Reviews on ca antivirus software

And there's even a highest ever placement in our chart for Microsoft's very own Defender virus protection. If it's free antivirus that you're after, we have some top recommendations for you, too as well as some top business packages. Bitdefender is top of the tree as TechRadar's best antivirus, beating some stiff competition and doing so without asking all that much in terms of subscription costs.

So what makes it so good? For starters. Even if you opt for the entry-level Bitdefender Antivirus Plus product, you get Safepay online banking protection, which is essentially a secure browser and one which covers you from all kinds of angles.

The company offers more extensive suites, too, with Bitdefender Internet Security providing all the above plus a tools to help speed up your computer and to help you find your mobile devices if they're lost or stolen. As the flagship offering, Bitdefender Total Security comes complete with an array of PC maintenance tools, plus it supports Android and iOS devices as well as covering Windows and Mac machines - basically, it's a single solution to your entire family's online security needs.

At this point of previous years' reviews, we'd be talking about how Bitdefender beats the rest when it comes to pure virus protection, too. That's not quite the case this year, with the report from AV-Comparatives showing less accurate results than usual. Considering Bitdefender's strength in previous years, we're happy to give it the benefit of the doubt for now, but we'll have a keen eye on the independent lab results this year to see whether that picture changes.

Plus that secure feeling of knowing you're being kept safe by 's overall best antivirus software. Bitdefender Antivirus Plus comes with the added bonus of a VPN and Safepay as well as boasting multi-layer ransomware protection. A fantastic price, for a fully-featured antivirus. The main attraction here is the absolute stack of features you get - even with the entry-level Antivirus Plus product — not to mention the quality of those features.

They include a really useful intelligent firewall, which is a genuinely big help in terms of policing your system, along with some very thorough browser protection measures to keep you safe on the web. And in our very own ransomware testing, we Norton came up a little bit short compared to the more effective protection offered by Bitdefender. If you want more then NortonLifeLock offers a range of higher-level suites. Norton Standard adds some nifty extra bits of functionality, including an integrated full VPN service, more backup storage 10GB and dark web monitoring for some countries, including the US and UK.

There are also strong mobile apps for Android and iOS. While Premium ramps that up again to 75GB backup and 10 devices. Editor's note: Unlike the other providers in this list, Kaspersky is yet to release the version of its antivirus. What follows is the description of its plan, and will be updated once we have tested the updates. Its core antivirus capabilities are very strong, with Kaspersky ranking at or near the top in all the most recent reports from the big independent test labs.

Kaspersky also benefits from some nifty self-protection routines. The good news is that when it comes to extras, the bigger suites bundle more interesting functionality.

Kaspersky Internet Security introduces an intelligent firewall which hardly ever bothers you with any queries , plus a secure browser, and it offers coverage for Macs, along with Android and iOS mobile devices. Kaspersky Total Security brings in more on top of all that, including smart parental controls, a fully-fledged password manager, and automated local or Dropbox backups.

Another strong suit is the fact that this antivirus is currently top dog when it comes to blocking phishing sites according to AV-Comparatives , and it provides great web browsing protection including Pay Guard as a secure environment for the likes of online banking. Weak points? However, you do of course get more functionality with the higher-level security suites from Trend Micro. The next tier product, Trend Micro Internet Security, throws in some interesting extras including parental controls and social media protection tools.

Whereas most updates on this list are fairly superficial, Avast ripped everything up and started again for its latest release - introducing Avast One. Avast One takes the firm's trusted free antivirus now known as Avast One Essential and builds on it with extra features.

Whether you choose to go free or upgrade, the software is really in favor with the independent testing labs at the moment, ranking towards the top of the pile in real-world malware tests and anti-phishing tasks. You also benefit from a simple firewall, data breach scanning to warn you if your online accounts are breached, and apps for Windows, Mac, Android and iOS. So why bother paying for Avast One?

You'd have to really want one of those specific add-ons to want to part with your cash, otherwise we'd suggest going for a more fully featured internet security suite or just sticking with the free Essential download. We saw a lot more thought pieces coming out in suggesting that the time was at an end to pay for your antivirus software.

And while we generally disagree with that notion, Microsoft Defender is probably the best argument in its favor. That's because if you're a Windows user, there's a perfectly capable virus protection already sitting within your operating system. Microsoft Defender is a solid product that gives capable mid-range protection - mostly without users ever even knowing it's there. Defender has a dashboard, its own scan options and so on, but you'll never even see them unless you go looking.

In the testing from independent lab AV-Comparatives, Defender ranked pretty much slap bang in the middle of the 17 tested providers. That means it's better at protecting your PC than even some of paid-for software out there. Outside of pure virus protection, it features lots of bonus features such as multi-layered anti-ransomware, firewall, webcam and privacy protection, web filtering, parental controls and backup.

So what's stopping you from forgetting the rest and simply getting Defender up and running? Well, those features mentioned above are all pretty basic and aren't up the standard of those offered by most of the security suites above. And it probably goes without saying that Defender is only available on Windows PCs - forget protecting your Mac or smartphone - and some features only play nice if you use Edge as your browser.

