• Lightweight and easy on PC resources
• Digital footprint tool helps you fully understand where your information lives online
• Compatible with Windows, Mac, iOS and Android
• Identity theft protection and restoration
• Password manager
• Parental controls

• Firewall protection and performance tools not available on MacOS
• Protection only includes up to five devices
• Poor VPN performance
• Identity theft protection is only available for US customers

Originally sold as AVX (AntiVirus eXpert),Bitdefender has protected Windows and MacOS computers since the 1990s. Bitdefender's service expanded to cover iOS and Android in the 2010s, ensuring protection for all of your devices.

Why we like it

Bitdefender's antivirus had excellent usability and performance during my hands-on testing, and it also consistently earns top marks from respected independent antivirus testing labs likeAV-Test andAV-Comparatives.

The Bitdefender Ultimate Security packages also include a slew of other privacy and security tools, including a VPN, password manager, parental controls, email protection (for local email tools like Outlook), an autopilot tool to help you understand how secure your computer is and webcam protection. I was impressed by the usability and functionality of most of these tools. The digital footprint visualization tool was particularly effective, finding everything from old online accounts to cookies and other trackers connected to sites I've visited, with data going back several years. Bitdefender also provided buttons for requesting data removal from each of these sites, making it easy to clean up my online presence.

Additionally, you’ll get two performance-enhancing tools: a One-click Optimizer that aims to help you find ways to speed up your device and a Battery Mode tool for configuring how much power individual device functions use to improve your laptop's battery life. However, it’s worth noting that these tools -- and the firewall protection offered by Bitdefender -- aren’t available for MacOS.

Who it's best for

Bitdefender Ultimate Security is your best choice if you want a suite of tools to protect all of your digital activities, including email and other online activities. The parental controls also make Bitdefender Ultimate Security a great choice if you've got kids or regularly care for kids who might use your devices.

Who should look elsewhere

Bitdefender isn't a great choice for users with numerous devices, as its Ultimate Security packages only provide protection for up to five devices. This is notable when compared to McAfee, which offers protection for unlimited devices, or Norton, which has plans that cover up to 10 devices.

Bitdefender's VPN also isn't great, significantly slowing down my internet speed during my testing. Unfortunately, this is a common issue among VPNs built into cybersecurity packages from antivirus companies. If you're looking for a high-quality VPN, we recommend purchasing separate software likeExpressVPN.

Finally, it's worth noting that Bitdefender's identity theft protection is only available to US customers. Again, this issue is common among antivirus companies' cybersecurity packages, with international identity theft protection only being available through Malwarebytes. If you're outside of the US, you'll want to seek out a separate tool for identity theft protection.

Pricing

Bitdefender Total Security starts at $50 for the first year ($110 per year on renewal) and includes the core antivirus, password manager and email protection for two email addresses. However, most users will get the greatest benefit from Bitdefender Ultimate Security, which includes unlimited VPN, scam protection tools and dark web monitoring for $80 in the first year and $160 per year after. If you have significant assets to protect, you can further upgrade to Bitdefender Ultimate Security Plus for $100 for the first year ($190 on renewal).

If you just want antivirus software, you can get coverage for one device for $30 for the first year ($70 per year on renewal) or try the free version. But since most folks own multiple devices, we recommend Ultimate Security for comprehensive coverage.

• Protection for unlimited devices
• Text scam detector
• Social media privacy manager
• Online account manager helps you find and delete old accounts

• Full scan takes a long time
• Active scans use enough resources to cause issues on older computers
• Poor VPN performance

Founded in 1987,McAfee has had some difficulties in its journey. It briefly became part of Intel before becoming its own company again, and it even became infamous after releasing a bad update that crippled millions of computers in 2010. But it's always found its way back to providing top-notch antivirus software.

Why we like it

During my hands-on review, I found McAfee's antivirus software very easy to use. Running it in the background had no effect on my everyday activities, and scans used a small enough percentage of resources for me to continue those activities without issues. Moreover, McAfee consistently receives high marks in all three categories measured byAV-Test (security, usability and performance) and has received numerous awards fromAV-Comparatives. This proves McAfee's ability to effectively protect your devices from a variety of malware.

Along with the core antivirus software, the McAfee Plus Premium package gives you web protection for warding off malicious websites, a password manager and VPN. You'll also get a Social Privacy Manager and Personal Data Cleanup to protect your information online and remove it from untrustworthy sites. I was particularly impressed with the Online Account Manager, which helped me find hundreds of accounts connected to my email address and gave me tools to easily shut them down. I also appreciate that McAfee offers protection for unlimited devices, as opposed to the five- or 10-device limits imposed by other antivirus programs.

Who it's best for

McAfee is your best choice if you want effective antivirus protection for more than 10 devices without spending a fortune to get it.

Who should look elsewhere

McAfee's scans use up a lot of CPU power -- 50% to 60% -- and the deep scans take much longer than comparable scans I've run using other antivirus programs. This means it may not be the best antivirus for users who regularly perform tasks like video editing and may need to perform these high-resource activities while running scans. I recommend Bitdefender or Norton if you're looking for a resource-light antivirus that still provides excellent protection and comes bundled with a variety of cybersecurity tools.

