Don’t we all love to watch or learn new things on the internet every day? Be it a viral video, a trending news, a funny meme, or a thousand other things, the Internet is usually a treasure trove for both knowledge and entertainment. However, besides the amazing things that it has to offer, there are countless virus and malware teeming in every nook and cranny, just waiting to raid your system. This is why you need the best antivirus software to protect your system and sensitive files from any kind of breach.
Nowadays hackers and cybercriminals are also inventing novel ways to get into your system and access your personal and financial information and either blackmail you into paying a ransom, or sell your personal data for profit. It is always best advised to beware and protect your system with the best antivirus software available in the market.
How Can The Best Antivirus Software Help You?
Antivirus software can be of immense help for:
- Providing real-time protection to your system
- Protecting your system from malware, phishing attacks, and ransomware
- Effective spyware detection and removal and spam filtering
- Performing regular scans on your system and keeping it secure.
- Providing alerts and notifications if there is any threat to your system.
- Having an overall user-friendly interface so that you can use it easily.
- Aiming to maintain minimal impact on system performance while providing top-notch protection
- May also provide additional features to ensure top-notch system security.
The best antivirus software will provide you all of this and more! So let’s dive right in and learn about the best antivirus software to choose in 2025.
Best Antivirus Software for 2025
| Best Antivirus Software | Starting Price |
| Norton | $59.99/yr |
| Bitdefender | $29.99/yr |
| Malwarebytes | $44.99/yr |
| Avast One | $2.99/mo |
| McAfee | $29.99/yr |
| Surfshark | |
| G Data Antivirus | $29.95/yr |
Norton
Are you looking for a robust antivirus software that will provide ample support against malware, provide a full -scale Firewall, and protect your data on multiple levels? Then Norton should be your pick! It is one of the best antivirus software to choose and quite easy to install and set up in your system as well! Thanks to its the amazing tools and features that block malicious sites, prevent phishing scams, and protect your sensitive documents, it is a popular choice and it deserves all the hype as well. It has aced most lab tests and that’s why it’s one of the most reliable antivirus software out there.
Key Features
- ✅ It is quite easy to install and set up in your system, and it provides a user-friendly interface.
- ✅ You can activate the backup process to your cloud storage so that all of your important files are securely backed up.
- ✅ Allows you to install four Norton browser extensions to your default browser, and you can also install their browser and password manager.
- ✅ The recently introduced Gen stack offers an organized and user-friendly interface that is easy to navigate and work with.
- ✅ You can access lots of scanning features like Quick scans that focus on finding malware, Targeted scans that check the selected drives and folders, Smart Scan that combines both, Startup scan, and more.
- ✅ Its browser protector helps block dangerous URLs and also identifies and protects against phishing scams.
- ✅ The Data Protector tool protects against malicious programs from modifying your sensitive and important documents.
- ✅ Offers a full-scale Firewall that keeps you secure from outside attacks and prevents other users from misusing your internet connection.
- ✅ Protects against exploit attacks and blocks them from below the browser level.
- ✅ Norton boasts of some amazing lab test results, for example, it has been rated a top AAA by SE Labs, and has received high scores from eminent labs like AV-Test Institute and the London-based MRG-Effitas labs.
Pros and Cons
Pricing
| Plans | Pricing |
| Norton Antivirus Plus (1 PC or Mac) | $59.99/ yr |
| Norton 360 Standard | $94.99/yr for one device |
| Norton 360 Standard Plus II | $109.99/yr for 3 devices |
| Norton 360 Premium Plus | $169.99/yr for 10 devices |
Bitdefender
Your search for the best-rated cyber security system for your devices ends with Bitdefender. It is one of the leading antivirus that has consistently scored excellently in lab tests, and delivers robust service with quick detection and removal of malware and ransomware, online threat protection, VPN, browser protection, and a lot more. It is popular as one of the best antivirus software within an affordable range, so get Bitdefender today!
Key Features
- ✅ It has a web-based dashboard called Bitdefender Central where you can manage your subscriptions, download data protection tools, install the antivirus to your system, and also access the Bitdefender Digital Identity Protection Service.
- ✅ The dashboard also provides a user-friendly and organized interface that you can easily navigate and you can find all the features just a click away.
- ✅ After installation, you can run an in-depth full system scan to check for any lurking malware in your system. You can also schedule daily, weekly, or monthly scans for your system.
- ✅ One of the best antivirus software, it is quick to detect and protect your system from malware, ransomware, and phishing attacks.
- ✅ It has a Network Threat Protection feature that works along with Online Threat Protection to identify and prevent attacks on the security of your operating system and other applications.
