The Best Antivirus Software of 2024

• Real-Time Scanning – TotalAV’s real-time scanning feature is switched on by default, so your device enjoys protection against viruses, Trojans, and ransomware the moment the antivirus is installed.
• Cloud Scanning – This incorporates cloud-scanning for identifying malicious software. Whenever TotalAV finds a suspicious file during a scan, it’ll compare it with known malware in its cloud database.
• Zero-Day Threat Detection – As well as dealing with known viruses, this feature enables the network to quickly identify and address previously unseen zero-day threats. TotalAV can also detect potentially hazardous startup programs, which are often hard to detect, and it offers various tools to speed up your computer.
• WebShield Extension – The WebShield extension for Chrome, Firefox, Opera, and Edge, meanwhile, will help you avoid malicious websites. This feature offers 360-degree protection while you browse the internet and can flag sites that may host malware or be used for scams or phishing schemes.

In AV-Test’s latest assessments, TotalAV scored an impressive 17.5/18, stopping 100% of common malware and 99.8% of zero-day threats.

The antivirus also had excellent results for usability, with a 6/6 score and zero false positives against a set of over 1 million samples.

In terms of performance, TotalAV matched or beat industry averages in 10 of 12 categories, though it slightly slowed the installation of frequently used programs.

TotalAV’s cheapest plan is $19.00/year, and it provides protection for four devices and zero-day cloud scanning. To get you started, TotalAV also offers a free smart scan and a 30-day money-back guarantee.

TotalAV is a great pick for both beginners and experienced users looking for an all-in-one security tool. It comes with system scans and real-time protection features, plus it’s also affordable and easy to use. Many also rate it as the best antivirus for Windows 11.

• Web Protection – Bitdefender excels in real-time browser protection, scanning pages, emails, and links for malware and scams. Together with its TrafficLight extension, it warns you about potentially dangerous websites and also keeps trackers at bay.
• Malware Scanner –  With stellar results in testing and low impact on system resources, Bitdefender’s scanner is fast and reliable. It can handle both common and zero-day malware, plus advanced threats like rootkits.
• Safepay – The antivirus offers a secure, built-in browser that operates in a sealed environment. It’s an all-in-one solution for online banking and shopping that protects you from viruses, hackers, keyloggers, and payment data leaks.
• Privacy Firewall – This is an advanced firewall replacement for the one built into Windows and macOS. It’s a more secure solution that blocks unauthorized connection requests and allows you to set custom rules for sites, apps, and processes.

Bitdefender aced AV-TEST’s recent trials, scoring 6/6 for protection, performance and usability. It detected and removed 100% of zero-day and common malware and did so without a noticeable impact on system resources.

The antivirus was also surprisingly unintrusive, falsely flagging only one legitimate app against over a million samples.

Bitdefender’s pricing kicks off at $23.99/year for the Antivirus Plus plan. You get a free version to test the service before committing and a 30-day money-back guarantee after purchase.

Bitdefender is the go-to option for those who frequently visit forums and web-based apps or do extensive research online. It offers solid real-time protection and features designed to block phishing attempts and scams, making it a comprehensive solution for secure browsing.

• Antivirus Scans and Firewall – Norton has a solid set of antivirus tools, from real-time antivirus tools to system scans and ransomware protection. It also has a smart firewall, which can block malicious traffic and prevent hackers from extracting data from your device.
• Virus Protection Promise – A particularly notable feature is Norton’s Virus Protection Promise. If you can’t remove a virus from your device, even with expert support, then the company guarantees you a full refund.
• Parental Controls – Besides its antivirus tools, Norton includes some of the best parental control app features around for ensuring the safety of your children online.
• Unlimited Devices and Secure Storage – With top-tier plans, you can protect an unlimited number of devices and get up to 500GB of cloud storage to back up your files – making Norton perfect for families.
• Performance – The antivirus generally has a low impact on system performance, but you may see a slight slowdown with older machines. Another slight downside is that its mobile apps aren’t quite as feature-rich as their PC counterparts.

Norton achieved first-class results in AV-Test’s most recent review, with a perfect 18/18 overall score and a 100% protection rate for zero-day and prevalent malware threats.

It also performed consistently well under testing, with minimal impact on high-end or older machines and only one false warning when scanning over a million legitimate programs.

Norton’s entry-level plan covers one PC or smartphone for $29.99/year. It includes a 30-day trial, so you can thoroughly test the product, and a 60-day money-back guarantee, which is considerably longer than competing offers. Given the pricing, many rate it as the best cheap antivirus for Windows 10.

Norton gets excellent results in lab testing, and it comes with a wide range of features to ensure complete, real-time virus protection for your devices.

Furthermore, its robust parental controls and support for unlimited devices set it apart from its competitors and make it ideal for families. See our complete Norton vs McAfee guide for further analysis.

