Installing an anti-virus or a security software, after installing Windows is a must. This helps protect our Windows computer from viruses and other security threats. It is also important to keep your security software up to date at all times! While the built-in Windows Defender in Windows 8 does a great job, some of you may want to opt for a third-party free antivirus software instead. Here are some very nice best free antivirus software available for Windows 10, Windows 8, Windows 7 & Vista you might want to check out.
Best free AntiVirus software for Windows
I have included only those antivirus programs which offer full real-time protection, and are not just stand-alone scanners!
Windows Defender is Microsoft’s free antivirus offering to users of genuine Windows 10/8/7. It is specifically designed for individual consumer PC use using the smallest resource footprint possible to provide complete anti-malware protection and will include a new protection technology, as part of the Microsoft anti-malware engine, called Dynamic Signature Service (DSS).
2. Bitdefender Free Antivirus Edition
The free edition of its antivirus tool uses one of the world’s most effective antivirus engines, ICSA Labs certified scanning engines found in other BitDefender products for free. Thereby allowing you to enjoy basic virus protection for no cost at all. It includes a Real-time Shield.
Kaspersky Free Antivirus offers powersul anti-malware protection for Windows users like file, email and web antivirus, automatic updates, self-defense, quarantine, etc; and will not include advanced security features. It includes a Real-time Shield.
Avira AntiVir offers you basic protection & protects your computer against dangerous viruses, worms, Trojans and costly dialers.
avast! Free Antivirus is perfect for people who send e-mails and surf popular websites. Its Antivirus and anti-spyware engine provides reliable protection against viruses, spyware, rootkits, trojans and other forms of malicious software.
Comodo Antivirus Free offers an Antivirus scanner, a quarantine, Sandbox operating environment and a Task Manager. It’s fast cloud-based scanning gives you a list of infected files in real time.
Other free antivirus software:
- ZoneAlarm Free Antivirus + Firewall,
- Kingsoft Antivirus,
- Baidu AntiVirus,
- Panda Free Antivirus,
- AVG Anti-Virus,
- McAfee Free Antivirus,
- Sophos Home Free Antivirus.
These Free Cloud based Antivirus may also interest you.
Apart from these freeware if you’d like to suggest any more freeware antivirus software, do share below.
Go here if you are looking for free Internet Security Suites or free firewall software for your Windows 10/8/7 computer.
Antitvir has blown it with their latest release. AVG has been lacking in both detections and resource friendliness. That leaves just MSE and avast!. I prefer MSE on 64-bit systems and avast! on 32-bit systems.
I use MSE and I’m happy using it.
I install Avast free on Windows XP customer PC’s and always MSE on genuine Vista and/or Windows 7 PC’s.
I used to use AVG but now I use MSE. I am shocked Microsoft made such a great AV and for free! I have installed MSE on all my Windows boxes (XP, Vista, Win 7).
MSE works great on Windows 7 64bit.
I have used MSE but have switched back to Avast because it seems to update definitions. I have to check Windows Update to update MSE definitions. It could take up to 24 hours for it to update and install automatically.
MSE is great on its stage …. but I would also like to suggest you to go for Panda Cloud Antivirus.
One that definitely needs to be added to the list is Comodo. I’ve been using it about 8 months and it works very well. It’s easy to use but still has very advanced features for the power user. It also provides internet firewall capabilities a’la Zone Alarm. I’ve also taken to using their free Comodo Backup software.
I’ve used the others too. I used AVG for a long time but ditched it because it was too much of a cpu hog for my liking. Even coming out of sleep mode it insisted on chewing up cpu for several minutes before calming down.
MSE was a similar resource hog. It seemed to just chew up lots of memory, leak handles, and just not function very well.
My only negative comment about Comodo is that it tends to be a little too aggressive about reporting false positives. You have to add exceptions for things like the tightvnc installer binary (I keep it in my dropbox), that sort of thing.
I’m Indonesian
The Best Is Kaspersky 7 & 2010
Other Than That There Is No Good
Other Than That Suck
AVG Avast Avira
Usually Only Remove Viruses
Then I Could Too If Just Remove The Virus
I’m surprised no-one mentions FortiClient which is free, can be used in commercial environments, and comes from a company that does corporate filtering routers and firewall.
Avira 10 is the newest version and good for protection
I have used Microsoft Security Essentials and Panda Cloud Antivirus Free and have been very pleased with both. I am now commited to Kaspersky Internet Security because it provides hacker and banner protecton. Neither MSE nor Panda can defend well against web-attacks. But they will do for a casual user.
Out of free antiviruses, Avast 5 and Microsoft Security Essentials are the best.
Out of paid antiviruses, Kaspersky (KIS 2011) and BitDefender (soon 2011 will be released) are the best.
MSE for me 😉
Install and never worry.
Gli antivirus free non servono.Per chi usa internet e scarica di tutto l antivirus deve essere in ver. PRO.Un buon virus disabilita e rimuove gli antivirus free.
Panda the best
MSE is useless!! It rated very low on recent tests, it’s just a dummy -_-
panda cloud antivirus has a good detection but it slowed down my pc
AVG? They don’t have a free version any more. A time-limited “free trial” doesn’t count to me.
Totally AGREE!
Long time no comments… I’m using Avira Free Antivirus latest version. Avira has been in the top 5 best antivirus with excellent detection & removal rates.I have been using it for the last year with no issues what so ever. You will get a pop-up add once in awhile but it’s not a big issue. It’s the price you pay for free protection and Avira FREE is as good, and in some cases, better than paid software. Give it a try and enjoy …
I have used Avast for almost one year. A few days back one of my friend suggested me about
the antivirus protection services of AskPCExperts and trust me there services
are really very good and at a reasonable price.
I Used Complete Free Comodo Antivirus for Windows 7 – Download Here: https://antivirus.comodo.com/windows-7/
Dear Anand Khanse, I must say I receive your comments and blogs very gratefully and have used many of your offerings on my Win. 7. I do suggest, however, that, sadly, PC Tools is being eliminated by Symantec, either totally or in part. I really like PC Tools and miss it . Please think and ask yourself, is there any point in referring to an extinct application/extension/add-on? With a whole lot of respect and pleasure in your company!!!
Thanks. I have removed it. 🙂
I hope to receive some reply here, altho it is slightly off topic. Here goes, and redirect me if so required. Subject:meganet-decentralized-internet. Do you or any of your acquaintances comment on meganet? Advise.
Sure they do. I use AVG AntiVirus Free Edition 2015. Look again.
and NANO Antivirus!
Spybot search and destroy has a free version (besides apaid version) it protects the PC very well if used on a regular basis with many features. Also Malwarebites has a free version
1) Never trust anyone/thing;
2) The more it differ from standard (default/vendor), the better/safer.
So I prefer Comodo + SuRun + SandBoxIE + OpenVPN + modified configs/group policies