Scams and attacks can come from every direction in our digital lives. There are emails which are not what they claim to be, websites that are fraudulent and seek to download malicious code to take over your laptop, and updates to our phones geared as much towards protecting against hackers as adding new features.
Antivirus software has never been more important for our PCs (and phones and tablets). And while it’s essential to ensure a Mac or Windows PC’s core software is up-to-date against the latest threats, external antivirus programs add extra peace of mind, adding background activity to scan for dodgy files, for a start.
Antivirus software programs are increasingly sophisticated and comprehensive, building in VPNs, email protections, provisions against malware, ransomware and hacking, password managers, parental controls and dark web monitoring.
There’s a balance to be struck here, and not just the usual one of features against cost – though that’s important too, which is why there’s a range of price options here. Note also that many programs have a much lower introductory price for the first months or year and things can get much costlier from month 13.
But the more capabilities you slug into your antivirus protection software, the more you risk slowing your computer down. Protection is good, but not at the cost of speed and convenience, perhaps.
In other words, a light impact on your operating system is as important as the privacy and safety the software provides. All the programs here have PC, Mac, Android and iPhone versions which act as security suites, though antivirus on the iPhone works differently because Apple locks down the system.
Best antivirus software at a glance
Best overall – Bitdefender Premium: From £49.99 per year, Bitdefender.com
Best interface – Surfshark One: From £1.99 per month, Surfshark.com
Best for beginners – Norton 360 Deluxe: From £29.99 per year, Norton.com
Best basic option– Avira Free Security: Free, Avira.com
Best free option – Avast One: Free, Avast.com
How I tested the best antivirus software
I downloaded each antivirus software program to a Windows laptop and a Mac, checking how long each took to install and how quick the first complete scan was. I also noted how much a scan slowed the computers down, if there was any noticeable stuttering or other issues while the program was working.
I looked into how easy each program was to navigate, and in the case of the programs which were free, how intrusive requests to upgrade to paid versions were. I also researched the findings of independent security testing labs to see how techier minds than mine rated the efficacy of the packages.
Finally, I compared the programs for value for money, and disentangled the byzantine payment systems – only antivirus software seems to have a low price for the first year which unapologetically doubles or more in subsequent years.
Bitdefender Premium
Rating: 4.5/5
Best: antivirus software overall
★★★★
What we love: Strong performance, fully featured
Take note: Limited devices
Bitdefender costs more than most of the competition, but you’re getting great performance (all with a very moderate impact on the performance of your Mac or PC). The program is feature-packed, with a decent VPN, password manager, anti-tracker, scam protection and more. Some features only come with the top-flight Ultimate Security package, but there’s also a free version which includes the core antivirus protection. It is limited to one machine, though, while paid-for versions support more devices.
As with several programs here, installation and setup was quick and easy, though more fiddly on Mac than PC. Scans, whether extensive or quick, were emblematic of the light touch on performance that every antivirus program needs.
The comprehensive features are straightforward to understand and reassuring in their authority. The anti-tracker seems especially good, and the heart of the program, the antivirus protections are hard to beat (and are just as effective even in the free version). Email protections are solid and, like the rest of the features, easy to use.
Other programs here are capable and efficient, but Bitdefender offers exceptional peace of mind.
Buy now £49.99, Bitdefender.com
Surfshark One
Rating: 4/5
Best: Antivirus software interface
What we love: Great-looking design
Take note: Missing some central features
You’ll have heard of Surfshark as a VPN (which is outstanding, by the way). But you can also choose Surfshark One, which is a bundle that adds antivirus, alerts of data breaches, a lock for your laptop’s webcam and more. The initial scan on my Mac took around 40 minutes, with no noticeable slowdown during the process. Since then, scans have been shorter. Setup was quicker on my Windows laptop (Apple requires a lot of sign-ins and confirmations, though these are guided with useful animations) and scans were similarly light-touch. The interface is slick and easy to navigate thanks to a clear dashboard which looks the best of all the programs tested here. There are also useful help tips in the app’s settings.
Antivirus protection is solid and available on Mac, Android and Windows, while further services such as Alerts, search and the VPN are on more platforms such as the iPhone. The virus database updates regularly and often, with no impact to performance.
Above Surfshark One is Surfshark One+ which includes advanced data removal, for instance. Another feature, identity theft coverage, is currently for some US residents only.
This is a great-value option, though it lacks parental controls, for instance, and additional features like a password manager.
