Quick answer: There is no single best antivirus for every PC. In the main independent labs’ 2025 consumer results, Bitdefender, Norton, Kaspersky, ESET, Avast, AVG and G Data all received top awards, and Windows 10 and 11 already include Microsoft Defender Antivirus for free. Several products on our original 2020 list have since been renamed, sold or restricted: Kaspersky is banned in the US, F-Secure SAFE is now F-Secure Internet Security, and Webroot SecureAnywhere is now Webroot Essentials. Check each product’s status below before you buy.
We first published this list in 2020. In October 2026 we checked all 15 products on the vendors’ own websites and against the latest results from the two best-known independent test labs, AV-TEST and AV-Comparatives. All 15 still exist in some form, so the list keeps its original structure, with a status note where something has changed. We have removed old prices and device counts that are no longer accurate. We are not paid by any vendor, and we did not test these products ourselves.
How to choose an antivirus
- Start with what you already have. Microsoft Defender Antivirus is built into Windows 10 and 11. A paid product makes sense if you want extras such as banking protection, ransomware layers, parental controls or a VPN, or you need to protect phones and Macs as well.
- Check independent test results, with dates. AV-TEST and AV-Comparatives test products over a whole year. Use the latest year’s results, not old marketing claims.
- Count your devices and platforms. Some plans cover only one Windows PC; others cover several devices across Windows, Mac, Android and iOS.
- Read the renewal terms. Many vendors offer a cheap first year and charge more at renewal.
- Consider the company. Ownership, where data is processed, and any regulatory action all matter for software that sees everything on your PC.
The 15 products at a glance
| Product | Best for | Pricing model | Platforms |
|---|---|---|---|
| Bitdefender Antivirus Plus | Strong detection with banking protection | Annual subscription; 30-day free trial | Windows, macOS, Android, iOS (US plan) |
| Norton AntiVirus Plus | Entry-level paid protection from Norton | Annual subscription | See vendor |
| Avast Mobile Security (now Avast One) | Phone protection | Free, with paid tiers | Android, iOS |
| F-Secure Internet Security (formerly SAFE) | Family protection across devices | Annual subscription | See vendor |
| AVG AntiVirus Free | Free protection with low system impact | Free, with paid upgrades | Windows, Mac |
| Kaspersky Standard/Plus/Premium | Strong detection outside the US | Annual subscription; not sold in the US | Windows, macOS, Android, iOS |
| Trend Micro Antivirus+ Security | Simple interface | Annual subscription | Windows, Mac |
| Webroot Essentials (formerly SecureAnywhere) | Light cloud-based protection | Annual subscription (1, 3 or 5 devices) | Windows, Mac, Android, iOS, Chromebook |
| Microsoft Defender Antivirus | Built-in baseline protection | Included with Windows | Windows 10 and 11 |
| Avira Free Antivirus | Free protection | Free, with paid upgrades | Windows |
| Symantec Endpoint Security | Businesses | Business licensing through Broadcom | Business endpoints |
| ESET NOD32 Antivirus | Light, configurable antivirus | Annual subscription; 30-day free trial | Windows, macOS |
| G DATA Antivirus | German-made antivirus | Annual subscription; 30-day free trial | Windows |
| Comodo Antivirus | Free antivirus with auto-sandboxing | Free, with a paid Complete Antivirus | Windows |
| Panda Dome Free | Free protection with USB scanning | Free, with paid tiers | Windows, Android |
The 15 antivirus products in detail
Bitdefender Antivirus Plus
Bitdefender’s entry paid plan includes real-time and multi-layer ransomware protection, the Safepay banking browser, a vulnerability scanner and a VPN capped at 200 MB a day per device. It does not include a password manager. The original list said it covered only Windows; Bitdefender’s US page in October 2026 listed Windows, macOS, Android and iOS. For the 2025 test year, AV-TEST gave Bitdefender Total Security its Best Protection award for consumers, and AV-Comparatives rated Bitdefender Top-Rated with a Gold award for Advanced Threat Protection.
