AV Comparison – Pick the Best Solution for 2021

	TotalAV	McAfee	Norton	Avast	AVG	Kaspersky	Bitdefender	ESET	Avira	Windows Defender
Real-time Antivirus	+	+	+	+	+	+	+	+	+	+
Manual Scanning	+	+	+	+	+	+	+	+	+	+
Registry Startup Scan	+	+	+	+	+	+	+	+	+	+
USB Virus Scan	+	+	+	+	+	+	+	+	+	+
Auto Virus Scan	+	+	+	+	+	+	+	+	+	+
Scheduled Scan	+	+	+	+	+	+	+	+	+	+
Anti-Spyware	+	+	+	+	+	+	+	+	+	+
Anti-Worm	+	+	+	+	+	+	+	+	+	+
Anti-Trojan	+	+	+	+	+	+	+	+	+	+
Anti-Rootkit	+	+	+	+	+	+	+	+	+	+
Anti-Phishing	+	+	+	+	+	+	+	+	+	+
Anti-Spam	–	+	+	+	+	+	+	+	–	–
Email Protection	–	+	+	+	+	+	+	+	–	–
Chat/IM Protection	+	–	–	–	–	–	–	+	–	–
Adware Prevention	+	–	–	+	+	–	–	–	+	–
Parental Controls	–	+	+	–	–	+	+	+	+	+
Personal Firewall	+	+	+	+	+	+	+	+	+	+
VPN Service	+	–	+	+	+	+	+	–	+	–
Tune-Up Tools	+	+	+	–	+	–	+	–	+	–
Safe Browser	+	+	–	+	+	+	+	+	–	–
Money-Back Guarantee	+	+	+	+	+	+	+	+	+	–
Ease of Use	+	+	–	+	+	+	+	+	+	+

Introduction

In 2021, hacker attacks are a bigger challenge than ever. And, a regular antivirus solution with basic anti-malware features won’t do anymore. To fight modern-day threats, you’ll need an internet security suite with a long list of extras. We’re talking about protection against ransomware, phishing, and spyware. To secure your data from network-based attacks, a firewall is a must.

In turn, the anti-spyware module will block webcam hijackers and keyloggers from accessing personal files and stealing credentials. Then we have phishing protection: it will warn you of suspicious/dangerous URLs and keep scams at bay. Finally, the anti-ransomware tool has only one goal: to prevent encrypting malware from taking over the OS and demanding a ransom for the decryption key.

Our team of experts tested dozens of leading antivirus products and came up with the following top-ten list. These products have proven to be equally effective against all known threats. Third-party testers like AV-Comparatives and AV-Test give them the highest praise, which is even more reason to choose them over the competition. Take a quick look at the pros and cons to know what you can expect from each program in advance.

Total AV

Pros:

• A low-budget option – all three packages are significantly cheaper than the competition.
• Offers excellent value thanks to the decent set of useful extras features.
• Strong performance in third-party tests.
• Low system impact even on outdated hardware/software.
• One of the best solutions for the fans of optimization/tune-up tools and hard-drive cleaners.
• Excellent anti-spyware and anti-adware modules (safe online banking and shopping).

Cons:

• TotalAV Free can only run scans – real-time protection isn’t a part of the deal.
• The renewal rates are steep and not at all user-friendly.

McAfee

Pros:

• A perfect choice for small business owners.
• McAfee can simultaneously protect an unlimited number of connections with one single license.
• Leading ID theft protection (24/7 Social Security Number, Dark Web monitoring, and more).
• Comes with a virus removal guarantee (100% virus removal, with no traces).
• Useful extras, including an unlimited VPN and a safe browser for banking/shopping.
• Easy navigation, quick-to-respond UI.

Cons:

• Slightly expensive compared to other top-10 antivirus solutions.
• The system impact can be quite high during scans (especially the full scans).

Norton

Pros:

• Leading anti-malware protection.
• Always makes it into the top-5 lists of Av-Test and Av-Comparatives.
• Strong against spyware (adware, keyloggers, and webcam hijackers) and phishing.
• Works flawlessly on all major platforms, both desktop, and mobile.
• Advanced secure storage and backup services.
• Comes with a decent set of extra security and performance boost features.
• User-friendly and easy to navigate – everything is always within reach.

