Best Antivirus Software for Windows 10 | Top 10 Free and Paid Tools
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The best antivirus software for Windows 10 will protect your system from unwanted spyware, malware, and ransomware attacks, as well as other online security threats.
With trusted Windows security and virus protection by your side, you can browse the internet without worrying about anyone spying on you or digging into your private data.
But, with a truckload of options, finding the best antivirus software for Windows 10 is an uphill task. In this article, we review the best Windows 10 antivirus software after testing the tools on criteria like ease of use, price, compatibility, malware detection rates, customer support, and more.
Read on to learn what top providers like TotalAV, McAfee, and Norton have to offer you and how they compare.
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- 1. TotalAV — Best Windows Antivirus Overall for Users with Few Devices
- 2. NordVPN Threat Protection Pro – Best Option for Antivirus + VPN Protection
- 3. Norton Antivirus Plus – Best Unlimited-Device Antivirus with Strong Identity Protection
- 4. Surfshark Antivirus – Top Windows Antivirus with a Fantastic User Interface
- 5. Trend Micro – Best Windows Antivirus with Powerful Mobile Protection Included
- 6. ESET Home Security – Best Antivirus and Security Software for Smart Home Environments
- 7. Avast – Top Windows Antivirus with a Comprehensive Feature Set
- 8. Intego – Best for Windows PC Users Who also Have Macs in the Household
- 9. Avira — A Free Windows 10 Antivirus with a Special Spyware and Malware Cleaner
- 10. Panda Dome – Best Cloud-Based PC Antivirus with Speedy Performance
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- 1. TotalAV — Best Windows Antivirus Overall for Users with Few Devices
- 2. NordVPN Threat Protection Pro – Best Option for Antivirus + VPN Protection
- 3. Norton Antivirus Plus – Best Unlimited-Device Antivirus with Strong Identity Protection
- 4. Surfshark Antivirus – Top Windows Antivirus with a Fantastic User Interface
- 5. Trend Micro – Best Windows Antivirus with Powerful Mobile Protection Included
- 6. ESET Home Security – Best Antivirus and Security Software for Smart Home Environments
- 7. Avast – Top Windows Antivirus with a Comprehensive Feature Set
- 8. Intego – Best for Windows PC Users Who also Have Macs in the Household
- 9. Avira — A Free Windows 10 Antivirus with a Special Spyware and Malware Cleaner
- 10. Panda Dome – Best Cloud-Based PC Antivirus with Speedy Performance
What is The Best Antivirus Software for Windows 10 & 11 in 2024?
Our team spent several weeks testing these software tools on Windows PCs. Before we share our full findings, here’s is a quick look at the leading options – and why they are the best antivirus software for Windows 10/11 you can use right now:
- TotalAV — Overall, the Best Antivirus for Windows 10 for Real-Time Protection
- Nord Threat Protection — The Best Combo of Antivirus And VPN without Any Renewal Hikes
- Norton — Quality Antivirus With the Longest Money-Back Guarantee of 60 Days
- Surfshark — Lightweight Antivirus Program with Identity Theft Protection
- Trend Micro –– Free Antivirus for Malware Detection on All Home Devices.
- ESET Smart Security — The Best Anti-Device Theft Features for Windows 10
- Avast — Excellent Free Antivirus for Windows 10
- Intego — Popular Windows Antivirus with Leading Protection for MacOS.
- Avira — Free Windows 10 Antivirus with a Special Spyware and Malware Cleaner
- Panda Dome –– One of the Most User-Friendly Antivirus Solutions for Windows 10 Devices.
The Best Antivirus for PCs Reviewed: Pros, Cons, and Pricing
Windows PCs are easy to use, versatile, and affordable for every budget. However, one area where they lag behind is security.Here, we delve into the details of the best antivirus software for Windows 10. This includes in-depth discussions of their best features, pricing, pros, and cons to give you a better idea of what these tools can do for you. Ready?
1. TotalAV — Best Windows Antivirus Overall for Users with Few Devices
TotalAV is an award-winning Windows antivirus with over 30 million users worldwide — but it’ll take more than that to earn the top spot on our list. Thankfully, its high-scoring virus detection rates and intuitive interface make it the perfect option for every Windows user, and is, therefore, our go-to for the top Antivirus for Windows 10.
TotalAV’s top feature is its real-time scanning and protection, which blocks and removes viruses and malware as soon as they’re detected on a new file on your system or on a website you’ve opened.
TotalAV’s quick action ensures that the virus will have no time to damage any part of your system or steal any data. You can either choose to quarantine the virus or destroy it immediately, and we found both to be equally effective in securing our devices.
