If you had to walk into a tech store or just run a quick Google search for antivirus software, you will undoubtedly be hit with a wave of options. And they will all promise to be the best thing since sliced bread. Think free tiers, premium plans and protection that is “military-grade.”
It’s a lot to sift through when you just want to make sure your laptop won’t be hijacked. But the good news is that choosing the right software doesn’t have to be overwhelming.
If you know what to look out for – and what to ignore – it’s pretty straightforward.
What Does Antivirus Actually Protect You From?
First things first, it’s worth understanding what antivirus software is designed to do. The malware that exists today is highly sophisticated and equally as frightening.
It includes ransomware that locks you out of your device until you pay up, spyware that monitors your activity, phishing attacks to steal credentials and adware that can hijack your browser. Quite literally the stuff of nightmares or something straight out of a movie.
Fortunately, a reputable antivirus will be able to handle all of these things – most of the time without you even realising that it’s happening. The key thing is to look beyond the word ‘virus’ when comparing options and look for a product that covers the whole spectrum of threats.
Assess Your Setup Before You Start Shopping
The most practical question to ask yourself is how many devices need to be covered. Most of the antivirus providers offer single-device licenses which usually come in at a lower-entry point, but if you use three or more devices, a multi-device plan can be significantly cheaper and less of a headache to manage.
Next thing to look at is the operating systems involved. Windows has historically been the biggest target for cybercriminals so those users have a wider range of options. It doesn’t mean Mac and Android users are safe, they’ve both seen an increase in threats in the last couple of years. Ideally, your antivirus should cover all operating systems, not just Windows.
Finally, are you using an antivirus for personal or business use? Business-focused plans are structured a bit differently with different features but if it’s just for a home setup, a consumer-grade product will work fine.
What You Need To Know About Free vs Paid Antivirus
It’s worth saying that free antivirus options – including Windows Defender which is built into Windows 10 and 11 – have come quite a long way.
Their baseline protection is fairly solid for the average user. So, if you happen to be someone who only browses well-known websites and doesn’t download too often, you could get away with a reputable free product. With that said, still check out reviews and user experiences before you use a free option.
Onto paid plans. They tend to offer stronger ransomware protection, their customer support is often more reliable and updates are rolled out consistently with security patches. If you use your device for online banking, managing client information or storing documentation, spending between £20 and £50 a year on a paid plan is a pretty reasonable investment.
If you’re looking for the sweet spot, that would be a reputable paid product which doesn’t cost a fortune but covers the essentials.
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Tips To Evaluate A Product Before You Commit
Once you’ve got a few candidates in mind, it’s worth taking the extra time to vet them properly. A little due diligence here will go a long way – it’s also much easier than dealing with the fallout of a security breach down the line.
Read The Privacy Fine Print
Ironically, there have been some antivirus providers in the past who faced scrutiny over their own data collection practices. Only mildly concerning, right? Before you install anything, read their privacy policy to see what data is collected, how it’s used and whether or not it’s shared with third parties.
Take Advantage Of The Free Trials
Most of the antivirus software out there will offer a 30-day free trial, or at least a couple of days. Use that. And pay attention to how it performs on your devices. The interface should be intuitive, it shouldn’t slow down your device too much and it shouldn’t be flagging false positives all the time. A trial period can tell you so much more than a review.
Check Independent Test Results
When you’re looking at a product, don’t always take the marketing team’s word for it. There are websites, such as AV-TEST and AV-Comparatives which run independent evaluations of antivirus software throughout the year.
The software is usually ranked according to protection, performance and usability. If one scores well across all three, it’s likely a good option.
Which Antivirus Software Is The “Best” Option?
The answer will vary from person to person. What works for you might not work for somebody else. The “best” option will be the one that works with your devices, your budget and your online habits.
You also don’t need to be spending a fortune to protect yourself but rather spending the time to do some thorough research beforehand. The reality is that cyber threats will continue and cyber criminals are good at what they do, so rather make the effort now to get ahead of them.
