Windows Defender has improved over the years. For the majority of Windows 10 users, it offers more-than-adequate protection. However, there are lots of options out there. How can you decide which is the best antivirus for Windows 10? Here are our eight picks. The Best Free Antivirus for Windows 10If you want to stick to free options, consider one of the programs below. Before installing any of them make sure you pay particular attention to avoid installing bundled toolbars—they are now commonplace as the developers look to monetize their products. 1. Windows Defender
In Windows 10 it’s not easy to turn off Windows Defender manually—it requires a registry hack or a Group Policy tweak. This is intentional and comes back to Microsoft’s policy of attempting to make sure you always have some basic cover. If you install a third-party antivirus program, Windows Defender will be disabled automatically. 2. AVG
3. AvastAvast is arguably AVG’s biggest rival. The basic scan feature is solid, fast, and lightweight. But be warned, the app has introduced a phenomenal number of nag screens and pop-ups in recent releases. The app offers several “shields” that protect you against specific types of threat. Perhaps the most impressive is the behavior shield. It monitors the other apps on your machine in case they “go rogue.” Avast also includes a game mode. When activated, Avast won’t eat up system resources nor show popups. Download: Avast 4. Avira
Best Paid Antivirus for Windows 10If you’re happy to spend a little, your options for quality coverage improve immeasurably. You could spend a long time scouring various antivirus testing sites like AV-Comparatives, but in truth, there is very little to choose between the market leaders in terms of performance. 5. Malwarebytes
The premium version also adds ransomware protection, identity and privacy safeguards, and virus protection. It’s easy to make the argument that the app offers the best malware protection on Windows 10. The premium version costs $39.99 for a one-year subscription. Download: Malwarebytes 6. Webroot SecurityOur next recommendation is Webroot. The app is extremely lightweight (the program is just 2.1 MB), it uses no more than 3 percent of your computer’s resources, it has no pop-ups, and no add-ons. It’s ideally suited to businesses, heavy gamers, and power users. The company’s entry-level plan costs $39.99 per year. It will protect you from identity theft and malware. For more features, you will need to upgrade to the Internet Security Plus ($59.99 per year) or Internet Security Complete ($79.99) plans. They include features such as 25GB of online storage and password protection. Download: Webroot Security 7. Kaspersky
Kaspersky costs $39.95 to $79.95 depending on which plan you choose. Download: Kaspersky 8. ESET NOD32NOD32 has some of the lowest false positive rates, is lightweight, and is consistently near the top of performance charts. Indeed, many power users swear by the holy-trinity of NOD32 (which focuses on system files), Malwarebytes (which focuses on web-based issues), and CCleaner (a PC optimization tool). The cheapest plan ($39.99) offers basic protection, for features such as online banking protection, photo and file encryption, and password management, you’ll need to pay $79.99. Download: ESET NOD32 Security Software on Windows 10 Is Essential It’s essential that you use some form of security software on Windows 10. Whether you choose the free native offering, a free third-party alternative, or a paid app depends on which features are important to you (and the size of your wallet!).
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