The Best Free Antivirus Software We’ve Tested for 2026

Scores in hands-on tests: While it didn’t achieve any perfect scores in our hands-on tests, Avast came close in all of them. With a 97% detection rate and 9.7 points in my standard malware blocking test, it scored the same as AVG and outperformed all but a handful of competitors, both free and commercial. Its 99% detection rate in my phishing test is excellent, though seven competitors eked out a perfect 100%. Avast didn’t perform quite as well when challenged with 100-odd malware-hosting URLs. With 94% protection, it comes in just above the median for this test. But overall, its scores impress.

Independent lab test scores: Testing labs around the world put significant antivirus apps through rigorous testing, then report their findings. Avast is important enough that all five of the labs I follow include it in their latest tests, and effective enough to earn the maximum possible score in most of its tests. It holds an aggregate lab score of 9.8 points (from a maximum of 10), which is quite an achievement.

Ransomware protection: If your antivirus fails to detect a newly discovered Trojan or bot, chances are that an antivirus update will quickly remedy the situation. But if the missed attack was ransomware, the damage is already done. To save you from the dilemma of whether to pay the ransom, Avast adds a defensive layer against ransomware. It blocks all unauthorized changes to files in important folders such as Documents and Desktop. In testing, with all other protective layers disabled, two real-world ransomware samples completely evaded Avast’s protection, while those that did trigger its detections still managed to encrypt files outside the protected folders, ranging from dozens to thousands. Remember, though, that to even perform this test, I had to turn off all protection except the ransomware layer.

VPN available: The antivirus app running on your computer prevents malware from stealing or damaging data on that computer. To keep protecting your private data and communications across the internet, you need a VPN. Avast integrates limited VPN protection right into its free antivirus. You don’t get the option to spoof your location—you must accept the VPN server selected by the app. You’re limited to 5GB of encrypted VPN traffic per week, or about 730MB per day. That may be enough if you use the VPN only when necessary. It’s more per day than Avira gives you per month.

Features beyond antivirus: Avast One Basic is more than just an antivirus; it’s a free security suite. For starters, Avast offers a full network inspector that lists all devices on your network and flags any security problems. Paying customers can set it to notify them when a new gadget joins the network. The secure browser includes protection against ad trackers and other tracking software, as well as an isolated banking mode for your financial transactions. Its firewall component is roughly equivalent to Windows Firewall, but much easier to use. There’s a set of performance tuning tools, with some portions reserved for paying customers. Other features, such as dark web monitoring and update checking, also provide additional benefits for paying customers. However, you actually get a lot for free.

Score trackers: To make a decision, such as choosing a free antivirus, you need hard facts. Who has the best scores? Avast holds mostly perfect scores from five independent testing labs, and its scores in my hands-on tests are all near the top. Score-wise, it’s a winner.

Feature collectors: Even when you’re not paying cash, you want the most bang for your buck. Avast isn’t merely a free antivirus; it’s a full-scale free security suite. With, naturally, some limitations, else nobody would buy the paid suite.

VPN users: Most free antivirus apps include a VPN, though the limitations vary. Avast’s 5GB-per-week bandwidth limit translates to approximately 730MB per day. Avira’s 500MB per month breaks down to less than 17MB per day, and Avast also beats Bitdefender’s 200MB per day. If your goal is to use VPN protection for free, Avast is your best option.

Scores in hands-on tests: Challenged with hundreds of real-world phishing pages, Bitdefender turned in an impressive performance, detecting 99% of the fraud and replacing them with a warning page. It didn’t perform as well when tested with recently discovered malware-hosting URLs, scoring just the median of 92%. And for years, Bitdefender’s scores in my malware blocking test haven’t matched its impressive lab scores. Its current 9.0 of 10 points isn’t anything to boast about. However, consistently near-perfect lab scores outweigh these lower hands-on scores.

