Best Free Antivirus (download) for PC in 2020

What are the best free Antiviruses?

Antivirus software is a program or set of programs designed to prevent, find, detect and remove software viruses and other malware such as worms, Trojans, adware, etc.

Why do I need an antivirus?

What does antivirus software do?

Free antivirus vs paid antivirus

Best free antivirus

1.Total AV
2.Bullguard
3.Panda antivirus
4.Bitdefender
5.Avira antivirus
6.AVG antivirus

Why do I need antivirus software?

These tools are essential for users to be installed and updated, as a computer without virus protection will become infected within minutes of connecting to the Internet. The bombing is constant, which means that antivirus vendors must regularly update their detection tools to cope with the more than 60,000 new malware programs created daily.

Current malware (a generic term for computer viruses) quickly changes its appearance to avoid detection by older, definition-based antivirus software. Viruses can be programmed to damage your device, prevent a user from accessing data, or take control of your computer.

What does antivirus software do?

Several different companies build antivirus software and each offer may vary, but all fulfill essential functions:

Scan specific files or directories for known malware or malware

Allows you to schedule scans to run automatically

Allows you to analyze any particular file or your entire computer, CD or USB stick at any time.

Remove any malicious code detected.

Sometimes you will be warned of an infection and asked if you want to clean the file. Other programs will do this automatically in the background.

Show you the status of your computer.

Always make sure you have the best up-to-date security software installed to protect your desktops, laptops, tablets and smartphones.

Free Antivirus Vs. Paid Antivirus

When it comes to virus protection, you get what you pay for. Free antivirus programs are better than nothing, but their functionality is usually limited. Many companies reserve their best features for paying customers.

By opting for free antivirus, you may need to forgo advanced features such as firewall and decent technical support. That being said, free programs can always be feature rich, and something is always better than nothing until you can actually shell out your money.

Best Free Antiviruses

1. Total AV

Total AV - Free Antivirus

Ideal for protection against phishing

Total AV is a free antivirus that does its job at the basic level - getting rid of malware and improving the performance of your computer. While the free version may be limited, scans are fast and reliable, and there are several handy tools designed to clutter up and improve your computer's performance.

Characteristics:

Protection against phishing

Disk cleaner and system boost

Browser manager

Secure site browser extension for Chrome and Edge

Advantages :

Compatible with Windows, Android and Mac devices

Finds and removes duplicate files

Very fast with no impact on performance

Detected 90% of verified phishing samples

The inconvenient :

Lack of protection against some malware

Several false positives

Bonuses require upgrade or payment

No control over weekly analysis and no daily analysis options

Reasons to go for the paid version:

Advanced ransomware protection

Additional features like password vault, smartphone optimizer and remote firewall

24/7 technical support

30 day money back guarantee

Best suited for:

Total AV Antivirus is a good antivirus if you are looking for quick protection, but if you are looking for more advanced features such as a remote firewall or a secure password, it is probably better to upgrade to one of the premium versions - 30 day money back guarantee means you can try before you buy.

2. BullGuard

Bullguard - free antivirus

Ideal for cleaning and recovery

BullGuard is an advanced antivirus that protects your Windows computer from all threats, including ransomware, insecure websites, Trojans and more. Enabling parental controls provides solid coverage against all malicious attacks.

BullGuard also offers a 30-day free trial period, depending on the plan you choose. From there, you will need to purchase the full version to continue using it.

Features offered:

24/7 support

Automatic scanning

Robust parental control settings

Protection against malware, spyware, adware and phishing

Firewall

PC debugging

Advantages :

Free 30-day trial version

Ultrafast vulnerability alerts on risks

Gamer mode which stops notifications and temporarily scans

The inconvenient :

High number of false positives

No password manager

Performance is slightly lower than running parental tools

Best suited for:

BullGuard protects your Windows computer from just about every type of threat, including rootkits, malware, and phishing attempts. While experienced users can modify the functionality as they please, light beginners can easily afford to simply activate the antivirus to run in the background.

3. Panda Antivirus

Panda - free antivirus

The Panda developers made sure to "cover all the bases". The free version is easy to use and yet one of the most accurate anti-malware, anti-ransomware, anti-spyware and anti-Trojan programs on the market.

Features offered:

VPN client software

Game mode

Complete, critical or personalized analyzes

Scheduled analyzes

Scan secure web URLs for Internet Explorer, Firefox and Chrome

PC cleaning tools

Process monitor

USB and SD protection

Advantages :

Compatible with Windows XP to Windows 10

Strong virus detection with very few false positives

Slight impact on performance

User-friendly interface

USB and SD card scanning

The inconvenient :

Only the basic features are offered with the free version

No direct technical support

The VPN only has 150 MB of data per day

No automatic scanning

Requires an account

Medium protection against malware

Reasons to go for the paid version

Protection of privacy

Unlimited VPN

Secure payment protection for purchases and bank transactions

The ability to protect up to five devices

Parental controls, password manager and file protection (total security)

Best suited for:

For a free option, Panda ticks all the boxes. Fast, precise and reliable, it has removed many unnecessary and unwanted features. But if you want stronger protection against malware, you may need to look elsewhere

4. Bitdefender Antivirus

Bitdefender - free antivirus

Bitdefender is one of the most recommended free antivirus software. It is also one of the fastest free antivirus programs available, with minimal impact on your computer's performance. It systematically ranks at the top of the various antivirus tests.