Cons:

• Rather expensive compared to most rivals (especially the single-device options).
• The anti-ransomware module leaves a lot to be desired.
• Above-average system impact (especially on older devices and operating systems).

Avast

Pros:

• One of the most easy-to-use antivirus products on the market.
• Low system impact, compatible with a long list of platforms.
• Comes with a highly capable free edition.
• Offers free editions of several top-notch security/optimization tools.
• A bit expensive, but the premium-level packages are affordable.
• Home network scanning, a gamer mode, and a long list of Smartphone-specific features.

Cons:

• Not as impressive in anti-malware tests as the top-5 antivirus solutions.
• Unreasonably expensive if you only need protection for one single device.

AVG

Pros:

• Works flawlessly on Windows, Mac OS X, iOS, and Android.
• All the important menus and buttons can be accessed with one single click.
• Offers a generous 30-day trial with all the security features (but only if you commit to the yearly plan).
• Easy to download, install, configure to your liking, and launch quick/full scans.
• Solid performance in third-party lab tests.
• Equally strong against viruses, Trojans, ransomware, and spyware.
• Available for mobile devices, desktop computers, and business owners.

Cons:

• Lacks some advanced security features that are included with most rivaling products.
• The multi-device packages are more expensive than the industry average.

Kaspersky

Pros:

• A top-three antivirus product in third-party lab tests.
• Incredible performance against all known threats.
• Includes a capable free edition along with a VPN and a browser extension.
• The TDSSKILLER is stronger against bootkits and rootkits than most commercial solutions.
• Flexible and versatile – multiple packages and plans to choose from; full platform coverage.
• One of the most feature-packed programs with useful extras.

Cons:

• The entry-level plan only protects one single device with the Windows OS.
• Allegedly shares user data with the Russian government (accused by US agencies).

Bitdefender

Pros:

• Unmatched performance in real-world tests.
• Easily “beats” ransomware (multi-layered protection) phishing, and spyware.
• Includes a VPN, a safe banking feature, password management services, and more.
• 30-day free trials for every single plan.
• Doesn’t take long to download, install, and start using the software.
• Offers a long list of security features: digital ID protection, virus/spyware removal, and tune-up.
• One of the best customer services on the market.

Cons:

• To get unlimited traffic with the VPN, you’ll have to purchase the most expensive package.
• Not the most affordable internet security suite on the market (but worth the price).
• The Antivirus Plus plan only covers up to three Windows-run computers (no Macs or mobile platforms).

ESET

Pros:

• Very good performance in independent lab tests ran by Av-Comparatives and Av-Test.
• The built-in UEFI scanner successfully eliminates firmware-exclusive attacks.
• Provides multi-layered protection for home devices, businesses, and enterprises at an affordable price.
• Includes decent parental controls, a powerful firewall, and a safe browser.
• Blocks exploits, malicious URLs, rootkits, and spam.

Cons:

• Not very strong against phishing compared to similarly-priced alternatives.
• The device control features are highly configurable but very hard to use.
• Doesn’t offer a free edition (you can always get a 30-day trial, though).

Avira

Pros:

• Fast, thorough, and low-impact scans (can also scan attachments and USB drives).
• With Avira, you’ll get advanced cloud protection and damaged files repair services.
• Affordable multi-device coverage (both for home users and businesses).
• Easily detects and eliminates even the most advanced security threats.
• Capable of protecting against scams, ID theft, and financial loses.

Cons:

• The paid editions of the Avira antivirus aren’t that different from the free version.
• Most of the security features and tools need to be installed separately.

Windows Defender

Pros:

• Comes as an integral part of the Windows 10 OS.
• Doesn’t require installation or registration.
• Pretty decent as a free antivirus program; more reliable than most free editions of commercial products.
• Significantly better compared to the previous editions.
• Can serve as an excellent entry-level solution.
• Very low system impact, easy to use (features the standard Windows 10 interface).

Cons:

• Can’t compete in terms of anti-malware protection with the like of Norton, Kaspersky, and Bitdefender.
• Only runs on Win 10: Win 7 gets the older version called Microsoft Security Essentials.