The Best Free Antivirus Software 2026

Learn how the top free antivirus products compare when it comes to ease of use, features offered, level of protection, and value.

Mark Knowles, Author

Catherine McNally, Editor

Last updated Apr 16, 2026

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2026 Editors’ Choice

Best Antivirus for Beginners

5.0

Editorial Rating

On Avast's website

Avast

PROMOTION: Save Up to 57%

Consistently perfect third-party test results, verifying comprehensive antivirus, ransomware, and malware protection
Includes advanced security features like a VPN, firewall, data breach alerts, privacy tools, device optimization, and more
Maintains a full suite of features for Mac users, unlike many other antivirus options

2026 Editors’ Choice

Best Performance & Speed Antivirus

5.0

Editorial Rating

On AVG's website

AVG

PROMOTION: Save 60%

Award-winning antivirus, malware, and ransomware protection for up to 10 devices
Includes webcam protection, safe browsing and email, automatic updates, and 24/7 protection
Suite of protection benefits including a secure VPN, anti-tracking capabilities, safeguards against phishing sites, and more

2026 Editors’ Choice

Best Antivirus for Scam Protection

4.8

Editorial Rating

On Bitdefender's website

Bitdefender

PROMOTION: Save 50%

Consistently receives top scores across all third-party testers
Comprehensive scam protection, including AI-powered Scam Copilot and phishing defense
Includes extra features like safe banking, VPN, and more

If you're seeking a free antivirus solution to save money or just to try out a service, we recommend Avast. Avast Free Antivirus proved the best overall value by combining numerous free features, highly rated protection, and broad compatibility.

We'll go over our top free antivirus software recommendations below.

In this article

The best free antivirus software 2026
Avast Free Antivirus: Best overall value
AVG AntiVirus Free: Best for real-time protection
Bitdefender Antivirus Free: Best for malware protection
FAQs
Bottom line

The best free antivirus software

Antivirus	Best Overall
Best for	Overall	Real-time protection	Malware protection
Star rating	5.0 AllAboutCookies writers and editors score products based on a number of objective features as well as our expert editorial assessment. Our partners do not influence how we rate products.	5.0 AllAboutCookies writers and editors score products based on a number of objective features as well as our expert editorial assessment. Our partners do not influence how we rate products.	4.8 AllAboutCookies writers and editors score products based on a number of objective features as well as our expert editorial assessment. Our partners do not influence how we rate products.
Free plan
Malware scans	Manual and scheduled	Manual and scheduled	Manual and scheduled
Real-time protection
Phishing protection
Ransomware protection
24/7 customer support
Free plan compatibility	Windows, macOS, Android, iOS	Windows, macOS, Android, iOS	Windows
Starting premium price	$49.08/first yr	$31.20/first yr	$24.99/first yr
Learn more	Get Avast Read Avast Review	Get AVG Read AVG Review	Get Bitdefender Read Bitdefender Review

How we tested the best free antivirus software

We selected the top three free antivirus products based on four critical criteria: ease of use, number of features offered, degree of protection provided, and the overall value delivered to the user.

We chose the first three criteria because they are the primary factors contributing to overall value. The product's overall value depends on how easy it is to use, how many relevant features it provides, and ultimately the degree of success in protecting your devices, email, and online presence.

Ease of use, including simplicity of installation, degree of compatibility, website and support access, and whether an account is required.
Number of features offered, including how many additional add-on security features are available as well as the degree of each feature’s functionality.
Degree of protection provided, including lab testing scores, firewall protection, ransomware and phishing protection, plus any other functions that improve the user’s cybersecurity protection.
Overall value delivered, including consideration of all the above criteria as well as the overall ease of use.

Avast Free Antivirus: Best overall value

Consistently Scores Top of the Class in All Things Protection

5.0

Editorial Rating

On Avast's website

2026 Editors’ Choice

Best Antivirus for Beginners

Antivirus Software

Avast

PROMOTION: Save Up to 57%

Consistently perfect third-party test results, verifying comprehensive antivirus, ransomware, and malware protection
Includes advanced security features like a VPN, firewall, data breach alerts, privacy tools, device optimization, and more
Maintains a full suite of features for Mac users, unlike many other antivirus options

What we liked

Avast Free Antivirus is an excellent selection if you want the most secure, feature-laden free antivirus option that works across multiple device types. While all three top choices have strengths and weaknesses, Avast's free software appears to be the most balanced considering the number of free features you get and the quality of their performance. It also comes with fewer drawbacks compared to other free antivirus software products.

