Today, the market is full of different antivirus solutions, and they all boast top-notch security. In this post, we’ll answer a fundamental question: is it possible to get a decent antivirus on a budget? The first thing to remember is that you can’t expect a free product to provide the best possible protection. For that, you’ll have to check out the paid antiviruses.
Still, our team of experts picked three free solutions that will serve as an excellent “stepping stone” towards purchasing a more advanced program.
BullGuard Free: Fast Scans, Optimization, Decent Protection
If you’re looking for an antivirus to cover every single threat online, BullGuard will be a good pick. It doesn’t have any weak spots and can serve as the only layer of defense for your OS. The pros include a 30-day free trial, incredibly fast scans, 24/7 support, optimization tools, a firewall, and advanced parental control options.
The cons include the lack of a password manager and above-average system impact when using parental tools. Plus, the number of false positives is higher than average, and you’ll find yourself “saving” legit files/apps from the antivirus more than once. Again, the most significant advantage of BullGuard over other free solutions is that it protects against rootkits, malware, phishing, Trojans, and more.
Avira Free: Prevails in Zero-Day Threat Detection
With the latest redesign, Avira turned into a highly effective and user-friendly antivirus. Everything is clearly laid out, and there isn’t nearly as heavy of a system impact as before. Thanks to the built-in heuristic engine, Avira can quickly identify zero-day threats and eliminate them. We use the term “zero-day threats” to describe brand-new viruses that aren’t included in any databases.
Sophos Home Free: For Multiple Devices
In many ways, Sophos isn’t a standard antivirus, as it’s more optimized for use on multiple devices. But, that’s precisely why we wanted to include it into this list. And, since it’s using the forward-thinking cloud-based protection technology, it serves as an interesting alternative to the previous two products. With Sophos, you’ll get ultra-light system impact, security for three connections, and adequate real-time protection.
For remote management and parental filtering, this is a solid choice. Sophos is compatible with Win 7-10, Mac 10.11-10.14, and even Linux. The lack of quick scans, zero-day protection, and slow full scans are some of the biggest cons. Furthermore, this antivirus doesn’t work on Win XP and requires the user to sign up and log into an account for advanced settings.
TotalAV: A Fantastic Pick for The Average User
And if you’re looking for a top-notch paid antivirus, take a good look at TotalAV review in 2019. It is very user-friendly, optimized, and comes with an impressive list of additional features. Take any review: it will tell you that this product is significantly better than any free or cheaper solutions out there. Compatible with Win, Mac, iOS, and Android, it offers an excellent level of protection for any modern-day device.
Add a 30-day MBG, a decent free edition, a firewall, tune-up tools, an available VPN, live, phone, and email help, and you’ll get yourself a bargain. While TotalAV does lack some advanced features, for a regular user, it has more than enough functionality. Light system impact, fast (and customizable) scans, and a very flexible pricing policy turn it into leading antivirus software.
