In recent years, computer viruses have been multiplying, increasing the risks for unprotected users. Not having an antivirus can have serious consequences, including data theft, resale or even complete destruction.
Imagine for a moment that all your data (family photos or documents) is encrypted, with no way of recovering it (even if you pay the ransom).
This was the experience of 330,000 SMEs worldwide last year.
The 3 best free antivirus programs with real-time protection
Choosing an antivirus program can be difficult, as there are so many out there with so many different features. Here are a few self-guided antivirus programs I recommend you use. They’re all free!
1. Microsoft Defender : An antivirus offered by Windows
Windows has a built-in antivirus program that protects you superbly against malware, is completely free and is constantly updated to protect your computer. If your computer use is simple, you don’t make online payments (or you’re super careful) and your data is backed up on an external hard drive or in the cloud, you don’t need state-of-the-art protection.
Even though it’s free, Windows 11’s native antivirus regularly tops the rankings of AV-Test and AV-Comparatives test labs. As a result, Microsoft Defender ranks among the best free antivirus products on the market in October 2024.
Microsoft Defender is installed by default on Windows 10/11, but if you install another antivirus program, it will be deactivated. You can also set up a periodic scan as a complement to other antivirus software.
2. Avast Free Antivirus: The most popular free antivirus
No need to introduce Avast Free Antivirus, which has long been one of the most popular free antivirus products offering comprehensive protection against malware.
It runs in the background and monitors your system in real time, intercepting and neutralizing threats before they damage your device.
To download Avast Free Antivirus.
3. Bitdefender Antivirus Free for Windows
Bitdefender Antivirus Free for Windows is a lightweight, high-performance security solution that offers reliable protection against malware.
Although it’s free, Bitdefender Free Antivirus benefits from the advanced technology of Bitdefender, one of the world leaders in cybersecurity, guaranteeing robust defense against malware without slowing down your device.
- Real-time protection: Bitdefender continuously monitors your system to detect and block viruses, ransomware, spyware and other threats before they affect your computer.
- Intelligent analysis: Thanks to behavior-based detection technology, it identifies suspicious activity and reacts immediately to neutralize dangerous files.
The best free antivirus software for on-demand scans
Here are the best free antivirus programs for on-demand scanning. They detect and eliminate threats without the need to pay for permanent protection.
⚠️ Important: These solutions should not be used to replace real-time protection, but to complement it.
1. ESET Free Antivirus
ESET Online Scanner is an excellent malware detection and removal tool, particularly useful for one-off scans. Itperforms a complete clean-up of viruses, rootkits and trojans, even on systems where another antivirus is installed.
It is particularly suited to those looking for powerful, one-off virus removal.
Real-time scans continuously monitor the system to detect and block threats as they occur.
On the other hand, a spot scan is run manually to check all files and detect threats already present on the system.