Buy now £1.99, Surfshark.com
Norton 360 Deluxe
Rating: 4/5
Best: Antivirus software for beginners
★★★★
What we love: Excellent performance, light impact on system
Take note: Interface not as slick as some
Norton is one of the best-known antivirus brands, and has been around for a long time. One of its latest features is AI-powered scam protection which aims to give clear guidance when suspicious messages turn up. There’s also a smart firewall, VPN as well as deepfake protection – but only for Windows devices with Qualcomm Snapdragon X processor and Copilot+ licence. The package includes a password manager, though if that was all you needed, Norton offers it for free.
While it doesn’t have the elegant interface of Surfshark, installation is quick and straightforward (again, simpler on PC than Mac). From the beginning, you’re encouraged to set up advanced features like dark web monitoring and cloud backup, which makes it straightforward for even beginners to use.
Norton regularly excels at independent performance test metrics, so you can feel confident in the protection it provides. Scans don’t slow down your computer and behind-the-scenes work on websites, for instance still allows them to launch fast.
If you don’t need parental controls and dark web monitoring, Norton 360 Standard costs £5 a year less and covers three devices, while for £5 a year more than Deluxe, Advanced adds social media monitoring, credit alerts and more, with protection for 10 devices.
Buy now £29.99, Norton.com
Avira Free Security
Rating: 3/5
Best: basic antivirus software
★★★
What we love: Unbeatable price, good quality
Take note: Basic features, numerous upsell prompts
There’s a lot to like about Avira Free Security, and the price is definitely part of that. It is limited, for sure, and there are paid-for options which add more features (which the program reminds you of frequently). Windows users have extra elements like a software updater which finds outdated drivers automatically. Avira will update them for you, too, but only if you upgrade to the paid versions.
Installation was the fastest of the programs tested, and the first scan was quick and painless to the performance of the Mac and PC tested on. It found problems and fixed some immediately, while guiding me to upgrade to Avira Antivirus Pro for the others. If you’re concerned by the warnings that some facets are unprotected, you may feel tempted to upgrade, and the constant exhortations to do so may win out in the end. If you do cave, Avira Prime costs £51.99 for the first year, £94.99 after that and adds more features.
Other restrictions include the VPN which is basic: you can’t choose the location and you get just 500MB of traffic a month when you’re using it, which goes fast.
Buy now, Avira.com
Avast One
Rating: 4/5
Best: Free software
★★★★
What we love: Strong performance, multiple features, simple modular design for extras
Take note: Some features limited , insistent upgrade messages
Avast is part of the same group as Norton and has recently refreshed Avast One so that it has a strong free offering, though with a modular setup so that you can add free and paid-for tools as you need. When you install it, which was extremely fast to do, the first option you have is to add antivirus protection (for free).
Antivirus is key to the free version and is based on the protection the company has offered for years, and in a fast, first scan, the free program found and resolved malware issues. It also saw what it called advanced issues, such as at-risk browser passwords, no webcam protection and remote access not being locked down. Inevitably, these issues were accompanied by exclamation marks in red circles and an encouragement to upgrade.
Apart from the Premium Security option (from £1.31 a month), the Avast Store also offered a secure VPN, driver updater, anti-track feature and items to secure your identity or browser. Each item is available individually, offering a more bespoke approach.
The interface is admirably clear. The home panel lists free antivirus, free cleanup and free BreachGuard on the left. The rest of the panel lists “More from Avast” and indicates the modules you can add for a fee. There’s also a store which has them available, too.
As with Avira, the regular hints that more advanced features are available may encourage you to buy, or the red circles indicating advanced issues might mean you want extra protection an upgrade to Avast One Premium Security offers. This costs £39.99 for the first year, £64.99 a year after that and can block scam SMS messages and calls, stop remote access attacks and avoid fake websites. Then there’s the Ultimate tier which has a secure VPN, clean-up premium, anti-track and more – basically all the modules you can buy separately. This costs £42.49 for the first year and £89.99 a year after that.
Buy now, Avast.com
What is the best antivirus software?
All of the packages above offer strong protection against nefarious attacks, and almost all have free trials so you can get to grips with them before committing. The two real standout programs are Bitdefender, which is the best all-rounder, and Surfshark which is effective, affordable and easy on the eye.
Avira and Avast One both offer strong free options – though you have to be resilient to resist the constant upsell.
Tested by: David Phelan
David Phelan is a tech expert with years of experience reviewing and reporting on the best tech and new releases spanning everything from Apple tech to the best phones on the market. David’s expertise, attention to detail, and the fact he’s constantly putting himself in the shoes of the consumer to find the best, most user-friendly tech, makes him perfectly positioned to test the best antivirus software.
