Best Antivirus Software and Apps 2016
Many Windows users believe they don't need to pay for antivirus software, and most Mac and Android users think they don't need protection at all. It's true that Windows' much higher profile makes it the biggest target, but OS X/macOS and Android are just as vulnerable to malware.
We believe it's worth paying for Windows antivirus software, because even the best free software leaves out protection features we consider essential. You don't have to spend a lot. Many antivirus products are sold online for much less than their list prices. Mac and Android users have other options; one of our favorite Mac AV products costs nothing, and most Android security apps have free versions.
| Product | List Price | Category |
| Bitdefender Antivirus Plus 2017 | $39.99 | Best for Windows |
| Kaspersky Total Security | $99.99 | Best for Mixed Devices |
| Avira Free Antivirus | Free | Best Free for Windows |
| Bitdefender Antivirus for Mac | $39.99 | Best for Mac |
| Avast! Mobile Security & Antivirus | Free | Best for Android |
How We Tested
Our evaluations were based on a number of different criteria: interface, performance, protection and extra features. Was the product's interface intuitive and user-friendly, or did it make it too hard to find important tools? How badly did malware scans slow down the computer's performance? How good was the program at detecting and removing malware? Does the program have any additional tools, and are they useful?
All of our Windows tests were performed on the same Asus X555LA laptop running 64-bit Windows 8.1 (later upgraded to Windows 10), with an Intel Core i3 processor, 6GB of RAM and a 500GB hard drive containing 36GB of files. To assess a program's impact on system speed, we used our custom OpenOffice benchmark test, which matches 20,000 names and addresses on a spreadsheet. The longer it took the laptop to finish the test, the heavier the performance impact. For smartphones, we use the Geekbench 3 benchmarking app.
Our Mac evaluations were conducted on a late-2013 MacBook Pro running OS X El Capitan 10.11. The Mac had a 2.6-GHz Intel Core i7 CPU, 8GB of RAM and 23GB of data on a 512GB SSD. For Android, we used a Nexus 6P running Android 6.0.1 Marshmallow.
For malware-detection scores, we've turned to two independent testing labs, AV-TEST of Germany and AV-Comparatives of Austria. Each lab regularly subjects the major antivirus brands' flagship products to stress tests involving hundreds of previously unseen pieces of malware, with AV-TEST adding 20,000 instances of known malware. We use the latest results from both labs.
Windows Antivirus Software Types
Most antivirus makers have three or four tiers of Windows products, with each price bump adding extra features, such as parental controls or cloud backups. But since each company uses a single malware-detection engine for all its Windows antivirus software, the cheapest item in any product line usually finds malware just as thoroughly as the priciest.
Not all users will need premium suites, or even midrange products. If you don't have kids, or if you already have cloud storage, the basic product may be enough.
Basic or Entry-Level Windows Antivirus
The least-expensive paid Windows antivirus products, which generally list from $40 to $60 per year depending on the number of PCs covered, have the essentials. Definition updates and scans are automatic; websites and email attachments are screened, and the products should be easy to use. Some basic AV programs toss in extra features, such as file shredders or system optimizers, that are normally found in pricier products.
BITDEFENDER ANTIVIRUS PLUS 2017
Best Basic Antivirus Product
Bitdefender Antivirus Plus 2017 is our Editor's Choice for a basic Windows antivirus programs. Not only does it have nearly perfect malware-detection scores, but it also offers the most value, with a strong selection of extra tools. You'll find a built-in password manager, a secure browser, unique protection against encrypting ransomware and automatic profiles that optimize Bitdefender's impact on your system, depending on whether you're working, watching a movie or playing a game.
Midpriced Windows Antivirus
These products list from $60 to $80 per year. They generally build on the basic packages by bundling in parental controls and a two-way firewall to catch outgoing data, although many add other features. But for the full feature set, you'll have to pony up for the premium products.
BITDEFENDER INTERNET SECURITY 2017
Best Midrange Antivirus Product
Bitdefender Internet Security has the best malware-detection rate and the lowest system impact of the midrange products we reviewed. It also has the most useful set of extras, including a password manager, file shredder, secure browser and protection against encrypting ransomware.
