The Best Malware Removal and Protection Software We’ve Tested for 2026

Protection type: Bitdefender Antivirus Plus is primarily an antivirus app, and it’s an Editors’ Choice in that field. The plus in its name refers to its wealth of bonus features that enhance your security.

Scores in hands-on tests: Challenged with over 100 newly discovered malware-hosting URLs, Bitdefender detected 100%. In a similar test using real-world phishing websites, it achieved a 99% success rate. That’s the good news. In my simple malware protection test, which used nearly 90 malware samples I captured and analyzed myself, it performed less effectively, detecting just 89% and scoring a relatively low 8.5 out of 10 possible points. This is normal for Bitdefender, and as always, its lab test scores are high enough to outweigh this one less-than-perfect score.

Independent lab test scores: My hands-on antivirus tests are performed by me and me alone. The independent antivirus testing labs employ multiple testing experts, so I pay close attention to their results. Of the five I follow, Bitdefender appears in the latest results from four, with scores ranging from perfect to just a hair less than perfect. My algorithm, which processes all the disparate lab scores, gives Bitdefender an impressive aggregate score of 9.6 out of 10 possible points.

Pricing and pricing tiers: Two-thirds of the antivirus apps I track cost between $39.99 and $49.99 per year. At $49.99, Bitdefender is at the high end of that group. For $20 more, or $69.99, you can get three Bitdefender licenses. And that’s the extent of this app’s pricing options.

Ransomware protection: In years past, Bitdefender foiled ransomware by preventing all unauthorized changes to files in folders such as Documents and Pictures. It also once used a “vaccination” technique, fooling specific ransomware into thinking it was already installed. Currently, Bitdefender detects ransomware based on its behavior and includes a remediation feature for any files that are encrypted before behavioral detection is triggered. In testing with a dozen real-world ransomware samples, it detected all but one, preventing all harm. Yes, one sample got through, but performing this test required me to turn off every protective layer except ransomware.

VPN available: Where an antivirus app protects your files and data on your devices, a VPN (virtual private network) protects your data as it leaves your computer and travels to the web. End-to-end encryption means nobody can snoop on your connection, not even if they own the network you’ve connected to. As a bonus, your IP address and location are hidden, masked behind the VPN server’s address. Bitdefender recognizes the value of a VPN and provides that technology alongside Bitdefender Antivirus. However, the VPN is limited to 200MB per day of bandwidth, and you can’t choose your server location. Lifting those limits costs an extra $6.99 per month or $69.99 per year.

Bonus features: If you encounter malware that resists removal, you can defeat it using Bitdefender’s bootable Rescue Environment. It’s like a bootable rescue disk, but without requiring a disk. Exploit protection and network threat protection supplement traditional antivirus elements. As noted, Bitdefender’s browser-level protection proved effective against dangerous websites. It also marks up dangerous links in search results, and the SafePay isolated browser kicks in to protect your financial transactions. Other bonuses include a file shredder for securely deleting sensitive documents and a vulnerability scan that identifies and fixes missing security patches.

Lab test believers: You’re not interested in unfounded security claims. You want to see measurable, real-world, proven success. An app like Bitdefender, which routinely earns perfect or near-perfect ratings from professional testing labs, is just the thing for you.

Ransomware hunters: You’ve read about the consequences of a ransomware attack, and you’re horrified by the thought of losing your essential documents (or paying to ransom them). You want all the ransomware protection you can get. Bitdefender doesn’t disappoint, with behavioral detection, exploit intervention, and recovery for any files damaged before behavioral detection kicks in.

Laid-back users: You’re willing to make the necessary effort to protect your devices with a security app, but you don’t have any continuing interest in the process. You’ll get along fine with Bitdefender. Once you’ve set it up, ensure it’s in AutoPilot mode. That’s it. You won’t hear from Bitdefender unless something significant happens, like fending off a malware attack.

Protection type: The most significant distinction between Avast One Basic and other Avast security apps is that Avast One Basic is free. Oh, you’ll encounter plenty of invitations to upgrade and gain access to premium features, but all the most important components come to you at no charge. In the realm of free antivirus and security, Avast is an Editor’s Choice.

Scores in hands-on tests: In my standard malware protection test, Avast detected 97% of the samples and scored 9.7 of 10 possible points. Those are the same scores as Norton and AVG, which is not surprising, since all three use the same antivirus engine. When I put Avast to the test using real-world phishing URLs scraped from the web, it detected 99% of them. The same technology that steers the browser away from phishing fraud should also protect against malware-hosting websites. However, Avast’s scores in the latter test vary wildly over time. Its latest evaluation yielded a dismal 75% protection rate.

Independent lab test scores: When an antivirus app appears in test results from an independent lab, it means the lab considered it important enough to test, and the antivirus company agreed to participate. All five of the labs I follow include Avast in their latest reports, and it earned numerous perfect scores, along with a couple that came in almost perfect. Each lab has its own scoring system, but I’ve devised an algorithm that maps them all onto a 10-point scale and returns an aggregate lab score. With a 9.8 aggregate score based on five lab reports, Avast is riding high.

