We often take for granted how much we think we are secure on the internet when it’s the opposite. According to DaraProt, 560,000 pieces of malware are detected every day. It’s a lot of malicious software made in a day. Antivirus software can protect users from dealing with unfortunate cyber threats when they happen. Here are some of the best antivirus software available right now.

10+ Antivirus Software

1. Avast Antivirus

avast antivirus

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Rating: 4.6/5

Price: FREE

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2. Mcafee

mcafee

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Rating: 4.6/5

Price: Custom

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3. Bitdefender

bitdefender

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Rating: 4.9/5

Price: Custom

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4. Microsoft Defender

microsoft defender

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Rating: 4.7/5

Price: Custom

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5. Kaspersky Total Security

kaspersky total security

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Rating: 5/5

Price: $99 .99/year

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6. Norton 360

norton 360

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Rating: 4.7/5

Price: FREE

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7. Trend Micro Antivirus

trend micro antivirus

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Rating: 4.3/5

Price: $29.95/year

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8. Malware Bytes

malware bytes

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Rating: 4.7/5

Price: $3.33/month

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9. Webroot

webroot

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Rating: 4.7/5

Price: Custom

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10. Avira Antivirus

avira antivirus

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Rating: 4.7/5

Price: FREE

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11. TotalAV

totalav

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Rating: 4.6/5

Price: $29/year

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What Is Antivirus Software?

Antivirus software is cyber security software designed to detect and eliminate cyber threats in a computer and smartphone system. Originally designed to eliminate computer viruses, most antivirus software has added more cyber security tools to protect users from other cyber threats such as ransomware and spyware, as well as added security features such as VPN software for added security measures for the user(s) of a computer system.

Benefits

A huge and important benefit of using antivirus software is that it protects users from viruses and other cyber threats. With antivirus software developers constantly updating their software, users assured that they are given at least basic layers of protection against cyber threats. To add an extra measure of safety, the software automatically blocks users from entering unsuspecting dangerous websites. Most web browser security features may able to do this on their own without antivirus software but it’s better to be safe by installing antivirus software. Antivirus software also protects devices from infected external storage devices such as USB by eliminating them before malicious software can infect the computer.

  • Protects users from viruses and other cyber threats
  • Blocks users from entertaining possible dangerous websites
  • Protects computers from infected external devices

Features

Antivirus software should be able to do real-time automated scanning in the background without any intervention from the user. It should also provide options for users to do custom scanning according to their preferences, ranging from quick scans, full scans, and specific app scanning. The software should also be able to receive constant updates from its developers, which such updates are important as they may contain data of possibly new cyber threats that can potentially infect a device in the future.

While the software is designed to eliminate viruses, it should be able to at least place possibly malicious software under “quarantine” and let users decide to delete it for good or not. This is given just in case the antivirus software has mistakenly identified a program as a threat, making it a false positive.

  • Real-time automatic scanning
  • Customizable scanning options
  • Constant update
  • Isolate viruses and other malware in a quarantine portal

Top 10 Antivirus Software

1. Malware Bytes

Being an anti malware software, Malware Bytes also provides real-time 24/7 anti-virus protection as well as VPN for added privacy for users. Founded in 2006, the company has 846 employees and earned a revenue of more than $190 million in 2020.

2. Microsoft Defender

Microsoft Defender has protected its Windows users since 2005 with continuous protection against viruses, malware, and spyware and now has expanded to smartphones and Mc business computers. Microsoft has 166,475 employees and a revenue of $143 million in 2020.

3. Avast Antivirus

Avast Antivirus wants to protect everyone by providing its basic antivirus software for free, along with added privacy features such as a private surfing browser and VPN. Founded in 1988, the company has around 1,700 employees and a revenue of $892.9 million in 2020. 

4. Mcafee

Mcafee provides protection to several types of users from individual users to families and couples to businesses with added personal protection and detection of day-zero computer viruses. Founded in 1987, the company has 6,900 employees and earned a revenue of $2.9 billion in 2020.

5. Bitdefender

Bitdefender provides multi-device anti-virus protection for both personal and business users with constantly updated software as they discover new threats 24/7. Founded in 2001, the company has 1,600 employees and earned a revenue of $139.7 million in 2017.

6. Kaspersky Total Security

Kaspersky provides robust anti-virus protection to users against viruses and malware, along with added security features such as free VPN, password manager, and child-friendly protection software. Founded in 1997, the company has 4,000 employees and a revenue of $704 million in 2020.

7. Norton 360

Norton 360 provides an all-in-one cybersecurity protection with added features such as VPN and password manager. NortonLifeLock, the parent company, has 3,659 employees and earns a revenue of 2.49 billion in 2020.

8. Trend Micro Antivirus

Trend Micro Antivirus offers full antivirus protection to users for a full year including flittering of dangerous websites and protection against phishing e-mails. Founded in 1988, the company has 6,975 employees and earned a revenue of $1.7 billion in 2020.

9. TotalAV

TotalAV offers award-winning antivirus security features in easy-to-use software that includes protection from other security threats such as malware and phishing. Founded in 2016, the company has 3 employees and earns a revenue of $1.3 million annually.

10. Avira Antivirus

Avira Antivirus provides free anti-virus protection to users with an added password manager and continuously updates their security protection. Founded in 1986, the company has over 500+ employees.

FAQs

Can I install two or more different types of anti-virus software?

It’s generally not recommended to have two or more anti-virus software installed and running as these programs might cause problems with the computer that can possibly crash the device. Antivirus software can deeply penetrate itself in unseen computer files to detect hidden cyber threats, which is why users must choose one anti-virus software for their device to avoid the computer crashing. If a user is not satisfied with the software, they must uninstall the current software before installing a new one.

What is the difference between computer malware and a computer virus?

Malware is actually an umbrella term for all cyber threats such as viruses, ransomware, spyware, etc. A computer virus is a type of malware that penetrates the computer’s coding with its own code that can affect how the computer operates.

Is free antivirus software good enough or should I pay for the service?

For personal users, it depends on how you use your computer and what kind of websites you go to using your device. If you can trust that you don’t go to untrusted websites often, you are good to use a free anti-virus software which has already provides basic protection for your device. If you are unsure if the websites you often visit contain malicious software, it’s best to try pay for antivirus software for an added layer of security.

For business users, it’s highly recommended for companies to pay for antivirus software in their computer systems as they are likely to be impacted by ransomware attacks which only paid antivirus software can provide anti ransomware software protection over these threats.

There might be times where antivirus software might add annoyance to a user like you. Whether the software lags your device during scanning or it detects non-harmful software as malware, it’s a small price to pay for 24/7 protection against cyber threats that are being discovered every day.

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