Top 5 (REALLY FREE) Antivirus Software for Windows [2022]

Kaspersky is not a threat to home users. Read more about the decision to keep Kaspersky listed here.

Kaspersky Safety Cloud — Free It is great at detecting and eliminating malware and comes with lots of additional— such as:

• VPN (200MB per day limit).
• Password manager (15 entries limit).
• Data breach monitoring (only one account).
• Basic system cleanup tools.
• Shredder for files
• Virtual keyboard

Kaspersky’s antivirus is free and provides excellent real-time protection against malware. However, its extra features are very limited.

Kaspersky VPN allows you to access 1 server location and 200MB per day — more data than Panda and Avira, but not enough to stream or do other data-intensive tasks.

Kaspersky’s password manager is free and can save only 15 entries. This includes logins as well as sensitive documents like passport details or credit cards. Norton’s password manager, which is also free of charge, allows you to store unlimited passwords on unlimited devices.

Kaspersky’s data breaches monitoring is not something I find too impressive. Free users can only view the email associated to their Kaspersky account. Paid customers get automated data breach checks, but they can check manually.

Kaspersky’s interface is great, but if you need unlimited VPN, password manager and parental controls and protections on the web, you will have to upgrade to a paid plan. These plans start at $29.99 per year. All Kaspersky products come with a 30-day money back guarantee.

Bottom line:

Kaspersky’s antivirus is free and includes a malware scanner, as well as a lot of other features. However, most of these additional features are limited in their functionality. Kaspersky’s VPN is limited to 200 MB per day, and you can store up 15 credit cards and logins in the password manager. Data breach monitoring checks only one email address. Kaspersky’s paid plans include all these features and many more, including parental controls, advanced web protections and more.

Kaspersky Antivirus 2022

Name: Review Kaspersky Antivirus

Description: Kaspersky Internet Security on Windows and Mac is an excellent, "set-and-forget it" security product. Bitdefender Internet Security costs slightly less and supports Windows only. Which one is right depends on your individual situation.

Offer price: $29.99 to up

Currency: USD

Operating System: Windows, macOS, Android, iOS

Application Category: Kaspersky Antivirus - Brand Review

Author: Best Antivirus

[ More ]

• Security
  (4)
• Features
  (3.5)
• Ease of use
  (4)
• Customer Support
  (4.5)
• Pricing
  (4)

Overall

4

Summary

Kaspersky has outstanding security software.

Kaspersky Internet Security for the low and mid-ends is an excellent, “set & forget” antivirus system. It is clearly superior to Kaspersky Anti-Virus Basic.

Kaspersky Total Security provides a powerful password manager at the top. We recommend upgrading to this product as it will significantly improve your cybersecurity.

Pros

• Excellent malware protection
• Great independent organization test scores
• User-friendly interface
• 24/7 customer support options
• Has a basic free version

Cons

• Lower brand trust
• Quite expensive
• Password manager only in expensive plans

• Kaspersky for Windows
• Kaspersky for macOS
• Kaspersky for Android
• Kaspersky for iOS

Bonus. Malwarebytes Free — Minimalistic Virus Scanner

Malwarebytes free is an excellent choice for those who want a simple antivirus program that can be installed and forgotten about. It detected around 90% of the malicious files I had hidden on my computer. It did miss some files that were well-hidden by competitors such as TotalAV and Norton.

Malwarebytes free comes with a browser extension to protect against malware, trackers, scams and PUPs. The best thing about this extension is the fact that it automatically turns on all protections, so you don’t have to do anything (but you can turn one or all off).

Malwarebytes’ browser extension blocked most of the risky websites I tried to visit in my tests. It scored a 90% phishing detection rate. Malwarebytes’ browser extension was not as effective at blocking ads. I visited many sites with ads and Malwarebytes blocked around one-third of them.

Malwarebytes’s free plan has a basic virus scanner and a good phishing tool. However, it doesn’t provide real-time protection against malware. Malwarebytes Premium is required to get real-time scanning. It costs $39.99 per year and covers up to 5 devices. Malwarebytes Premium+ Privacy adds a great VPN for $99.99/year. Malwarebytes offers a 60-day money back guarantee on both premium plans.

