A good antivirus should protect you from all forms of malware that could be a threat, including worms Trojan horses, and ransomware. It should also be able to detect and stop the spread of potentially unwanted software, that can alter your browser settings or flood your screen with advertisements. Some premium antiviruses provide additional features, such as dark web monitoring, ID theft alerts and parental controls.
If you’re a Windows user, Microsoft’s built-in malware protection known as Windows Defender on older computers or Windows Security on newer machines, does an adequate job of keeping your machine safe. It’s not as effective or quick in detecting malware as standalone antivirus companies that often score well in independent lab tests. Furthermore, it doesn’t contain any additional security tools like password management software or other tools for other devices.
Bitdefender Antivirus Free Edition is the most effective antivirus for Windows Based on the prevention of malware system impact, ease of use. It is easy to install and run, and scored high in the AV Test labs. It provides one PC for a reasonable price, but you can get more protection for a few dollars more with Bitdefender Total Security or Antivirus Plus.
A top-quality paid antivirus suite will usually include a lot of extras. They could include the use of a VPN, performance-optimization tools, and software for Mac OS, iOS, and Android. However, if you’d rather keep it simple, Sophos Home Premium offers site powerful malware protection and a few extras for reasonable prices.
