Just like in normal businesses, there are thousands of Antivirus software out there. They all claim to offer the best services at the most suitable price. While the process of choosing one may be a bit confusing, it is actually not that difficult.
It is important to note that some antiviruses may be malware in disguise. You acquire them thinking they are helpful antivirus, then you get surprised by the existence of malware in your system without your knowledge.
Basically, antivirus software should provide protection against spyware, viruses, worms, rootkits, ransomware, and Trojans – both in advanced or new forms. All antiviruses we recommend offer world-class protection against all forms of malware.
Most antiviruses also come with a full suite of internet security packages that have the following cybersecurity features:
1) Parental Controls – This is a feature that provides protection to your family when they are using your device(s)
2) Virtual Private Network (VPN) – this is a safe and secure internet connection for your online activity.
3) Password management – this is a feature that stores login details creating secure passwords.
It is true that operating systems come with their own native security features but the antiviruses add to that protection. Not all Operating Systems can provide all-round security on their own.
SUMMARY OF THE BEST ANTIVIRUS SOFTWARE
1. McAfee – best for iOS, Windows, Android, and Mac Oss.
2. BullGuard – good antivirus with special gaming mode.
3. BitDefender – is s full package antivirus software.
4. Norton – best antivirus for Windows and Android
5. Intego – best for macOS systems.
Criteria for choosing the best antivirus software
• Speed and efficiency – I recommend software that does not strain your device and one that runs smoothly even on low-end devices
• User-friendly application/ easy to use – a new user who is learning how to use their device or an expert should be able to use this software without much fuss.
• Strong protection against malware – you should be protected against even the most advanced malware threats.
• Additional features should be of good quality – some antivirus software provides additional features such as spyware, ransomware, rootkits, and anything else that means harm to your device.
• Value for money – antivirus software van be a big investment to most people but products purchased should provide excellent value for your money.
What are the best brands that did not qualify in our top ten?
1. Comodo – it is the best antivirus product for Linux OS as there is less competition on Linux. Their cross-platform has so many errors (bugs). This makes some of its features not to work properly.
2. ESET – even though it is one of the biggest hitters in terms of popularity I left ESET out because of its poor user-friendliness on its current home antivirus product.
2. Avast/AVG – Avast also owns AVG and has been embroiled in a scandal as Avast stands accused of selling user data to large corporations. This has in turn killed trust from users.
The following are the best ten Antivirus Software.
1. Kaspersky Internet Security
This software is the best for online banking and shopping. The internet is a dangerous place as it is full of malware. This software can protect you against cyberattacks. This antivirus also comes with additional features such as the password manager.
You stand to lose a lot of money online if you are not careful. A keylogger software or a banking Trojan can wreck your finances with no trace. There are a number of individuals who have lost a lot of income as they carry out online banking.
Kaspersky’s “Safe Money” is also a safe bet. It can detect who you are about to make a payment. You can launch a sandboxed, safe browser window inaccessible by malware. To avoid keylogger detection, you can use Kaspersky’s On-Screen Keyboard.
In malware detection, Kaspersky is a hundred percent effective. However, one downfall of Kaspersky is that their most expensive product, Kaspersky Total Security comes with some unnecessary useless features.
2. Norton 360
It offers protection of any devices on any platform be it Windows, Android, or iOS. You can keep your personal information safe. It also offers parental protection.
On each plan Norton 360 offers, they offer value for money features. Besides, with upgrading to more licenses, you get more cloud storage space and access to the best premium parental control software of all antivirus software.
Norton 360 also offers the most advanced online threats detection and handles those threats effectively. It is easy to use and also has customizable options if you wish to get technical.
For simple, Norton 360 is affordable and reliable. It is a good option if you wish to acquire a complete, easy to use antivirus solution.
3. McAfee Total Protection
This antivirus software is the best for home network security. It entails almost every internet security feature you can possibly need. It offers among other features the following.
• Safe browsing
• Password manager
• Powerful protection against malware.
• Encrypted storage
McAfee’s malware protection abilities on its own make Total Protection a better option. Its “My Home Network” option provides an easily readable map of all devices on your home Wi-Fi network. This gives you total control over your online security, allowing you to phase out intruders.
McAfee can also alert you of an unauthorized attempt to access your home network and then you can stop the attack ASAP. McAfee provides a good range of top-quality features and the centralized control provided by “My Home Network” features is highly recommended. This makes the software a great product for families who want to safeguard most or all their network devices.
4. Intego
Intego is a macOS antivirus. Intego developers specifically designed it for Mac devices. Its package entails internet security and optimization tools that improve Apple’s built-in security features. These tools involve:
• Real-time protection against malware
• Parental control
• Network security options
• Advanced Mac backup options.