MalwareBytes

Name: Review MalwareBytes

Description: Premium + Privacy, which is slightly more costly, can be purchased for $59.98/year. You get full scans, ransomware, exploit protection, and a VPN. Not only will your devices be safe from viruses but so is all incoming and outgoing traffic.

Offer price: $39.99 to Up

Currency: USD

Operating System: Windows, macOS, Android, ChromeOS

Application Category: Malwarebytes - Brand Review

Author: Best Antivirus

[ More ]

• Security
  (4)
• Features
  (3)
• Ease of use
  (4)
• Customer Support
  (4)
• Pricing
  (3.5)

Overall

3.7

Summary

Malwarebytes offers a decent antivirus. We would like to see more options for using it on multiple devices. Also, some premium features, such as anti-theft and device cleaning tools, are not available. MalwareBytes can be a great option if you want an antivirus that gives excellent protection to your main device.

Pros

• Excellent virus detection rates
• Great user interface
• Minimal CPU usage
• Browser security extension
• Plan with a VPN available

Cons

• No live chat support
• Adding extra devices costs more
• Lacks certain premium features

• Malwarebytes for Windows
• Malwarebytes for macOS
• Malwarebytes for Android

Bottom line:

Malwarebytes free is an anti-virus scanner that detects and removes viruses quickly. This browser extension blocks malware, trackers, phishing websites, ads and trackers. Upgrade to Malwarebytes premium to get real-time protection for up to five devices. Malwarebytes premium + Privacy adds a VPN.

Yes, you already have an anti-virus program on your computer, but it isn’t enough.

Windows Defender is already installed on your Windows computer. Some Windows 10 computers refer to it as “Windows Security” or even “Microsoft Defender”. This antivirus, which we reviewed in detail, is quite good and free. Windows Defender has a few problems. It isn’t often updated and doesn’t offer additional internet security protections. There are also many vulnerabilities that won’t be fixed for years. In independent lab testing, Windows Defender consistently ranks below other antivirus scanners. This is why I recommend third-party antivirus software to keep your computer as secure as possible.

These antiviruses are far superior to Microsoft’s Windows Defender antivirus. This list is compiled by top cybersecurity companies who offer their premium antivirus protection free of charge. These antivirus engines rank among the best in the world, and independent lab testing has confirmed that they are stronger, more efficient, and better than Microsoft Windows Defender.

Some of the programs I have included on my free list include additional cybersecurity protections. Avira Windows offers a lot of free services, but its free plans have some limitations that aren’t available on the paid ones.

Cybersecurity companies will try to lure you with free products but ultimately they want to make you a paying customer. Premium antivirus software is required to provide the best protection for your devices. There is no other way.

If you are looking for a simple, free malware scanner that also includes a few decent web protections that can be used to improve Microsoft Defender’s performance, then any of these products will suffice.

Paid Antivirus vs. Paid Antivirus

Avira and TotalAV free antiviruses are quite good. However, their paid versions are far superior. To begin with, they include all the internet security protections that you need to be as safe online as possible. This is not anti-malware protection.

Premium antivirus software for Windows includes additional features such as a VPN (to keep you anonymous online), password manager (to secure your financial information and sensitive data), parental controls (to protect your child on the internet) and a password manager. These tools, along with a malware scanner are essential to build a strong online defense against hackers and scammers as well as predators.

Paid antiviruses offer better customer support. This means you will always be able to get assistance with any issue you have, such as accessing a feature or removing malware. The free antiviruses don’t offer live chat or phone support. Therefore, you can only access help by reading a knowledge base, posting a question in a forum, or sending a ticket.

