Antivirus: Buying Advice, Tips, and News

at Bitdefender

Read Our Bitdefender Antivirus Plus Review

With perfect antivirus lab results and a collection of features that puts many full security suites to shame, Bitdefender Antivirus Plus is a top choice for protecting your PC.

Pros

Perfect scores in independent lab tests
Excellent defense against fraudulent and malicious sites
Multi-layered ransomware protection
Isolated browser for banking safety
Prevents advertisers from tracking you
Many security-centered bonus features

Cons

Unlimited VPN access requires a separate subscription
Slow first full scan

Best Antivirus From a Well-Known Brand

4.5

Outstanding

Norton AntiVirus Plus

at Norton LifeLock

Read Our Norton AntiVirus Plus Review

Norton AntiVirus Plus gets impressive scores in independent lab tests and many of our own hands-on tests, and it offers several suite-level security features.

Pros

Excellent scores in independent lab tests
Data Protector foils ransomware attacks
Online backup enabled out of the box
Intelligent firewall protection
Includes vulnerability scan and other suite-level features

Cons

Relatively expensive

Best for One-PC Households

4.0

Excellent

McAfee AntiVirus

at McAfee

Read Our McAfee AntiVirus Review

McAfee AntiVirus gets perfect lab scores and does well in our tests, but because it protects only one device, it’s not practical for many users.

Pros

Perfect lab test scores
Excellent scores in our hands-on tests
Virus protection pledge

Cons

Missed one hand-tweaked ransomware sample
Windows-only protection with no volume discount
Many long-standing features now absent

Best Breadth of Features

4.0

Excellent

G Data Antivirus

$29.95

at G DATA Software

Read Our G Data Antivirus Review

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

Best for Speedy Scans

4.0

Excellent

Malwarebytes Premium

at Malwarebytes

Read Our Malwarebytes Premium Review

Malwarebytes Premium is no longer as an assistant to your main antivirus, standing on its own with excellent scores in our hands-on tests and from independent testing labs.

Pros

Top score in our hands-on malware protection test
Excellent protection against malicious and fraudulent sites
Very good scores from independent labs

Cons

No features beyond basic antivirus

Best for Thrifty Users

4.0

Excellent

Sophos Home Premium

at Sophos

Read Our Sophos Home Premium Review

The affordable Sophos Home Premium expands on basic antivirus with protection forged in the company's enterprise-level solutions, with all configuration managed remotely.

Pros

Excellent scores in some of our hands-on tests
Effective ransomware protection
Remotely manages up to 10 PCs or Macs
Inexpensive

Cons

Limited results from testing labs
Ineffective parental control
No longer offers mobile management or keylogger protection
Advanced features require uncommon tech expertise

Best for a Small Footprint

4.0

Excellent

Webroot AntiVirus

$29.99 for a Limited Time (Up to 50% Off 1-Year Plan)

at Webroot

Read Our Webroot AntiVirus Review

Though it no longer offers remote configuration and its ransomware protection is imperfect, Webroot AntiVirus scans quickly and uses just a trickle of system resources.

Pros

Fast scan, tiny size
Light on system resources
Can remediate ransomware damage
Advanced features

Cons

No longer offers remote monitoring and configuration
Imperfect protection against hand-modified ransomware
Limited lab test results
Advanced features require uncommon expertise
No volume discount
Firewall settings can be confusing

Best for Techies

3.5

Good

ESET NOD32 Antivirus

at ESET

Read Our ESET NOD32 Antivirus Review

ESET NOD32 Antivirus combines tech-heavy bonus features with test results that range from excellent to poor.

Pros

Some good scores from independent labs and our hands-on tests
HIPS component blocks exploits
Comprehensive device control

Cons

Poor score in our malware-blocking test
Device control is too complex for most users
Ransomware protection not effective in testing

Best for No-Frills Protection

3.5

Good

Total Defense Essential Anti-Virus

$49.99 Per Year

at Total Defense

Read Our Total Defense Essential Anti-Virus Review

Total Defense Essential Anti-Virus eschews bonus features, concentrating on eliminating malware and fending off new attacks.

Pros

Very good defense against malware-hosting websites
Effective detection of phishing frauds
Virus-free guarantee

Cons

Lower score than last year in our hands-on malware protection test
Few test results from independent labs

Best for Single-PC Protection

3.5

Good

Trend Micro Antivirus+ Security

$29.95/Year

at Trend Micro Small Business