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Best for Windows and Android
The best free malware removal we’ve found overall is Avast for removing malware as well as protecting your webcam and network. It comes with paid upgradeable features to increase your overall security.
Bitdefender Antivirus Free is one of our recommended products for Windows and Android users, specifically because it includes options like an autopilot feature that scans your mobile device against Android threats. If you're looking for alternatives, TotalAV is chockful of features like real-time protection, defense against phishing, and performance optimization tools.
We’ll explore the specifics of the best malware removal tools so you can get the protection you need, whether you have an infection now or want to guard against a future threat.
When considering the best free malware removal tools, you want software with high ratings from independent testing sites. You also should expect real-time protection so that your system is at less risk. The best free anti-malware solutions we found come with features designed to keep you safe from existing and evolving malware threats.
| Free AV | Best Overall
 |  |
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| Star rating | |||
| Paid plans start at | $35.88/first yr | $29.99/first yr | $29.00/first yr |
| Max number of protected devices | 30 | 10 | 8 |
| Malware protection score | 99.93% | 99.8% | 99.98% |
| Performance impact score (lower is better) | 7.4 | 19.9 | 16.2 |
| Malware scans | Manual and scheduled | Manual and scheduled | Manual and scheduled |
| Real-time protection | |||
| Malware removal | |||
| Ransomware protection | |||
| Phishing protection | |||
| 24/7 customer support | |||
| Compatibility | Windows, Android, macOS, iOS | Windows, Android, macOS | Windows, Android, macOS, iOS |
| Learn more | Get Avast
Read Avast Review |
Get Bitdefender
Read Bitdefender Review |
Get TotalAV
Read TotalAV Review |
We use our proprietary grading rubric in all of our testing, which considers ease-of-use, third-party testing scores, internal testing scores, price, compatibility, and features offered, among other metrics.
This means that our testing process is designed to ensure that the product isn't too confusing, protects as it claims, and offers you a lot for a reasonable price. We download and run each program on our own computers on home networks, just like you would. Our ratings reflect the real-world performance of the antivirus product. This ensures that we can recreate a similar experience for you and give our best advice on whether or not it's worthwhile.
To learn more about how we test, check out our full antivirus testing methodology here.
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
Real-time protection: There’s a lot to like about the free malware removal tool Avast offers, like real-time protection. This feature works in the background while you work and isn’t noticeable, so you can get on with what you need to do. We also found that Avast doesn’t cause performance issues, which sometimes happens with antivirus software.
Network protection: In addition to protecting against viruses, adware, spyware, Trojans, and other malware, Avast Free Antivirus scans websites to keep you safe from malware threats and to secure your online credentials. The network inspection tool will check any new networks you access for security vulnerabilities. You get Wi-Fi network security plus real-time phishing protection.
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No firewall for Mac: Avast's firewall is available only for Windows, so if you use a Mac, you’ll have to rely on Apple's built-in firewall.
Paid upgrades: Although we think the Stay Safe Virus Guarantee is a great feature to include, we don’t think you should have to auto-renew to get it. With that feature, if you auto-renew your plan, Avast refunds your money in the event you contract a virus the software cannot remove or fix. This guarantee shouldn’t worry you, though, since Avast has excellent malware detection rates.
To see Avast's ability to detect and prevent malware, we also looked at scores from independent antivirus testers. The sites we looked at include AV-TEST, AV-Comparatives, and SE Labs.
| Avast | |
| AV-TEST Windows score | 18/18 |
| AV-TEST macOS score | 18/18 |
| AV-TEST Android score | 18/18 |
| AV-Comparatives | 99.93% |
| SE Labs | 100% |
| EICAR score | 3/3 |
| Learn more | Get Avast
Read Avast Review |
Super reliable antivirus software with a non-intrusive free version
Simple yet powerful interface tools
Perfect protection score in third-party tests
Ease of use: Bitdefender Antivirus Free is easy to install and launch without any fuss. It takes mere minutes, and you’re ready to start using Bitdefender. You also get anti-fraud technology, SafePay, and a VPN to help keep you safe from online scammers.
Security: The free plan protects against the all-too-familiar rootkits, Trojans, and ransomware, as well as newer types of threats like cryptojacking and AI-powered phishing attacks. This is key since malware is ever-evolving and even a free anti-malware tool needs to keep up in order to protect your devices.
Upgrades available: Like most antivirus programs, Bitdefender’s paid versions offer more features, such as Network Threat Prevention, Rescue Environment, and a secure VPN.
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Lackluster Mac performance: Bitdefender may be the best antivirus software for Windows, but if you use a Mac, you’ll need to get the free Virus Scanner for Mac from the App Store.
Although we’re accustomed to most antivirus products catering more to Windows users, it’s disappointing when so many features aren’t available for macOS. As the name suggests, the Virus Scanner for Mac tool focuses primarily on scanning your device. Even so, we aren’t sure why Bitdefender left out scheduled scanning and a file shredder for macOS.
