Best Antivirus Software 2025: Top PC Security Suites

The Definitive Guide to Antivirus Software for Windows PCs (2025)

In today’s digital landscape, securing your PC is no longer optional; it’s a necessity. The threats are constantly evolving, fueled by advancements in artificial intelligence. Even the most tech-savvy individuals can fall victim to sophisticated malware, spyware, ransomware, or phishing attacks. The recent experience of security guru Troy Hunt serves as a stark reminder of this reality. Antivirus protection acts as an essential safety net, shielding you from these ever-present dangers.

While Windows operating systems come equipped with built-in security software, some users find that upgrading to a dedicated antivirus suite offers enhanced protection, greater clarity, and simplified security management. This guide aims to help you navigate the complex world of antivirus software, identifying products that deliver robust protection, valuable features, and minimal performance impact on your computer.

Why Trust Our Recommendations?

PCWorld has been a trusted source for testing and reviewing computer hardware, software, and services since 1983, including a long history with security suites. We rigorously evaluate popular and noteworthy antivirus software, carefully considering the user experience, the strength of protection against both online and offline threats, and the ability to combat the constantly expanding range of attack vectors. Our comprehensive testing methodology, detailed in our guide on how we test antivirus software at PCWorld, ensures that our recommendations are based on thorough research and objective analysis.

Top Antivirus Software for Windows PCs (2025)

1. Norton 360 Deluxe: The Best Overall Antivirus Suite

• Pros: Comprehensive protection, affordable pricing, feature-rich, minimal system impact.
• Cons: Slightly awkward interface.

Norton 360 Deluxe stands out as the best overall antivirus software for 2025, offering a compelling blend of comprehensive protection and affordability. Despite a somewhat clunky interface, this suite packs in everything most PC users need for complete security without unnecessary bloat.

Norton delivers strong online protection and minimizes the impact on system resources, especially when you’re not actively downloading or copying large files. It includes malicious link and attachment screening, dark web and privacy monitoring, and webcam safeguards. Furthermore, Norton throws in 50GB of cloud storage for backups, access to its password manager and VPN, parental controls, and PC utilities that monitor for outdated software. These extras are thoughtfully designed with simple and intuitive interfaces.

With a recent update that promises improved scam protection, Norton continues to enhance its value proposition. It’s an excellent choice for users seeking to consolidate their online security protections within a single, easy-to-manage interface. Norton 360 Deluxe is available for $50 for the first year, covering up to 5 devices, with a renewal price of $120 per year. It’s particularly well-suited for those who struggle to keep up with security experts’ recommendations.

2. Avast One: Excellent Protection with a User-Friendly Interface

• Pros: Solid protection, simple and friendly interface, useful extra features, multi-device coverage.
• Cons: Fewer features for the price compared to Norton 360 Deluxe.

Avast One combines robust protection with a user-friendly interface, making it a winning choice for both novice and experienced users. In addition to top-ranked antivirus protection, Avast One offers safeguards against remote webcam takeovers, malicious websites, and trackers. The plan includes dark web monitoring, a VPN with up to 5GB of bandwidth per week, and protections for saved passwords. You also get utilities to keep your PC’s drivers up to date, clean up your PC, and optimize your apps.

Avast’s default settings require minimal input to keep your PC protected, and you can easily dig deeper and tinker with the settings if you desire. While Avast One outperforms Norton in some threat detection tests, its overall feature set is less comprehensive for the price.

Avast One costs $51 for 5 devices (or $70 for up to 30 devices) for the first year, with renewal prices of $110 and $150 per year, respectively. It’s a good option for users who already have a password manager and don’t need parental controls.

3. AVG Internet Security: Affordable and Easy to Manage

• Pros: Excellent protection, user-friendly interface, affordable, comprehensive tools.
• Cons: Lacks parental controls, VPN, and password manager.

AVG is renowned for its excellent free antivirus software, but upgrading to AVG Internet Security provides more comprehensive protection and easier management. This can be a valuable asset for users who find keeping up with online threats overwhelming or time-consuming.

The Internet Security plan builds upon the free version’s top-ranked protection against malware and web, email, and network threats. It also guards passwords saved to browsers, protects against webcam takeovers, safeguards sensitive data, prevents malicious website redirects, and defends against Windows Remote Desktop attacks. Dark web monitoring is also included. The app has minimal impact on system resources during background monitoring, although full scans can strain budget or older systems.

At just $60 for the first year for 10 devices, AVG Internet Security is an affordable and reliable antivirus solution with a user-friendly interface. It’s a worthwhile upgrade for users who need deeper control and more expansive protection.

4. Avira Prime: Comprehensive Simplicity and PC Management Tools

• Pros: Simple, clear interface, comprehensive feature lineup, password manager, unlimited VPN, PC utilities.
• Cons: Lacks parental controls, can impact performance on older PCs during full scans.

