The most effective antivirus software can safeguard your devices from ransomware, malware and phishing. It can also stop data hacks and spyware from damaging your personal information. There are many different packages available, and a lot are more expensive than you’d prefer to pay.
We’ve tested over 300 of them in order to find the best antivirus protection for the money. We’ve scoured for strong and user-friendly software that keeps you protected without slowing down your PC or putting you off using it. We’ve also made sure that the software is updated with its malware database frequently.
The best options offer a complete set of anti-malware engine, as well as additional features such as a VPN and password manager, as well as parental controls. Some provide a dark Web monitoring service that can determine if your email address, credit card information or any other personal information have been accessed by a shady person.
Our winner is Norton 360, which offers the best protection for all users, with top malware detection rates, as well as impressive extra features including a password manager and an VPN for protecting your privacy when you surf online. The service also offers dark web monitoring in real-time, as well as cloud backups.
It’s one of the few security software packages that are available for Macs (most other security products only support Windows PCs). In tests conducted by independent lab AV Comparatives it performed well. It’s expensive at around $2.50/month for an annual subscription, however there’s a no-cost trial available.