The Four Best Anti-virus Software of 2022 Best Overall Bitdefender Antivirus Plus , Best for Windows: Norton 360 With LifeLock , Best for Mac Webroot.

Introduction

Anti-virus programs have also progressed in complexity in response to the increasing sophistication of hackers, scammers, and viruses. For the most exemplary free anti-virus programs to keep up with today’s continuously evolving viruses, they need to be updated frequently.

These tools safeguard users from malicious websites and software and keep track of the files they download. Most of them will even let you know or stop you before doing something dangerous online. It’s not easy to choose which anti-virus software is worth the investment, especially now that many are available for Windows 10 and 11. 

Whether you want basic virus protection for free or are willing to pay for a more effective program, we have you covered. You may begin your search here if you’re seeking the best anti-virus software for your needs. Let’s first understand the basics we ought to look out for while deciding upon an Anti-Virus Software:

Effectiveness

Anti-virus software does virus scans and offers real-time protection. It monitors dubious websites and links to keep you safe. It can also protect against ransomware and monitor for new viruses. You need anti-virus software that can discover unknown web threats without false positives.

System-resource-efficient

Anti-virus software shouldn’t be resource-intensive. If websites load slowly, apps download slowly, or file copies take too long after installing the program, try another software. All our recommendations provide a free trial, so if your system feels sluggish after installation, you can always use another program.

Cost and discounts

Anti-virus protection shouldn’t be a costly affair. Check the company’s website for discounts. The costings for the paid version are made available with each of the software.

Privacy

Anti-virus software must monitor your PC, check company servers for strange behavior, and give banking security to be effective. In addition, companies anonymize technical data to protect your privacy. Read the privacy policies of the security businesses on our list to see what they do with your information.

Here are the top four Anti-Virus Software of 2022:

Microsoft Defender

Available for free on Windows 10 and Windows 11, the Microsoft Defender Antivirus Software is one of the best anti-virus software alternatives. If you practice safe computing — keeping your software up to date, using strong passwords (with the help of a password manager), avoiding unusual emails, and not clicking odd links that may be phishing efforts — you should be able to escape zero-day and ransomware attacks. However, if you do let your guard down, the free Microsoft Defender Antivirus program running on Windows 10 provides a malware prevention safety net. There is also a free version and a Windows Defender Advanced Threat Protection option, which comes at a fee.

Norton 360 With LifeLock Safety

For a long time, Norton Security – now known as NortonLifeLock and no longer owned by Symantec – received good marks for virus and malware detection from AV-Test, AV-Comparatives, and SE Labs. Norton anti-virus is a market leader in protection software for PCs, Macs, and mobile devices. Antivirus Plus, Norton Secure VPN, Norton 360 for Gamers, Norton 360 with LifeLock Select, and other items are available.

A five-device Norton 360 subscription with LifeLock Select is generally $150 per year. This anti-virus suite includes 100GB of cloud backup, safe-browsing tools, a secure VPN, password manager, parental controls, and LifeLock identity theft protection and fraud alert, in addition to PC and mobile device malware and virus protection. While not all of these services are necessarily the greatest in their respective categories, having them all in one package is an appealing choice. One can always give it a try with their 30-day free trial.

Bitdefender Antivirus Free Edition

If you want to take a step up in PC security without burning a hole in your pocket, Bitdefender’s free virus software for Windows 10 and 11 is hard to match. The Windows security software protects against viruses, malware, spyware, and ransomware in real time. Bitdefender Antivirus Free Edition is simple to install and keeps out of the way until you need it.

And the security provided by this anti-virus software is robust. Bitdefender anti-virus software consistently receives high results from the reputable AV-Test independent testing lab for virus protection and usability. Unfortunately, the free version is limited to one Windows PC. Bitdefender Total Security or Bitdefender Antivirus Plus provides more comprehensive protection. You can secure five devices (Windows, MacOS, iOS, and Android) with the subscription anti-virus package, set up parental controls on a child’s computer, and operate a VPN.

Malwarebytes

Malwarebytes does defend your computer from a virus or malware assault, ranking reasonably well in recent independent testing for malware protection. But Malwarebytes isn’t known for that. When it comes to anti-virus software, many individuals turn to Malwarebytes. Protection and disinfection for a single device cost $30 per year, down from $40.

A year of antiviral software costs $80 to cover five devices (any combination of Windows, MacOS, and Android). Download the trial version to acquire the company’s free virus version, which “downgrades” to a no-fee on-demand cleaner with fewer capabilities that identifies and removes viruses and malware after 14 days when you conduct an on-demand anti-virus scan.

Apart from the above-mentioned top four anti-virus software, the following software does come in handy against virus and malware protection

• McAfee Total Protection
• Trend Micro Maximum Security
• ESET NOD32 Antivirus
• Sophos Home

BONUS: Free Two Anti-Virus Software Myth Bursters

Can anti-virus software protect you from phishing?

To some extent, yes-positively. Some anti-virus systems can alert or prevent you from accessing a suspected phishing site. Others may also automatically block suspicious emails that look to be from a malicious sender or contain frequent terminology in phishing emails. However, you cannot rely on an virus product to provide flawless phishing prevention. When it comes to phishing, you still need to be attentive and know what to look for on your own because an virus program will not capture everything.

Will anti-virus software cause my computer to slow down?

Any program on your computer will require some processing power to function, which might impact your machine’s overall performance. If an virus program is only running in the background, it should not influence the performance of your computer. On the other hand, an can visibly slow down your computer when actively scanning your system. If this is the case, try scheduling anti-virus scans during the night or when you are not using your computer.