Norton AntiVirus Plus
Norton’s entry-level antivirus is still on sale. Norton is now part of Gen Digital, the company formed when NortonLifeLock merged with Avast in 2022. AV-Comparatives tested Norton Antivirus Plus in its 2025 consumer series and gave Norton a Top-Rated award and a Gold award for Real-World Protection. Check Norton’s site for current device limits and features, as we could not load its product page.
Avast Mobile Security (being replaced by Avast One)
The original list recommended Avast’s free Android app for protection against malware, adware, spyware and phishing. Avast’s FAQ, updated in April 2026, says Avast Mobile Security is being removed from Google Play and the App Store and that new installations now get the Avast One app. If you still use the old app, expect to move to Avast One. Avast is also part of Gen Digital; our Avast Pro Antivirus page explains the company’s 2024 data-sharing settlement with the US Federal Trade Commission.
F-Secure Internet Security (formerly F-Secure SAFE)
F-Secure, a Finnish company, renamed F-Secure SAFE as F-Secure Internet Security on 14 February 2023. The original list described its browsing and banking protection, ransomware protection and family rules. F-Secure Total adds a VPN, a password manager and identity protection. F-Secure’s older, separate Internet Security and Anti-Virus products (bought before February 2023) reached end of life, and their users were offered free upgrades to Total. F-Secure Total was among the winners of AV-TEST’s Best Usability award for 2025.
AVG AntiVirus Free
AVG, another Gen Digital brand, still offers a free antivirus. In AV-Comparatives’ 2025 consumer results, AVG received a Top-Rated award and a Gold award for Performance, meaning the lowest impact on system speed. AV-TEST also gave AVG awards for 2025 in usability (AVG Internet Security) and macOS security (AVG AntiVirus).
Kaspersky
Kaspersky’s software can no longer be sold or updated in the United States. The Commerce Department banned new sales from 20 July 2024 and updates from 29 September 2024. Outside the US, including India, Kaspersky sells Standard, Plus and Premium plans, which replaced Anti-Virus, Internet Security, Total Security and the Security Cloud product the original list described. The original also called Kaspersky “a free antivirus”; its Indian site now offers a 30-day trial of Kaspersky Standard instead. On detection, Kaspersky Premium received a Top-Rated award and Gold awards for Malware Protection and low false positives from AV-Comparatives for 2025.
Trend Micro Antivirus+ Security
Trend Micro’s entry plan covers Windows PCs and Macs. Its larger plans, Internet Security, Maximum Security and Premium Security Suite, add more devices and features. Trend Micro is known for an easy interface. It was tested in AV-Comparatives’ 2025 consumer series but did not receive a Top-Rated award.
Webroot Essentials (formerly Webroot SecureAnywhere AntiVirus)
Webroot says Webroot Essentials is the new name for its SecureAnywhere products, and that AntiVirus Basic, Internet Security Plus and Complete have been replaced by Essentials for 1, 3 or 5 devices. Webroot is owned by OpenText. Essentials covers PCs, Macs, smartphones, Chromebooks and tablets. The $19.99 price in the original list is out of date. As of October 2026, per Webroot’s US site, Essentials cost $34.99 for the first year for one device (listed at $49.99).
Microsoft Defender Antivirus
Formerly known as Windows Defender, Microsoft Defender Antivirus is built into Windows 10 and Windows 11. Microsoft says it uses machine learning and cloud-delivered protection, and it can block threats based on their behaviour. You can check it in the Windows Security app under Virus and threat protection. It was included in AV-Comparatives’ 2025 consumer test series.
Avira Free Antivirus
The original list called this “Aviras Antivirus Security”. Avira, originally a German company, is now part of Gen Digital. Avira Free Antivirus received Bronze awards for Real-World Protection and Advanced Threat Protection from AV-Comparatives for 2025, and Avira Security won an AV-TEST usability award for the same year.