Starting Price Compatibility Max Devices Supported Free Plan/Trial Money-Back Guarantee $29/year Windows, Mac, iOS, and Android 6 No 30 Day TotalAV’s Real-Time Protection features the excellent Web Shield feature that protects your device from shady websites, emails, and ads instantly. We were really impressed with this feature and found that it could recognize suspicious websites and alert us without any hiccups.
Here’s how it works: anytime you click on a suspicious website, TotalAV warns you and asks if you still wish to continue. Even if you do, it’ll do its best to ward off viruses and malware from entering your system.
In addition to all this, you also get three other scanning options: Smart Scan, Full Scan, and Custom Scan.
Depending on how much time you have, you can either go for a Smart Scan to quickly check common virus hideouts such as new downloads or emails or a thorough full scan to look for viruses that might have slipped past the first two scans. If you’re suspicious of any folder, use the custom scan for the fastest results.
Pricing
TotalAV’s Antivirus Pro plan, at just $29 for the first year, is a reasonably priced package offering enough features for a small family. It covers three devices and comes with real-time protection and ‘Rare File Alert’.
However, if you’d also like a VPN and more security features, go with the Antivirus+ Internet Security plan.
Although renewal costs are high, TotalAV has a lot to offer. It topped our research for a boatload of reasons. Plus, there’s a 30-day money-back guarantee in place, so you can try it completely risk-free today.
Pros
- 24/7 customer service
- Light on system resources
- 30-day money-back guarantee
- Top-notch malware and ransomware protection
- Comes with a privacy manager to control cookies
- Useful real-time website tracking tool
Cons
- No PC cloud backup
- Doesn’t come with parental control
2. NordVPN Threat Protection Pro – Best Option for Antivirus + VPN Protection
Nord is a powerhouse in the online security industry, famous for its market-leading VPN service. They’ve also dipped a toe into the world of antivirus software with Nord Threat Protection, an excellent antivirus solution for Windows 10 and other devices.
You should be aware that Nord’s Threat Protection feature cannot currently be used without also using their VPN service. However, the combination of their VPN and Threat Protection can effectively secure your device from a variety of digital threats, including advanced ones.
Nord’s security features allow you to browse the internet confidently without fear of losing your personal data or financial details to snoopers. Additionally, their VPN allows you to change your virtual location to improve ping and access better online deals from services like YouTube Premium or Netflix.
Nord’s Threat Protection feature will block you from accessing malicious websites, but if you visit them anyway, the built-in Adblock will provide a smooth, ad-free experience.
Starting Price Compatibility Max Devices Supported Free Plan/Trial Money-Back Guarantee $4.69/month Windows, Mac, iOS, Linux, Android, and browsers 10 No 30 days In addition to its other security features, Nord offers a URL trimmer to protect your device from tracking. This feature shortens URLs to remove any tracking parameters that contain information about the websites you visit.
As you spend more time online, you leave behind more digital footprints that can be used by tracking companies and hackers to locate you. However, we found that Nord’s URL trimmer was excellent at preventing this.
Moreover, it includes a tracker blocker, which is designed to prevent third parties from tracking your online activities and collecting data about your device and browsing habits.
Pricing
Threat Protection is available only as part of NordVPN and not as a standalone service. If you subscribe to the Plus plan ($4.69/month) or the Complete plan ($5.69/month), you’ll get all the threat protection features we described. Note that if you use Threat Protection in a browser or on mobile, you will have limited features compared with the Pro version for desktop. In addition, the NordPass password manager is included in both plans.
Pros
- Excellent malware and antivirus protection
- Comes with an inbuilt adblocker
- Excellent customer support
- Works with Windows, macOS, Linux, Chrome, Firefox, and Edge
- Scans suspicious files during the download
- Known for excellent speed and performance
Cons
- Can be expensive for some
3. Norton Antivirus Plus – Best Unlimited-Device Antivirus with Strong Identity Protection
Norton is a powerful antivirus with a strong legacy of the highest threat detection rate and timely remediation on Windows devices and others.
Like most reliable antivirus solutions, it offers a variety of scans, including a Quick Scan, Smart Scan, Full Scan, and Custom Scan. What sets it apart from the other tools is the special Norton Insights that marks up suspicious files for custom scans.
When testing it, this feature saved us a lot of time. Instead of cluelessly scanning the whole system, you simply run custom scans on the most suspicious parts of your device, helping you locate infected files much easier.
To keep your important documents safe from malware, Norton offers secure cloud storage. Although the storage limit will depend on your plan, it’s quite generous and easy to access, no matter what device you’re on.
Starting Price Compatibility Max Devices Supported Free Plan/Trial Money-Back Guarantee $19.99/Year Windows, Mac, iOS, and Android Unlimited 7-day free trial 60 days With the cloud backup feature, your confidential data will remain unharmed, even if a virus infiltration does happen.
