8 Best Free Antiviruses For One Year: Top Rated Picks
Try some of the top antiviruses and choose the best fit
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Key notes
- You can get up to one year free trial for your favorite antivirus. A test drive is preferable before making any purchase, just to be sure your money is well invested.
- A freeware app, such as Avira or Avast, with comprehensive security options, is a great choice.
- If you want to protect multiple devices no matter the platform, take a look at ESET.
- Our top picks include advanced online security, real-time monitoring, and keep malware away from your system.
Knowing which antivirus to invest in to protect your personal or office data and devices from potential threats can be tricky if you don’t get to test drive it first.
While there are free download versions for most, if not all, antivirus software, getting antivirus for one year free is a steal.
What’s even better is getting the best antivirus for one year free, so you can run it on your devices and see its features at work before updating to a paid version.
We checked out the top for up to 1-year free antivirus software solutions and here are our favorite picks.
Secure your devices with award-winning cybersecurity technology.
Maximize your PC's security and performance with top-notch digital threat detection.
Keep secure with groundbreaking AI detection and prevention technology.
Browse the web securely for up to 3 devices across Windows, Mac, iOS or Android systems.
Best security tool for intense browsing activity.
Is there a 100% free antivirus?
Yes, there are plenty of 100% free antiviruses, some of which we will talk about in the list below. Most of them have subscription plans but they also offer a free alternative with fewer features.
A free antivirus will provide you with basic security and threat protection, so for a simple home PC. If you want an antivirus for work or business, we recommend you choose a subscription plan.
A premium antivirus comes with additional layers of security. From included VPN or ad blocker to different types of browsing protection features.
What is the best free antivirus for up to one year?
ESET HOME Security Essential – Most advanced security features
ESET HOME Security Essential is one of the best choices available, to completely secure all your online activities that you can of course test before buying.
This modern antivirus solution can be used on many platforms to secure all your devices with a single license. It can be used on Mac, Windows, Android, or Linux.
The Anti-Phishing tool protects your privacy and assets against attempts by fraudulent websites to acquire sensitive information such as usernames, passwords, or banking details.
ESET HOME Security Essential also has a password vault with smart management to protect every aspect of your online life. Moreover, it offers privacy and banking protection so your bank details won’t be at risk.
The most important features of ESET HOME Security Essential are:
- Multi-platform protection for all your devices
- Ransomware Shield blocks malware that tries to lock you out of your personal data
- Webcam Protection alerts you if an app tries to access your webcam, and lets you block it
- Parental control with remote options for when children are at school.
Technical support includes video tutorials, email, forums, phone help, and live chat. So if you see anything suspicious on your Windows 10 and 11 PC, there will always be a solution.
It also prevents annoying popups and interruptions in Game Mode but runs in the background and consumes very few resources.
ESET HOME Security Essential
Get the best modern antivirus, a complete security solution that you can test before buying.Bitdefender Total Security – Best virus protection and threat prevention
Bitdefender is hailed for its all-around, continuous, and powerful protection against sophisticated threats whether for home or business use.
While using this antivirus you get to enjoy on-demand and on-access virus scanning and removal, and advanced threat detection using its behavioral detection that monitors your active apps.
Bitdefender offers unbeatable real-time protection by using innovative technologies that predict, prevent, and detect most cyber threats before they can harm your computer.
Moreover, the unlimited and secure VPN keeps your privacy and all you do online private. Hide your IP within seconds and you will be untraceable for the time being.
Let’s quickly look at its key features:
- It also comes with an anti-phishing feature that sniffs and blocks websites that pose as trustworthy to steal your data
- Anti-fraud advanced filtering system that warns when you visit scam websites
- Multi-layer ransomware protection
- Advanced webcam protection extended to all your devices
If system resources aren’t an issue, running the system scan in high priority mode can be a useful option for scanning your PC.
By complying with this requirement, Bitdefender allocates comparable system resources to other programs instead of directly competing with them.
Bitdefender Total Security
Want the best security against all Internet threats? Bitdefender is your best bet.Avira Free Antivirus – Great anti-malware features
Another great antivirus that you can get for free is Avira Antivirus. The Free version of this tool can detect and remove both malware and ransomware from your PC.
In addition, Avira Antivirus will also block ads and make your browsing experience faster. Avira Antivirus can also analyze your privacy status and let you know if there are any privacy threats.
The software will analyze your home network and let you know if there are any security vulnerabilities that you need to address.
In addition to these features, the free version of Avira can also update your software and work as a basic password manager.
Let’s quickly look at its key features:
- Protection against malware and ransomware
- Phishing protection
- Password manager
- Identify theft protection
Besides being a reliable and comprehensive cybersecurity app, our free VPN also protects your privacy. In addition, it has tools that can clean your PC.
Moreover, it will block all ads while you are online, so you won’t see those pesky ads anymore.
Avira Free Antivirus
Use a comprehensive cybersecurity solution to protect your computer that is also free.Panda Dome – Intuitive interface and ease to use
This antivirus pools advanced protection technologies, detection, and remediation features, to classify all your running processes on all endpoints from a centralized platform.
You can control and manage your systems from your home, office, or remote locations, plus protect all your devices against all forms of malware and spam.
