Antivirus software has come a long way.
PCMag notes that not so long ago, the average price of such software was around $90. But today, you can get good antivirus software for free.
Recently, PCMag put these free tools to the test as part of its latest ratings of free antivirus programs. To reach its findings, the publication tested a range of antivirus products.
The best free antivirus software
PCMag awarded its “Editors’ Choice” honor for 2025 to Avast One Basic and AVG AntiVirus Free. Avast One Basic earned an “outstanding” overall rating of 4.5 out of 5 from PCMag, while AVG AntiVirus Free got 4 out of 5 for an “excellent” rating.
PCMag says Avast One Basic is “best for comprehensive free security.” In writing about the rankings, Neil J. Rubenking, PCMag’s lead analyst for security, says:
“With Avast One Basic, you get award-winning antivirus protection for free. All four of the independent testing labs we follow include Avast in their reporting, and it aces almost every test. It also takes high scores in our own hands-on testing.”
PCMag says Avast One Basic got a “near-perfect” score in the publication’s phishing test, and that it also offers a number of privacy and performance features.
Here are all the free programs that scored well in PCMag’s ratings:
- Best for comprehensive security: Avast One Basic (4.5 out of 5)
- Best for no-frills protection: Bitdefender Antivirus Free for Windows (4)
- Best for useful bonuses: AVG AntiVirus Free (4)
- Best for many security components: Avira Free Security (3.5)
- Best for Windows die-hards: Microsoft Defender Antivirus (3.5)
- Best for Mac VPN and more: Avast One Basic for Mac (4)
- Best for basic Mac protection: AVG AntiVirus for Mac (3.5)
- Best for thrifty Mac users: Avira Free Antivirus for Mac (3.5)
Many people get Microsoft Defender free when they purchase a PC. However, PCMag says that Defender “isn’t bad, but it’s still not enough to fully protect your PC.” So, you might want to check out other options on this list.
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