Best Antivirus Software and Apps (Archive)

[amcarter3]

Since the US Government bans the use of Kaspersky products, why do you support their app as your #1 choice?

 

[BradensPCs]

Why is there never any mention of Panda here when they get higher detection rates and lower false positive rates than Kaspersky at AV Comparatives? There’s something fishy here….

 

[jjenney2016]

ESET NOD32 is the best. It’s very lightweight on your system, updates automatically, has the best heuristics, and they offer free tech support and virus removal. Why weren’t they mentioned? Most IT people recommend ESET. Shop at Microcenter and they recommend ESET too.

 

[jkmost]

Best ever Amtivirus, and all other kinds of malware & junkware--ONLY #ONE IN MY BOOK is EMSISOFT--if you do have a issue, their customer service is FANTASTIC and will work with you for as long as it takes..no extra charges. Do yourself a favor, check it out now (Numerous awards in the past several years--Top of the list! Jan M

 

[getitgotitgood]

Shocking that TG would recommend Kaspersky and so many people follow that awful advice. I have to seriously question TG's ethics and/or intelligence, I'm sure they won't miss me but this is my last time on this site.

 

[Christopher_156]

First of all I want to start off by letting everybody on this feed know that I am a former BestBuy contractor.
And while I was working there, we got in trouble for recommending any other AV product except Nortons!
Especially the new Norton Core IOT device. Secondly, management told us to stop selling Kapersky's AV
(because it is rumored to be a tool of the Russian intelligence gathering community).

 

[wyaghta]

Thank you, I try using Avast for my PC and Mobile phone

 

[wtj]

I'm very disappointed.
I never suspected that Tom's Hardware would recommend KASPERSKY!
Go back just a few years when the newly offered Kaspersky product COULDN'T BE REMOVED FROM WINDOWS!
Finally Symantec released a solution.
This was ?10-?15 years ago?
What makes Tom's think that Kaspersky or ANY Russian company is safe?
Sorry, now I can not accept any Tom's recommendation!

Oh, how the mighty have fallen!
(BTW your printer reviews are terrible! The only thing your reviewers seem to care about is speed.
What about PRINT and GRAPHICS QUALITY?
How about reproducing samples?)

 

[wtj]

I just realized...
Some of these comments are more than a year old, so this article must be at least THAT!
TG, YOU'VE BECOME A BLITHERING WASTE OF TIME!

 

[antonia.m]

how does iobit rate?

 

[monkeylovlov]

Which ones have no popup ads or with ads that can be disabled?

 

[rgd1101]

Which ones have no popup ads or with ads that can be disabled?

Any paid version.

 

[darkbreeze]

You know, I REALLY wish our staff writers and editorial department would STOP making statements like "you need a strong antivirus to ward off malware" and start using accurate nomenclature, especially since so many people take them at their word.

90% of antivirus programs either DO NOT ward against malware, at all, or do so via separate modules. Antivirus is for viruses. Malware protection is for, well, just about everything else. Mostly, antivirus, malware and root kit protections are all separate factors, requiring separate modules or applications. It's true there are some all in one protections out there but even those use entirely separate definitions for detection. Otherwise, you end up with people thinking that because they have Windows Defender they are protected from malware, adware, spyware, trojans and rootkits, which of course, most traditional antivirus programs do not protect against.

In fairness, I also wish some of these companies that offer these programs would do the same, and many of them DO say they are antivirus programs but also offer protections against a variety of malware and other attack vulnerabilities. Using correct terminology would go a long way towards making sure people are actually aware and informed about what exactly the actual threats are and whether or not they actually have protection against that or other types of infections.

 

[Dark Lord of Tech]

If you go to the home sites there are good descriptions about what each type suite protects , people just need to research what they are purchasing.

 

[wtj]

Trojan Remover - Simply Super Software
and
Anti-Malware - Malwarebytes
and
Anti-Virus Plus - McAfee OR Norton Anti-Virus - Symantec (I prefer McAfee)

 

[Rexer]

I've cleaned and tune-up hundreds of computers. I scour the internet every day (including Yahoo). No one AV gets it all. Malware and spyware are totally different animals and can also ruin Windows and files. Kaspersky is the best AV I've used. Thou I personally use Avast (for the AV boot scan and clean-up tools). I use Malwarebytes, Rkill, Rouge Killer, SUPERAnti-Spyware and Spybot on manual scans. Ccleaner after I get off a crappy site to clean up my browsers. Viruses sometimes hide out in temp files.
To be honest, if you've got no funds, use the Windows defender and firewall. A little defense is better than none at all.

 

[Rexer]

I don't think there's any one anti-virus program that gets them all. There are some that get close. Personally, I like two but I don't use them together. Kaspersky and Avast! I think Kaspersky does the best job of finding and removing viruses. I use Avast! for my daily web cruiser because it has a 'bootscan' feature. With the bootscan, Avast! can effectively search out viruses before Windows loads. Meaning, before a virus can do anything, Avast! can be used to search it out. I used it for years at the shop and am satisfied using it as a bench tool. I've used Kaspersky in my work computer for 5 years.
My tools are Avast! for viruses
Ccleaner for cleaning out temp files and useless junk.
Rkill to stop malicious software so I can run scans
SUPERAnti-Spyware for spyware
Spybot and Malwarebytes for malicious software that load on
Rogue Killer for deep Windows and HKey registry searches.
'cmd> sfc /scannow' for file repair and C: >Properties >Tools >Error Checker to fix Windows
Defrag program or the Windows tool in C:>properties.
I use the 'Major Geek' site when I find a really tough wreck to deal with.

 

[jrgsr70]

I used Avast and AVG for years, but stopped when they started hogging the system. When uninstalling AVG, I found its a nightmare to get it off your system.
I have good luck running MS Essentials and MS Defender along with Malwarebytes. Between them I have saved many computers from having to wipe drive down and reinstall the system along with whatever software was installed. Malwarebytes can be run while in safe mode.

 

[Rexer]

I used Avast and AVG for years, but stopped when they started hogging the system. When uninstalling AVG, I found its a nightmare to get it off your system.
I have good luck running MS Essentials and MS Defender along with Malwarebytes. Between them I have saved many computers from having to wipe drive down and reinstall the system along with whatever software was installed. Malwarebytes can be run while in safe mode.

Actually had no problems running Avast! as a stand alone product. When I'd run compatible real time scans like anti spyware or malware programs (like Malwarebytes, Spybot and Rouge killer), I notice congestion. Most of the congestion happens on start up because they all try to load and update.
AVG and Norton, if they get corrupted and need to be removed, whoa, that's a real headache to go into the registry path to dig out. It takes 3rd party program remover like 'Revo Uninstaller' to get it off. Even then, there's no guarantee it's completely off.

 

[mdd1963]

Malware FOX is really Zemana Anti-malware.

Testing Malware Fox, it even shows up in task manger is "ZAM"; so much for hiding it's licensing roots.