Symantec Endpoint Security
This is a business product, not home antivirus. Broadcom bought Symantec’s enterprise security business in November 2019, and Symantec’s endpoint products are now sold by Broadcom. The consumer side of the old Symantec became NortonLifeLock and then Gen Digital. The original list’s description of layered protection for businesses, including intrusion prevention, a firewall and anti-malware with cloud-based management, describes the product category; check Broadcom for current editions.
ESET NOD32 Antivirus
ESET, based in Bratislava, Slovakia, still sells NOD32 as a light antivirus. It now covers Windows and macOS, not only Windows as the original list said. Its features include the Ransomware Shield, Exploit Blocker, UEFI Scanner and cloud-powered scanning, and ESET offers a 30-day free trial. AV-Comparatives named ESET its Product of the Year for 2024 and rated it Top-Rated again for 2025.
G DATA Antivirus
G DATA CyberDefense AG is based in Bochum, Germany. Its Windows antivirus runs on Windows 11, 10, 8.1 and 7 SP1, needs at least 2 GB of RAM, and offers a 30-day free trial. G DATA received a Top-Rated award from AV-Comparatives for 2025, along with Silver awards for Malware Protection and Advanced Threat Protection. The original list described G DATA as “intensive on resources”; we could not find a dated test to support that, so it has been removed.
Comodo Antivirus
Comodo still offers a free antivirus for Windows. Its main feature is Auto Sandbox, which runs unknown files in an isolated environment. Comodo’s comparison table shows the firewall, web filtering and secure shopping as paid features, available in Comodo Complete Antivirus. Comodo Security Solutions sells the consumer products, and its site also links to Xcitium, the brand now used for Comodo’s business security products. Our Comodo Antivirus review has more detail.
Panda Dome Free
Panda Security is now a WatchGuard Technologies brand. Panda Dome Free (also called Panda Free Antivirus) is available for Windows and Android, for one device. On Windows it includes real-time protection, scheduled scans, USB protection that scans drives when plugged in, a rescue kit and a game/multimedia mode. Both versions include a VPN limited to 150 MB a day. The original list said the free version also ran on Mac; Panda’s page now lists Windows and Android only.
Do you need a paid antivirus at all?
For many home users, Microsoft Defender plus safe habits (updating Windows and apps, using strong unique passwords, and avoiding unknown downloads) is a reasonable baseline. Paid suites add layers such as banking browsers, ransomware rollback, parental controls and multi-device coverage. Our guide on whether a free antivirus is good enough goes through the trade-offs.
Frequently asked questions
Which antivirus scored best in 2025?
AV-TEST gave its 2025 Best Protection award for consumers to Bitdefender Total Security. AV-Comparatives gave Top-Rated awards for 2025 to Avast, AVG, Bitdefender, ESET, G Data, Kaspersky and Norton.
Is Microsoft Defender enough on Windows 11?
It provides real-time, cloud-backed protection at no extra cost, and many people rely on it. A third-party product is worth considering if you want extra features or protection for other devices.
Can I use Kaspersky in India?
Yes. The 2024 ban applies to the United States. Kaspersky’s Indian site was selling its plans in October 2026.
Should I run two antivirus programs at once?
No. Two real-time scanners can conflict and slow your PC. When you install a third-party antivirus, Windows normally switches Microsoft Defender’s real-time protection off so the two do not clash.
What happened to Webroot SecureAnywhere and F-Secure SAFE?
Both were renamed. Webroot SecureAnywhere products are now Webroot Essentials, and F-Secure SAFE became F-Secure Internet Security in February 2023.
Checked in October 2026 against each vendor’s official website, the US Commerce Department’s 2024 Kaspersky determination, AV-Comparatives’ Consumer Summary Reports for 2024 and 2025, and AV-TEST’s awards for the 2025 test year.