Avira Prime offers a simple and clear interface combined with a comprehensive feature lineup, making it a great choice for those seeking help with managing their PC. In addition to robust antivirus protection, Avira Prime offers a password manager, unlimited VPN, and a variety of PC utilities that keep apps up to date, securely delete files, and back up data.

The major omission from Avira Prime is parental controls. It also may affect system performance when full scans are running on older PCs.

For comprehensive simplicity, Avira Prime costs $60 for the first year, with a renewal price of $105 per year. It’s ideal for users who want a simple antivirus suite, broad online protections, and robust PC utilities for confident computer management.

5. McAfee Total Protection: Strong ID Protection and Privacy Features

• Pros: Solid antivirus protection, strong ID protection, VPN access, affordable.
• Cons: Can impact system resources during scans.

McAfee has a long history of hunting down current threats, and its Total Protection plan addresses not only malware but also identity and privacy issues. Its ID protection features, including dark web scanning for various pieces of personal information, set it apart from competitors. The app also offers to help change passwords for online accounts. VPN access is included as well.

When running McAfee scans, mid-tier and budget machines may experience some performance slowdown. However, this can be mitigated by scheduling scans for off hours.

McAfee Total Protection is available through third-party sellers and offers excellent value, with licenses covering up to ten devices for one year for as little as $19. It’s a great choice for users concerned about protecting their personal information online.

6. Panda Dome Complete: Feature-Rich with a Striking Interface

• Pros: Reliable antivirus protection, striking interface, minimal impact on system performance, raft of utilities.
• Cons: Expensive, particularly for single-device plans.

Panda Dome Complete stands out with its striking interface and extensive set of features. The suite includes a virtual keyboard, advanced virus removal, an update manager, disk defragmenter, hard drive cleaner, startup apps manager, Wi-Fi protection, a password manager, parental controls, and a VPN.

In addition to reliable antivirus protection, Panda had the most minimal impact on system performance during our benchmarks.

Panda Dome Complete is one of the most feature-rich offerings, but it’s also one of the most expensive. A subscription for one device costs $64.50 during the first year, with a renewal price of $86 per year. Upgrading to a three-device plan costs $72 for the first year, while the 5-device plan cost $79 for the first year. This product is a great choice for people who love features and easy to use user interfaces.

7. Windows Security: Excellent Free Antivirus Protection

• Pros: Free, lightweight, unobtrusive, built-in.
• Cons: Less strong offline protection than third-party rivals, requires manual configuration.

Windows’ built-in security suite is an excellent free antivirus option. It bundles together Defender, Firewall, ransomware protections, app restrictions, and basic parental controls. The most important protections are automatically enabled.

While Windows Security performs well, third-party antivirus software offers higher rates of detecting threats, more control over settings, detailed logs of activity, and additional features.

It’s a good choice for users seeking lightweight, unobtrusive protection who don’t mind configuring it.

8. Intego Mac Internet Security X9: Strong Antivirus Protection for Macs

• Pros: Good compatibility with macOS, looks like a real Mac program, includes NetBarrier firewall.
• Cons: Designed specifically for macOS.

Intego Mac Internet Security X9 offers strong antivirus protection for Apple machines. The suite includes VirusBarrier, which spots and eliminates malware threats, and NetBarrier, a two-way firewall.

VirusBarrier X9 scans for threats on internal storage drives, connected disks, and iOS devices.

Intego Mac Internet Security X9 offers good compatibility with macOS while looking like a real Mac program. It costs just $25 for the first year.

Factors to Consider When Choosing Antivirus Software

A good antivirus suite should meet three basic requirements:

1. Effective Protection: It should effectively detect and remove malware, viruses, spyware, ransomware, and other online threats.
2. Real-Time Scanning: It should provide real-time scanning to prevent infections before they occur.
3. Regular Updates: It should receive regular updates to stay ahead of the latest threats.

You should also consider the following factors:

• Extra features: Security suites now come packed with extras like a backup service for essential files, mobile apps for Android and iOS, advanced firewall features, content restriction and GPS location for family members, and the ability to install the app on multiple computers. Access to a VPN and a password manager have become more common, too. Your budget and personal situation will dictate if you need these additional features.
• User interface: The software should be easy to use and navigate.
• System impact: The software should have minimal impact on your computer’s performance.
• Pricing: The software should be affordable and offer good value for the price.

How We Test Antivirus Software

Our approach to testing antivirus software is multi-pronged. First, we spend some time in the interface, to determine if it’s simple or complex to use. Ideally, it should take just a click or two to find vital tools like PC scanning, and also the password manager and VPN (if included). Elements that are clickable should be clear, too. And alerts should make sense; you should both understand the info and they should be relevant to what you’re doing.

