Top antivirus software compared

About Top antivirus software compared

Antivirus buying is mostly a three way trade-off: what a plan charges when you sign up, what it charges when you renew, and how many devices it will actually cover. Introductory prices in this category are routinely discounted, so the renewal figure matters as much as the first invoice, and several plans here offer a free version alongside a paid tier. This ranking compares 77 antivirus brands on entry price, renewal price, device allowances, bundled extras, supported platforms and support channels. The typical plan in this ranking covers 5.5 devices and costs €49.95 for a first year, with renewal prices across the group running €33.75 to €199.84. Free plans are common here, offered by 71.4% of the brands compared, so a paid subscription is not the only way to get protection. What separates the leaders is coverage breadth and renewal cost, and the differences are worth weighing before you pick a plan name.

How we picked

Cost and offer carry the most weight in this ranking, at 40% and 40%, while trust accounts for 20%. That mix is deliberate for antivirus, where a cheap first year often says little about what a renewal costs or how much of the household the plan actually protects. Entry prices come from each vendor's own store pages, and renewal prices are recorded separately wherever a vendor publishes both, so an introductory figure is never read as the ongoing one. Device counts, extras, platforms and support channels are taken from the same vendor pages, and free version availability is noted where a vendor states it plainly. Partners that serve your country are listed first in this ranking, then the rest by score. Ordering then follows the combined score, and every brand in the comparison is included, not just the leaders.

Our top picks

1. 6. ESET Brasil

   ESET Brasil earns its place in this ranking by pairing a free version with the broadest platform list here, covering Windows, Windows Server and macOS including Windows Server, which is unusual among consumer antivirus plans. Device allowance runs 1 to 25, and the entry price is BRL 64.22 in Brazilian reais, so this entry suits readers shopping in that market rather than a dollar budget elsewhere. Extras add a VPN and parental controls, and support runs on phone, email and help centre. Compared with Vipre Security below it, ESET offers a free version and more platforms, while Vipre publishes a renewal price that reads far lower.

   • First-year price: R$64.22
   • Devices: 1 to 25
   • Platforms: Windows, Windows Server, MacOS, and 2 more

   Pros

   • First-year price of BRL 64.22 ranks 1 of 36, ahead of the €49.95 category median.
   • Support runs on phone, email and help centre, with phone and email alongside self service material.
   • Protection plans bundle vpn and parental controls, so one subscription carries a VPN and child controls.
   • A single plan covers Windows, Windows Server and macOS, mixing consumer desktop and mobile with a server edition.
   • Encryption covers files, folders and USB drives, with full disk and removable media encryption for business.

   Cons

   • Device cover runs 1 to 25, short of the 50 that Comodo (Xcitium) covers, so wider estates must shop elsewhere.
   • The free version is reached through the mobile security app rather than a desktop product, and the model is listed as free.
   • The bundled VPN reaches 40 to 70, below the 74 median across antivirus listings.
   • Prices are quoted in BRL under BR, so they do not line up with the USD first-year price of $14.99 at Vipre Security.

What to look for

Check the renewal price, not just the entry price

Renewal price is where antivirus budgets usually change. Across this ranking, renewal prices run €33.75 to €199.84, so it is worth checking that figure before you commit to a plan name. Brands such as Vipre Security and Webroot publish both an entry price and a renewal price, and the gap between them can be wide.

Match the device limit to your household

Device allowances vary sharply here. The range across this ranking runs 3 to 50, with a median of 5.5. A plan that covers fewer devices may suit a single laptop, while a household plan needs headroom for phones and tablets.

Check which extras come bundled

A VPN is the most common bundled extra, appearing with 97.2% of the brands here. Password managers and parental controls show up less often, at 50% and 41.7%, so a plan that folds them in can be good value.

Decide whether a free version is enough

A free version exists with 71.4% of the brands compared. Free plans suit light use, while paid tiers tend to add device coverage, a VPN or parental controls. Free does not always mean the same thing across vendors, so check what each tier actually includes.

Check support options and where the plan sells

Help centres are the most widespread support route, present with 88.6% of brands in this ranking, while chat is offered by 30%. Where you buy, and in which currency, also matters, since several plans are listed for a single market.

Frequently asked questions

Top antivirus software compared by country

• Australia
• Brazil
• Canada
• China
• France
• Germany
• India
• Italy
• Japan
• Mexico
• South Korea
• Spain
• Turkey
• United Kingdom
• United States

The data behind this ranking

All data and the CSV