Independent lab test scores: Malware coders write nasty software, antivirus apps wipe out that nasty software, and testing labs report on who’s winning. The labs all use different scoring methods, but regardless of the method, there’s always a top score, perfection. Of the four labs that considered Bitdefender important enough to include in their latest reports, three assigned it the maximum possible score. As for the fourth result, it came close to perfect. Bitdefender’s aggregate lab score of 9.6, based on results from four labs, is among the best.

Ransomware protection: Modern malware is all about money. Stealing data to sell, renting out bot networks, and cash is king. Ransomware goes straight for the prize—if you want your important files back, pay the ransom. Bitdefender puts up multiple layers of protection against ransomware, most notably Advanced Threat Protection and Ransomware Remediation. The latter is reserved for paying customers, but the free Bitdefender proved effective without it. With all other layers of protection disabled, Bitdefender defeated 11 of 12 real-world ransomware samples that encrypt files. Yes, one sample slipped past, but Bitdefender’s success is still better than most.

VPN available: Your antivirus eliminates any malware that might harm your PC and its data, while your VPN protects that data when it travels the wild, wild web. In addition to encrypting your communications, using a VPN masks your IP address and location. All of Bitdefender’s antivirus and security suite apps, including the free version, come with a VPN component, and all but the top-tier security suite impose limitations. As with many competitors, you can’t choose your VPN server location, and your bandwidth is capped at 200MB per day.  

Features beyond antivirus: With Bitdefender Antivirus Free, you get impressive lab test results and full-powered antivirus protection at no charge. Its ransomware protection, as noted, performed well in testing. VPN protection is limited, but 200MB of bandwidth per day can be enough if you’re careful. And…that’s about it. The free edition looks feature-rich, offering all the features of Bitdefender Total Security rather than just a free version of Bitdefender Antivirus Plus. However, most of the remaining features are locked unless you upgrade. These features include browser tracking protection, social media protection, safe online banking, and more.

Laid-back users: Security protection isn’t a hobby for you; it’s a chore. You’ll do what you must to get a free antivirus installed, but after that, you don’t want to play with it. So, install Bitdefender, make sure AutoPilot is engaged, and then ignore it.

People concerned about ransomware: The idea that some ne’er-do-well could use ransomware to turn your important files into encrypted gibberish is repugnant to you. You’d pay double for an antivirus that has extra weaponry against ransomware, as Bitdefender does. Luckily, double the price is still free.

Scores in hands-on tests: AVG, Avast, and Norton all use the same underlying antivirus engine, so it’s no surprise that all three scored the same in my main malware blocking test. With a 97% detection rate and 9.7 out of 10 possible points, they outperformed all but a few of their competitors. Like Avast, AVG didn’t perform as well in my test, which challenges each antivirus with a collection of fresh malware-hosting URLs; however, its 93% score came in higher than the current median. As for its phishing detection prowess, AVG reached a perfect 100%, along with a half-dozen other apps.

Independent lab test scores: Avast bought AVG years ago, and the two have long relied on the same antivirus engine. Only two of the labs I follow, AV-Test and AV-Comparatives, test AVG separately from Avast. On the plus side, it reached perfect and near-perfect scores in the latest tests from those two, achieving a 9.5-point aggregate lab score.

Ransomware protection: The consequences of a successful ransomware attack are dire enough that AVG, like many competitors, builds in special protection in case a brand-new ransomware campaign gets past regular antivirus protection. Like many competitors, AVG’s ransomware layer works by preventing unauthorized access to files of specified types, residing in specified folders. In a test with all other protective components turned off, AVG performed so-so. Challenged with a dozen real-world ransomware samples, it detected most of them and successfully protected the specified files and locations, but allowed encryption of many files outside protected locations. And a couple of the samples did their dirty deeds without being caught by the antivirus.

VPN available: When you connect to the internet via a VPN, your traffic is fully encrypted from your PC to the VPN server. Nobody, not even the owner of the network you’re using, can touch it. VPN and antivirus are a natural pairing, as antivirus protects your data locally and VPN protects it in transit. When you launch the secure browser that comes with this antivirus, you’ll find a panel titled Secure Browser VPN. Alas, clicking it doesn’t get you VPN protection, not even on a limited basis. It just invites you to install a trial.

