With all the malware that is spreading today, it is unthinkable to have a PC without protecting it with an antivirus. In particular, there is a free software.
But how do you know which antivirus is better than another when you know nothing about computers? Experience our tips and a selection of the best freeware right now.
In the age of connected everything, malware is not to be taken lightly. Especially since these now take many forms, so it is important to adopt a good defense.
Of course, not everyone can afford to pay for their antivirus. In this case, free antivirus seems to be the ideal alternative. It doesn't offer all the features of its paid counterpart, but it still provides effective protection for your PC.
Let's just say that the best free antiviruses are equal in terms of malware protection and impact on computer performance. So much so that it's hard to pick one. Here are some ways to find the shoe that fits you.
What are the best free antivirus?
In this folder we have added the latest evaluations from independent laboratories AV-TEST in Germany, AV-Comparatives in Austria and SE Labs in England. Each lab regularly tests leading antivirus products to assess their ability to detect zero-day malware and other threats.
They focus on specific criteria (performance impact, behavior against recent threats, ergonomics, protection index, number of malware blocked, number of false positives). Summarizing your tests allows you to assign overall averages and rank them as follows.
Avast: 99.1
AVERAGE: 98.9
Avira: 98.6
Windows Defender: 97.2
Important details: Kaspersky Security Cloud Free ranks highly in our comparison. But we decided to remove it after it was blacklisted by the Federal Communications Commission.
This means that US authorities can no longer use the Russian publisher's security packages. This decision was taken in response to the conflict in Ukraine, the scene of a series of cyber attacks orchestrated by Moscow.
We have also removed Bitdefender Antivirus Free Edition from this comparison as the publisher simply decided to remove their free solution.
Avast One Essential
In the small game of scores collected by the three labs, Avast achieves an excellent overall average of 99.1/100. The publisher now offers a free solution called Avast One Essential. This effectively detects and neutralizes malware, particularly relying on its extensive threat database. It also detects unsafe websites and phishing attacks.
Several additional features are included to ensure the security of your online banking and transactions, as well as your privacy on WiFi networks that are open to everyone. But that's not all.
A tool tells you if your bulk words have been compromised. For streaming, Avast One also has a VPN, but limited to 5 GB / week and a website.
You can also have a firewall that blocks any unauthorized access via Wi-Fi and the Internet. Harmful websites and downloads will also be blocked. And tracking files can be removed, a good way to see advertisers.
What about system load? In a May-June 2022 test, AV-Test reports that the slowdowns caused by Avast One are 9% for web browsing, 1% for downloads and 11% for running software (on a standard PC). Nothing alarming really.
As mentioned at the end of the article, the data collected by Avast is usually encrypted, but distrust is still justified after the controversy involving its former subsidiary Jumpshot.
AVG Antivirus Free is software that also stands out for its imperviousness to malware. Proof of this is its very high score obtained in the last independent tests (overall average 98.9/100).
In addition to its proven ability to block a wide range of malware thanks to its six layers of protection, this free version also reserves extensions for your browser. These are meant to protect you from phishing attacks, suspicious websites and dangerous downloads.
An email agent is also available to block fake attachments and phishing links that can steal your personal data. In addition, a tool is provided to analyze the performance of your computer. This free version does not include other features as these are reserved for paid suites. Slowdowns caused by the security product are particularly noticeable online (19% on a high-end PC), according to AV-Test.
When we tested the antivirus, we didn't mind the invasive ads. However, AVG Secure Browser was installed automatically.
Finally, note that Avast Software publishes AVG, so it is also involved in the controversy over the collection of potentially anonymized data. What to suspect about respecting user confidentiality. However, as of July 2019, a clear option to accept or decline the collection has been created.
Avira Free Antivirus
On the third step of the podium we find Avira Free Antivirus, which is not at all worthy with its final average of 98.6/100. In particular, Avira Free Antivirus offers you good protection against malware. The software receives regular updates to recognize new malware signatures.
But this free edition also has some great features to boast about. Password manager, performance optimization tool, browser tracking blocker... A free VPN is also included. However, it only allows you to enjoy 500 MB per month of encrypted traffic and a different server location. An interesting game, but necessarily too easy compared to the paid unlimited VPN versions.
In terms of performance impact, this antivirus causes a 23% slowdown in web browsing (17% on a standard PC), according to AV-Test. In terms of privacy, Avira is very clear: "As a German company, we do not track your activities and do not sell data to third parties."
Alternative free antivirus: Windows Defender
While Windows Defender can't beat Avast or Avira in malware protection, it's starting to take the lion's share. Combining all of its scores, we gave it an average of 97.2/100. For basic free protection already installed on Windows PCs, Windows Defender does the trick.
It also offers other features to increase your security, such as an anti-intrusion firewall and a parental control system. SmartScreen also helps fight phishing and online malware. And this in both Microsoft Edge and Chrome (via an extension). Based on a database of reported phishing and malware websites, SmartScreen will automatically block the malicious website or downloaded files.
Despite efforts in recent months, Microsoft's original solution still causes some delays. Thus reaching the second-to-last position in the ranking based on the performance established by AV-Comparatives with an impact score of 24.6.
AV-Test, for its part, reports that slowdowns occur mainly during the installation of programs (17%).
Please note: Windows Defender updates are downloaded automatically, so your computer is always protected. The software is disabled if you enable other antivirus software. And it comes back if you uninstall its competitor.