If you are still paying for an AntiVirus solution for your Windows computer, you are wasting your hard-earned money because here are 3 free AntiVirus solutions for you, especially if you are already using Windows 10.
Windows Defender
Windows Defender is Microsoft’s answer to all free antivirus solutions on the market. It’s built right in Windows and works seamlessly with the operating system. It has come a long way from a dedicated antivirus component to a system-wide security center on Windows 10 covering not only virus and threat protection but also firewall protection and app & browser control.
Maybe, Eugene Kaspersky doesn’t agree with me on this and thinks Kaspersky Free works better than Windows Defender. But Windows Defender has been serving me so well for years, since even when it’s named as Windows Security Essentials for Windows 7.
Sophos Home
Sophos Home protects every Mac and PC in your home from malware, viruses, ransomware, and inappropriate websites. It uses the same award-winning technology that IT professionals trust to protect their businesses.
The best part, it’s a cloud-based solution that manages the security settings for your entire family, up to 10 computers within a family all from a web browser.
Read our full review: Sophos Home is A Perfect Free Security Solution for Both Mac and PC at Home.
See the screenshot above, it even has a feature called CyptoGuard that stops ransomware from encrypting your files when enabled.
Kaspersky Free
Kaspersky Free is a stripped version of Kaspersky Internet Security, offering the essential AV protection across files, emails, and the web, with self-defense and quarantine capabilities. It uses the same protection engine as its big brother without compromise and detects any cyber threat regardless of its origin or intention.
I personally never used Kaspersky Internet Security so I can’t tell how well Kaspersky Free will perform. However, I’ve used quite a few their free tools and quite like what they do. I especially like the Free Anti-Ransomware Tool for Business Kaspersky released a while back.
I list Kaspersky Free here as one of the best but frankly, it’s not much different from others like AVG, Avast, or Bitdefender.
What to choose?
Here is my take when it comes to choosing which antivirus to use on my computer.
I use Windows Defender and nothing else on my own Windows 10 computer.
I go with Sophos Home for all other computers at my home so I can manage them on the cloud through the browser. It works extremely well with its web filtering features on my kids’ computers.
If these two scenarios don’t fit in your case, give Kaspersky Free a try, followed by Avast and AVG.