One of Norton’s most impressive offerings is the ‘Dark Web Alerts’. Let’s say a virus crept into your system, and Norton removed it on time — how do you find out whether any of your data has been compromised?
The dark web monitoring feature will notify you if any of your personal data (banking credentials, emails, social account logins, and more) were leaked into the dark web so that you can take timely action to retrieve it.
Pricing
Norton starts at just $19.99 for the first year (renews at $59.99/year). This is its Antivirus Plus plan that comes with a password manager, virus protection promise, PC cloud backup of 2GB, and ample more.
With the premium plans, you can cover up to 5 devices and unlock parental control features, a VPN, and features like dark web monitoring and ‘SafeCam’. We recommend the Select + LifeLock plan, costing $99.99 for the first year or $9.99 for the first month.
With a 7-day trial and a 60-day money-back guarantee, you can check whether Norton is for you and get a full refund if you don’t like it.
Pros
- Excellent parental control
- Has a secure and fast VPN
- Comes with real-time malware protection
- Offers a 100% Virus Protection Promise
- The password manager has features like facial recognition
Cons
- Slow first scan
- Burdens system resources
4. Surfshark Antivirus – Top Windows Antivirus with a Fantastic User Interface
Surfshark is another solid option as a top Windows 10 antivirus solution, especially if you’re looking for a combined package with VPN protection. With real-time protection and one of the best VPN services, your device is safe from even the most advanced digital threats.
One of Surfshark’s most recognized features is the highly flexible Custom Scan that lets you select a whole folder at once or manually drag and drop individual suspicious files to narrow down the search radar and neutralize threats quicker.
In addition to this, you also get the basic Quick Scan and Full Scan, like most other antivirus solutions. You can selectively search the most vulnerable areas, like suspicious emails and new downloads, or run a full-fledged checkup on the whole system — the choice is yours.
Starting Price Compatibility Max Devices Supported Free Plan/Trial Money-Back Guarantee $2.69/month Windows, Mac, and Android 5 No 30 days During our testing, we found that the scans take slightly longer to finish. For example, the Full Scan takes about 25 to 30 minutes, but on the brighter side, it successfully identified the threats. So, even if you might have to spend a little more time scanning, your device security remains uncompromised at all times.
Better still, Surfshark can scan up to five devices simultaneously. Whether it’s Windows, Android, or iOS, Surfshark’s multiple device compatibility and simultaneous scanning service make it a perfect tool for big families and one of the best UK antivirus software.
Behind the scenes, Surfshark antivirus is powered by a robust threat intelligence system. The database is updated every three hours, so you’re always protected from new threats.
Recently, the company also launched its ID alerts feature in 90+ countries — so if you’ve suffered from identity theft, Surfshark has you covered no matter where the criminal turns up. Another handy tool is the new Web Protection for Windows, which scans apps and links for signs of phishing.
Pricing
At just $2.05/month, Surfshark’s 24 + 2 free months plan is a steal. Getting the most robust security features and a VPN at that price point is an absolute bargain — plus, there are no renewal hikes, either.
The best part is that Surfshark doesn’t reserve its premium features for a pricey plan—all its plans include everything the provider offers.
Get Surfshark today and try it for 30 days without worrying about losing any money. If you don’t like it, you’ll get a full refund.
Pros
- Excellent VPN functions
- Offers real-time protection
- Light on system resources
- Private data exposure alerts
- Internet activity is kept anonymous
- Multi-hop connections are available
Cons
- Slow customer service
- ID check isn’t available in all countries
5. Trend Micro – Best Windows Antivirus with Powerful Mobile Protection Included
TrendMicro has a free antivirus service on offer called HouseCall. If there’s any tool that can protect your system from viruses and malware without damaging your files in the process, it’s TrendMicro.
Its standout feature, ‘Folder Shield’, lets you select important files, folders, and images that you want unscathed, no matter what. Once the shield is on, no unauthorized program can make any changes to your selected protected files.
The shield also extends to files on your Google Drive, Dropbox, and USB — and you can add as many important files as you want. This way, even if a virus attack does happen, your files will be safely quarantined until TrendMicro finds a way to remove the virus, meaning you won’t lose a single file in the process.
Starting Price Compatibility Max Devices Supported Free Plan/Trial Money-Back Guarantee $19.95/year Windows, Mac, iOS, Chromebook, and Android 10 30-day free trial 30 days One of the other exciting additions to TrendMicro’s list of features is ‘Real-World Protection’. While traditional antiviruses only recognize a threat once it has entered your device, TrendMicro will recognize and block the threat at its source.
Viruses can damage your device or corrupt files even when they’re removed. Real-world protection removes the threat at its source, which spares you a lot of time, trouble, and emotional distress.
