The 4 best Windows antivirus programmes: the ultimate guide to protecting your computer

You have realised that you need to increase the security of your computer, but you don't know how? Today we present our 4 best antivirus programmes for Windows to help you decide.

In the summer we usually have more free time, during which we tend to consume content on the internet that sometimes has a dubious origin: Music, movies, series, video games and more.

A computer virus can be in any file, no matter how harmless it looks. Can you identify it? Probably not, but there are resources and programmes that can help. Of course, it's nothing new to say that buying the best possible virus protection is the first step to protecting yourself online.

What has changed in recent years is the way so-called viruses behave and what their real target is. They come in all shapes and sizes, but malware, ransomware and Trojans are usually designed to steal your data or damage your system so badly that you have to pay a high price to reverse the effects.

Fortunately, the 4 best Windows antivirus programmes combine solid protection and additional features to keep you safe from scams and rip-offs, and they are all very easy to install and use.

The best Windows antivirus programmes, one after the other:

1) Norton AntiVirus

Norton AntiVirus is an excellent antivirus software from the security company now known as NortonLifeLock. The main attraction is the sheer number of features it offers, even with the basic antivirus product, not to mention the quality of the features.

They include a really useful intelligent firewall that is a great help in monitoring your system, as well as some very comprehensive browser protections to keep you safe on the internet.

There are also extras that you don't usually get with other antivirus programmes, including a backup tool with 2GB of online storage and some PC maintenance utilities.
The main antivirus functions of the package are solid, as independent test lab reports prove. One small disappointment, however, could be that Norton consumes a bit much system resources.

In addition, Norton comes last in AV-Comparatives' performance rating, which is surprising and disappointing as Norton has performed very well in this department in previous years.

Still, you're unlikely to notice much of a performance slowdown under normal operating conditions, and for the price, you get a solid package of features with both versions.

If you want more, NortonLifeLock offers a range of higher-end suites. Norton 360 Standard offers some extra features, such as a fully integrated VPN service, more storage for backups (10 GB) and dark web monitoring (for some countries, such as the US and UK). There are also powerful mobile apps for Android and iOS.

You can find more information on the manufacturer's website here. For all these reasons and more, it is one of the best antivirus programs for Windows. You can buy this licence in any of its versions at the best price here.

2) Kaspersky Antivirus

Kaspersky Antivirus is this company's entry-level offering for Windows PCs and provides protection for up to 10 computers. It doesn't have as many features as other products on this list, but Kaspersky focuses on the essentials of security and does it very well.

The core functions of the antivirus are very good, and Kaspersky ranks at or near the top in all recent reports from the main independent test labs. This is good news as it is very efficient against ransomware, removing even unknown threats almost immediately and recovering the few files that were affected by the attack. Kaspersky also benefits from some clever self-protection routines.

Kaspersky hasn't introduced many new features in the last year, so one of its drawbacks is that it doesn't have many extras. Some of these additional functions are not very useful either. Kaspersky's various "wizards" leave much to be desired, and the browser settings wizard only supports Internet Explorer (not even Edge, let alone Chrome, by far the most popular browser).

A VPN is included, but it is very limited (no choice of location and a daily quota of 200 MB), although it could be useful in a pinch.

The good news is that the larger suites also offer more interesting features in terms of extras. Kaspersky Internet Security has an intelligent firewall (which hardly bothers you with questions), a secure browser and offers protection for Mac, Android and iOS mobile devices.

Kaspersky Total Security also offers other features such as intelligent parental controls, a comprehensive password manager and automatic local backups (or Dropbox). These are some useful extras, and since Total Security usually doesn't cost much more than Internet Security, it's probably worth the few euros.

If you want to know more, you can find them on the Kaspersky website here.

It is definitely one of the best antivirus programmes for Windows. You can buy this licence in any of its versions at the best price here.

3) Trend Micro Antivirus

Trend Micro Antivirus+ Security offers simple but effective protection with a user-friendly interface that explains the various options in plain English without resorting to confusing language.

The app's antivirus engine is highly rated by leading independent testing labs and has achieved excellent results in recent reviews, with the small caveat that some tests have found it to deliver a few more false positives than the competition.

On the other hand, Antivirus+ Security's ransomware protection is a particular strength.

Another plus is the fact that this antivirus is currently the best when it comes to blocking phishing sites (according to AV-Comparatives) and offers excellent protection for surfing the Internet, including Pay Guard as a secure environment for online banking.

Weaknesses? Well, system performance suffers more than some competitors, and there aren't as many options or features as the competition - it's an app aimed more at beginners than experts. Of course, Trend Micro's higher-end security suites offer more features.

The next highest priced product, Trend Micro Internet Security, includes some interesting extras, such as parental controls and social networking protection tools. For most people, however, it's worth spending a little more on Trend Micro Maximum Security, which offers protection for Mac and mobile devices as well as Windows (plus a password manager and secure file storage).

There is also a new premium security package that covers up to 10 devices (with Maximum Security you get 5) and includes a free VPN and comprehensive support service.

You can find more information on the manufacturer's website here. For all these reasons and more, it is one of the best antivirus programs for Windows. You can buy this licence in any of its versions at the best price here.

4) Avast Antivirus

Avast Premium Security adds a variety of features to the company's well-known free antivirus programme. These include a powerful firewall, a file shredder and a useful Wi-Fi inspector that monitors your network for vulnerabilities.

There are privacy-related tools, such as Sensitive Data Shield, which helps find and protect files containing sensitive personal data. And a software update function ensures that your applications are up to date (and therefore secure).

Premium Security is also very intelligent in terms of configuration and gives you a high degree of control over the installation process, which is certainly welcome.
On the negative side, however, Avast has a greater impact on system performance than many other antivirus programmes, and its malware scan times are also somewhat slow compared to other programmes.

The anti-phishing measures are also not as effective as those of the competition, but the basic virus protection is robust enough for that, and Avast did quite well in the last round of independent lab tests.

Avast Ultimate is another option that gives you premium security along with Avast's SecureLine VPN and some PC cleaning tools. Avast's VPN isn't the best on the market, but it's a solid offering, and if you need that and an antivirus suite, the Ultimate package might make sense from a value-for-money perspective (depending on what exactly you need from your virtual private network).

You can find more information on the manufacturer's website here. For all these reasons and more, it is one of the best antivirus programs for Windows. You can buy this licence in any of its versions at the best price here.

Do I really need an antivirus programme in 2021?

The short answer to this question is: Yes, you should have an antivirus programme installed. You may have heard arguments that you wouldn't mind being very careful when surfing and downloading or clicking.... but we wouldn't risk it.

Even the most popular websites can occasionally fall victim to malware through their advertising. No matter how careful and tech-savvy you are, it pays to have an antivirus app as protection.

How to choose the best Windows antivirus?

The obvious answer is right in front of your eyes.... literally! Check out our rankings in this article, based on our expert knowledge and comprehensive, constantly updated reviews of the leading antivirus software.

However, you must of course also take your own needs into account. Our options are diverse, whether you have a tight budget and only want to protect a single PC, for example.

Or, at the other end of the scale, maybe you have a large family with many devices to protect and need a package that covers everything. Or maybe you want to use both a VPN service and an antivirus program, so a combined package can save you a lot of money on subscription fees.

In summary, our recommendations for the best antivirus programme for Windows are a solid guide, but you should adapt them to your individual needs. If you have any questions, please comment bellow or give us a call.

Greetings,

Your Licendi Team