- ✅ You can use its browser protection tool to secure your system and prevent attacks from dangerous or fraudulent websites. They also provide an Anti-Tracker feature that you can add as your browser extension.
- ✅ You can also purchase the Bitdefender SecurePass password manager and you can also get three months of free trial.
- ✅ They also have a VPN product that helps you ensure data privacy, block ads and trackers, and protect from fraudulent sites.
- ✅ Bitdefender boasts of excellent lab test results and near-perfect scores from reputed institutes like MRG-Effitas, AV-Comparatives, AV-Test Institute, and more.
Pros and Cons
Pricing
| Plans | Pricing |
| Total Security | $59.99/ yr |
| Internet Security | $49.99/ yr |
| Antivirus Plus | $29.99/ yr |
Malwarebytes
If you are looking for an antivirus software with robust features and top-notch protection, Malwarebytes can be an excellent choice. It will be your go-to antivirus software if you prefer a minimalistic interface with feature-packed solution, you can also try the free version before investing in a subscription. An all-in-one solution that provides real-time protection, browser protection, scheduled scanning, and malware detection and removal, it is one of the best antivirus software to invest in.
Key Features
- ✅ It has a simple and minimalistic interface and you can easily navigate through the well-organized Dashboard.
- ✅ After installation, you can run a full scan of your system with the Trusted Advisor feature that reports on the overall protection status of your system and provides tips and scope for improvement.
- ✅ You can use the scan scheduler to run quick, full or custom scans on your system on a regular basis.
- ✅ It also has a free version, but getting the Premium version will give you access to more features like Real-time protection, Scanner, Detection History, and more.
- ✅ Also offers a Browser Guard that you can use as a plug-in for your browsers like Chrome, Firefox, and Edge, and helps you steer clear from phishing sites and site that host malware.
- ✅ Provides effective security against malware by quarantining them and also providing a description of the malware type.
- ✅ It is also very efficient for integrated ransomware protection.
- ✅ Malwarebytes has scored high scores for the lab tests run by London-based MRG-Effitas labs, and hence it is considered a reliable option.
Pros and Cons
Pricing
| Plans | Pricing |
| Free | $0 |
| Standard | $44.99/yr |
| Plus | $59.99/yr |
| Total | $95.00/yr |
Avast One
Everyone looking for a free or affordable solution will be amazed by Avast One for sure! A robust antivirus solution that covers malware and ransomware protection, Firewall features, VPN, Browser protection, and a lot more, it is surely a wise and efficient pick to secure your system. It is also one of the leading software that achieves excellent scores at leading independent lab tests, making it an even more reliable solution.
Key Features
- ✅ You can use this best antivirus software on a range of devices like Windows and Mac computers, and Android and iOS devices.
- ✅ It is available to use in various countries like the US, the UK, Germany, France, Canada, Switzerland, Australia, and more.
- ✅ Has a light and bright interface with the usual Avast doodles, and has an overall pleasant feel.
- ✅ The Home Page shows you all the important things to do to secure your system better, and you can access other features like Software Updater, Browser Cleaner, and PC Speedup.
- ✅ It is known for providing top-notch protection against malware, phishing sites, and ransomware.
- ✅ Right after installation, you can run a Smart scan on your system, and also schedule a monthly scan. You also have the option to run a targeted scan of subset files.
- ✅ You can access their basic Firewall that blocks unsolicited connections from the internet and examines whether any new network is trustworthy.
- ✅ They also offer some additional features like Network inspector that examines your device security, Email guardian that checks your email, and VPN.
- ✅ Avast is known for achieving excellent test scores from reputed labs all over the world, like AV-Test Institute, AV-Comparatives, SE Labs, and MRG-Effitas.
Pros and Cons
Pricing
| Plans | Pricing |
| Basic | $0 |
| Silver | $2.99/mo |
| Gold | $6.99/mo |
McAfee
Mcafee offers a robust but simple best antivirus software that can help in ensuring multi-level security for your system. From features like identity monitoring, web protection, malware and ransomware identification and removal, to tools like VPN, Tracker Remover, Firewall, and WebAdvisor, it ensures comprehensive security for your system. It is also known for securing excellent lab test scores, so it is overall a very reliable and user-friendly solution.
Key Features
- ✅ It is available for many devices like Windows, Mac, and Chrome computers, and iOS and Android mobile phones and tablets.
- ✅ It is quick and easy to install and get started with, and you can easily integrate it with you default browser.