The only downside to using TrendMicro is that it doesn’t offer simultaneous scans, which we find a little frustrating. However, it won’t be a big problem for many. It makes up for it with faster scans compared to the industry average.
Pricing
HouseCall is a completely free product by TrendMicro that offers many features for a free service. Although it covers just a single Windows or Mac device, you’ll enjoy features such as threat reports and custom scan options.
If you’d also like advanced AI learning and protection from internet and email scams, sign up for TrendMicro’s most affordable paid Windows plan — the Antivirus+ Security plan, at just $19.95 for the first year.
For coverage for up to 5 devices, get either the Maximum Security or the Premium Security plan. Put TrendMicro to the test risk-free with a 30-day free trial.
Pros
- Offers a free basic plan
- Efficient URL-level detection
- Cloud-based database and operations
- Can run across unlimited devices
- Multi-featured browser extension
Cons
- Burdens the system sometimes
- Only a few licensing options
6. ESET Home Security – Best Antivirus and Security Software for Smart Home Environments
ESET Smart Security is a popular but lesser-known antivirus provider with a user base of over 100 million people across 200+ countries. It’s clearly earned a name for itself due to its impressive customer figures, and it impressed us enough to make our top 10 list.
Part of the reason we rate it so highly is the excellent anti-theft features you get with your subscription. It offers location tracking, one-way messaging, a phantom account, and much more to help you protect your device from physical and online threats.
But regular scans also keep your Windows 10 device secure, and ESET scored a perfect 6/6 on the AV-Test Institute. This makes it one of the best antivirus solutions for detecting malware and other harmful viruses.
Starting Price Compatibility Max Devices Supported Free Plan/Trial Money-Back Guarantee $34.99/year Windows, Mac, and Android 5 30-day free trial 30 days Alongside this, Windows 10 users who opt for the expensive but excellent Ultimate Protection plan can benefit from a password manager bundled in and a feature for encrypting photos. Both are useful quirks that go a long way toward earning ESET a place on this list.
The icing on the cake is the brilliant ransomware you get, with ESET encrypting all of your files to help protect you from financial losses.
For more financial security, there’s also a secure browser that will pop up on websites you’ve selected a need to make payments on, ensuring your bank details are never compromised.
Pricing
There is one catch with ESET that meant it didn’t place higher on the list, and that’s pricing. For multi-device coverage, this provider sits comfortably on top of the most expensive antivirus solutions.
Prices start from $23.80/year for one device, so if you have several Windows devices in your household, the cost can get out of hand.
When compared with other feature-heavy antivirus solutions for Windows 10, like TotalAV, it’s hard to argue the case for such high prices.
Pros
- Excellent anti-theft features in case your device is lost or stolen
- Includes a password manager and photo encryption tools on the top-tier plan
- Scores highly in the AV-Test Institute tests, so security is reliable and strong
- User-friendly interface for Windows 10 Devices
Cons
- One of the most expensive antivirus programs on the market
7. Avast – Top Windows Antivirus with a Comprehensive Feature Set
Avast is one of the biggest names in the antivirus industry and stands out with its generous free plan and rich suite of features.
While other antiviruses only offer quick scans, full scans, and custom scans, Avast goes a step ahead with a few extra tools:
- Target Scan — Checks only a particular file that seems suspicious
- Boot-time Scan — Looks for malware that’s only activated during system startup
- Network Inspector — It scans your network and network provider for threats
With such detailed scans, malware cannot slip into your system without being detected, and if it does, Avast has the features to swiftly remove it.
Starting Price Compatibility Max Devices Supported Free Plan/Trial Money-Back Guarantee $0 Windows, Mac, iOS, and Android 30 30-day free trial and free plan 30-Day Money-Back Guarantee With such detailed scans, malware cannot slip into your system without being detected, and if it does, Avast has the features to swiftly remove it.
Besides the scans, Avast’s finest feature is its powerful firewall — available to both free and paid users, that lets you block connections to specific apps that you deem suspicious.
Paid users get even more advanced features, such as identifying open ports and ARP spoofing attacks, some of which allow you to hide your confidential data from other networks.
On the whole, Avast is a champion of security against ransomware. Although this feature is only available with its premium plans, once the ‘Ransomware Shield’ is turned on, it won’t let any unauthorized application access your sensitive data.
If you’re concerned about your device’s security, Avast will provide detailed security updates every 30 days to put your mind at ease. It will also scan external devices such as CDs, DVDs, and USBs.
Pricing
As a free service, the Avast One Essential sells itself. Despite being free, it tags along with a truckload of features, including an advanced firewall, data leak alerts, ransomware protection, and more.
Avast also offers a VPN, which you’ll get with one of its premium plans. Overall, we like the Premium Security plan the best. It costs a mere $3.33/month and covers 10 devices—perfect for your whole family.
