermore, don’t forget that paid apps often offer either a trial, or a money-back guarantee if you’re not happy within a certain period, meaning you can try before you buy, and see first-hand if the software is worth splashing out on.

Features

With free virus protection, you’ll only get a basic feature-set. These apps might only carry the core antivirus engine, and perhaps a couple of additional pillars of defense – but vendors reserve all the more heavyweight functions for their paid products for obvious reasons.

With premium versions, you’ll often get important additions like extra layers of anti-ransomware protection, or web protection with anti-phishing tech or perhaps a tailor-made secure browser. You’ll be even more secure with these kind of features backing you up online, which is great news for those who might be less confident about the web and all the potential dangers out there.

Adverts

Advertisements are a further key issue to consider. With free products, there will usually be some manner of advertising involved (although there are exceptions to the rule, they are few and far between). This might be ads for all kinds of things, or simple messages suggesting you upgrade to the premium version, but you will likely face pop-ups of some variety.

With a paid antivirus app, there’s none of this. So, another way of looking at this could be that with a free antivirus, you’re effectively paying for the product with another resource – your time (to dismiss adverts), rather than money. Granted, with most decent free apps you won’t spend much time dismissing adverts, as there shouldn’t be that many of them – but they can be a slight annoyance, even so.

Support

Another major difference between paid and free products is that with a premium antivirus, you get a fully rounded technical support package. That often means 24/7 support allowing you to talk to human agents – via the phone, or live chat online – which can be a really useful facility for troubleshooting.

 

TOP 5 free Antivirus for Windows

1. Panda Free Antivirus

TOP 5 free Antivirus for Windows
Image Source- Panda Website

Antivirus Protection-Real-time protection against all types of malware and spyware. Schedule periodic scans and/or scan your computer on demand.

Free VPN - Limited 150MB/day. Browse anonymously from a single virtual location

USB protection-Protect your PC by preventing the automatic execution of malware from USB drives. Scan all USB drives upon insertion.

Panda rescue kit-Free PC recovery system. Run an advanced scan of your PC or create a rescue USB drive to boot and clean those infected computers that won’t even start.

Multimedia/Game mode-This mode ensures you play or watch multimedia content without disturbance from your antivirus while remaining completely secure.

 

2. Avira Free Antivirus

Avira Free Antivirus
Image Source- Avira Website

Avira Free Security includes everything you need to establish a secure and private home network. From blocking threats to securing your communications and speeding up your devices, it's a comprehensive solution - powered by a single smart scan.

Avira performs very efficiently, even older Windows OS based PCs can run Avira Free Antivirus without much impact on performance. If your PC sometimes feels slow and sluggish when you’re using applications, Avira is probably the best antivirus for you.

Not only Avira free version provides virus protection, its free plan also includes a lot of great extra internet security features. For example, the safe shopping browser extension for Firefox and Chrome has two important functions — it protects against phishing scams and it helps find the best shopping deals online!

3.   Bitdefender Antivirus Free

Award-winning protection against existing and new e-threats. Quick to install and light on computer resources.

Real-time Threat Detection

Bitdefender Antivirus Free Edition uses behavioral detection for monitoring the active apps. When it detects anything suspicious, it takes instant action.

Virus Scanning and Malware Removal

Powerful scan engines ensure real-time detection and removal of all malware, from viruses, worms and Trojans, to ransomware, zero-day exploits, rootkits and spyware.

Anti-phishing

How can you keep your passwords safe and still browse freely? It’s easy: Bitdefender Antivirus Free Edition sniffs and blocks by default phishing websites that pretend to be trustworthy in order to steal your data.

Anti-Fraud

If you ever land on scam websites, our advanced filtering system detects suspicious web page behavior and prevents your sensitive financial data from falling into the hands of hackers.

Global Protective Network

Most heavy scanning takes place in the cloud, this means your system’s speed and performance remain unaffected. Your files remain completely private: Bitdefender does not scan the actual contents of your files, and never uploads or stores them in the cloud.

 

 

4.   Kaspersky Security Cloud (Free)

Kaspersky Security

ANTIVIRUS PROTECTION

Protects you against viruses on all devices.

Kaspersky Security Cloud — Free is a powerful free antivirus suite with some cool extra features. The VPN and password manager work really well, but the usage limits on them make them less useful than standalone products. However, considering that you’re getting an antivirus suite for free, along with these useful extras, I’d recommend heading over to Kaspersky and giving this free program a shot.

5.   Sophos Home Free

Artificial Intelligence Threat Detection

Leveraging next-gen AI with deep learning, Sophos Home detects and blocks never-before-seen malware before it executes.

 

Real-Time Threat Prevention

Sophos Home protects against new and developing viruses, malware, Trojans, worms, bots, potentially unwanted apps (PUAs), and the latest threats.

 

Advanced Ransomware Security

Powerful anti-ransomware technology protects your personal files and photos from being encrypted and held for ransom.

 

Advanced Malware Scan and Clean

Sophos Home kicks off with a deep scan and clean, removing the traces and remnants of malware that previous security software may have left on your PC.

Sophos is a great option for parents who want peace of mind when their kids are using the internet. This free internet security package includes real-time malware protection — something which isn’t included with most free antiviruses. While Sophos Home Free covers up to 3 devices.

What are the most common types of viruses that affect Windows computers?

Trojans are usually the go-to viruses for hackers looking to infect or steal your personal data. These are viruses that look like other files with extensions like .exe and .doc. But once downloaded, if you don’t have an antivirus installed on your PC, you will be running a serious virus that could debilitate your machine and potentially send all of your information to a hacker. A good antivirus will stop you from running that virus on your PC.  Standard antivirus will stop you from downloading that virus in the first place.

Why should I use another free antivirus instead of Windows Defender?

Windows Defender is a great product for basic needs. It detects and protects against viruses pretty well, and the included Windows Firewall is pretty good. But it doesn’t offer protection against other cyber threats like ransomware or phishing scams.

Many free antiviruses, like Avira, not only protect against these threats, but they are on the front lines of cybersecurity and know how to keep you safe better than Windows Defender.

 

 

 


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