Free antivirus software and spyware

And some of the free programs on my list also include additional cybersecurity protections. Free antiviruses like Avira and TotalAV are pretty good, but their paid versions are way better — to begin with, they come with all of the internet security protections you need to stay as safe as possible online.

Together with a malware scanner, these tools are crucial to building a good online defense against hackers, scammers, and predators. Here are a few of them:. Avira Free Security for Windows is my favorite free Windows antivirus in — it has one of the best anti-malware engines on the market, includes more free features than any other competitor, and is really easy to use. Paid programs like McAfee and Norton are equally effective at detecting malware, but their full disk scans will slow down your system much more than Avira will.

The Safe Shopping browser extension for Firefox and Chrome is really good — it blocks suspicious phishing sites, web trackers, and unwanted advertisements. The extension also automatically recommends links to better deals when shopping online. Download Avira Free Now. Another thing that makes Panda a good choice for Windows users is the Rescue Kit feature, which allows you to download a bootable version of Panda to a USB drive and then use the USB drive to clean an infected PC and get it up and running again.

With lightweight malware scanning, an automatic gaming mode, a Rescue Kit, and a VPN, Panda is an excellent free internet security product. Download Panda Free Now. It uses a huge blacklist to identify known phishing sites as well as an AI-powered phishing detection system to detect new threats.

TotalAV is also the most intuitive free Windows antivirus on this list, with easy-to-use and easy-to-understand features and functions inside a minimalistic, well-designed dashboard. Kaspersky Security Cloud — Free is good at detecting and removing malware, and it also comes with plenty of extras — including:.

All Kaspersky purchases include a day money-back guarantee. Download Kaspersky Free Now. Malwarebytes Free is a good choice for users looking for a simple antivirus scanner that they can install and forget about. Apart from the scanner, Malwarebytes Free also comes with a browser extension that protects against a wide range of threats, including malware, ads and trackers, scams, and PUPs. Malwarebytes Free is a minimalistic antivirus scanner with good virus detection and removal rates.

It also comes with a browser extension that blocks malware, phishing sites, ads, and trackers. Download Malwarebytes For Free Now.

Sophos Home Free offers pretty good free anti-malware protection. It also includes some helpful web protections and covers up to 3 PCs all within its free antivirus package. Works with your antivirus. The database is updated times a day. Multi-Dimensional Scanning A next-generation scanning system that goes beyond the typical rules-based methods.

It detects existing threats and analyzes general characteristics and code patterns to identify future threats. Process Interrogation Technology Our unique Process Interrogation Technology PIT detects hard-to-find threats like rootkits and kernel drivers, usually missed by standard anti-spyware applications.

Boost Microsoft Defender. Learn how ransomware works and block hackers from holding your files hostage. How do you report identity theft? If you think your identity has been stolen, find out how to report it to the FTC, the police, or the government. Find out which one is the most suitable for you.

United States English. In order to view this page correctly, you must have a JavaScript-enabled browser and have JavaScript turned on. We apologize for any inconvenience. Learn how to enable it. Download Free Antivirus Software Our free download now includes much more to keep you safe and private online, including free antivirus, VPN, and firewall.

Introducing the new Avast One. Our free download now includes much more to keep you safe and private online, including free antivirus, VPN, and firewall. Private connection with VPN. Essential protection for your life today A free all-in-one service combining antivirus, VPN, performance enhancement, and security tools to help you stay private and safe. Learn more. Avast Free Antivirus. Easy to install, effortless to use. Get essential antivirus protection.

Avast Free Antivirus scans Windows devices, like your laptop or desktop PC, for privacy, security, and performance issues, then tells you how to fix things instantly. Over million users worldwide trust Avast. Join them. Intelligent Antivirus Detect and block viruses, malware, spyware, ransomware and phishing. We use smart analytics to stop threats before they affect you. CyberCapture Automatically send suspicious files for analysis in the cloud, and push a cure to all Avast users if it's a threat.

Wi-Fi Inspector Automatically detect weaknesses in your home Wi-Fi and strangers piggybacking on your network. Smart Scan Find all those cracks which allow malware to slip in, from unsafe settings and passwords to suspicious add-ons and out-of-date software. Layer upon layer of security. Ryan Rentfro. Eric Scherer. Daryl Colley.