We also look at the available features. Reputable antivirus suites should include basics like real-time protection and deeper scans. Better subscription plans will also add on a password manager or a firewall. Overall, we try to figure out if the extras are helpful, or just another marketing bullet point.

To evaluate how hard an antivirus app will hit your PC’s system resources, we run several benchmarks. The first is PCMark 10’s Extended test, which simulates various workloads, including editing documents, web browsing, video chatting, and light gaming. Second is UL Procyon, focusing on document editing in Microsoft Office apps—e.g., Word, Excel, PowerPoint. Then, as the most punishing test, we run Handbrake to transcode a large video into a smaller one. This encoding task often utilizes 100 percent of the CPU on many home PCs.

We also rely on the testing of dedicated security researchers. Most often, we look at reports from organizations like AV Comparatives and AV Test.

We also evaluate pricing for each subscription, as well as the features you get for the price.

Do You Really Need Antivirus Software?

Unfortunately, viruses, malware, and other online threats have only increased and become more sophisticated over time. Spending time on the internet or attaching any external drives to your computer without antivirus software is like going into battle without a stitch of armor.

In the basic sense, absolutely yes—which is why Windows 10 and 11 come with in built-in antivirus protection. But while Windows Security performs well, the best third-party antivirus software have even higher rates of detecting threats. The top antivirus apps also offer more control over settings, detailed logs of your PC’s activity, a more user-friendly interface, and additional features to strengthen your online security beyond just viruses and malware. So strictly speaking, a Windows PC doesn’t need third-party antivirus software, but you can benefit from more comprehensive online protection. (Macs also need antivirus software.)

Frequently Asked Questions

• Will antivirus software slow down my computer?
  The short answer is maybe, but probably not. Antivirus software scans files and programs to ensure there is no malware or other harmful threat present. The longer the time frame between each scan, the more files the program will need to check. These intensive scans may have some noticeable effect on your computer speed. It’s therefore recommended that you schedule your scans to run more frequently and/or at night so as to not impact your computer usage.

  While antivirus software can affect the speed of your computer, it is most likely not the only factor—or even the most prominent. Other factors such as unnecessary startup and background programs, insufficient RAM, or even undiagnosed malware can have more drastic effects on your computer speed than a simple antivirus scan.

• Should I use a free or paid antivirus program?
  It depends on what antivirus features are most important to you. Do you just need a program that will scan, detect, and remove malware? Then go with a free version. But if you are looking for more advanced features such as the ability to block webcam hacking, run suspicious apps in a sandbox environment, and permanently delete sensitive files, then you should seriously consider upgrading to a paid premium antivirus service.

  Overall, premium antivirus software is better suited to more complete coverage against threats—especially for inexperienced users. Children and seniors are particularly vulnerable to modern threats and therefore paid antivirus apps, which allow for multiple-device protection, may be a better option for families.

• Can I run more than one antivirus program at the same time?
  These days, most antivirus software are full suites. They take over completely for Windows’ built-in protection, and that single suite is all you need. More than that, and the different apps can start to conflict with one another. So no need to double up!

• What happens if my antivirus software detects a virus?
  In a perfect world, your antivirus software will halt and clean the infected files for you. However, this largely depends on which antivirus program you are using.

  In general, the antivirus will send a warning to you and try to quarantine the infected file in order to keep it from spreading. Once isolated, the software will give you the option to try to remove the infection or delete the file altogether.

• What’s the difference between a full scan and a quick scan?
  A full scan performs a comprehensive and thorough check of your whole system. It usually checks your system memory, startup programs, system backup, email databases, hard drives, and any removable storage drives.

  A quick scan only checks a few areas including startup programs, system memory, and boot sectors. It may not detect all malware, but it can usually give you an idea if your computer has a virus.

• How often should I run a full scan?
  We recommend a full scan once per week, during computer usage downtime (such as late at night). A quick scan can be done anytime you like, but it’s usually only necessary if you notice suspicious activity on your PC.

• Is it important to keep my antivirus software up to date?
  Absolutely! Keeping your antivirus software up-to-date is crucial in helping you to avoid the most recent threats.

  That being said, most antivirus software today—whether free or paid—will default to automatic updates. This way you don’t need to worry about manually updating your software. It may still be worth checking to confirm that your antivirus is running the most up-to-date version from time to time.

• What features should my antivirus software have?
  At absolute bare minimum, your app should have a scanner to protect against malware and online threats like phishing sites and a firewall. But other services like remote access protection, individual file encryption, and a password manager can be helpful too.

Conclusion

Choosing the right antivirus software is a critical step in protecting your PC from the ever-evolving landscape of online threats. By considering your individual needs, budget, and technical expertise, you can select a solution that provides robust protection, valuable features, and minimal performance impact. Stay safe online!