With a 30-day money-back guarantee, you can try Avast Premium Security without any risk of losing any money. If you don’t like it, get a full refund. No hassle.
Pros
- 24/7 customer support
- Easy to install and use
- Has an in-built ad blocker
- Offers an entirely free plan
- Numerous bonus security features
- A popular software with millions of positive reviews
Cons
- Slow boot time scan
- Expensive full Windows protection
8. Intego – Best for Windows PC Users Who also Have Macs in the Household
Although Intego is recognized as one of the best Mac antiviruses, its Windows security service is also pretty commendable.
One of our favorite features of Intego is that it automatically quarantines suspicious files and sends you a notification about them.
As one of the best spyware removal tools, Intego offers a separate Quarantine section where you’ll get all the details about the file (name and location) and threat name. From there on, you can either choose to delete the quarantined file or restore it in case it was a false positive.
Starting Price Compatibility Max Devices Supported Free Plan/Trial Money-Back Guarantee $19.99/year Windows and Mac 5 7-day free trial 30 days Acting on threats immediately prevents the suspected file from infecting other important files with the same virus until the problem is fixed. If it was a false positive, you can exclude the file from future scans to save time.
Plus, Intego’s ‘Prevention Engine’ feature uses behavior analysis technology to detect and prevent zero-day attacks from unknown threats that are extremely hard to catch on standard scans.
This way, if your system security is compromised, Intego can at least avert or quarantine it until a solution is found.
Like TrendMicro, Intego has lengthy scan durations, which can last up to 3 hours or more. But there’s no denying that it’s a well-rounded antivirus solution for those looking for an affordable, reliable, and user-friendly tool, especially for macOS devices.
Pricing
Since Intego offers two completely different solutions for its Windows and Mac users, the pricing is also different.
The most affordable plan for a Mac user is the Mac Internet Security X9 plan, which costs just $19.99/year. However, if you’d also like parental controls and improved system performance, upgrade to the Mac Premium Bundle.
Oddly enough, Intego doesn’t extend its services to multiple Mac devices on a single plan. That said, Windows users can cover up to 5 devices simultaneously if they choose the Family or Extended plan, which costs $39.99/year and $79.98/year, respectively.
You can try Intego risk-free, thanks to its 30-day free trial and 30-day money-back guarantee combo.
Pros
- Excellent real-time protection
- The best solution for Apple ecosystem users
- Comes with an in-built firewall
- VPN based on Private Internet Access
- Advanced parental controls
Cons
- VPN must be purchased separately
- Can be expensive for some users
9. Avira — A Free Windows 10 Antivirus with a Special Spyware and Malware Cleaner
Avira has over 500 million users worldwide who swear by its simple interface, powerful security features, and, more importantly, its generous free version.
While most antiviruses only protect your system from potentially dangerous websites, Avira goes a step ahead and scans your emails, too. Thanks to this feature, if you get a malicious email or even if a friend accidentally sends a virus-infected email, you’ll be notified and shielded before any damage can happen.
We ran this through a few tests in-house and were suitably impressed with how accurate and responsive Avira was. It quickly identified and removed the emails with no input from us.
Starting Price Compatibility Max Devices Supported Free Trial/Plan Money-Back Guarantee $0 Windows, Mac, iOS, and Android device 5 Devices Free Plan, Free Trial 60-Day Money-Back Guarantee Along with the basic quick, full, and custom scans, Avira offers a unique feature called ‘Manage Scans’. Here, you can check the record of all your previous scans and identify the common sources of attack or the most vulnerable areas of your system.
Besides all this, Avira has consistently proven itself as one of the best antiviruses for fighting ransomware—deadly software that hijacks your confidential data and blackmails you for a ransom to release it.
With Avira constantly updating its virus database and intuitive scanners, any ransomware in your system will be caught and quarantined even before it can make its first move.
Although every Avira plan comes with firewall protection, it’s not an extra layer of security. It simply lets you manage the Windows firewall.
Even then, this feature is pretty useful, considering Avira’s interface is much simpler than the Windows security tab. You can easily enable/disable or change the firewall settings without having to go through multiple steps and tabs.
Pricing
Thanks to Avira’s free antivirus plan, you can get a 500MB/month VPN and an ‘Update Scanner’ without paying a cent.
Upgrade to Avira Antivirus Pro for more features, such as real-time data breach alerts and automatic cleaning and updates. It’ll cost you a mere $26.99 for the first year (it renews at $44.99/year).
You can try Avira for a full 60 days without risking any money, and if you don’t like it, return it and get a full refund.
