What's in your name? Well, sometimes quite a lot. Its name, Bitdefender Antivirus Plus, tells you that it's more than just an antivirus. It does everything an antivirus is supposed to do in a stylish way, and then goes beyond it with a suite of advanced security features that can compete with and win many security suites.

Bitdefender Antivirus Plus is your best choice when it comes to protecting your PC security. Some antivirus products, such as Cylance Smart Antivirus and FSecure, strictly adhere to basic requirements to remove existing malware and protect against new attacks. Bitdefender, on the other hand, has a plethora of security-focused features, including password management, enhanced online transaction security, ransomware protection, and VPN. To see how much you're getting, the installer runs a detailed slideshow of the features as it performs tasks.

PROS

• Outstanding scores in independent lab tests and our web protection tests
  
• Enhanced ransomware protection
  
• Active Do Not Track
  
• Banking protection
  
• Offers a VPN
  
• Many security-centered bonus features

CONS

• Unlimited VPN access requires separate subscription

Rate: 5.0/5.0

Website: https://www.bitdefender.com/

Kaspersky Anti-Virus takes perfect or near-perfect scores from all the independent testing. Its top-rated Windows antivirus guards you from threats like ransomware, cryptolockers & hackers. It’s easy to use and runs seamlessly in the background to keep your PC safe.

PROS

• Perfect and near-perfect scores from four independent testing labs
  
• Effective ransomware protection
• Good scores in our hands-on tests
  
• Full-scale phone and live chat support
• Bonus scans for privacy
  and performance

CONS

• Bonus scans significantly overlap each other
  
• Vulnerability scan offers
  little information
  

Rate: 4.5/5.0

Website: https://www.kaspersky.com/

The first antivirus utilities recognized malware by accessing signature databases. These signatures were elements of the malware file that remained unchanged and could be used for identification. Malware authors quickly learned how to write polymorphic programs that mutate slightly with each new copy, that thwarts simple signature-based detection. In any case, the never-ending spread of malware requires an ever-growing database.

Webroot SecureAnywhere AntiVirus uses a completely different technology to prevent the whole problem. When it encounters an unknown application, it runs into a bubble, preventing the application from making permanent changes to the system until cloud intelligence infers the program. In the case of malware, a small local Webroot program destroys the attacker and undoes the action. This approach differs from that of most competitors, but tests have shown it to work well.

PROS

• Near-perfect score in our malware protection and phishing protection tests
  
• Light on system resources
  
• Fast scan, tiny size
  
• Can remediate ransomware damage
  
• Advanced features

CONS

• Limited lab test results due to unusual detection techniques
  
• Mixed results in testing with hand-modified ransomware
  
• Firewall component not working at this time

Rate: 4.5/5.0

Website: https://www.webroot.com/

In the past, computer security was a simple task. You can buy packaged antivirus software from a retail store and bring it home and install it on a single home PC. In today's world, when every family member uses multiple devices such as Macs, Windows, or smartphones, this experience seems very odd.

McAfee AntiVirus Plus is designed to use multiple devices in your home. With one subscription, you can install protection on any computer, phone or tablet owned by every family member. Installed on Windows, it is a virtually complete security package with many features beyond just an antivirus. Android users also get tons of security features. You can hardly get it on macOS and even less on iOS, but that's okay. No matter what hardware you use, a McAfee Antivirus Plus subscription is a great solution.

PROS

• Protection for all your Windows, macOS, Android, and iOS devices
  
• Very good malware protection score
  
• Excellent detection of malicious and fraudulent websites
  
• Robust firewall
  
• Virus protection promise
  
• Includes Ransom Guard, PC Boost, and many bonus features

CONS

• Missed some modified ransomware samples
  
• Some poor lab test results
  
• PC Boost web speedup still works only in Chrome
  
• Mac edition less feature-rich than Windows or Android
  
• Even fewer features for iOS

Rate: 4.0/5.0

Website: https://www.mcafee.com/

The main task of any antivirus utility is to remove all rooted malware before it is installed, and then stay vigilant to prevent further attacks. Some products stick to these core features, while others, like ESET NOD32 Antivirus, go beyond that. Among other bonus features, the NOD32 includes a host intrusion prevention system, a scanner for PC firmware, and a sophisticated device management system. In both lab and manual tests, it performed well in most tests, but had some poor results. Also, some advanced features may be too complex for the average user.

PROS

• Good to great scores from independent labs
  
• Decent to good scores in our hands-on tests
  
• HIPS component blocks exploits
  
• Can use licenses for Mac protection
  
• Comprehensive device control
  
  

CONS

• Device control too complex for most users

Rate: 4.0/5/0

Website: https://www.eset.com/

The earliest antivirus products are specially protected from computer viruses, programs that spread by injecting code into other programs. These early viruses were easily detected using predictable and simple methods. Researchers have even named some files based on the number of bytes they added to the infected files. But today we are faced with polymorphic malware, ransomware and other sophisticated attacks.