Features beyond antivirus: I’ve already mentioned that this free antivirus includes ransomware protection. If you encounter any trouble with malware removal, you can run a boot-time scan or go a step further with a bootable rescue disk. It includes a full two-way firewall that protects against network attacks and manages network permissions for your programs. File shredding is a surprise bonus, buried in the right-click menu for files and folders. Like Avast, AVG comes with a secure browser and the option to block web activity trackers, but there are some differences. You don’t get the isolated bank mode in AVG, and while it checks your email against known data breaches, it offers no help in dealing with them. As with Avast, you get a lot for free, but not everything.

Score trackers: You like to make choices based on facts and figures, not subjective elements. Fact: Two independent labs put AVG to the test and awarded it perfect and near-perfect scores. It also earned impressive scores in my hands-on tests, including a perfect 100% against phishing fraud. Numbers don’t lie.

Feature collectors: You’re happy to get antivirus protection for your computers at no cost. You’re even happier to get more than just antivirus protection. AVG includes a broad collection of security and privacy features, though naturally, you don’t get everything that premium users do.

Scores in hands-on tests: The charm of Microsoft Defender lies in its ubiquity, not its test scores. While it made a lot of noise and generated notifications during my malware-blocking test, it only detected 90% of the samples and scored 8.9 points. When I tested it against 100-plus malware-hosting URLs, it prevented just 88% of the downloads, which is significantly lower than the competition. As for phishing, Defender’s Smart Screen starts off at a disadvantage, as it only protects Edge. In testing with real-world phishing pages, it scored a dismal 75% detection rate, while the other free antivirus apps mentioned here all scored at least 99%.

Independent lab test scores: Microsoft Defender is built into every Windows installation and takes over antivirus protection if no other antivirus app is active. All five independent testing labs that I track regularly include it in their reporting. Years ago, Defender performed so poorly in these tests that it scored below zero. It’s much better now, with quite a few perfect scores. Its 9.6 point aggregate lab score is up there with the best.

Ransomware protection: A ransomware attack can cause serious problems for your personal or business life, so you might expect Windows Defender to mount a defense. If you search the settings for “ransomware,” you won’t find it, but the “Controlled folder access” feature does the job. Like many competitors, it simply prevents unauthorized programs from modifying protected folders, such as Documents and Pictures. Such authorization-based systems typically allow the encryption of dozens to thousands of files outside the protected folders, even when the system is otherwise successful. Indeed, that’s what happened with Defender in every case but one. Yes, one of my real-world samples totally evaded Windows Defender, encrypting tens of thousands of files and displaying its ransom note.

VPN available: An antivirus protects your devices and the data on them, while a VPN encrypts that data as it transits to the internet. The two go hand in hand to the extent that many antivirus apps either bundle a VPN or integrate VPN technology. Not Windows Defender. Microsoft once offered a VPN component as part of Microsoft 365, managed through Windows Defender. However, that program reached the end of its life in early 2025.

Features beyond antivirus: As noted, Microsoft Defender only activates on PCs without an active third-party antivirus. In addition to the expected antivirus and related components, it configures the built-in Windows Firewall. It also provides access to Microsoft’s built-in parental control system. Beyond that, there’s not a lot. This makes sense, given that Microsoft Defender is the last line of defense.

Laid-back users: Hey, you! The one who’s falling asleep reading this article. The one who doesn’t care about antivirus software. This one’s for you! To take advantage of its protection, you have to do exactly nothing. For the right person, that’s an ideal solution.

Old-school enthusiasts: Even before Windows, Microsoft included antivirus software in its operating systems. You figure that’s where the task belongs, handled by the OS, not by some third-party company.