In truth, Avira is probably best known for its Avira Free antivirus option which is among the best out there - see further down this page , but its premium packages should not be sniffed at — especially when you consider the incredible price you can now pay for its Antivirus Pro package. The interface is smart and the various features — including the free but limited to 1GB monthly VPN — are now better integrated within the UI overall.

The caveat here is that the ratings of the antivirus engine from independent test labs are only middling at best — but the app does provide a decent enough level of protection. Upgrading to the Internet Security or Prime plan adds further features like a full password manager, and the Pro version of Software Updater which provides automatic updates for your apps , plus Prime gives you the unlimited usage version of the VPN and mobile app support.

A real bargain. If you'd like to take a step up in securing your PC without taxing your wallet, it's hard to beat Bitdefender's free antivirus software for Windows The Windows security software offers real-time monitoring for viruses, malware, spyware and ransomware protection. Bitdefender Antivirus Free Edition is easy to set up and stays out of your way until you need it.

And the protection this antivirus product offers is solid. Bitdefender antivirus software consistently earns top marks for its antivirus protection and usability from the respected AV-Test independent testing lab.

The free antivirus version covers one Windows PC. Malwarebytes does protect your PC from a virus or malware attack, scoring reasonably well in recent independent testing for guarding against malware threats. But that's not really what Malwarebytes is known for. If you find yourself in trouble, the go-to disinfectant for many is Malwarebytes. To get the antivirus company's free antivirus version, download this trial version , which "downgrades" to a no-fee on-demand cleaner with fewer features that detects and removes viruses and malware when you run an on-demand antivirus scan after 14 days.

In addition to the four antivirus apps we recommend above, a handful of other anti-malware tools are worth considering among the best antivirus protection if you find them at a better price or just prefer to use one over our picks above. It feels like McAfee Antivirus has been around forever, first on its own in the '80s, then as part of Intel starting in , and then again on its own when Intel spun it off in And McAfee Total Protection has been around forever because quarter after quarter it creates solid, modern antivirus software that protects your PC.

In recent evaluations by AV-Test, it had high scores on both protection and performance. Maybe this antivirus provider is not as well known to consumers because of its focus on enterprise security, Trend Micro antivirus quietly brings its business expertise to the home with its Trend Micro Maximum Security tools. Trend Micro's software earns high marks from AV-Test -- consistently scoring well for detecting zero-day attacks and widespread viruses and malware.

And Trend Micro does a good job of not taxing system resources. Free version? It earns high scores for usability and offers solid virus protection.

The free antivirus version of Sophos Home gives you virus protection for three Windows PCs -- using the company's high-scoring anti-malware tool -- plus a day trial of the company's malware-removal tool. Test after test, Avast Antivirus for Windows performs well for malware detection with options ranging from Avast free antivirus software to Avast Premium Security. And we've included its antivirus in our list of recommended security app options before. But Avast was in the news for several months for its non-antivirus business, so we looked at the company, specifically reports at the end of that Avast allegedly collected user data with its browser plug-ins and antivirus software and then sold data it collected through its Jumpshot subsidiary in early In response to the reports that his company gathered and sold the details of its customers' online activities, Avast CEO Ondrej Vlcek said in a statement that he understood that his company's actions raised questions of trust in his company.

To address that, Avast terminated Jumpshot data collection in January and closed its operations because the data collection business wasn't in line with Avast's privacy priorities. These newer reports follow another in from Avast that its internal network was breached , possibly to insert malware into its CCleaner software, similar to an earlier CCleaner hack that occurred prior to Avast's acquiring the Windows utility.

Avast is now saying the right things about taking its customers' privacy seriously , but it only came to that point after reacting to investigative reporting that revealed the Jumpshot practices. The CCleaner revelations, while concerning, were self-disclosed, which is important to building user trust. We hope Avast's more privacy-friendly policies mean that there will be no further Jumpshot-style activities and it returns to glory as one of the best antivirus software.

In the meantime, we'd recommend using one of the many other solid choices in this realm listed above. Because the company has been in the news the past few years, let's talk about Kaspersky Lab -- specifically about the federal ban that blocks US government agencies from using Kaspersky Antivirus products.

Based in Moscow, Kaspersky Lab has for years produced some of the best antivirus software for business antivirus needs and home customers.

ESET is a company dedicated to providing virus-protection solutions for both home and corporate users. It creates different types of anti-virus security products that work across a range of platforms.

Consumers should decide what type of antivirus service they are interested in. There are three basic types of antivirus software. Warranties are good to have no matter what type of service a consumer is paying for. They help to cover different aspects of the service in the event something goes wrong.

Antivirus companies can have vastly different pricing structures. Depending on the needs of the consumer, certain plans might be more appealing than others. A company's history can be very informative when it comes to choosing which antivirus software company to work with. Some companies focus on home computer security while others deal with businesses.

Most antivirus companies serve both markets but prioritize one. Customer support is a very important part of choosing an antivirus software company. Consumers should be confident that they are working with a company that has their best interests in mind and is available to assist them.