Identifying malware by looking at files alone is not enough. Behavioral analytics is a must in this world, and Malwarebytes Premium offers it along with other layers of protection. I got good grades on the Handson test and I'm starting to get good grades on my independent test lab as well.

PROS

• Maximum possible score in our hands-on malware protection test
  
• Excellent scores in phishing and malicious URL blocking tests
  
• Speedy full scan
  
• Includes exploit protection, ransomware protection, behavior-based detection
  
• More independent lab test results

CONS

• Some low lab scores

Norton AntiVirus Plus, as the name suggests, provides antivirus protection. Among other things, this includes a full firewall, online backup and spam filtering. This is an effective antivirus, but as I describe, it is not reasonably priced. Most users who need Norton protection should choose one of the Norton 360 Suite products. At $59.99 per year per license, Norton is more expensive than most antivirus tools.

The most common price for a single standalone antivirus license is around $20. More than a dozen products I've reviewed, including antivirus products from Bitdefender, Trend Micro, and Webroot, are at this price. Many offer 3 licenses for $59.99.

PROS

• Excellent scores in independent lab tests and our hands-on tests
  
• Data Protector foils ransomware attacks
  
• Includes online backup, firewall, exploit protection, password manager, and other bonus features

CONS

• Expensive
  
• No multi-license pricing

When the large company's CISO implements an antivirus system, they don't want random employees to interfere with the system. Business Grade Antivirus is centrally managed, and Sophos is well known in this area. Consumers get the same advanced antivirus protection in the form of Sophos Home Premium. The product showed perfect detection in our anti-malware and malicious URL detection tests. It's a good choice, especially if you're managing antivirus protection for your family or friends. And much cheaper than its competitors.

Sophos offered a free version with limited features to protect up to 3 computers. This version has been deprecated and has been replaced by a 30-day free trial of the premium version. But even premium protection is not expensive. You can install the product on 10 PCs or Macs for $60 per year. That's just $6 per year per device.

PROS

• Convenient new mobile management app
  
• Excellent scores in malware tests
  
• Protects against ransomware, keyloggers, exploits
  
• Remote management for up to 10 PCs or Macs
  
• Inexpensive

CONS

• Advanced features require uncommon tech expertise
  
• Parental control and webcam protection limited
  
• So-so phishing test scores

Cylance Smart Antivirus has been ceased. If you’re using Cylance now, then you need to switch to a new antivirus because hackers are constantly creating new malware variants and an antivirus that isn’t receiving regular updates is a serious security risk. If you’re looking for a similar lightweight, minimal, and cheap antivirus as Cylance, I recommend Malwarebytes. However, Norton’s plans provide a much better suite of security tools, and they all come with a risk-free 60-day money-back guarantee.


Cylance Smart Antivirus is a cheap, minimal antivirus for Windows, macOS, Android, and iOS that exclusively uses artificial intelligence (AI) to detect malware threats. Most antiviruses cross-reference files on your device with a massive database of known malware signatures (a process known as signature-based scanning), but Cylance tries to achieve the same scan results with AI alone.

PROS

• Easy installation, no configuration.
  
• Good scores in our tests.
  

CONS

• Not included in regular independent lab tests.
  
• No protection against fraudulent or malicious URLs.
  
• Lacks additional protection layers found in many competitors.

With most antiviruses, it's not difficult to determine the country of origin of your software. Webroot is, at least, completely American in origin. Bitdefender is from Romania. Kaspersky Lab is a global company, but has its origins in Russia. In contrast, Emsisoft is a global citizen. The staff who create and maintain Emsisoft AntiMalware are spread across the globe, from the United States to the wilds of Canada and New Zealand.

Emsisoft scored well in its malware protection and ransomware protection tests regardless of country, but it was not good at protecting against dangerous and deceptive websites. The management console, which provides comprehensive remote management, is now much easier to set up. Emsisoft falls short of the standard for Editor's Choice antivirus products, but it's a good choice for the right client.

PROS

• Good score in our malware protection test.
  
• Behavioral detection successfully blocked ransomware.
  
• Cloud Console allows full remote management.
  
• Surfing protection is browser independent.
  
• New browser extension detects phishing.

CONS

• Almost no scores from independent labs.
  
• Phishing protection not for all browsers.
  
• Cloud Console may be too complicated for some.

Rate: 3.5/5.0

Website:https://www.emsisoft.com