• Malware Protection – Surfshark offers robust protection from viruses, malware, and spyware. The company updates its database of known malware threats every three hours to ensure you’re safe from emerging threats. It also has great testing scores for protection and performance.
• Usability – It’s easy to set up and configure and has minimal impact on your device’s performance, making it ideal for gamers and professionals who prefer a lightweight solution.
• Additional Security Features – Surfshark Antivirus also offers webcam protection, which blocks unauthorized apps and websites from remotely activating your device’s camera. In addition, the product will inform you if your information, such as passwords, ID details, or credit card info, has been exposed by a data breach, so you can update your security.
• VPN – A significant benefit of subscribing to Surfshark is that you get the protection of one of the best VPNs on the market – with fast connections and a large server network – as well as a full antivirus product, saving you the cost of subscribing to two separate antivirus services.

Surfshark’s recent assessment results with AV-Test put it among the top providers on the market. It earned an overall score of 17.5/18 with a 100% malware detection rate for new and known threats.

In addition, the antivirus didn’t deliver any false warnings while scanning a sample set of 990,000+ programs, sites, and processes. Surfshark Antivirus did have a slight performance impact when launching popular websites and installing frequently used applications, however.

You’ll need to upgrade to the Surfshark One plan for real-time antivirus protection, but the package includes a wide range of security tools to keep you safe online. It costs $36.32/year with a two-year subscription and comes with a 30-day money-back guarantee.

Surfshark provides an impressive security package, combining antivirus tools with one of the best VPN solutions around so you can use the internet securely and anonymously. Given this, it’s perfect for privacy-conscious users.

• Web Protection – NordVPN Threat Protection is one of the least resource-demanding antiviruses and provides thorough web protection, scanning downloads to prevent malware from reaching your system.
• Malware Blocking – It’s also able to automatically block pop-up ads, protecting you from adware, and to filter out websites known for malicious activity. This ensures you have an uninterrupted browsing experience and are far less likely to click on a malicious link.
• VPN Server Network – Notably, the antivirus is bundled with the leading NordVPN VPN service, which offers high-speed connections and access to a network of 6,300+ servers in 111 countries.
• VPN Security Features – It also includes advanced features like split-tunneling, which allows you to prioritize protected traffic, and MeshNet, which allows you to form a private network with users around the world.
• Password Manager – You also get NordPass, one of the best password managers available. This enables you to securely store and access all your login information. These components combine for robust online protection, which puts NordVPN ahead of most competitors.

When I put NordVPN Threat Protection against a set of 2,000 malware samples, it achieved a perfect 100% detection rate.

Its performance was generally good, but I did see a slight slowdown during web browsing, and there was one false warning detected for a legitimate download among the 1,000 testing samples.

NordVPN offers two security plans, with the cheaper Plus plan costing $53.87/year with a two-year subscription. There’s a 30-day money-back guarantee and a seven-day free trial for Android to test the service, which offers some of the best internet security tools around.

NordVPN is very suitable for users looking to install a multifunctional tool that’s lightweight yet highly secure. The excellent real time protection and

While the VPN service ensures you can access the internet securely and anonymously, with access to fast servers around the world.

• Malware Protection – Trend Micro can protect your devices from widespread malware and advanced threats, though it lacks a smart firewall, like Norton.
• Folder Shield – Trend Micro’s Folder Shield feature adds an extra layer of security to protect sensitive folders from ransomware, and it prevents unauthorized apps from making changes. The feature is able to protect both files stored locally and those with cloud providers like Google Drive, Dropbox, and iCloud.
• Malicious Website Blocking – The antivirus also blocks suspicious websites that may host malware to protect you when you browse the internet and shop online.
• Pay Guard – In addition, there’s the Pay Guard tool, which helps secure your browser. It provides a secure channel for payments, preventing malicious individuals from accessing your credit card information or personal details and safeguarding you from financial losses and identity theft.

Trend Micro generally fares well in independent testing, and its latest results put it at the front of the pack with an 18/18 rating.

It had flawless results for malware detection, scanning 14,500+ files, and no false warnings when testing close to a million programs and processes. In terms of usability, it matched or beat industry standards in 10 of 12 categories, and its only notable impact was a slight slowdown on launching websites.

Trend Micro’s starter plan costs $19.95/year and protects one Windows device. To cover other operating systems, you’ll need to upgrade to the Maximum Security plan, which covers five devices.

Plans include a 30-day trial and a 30-day money-back guarantee.

Trend Micro is an excellent choice for users on a budget seeking comprehensive protection. It offers some of the best virus protection tools. Because of its AI technology, it’s a proactive service that is quick to catch emerging threats.

It’s also a great option for businesses and individuals looking for Linux antivirus software.

