What is the best free Antivirus for Windows?
After testing nearly every free antivirus available, here are my top two choices. Disregard any affiliate articles online that are only trying to earn clicks.
My ranks focus on the core virus protection and not all of the bells and whistles they might come with such as built in web protection or VPN. I recommend you use actual alternatives to things like that instead of trusting the antivirus for this.
#1 AVG
There may be some cons about AVG, but overall this is the winner for best free antivirus with real-time protection.
➕ PROS |
➖ CONS |
| Free real-time protection | Annoying attempts to upsell and scare you with garbage you don't need. |
| Very good detection rates | Possible privacy concerns. |
| Makes it easy to instantly restore and add exception | Not considered "setup" out-of-box. |
| Dark theme by default | Sometimes scans feel like they aren't actually scanning everything. |
This option may not be for everyone since it tries to spook you into buying something you don't need. But if you can properly ignore these upsells, AVG is a very solid option. Make sure to follow my AVG setup guide! Optionally, you can follow the AVG Business guide instead if you want a hidden gem of a antivirus.
#2 Avira
In 2nd place, we have Avira. Long story short, Avira and AVG are technically by the same company but they use different engines for detecting malware.
➕ PROS |
➖ CONS |
| Free real-time protection | It may try to upsell you also. |
| Easy install, no other setup needed out-of-box. | Possible privacy concerns. |
| Good detection rates | Feels like it doesn't have many settings. |
| Dark theme by default | A bit of a long install time. |
| ⚠️ Avira may encounter issues during installation, preventing it from opening. This makes uninstallation difficult while the program is in a broken state. Even if you successfully uninstall it, reinstalling will likely result in the same issue. The solution to this problem is currently unknown. |
Avira’s detection capabilities might not be as strong as AVG’s, but it generally gets the job done. If you prefer a straightforward antivirus without the extra steps outlined in my AVG guide, Avira is a good option. Simply install it and you're ready to go. You can download Avira here.
#3 Malwarebytes (BONUS)
This one only lets you scan for free, but doesn't offer real-time protection for free. If you are willing to pay for an antivirus, I recommend Malwarebytes as a very solid option.
As a bonus, here are some antivirus software you should avoid at all costs!
- Bitdefender - While it has good detection rates, I simply do not trust it. It requires you to provide your email to use it and it seems notorious to run heavy on your PC. Not to mention, its privacy seems concerning.
- ZoneAlarm
- COMODO
- Avast and Avast One - While it is basically AVG, its missing the little touches AVG has that I like.
- SmaDav
- SecureAge CatchPulse - So close to being a good hidden gem, but it needs improvements and customer support never replies.
- TotalAV - Known scam.
- Panda Security - Has potential but poor detection.
- IObit Malware Fighter - Just avoid anything made by IObit, it will bloat your PC, put your privacy at risk, and has a chance of slowing down your PC or causing damage.
- 360 Total Security
- WiseVector StopX - Company randomly died one day leaving everything outdated. It was good when it was active.
- PCProtect - Known scam and untrusted.
- F-Secure
- Kaspersky - While it does have very good protection, they seem a bit sketchy for privacy.