The best free antivirus for Windows in 2021

The best free antivirus for Windows in 2021

Having an antivirus on your computer is a way to keep yourself protected from the major viruses and malware on the Internet. Check out the best free antivirus for Windows!

Having an antivirus installed on the computer has become necessary, even if the user knows how to surf the Internet and does not download suspicious files. In recent years, new threats have appeared on the market that put PC security at risk even with the basic protection of Windows Defender, which is installed natively in the operating system and guarantees standard security, protecting the user only from malicious programs that are requesting permission to be installed on the hard drive.

One of the main advantages of using an antivirus is the fact that it obtains several types of protection, whether against malware, spyware, phishing, or intrusion attempts when connecting to a public Wi-Fi network, such as the one found in shopping malls or schools, for example.

What is the best antivirus?

There are several free options available for downloads, such as Avast, AVG, Norton, McAfee, Kaspersky, and others, being possible to choose the FREE version or to contract a monthly or annual subscription. Well, the best antivirus is one that meets your needs and provides efficient security for your computer.

Something that also needs to be taken into account is the performance of the program, that is if the installation of the antivirus will impact the performance of the machine. Ideally, you should still be able to run all of your software even with the antivirus running in the background. Brands like McAfee and Norton tend to drastically affect the speed of the desktop, so it is not suitable for users with simple hardware.

The best free antivirus for Windows

In this article we will use AV-Test as parameters to define which are the best free antivirus software this year, taking into account the new one obtained in protection, performance, and usability.

1. Kaspersky Security Cloud Free

One of the interesting points about Kaspersky Free is having protection for web browsing, thereby notifying the user before downloading a potentially dangerous file. In addition, the free version securely stores your passwords and documents and encrypts data sent and received while using VPN.

There is also a more complete version that is currently only costing $ 45 for a year and for a single device. The Personal version has a good cost-benefit and delivers interesting features, such as a secure browser and VPN natively, for example. See the main features:

• Scanning all files on the computer;
• Scanning e-mails and instant messaging feeds against viruses and other malware;
• Web antivirus to intercept and block the execution of scripts on websites that threaten the security of the computer;
• Anti-phishing measures to block suspicious websites;
• Virtual keyboard to protect the information entered on your computer.

AV Test:

2. Avira Free

Avira Free is also an excellent option for those who want efficient software, optimized for free. This antivirus is light and has several interesting functions, such as the frequent updates of new threats (update in the cloud in real-time), protection against trojans, ransomware, worms, viruses, and advanced repair.

One of the main advantages – and one that makes it at the top of our list – is safe browsing in which Avira blocks harmful websites even before they are loaded, displaying a warning that the page is potentially dangerous, and being able to block website crawlers and prevent ads from showing.

As everything is not perfect, the free version presents ads to users, something that does not happen in Avira Pro.

Key features of the free version:

• Antivirus scanner (against ransomware, viruses, trojans, etc.);
• Repair infected files;
• Good performance;
• Blocks infected websites;
• Blocks phishing attacks (email, social networks, etc.);
• Blocks potentially unwanted programs.

3. AVG Free

The AVG was acquired a few years ago by Avast, although they appear, competitors, both belong to the same group. Despite this, AVG is still the best option compared to Avast, which causes system crashes and has little efficient protection, allowing the user to access dangerous websites and download executables.

Key features of the free version:

• Protection against viruses, malware, ransomware, spyware, etc;
• Protection of personal files;
• Blocking suspicious links, downloads, and email attachments;
• Optimizing PC performance.

4. Bitdefender

Finally, we present Bitdefender, an antivirus that has a free version with six functions available that aim to protect the PC both on the web and during software installation.

Key features of the free version:

• Real-time protection;
• Advanced defense;
• Preventing web attacks;
• Anti-phishing and anti-fraud;
• Bitdefender Photon ™;
• Global safety net.

Which of these is the best?

On my personal computer, I use the paid version of Kaspersky, which on the date of publication of this article. I tested all four antiviruses and from experience I recommend Kaspersky.

Important!

Never use two antiviruses or more on the same computer, they will conflict and consume all the performance of the machine!

What did you think of this article? Which antivirus do you use? Tell us, comment!

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