Antivirus protection is as powerful as ever right now. Should protection for your devices (laptop, PC, etc.) can save you a lot of money and embarrassment in the long run. Precisely what if you don’t want to pay high fees on some excellent protection? Trust it or not, there are many excellent Free Antivirus Software available today.
Hackers and cybercriminals are everywhere. So, There has even been an uptick in security breaches because of the current pandemic. This number of people trying to gain control of your data has increased exponentially. For this reason alone, you must take steps to protect yourself.
Protecting your laptop, desktop, Either other related machines can be complicated if you don’t know what type of antivirus software to look for. This also gets more complicated when you are trying to figure out free options.
In this article, I will show you 7 of the Best Free Antivirus Software out there today. That’s right, and I said free. Surprisingly enough, many great products are completely free and work great at protecting you against fraud, viruses, hacking, and worms.
We all know familiar names, like AVG and Kaspersky, both of which have fantastic Free Antivirus Software for you to use. But, there are lots of more out there that you may be less familiar with.
Well, All of the following options will offer outstanding protection for your computer. So, The best part? They all provide free plans that won’t cost you a single penny. So, Be aware, hackers will never stop; neither will the creators of malware and viruses. All, These people are always coming up with new and inventive ways to hack your PC.
With that being said, the Free Antivirus Software you choose to use must also be continually updating their security app packages to protect against ongoing threats like phishing scams, Ransomware.
As well, Let’s dive a little bit deeper into some information and then go over some fantastic free antivirus options that you can pick from.
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What Look for in the Best Free Antivirus Software
You want to look for several things when comparing and choosing one of the best Free Antivirus Software protection. Well, In some instances, you may be a little more limited because the version is free. Still, for the best part, you should be able to look for certain things that make up a reliable Free Antivirus Software package.
Now, Things to consider will include machine optimization, does it slow you down, either do it stay out of sight & even out of mind. Also, Add to that overall effectiveness, and you will have a recipe for adequate protection.
Another thing you may want to look for and consider include:
- Privacy
- Overall Effectiveness
- Does “Free” mean “Bad.”
- Protection on Other Platforms
- How Hard is it On System Resources?
What Computers Are at the Most Risk?
By far, Microsoft and Windows are the most at risk and are the biggest target for viruses and malware. Though, you still want to make sure all your devices are protected. So, Not many people may know, but Android comes in second for the highest risk for attacks.
Note this: Overall threats to MacOS and especially iOS, is very low. Here, This is mostly due to the tight control that Apple has over its app store. While some attacks happen, it is usually due to sideloaded apps. Plus, still, this is rare. Now, You can get Free Antivirus Software for your Mac, but truth be told, you should be fine on Apple products without it.
Before I present the list, one more thing worth noting is that installing a VPN is another option you should consider. Here, This will act as a bonus feature for protection when combined with the free antivirus software.
7 Best Free Antivirus Software to Protect your PC
1: Avast Free Antivirus
The Avast Free Antivirus is another one of the best free antivirus protection software out there. Apart from the excellent antivirus protection, Avast Free Antivirus also gives you a network security scanner, a password manager, browser protection, and a fantastic collection of security features.
Add to all that, it is free, and you have one of the best antivirus versions of a product out there today.
This “Avast Secure Browser” is private, secure, & very fast. Well, You will experience the difference right when the product has been installed. So, By default, this also becomes your new browser. Yeah, sure, you can change back to your other browsers whenever you want.
Perhaps one of the most exciting functions that Avast Free Antivirus provides is something called “Passive Mode.” Although, This is a built-in tool that kicks in automatically if you install a different antivirus. Still, This allows you to avoid conflicts, as it disables all real-time scanning & other active protection.
Benefits of Using Avast Free Antivirus
- Passive mode
- Password manager
- Good malware protection
- Network security scanner
- Automatic secure browser
- Browser independent protection
- Tons of security-related bonus features
2: Kaspersky Security Cloud Free
Many to be recognized as the best Free Antivirus Software available, Kaspersky Security Cloud Free offers so much that you would think it is the software’s paid version. This gives you a ton of features and extra virus protection, all for free.
This has quite easy to use interface that allows for many customizations if you are interested in that. So, Kaspersky will provide you with almost unbeatable malware protection. Now, You will have the ability to schedule scans at your leisure.
As Performance impact on your computer is so minimal that you may find it speeds up your machine. Several of the more useful features you will get in this Free Antivirus Software include a file shredder, an on-screen keyboard, Plus a terrific built-in email scanner.
This password service and VPN are more limited unless you pay. Although, for free antivirus software, this one will be hard to beat.
Benefits of Using Kaspersky Security Cloud Free
- File shredder
- Email scanner
- On-screen keyboard
- Ransomware reversal
- Limited password manager
- Excellent malware protection
- Forums and FAQs for support
- Performance impact is minimal
- Tons of extra features all built-in
3: ZoneAlarm Free Antivirus
So, Rounding out our list of the best Free Antivirus Software is ZoneAlarm Free Antivirus. As well, Not only do they provide firewalls & antivirus scanning; however, they go a step more to address two increasing security concerns of ID theft & data loss.
Luckily, ZoneAlarm provides a “credit education specialist” tool that gives you a selection of credit monitoring tools. They also offer a cloud backup service for backing up your data, as well as encrypting it for online protection.
All-in-all, ZoneAlarm provides users an excellent option for free antivirus protection.