• Mac Malware Protection and Firewall – Intego specializes in protecting Macs from viruses and other threats with real-time antivirus protection, scans, and a two-way firewall. The firewall allows Intego to both protect your Mac from malicious traffic and to stop suspicious data extraction processes.
• System Optimization – The Mac-focused antivirus will also help you keep your device clean and optimized with its Washing Machine feature. This scans your system and digs up junk files, such as cache files, logs, downloads, and duplicates, which are taking up unnecessary space on your device and can potentially be removed.
• Windows Features – While Intego excels at protecting Macs, it has more limited features for Windows, and other providers, like McAfee, have stronger offerings for protecting Windows PCs.

In AV-Test’s most recent review on Mac, Intego scored a solid 99.2% malware detection rate and didn’t issue any incorrect detections, warnings, or blocks against a pool of 90,000+ legitimate programs and processes.

When it came to performance, Intego did have a significant impact on the installation of frequently used applications, however. That said, in past testing, Intego has hit full marks for performance.

Intego’s entry-level Mac security plan costs $37.50/year for one device with a two-year subscription, while its Windows antivirus plans start at $39.99/year for one device. Intego also has a 30-day money-back guarantee and a 30-day trial.

Windows users should opt for the Family plan since it can cover 3 PCs:

Intego offers the best malware protection for Macs, along with numerous tools to optimize your device and keep you safe online. It’s an ideal choice for Mac users.

• Free Antivirus Features – Avast’s free plan is arguably the best free antivirus software available. It can successfully detect common viruses, malware, and even ransomware and scans files and program behavior for potential threats. It also includes Smart Scan functionality, which can find hidden vulnerabilities.
• Security Features on Upgrade – Upgrading to the premium plans unlocks more advanced features, such as webcam protection, Avast’s firewall, and its software updater. Avast can also help keep your apps patched and updated, ensuring your devices aren’t vulnerable.
• Testing Scores – In independent testing, Avast routinely gets full marks for protection, performance, and usability, underlining its malware detection capabilities.
• Network Scanning – In addition, Avast enables you to scan your network for signs of malicious activity, whether at home or on public Wi-Fi. It will then alert you if it’s unsafe to connect.
• Performance – Although it offers impressive virus protection, I found Avast slightly more resource-hungry than most competitors, making TotalAV or Surfshark a better choice for gamers and individuals relying on performance.

Avast has consistently strong results under independent testing and scored 17.5/18 in AV-Tests’s most recent audit. It blocked 100% of widespread and novel malware threats and beat industry averages for performance in almost every category.

In regards to usability, however, it fell down with two incorrect blocks while installing legitimate software, reducing its score to 5.5/6. This ended a streak of 15 perfect scores achieved over the last two and a half years.

Avast offers an exceptional free antivirus, but you get much more if you upgrade to its paid plans. Its entry-level plan costs $35.88/year and protects three devices.

I recommend the Premium Security plan, though, which costs $49.99/year for one device or $69.99/year to protect ten and offers much more functionality.

You can see our list of the best free antivirus solutions for more recommendations.

Avast is the best free antivirus software I’ve tested and provides a superb range of features with its free plans. Given this, it’s a great budget option – and it offers a wide range of plans if you choose to upgrade. See our Avast vs AVG guide for further analysis.

• Antivirus Scanning – McAfee has strong core antivirus features, with real-time antivirus protection and in-depth scans. It also has web protection, which flags links pointing to malicious websites, and it’s able to detect and block ransomware attacks attempting to encrypt your files.
• Protection Score – My favorite feature is the McAfee Protection Score, which analyzes the active security measures on your device and gives you actionable insights on improving your defenses.
• Data Breach Monitoring – It incorporates data breach monitoring, alerting you if your details have been leaked online, and warnings about weak and repeated passwords that could leave your accounts vulnerable.
• Additional Security Features – The package ensures 360-degree digital protection, with a password manager, system optimization and scam protection tools, and social privacy management features, and it includes identity theft protection with its more comprehensive plans.
• VPN – There’s even a VPN solution with the Essential package – though it isn’t as comprehensive a solution as those offered by Surfshark or NordVPN.

In AV-Test’s most recent assessments, McAfee achieved an outstanding 18/18 rating and got full marks for malware protection. The result was no exception, either, but was the ninth perfect score McAfee has had in a row.

Under testing, McAfee swept the board for performance, beating or equalling industry averages in every category. Lastly, it issued a single false warning while scanning over a million software samples, placing it favorably with a benchmark of 14 false warnings.

You can subscribe to McAfee for $29.99/year, but the Essential plan is a far better buy, including the VPN, password manager, and protection for five devices at $39.99/year.

For unlimited devices, you’ll need a higher-tier plan but you’ll also get identity theft protection to help you monitor your credit score, prevent fraud, and perform security freezes.

McAfee is packed with features and excels at tackling ransomware and phishing attacks. It also has a great toolset for protecting your privacy, making it great value for money for individuals and families using Windows devices.