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| Antivirus |
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
 |
| 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
 |
| 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)
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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