Whether it's browser hijackers grabbing your search page, or the
latest ransomware encrypting all your files,
every PC (and even your smartphone!) needs a sterling security package, the
best antivirus around, to keep threats at bay.
Don't rely on Microsoft's very own Windows Defender to keep you safe. Sure, it's free and easy to use, but
independent tests show its protection rates can be considerably lower than the
leading competition.
This doesn't mean you have to start spending big money.
Experienced users in particular can build great solutions by combining free
antivirus tools with other free and open source security products (and even
candidates from our curated best VPN buying guide).
·
Shopping for business or
professionals? Then why not check out our listing of best business antivirus packages
·
Check out: the best antivirus for Android 2017 and the best free antivirus software 2017
Commercial packages
usually (but not always) deliver the best-rated protection, though, and
sometimes include extras like password managers, web filtering, antiphishing
tech and more. If you're looking for the maximum security, at least consider
parting with some cash.
1. BitDefender Antivirus Plus
2018
Rock-solid
and reliable protection
Accurate
Password manager
Can be resource-hungry
In a world packed with free security software, Bitdefender
Antivirus Plus 2018's annual $39.99 fee may look expensive. Especially as this
now only covers you for a single device, down from three last year.
Still, there are compensations. Bitdefender's engine is one of
the most accurate and reliable around, for instance, loved by all the big
independent testers.
Web filtering blocks access to malicious sites, a secure browser
keeps your online financial transactions safe, and there's a password manager
which auto-completes credit card details in web forms.
An excellent anti-phishing module alerts you to malicious links
in your search engine results, and blocks access to dangerous sites.
There are one or two issues – it grabs more resources than
average, and might conflict with some programs – but Bitdefender Antivirus Plus
2018 is still a likeable package which offers excellent detection rates, great
performance, and more than enough bonus features to justify the price.
Alternatively, you can purchase the Total Security 2018 edition
for not much more. It adds a firewall, parental control, antispam, file
encryption and more, and covers up to five PCs, Macs and Android devices (iOS
is ‘coming soon’).
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2. ESET NOD32 Antivirus
Expert-level
antivirus for the more experienced user
Highly configurable
Device access control
Relatively expensive
Not for beginners
If you judge an
antivirus on the length of its feature list, ESET NOD32 Antivirus might be a
disappointment. There’s no firewall, password manager, file shredder,
vulnerability scanner or any of the bundled extras you'll often find elsewhere.
This doesn't mean the
package is short on power, it's just more focused on the antivirus
fundamentals. ESET NOD32 Antivirus comes with real-time malware protection, an
anti-ransomware layer, exploit protection, URL filtering to block malicious
websites, and modules to prevent attacks using PowerShell and malicious
scripts.
A Device Control
module limits the risk of infection from other devices by controlling access to
USB sticks, external hard drives, optical storage media, even devices
connecting by Bluetooth and FireWire. It's an unusual extra, but could make a
difference if others are regularly plugging devices into your PC.
ESET NOD32 Antivirus
isn't aimed at beginners. The interface is clumsy sometimes, some features are
very advanced, and even the Help isn't always exactly helpful.
Experienced users will
appreciate ESET’s power and configurability, though. Above-average protection
does a good job of keeping you safe, and a lightweight design ensures the
package won't slow you down.
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F-Secure Antivirus
Nothing
is easier to use
Very user-friendly
Good value
Prone to false
positives
If you're tired of the junk that weighs down some antivirus
tools, F-Secure Anti-Virus will make a refreshing change. There are no
unnecessary extras here, no bonus features you'll never use: you just get
straightforward real-time browsing and antivirus protection.
Keeping things simple doesn't mean compromising your safety. The
package typically receives maximum marks for protection from AV-Test, and
generally scores highly with AV-Comparatives, too. They also say it can
generate significantly more false positives than most of the competition, but
how that affects you will vary depending on how you use your computer.
The interface is a major plus. It's extremely easy to use,
lightweight, and for the most part you can just leave the app alone to look
after your PC. The program has minimal effect on your system performance, and
if you do need to intervene then you can generally solve any issues in a couple
of clicks.
Competitors like Bitdefender and Kaspersky offer better
protection and more features, but F-Secure Anti-Virus remains an appealing
package: fast, lightweight, and able to run alongside many other security tools
without conflict. It's good value, too.
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4. Kaspersky Antivirus 2017
Trustworthy
security for beginners and experts alike
One of the best
performing security packages
Supremely easy to use
Kaspersky's full
suites are better value
Kaspersky
Anti-Virus 2017 is a stripped-back security package which focuses on the core
security essentials: web filtering blocks dangerous URLs, an accurate antivirus
engine detects and removes threats, smart monitoring technologies track and
reverse malicious actions, and that's about it.
Fortunately, what you do get works well. Very, very well. We've
consistently found Kaspersky to be amongst the best at blocking malware, and
removing it from an infected system, plus it's regularly top-rated at sites
like AV-Comparatives.
The program is easy to use, too. A well-designed interface has
just the right number of buttons and options – not too basic, but not
complicated or intimidating, either – and there are plenty of on-screen
instructions to explain how everything works. Even a beginner will be at home
right away.