McAfee's VPN also has issues, significantly slowing down my internet during my tests. That said, I encountered similar problems with all the VPNs connected to the antivirus software I've tested, so you'll have to buy a separate VPN if you want both excellent privacy and excellent performance. We recommendExpressVPN for both its performance and its commitment to privacy.

Finally, McAfee's privacy policies give McAfee a lot of leeway in how it shares your information with a wide range of third parties. You may want to consider one of the other companies on this list if you're deeply concerned about privacy.

Pricing

McAfee Plus Premium costs $50 for the first year and $150 a year on renewal. If you only have one device to protect, you can purchase the Basic plan for $30 in the first year ($90 a year on renewal). However, Basic doesn't include the best McAfee features, like the personal data cleanup tool, so the more expensive plans are worthwhile for most users regardless of the number of devices they own.

People with significant assets can spring for theUltimate antivirus and identity protection plan, priced at $200 for the first year and $280 a year afterward. This plan includes identity theft coverage of up to $2 million and $25,000 ransomware coverage, plus investment monitoring.

• Full suite of online security tools, including antivirus, malware ransomware and hacking protection
• Covers up to 10 devices on one subscription
• Parental controls
• Lightweight program with minimal resource usage
• Encrypted cloud backups

• Lacks identity theft insurance
• Minimal tools for managing where your information is online
• Can be difficult to reach a human customer service agent
• Poor VPN performance

Norton is another longstanding name in the antivirus space, protecting millions of devices since 1990.

Why we like it

I found Norton's antivirus remarkably easy to set up and use during my hands-on testing. This antivirus also had remarkably low resource usage, claiming just 1% to 2% of my CPU's processing power during active scans -- over 20% less than both Bitdefender and McAfee. Moreover, Norton LifeLock has consistently earned high marks fromAV-Test andAV-Comparatives for virus and malware detection.

Norton's performance optimization tools (software updater, file cleanup and startup manager) were similarly efficient, with quick scans and minimal resource usage. The password manager, safe search extension and safe browser were also effective and easy to use.

Norton offers something you won't get with other antivirus tools: encrypted cloud backups. This ensures that your data is safe if your device breaks down. This starts at 2GB, which isn't much but could protect most users' essential data (like your tax information), and goes all the way up to 250GB, which is enough to protect most users' entire data collection.

Finally, Norton offers a variety of identity protection features, from dark web monitoring to identity theft protection and credit monitoring. You can also get stolen fund reimbursement of up to $25,000 with the highest-tier plan.

Who it's best for

Norton LifeLock is your best choice if you're completely new to antivirus tech and want something that emphasizes simplicity. Norton's also a great choice if you're looking for cloud backups and want them bundled into your cybersecurity package to minimize the number of bills you need to manage.

Who should look elsewhere

Norton lacks the digital footprint and online account management tools offered by other top companies like Bitdefender and McAfee. Similarly, you can't get social media monitoring tools from Norton, so it's not an ideal choice if you want something that will help you clean up your overall online presence.

Norton's VPN had better performance than most antivirus companies' VPNs, but it still wasn't great, especially when I set it to servers outside of North America. I recommend buying a separate VPN likeExpressVPN if you want to use a VPN without noticeably slowing down your internet.

I was also disappointed by Norton's limited identity theft protection. Specifically, the lack of insurance coverage for identity theft puts Norton's highest-tier package behind comparable packages from Bitdefender and McAfee.

Customer service also proved less than ideal, with Norton's AI going to great lengths to keep me from speaking to a human. Moreover, when I did get in touch with a person through phone support, I had to repeat my question multiple times before it was understood.

Pricing

A 10-device subscription for Norton 360 with LifeLock Select is $100 for the first year and $190 per year afterwards.

For folks that don’t need Norton’s LifeLock protection, Norton 360 Deluxe offers many of the same antivirus features, along with a VPN and password manager, for $50 in the first year ($120 on renewal) and covers five devices. Or, you can grab the budget-friendly Norton Antivirus, which offers the antivirus, scam protection, password manager and 2GB of cloud backup for $30 in the first year ($60 per year after).

• Dashboard is remarkably easy to navigate
• Advanced customization for things like privacy settings
• Web Shield automatically checks files for malware before you download them
• Webcam protection

• Lack of features for managing where your information can be found online
• Poor VPN performance
• Poor customer service
• Concerns around protocols for protecting user data

Founded in the Czech Republic,AVG Internet Security has provided antivirus protection to European computers since 1992, with its services expanding into the US in 1998.

Why we like it

AVG Internet Security had similar scan speed and resource usage to Norton during my hands-on testing, making it one of the most efficient antivirus tools I tested. AVG's antivirus also has consistently highAV-Test rankings across all categories.

Most of AVG's other tools were also highly effective, from the TuneUp program (which helps you clean up your files and processes to improve device performance) to the AntiTrack tool (which opts you out of the biggest ad-tracking programs and blocks additional tracking on websites you visit). The secure browser and safety extension for popular browsers like Chrome can further protect you while surfing the web, though neither one is particularly good at blocking ads.