Premium Windows Antivirus
Top-tier packages are often called suites because they do much more than catch malware. They might also offer file encryption, secure online storage, a password manager or an ad blocker. As most suites cover multiple devices, they also frequently bundle in licenses for Mac and Android antivirus software. For all this, you're meant to pay between $80 and $100 per year — but as with all paid antivirus software, steep discounts can often be found online.
KASPERSKY TOTAL SECURITY
Best Premium PC Security Suite
Kaspersky Total Security has it all for those who are looking for more than just excellent malware detection. After testing six premium suites, this one rose to the top because it eliminates threats without annoying false positives. We also like the included secure browser, which is ideal for online banking and shopping. Other highlights include a seriously secure file shredder, Windows backup and recovery software and even webcam protection.
Free Windows Antivirus
Free Windows antivirus products usually offer only bare-bones protection. Malware updates and scans must often be manually initiated, and there's seldom protection against malicious websites or email attachments. We can recommend some free Windows antivirus software, but please don't rely on Microsoft's own products (Windows Defender/Microsoft Security Essentials). They simply don't stop enough malware.
AVIRA FREE ANTIVIRUS
Best Free PC Antivirus
Free Windows antivirus products can't match paid protection, but Avira Free Antivirus comes close. It detects malware as well as most paid products, and has child protection and a scan scheduler. (It doesn't scan email attachments or Web links.) Best of all, Avira doesn't constantly nag you to upgrade to its paid version.
Mac Antivirus
Despite what Apple's marketing has historically implied, Macs do get infected, and the amount of Mac malware has risen with Apple's share of the personal computer market. But there's less money in the Mac antivirus market, and the products are less standardized. Some Mac antivirus products are free, and some are paid. Of the products we recently evaluated, our No. 2 choice was free. With that kind of recommendation, there's no reason for you not to run antivirus software on your Mac.
BITDEFENDER ANTIVIRUS FOR MAC
Best Mac Antivirus
Of the six Mac antivirus products we reviewed, only the paid Bitdefender Antivirus for Mac offered perfect malware detection. Bitdefender makes it easy to start on-demand scans by placing the Scan front and center in its modern, streamlined interface. It also topped the competition in system performance, creating no noticeable impact during passive use and recording low scores during active scans.
Android Antivirus Apps
Every Android device, whether smartphone, tablet or TV stick, should have antivirus software. Usually, that software comes with an all-encompassing security app that also includes anti-theft and remote-locating features, and many apps have both a basic free version and a premium version with more features.
The free versions of the Android security apps we reviewed are pretty solid. The paid versions, which cost between $15 and $30 per year, range from being just a bit better to becoming practically separate products, with a wide range of capabilities. You'll have to decide what you need and select accordingly.
BITDEFENDER MOBILE SECURITY
Best Android Antivirus
The Bitdefender Android security app has flawless malware protection, a small performance hit, privacy-protection tools and Android Wear integration. Yet there are no scheduled malware scans, and no freemium option. (The separate Bitdefender Antivirus Free for Android only scans for malware.) Still, at $15 per year per device, Bitdefender Mobile Security is worth the expense.
iOS Antivirus Apps
A lot of people want iOS antivirus software for their iPhones and iPads. The truth is that it doesn't exist. Apple won't let third-party apps examine other iOS apps, or even inspect new apps as they're installed. Anything that claims to be antivirus software gets kicked out of the iTunes App Store.
Many major antivirus vendors, including F-Secure, McAfee, Norton and Trend Micro, do have "security" apps in the App Store. But these only check web links for known malicious sites, locate lost devices or pretend to protect your privacy. None scans an iPhone for malware.
There has been real iOS malware that affects non-jailbroken devices, but it's very rarely cropped up. In each instance, Apple has pushed out a new version of iOS to stop the malware in a matter of days or weeks. Generally, if you keep your device updated to the latest version of iOS, you're safe.
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