Pros
- Easy to install
- Various customizable scans
- Less load on system resources
- Based on cloud technology
- Ability to blocklist specific USB drives
Cons
- Less disparity between free and paid plans
- No web protection in the free plan
10. Panda Dome – Best Cloud-Based PC Antivirus with Speedy Performance
Panda Dome secures the last spot on our list, mainly thanks to its highly user-friendly interface and solid malware detection rates. Whilst it doesn’t come close to competing with the likes of TotalAV and Nord Threat Protection, there is definitely a market for a beginner-friendly antivirus
By ‘beginner-friendly’, we’re referring to the aesthetically pleasing interface Panda Dome offers across all of its apps, with the Windows 10 client no different. The cute bear animations and easy-to-navigate dashboard make keeping your laptop safe a pleasant experience.
But it isn’t all just sunshine and rainbows, and there are actually some decent features here, like safe browsing for secure online payments and an update manager that can mass update apps to remove the chance of dodgy bugs and security issues.
There’s also the excellent USB Protection feature—a useful tool for businesses that share USBs to import or export files, as it reduces the risk of malware being spread.
Starting Price Compatibility Max Devices Supported Free Plan/Trial Money-Back Guarantee $0 Windows, Mac, iOS, and Android 10 30-day free trial and free plan 30 days Additionally, there’s a feature called Data Shield, a helpful anti-ransomware feature that allows you to defend against ransomware and viruses. It functions by allowing you to choose a specific application or folder, which prevents any unauthorized access.
Let’s say that malware does wind up on your device. Other programs, including ransomware, won’t be able to access that specific encrypted file. This means that you wouldn’t need to pay hackers if you were to just disconnect your hard drive, plug it into another computer, and copy the files.
However, the biggest downside to Panda Dome is its lackluster performance in its overall detection scores, so we simply cannot put it higher on this list. In March, AV-Comparatives thoroughly tested Panda Dome and found it to have a 99.9% detection rate, which sounds great on paper.
Sadly, on average, the number of false positives fell on the high side (65 cases in total). Most antivirus providers that score the highest find up to 10 false positives, which leaves Panda Dome on the poorer side of the scale.
Pricing
Panda Dome does offer a wide variety of plans for everyone to sink their teeth into, and the prices are pretty reasonable. But no free plan is another big mark against the provider.
There is currently a deal that offers the first month free, so if you’re looking to try the service out before you buy, this might be your best bet.
Pros
- Good range of advanced features like USB Protection and Data Shield
- One of the easiest-to-use antivirus solutions for Windows 10
- Top-notch customer support should anything go wrong
- Offer a good selection of plans for customers of all price points
Cons
- No free plan on Windows to trial the service
- Scored worse than the likes of TotalAV, Avira, and Avast on the AV-Test Institute detection test
The Best Windows Antivirus Compared: Which One Should You Choose?
Did you know that globally, antivirus software will be worth over $5 billion by 2028? This gives you plenty of options to choose from at every price point. To make your decision easier, we’ve compared the best antiviruses for Windows side by side so you can understand how they stack up.
Windows Antivirus Starting Price of Paid Plans Compatibility Max Devices Supported Free Plan/Trial Money-Back Guarantee TotalAV $19/year for first year, then $99/month Windows, Mac, iOS, and Android 6 — Total Security Plan No 30 days NordVPN Threat Protection Pro $3.39/month Windows, Mac, Android, iOS 6 No 30 days Norton Antivirus Plus $29.99/Year Windows, Mac, iOS, and Android 5 Devices — Deluxe Plan 7-day free trial 60 days Surfshark Antivirus $2.69/month Windows, Mac, and Android 5 No 30 days Trend Micro $19.95/year Windows, Mac, iOS, Chromebook, and Android 10 30-day free trial 30 days ESET $49.99/year Windows, Mac, and Android 5 30-day free trial 30 days Avast $29.99year Windows, Mac, iOS, and Android 10 Devices — Premium Security Plan Free Plan — Avast One Essential 30 days Intego $19.99/year Windows and Mac 5 7-day free trial 30 days Avira $26.99/year Windows, Mac, iOS, and Android 5 30-day free trial and free plan 30 days Panda Dome $35.99/Year Windows, Mac, iOS, and Android 5 First Month Free 30 days How We Test Window Antivirus Software for Our Guides
At TechReport, we’ve been bringing you the latest insights from the world of technology since 1999. This includes antivirus software for Windows and other security solutions like VPNs. Our team regularly reports on the various aspects of virus and malware prevention. For this guide, we started with a list of 30 recommendations for antivirus software.
We then narrowed this down to 10 offerings based on the software’s reliability, market reputation, ease of installation, and feature set. We rigorously tested the platforms hands-on on a Windows 11 computer, running its antivirus scans to see if anything fell through the cracks. We also evaluated the learning curve, promptness of customer support, and ease of use.
