By Paul Wagenseil 9 days ago From Tom’s Guide Thanks !
Here is the best antivirus protection you can get today Best antivirus software
EDITOR’S NOTE: The winners of the 2021 Tom’s Guide Awards have been announced, and Kaspersky Total Security has won Best Antivirus Software. Bitdefender Total Security is the runner-up. Head to the Tom’s Guide Awards 2021 Best Products for Working From Home page to see all the winners and recommended runners-up.
If you’ve got a Windows PC, you’re going to have to use one of the best antivirus programs, whether that program is free or paid. That’s because Windows is by far the most widely attacked software platform, and letting your PC go without antivirus software is just inviting trouble.
Fortunately, Windows 10 and Windows 8.1 have built-in software called Microsoft Defender Antivirus (formerly Windows Defender), and it’s one of the best free antivirus programs. But it doesn’t completely match the protection and features offered by the best paid antivirus software.
Paid antivirus software adds dedicated defenses against ransomware and webcam hijacking, builds in extra functions like file shredding or encryption, and sometimes includes features that normally are available as stand-alone services, such as password managers, cloud-backup solutions, VPNs or identity-theft protection.
Paid antivirus programs normally come in tiers that share the same protection against malware, but add on more features and functions as the yearly subscription prices rise.
Kaspersky, for example, offers four different packages: the free Kaspersky Security Cloud, the basic paid entry Kaspersky Anti-Virus, the midrange Kaspersky Internet Security and the premium Kaspersky Total Security. Another top antivirus maker, Norton LifeLock, has eight plans mixing in various levels of protection against malware and identity theft.
These different tiers of service are aimed at different customers according to their needs and spending power, which we explore further at the end of this page. In the meantime, here’s our list of the best paid antivirus software, but don’t forget to check out our list of the best free antivirus software halfway down this page.
The top 3 best antivirus brands
1. Kaspersky provides the best antivirus protection overall
Kaspersky combines one of the world’s top-rated malware-detection engines with a ton of useful features. It’s the best antivirus software you can buy today.
2. Bitdefender offers the best value in antivirus software
Bitdefender Antivirus Plus combines great malware protection with an assortment of useful features and an easy-to-use interface, all at a great price.
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3. Norton packs in everything but the kitchen sink
Norton’s antivirus products offer a password manager, unlimited VPN data, identity theft protection, parental controls and even online storage — almost every kind of digital security you could ever need.
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What is the best antivirus software?
Best Antivirus: Top 7
1. Kaspersky Total Security
2. Bitdefender Antivirus Plus
3. Norton 360 Deluxe
4. McAfee Internet Security
5. Trend Micro Maximum Security
6. ESET Smart Security Premium
7. Sophos Home Premium
Our first choice for best antivirus software is Kaspersky Total Security. It delivers excellent malware protection, a full complement of extra features and an easy-to-use interface.
Right behind that are Bitdefender Antivirus Plus, an entry-level program that may be the best bargain in antivirus software, and Norton 360 Deluxe, which offers excellent protection with unlimited VPN service and a ton of extra features, including the option to add LifeLock identity protection.
Any one of these three would serve you well, but the ideal choice would depend on what best fits your circumstances. For more, see our section on how to choose the best antivirus software below, or our stand-alone antivirus buying guide.
For the best free antivirus protection, we liked Kaspersky Security Cloud Free, which sailed past Bitdefender Antivirus Free Edition for the top spot.
Both offered excellent protection against malware without slowing down your system, but Kaspersky’s free program lets you schedule scans, has a quick-scan option, adds a ton of useful extra features and had the smallest impact on system performance we’ve ever seen.
Our free rankings immediately follow our paid rankings below.
The best antivirus software you can buy today
Kaspersky Total Security 2020 Box Art
(Image credit: Kaspersky)
1. Kaspersky Total Security
The best antivirus protection overall.
Specifications
Anti-theft: Yes
Backup software: Yes
Firewall: Yes
Game mode: Yes
Hardened browser: Yes
Parental controls: Yes
Password manager: Yes
Ransomware rollback: Yes
Webcam protection: Yes
Virtual keyboard: Yes
VPN: Limited upsell
Wi-Fi scanner: Yes
Reasons to buy
+Excellent malware protection+New stalkerware protection+Password manager, parental controls
Reasons to avoid
-Limited VPN usage-Microphone protection hard to enable
Kaspersky’s Windows products have excellent malware-detection scores and a light-to-moderate system-performance impact, the two most important criteria in our rankings.
The entry-level program, Kaspersky Anti-Virus (starting at £12.49 UK/$29.99 US), has dedicated ransomware protection, a virtual keyboard and a convenient online account portal. But it’s beaten by Bitdefender Antivirus Plus, which has even more features.
Kaspersky Internet Security (£17.49 UK/$39.99 US) is our top choice among midrange packages. It has a secure browser, anti-theft protection for laptops, webcam protection and a limited-use VPN client that kicks in when you connect to an open Wi-Fi network. It also includes software for macOS, Android and iOS.
The premium antivirus suite, Kaspersky Total Security (£19.99 UK/$44.99 US), adds backup software, parental controls, file encryption, a file shredder and an unlimited password manager. We think it’s the best antivirus software you can buy today.
As mentioned earlier, Kaspersky Total Security has won Best Antivirus Software in the 2021 Tom’s Guide Awards.
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