Wherever you are, you are protected with WiFi security options to keep you safe from hackers. Stay safe when connecting to any public WiFi.
Additionally, use the free VPN to keep you anonymous online, keep your children safe with advanced parental controls and manage all your passwords from one software.
Let’s quickly look at its key features:
- Antispam protection modules
- Contextual intelligence is used to reveal patterns of malicious behavior and generate defensive strategies to counter any threats
- Easy to use and maintain and minimizes resource usage
- Gives guaranteed service availability, and constant system monitoring
Panda Dome will protect your PC even when not connected to the internet by proactively scanning any USB or external device plugged into it.
Parental control solutions allow you to block, limit the time or limit the use of apps and mobile devices. Receive notifications when your child leaves or arrives at preset zones.
Panda Dome
Combine cloud scanning with advanced disinfector capacities to shield your PC.Kaspersky Internet Security – Best cloud-based security
Kaspersky has evolved over the years and now offers easy management from a cloud-based console.
With this antivirus, you get endpoint security, strong protection, easy management, and multi-layered protection with enhanced mobile security and device management.
Protect your browsing, shopping, chats, and all sensitive data across all your platforms with award-winning software that also provides tools to guard your privacy.
Stay safe wherever you are with anti-hacking, real-time protection and prevention of any attempts to steal your data.
Let’s quickly look at its key features:
- Security center that detects and remediates threats
- Fraud Prevention tool for proactive detection of cross-channel fraud in real-time
- APT Intelligence features to deliver comprehensive practical reporting so you are always in the know, and/or aware of high-profile, targeted attacks
- Browsing security to enhance your privacy by scrambling your history and online data while blocking webcam spies
For laptops, Security Tools includes options to disable scheduled processes on battery power and enable balance protection at boot.
In addition, deferring scanning activity during times of high CPU and disk system usage allows you to get the best performance while avoiding shutdowns and draining your battery.
Kaspersky Internet Security
Try out one of the best complete security solutions that come with a top-notch security feature.AVG Antivirus – Great tune-up tools
AVG’s Internet Security is an efficient program that keeps malware away from your system and devices. It takes up less storage space, runs faster, and you can also use it on old or slow devices.
With this antivirus for one year free, you can enjoy antispam, firewall and email protection, web browsing protection, and protection for your data and identity against theft online.
As an advanced antivirus, it scans your PC for viruses as well as your email and link and website you access using its AI detection
Also, with a smart behavior shield you get alerted if any suspicious behavior is detected on your PC.
Let’s quickly look at its key features:
- AVG also comes with PC tune-up and drive encryption
- Delivers the latest cloud-based protection feature
- Fully compatible with Windows 10
- Real-time, on-demand, and on-access scheduled protection to safeguard your system and devices against threats such as rootkits or any malicious links
AVG offers a safe way to browse the Internet. It offers a link scanner that prevents you from visiting malicious websites, checks files before and after downloads, and protects your emails to prevent you from sending anything malicious.
AVG Antivirus
An amazing aid in protecting your computer when browsing online.McAfee Total Protection – Good free option
McAfee offers advanced security that protects all your devices against threats, compatibility with every operating system, and ease of use with its robust user-friendly software that is both easy to install and manage.
It comes with a secure VPN with high connection speed that is meant to hode your identity while browsing online. Using a VPN has its perks, so you gain access to watch geo-restricted content.
With multi-platform compatibility, you can protect every device in your household against online threats. Keep you family safe from phishing, scams and others risks.
Let’s quickly look at its key features:
- It provides protection such as data encryption security for online use
- 24-hour data theft protection.
- It is so easy to use, plus you can monitor the security status of your devices
- Provides automatic updates on the latest threat definitions
McAfee is popular for providing protection for a variety of online threats by using complex technology. In addition, it also comes with a secure Wi-Fi connection and a guard for any incoming attacks.
Moreover, on top of the basic antivirus protection, you gain lost wallet protection, indentity theft coverage and personal data cleanup.
McAfee Total Protection
Get the protection you need for your computer and don’t risk losing any of your sensitive data.Avast Free Antivirus – Great free features
This powerful antivirus delivers 100 percent uninterrupted and certified protection, for data and identity.
You can enjoy features such as File/Web/Email shield that monitor malware hiding in your programs for suspicious activity.
This antivirus removes all types of viruses and other malware. For maximum security, Avast Free Antivirus also analyzes unknown files to prevent malware infections.
Avast Free Antivirus automatically detects wireless network weaknesses and unwanted connections within the network.
Let’s quickly look at its key features:
- Protection for your inbox and share points, URLs, and email attachments
- Detects unrecognized file downloads
- Updates software automatically
- Browser add-ons for easy and secure auto-filling in online login forums
Additionally, you can use a free VPN to hide yourself while surfing the web. No one can track you. Watch geo-restricted content from multiple streaming platforms while using a VPN.
Avast
Get all the features and security of a premium antivirus for free.If you want to discover more solutions to protect your computer, check our guide including the best lifetime license antivirus tools.
These are the best up to one-year free antivirus that you can install and try out before buying. Tell us your favorite antivirus for one year free by dropping your comment in the section below.
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