Learn more about paid antiviruses that work on different operating systems by clicking here

How to choose the best Windows Antivirus Free for You

• Malware detection. Antivirus programs are designed to detect and prevent malware. My top picks have excellent or very close to perfect malware detection rates.
• Very little slowdown. Antiviruses can slow down your computer, especially during a system scan. Avira and TotalAV, however, are very lightweight programs so you won’t even know they’re there.
• Features. Although most antiviruses that are free have very limited features, there are some programs that offer extra features. Avira offers a basic password manager, Panda provides a 150 MB/day VPN, and Kaspersky offers data breach monitoring. Paid brands such as Norton offer all these features with no limitations. They also have webcam protection, parental controls and cloud storage.
• Easy to use. Windows Defender has been very user-friendly (it’s always on), so a free anti-virus must be as easy to use and provide the same great user experience that Microsoft offers with its PC antivirus. The products in this list all have intuitive features and user-friendly dashboards. They also offer decent customer service.
• Free of charge. Many cybersecurity companies try to convince you to buy a premium product. They offer a free trial, then make you pay for continued use. All of the brands I have listed offer free protection. Norton was also added to the list because it offers a 60-day money back guarantee. This gives you two months to test it out.

Why We Haven’t Stop Recommending Kaspersky

Kaspersky was added to the US Federal Communications Commission’s blacklist of companies that have been deemed to be a national security threat following Russia’s invasion of Ukraine early 2022. National security personnel might prefer to steer clear of Kaspersky’s software, but all other antiviruses listed on this list are great alternatives. At this time, however, there is no evidence that Kaspersky’s software is dangerous.

Kaspersky’s Global Transparency Initiative was launched in 2017. It moved its data centers from the United States to Switzerland and passed the Service Organization Control for Service Organizations Type 1 audit. Transparency Centers were opened around the globe where third parties can examine its source code.

Kaspersky’s researchers have a good reputation in the field. The company is active in uncovering cases of cyber-espionage and is trusted by over 400 million people worldwide.

If you are unsure about Kaspersky’s products, you have many options, including Norton, Avira and Bitdefender.

Tips to Increase Online Safety in 2022

Free antiviruses are not perfect and can’t protect you from all cyber threats. Even the most powerful free antiviruses lack online protections. TotalAV and Malwarebytes, for instance, don’t provide real-time protection. Panda and Kaspersky, on the other hand, offer web protections. Avira’s antivirus free version has a great VPN but is limited to 500MB per month, which is not enough for casual browsing.

If you don’t have the budget for a premium antivirus, you can get a free one. Just make sure you follow the best online safety tips, such as:

• Regularly updating software. Software upgrades are essential because they fix any software vulnerabilities and improve its security. It is important to update operating systems, programs and applications as soon the new updates become available. If you do not, hackers could exploit software vulnerabilities to install malware, steal sensitive information, or both. Avira Premium Antiviruses have vulnerability scanners which flag out-of date software and offer to update it for free. However, you can manually update any program on the device.
• Downloading files responsibly. Use only trusted websites to download files and programs. Only open email attachments that you are certain are safe. Don’t click on a link that you aren’t sure is safe. You should contact the sender if you receive an email attachment from someone you trust, but not because you were expecting one. Premium antiviruses provide real-time protection to prevent you from downloading malicious files. However, if you are using a free program that does not offer real-time protection, be cautious about what you download and where.
• Use HTTPS only. Sites using HTTPS encrypt all data sent and received between users and the site. Sites that connect via HTTP don’t encrypt data. This means that anyone can intercept the data you send and receive from the site. Norton and TotalAV offer excellent web protections. They check the security of every site you visit and prevent you from accessing suspicious or malicious sites.
• Do not connect to unsecure networks. Hackers could use unsecure Wi Fi networks to steal your personal information and intercept it. A VPN will encrypt your data making it impossible for third parties to read. Avira and Kaspersky only offer a limited version of their VPNs as part of their free plans. However, TotalAV and Norton are the best VPNs that provide antivirus protection.
• Create unique passwords to protect your online accounts. To generate strong passwords, you can either use our free password generator or check out our recommendations of the best password managers for free.

