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Many free antivirus software products are just as good at protecting your devices against malware as paid-for ones. So, why should you spend money on protection? Well, your specific circumstances may demand more security features, especially if you are using antimalware for commercial use. Here is a look at how the best free and pay-for antivirus software products compare against each other.
PAID: Avast Pro Antivirus
The pro version of the Avast antivirus software is easy to use, and it has stacks of useful protections, including uncommon features like the Wi-Fi Inspector, which checks your network for security issues and helps to resolve them. Avast Pro Antivirus does not take up large amounts of memory, either. It also has reasonably fast antivirus scans and has received solid scores from independent users. If you want additional defense against DNS attacks, it is worth investing in Avast Pro Antivirus. However, if you only need antivirus for day-to-day protection, it probably makes more sense to use the Avast Free Antivirus edition, which provides many of the same benefits for no cost. The one major disadvantage of the free version is you only get protection against dangerous URLs in Chrome and Firefox browsers. The free edition’s password manager also has limited features.
FREE: Kaspersky Free Antivirus
Kaspersky Lab does not like advertising the fact it has a free antivirus software product. But that does not stop Kaspersky Free Antivirus from being one of the very best free antivirus products out there. It has excellent malware protection, fast scans, customization options, and other features. With a light-to-moderate impact on system performance and an easy-to-use and comprehensible interface, Kaspersky Free Antivirus provides unbeatable malware protection. Also, if you prefer a cloud-based antivirus, you can now use the free Kaspersky Security Cloud, which is just as good as its predecessor.
PAID: Norton 360 Deluxe
Norton 360 Deluxe contains almost everything you could ever need from an antivirus software product. It provides excellent malware protection and comes with LifeLock identity protection. Norton 360 Deluxe also comes with:
· Parental Controls
· Backup Software
· Password Manager
· Online Storage
· Webcam Protection
· Unlimited VPN
The only negatives are it can cause your computer to be a little slower during full scans, and it is a little pricey. But for all the excellent features you get, it can be more than worth the investment. For instance, if you were to buy all of the software’s features separately, like a password manager, identity protection, and cloud-backup storage, they would cost a lot more than Norton 360 Deluxe.
FREE: Bitdefender Antivirus Free Edition
Bitdefender only offers antivirus basics, but if that is all you need, its malware protection is as good as any pay-for antivirus software. It is also effortless to use and has a small performance impact on your devices. Indeed, Bitdefender’s scans are lighter on the system than Kaspersky’s free antivirus protection. The only drawbacks to Bitdefender Antivirus are there is no scan scheduling available and no customizable options. But if you only want a reliable free antivirus protection software product, Bitdefender Antivirus Free Edition is ideal.
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