5 free antivirus softwares you should check out

Cybercrime is more rampant now than ever before. Protecting your online persona is essential and you can't go wrong with adding extra layers of security to your system. But that doesn't mean you have to put a strain on your wallet just to have a secure computing experience.

Currently, there is a large number of antivirus software on the market that come packed with astonishingly effective features. All these programs have paid versions that you will constantly be asked to upgrade to. But for the general user, the free versions perform more than decently.

Here is our guide to the top 5 free antivirus software that are worth getting.

Microsoft Defender

It comes built into your windows PC. Microsoft Defender is the integrated system protection software that currently comes with Windows 10 and Windows 11.

Defender started its journey a while ago and at the beginning, it was, well, not the best. But Microsoft has continued to work on this program and has managed to turn it into a reliable protection system. Now, Defender is on par with most other third-party antivirus software and it still comes absolutely free.

Microsoft Defender offers real-time threat detection and it has added an integrated Windows Firewall. The program has been consistently putting up good scores on tests such as SE Labs and AV tests. It detects and blocks malware including ransomware quite efficiently and offers integrated OneDrive support that allows you to recover important files corrupted by malware.

Defender has also activated automatically if it detects no other third-party antivirus software on your systems. Overall, there is no reason to put down Microsoft Defender as just another free software as it is very capable of protecting your system effectively and consistently.

Kaspersky Security Cloud

Kaspersky is a fixture in the world of system protection software. It has recently secured the top position for protection in the tests for SE Labs. The free version of Kaspersky holds back many features such as parental control and online payment protection. But as a core antivirus software, Kaspersky remains dependable.

The free version comes with some additional features too but they are mostly limited in functionality. Kaspersky offers VPN services but it's limited to 200 MB daily which will only allow users to do light browsing. The password manager records 15 entries and there is also data breach monitoring, file shredder and virtual keyboard options. This program enables the users to scan any file by right-clicking on it and you can also access the Kaspersky cloud-based Application Adviser, which provides a complete rundown of the contents of the file. Kaspersky also provides top-notch customer service with a 24/7 live chat with experts. One downside to this program is a drawn-out downloading and installation process.

Avira Free Security

Avira is a fast, lightweight, multipurpose software that goes a long way in ensuring the security of your system. Though its scores have gone down slightly during recent runs, Avira has previously topped tests by AV Tests and AV-Comparatives.

It has a very efficient anti-malware engine that uses the cloud to detect and analyse malwares. As the process doesn't actually take place on the PC, there is no appreciable lag during scans. It uses real-time protection and offers advanced security features such as a firewall, privacy and performance optimizer. Avira also comes with a Safe Shopping browser experience which protects the banking information of users while shopping online.

One noticeable perk of this program is that it doesn't even require your email ID to download and install it. Avira maintains a strict policy of not using any personal information of the users. It comes with a VPN service but only offers a monthly bandwidth of 500 MB which is not nearly enough. Overall, Avira is a safe and reliable option as far as free antivirus software go.

Bitdefender

Bitdefender is a robust and thorough antivirus software. The free version doesn't offer much else other than stripped-back system protection and it's really good at that. Bitdefender has consistently scored a perfect 100 when it comes to detecting and removing malwares.

It uses a cloud-based anti-malware engine that is fast, efficient and silent. Even heavy-duty programs such as video games will show no significant lag while Bitdefender scans, quarantines and removes malicious files. It also provides an effective anti-phishing feature. The free version offers only the basic antivirus functions and it doesn't pretend to be anything else.

One of the most relieving aspects of this software is that it doesn't pester users constantly to upgrade to the paid version. Even though the paid program, Bitdefender Total Security, packs extremely useful features and is a good value for money, the free version uses the same antivirus engine as the paid version and performs the basic task just as well.

Total AV

Total AV is an intuitive, light, easy-to-use antivirus software with very efficient performance. It provides fast, cloud-based, comprehensive scans and is excellent at detecting malwares including tricky ransomwares.

Total AV comes with safe site extensions for nearly all the major internet browsers. It is one of the most user-friendly protection systems on the market with a minimalist, well-designed dashboard. It takes up little disk space compared to other programs while running scans. Total AV also boasts very good anti-phishing protection. It comes with a blacklist to identify known phishing and is also equipped with AI systems to detect new threats.

The biggest drawback of Total AV is that it lacks an integrated firewall and real-time protection, which are features available only on the paid version. Apart from that, Total AV is quickly building a reputation as a reliable performer for protecting your system.