We all know that cyber protection today is paramount—and you probably already have a solution in place. But as online threats keep evolving to become more insidious and sophisticated, we must ensure our defenses are ready for the challenge.
That’s why, in this article, we examine only the best Antivirus solutions (the cream of the crop!) to guarantee a safe cyber journey in the new year. While this range will sound familiar, recent developments have certainly shifted the overall balance and our ultimate preferences.
Read on to discover our top picks for the best Antivirus software in 2022—depending on your requirements!
The Basics: Microsoft Defender
Let’s start with the basics. Do you even need a third-party solution? According to many reputable reviewers, Microsoft Defender has significantly improved over the years, with performance comparable with several premium options.
If you behave cautiously on the internet—i.e. you regularly keep up with updates, create strong passwords (with 2FA), and don’t open suspicious email or links—you should be reasonably protected from ransomware and similar attacks.
Granted, you won’t have sophisticated features like VPN, performance-boosting, or password manager. However, if you prize simplicity and cost-efficiency, Microsoft Defender could be the right choice for you.
Best Free Options: Bitdefender, Avast, Kaspersky
Bitdefender. This one is a favorite of many. The reason? It gets the job done, provides a simple user-friendly interface, and is as “invisible” as you can get—with minimal impact on performance.
The next two names also guarantee outstanding results, but they both come at a steep “cost” (not monetary, as you will see). And if you consider that Bitdefender consistently scores top marks while offering a feature-rich solution with no real downside, the choice is quite obvious.
Avast. This antivirus was previously the #1 suggestion of most tech-savvy websites until recently. And understandably, the product is very solid, and the comparison with its competitors has always been particularly flattering.
The big issue with Avast is that in December 2019 it was caught sharing sensitive user information with third parties. And that doesn’t only include web browsing history: we’re talking about user location, search history, age, gender, social media identities, and even personal shipping information. That’s concerning, to say the least.
So, why have we put its name on this list, at all? Despite this big stain, Avast is still one of the best free Antivirus the market has to offer. Since the infamous event, they’ve come clean, and pledged absolute transparency with their operations—so, there’s still hope. Is this enough to entrust them with your security? Only you know the answer.
Kaspersky has experienced a similar destiny: fame, then slow decline. Praised by security experts for its impressive achievements and performance, its issues concern mainly some serious political hypotheticals.
In 2017, the U.S. government forbade its employees from using Kaspersky’s Security Cloud because of possible ties to Russia (the company is based in Moscow) and the ensuing risk of espionage.
Although no public evidence has been shown to corroborate these concerns, the existence of equally suitable alternatives (with minimum downsides) hurled Kaspersky off the top. Are these allegations political paranoia? Hard to say. But in the world of cybersecurity, the less you trust, the safer you are.
Paid Subscriptions: Norton or McAfee? Best Performance vs Best Value.
There seems to be a strong consensus that Norton is the best Antivirus money can buy—under multiple parameters. Not only does it offer a vast gamut of products and services (all scoring amazing results during lab tests), but according to www.safetydetectives.com its “unique scanning engine powered by heuristic analysis and machine learning” makes it capable of “scanning, finding, and removing all of the newest and most advanced types of malware.”
The only flaw? Not really a flaw, as much as a logical consequence: excellence is not cheap. Thus, compared to similar premium options, Norton charges more per protected device. If you are a firm believer in the saying “you get what you pay for,” you might be okay with that…
However, if you are not (or if you require support for a large number of devices) McAfee might be your hero. Established in the 80s and well-known for its solid security plan, McAfee still offers one of the best value subscriptions you can find.
Although it won’t beat its competitors in a final duel for the best performance, its cover for unlimited devices is beautifully priced, and its 2-year subscription often costs as much as a 1-year bill for similar products. If the value is what you are after, look no further. McAfee wins.