We also referred to customer reviews on trusted websites like G2 and Capterra to understand the ongoing user sentiment about our selected antivirus software. This gives us a better idea of how it works in the real world and whether it meets today’s antivirus users’ needs.
Our team has authored several in-depth antivirus reviews and guides, which makes us uniquely positioned to compare the top tools available today and present an objective analysis. We also update our recommendations regularly so that you get to know about the latest antivirus features, pricing changes, and new products.
Why Do You Need Malware Protection for Windows 10 and 11?
Every day, antiviruses detect over 560,000 malware attacks globally, according to the latest security statistics. If that doesn’t tell you why an antivirus is so necessary in 2024, here are four crucial reasons:
Better PC Performance
If your PC is attacked by a virus, its performance will most likely suffer. Your device will drastically slow down to the extent that the screen might frequently freeze.
System crashes will become daily trouble, and your files are likely to be deleted or damaged. Without an antivirus, your device will be in ruins following a virus attack.
Personal Data Protection
Viruses don’t only damage your device. Their bigger aim is to steal your personal information like name, contact details, government IDs, banking details, etc.
Sometimes, they even break into your email or other social media accounts and take complete control over them to run their illegal businesses.
Once they gain access to your device, there’s not much you can do to reverse the damage. So, best to be safe rather than sorry and get an antivirus installed right away.
Anti Spyware Protection
Our PCs get to see the most confidential side of our lives. Whether it’s your personal search history, a confidential work document that can’t be compromised, or your financial records, these you don’t want anyone to see, especially hackers.
But without an antivirus, a malicious third party won’t take long to plant spyware in your device and record everything you do. Whatever you type or see on the screen will immediately go to them, leaving you with no privacy.
Minimal Virus Transmission
Even if you aren’t worried about your own device, you certainly don’t want to be that person who is known for transmitting viruses to other devices.
Whether through your emails or shared USBs, if you don’t want to risk damaging the devices of your friends, family, or at work, get an antivirus as soon as possible.
Free vs. Paid Windows Antivirus
Services like TotalAV, Avira, and Avast offer totally free antivirus solutions. You get all the basic features, such as real-time virus scans and protection against multiple types of security threats like ransomware, malware, spyware, etc.
In addition, this software is lightweight, easy to set up, and compatible with multiple device types. Yet, despite all these benefits, paid antivirus solutions will always stay ahead, and we recommend opting for one of these plans.
For example, services like Norton and TotalAV offer additional features like a file shredder, webcam protection, a VPN, and a protection score for premium security, features you won’t find on most free antivirus plans.
Also, with paid plans, you get multiple simultaneous connections, whereas free plans usually cover 1-2 devices simultaneously — and all come with solid, lengthy money-back guarantees, so you can try them risk-free.
That is why, despite so many free antivirus offerings from top providers, more than two-thirds of antivirus users choose to purchase a paid plan. If you don’t have any antivirus installed, you can start off with a free plan and then gradually upgrade to more robust protection.
How to Choose and Set Up the Best Antivirus for Windows 10 and 11 Protection?
In 2024, there’s really no excuse to not use an antivirus. They are affordable, extremely easy to use, and don’t slow down your PC. Check for the following parameters when buying an antivirus product for your Windows device to make an informed decision:
Malware Protection
Hackers develop new attack strategies every day. Therefore, you need an antivirus that can keep up with protection and immunization at the same pace.
Basic virus detection and remediation won’t do. Whatever service you pick should protect your device from all types of threats, including malware, ransomware, spyware, and Trojans.
It should also cover all points of invasion, like emails, ad pop-ups, shady websites, and USBs. Only a comprehensive security shield can give your device the protection it deserves.
Device Compatibility
Even if your primary concern at the moment is protecting your Windows device, you or someone in your family will likely need protection for other devices, such as Androids or iOS, in the future.
If you don’t want to find another service that supports those operating systems, choose any antivirus with multiple device compatibility.
For example, TotalAV, although an excellent Windows antivirus, is also compatible with Android, Mac, and iOS. So, even if your device changes, your antivirus can remain the same.
Pricing and Plans
Antivirus protection is necessary, but it shouldn’t burn a hole in your pocket. To make digital protection accessible, we’ve selected software with multiple plans ranging from affordable to premium. No matter what your needs and limitations are, you’ll surely find software to match it.
If you’re not ready to invest yet, tools like TotalAV, Avira, and Avast offer free plans, whereas McAfee and Norton have free trials. There are plenty of pocket-friendly options for everyone.
Customer Support
Not everyone is used to setting up their own antivirus software and turning on real-time protection and running scans can be difficult. That’s why we’ve only picked tools with a beginner-friendly installation and setup process.
In addition, always look for tools that offer customer support. Whether through email, phone, or live chat, you should always have the team within your reach.