Who it's best for

AVG Internet Security can be a good choice if you're looking for a free or highly affordable cybersecurity package that includes both an antivirus and safe browsing tools.

Who should look elsewhere

AVG Internet Security doesn't include features like dark web monitoring, online account management or digital footprint visualization, making it a poor choice if you're looking to control where and how your data is used online. AVG doesn't offer identity theft protection or insurance either, so you'll want to look to one of the other companies on this list if you have assets to protect.

I also had issues with AVG's VPN, which had poor performance, even when compared to other antivirus companies' VPNs. If you're looking for a high-quality VPN, consider purchasing a separate program likeExpressVPN.

AVG's customer service further disappointed me, forcing me to jump through multiple hoops before I could speak with a person. It also took an unusually long time for AVG's support representatives to answer my questions. I recommend Bitdefender or McAfee if you're looking for an antivirus with good customer support.

Finally, AVG's privacy policies and its connection to Avast -- a companyfined $16.5 million by the FTC for selling its customers' data -- give me some concerns about AVG's commitment to protecting user data. If you're concerned about the security of your personal information, I recommend choosing a different antivirus company like Bitdefender or even Malwarebytes, which has the best privacy policy of any antivirus I've tested.

Pricing

You can get AVG Internet Security for 10 devices for $60 in the first year and $100 a year on renewal. The single-device plan is more affordable at $40 for the first year and $78 per year after.

• Top-tier malware removal
• Includes Browser Guard for web browsers
• Easy to use, customizable interface

• Certain protections only available for Windows
• Real-time (preventative) protection isn’t as good as alternatives
• Even the top-tier plan only covers three devices without additional fees

Founded in 2004,Malwarebytes started as a tool for removing malware from computers. It has since grown into a full antivirus service with real-time protection and other benefits.

Why we like it

If you're looking for an antivirus company that truly commits to protecting its users' data, look no further than Malwarebytes. Malwarebytes' VPN is a true no-logs VPN with RAM-only, diskless servers that don't store any user data in a permanent way. Malwarebytes' other programs collect slightly more data, but it's limited to what Malwarebytes needs to continuously run and update its software to protect against new threats. Moreover, Malwarebytes has strict limitations on the third parties it will share your data with. While this does include public authorities, Malwarebytes is adamant that it will only do this if compelled, and it won't share your data with the same range of marketing and advertising companies that other antivirus companies share information with.

The software itself is also highly efficient, using even less disk CPU power than other low-resource antivirus tools like AVG and completing regular scans within five minutes during my hands-on testing. The deep scans took longer -- around 40 minutes -- but not nearly as long as McAfee's full scans.

Other Malwarebytes tools were similarly effective, with dark web scanning bringing up dozens of breaches going back years. Malwarebytes' VPN also had significantly less impact on my internet speed than most other VPNs created by antivirus companies, though it still didn't perform as well as something likeExpressVPN.

Malwarebytes recently launched a freePC security toolbelt, which makes it easy to optimize your computer's startup process, repair common issues -- including privacy issues -- and customize how your built-in Windows firewall performs. These tools may significantly improve your experience using your PC.

Who it's best for

Malwarebytes is your best choice if you want to get antivirus protection without compromising your privacy.

Who should look elsewhere

Malwarebytes' interface isn't particularly easy to navigate, with scan scheduling hidden away and no built-in deep scan feature (you have to set up your own deep scans with the custom scan option). This makes it a poor choice for folks who aren't technically inclined.

Furthermore, Malwarebytes' third-party test results are mixed. It hasn't performed well in its most recentAV-Test andAV-Comparatives tests, but it did receive a2025 Product of the Year Award from AVLab Cybersecurity Foundation. The AVLab Cybersecurity Foundation is a reputable organization with membership in the Anti-Malware Testing Standards Organization, but you may still want to consider another program if you're not fully confident in the AVLab Cybersecurity Foundation's results.

Finally, Malwarebytes' customer service is remarkably frustrating. The knowledge base -- the one aspect of customer service tech companies almost universally get right -- lacks multimedia content on most pages, the live chat representatives can be slow to answer even simple questions, email support is slow, and phone support doesn't exist. Consider Bitdefender or McAfee if good customer support is important to you.

Pricing

You can get protection and disinfection for three devices for $60 per year. For access to the full security suite, you'll pay $140 in the first year and $280 per year on renewal, with coverage for three devices. Additional fees are charged for each additional device attached to your Malwarebytes plan.

A2025 CNET Editors’ Choice winner, Bitdefender is intuitive, easy to use and has a light footprint on your computer’s operating system. They offer multipronged threat protection using antivirus software and scam detection that analyzes your emails and text for signs of fraud. Bitdefender offers three affordable subscription tiers where you can bundle your antivirus with a VPN, identity theft protection or dark web monitoring. Right now, you can save up to 62% on your first year of Bitdefender when you sign up for an annual plan.