Benefits of Using ZoneAlarm Free Antivirus
- Firewalls
- Antivirus scanning
- Good malware protection
- Cloud service backup and encryption
- Credit education specialist tool built-in
4. AVG Antivirus Free
AVG Antivirus Free offers excellent malware defense, robust protection against phishing, and the ability to perform scans at your leisure. The product is filled with many great features, which make it even more appealing because you can use it for free.
As a unique bonus, this Free Antivirus Software comes with “AVG SafePrice” This is a browser extension that tracks your online shopping. Suppose a better deal or more coupons are found, they bump that info to consider using.
This core engine of AVG Antivirus free provides reliable protection to your machine and is one to look into if you search for one of the best free virus scanners available.
Benefits of Using AVG Antivirus Free
- Deep scans
- Do not disturb mode
- Real-time protection
- Excellent malware protection
- Active performance issues scans
5: Bitdefender Antivirus Free Edition
Yeah, sure, we know Bitdefender provides one of the best overall antivirus protection software out there. Though, did you know that they also offer a free version called Bitdefender Antivirus Free Edition?
This version is stripped down some from the paid version, but it still provides impressive security with plenty of power at the handle. This is good, because it offers nothing but the basics, yet with extreme violence.
You will have the capability to manage the software from the program’s “System Tray” icon. Though once installed, you don’t need to interact with it too much. It provides an excellent malware detection engine and is considered by many to be the best “set it & forget it” pieces of software available.
Benefits of Using Bitdefender Antivirus Free Edition
- Set it and forget it
- No need to manage daily
- Excellent malware protection
- The interface is entirely automatic.
- Support forums & FAQs for help
6: Windows Defender Antivirus
Well, Windows Defender Antivirus has been around for some time. This is built-in in Windows by default. As well, That being said, over time, it has emerged to become one of the better Free Antivirus Software available.
Meanwhile, it can’t quite match some of the top-rated ones on the list. It is right there with Avast and AVG, & as stated, it is built-in protection. There are not many features available, but some included parental controls, a gaming mode, and protections for its Edge and Internet Explorer browsers.
Repeat, Windows Defender is a perfect tool to have, and if used right, it will work. This is an accurate alternative if you don’t need to use Kaspersky or Bitdefender.
Benefits of Using Windows Defender Antivirus
- Game mode
- Scan scheduler
- Ransomeware reversal
- Excellent malware protection
- 24/7 phone and email support
- It is already built-in to Windows
- Hardened browser (Edge & IE only)
- Smooth & quiet, barely know it is there
7: Total AV Free
The Total AV Free continues to perform well and is now trusted by over 10 million users. It will provide you complete protection from viruses, malware, and other online threats. All this is for free.
The quick install keeps you moving because it is so fast and easy. The product provides potent protection, yet it is a very lightweight solution that will keep your machine running fast.
If you want fantastic security features and the knowledge that millions of others are also using this product, Total AV Free is worth looking into.
Benefits of Using Total AV Free
- Complete online protection
- Real-time spyware removal
- Excellent malware protection
- Free antivirus and Internet security
- Blocks malware and phishing sites
Going Beyond the Best Free Antivirus Protection
The best-paid antivirus software out there does so much for you. Most of the main benefits of having this include:
- Manage Passwords
- Protecting Children
- Backup Files to Cloud
- Protect Mobile Devices
- Secure Personal Details
- Monitor Computer Firewalls
- Protection Against Identity Fraud
- Optimize Your System’s Performance
First, if you can’t afford to pay for antivirus software that does this, this question then becomes, that “how can I protect my devices for free?”
Well, Many PC users can’t afford this type of protection. Either they want protection from malware or other threats on their computer without having to pay for it. Now, Whatever the reason may be, Free Antivirus Software can indeed be used.
You need to find the right one & know how good it is and how it will work.
So, In the past, there is a trade-off in place. Many Free Antivirus Software makers will give you reliable protection, but you will need to deal with ads or give up some personal information.
This used to be the norm, but things have started to change for the better over the past few years. Though, much so that two of the very great paid antivirus software makers now offer free programs that you can use for protection.
Finally? This is now possible to get free antivirus protection that is as good as paid protection. Of course, it won’t have all the bells & whistles as a paid version, though the overall protection standard provided will be top-notch.
What Can Happen Without Free Antivirus Protection?
So, Remember, even if you can’t purchase a paid antivirus version, it is brilliant to get a free one. Without it, your PC is wide open for all sorts of attacks.
Suppose for some reason, and you decide not to get even a free antivirus, and then at some point, you apparently going to be a victim of either have to perfect with some of the following:
- So, Your machine can get a virus that can change and hijack computer software.
- This adware can cause non-stop & unwanted ads to continually pop up on your computer.
- Now, People can monitor your activities through spyware.
- Next, Ransomware that will lock your computer until you pay a “ransom.”
- So, Worms are very malicious pieces of code. Well, These will spread fast from one PC to another.
Now, Run multiple devices, and you are opening yourself up even more to some of the issues above. Well, there are many things you may want to look for in Free Antivirus Software as well. Then, Learn, just because it is free doesn’t mean it is terrible.
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Final Words :
Free Antivirus Software is not hard to come by. So, What can be difficult is finding out which ones are the very best and why they are the best. Suppose you have a starting point, you can dig in a little deeper and do some research.
I hope this post gave you some concrete suggestions on finding the best Free Antivirus Software that is out there right now. Any of these ones on the list above will provide you with excellent protection.