Although the free version does not offer all the advantages of the paid versions, Bitdefender Free exceptionally covers the basics.

Features offered:

Protection against phishing

URL blocking

Browser extension tool

Anti-ransomware tool

Advantages :

Compatible with Windows 7 SP1, 8, 8.1 and 10

Quick scan

Very easy to use

Excellent accuracy in virus detection (and virus definitions are constantly updated in the background)

Low system impact (does not slow down your computer during operation)

Can use free Bitdefender tools, such as browser extension and anti-ransomware.

The inconvenient :

Not many advanced options

Slow initial scan

Unable to schedule or customize scans

No commercial option (can be used at home only)

Protection against zero-day attacks is below average (protection against known threats, but new and
unknown threats are always a risk)

Requires an account

Reasons to go for the paid version:

24/7 technical support with FREE phone calls

Advanced ransomware protection

A firewall

Parental control tools

VPN

Secure browser

Password manager

Best suited for:

Bitdefender is a serious competitor for users who just want an install-and-go antivirus. It is a powerful antivirus running on autopilot, requiring little intervention from the user.

5. Avira Antivirus

Avira - free antivirus

Ideal for detecting zero-day threats

Avira has improved considerably after its 2018 overhaul. It now offers much less impact on running system performance and a cleaner, more user-friendly interface.

What sets it apart is its full range of virus protection, including the most dangerous Trojans. In addition, its heuristic engine allows it to detect zero-day viruses (unknown threats) very well - a feature that is not usually found in free antivirus software.

This versatile antivirus also has many additional features to simplify things.

Features offered:

Firewall manager

Browser extensions

Fast, comprehensive and personalized analyzes

Scheduled analyzes

Privacy Pal for tracking online ads

System acceleration tools

Advantages :

Compatible with Windows Windows 7, Windows 8 / 8.1 and Windows 10

Lots of customization and new features

Protects against viruses and malware (excellent virus detection index, capable of removing 99.7% of
threats according to antivirus tests)

Accurate detection with few false positives (virus definitions are constantly updated)

Can download free security suite for VPN and password manager

Free rescue disc

The inconvenient :

There is no support for windows XP or Vista

Use of a lot of system resources

Most free tools are actually limited trials

Constant pop-ups and announcements for other Avira products

It installs a toolbar during installation

Reasons to go for the paid version:

USB protection

Ransomware protection

Update software to patch your programs

Best suited for:

The new and improved free Avira antivirus is a fantastic solution because of the long list of advanced features that you usually don't have with free software. However, it comes with pop-up ads and pop-ups. Therefore, for a long-term solution, the paid version may be less intrusive.

6. AVG Antivirus

AVG - free antivirus

Ideal for online shopping

AVG Technologies is one of the biggest names in the antivirus industry and we like it a lot because it always works in the background, without you having to do anything.

As we mentioned above, AVG recently merged with the developers of Avast. However, although the two programs benefited from the collaboration, it seems that AVG obtained the shortest term. Although still a solid antivirus, AVG is much more like a "little brother" than Avast.

However, it is possible that the company may consider combining AVG and Avast in a contract at some point, which will offer the best of both.

Features offered:

System optimization tools

Download in real time and analyze emails

Online browser extension

Advantages:

Compatible with Windows 7 SP1, 8 / 8.1, 10, Vista SP2, XP SP3 (other free versions available for
Mac and Android)

Excellent anti-malware performance similar to Avast

Easy to customize and configure

Little impact on the system

You don't have to create an account to use it

Performance monitoring highlights junk files

The inconvenient:

Fewer useful features than Avast, such as no browser extension

Constantly advertises the paid version alongside other unrelated features

Slow scan

Medium phishing protection

Some quarantined threats have not been permanently deleted from the system (risk of reinfection)

Reasons to go for the paid version:

Secure DNS

Webcam protection

AntiVirus PRO for Android ™

A firewall

30 day free trial

Best suited for:

AVG is particularly suitable for users who are looking for a silent and subtle antivirus. The program runs transparently in the background, without affecting system performance. If your job requires you to open various email attachments, the attachment scanner will help you immensely.

Overall, AVG is a good solution for those looking for basic malware protection without the need for advanced features, or those who want to use it as a second layer of defense over an existing antivirus (passive mode d 'AVG allows it to run in standby mode).