Top free antivirus compared

About Top free antivirus compared

Free antivirus is simple to start and surprisingly awkward to compare, because the free version and the paid plan often cover different numbers of devices and ship different extras. This ranking covers 63 brands and puts each one side by side on what you pay when you join, what you pay when the plan renews, how many devices are covered, what comes bundled, and which systems the software will install on. The trade-off you weigh is straightforward: a free version handles everyday scanning on a small set of devices, while a paid plan buys more device headroom, extras such as VPNs and parental controls, and support routes beyond a help centre. Introductory prices are easy to spot and renewal prices are where the real cost shows up, so both appear here beside the brand they belong to rather than blended into a single figure. Coverage matters just as much, since some entries install on Windows only while others stretch across Windows, macOS and Linux. Read on and the differences sort themselves out.

How we picked

Each brand is scored on cost at 40%, on the offer it makes at 40%, and on trust at 20%. Cost and the offer pull with equal force, while trust holds a smaller share, which is why a cheap free version with a thin device limit does not automatically rise. Figures come from published brand pages, product listings and store pricing, together with structured records from the wider comparison database. Entry prices are read from store and product pages, renewal prices from the same product listings, and each is reported separately rather than averaged. Device allowances are taken from the plan pages, extras are recorded only where a maker lists them, and support comes from the contact and support pages, which is why some entries show only a help centre. Duplicate maker listings are each kept and scored on their own data rather than merged. Partners that serve your country are listed first in this ranking, then the rest by score. All 63 brands were reviewed before the list was cut.

Our top picks

1. 3. Kaspersky

   Kaspersky appears in this ranking as a free version covering 10 devices on Windows, macOS and Android, with a VPN, a password manager and parental controls in the extras, a generous bundle for a no-cost tier. The legal entity is AO Kaspersky Lab in the CH, so jurisdiction is a fair question for privacy-minded readers to settle early. The practical drawback is help after a bad install, because support runs on help centre and community, a help centre and a community board. VeePN, next in this ranking, stretches across Windows, macOS and Linux and opens at $59.76.

   • Devices: 10
   • Server countries: 93
   • Money-back period: 30 days

   Pros

   • Kaspersky Premium bundles the VPN, password manager and parental controls (vpn, password manager and parental controls) in one subscription a family plan can share
   • Device and platform coverage is generous: 10 devices at once, with apps for Windows, macOS and Android on desktop and mobile
   • Streaming and travel are stated features, with Netflix, Amazon Prime Video and Disney+ supported and kill switch and split tunnelling built in as standard

   Cons

   • Support runs on help centre and community only, so quick answers go through documentation or the community rather than live chat
   • The protocol list is WireGuard, so readers who want a wider choice of protocols have less room to compare
   • The free version that Kaspersky lists sits with antivirus rather than a free VPN, so VPN features start on a paid subscription

2. 4. ESET Brasil

   ESET Brasil earns its place in this ranking on breadth, protecting Windows, Windows Server and macOS with a device allowance running 1 to 25, one of the widest limits stated here. A free version is available, extras add a VPN and parental controls, and support runs on phone, email and help centre, so help is easy to reach. The paid side opens at BRL 64.22, and the entity behind it is KS Solucoes Corporativas Ltda in the BR. IObit Malware Fighter, the name after it here, is the opposite trade: Windows only, an allowance of 1 to 3, and a starting price of $19.95.

   • 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

A free version to fall back on

A no-cost tier is the baseline here, and the share of brands in this ranking that offer one is 100%. Where a maker also sells a paid plan, the typical opening price is €47.95, so the free option is a genuine fallback rather than a trial.

What the entry price actually is

Introductory prices are quoted separately from renewals. The median opening price in this ranking is €47.95, with a low of €10.87 and a high of €157.84.

Renewal cost after the opening term

Monthly billing in this ranking centres on €6.95, longer commitments sit around €3.75, and yearly plans around €54.78. Read the renewal figure, not just the opening one.

Device allowance

The median allowance here is 10 devices, with the lower end at 1 and the upper end at 50. Homes with many screens should read this line first.

Support when something breaks

The share of brands offering a help centre is 87.5%, with community boards at 51.8%, email at 64.3% and phone at 55.4%.

Extras that come bundled

VPNs dominate the extras in this ranking, appearing for 96.2% of brands, with parental controls at 38.5% and password managers at 46.2%.

Frequently asked questions

Top free antivirus 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