Top Brands that Didn’t Make it to the Cut

To ensure that you receive a high-quality resource, I spent a lot of time compiling this list. It may surprise you to learn that not all of the top antivirus brands made the top 5. Here are some:

• Avast. Avast and AVG, their subsidiary antivirus company AVG, continue to offer free antivirus software (Avast Free Antivirus Software and AVG AntiVirus Free), but their privacy violations have raised too many concerns. Read more.
• McAfee. McAfee has been one of my favourite antiviruses in 2022. It has an excellent anti-malware engine and web protections. There is also unlimited data. Unfortunately, McAfee does not offer a free plan. McAfee’s internet security packages, which are affordable, offer high-quality antivirus.
• Bitdefender. Bitdefender has recently ended its Windows free plan. However, Bitdefender offers the best internet security suites, including high-end security features and perfect malware detection rates.

What is the deal with antiviruses for free?

A true free antivirus program is not available It’s always a cost to purchase something. Antivirus companies restrict the functionality of their free software to basic protection. This leaves your computer’s cybersecurity defense vulnerable. The antivirus company wants you to recognize that your computer is not adequately protected. They will send you tons of advertisements and notifications to try and convince you to upgrade to the paid plan.

Other antivirus companies may also sell users’ data for free to large corporations for marketing purposes. Avast, the popular antivirus freeware that owns AVG, was recently accused of doing exactly this.

A free antivirus is fine if you only use your device for browsing the internet or word processing. The ones listed here are the best free antiviruses. However, if you have any sensitive information stored on your Windows device, it is better to spend money on a fully-featured internet security suite rather than trusting a free antivirus.

Why would I choose to use another antivirus free of Windows Defender?

Windows Defender does not rank poorly among third-party antiviruses. It can’t compete with top cybersecurity companies such as Avira or Panda, which offer excellent free antivirus software that offers protection against most threats Windows Defender does not protect against, including phishing sites and malicious web trackers. ).

Fortunately, many of these products offer significantly better antivirus protection than Microsoft’s Windows Defender antivirus.

This blog post will explain why Windows Defender isn’t enough to protect users in 2022.

Is it safe for me to use a free antivirus program?

Choose an antivirus program from trusted companies. The only difference between the free and paid versions of these brands is that they offer additional features like parental controls and a password manager. There are also better customer support options.

Which is the best antivirus free?

Free antiviruses come with some limitations. They lock out most of the best features behind a paywall. Although a free antivirus is a good temporary solution, I recommend you purchase a premium antivirus such as Norton. It offers superior malware detection rates and more features than most competitors. There are also easy-to use apps for every operating system. Norton’s paid plans start at $19.99/year. You have 2 months to test it out and decide if it is the right product for you.

If you don’t want to spend money on antivirus protection, you can still look into Avira. It has a cloud-based scanner for malware, real-time protection and basic system optimization tools. Avira also offers a VPN (500MB/day).

Is Avast free?

Avast offers a free antivirus. However, I wouldn’t recommend it because Avast has been accused of selling user data to make a profit . You can find more information here.

Check out our list of 2022’s best free antiviruses. All free antiviruses come with limitations. They may not have the necessary cybersecurity features or provide real-time protection.

You should get the best protection possible for your devices by purchasing a premium antivirus program such as Bitdefender or Norton.

What are the most prevalent viruses that attack Windows computers?

While malware attacks are reported in the billions each year, trojans (and adware) are still the most prevalent types of malware on Windows computers.

Trojans are similar to other files that have extensions such as.exe or.doc. However, once downloaded trojans can launch a backdoor attack to steal user information, to include a Windows device in a botnet, give a hacker access to a computer or simply crash the OS.

Hackers are always creating new malware for Windows. It’s important that your antivirus has a constantly updated malware database. Norton’s malware database never goes out of date and users don’t have to worry about installing or downloading updates.

Is it possible to download a free antivirus from Windows?

Absolutely! Absolutely! Your PC will ask you to activate the Windows Defender antivirus if you uninstall third-party anti-virus software.

However, premium cybersecurity protection is worth the investment if Defender is to be replaced. Antivirus software that is free is not as effective as paid ones. A paid antivirus such as Norton 360 will keep your digital data safe.

This list contains the top premium antivirus products available.

Source : #safetydetectives
Editor by : BEST Antivirus KBS Team