- ✅ The McAfee Dashboard offers an organized interface where you can easily find most of the features, and some windows also update you with necessary actions and panel reports about your system security.
- ✅ It is well-known for providing top-notch security against phishing attacks and ransomware, although its malware protection features can be improved.
- ✅ McAfee offers quick and easy full system scans for your system, and you can also schedule bi-weekly, weekly, or monthly scans as your system requires.
- ✅ You can access some additional features like the Tracker Remover tool that cleans up traces of your computer and browser activity, and the WebAdvisor tool that steers your browser away from URLs with malware. However, its Firewall is minimal and could be stronger.
- ✅ It is known for acing and achieving near-perfect lab test scores from eminent institutions like SE Labs, AV-Test Institute, AV-Comparatives, and MRG-Effitas.
Pros and Cons
Pricing
| Plans | Pricing |
| Basic | $34.99 for 1 device in 1 year |
| Plus | $44.99 for 5 devices in 1 year |
| Premium | $49.99 for 10 devices in 1 year |
| McAfee Safe Connect VPN | Starts from $29.99 for 1 device in 1 year |
Surfshark
Surfshark is especially known for its VPN and cybersecurity solution, and is one of the most popular and best antivirus software to choose. While the Antivirus is only limited to Windows, Mac, and Android devices, the VPN is compatible with a range of devices like Chrome, Linux, Mac, and Windows computers, and Android and iOS devices, so it will be compatible with most of your devices. It has robust features like effective and multi-level protection from malware, ransomware, and phishing sites, Webcam protection, private search engine, robust browser extension, data breach alerts, and more make it a wise choice for protecting your system.
Key Features
- ✅ While the Antivirus is only limited to Windows, Mac, and Android devices, the VPN is compatible with a range of devices like Chrome, Linux, Mac, and Windows computers, and Android and iOS phones/tablets.
- ✅ It has a quick and simple installation process, and the Dashboard is easily navigable and user-friendly.
- ✅ Provides effective and multi-level protection from malware, ransomware, and phishing sites.
- ✅ Offers an Alternative ID feature that keeps your personal information hidden while browsing online.
- ✅ You can get bonus features like Webcam protection, private search engine, robust browser extension, data breach alerts, and more.
- ✅ It has achieved quite impressive scores by eminent labs like AV-Test Institute.
Pros and Cons
Pricing
| Plans | 1 month | 12 months | 24 months |
| Starter | $15.45/mo | $3.29/mo | $2.19/mo |
| One | $17.95/mo | $3.39/mo | $2.69/mo |
| One+ | $20.65/mo | $6.09/mo | $4.29/mo |
G Data Antivirus
Known as one of the oldest and best antivirus software, G Data is everything that you can expect from a robust and no-nonsense antivirus solution. Securing high scores from the best lab tests, it is a reliable and feature-packed solution that provides many layers of protection against malware, ransomware, and phishing attacks, perform and schedule full-system scans, along with some bonus features as well. So overall, it is one of the best antivirus software you can get thanks to its years of experience and service in the industry.
Key Features
- ✅ It is one of the oldest antivirus software and has been trusted by many users over the years.
- ✅ The interface is simple and easily navigable to find all the features and updates.
- ✅ It provides many layers of protection against malware, ransomware, and phishing attacks.
- ✅ You can do a full-system scan after installation, and also schedule scans on an hourly, weekly, daily, or monthly basis. You can also choose targeted scanning for checking memory, analyzing removable devices, and scanning for rootkits.
- ✅ Provides some bonus features like a spam filtering tool, a tool to protect your financial transactions called BankGuard, and the Autostart Manager that can set any program to launch after a delay.
- ✅ Boasts of high scores in lab tests at eminent institutes like AV-Test Institute, AV-Comparatives, and more.
Pros and Cons
Pricing
| Plans | Pricing |
| G Data Antivirus | $29.95 per year for single license |
| G Data Internet Security | $39.95/yr |
| G Data Total Security | $49.95 per year for a single license |
Final Thoughts
A good antivirus software can make or break your system, as you must ensure top-notch security to keep your sensitive files and personal information safe. Therefore, we have suggested a list of the best antivirus software that can help perform regular checks on your system, protect it from dangerous malware and virus, and keep your system running smoothly. Hope it was helpful!
Srijita Datta is a content writer with over 4+ years of experience in various niches. Her active interest in exploring new and emerging SaaS software and the evolving world of AI motivates her to write crisp, engaging, and informative articles to share her knowledge. She is working with How to Buy SaaS as a content writer and curating fresh and unique content every week with an added expertise in SaaS content.
