10 best free antivirus software for Windows

1. Avast One Essential

The free version of the Avast product line offers a basic level of protection based on good functionality, a limited VPN and PC acceleration tools. With the Privacy Advisor tool, which is responsible for online security, the programme will prompt you to check your privacy settings on different sites after the first system check and provide you with all the necessary links and instructions.

Thanks to the free VPN, you'll get up to 5GB of traffic per week, which is more in total than what other competitors offer. However, there will be some restrictions regarding the choice of region and speed of operation, which are absent in the premium version of the programme.

On the list of Avast's main features:

• Analyses information in real time and reliably protects against viruses, ransomware and other threats.
• Protects personal data from hackers by preventing hacking.
• Minimises the risk of hacker attacks over Wi-Fi with an advanced firewall.
• Monitors active programs and detects their suspicious behaviour.
• Monitors your home network and detects vulnerabilities to avoid dodgy connections.
• Prevents malware from reaching your computer via email services.

Of the significant disadvantages: the programme has a slightly more complex interface compared to competitors' products.

2. AVG Antivirus Free

AVG Antivirus Free has a number of differences from the Avast One Essential reviewed above:

• Doesn't have a free VPN, not even a limited one.
• Has a less user-friendly interface.

AVG Antivirus Free's not bad cloud scanner detects most viruses and malicious apps. In addition, the software is regularly updated, has a separate option to scan downloaded files (boot scan), and a utility to check and optimise your PC's performance (performance scan).

AVG Antivirus Free has these features:

• Safely deletes sensitive files using an inbuilt utility.
• Allows you to control all your devices on which the software is installed through a control panel.
• Warns you when you visit low-rated websites by relying on a large web reputation database.
• Blocks most of the methods of tracking your PC.

The programme does not overload your computer with its work. However, it loses to most competitive products in terms of functionality and does not protect your PC very well against login and password theft.

3. Total AV Free Antivirus

Among all free programmes, Total AV Free Antivirus is the most user-friendly in terms of interface, so it is suitable even for inexperienced users. The service is second only to Bitdefender in terms of phishing threat detection quality.

The Total Password password manager supports biometric and two-factor authorisation, which significantly increases the security level. However, the free version of Total AV lacks real-time protection, unlike the premium version.

4. Bitdefender

This antivirus programme has a free version that Ukrainians can freely use for 90 days. Bitdefender Antivirus Free protects well against phishing, instantly recognising fake sites that easily bypass Chrome's built-in protection. The service also has an intuitive interface and sparingly uses system resources.

But one of the main advantages of the service is the use of a “cloud scanner”. This means that during scanning the programme uses server capacity, thanks to which your system is loaded minimally.

As for disadvantages, the free version of Bitdefender lacks online banking protection, there are a limited number of slots in the parental control setting, and the VPN is limited (only 500 MB per day).

5. ESET NOD32 Antivirus

ESET Nod32 offers a free trial for 30 days. The available features include cloud scanning, anti-phishing modules, file download scanning, tools to protect online banking, scripting attacks and ransomware, etc., and even the minimal “home” package includes a convenient reporting system for scanning and threat detection.

ESET Nod32 is inferior to Bitdefender in terms of phishing protection. But in such tools as protection against malicious scripts and online banking protection it has much more capabilities.

6. Avira

This is a full-fledged free antivirus with which you get a free anti-malware module, a cloud scanner (slow compared to paid antiviruses, but still) and an intuitive interface.

Avira Free Security has quite a few additional features and functions:

• Safe Shopping browser extension that automatically blocks adverts and suspicious sites.
• Privacy optimisation tools to get to implicit settings in Windows and browser that could be causing some of your data to leak out onto the web.
• VPN with a monthly limit of 500 MB for a secure anonymous Internet connection.
• Password manager.
• Game Booster game mode.

7. F-Secure Online Scanner

Available for free and compatible with current versions of Windows, this antivirus takes up little space on disc and can work together with other antivirus products. Thanks to its technology, F-Secure Lighthouse demonstrates high efficiency in detecting and removing “pathogenic” software on your computer.

F-Secure Online Scanner's list of strengths includes:

• As simple as possible to run without a multi-step installation procedure.
• Portable format, so you can use any media to download the scanner.
• No need to clean your computer of unnecessary files after using the scanner.
• High speed and quality of scanning.
• No conflicts with desktop antivirus software.
• Multilingual interface.

In addition to its strengths, F-Secure Online Scanner has weaknesses:

• Inability to scan the system without Internet access.
• Supports only quick scanning without deep scanning algorithms.
• Impossibility to customise the service to adapt it to a specific device.

8. Trend Micro HouseCall

A handy service that helps you protect your PC and other devices on your local network from Internet threats, even sophisticated ones (such as rootkits that are resistant to many antiviruses). Trend Micro HouseCall can adjust scan depth, perform quick scans and individual analyses of folder contents, or perform a full assessment of all data on your PC.

On the list of product strengths:

• Runs independently of browser and other software, so it does not conflict and runs correctly.
• Uses advanced mechanisms to detect problems and solve them.
• Allows you to compare the results of different checks.
• Provides the ability to recover files.

But the service has some weaknesses: it does not work without Internet and is available only in English. In addition, the programme runs on demand and does not provide “background” protection here and now.

9. 360 Total Security

This antivirus programme, developed by the Chinese company Qihoo 360, will keep your computer safe when you shop online, download files and chat with friends. 360 Total Security scans your system for viruses, Trojans and other threats. The service also checks Wi-Fi networks and has a sandbox mode (an environment for safely running the programme).

The list of 360 Total Security features includes:

• Quickly check all computer performance and security parameters with a single click.
• A full suite of virus protection in the form of 360 Cloud Scan Engine, 360 QVMII AI Engine, QEX and Kunpeng antivirus systems.
• Four protection modes (Performance/Balance/Security/User’s) with specific levels of protection against malware, phishing attacks and backdoors.
• Configuring and optimising services, autoloader elements and plug-ins.
• Clean up disc space (selected areas and files), which improves system performance.

However, the last two functions are not often needed by users.

10. Windows Defender

A basic free antivirus that is built into and available to Windows 10/11 users. It detects virus threats when you download or launch running files, without overloading the system with its work.

However, Windows Defender is inferior to other free antivirus programmes by lacking many advanced features. It also doesn't have a real-time protection screen (i.e. you won't get a signal when you try to download a malicious file), rarely offers database updates, and considers some executable files for activating unlicensed or freeware programs to be viruses.

Which antivirus to choose?

To make it easier for you to make a choice, based on the above, we have compiled the most significant strengths and weaknesses of the reviewed antivirus programmes in the table:

Having considered free antiviruses and programmes with a trial period, we conclude that they all have their pros and cons. Depending on your needs and by testing the proposed options, you will be able to choose among them the most suitable for your own use.