The upside is that most of them let you cover up to 10 machines at once, so the per-device cost ends up being pretty reasonable. But when you factor in how much all the extra services, like the password manager or the VPN, that come with the best internet security suites would cost on their own, you'll often come out ahead.
Norton with LifeLock Ultimate Plus throws in just about every security feature you'd need, including many that we normally review as stand-alone services. Unlimited password manager? Unlimited VPN? Parental controls, cloud backup, top-notch identity-theft protection? All there. Norton with LifeLock Ultimate Plus also has excellent protections against malware, its own firewall, dedicated webcam protection and can be installed on an unlimited number of devices.
So what's the catch? The parental controls, which are otherwise excellent, don't work on Macs. Neither does the cloud-backup service, and if you have more than one PC, you might fill up its GB of backup storage after a year or two. Then there's the sticker shock. If you really need and can afford all those extras, then Norton with LifeLock Ultimate Plus is a no-brainer. What if you don't want or need identity-theft protection or cloud-backup software, but still need an unlimited VPN?
Premium Security combines Bitdefender's very good malware detection and easy-to-use interface with a huge assortment of extra features. These include a few that Norton doesn't have, such as ransomware rollbacks, a super-secure web browser for online banking, anti-theft software for laptops and a file shredder. Bitdefender Premium Security also has parental controls for all four major platforms, but its unlimited password manager and dedicated webcam and microphone protections work only on Windows.
Read our full Bitdefender Premium Security review. Kaspersky has the best record on beating malware in third-party lab tests, hands-down. Its password manager works across all four major platforms, and its parental controls also fully cross-platform are second only to Norton's. Like Bitdefender, Kaspersky offers anti-theft features for laptops, ransomware rollbacks and a secure browser mode for online banking, but Kaspersky's browser works on Macs as well as on Windows.
It also offers file encryption and unique protection against "stalkerware" used by jealous partners. However, while Kaspersky offers backup software, like Norton, it doesn't provide online storage for those backups, but instead sends you to your own Dropbox account. Read our full Kaspersky Total Security review. Norton isn't the only antivirus maker with an identity-theft-protection service.
The package also includes McAfee's protection against malware, the True Key password manager, Safe Kids parental controls, file encryption, file shredding, a firewall and unlimited VPN service for up to five devices. Like many McAfee antivirus subscriptions, Total Protection Ultimate nominally protects up to 10 devices but in practice is unlimited.
The downsides are that neither the VPN nor the parental controls work on Macs, and that there's no webcam protection, hardened browser or backup software. And it's reasonably priced. In the end, even though no one has ever publicly produced a "smoking gun" linking the company to Russian intrigue, we think any of the options listed above are a safer bet.
And if you are a US government employee or work with the federal government, you'll want to steer clear of Kaspersky internet security products -- and perhaps use one of the antivirus software products mentioned here instead. Picking the best antivirus software for Windows means finding one that keeps your PC safe, doesn't take up a lot of system resources, is easy to use and stays out of the way till you need it. Here's what to look for. Antivirus software runs virus scans for known viruses and malware, of course, and can offer real-time protection.
And it watches for shady websites and suspicious links to keep you out of trouble. It can also offer ransomware protection and monitor unexpected behavior that may be a sign of new and not-yet-identified viruses and malware.
You want antivirus software that can successfully identify these unknown online threats without flagging too many false positives. Light on system resources.
You don't want antivirus software that taxes your PC's resources. If after you install the program, websites open slowly, apps download or open sluggishly or file copies take longer than expected, you may want to try another service. The good news is, all our picks offer a free trial to let you try out the antivirus program, so if your system feels sluggish after installation, you may want to keep looking.
Cost and discounts. Don't just pay the sticker price for antivirus protection. Before you buy, check for discounts on a company's website. Another way to save: The prices we list above are for 10 devices -- if the company offered that package -- but you can trim your cost with antivirus packages if you need to cover three or five devices. You may also find discounts on an app's Amazon page. To be effective, antivirus software needs to monitor what's going on with your PC, check in with company servers about unusual behavior and should provide sound banking protection.
The companies say they anonymize this technical data as much as possible to protect your privacy. But if you want to know more, the security companies on our list post privacy policies on their websites, so read their privacy statements to learn what the companies do with the information you share.
Protection for other platforms. Microsoft is by far the biggest target for viruses and malware. While the Mac does come under attack via side-loaded apps, it's rare, and if you download apps only from the Mac and iOS app stores and keep your guard up when clicking links and download files, you should be OK without an antivirus app on Apple devices. CNET editors pick the products and services we write about. When you buy through our links, we may get a commission. Best free Windows antivirus Microsoft Defender.
Jump to details. See at Microsoft. See at NortonLifeLock. See at Bitdefender. Best on-demand Windows malware removal Malwarebytes. See at Malwarebytes. Solid subscription antivirus alternative McAfee Total Protection. See at McAfee. Another good subscription option Trend Micro Maximum Security.
See at Trend Micro. See at ESET. Alternative free Windows antivirus Sophos Home. See at Sophos. Our recommendations Looking for free antivirus protection, malware protection or virus detection, willing to pay for an antivirus program that offers broad internet security coverage across all your devices, including from ransomware and phishing, or need to remove a computer virus or malware from your PC right now?
Best free Windows antivirus. Microsoft Defender. This section is also where you can set up OneDrive for ransomware data recovery. The Firewall section lets you manage the built-in firewall, and allow apps through the firewall if necessary. If you stick with mainstream browsers they have their own built-in protections, and you can also add third-party blockers such as uBlock Origin to keep out a good chunk of potential ad-based malware penetrations.
Norton, for example, is often more proactive about blocking malicious activity than the browsers are. That said, regardless of your browser, Windows Security should have no trouble blocking potentially malicious file downloads. Moving on, Device security is a section that does its work in the background and anything you see here is mostly informational. Microsoft allows you to manage Windows 10 devices, Xbox One consoles, as well as Android devices if they have the Microsoft Launcher installed.
You can set screen time limits, and restrict time for specific apps and games. Overall, Windows Security has a good set of options for security, from antivirus scans and ransomware all the way down to parental controls. Judging Windows Security performance is a little tough since the utility is built right into Windows. Nevertheless, you can turn off a lot of the functionality to get a sense of its impact on PCs.
The large-file transfer test was a different story, with the test PC scoring a slightly slower speed by 23 seconds with Windows Security active. Again, not a huge drop but lower-end PCs might see a difference when transferring large files.
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