Avast Premium Security smart scan results (no threats found)

Avast Free Antivirus gives you more free features than most antivirus software, starting with the protection offered by an industry-leading, machine-learning-supported antivirus engine. Avast delivers real-time protection, including malware and ransomware scanning. The free version provides six layers of antivirus security, including Smart Scan, Cybercapture, Behavior Shield, File Shield, Rescue Disk, and Quarantine features.

Avast Free Antivirus also provides added bonus protection with a data leak alert, Wi-Fi network security, and a safe browsing and emailing feature.

Avast often has perfect scores across the board in protection, performance, and usability in AV-TEST’s latest round of testing, and also scored well in SE Labs testing.

If you need flexibility when it comes to which devices you install antivirus on, Avast is your best option. Its compatible with Windows PCs, macOS, Android, and iOS devices — though certain feature functionality is more limited with macOS, Android, and iOS.

What we didn't like

Unfortunately, while offering more compatibility than most free antivirus software, many of Avast’s free features are limited. When we tried to resolve issues found in our antivirus scan, it directed us to purchase Avast Premium Security.

Avast Free Antivirus specs

Free plan compatibility	Windows, macOS, Android, iOS
Firewall	No — paid plans only
Malware scan	Yes
Phishing protection	Yes
Ransomware protection	Yes
Learn more	Get Avast Read Our Avast Review

AVG AntiVirus Free: Best for real-time protection

Trusted Protection by 435 Million Users Worldwide

5.0

Editorial Rating

On AVG's website

2026 Editors’ Choice

Best Performance & Speed Antivirus

Antivirus Software

AVG

PROMOTION: Save 60%

Award-winning antivirus, malware, and ransomware protection for up to 10 devices
Includes webcam protection, safe browsing and email, automatic updates, and 24/7 protection
Suite of protection benefits including a secure VPN, anti-tracking capabilities, safeguards against phishing sites, and more

What we liked

Avast acquired AVG in 2016, so it makes sense to expect some of Avast’s free product quality in AVG AntiVirus Free. And AVG AntiVirus Free doesn’t disappoint.

AVG AntiVirus Free is perfect for anyone seeking the top-notch antivirus protection of Avast but in a smaller, simpler, no-frills package. It comes with a high level of antivirus protection for your PC and email.

AVG main dashboard with pop-up open on list of tabs

It's hard not to like a lifetime of free antivirus protection that requires no account to set up and installs in roughly three minutes.

AVG AntiVirus Free doesn't stop there. It shines with outstanding real-time protection capable of stopping viruses, malware, and ransomware. AVG’s paid version has achieved perfect scores for usability, performance, and protection in recent AV-TEST reports.

AVG uses artificial intelligence technology to detect malware on your devices, and while you browse online, it quarantines affected files and keeps you up to date with real-time alerts and analysis of current malware threats. We also liked that it includes an email shield that alerts you to malicious emails or attachments.

AVG AntiVirus Free matches Avast with convenient Windows, macOS, iOS, and Android compatibility.

What we didn't like

AVG AntiVirus Free comes with a lot to like but also has some drawbacks, starting with a website that's not easy to navigate and compatibility that tends to favor Windows users regarding feature functionality.

AVG AntiVirus Free specs

Free plan compatibility	Windows, macOS, Android, iOS
Firewall	No — paid plans only
Malware scan	Yes
Phishing protection	Yes
Ransomware protection	Yes
Learn more	Get AVG Read AVG Review

Bitdefender Antivirus Free: Best for malware protection

Effective Defense Against the Toughest Threats

4.8

Editorial Rating

On Bitdefender's website

2026 Editors’ Choice

Best Antivirus for Scam Protection

Antivirus Software

Bitdefender

PROMOTION: Save 50%

Consistently receives top scores across all third-party testers
Comprehensive scam protection, including AI-powered Scam Copilot and phishing defense
Includes extra features like safe banking, VPN, and more

What we liked

Bitdefender Antivirus Free covers the essentials well: real-time protection against viruses, malware, adware, Trojans, and rootkits, plus phishing defense and both manual and scheduled scans.

In our testing, it passed all three of our EICAR tests for malware detection, drive-by download blocking, and phishing page detection. Bitdefender's paid products also consistently earn high scores from third-party testers AV-TEST, AV-Comparatives, and SE Labs.

Bitdefender's free antivirus software provides plenty of automatic "set and forget" protection without any extras. The software runs fast and offers automatic software product updates, provides an excellent anti-phishing feature, and uses behavioral detection to monitor threats on active apps in real-time.

Bitdefender also breaks a trend among free antivirus software by offering free online support, which many paid antivirus products don’t even offer.