PC antivirus software works by scanning your system for viruses. It runs in the background of your computer at all times, scanning Internet downloads, zip files, even Word documents, for suspicious activity including viruses, worms and malware. In addition to scanning every download, antivirus software will perform full-system scans on a set schedule, usually once a week. You can buy PC antivirus software on a disc or have it downloaded and installed on your hard drive.

Some PC software is available as a free download, while other systems come at a price. Typically, the free PC antivirus software will do the major tasks you need including checking for viruses and malware and performing routine system scans. Many antivirus companies develop software for Mac computers. Many companies provide cloud-based services.

These are real-time services that detect something happening on a device and copy a fingerprint of it into the cloud in order to scan it immediately for viruses. This helps reduce the time it takes to detect suspicious activity or malware. The cloud works incredibly fast, making it a good choice if you have high-speed Internet.

Most antivirus companies now offer virus protection apps for keeping smartphones and tablets free of malicious code with apps for Android, iOS and Windows Mobile devices. You can use one antivirus brand on your computer and another on your mobile devices if you like. Many businesses, both large and small, run the risk of having their entire systems infected with viruses. This can cause the company to be unable to operate, sometimes for days at a time. It's important for businesses to make sure their computers are protected with antivirus software.

Individuals who use computers or mobile devices to connect to the Internet at home or away from home should make sure their devices are protected from viruses. Antivirus software will help ensure that they don't have to make costly replacements to products that have been compromised. Some people or groups have to deal with highly sensitive information such as medical records, police files, financial information, etc.

These groups need to have antivirus software that is even more secure than average users need along with the infrastructure to support the software across a large network. In addition to the needs of individuals working on home computers or mobile devices, families or households with children will need extra virus protection that monitors and filters Internet usage.

This helps keep children safer while they are using the Internet and is a feature that many antivirus companies offer. VIPRE is an award-winning internet security solution for your home or business. It uses advanced AI systems, cloud-based threat assessment systems and real time behavior monitoring to protect you against cyber attacks.

Total Defense software protects your internet-connected devices from malware and viruses. It is a subscription service that you can renew annually for optimal protection, and the company guarantees results. Based in Spain, Panda Security is a multinational company focusing on antivirus software and cyber-security technology. Panda Security operates in over countries and boasts more than 30 million users.

Founded in , McAfee is a longstanding and trusted name in antivirus software for consumers and business because of how the company has continued to advance products to keep up with a changing industry over the years. Now a part of Intel Security Group, the brand will be eventually be renamed.

AVG Technologies specializes in software for consumer and business internet security, personal privacy and identity protection. Founded in , AVG now serves over million monthly active users.

Norton Antivirus has been protecting computers since and was purchased by the software development company Symantec in The Norton Security division offers antivirus and other security solutions for home and business. I consider shield antivirus as one of the great antivirus who can gave a good protection on my computer and offers a solution who can clear any history for my privacy.

Theres some suspicious updates that im not very familiar and the other advestisement who can annoy the users. Ishan from Get Beyond Limits. Time Used: Less than 6 months. I wish the anti virus was a little more lightweight and doesnt make the device laggy. Overall a good job done to keep the devices safe.

Monica Anne from Makati Diamond Residences. Overall shield antivirus is worth to use. Shield antivirus is very user-friendly antivirus that anyone can easily install and use it on general computer. I use shield antivirus on my personal computer as my number one protector. The notifications and advertisement that always pop up on shield antivirus is the thing that i dislike. Industry: Real Estate. This is a must have type of software. I would not want to operate without being protected.

I have not tried others. But I liked this software! Can not currently find any cons. This is have been a good working software, and has kept the office computers safe. In just fifteen minutes, the experts at Software Advice can help you narrow down the right software for your organization.

Get Advice. Other Software. User Reviews Overview. Ratings Breakdown 5 stars. Feature Ratings. Value for Money. Customer Support. Sort by: Recommended Most Recent. February Premium Antivirus Get a premium experience in Shield Antivirus Pros When Im using shield antivirus I feel like im a premium version because it provides all my needs in an antivirus. Cons I don't have any complaints in this kind of product because it's almost perfect and provided a quality service. August Shield Antivirus review Pros As a user-friendly antivirus program, Shield antivirus is simple to set up and operate on a standard computer, making it suitable for anybody.

Cons I've noticed that Shield antivirus's real-time system monitoring is occasionally buggy and crashes, although it's not always the case. December Shield and protect With this software I have been able to protect my files and operating system from malware and harmful files. Pros What I like most about this software is that it really protects my devices against malware and corrupted files. Cons What I like least about this software is that you have to update it almost frequently to have it's best experience.

Amazing Shield Antivirus This is for all kinds of users, easy to understand and use Antivirus, surprisingly amazing. Cons Scanning might take slow, but it depends on the files you scan.

Antivirus at work Pros We are using shield antivirus and as for our daily use, we are not experiencing any attack or virus. Cons As of now, we are not encountering any problems using this product. March