• Optimization and cleaning tools for Mac devices.
Intego’s antivirus scanner is very fast and it provides almost perfect detection against advanced macOS viruses. It also has backup options and many other features that dwarf macOS’s own integrated security features.
5. Bullguard
BullGuard offers powerful malware protection in the three low-cost pricing plans. It also comes with phishing protection and there are a lot of perfect results when you test it against fake websites. BullGuard also has Game boost features that free up system resources so that games run smoothly. It prevents pop-ups from interrupting gameplay. This helps especially as you do not have to disable your antivirus software when you are gaming. Both gamers and ordinary users are able to use BullGuard while accessing all its security against malware features.
6. Avira Prime
Avira has a range of security products that include the following:
• A password manager
• Premium apps
• Advanced multilayer ransomware.
• Unlimited VPD
This software also includes anti-phishing software. Avira is a top-quality anti-malware engine that also includes the Speedup tune-up tools that optimizes your device with tools such as Hyperboost, Powerboost, and OnWatch. Hyper-boost improves the start-up time of your device while Powerboost helps in boosting gaming. OnWatch cleans up your computer automatically according to pre-set specifications like when you reach a certain limit of temporary files e.g. 1 GB.
Avira as a program is lightweight. This means even with deep scanning going on in the background you can still use your device with no substantial strain on it. This can come handy especially with devices that are often slow of having a low hard drive space.
7. Bitdefender Total Security
Bitdefender has become one of the most popular antivirus software as it has hit over half a billion users worldwide.
It is a powerful and effective antimalware solution with perfect detection and also offers one of the most comprehensive security suites.
Some of the extensive features available with Bitdefender Total Security (Bitdefender’s top-tier home antivirus product) include:
• Virtual Private Network.
• Anti-theft tools
• Tune-up tools
• Web protection
• Password manager
• Parental controls
• Real-time protection against all types of viruses (malware).
Bitdefender’s antivirus engine is powerful. It also comes with an ‘Advanced Threat Defense is constantly monitoring active applications for suspicious behavior and the Multi-layer Ransomware Protection for safeguarding files from encryption.
The only disadvantage is that Bitdefender if relatively complicated. Its installation and setup also take a long time to finish. However, once set-up is complete, you enjoy the services of very efficient and powerful software.
8. Panda Dome
Panda Dome offers smart could-based virus protection. It has user-friendly software in five different pricing plans. It has the following pricing plans.
• Advanced – has protection against malware, parental controls, and safe browsing.
• Premium – has 24/7 technical support and unlimited VPN access across 22 locations.
• Free – has real-time virus protection and a windows firewall and a VPN limited to one location and 150 megabytes each day.
• Essential – has android ad macOS protection against malware, Wi-Fi protection, and scanning of external devices.
• Complete – has a data shield to encrypt your personal data, device optimization tools, and a password manager.
For simple Panda Dome offers every security feature you could possibly need that entails ransomware protection, real-time virus protection, a password manager, and a virtual private network.
9. TREND MICRO
This is a Japanese cybersecurity company that offers the following range of antivirus plans:
• Maximum security – protects 2 – 25 devices, has a password manager, online banking protection, and tune-up tools for your system.
• Internet security – protects 2 devices at most with virus protection, parental controls, and internet privacy.
• Premium security – protects 6 – 10 devices, has premium 24/7 support, and a Virus Removal Service.
Trend Micro stands out especially in providing phishing protection. Phishing scams are difficult for ordinary antivirus software to detect. Cybercriminals can do ‘domain spoofing’ i.e. duplicating a website tricking you into giving up your personal information and even passwords. Even though browsers like Chrome and Firefox integrate phishing protection, their basic protection is not enough.
Trend Mirco is better than most antivirus software in phishing protection tests and this is why we recommend it for protection against phishing.
10. TotalAV
TotalAV is a new brand. A lot of new antivirus software come and go all the time. Avira’s software powers TotalAV’s antivirus engine. It runs some of the most trusted cybersecurity technology in the world.
It is the most easily usable antivirus software and has an easy-to-use design. It has a “beautiful” user interface. All its features are accessible on the home screen and its simplicity comes in handy for new users of the software.
TotalAV provides a range of extra security features such as a password manager, phishing protection, and a Virtual Private Network. Even though it’s expensive to get all features that TotalAV provides, it is a powerful antivirus software and comes with a great range of features.
TotalAV’s attractive user interface makes it stand out from the many other software. It is a handy antivirus software if you are a new user of antivirus software and want an easy to use software.