Scores in hands-on tests: Detecting and removing malware infestations is important, but keeping attacks from reaching the PC is just as essential. I test each antivirus app’s ability to detect fraudulent and malicious URLs and to divert the browser from them. And in both my anti-phishing test and malicious URL blocking test, Avira achieved a perfect 100%. As for my standard malware-blocking test, it detected 97% of the samples (a sample set from earlier than the one used in my tests of AVG and Avast). The imperfect blocking of detected threats lowered its overall score to 9.3, which is still a respectable result.

Independent lab test scores: Two of the five independent testing labs that I follow included Avira in their latest grueling tests. It earned a perfect score from AV-Test, as it usually does. However, it failed one of three tests by AV-Comparatives and only scored Tested in another. Its aggregate lab score is 7.7 out of 10 possible points, a dismal score we hope is just a fluke.

Ransomware protection: Many features in Avira Free Security are visibly locked, indicating that you only gain access to them by upgrading to Avira Prime. Ransomware protection is one such. In testing, Avira’s regular antivirus components successfully wiped out all my ransomware samples; however, there is no free-level protection available to supplement these components in the event of a zero-day ransomware attack.

VPN available: When you connect to the internet via an unknown Wi-Fi network, you risk a shady network owner (or a hacker sharing the network) intercepting your communications. Connecting through a VPN eliminates that problem, as your data is encrypted from your device to the VPN server. As a bonus, using a VPN masks your actual IP address and spoofs your physical location. Avira includes VPN protection integrated into the antivirus, as well as the ability to launch Avira’s standalone Phantom VPN. Whichever you choose, you’re limited. You can only use the server the VPN app selects for you, and your traffic is limited to 500MB per month. To remove those limits, you pay $78 per year, or, better yet, just upgrade to the decidedly not-free Avira Prime.

Features beyond antivirus: Like Avast’s free app, Avira Free Security is a stripped-down version of a security suite, not just a free antivirus. It includes a secure browser, like what you get with Avast and AVG. It includes a system for blocking ad trackers but lacks a few features, such as bank mode. Its network inspector just warns if you connect to an insecure network; it doesn’t report on all connected devices the way Avast does. You do get a simple password manager and a simple file shredder. Performance features abound—startup management, system tune-up, software updater, vulnerability scan, and more—but in almost every case, they’re subject to limitations unless you upgrade to a commercial version.

Feature collectors: When you pay for an antivirus app, you look for one that goes beyond the basics. Even when the price is zero dollars, you still want to maximize your benefits. As a free, feature-limited security suite, Avira is just what you need.

People concerned with password management: You’ve learned the lesson that every secure website needs its own unique, strong password. You know you need a password manager. And you’re ever so happy to find that your free antivirus bundles in a free password manager, so you don’t have to seek one separately.

Scores in hands-on tests: My hands-on testing for Mac antivirus apps is limited compared with my Windows testing, as I just don’t have the same expertise and experience on the Mac. Still, I can manage some tests. Phishing is completely platform-agnostic. You can share your credentials on any device with a browser. And, like its Windows counterpart, Avast on the Mac scored 99% in my antiphishing test. It also earned an excellent score against Windows-centric malware, detecting and eliminating 97% of my samples. Yes, a Windows program can’t infest a Mac, but getting rid of those files ensures they won’t somehow migrate to one of your Windows boxes.

Independent lab test scores: I don’t have the resources to torture-test Mac antivirus the way I do for Windows, so I’m always happy to reference test results from independent labs. Both labs that test macOS antivirus software include Avast among their subjects, and both rate it with the highest possible score. You can’t ask for better than that. In a separate test using Windows malware, Avast scored 100%, another win.

Ransomware protection: A ransomware attack encrypts your important documents and demands an untraceable cash payment to restore them. Antivirus software should quash such an attack, just as it does any other malware attack. However, due to the dire consequences, Avast has built in additional protection for those important files. By default, it prevents all unauthorized changes to important files in each user’s Documents and Pictures folders. You can add to the protection list and fine-tune the list of protected file types. It’s only slightly less flexible than the equivalent ransomware protection in Avast’s Windows edition.

