When choosing an antivirus program security experts and consumers alike consider many factors besides the program’s capabilities to protect. Things like cost as well as system impact usability, compatibility, and the personal judgment of the company’s practices are all important aspects that can play a part in determining whether a person should select an antivirus program.
The German-based Avira is a great option for those who require an antivirus suite that has solid test results and a monthly billing option. Avira’s antivirus program is incredibly good. test results across all categories, and offers a number of useful extras like a password manager. Avira scans are fast and do not consume much of the resources. However, the speed decrease is quite significant at 53%, which is one of the highest in our tests.
Our top picks aren’t perfect. For instance, Kaspersky’s strong background effect can lead to slowdowns as high as 53%, while Avast’s full-scan speed is slightly less at 44 percent. On the other one hand, Bitdefender has an excellent free version, as well as a dependable subscription-based AV service that has excellent independent lab scores. Its feature list is extensive and includes an VPN that helps it distinguish itself from other competitors.
F-Secure is the highest-rated paid antivirus program. McAfee Total Protection and Trend Micro Internet Security are also highly reviewed. Microsoft Defender, the built-in antivirus that comes with Windows 10 and 11, is relatively light, only having an impact on background of official statement 9.9%. However, it may cause system slowdowns when running full system scans.