Extra steps: We also didn’t like that Bitdefender comes in two parts. You have the antivirus app and the Bitdefender Central browser hub. You must be logged into the browser hub to set up parental controls, and we found that extra step made the whole process not user-friendly.
To get a better idea of how well Bitdefender performs against malware, we also looked at results from independent antivirus testers. The testers we checked were AV-TEST, AV-Comparatives, and SE Labs.
| Bitdefender | |
| AV-TEST Windows score | 18/18 |
| AV-TEST macOS score | 18/18 |
| AV-TEST Android score | 18/18 |
| AV-Comparatives | 99.8% |
| SE Labs | 100% |
| EICAR score | 3/3 |
| Learn more | Get Bitdefender
Read Bitdefender Review |
Real-time protection from viruses, malware, and online threats
Blocks tracking cookies and ads, proactively monitors for data breaches, and option to schedule smart scans
100% compatible with Windows, Mac, Android, and iOS operating systems on up to 3 devices
Extras: As antivirus software goes, we were happy that TotalAV Antivirus Free was easy to use and provided a no-nonsense way to have more online security. It includes the necessities like spyware, adware, and ransomware protection, but the real magic lies in the extras you get with TotalAV’s free plan.
The data breach scanner alerts you if your email or passwords are compromised. This gives you a heads-up to change your login info before it’s too late. We also like the Advanced WebShield feature, which protects you against malicious websites that try to steal your info or infect your device with malware.
Additionally, you’ll get optimization and privacy tools like the tracking cookie remover and browser cleaner.
Paid Upgrades: With TotalAV’s paid plans, you get options like phishing protection, a VPN, and TotalAV’s ad blocker, Total Adblock. You can even view your hard drive summary with the Disk Usage Results feature.
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Buggy: We had a few issues with the main dashboard. When returning there after using some of the features, we received a notification that the protection was disabled. Even after enabling the software again, we were instructed to go through the same steps to give TotalAV full disk access. The repetitive process was a bit annoying, to say the least.
Confusing labels: TotalAV doesn’t seem to make a clear distinction between the WebShield feature and real-time protection. That can become confusing when navigating through the software options.
When testing TotalAV, we also looked at testing results from independent antivirus testers such as AV-Test, AV-Comparatives, and SE Labs. These sites test how well each antivirus detects malware, and if they suffer from any false positives. The higher the percentage, the better the score.
| TotalAV | |
| AV-TEST Windows score | 18/18 |
| AV-TEST macOS score | 17.5/18 |
| AV-TEST Android score | 17/18 |
| AV-Comparatives | 99.98% |
| SE Labs | 97% |
| EICAR score | 2/3 |
| Learn more | Get TotalAV
Read TotalAV Review |
Sometimes the best free malware removal tool for one person may not be the best one for you. If that's the case, check out some of our other tested products that we liked:
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Premium antivirus, scam, and web protection, plus a VPN, identity monitoring, and secure password manager
Added peace of mind with 24/7 expert online support and McAfee’s Virus Protection Pledge
Compatible with Windows, Mac, Android, iOS, and ChromeOS on up to 5 devices
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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
The best way to remove malware for free is to use a reputable anti-malware tool. We suggest looking into TotalAV Free, Avast Free, or Bitdefender Free Antivirus as a starting point.
The best free malware and spyware removal programs may be different depending on your unique needs. For example, Avast has webcam and network protection. Bitdefender is better for Windows users than Mac users because it includes more features for that operating system. And TotalAV offers a variety of extras for an all-inclusive security stack. Bitdefender is our #1 recommendation for the best antivirus free trial because you can test the software for 30 days without inputting your credit card info.
It’s best to use a malware removal tool because it can check the places where malware is known to hide. To remove malware yourself, you’d need to know where to look, and there’s more of a chance that you could miss something.
There is a completely free version of Malwarebytes that can find and remove threats. The download page does encourage you to upgrade to Malwarebytes Premium for the best results, but that’s up to your discretion.
We chose Avast as the best free malware removal tool. In addition to its excellent protection scores, Avast includes a network scanner that checks your Wi-Fi and alerts you if it finds security vulnerabilities.
Bitdefender focuses on new technology threats like cryptojacking and AI phishing attacks. TotalAV has a free option that also comes with device cleanup and privacy tools.
Finding the right malware removal tool doesn’t have to be a major headache. We’ve dug through dozens of antivirus solutions to find the ones that protect you from multiple types of malware and also offer advanced features — on top of offering a free download. If you’re still searching for a malware scanner or antivirus tools, check out our guide to the best antivirus software for more recommendations.
| Paid plans start at | Best for | Learn more | |
|
$35.88/first yr | Best overall | Get Avast
Read Avast Review |
|
$29.99/first yr | Best for Windows and Android | Get Bitdefender
Read Bitdefender Review |
|
$29.00/first yr | Best value | Get TotalAV
Read TotalAV Review |
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
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