VPN available: If you pick the wrong Wi-Fi connection while traveling, you could find that a nefarious network owner has full access to your communications. Unless, that is, you run that traffic through a VPN. Now, your data is fully encrypted from your device to the VPN server, so no one can intercept it. As a bonus, websites see your requests as coming from the server, so your actual location is protected. Avast’s integrated VPN limits free users to 5GB per week, and you must accept whatever server it chooses. But that 5GB per week may be all you need.

Features beyond antivirus: Like the free Windows version of Avast One, this Mac-specific app is a stripped-down security suite. It checks the dark web to see if your email has been compromised in a breach and scans your email for malicious attachments and other threats. (Paying customers get ongoing dark web monitoring along with the option to scan webmail at the source). Its network inspector reports on all devices connected to your home network, including any security issues. Upgrading adds the option to get notified when a new device connects. While the free edition includes some performance tune-up features, many others are locked and require a paid upgrade. Still, you get quite a lot more than just a simple antivirus.

Score trackers: You can line up multiple free antivirus programs for your Mac, but how do you know which is the best? Hard evidence, that’s how. Two independent testing labs put Avast through their torture tests, and it came out with a perfect score from both.

VPN users: Most free antivirus apps include a VPN, though the limitations vary. Avast’s 5GB-per-week bandwidth limit translates to approximately 730MB per day. Avira’s 500MB per month breaks down to less than 17MB per day, and Avast also beats Bitdefender’s 200MB per day. If your goal is to utilize VPN protection without incurring costs, Avast is your best option.

Scores in hands-on tests: My coding skills are all Windows-based, so I can’t perform the same degree of hands-on testing for Mac antivirus products like this one. I do get some use out of my extensive collection of Windows malware, because almost all Mac antivirus apps claim to also remove threats aimed at Windows (and sometimes Linux). AVG detected and quarantined 72% of the Windows malware samples, ensuring that those samples have zero chance of making their way across the network to a vulnerable Windows PC. As it did on Windows, AVG excelled in my phishing protection test, detecting every single fraudulent web page from a collection of hundreds of very recent samples.

Independent lab test scores: I follow five labs that put Windows antivirus utilities to the test, and two of them also examine antivirus apps for macOS. Both labs include AVG’s Mac antivirus in their latest reports, and both give it a perfect score. Malware coded for the Windows platform can’t run on a Mac, but the Mac could theoretically serve as a carrier, so AV-Comparatives runs a side test using Windows malware. AVG, like Avast, scored 100% in this test.

Ransomware protection: Any malware infestation is bad news, but ransomware is the worst. If a ransomware attack slips past your antivirus, you’re hosed. Even if an update quickly eliminates the attack itself, your files remain encrypted. AVG’s free Mac antivirus does include an icon for Ransomware Shield, but clicking it reveals that this feature requires an upgrade to the paid version. Free users don’t get any ransomware-specific protection.

VPN available: When your internet traffic runs through an encrypted VPN channel, you get multiple benefits. Nobody can snoop or tweak your traffic, not even the owner of the network you’re using. Your traffic appears to be routed through the VPN server, so your actual location is concealed. You can also spoof your location to access region-locked content. It’s a nice adjunct to antivirus protection. However, AVG doesn’t stray from a straight antivirus, so you don’t get a VPN, not even a limited one.

Features beyond antivirus: In analyzing these free antivirus apps, I checked off a list of almost 20 bonus security features. AVG Antivirus for Mac features exactly none of those extras. It focuses solely on antivirus essentials.

Laid-back users: Sure, you know you need antivirus protection even for your Macs, but you don’t want to get involved. If you have basic protection, such as what AVG offers, you’re likely satisfied. No need to worry about a flurry of additional features beyond defending against malware.

Score trackers: Any company can claim their free Mac antivirus is the best, but if they don’t back up those claims with hard facts, they’re just making noise. As it happens, AVG has the numbers. Of the two independent antivirus labs that have tested it recently, both gave it a perfect score.