Best antivirus software of 2020

Our top antivirus software pick is Bitdefender Antivirus Plus that boasts over 500 million users, and offers a full-featured package. 

Bitdefender Antivirus Plus is easy to get up and running with a simple installation process. (However, be aware that creating an online account, including an email address is required prior to the initial download and install.) Once installed, the high ease-of-use continues – Bitdefender makes it really easy to protect your PC and keep you informed as to what threats are attacking you and when they’re vanquished.

The sheer amount of features on offer in Bitdefender’s entry-level antivirus package are manifold: Wi-Fi security scanning; banking protection; secure file deletion; vulnerability scanner; password manager; even the option to add a VPN into the mix.

Down sides are few and far between, but Antivirus Plus only protects three Windows devices without paying more for additional licenses, although there are some competitor products only protect one device. It is also resource intensive when running, which is a downside for older and less robust systems.

If you want a more all-encompassing package then it doesn’t cost much to upgrade to Bitdefender Internet Security or Total Security. The latter is particularly impressive covering up to five devices including Mac, iOS and Android – so a one-stop shop for antivirus on all your online gadgets.

The annual subscription includes automatic upgrades throughout the year. This keeps the program always up to date to meet the threats of the latest malware. Multi-year discounts are also available if you’re happy to commit..

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Norton Antivirus Plus is the company’s latest entry-level antivirus program. Norton has been around for ages, with a solid reputation earned over decades. Adding to the reputation, Norton offers decent value with its annual subscription costs.

Norton AntiVirus Plus offers quite a few customization options to control the settings. We also like the URL blocker that can protect from even acquiring the malware by protecting user by blocking visits to known malicious websites. The antivirus program is ever vigilant, and runs continuously, with scanning also available on demand.

Norton AntiVirus Plus also has their Norton Identity Safe, which is a password manager for the browser. However, some users have reported issues with this Chrome extension, including that the password manager randomly stops working, preventing Norton from taking the pole position in our rankings.

Norton AntiVirus Plus subscription options:

We’ll be honest from the outset…the main reason Avira Antivirus Pro ranks so high in our best antivirus countdown is the price. We’ve arranged an online exclusive price that you won’t find on other websites that brings the price of a year down to a mere $9.99 (£7.99). That’s pretty special.

But it doesn’t mean that you have to compromise on quality. Yes, Avira Antivirus Pro doesn’t have quite the bells and whistles that Bitdefender and Norton do, but it’s no less powerful. In fact, it ranks first on AV-Comparatives’ charts of pure threat prevention.

And there are at least some extra handy features, including dedicated anti-ransomware, extra protection for when you bank or shop online and email protection to keep phishing scammers at bay. Considering the cost, this is a fantastic value antivirus package.

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Here is F-Secure Antivirus SAFE’s winning formula: start with strong antivirus software, and then include even more features to fully protect a user’s system. These tools include banking protection for the safest online shopping, and safety tools that are family centered. Another useful feature looking beyond your Windows computer is a locator for the loss of your Android or iOS mobile device, Additionally, if the device can’t be found, there is the option to remotely lock or delete it which at least keeps the data safe.

On AV-test’s analysis, they found that F-Secure Antivirus SAFE got a high score, although in some cases it was a little overly sensitive as they noted some false positives. However, the pluses include that it runs ‘resource lite,’ and has a easy to use, and simple interface.

The annual subscription of F-Secure Antivirus SAFE runs $34.99 for protection of up to 3 devices.

For those that seek more of just antivirus protection, and not a full security suite, tha, Kaspersky Anti-Virus is worth a serious look. A side benefit of this approach is that it keeps the cost more affordable, as this program is $29.99 for the annual subscription.

Rather than focusing on too many peripheral features, Kapersky Anti-Virus hones in on the basics of malware prevention and detection, and does them well indeed. Features include blocking of malicious URL’s via web filtering, antivirus scanning for threat removal and detection, and smart monitoring technology to find malware before it brings down your system. 

Giving them credence, when tested, AV-Comparatives scored Kapersky Anti-Virus highly.

Trend Micro Antivirus+ Security has a strong reputation for effective antivirus prevention, with expertise in spam and ransomware. It is also noted to be easy to use, and the major antivirus labs give it high marks in their testing suites.

The downside of seeking out every virus like nobody’s business is that it can be a little overly sensitive, with a higher number of false positives when compared to the competition. Furthermore, Trend Micro Antivirus+ Security runs slower and requires more resources than some other products, making this a less preferred choice for an older system.

The upside is that this program is worth the free 30-day trial to fully clean up your system, and see how your system performs with Trend Micro Antivirus+ Security. If you like what you seem then the cost is $29.95 for single device antivirus protection via an annual subscription.

A significant con is the major testing labs have not tested Webroot SecureAnywhere AntiVirus for several years now. However, for those with an older system, and want antivirus software that runs lighter, should consider Webroot SecureAnywhere AntiVirus. The annual subscription is an affordable $19.99 which protects a single device.

Webroot SecureAnywhere AntiVirus takes the lighter approach to antivirus software. Their program is a teensy 2 MB download, and has no need for bulky signature updates, making this ideal for folks with a slower internet connection. A great plus of this small software, is that it runs really fast, and won’t bog even an older system down. 

While the program is small, the protection is still plentiful, able to meet all the malware threats: ransomware, real time anti-phishing tech, identity security, while monitoring the firewall and network for attacks.

ESET NOD32 Antivirus offers a free 30-day trial, and if it performs to your satisfaction, then the subscription costs $39.99 for the year of protection.

ESET NOD32 Antivirus is is a useful security suite that includes the features of real-time malware protection, excellent heuristic detection, an anti-ransomware layer, exploit protection, and URL filtering to block malicious websites. It also has modules for preventing attacks using PowerShell, defense against malicious scripts, a scanner for USB mass storage devices, and a UEFI scanner for protection during the boot process. 

Other functions that are found in some antivirus suites such as a password manager, software firewall, file shredder and vulnerability scanner do not make the cut as ESET NOD32 Antivirus focuses more on core features.

G-Data Antivirus goes back to the mid-1980’s, and has enjoyed popularity in the European market, while being a relative newcomer to the antivirus market in the United States. Their entry level offering for antivirus software is G-Data Antivirus, and has quite a bit to recommend.

G-Data Antivirus in testing by independent labs gets high marks at detecting many types of viruses, although noted to be less of a superstar at malicious URL blocking. The list of pros is long, and includes online shopping and banking protection, hourly updates, protection from phishing emails with attachments, automatic USB flash memory inspection, and a 24/7 phone hotline for English support.

A con is the high system resource requirement, making this program more suitable for more powerful systems.

G-Data Antivirus has a cost of $29.95 for the annual subscription, and protects a single device.