What we didn't like

Unlike the other antivirus programs on this list, Bitdefender's free antivirus is exclusive to Windows. In addition, phishing protection works best with the free Bitdefender TrafficLight browser extension installed; without it, the app alone may miss some phishing attempts.

Bitdefender Antivirus Free specs

Free plan compatibility	Windows
Firewall	No — paid plans only
Malware scan	Yes
Phishing protection	Yes
Ransomware protection	Yes
Learn more	Get Bitdefender Read Bitdefender Review

Should you upgrade to a paid antivirus plan?

While free antivirus software is better than nothing, paying for security software gets you a lot more in terms of security and protection. These additional features can include parental controls, a file shredder, more system scan options, and even webcam protection. On top of that, paying for an antivirus solution often gives you more protection against online threats like spyware, adware, and other types of malware.

If you're looking for improved malware detection and features, we recommend Norton 360 as the best overall antivirus software because it's a robust cybersecurity suite.

PROMOTION: Save Up to 60%

5.0

2026 Editors’ Choice

Best All-In-One Antivirus

Antivirus Software

Norton 360 Antivirus

Backed by a 100% Virus Protection Promise
Tested protection against hackers, viruses, malware, and ransomware
Includes VPN, parental controls, and more

Learn More

FAQs

What is the least annoying free antivirus?

The answer may be a matter of opinion, depending on what you find most annoying as an antivirus user. Still, it's safe to say the two top choices, Avast Free Antivirus and AVG AntiVirus Free, are both user-friendly. Neither requires an online account to install, and both offer more compatibility than many other free antivirus options while achieving perfect usability scores on the AV-TEST antivirus protection reports. See how these top freemiums compare in our Avast vs. AVG review.

Can free antivirus be trusted?

Yes, trusted free antivirus include Avast, AVG, Bitdefender and Windows Defender. Many free antivirus plans run the same powerful malware scanning and protection features as the paid plans, so you can feel as secure as if you paid for the service.

Is Windows Defender enough, or do I need an antivirus?

Microsoft Defender Antivirus (formerly Microsoft Windows Defender) is a rock-solid antivirus solution that is part of Windows Security. The free antivirus software offers good protection. The cool thing is that you can run another antivirus program concurrently, which is atypical. The free Windows software will automatically adjust to active third-party antivirus programs.

However, if you use Windows 10, you definitely should get another antivirus program. Microsoft plans to end support for Windows 10 in October 2025, so your outdated Windows Defender won't cut it.

Bottom line: The best free virus protection software

Avast, AVG, and Bitdefender products all had excellent scores in the AV-TEST categories of usability, performance, and protection. Our two runner-up finalists, Bitdefender and Microsoft Defender Antivirus, aren't far behind, offering many advantages to the frugal value hunter.

Overall, we think that Avast Free Antivirus is an excellent option for those wanting to maximize their overall value with a bit of everything in one package.

Ultimately, your choice of free antivirus software will come down to individual priority. AVG AntiVirus Free could be your ticket if you want a slightly higher degree of protection. For those desiring comprehensive malware protection, Bitdefender Antivirus Free is tough to beat.

3 best free antivirus software 2026

Antivirus	Free plan compatibility	Best for	Learn more
Avast Free Antivirus	Windows, macOS, Android, iOS	Best overall	Get Avast Free Antivirus Read Avast Review
AVG AntiVirus Free	Windows, macOS, Android, iOS	Best for real-time protection	Get AVG AntiVirus Free Read AVG Review
Bitdefender Antivirus Free	Windows	Best for malware protection	Get Bitdefender Antivirus Free Read Bitdefender Review

Consistently Scores Top of the Class in All Things Protection

5.0

Editorial Rating

On Avast's website

2026 Editors’ Choice

Best Antivirus for Beginners

Antivirus Software

Avast

PROMOTION: Save Up to 57%

Consistently perfect third-party test results, verifying comprehensive antivirus, ransomware, and malware protection
Includes advanced security features like a VPN, firewall, data breach alerts, privacy tools, device optimization, and more
Maintains a full suite of features for Mac users, unlike many other antivirus options

Author Details

Mark Knowles

About the Author

Mark Knowles is a tech content writer specializing in cybersecurity. His expertise includes DevSecOps, cyber risk management, and Zero Trust model security. Mark has completed numerous case studies, blog articles, and e-books for leading technology companies over the last eight years, with a focus on the cybersecurity vertical over the last five years. When not interviewing experts in the field or creating fresh cybersecurity content for organizations, Mark enjoys pushing the limits of fitness and personal growth while planning his next traveling adventure.