The
price is average at best. If you're looking for better value, check Kaspersky's
Total Security product. Not only is it a full security suite with privacy
protection, encryption, password management, parental controls and more, but
due to some bizarre licensing quirk it's even cheaper than Kaspersky Anti-Virus
2017 in some configurations (check the comparison table here).
But if you just need accurate, reliable and consistent malware
protection, Kaspersky Anti-Virus 2017 will serve you well.
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Norton AntiVirus Basic
Quality
protection that won't slow you down
Low impact on system
resources
Browser extension
extras can be unreliable
Norton AntiVirus Basic
is a top quality malware hunter which can automatically protect your PC all on
its own, but also offers plenty of tweaks, options and settings for those who
need them.
One of the best URL blockers around keeps you away from
malicious websites, for instance. If that misses something, an excellent file
reputation service recognises suspect downloads immediately. And if malware
still finds a way through, intelligent behaviour monitoring kills it at the
first sign of trouble.
If you're a more hands-on type, you can easily run scans on
demand. Maybe set up and save custom scans to check just the areas you need.
Even schedule them to run at a particular time, but only if your system is
idle, and it's not running on battery power.
There can be problems with some of the browser extensions. The
bundled Norton Identity Safe is a capable password manager when it's running
properly, but we've found the Chrome version sometimes stops working for no
apparent reason. We've seen plenty of reviewers reporting similar problems, so
there does seem to be a real issue here.
Still, you don't have to use Identity Safe at all, and Norton
AntiVirus Basic's main functions deliver on all fronts: it's easy to use, has
the configuration options experts need, comes highly rated by the testing labs,
and is carefully designed to have the least possible impact on your system
performance.
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Panda Antivirus Pro
A
user-friendly and very well-featured antivirus solution
Lots of features
Easy to use
Limited firewall
Real-time malware
detection, speedy cloud-based scanning, URL filtering to block malicious
websites: Panda Antivirus Pro has all the goodies you'd expect from a top
antivirus package.
That's just the start. A simple two-way firewall helps to keep
your system secure. An application control system can define exactly what runs
on your PC, stopping even some brand new and undiscovered malware. A virtual
keyboard helps you enter confidential data without it being intercepted by
keyloggers. There's even a tool to build a bootable USB rescue disc, ready to
remove even the most stubborn threats.
Some of these bonus features are relatively basic. The Panda
firewall does its job and can make you more secure, for instance, but it
doesn't compete with the standalone firewall competition. Experienced network
users will probably want more.
The simplicity does at least keep everything very easy to use.
Options are organised in a straightforward Windows 10-like interface, with all
the main modules just a click or two away. Even the firewall doesn't need to
know anything more than your current network location: Home, Work or Public
Place.
There's not a lot of Panda test results from the independent
labs around right now, but the figures we've seen show the company delivers
above average protection, and overall Panda Antivirus Pro does a good job of
keeping malware at bay.
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Trend Micro Antivirus+ Security
A strong contender
Affordable pricing
Might slow you down
Higher than average
false positives
Trend Micro Antivirus+ Security is a capable antivirus package
that's simple to use with above average antispam and an effective ‘Folder
Shield’ module to block ransomware.
How good is it? The top testing labs all rate it highly for
protection, although there's some disagreement on the details. In particular,
AV-Comparatives says it gives a high number of false positives, which could be
a real nuisance. But AV-Test reports high levels of accuracy and no issues with
false positives at all.
If
there's a problem here, it's likely to be performance impact. PassMark's March
2017 Performance report assessed 15 security products on various
performance-related benchmarks, and Trend Micro came bottom of the list.
Our experiences with the product are a little more favourable:
protection levels appear similar to Bitdefender, false positives are only marginally
higher, and it doesn't slow down our system noticeably more than anything else.
We'd recommending running the trial for its full 30 days before
you buy, then, to see if you notice any problems. But if you're unaffected, its
high levels of detection and excellent bonus features make Trend Micro a good
choice.
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The
most lightweight antivirus around
Extremely light on
system resources
Lightning fast
No testing data from
the top labs
Just
about every antivirus tool claims to be ‘lightweight’, but Webroot
SecureAnywhere AntiVirus is the only one to really deliver on this front.
Installation takes seconds, the program files barely grab 2MB of your hard
drive, RAM footprint is tiny, and there are no bulky signature updates to tie
up your bandwidth.
There's no compromise on features, though. Along with the core
antivirus protection, there's smart behaviour monitoring, accurate real-time
antiphishing, a firewall and network connection monitor, enhanced
anti-ransomware, and other interesting extras.
It's not easy to compare Webroot's accuracy with the
competition, as the big testing labs rarely evaluate the company's products.
But when they are reviewed, they generally score well, and our own tests show
solid and reliable protection.
There's a lot to like about SecureAnywhere AntiVirus, and
Webroot's 70-day 100% money-back guarantee suggests it's confident in the
product, too. If you're tired of overly complicated and bloated antivirus
engines, Webroot must be on your shortlist.
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