Once you’ve made your decision, go ahead and purchase a monthly or annual subscription to your preferred software from the website. Thanks to the cloud, you won’t have to pay hundreds of dollars for a lifetime license — simply sign up for a monthly plan, and the cloud (by connecting your antivirus app to the internet) will do the rest.
Usually, this setup process will take just 5-10 minutes and a few clicks.
Here, we’ve explained the step-by-step process of setting up TotalAV, one of the best antivirus software for Windows 10 and 11 in [cue_year]. You can replicate these steps for any top security tool, although the process for business antivirus installation will be slightly different.
- Download TotalAV from its official website
- Click on it to open it and tap on “Yes” or “Allow” to let it make changes to the system
- Wait for the installation and update to finish — your PC is now protected by TotalAV
- To enable real-time protection, open the TotalAV app
- Click on the TotalAV logo on the left sidebar
- On the next page, click on the button labeled “Enable Protection”
That’s all you had to do. TotalAV will now automatically scan your device for viruses and alert you whenever it detects a threat.
In Conclusion: Is Windows Defender Enough to Protect Your PC?
A common question we ask when considering an antivirus for Windows is whether the built-in security software in our PC is enough. While Windows Defender—the antivirus, firewall, and computer scanning service that ships with your PC—is powerful, it doesn’t offer advanced protection.
Choosing a good antivirus for your Windows 10 or 11 PC is essential if you want to protect yourself from zero-day threats and also optimize PC performance by cleaning it up regularly.TotalAV offers excellent value for money, with the most comprehensive plan starting at just $49/year. It provides end-to-end virus and malware protection, a VPN, and several PC optimization tools.
Remember that no antivirus can guarantee 100% immunity from all infections, so it’s also important to follow certain security measures when you’re online or using your Windows PC. Avoid plugging in your external drives into shared machines, educate yourself about phishing emails, and use a VPN to protect your privacy.
These best practices, combined with a robust antivirus tool, are the best way to stay safe in the digital world.
Windows Antivirus FAQs
What’s the best antivirus for Windows 10?
TotalAV is the best antivirus for Windows 10. It’s free, easy to set up, and offers real-time protection against multiple PC threats such as malware, spyware, Trojans, etc. Its premium plans provide advanced security features such as data breach monitoring, remote firewall, and anti-phishing protection. Brownie points — it’s also compatible with Android, iOS, and Mac, even on the free plan.
What’s the best free antivirus software for Windows 10?
If you’re not ready to invest in an antivirus yet, TotalAV has a free plan with the best-in-class protection. Apart from that, you can also try Avira and Avast. Both provide adequate protection against common viruses and are known for their beginner-friendly interface and superior performance without slowing down your device.
Does Windows 10 need an antivirus?
Both Windows 10 and 11 come with a built-in Windows security suite — Windows Defender, but it’s not adequate. While it provides real-time protection against malware and viruses and scans all new files and emails to prevent new attacks, it doesn’t offer automated response and remediation. If you want 24/7 protection helmed by the antivirus itself, external tools are indispensable.
What’s the best antivirus for Windows 11?
TotalAV, Nord Threat Protection, and Norton are the best antivirus’ for Windows 11. Superior protection, fast performance, automated scans and remediation, and many more such features ensure that your device is protected from existing viruses and new attacks. No matter how advanced the malicious entity is, these antiviruses and their ever-dynamic database of digital threats keep your device protected 24/7.
What is the best antivirus of all time?
The best antivirus of all time will depend on your unique needs, but TotalAV emerged as the best antivirus in our tests due to its overall feature set, affordability, and device coverage. It has won awards for its malware protection capabilities and includes several handy utilities, such as a disk cleanup tool.
References
- Antivirus software will be worth over $5 billion by 2028 (The Business Research Company)
- Two-thirds of desktop antivirus users choose paid apps (AV-Comparatives.org)
Our Editorial Process
The Tech Report editorial policy is centered on providing helpful, accurate content that offers real value to our readers. We only work with experienced writers who have specific knowledge in the topics they cover, including latest developments in technology, online privacy, cryptocurrencies, software, and more. Our editorial policy ensures that each topic is researched and curated by our in-house editors. We maintain rigorous journalistic standards, and every article is 100% written by real authors.Anwesha Roy Tech Writer
View all posts by Anwesha RoyAnwesha is a technology journalist and content marketer based out of India. She started her career in 2016, working for global MSPs on their thought leadership and social media before branching out in 2018 with her own team.
She writes on technology and its intersections with communication, customer experience, finance, and manufacturing and has her work published across a wide range of journals. In her downtime, she enjoys painting, cooking, and catching up with the latest in media and entertainment.
Anwesha has a Master’s degree in English literature from one of India’s top universities.
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