Pricing and pricing tiers: Pricing? How about free? Avast does not offer pricing tiers, as there’s no price.

Ransomware protection: Your antivirus should eliminate ransomware attacks just as it wipes out other kinds of malware. Since the consequences of a miss are so dire, Avast adds a protective layer to prevent harm even if a ransomware attack manages to bypass the main antivirus. It does so by banning all unauthorized changes to specific file types in important folders such as Documents, Pictures, and Desktop.

VPN available: When you connect to the internet through a virtual private network (VPN), your traffic is encrypted from your computer to the VPN server. Nobody, not even the network administrator, can touch that data. Additionally, the websites you visit see the IP address of the VPN server, not your actual IP address and location. And choosing a server in another country can unblock content that would otherwise be region-locked. A VPN and antivirus are commonly paired, and Avast does offer integrated VPN technology. However, your VPN usage is limited to 5GB of traffic per week, and you must accept the server assigned to you. To be fair, this is a free product, and maintaining VPN servers costs money.

Bonus features: Navigating this suite, you’ll find many bonus features that are free, and many more that are locked or limited unless you pay. The Secure Browser performs many security-related tasks, most notably Bank Mode to protect your financial transactions and a simple tracking prevention system. A simple firewall blocks attacks from the outside, and the Network Inspector lists all devices on your network and reports any security issues. The Software Updater identifies missing security patches and, for paying customers, automatically applies those patches. In a similar fashion, numerous performance tune-up scans report on found problems, such as junk and duplicate files, but leave it to free users to fix them manually.

Lab test believers: You can’t test-drive antivirus protection the way you can, say, an image editor. However, you’re not satisfied with merely accepting vague assurances about the app’s capabilities. You’ll find Avast’s lab scores very reassuring. Who doesn’t like perfect and near-perfect scores from five different testing labs?

Feature collectors: If one app protects your security with 10 components and another offers 20, you’ll always opt for the one with 20. Hey, you want the most bang for your buck, or for your no-bucks in Avast’s case. It’s a full security suite, with some components reserved, in full or in part, for paying customers.

Freebie seekers: Rich people don’t get rich by spending money. You’re always happy to find a way to keep your wallet in your pocket. Getting a security suite at no cost, as you do with Avast One Basic, is exactly the kind of bargain you like.

Protection type: Installed on Windows, Norton 360 Deluxe provides everything you’d expect in a security suite and more, with top-tier features like hosted online backup and a no-limits VPN. But it’s also at home on macOS, Android, and even iOS. It’s an Editors’ Choice for cross-platform security.

Scores in hands-on tests: Like Avast and AVG, which use the same antivirus engine, Norton detected 97% of my hand-curated malware samples and scored 9.7 of 10 possible points. Only a few competitors hold higher scores. When I attempted to launch approximately 100 newly discovered malware-hosting URLs, Norton blocked 99% of the downloads. It also scored 99% detection in my anti-phishing test. That’s a nice collection of scores.

Independent lab test scores: I closely monitor reports from five labs worldwide that thoroughly evaluate popular antivirus apps. Not surprisingly, all five labs considered Norton worth their consideration. Norton holds a perfect score in the latest reports from all five. I didn’t need my aggregate lab score algorithm to determine that Norton merits a perfect 10. Reaching that score based on five lab reports is quite an accomplishment.

Pricing and pricing tiers: It’s common for antivirus and security suite products to offer pricing tiers, with volume discounts for purchasing multiple licenses. Your antivirus might come with one, three, five, or ten licenses, for example. Norton 360 Deluxe doesn’t swing that way. You pay $119.99, and you get licenses to protect five devices, along with five VPN licenses and 50GB of (Windows) backup storage. If you want more licenses, you must upgrade to a higher tier of Norton 360 With LifeLock.

Ransomware protection: If a ransomware attack slips past your regular antivirus and encrypts your files, you’re hosed. Even an update that wipes out the ransomware won’t restore your files. Norton’s Data Protector component prevents this disaster by blocking unauthorized programs from modifying your important files. In testing, with all other protective layers disabled, it detected and blocked activity by all but one of a dozen ransomware samples. That one missed sample wreaked havoc, and even the samples that were caught managed to encrypt files outside the protected folders, in some cases, thousands of files. But bear in mind that, with all antivirus cylinders firing, Norton wiped out all these attackers long before they could launch.

VPN available: Your Norton subscription gets you five security suite licenses and five licenses for Norton’s VPN (virtual private network). Using a VPN protects your data in transit and hides your actual IP address (and location) behind the VPN server’s IP address. Choosing a foreign server can provide access to location-locked content or let you connect from your home country while traveling. Unlike some competing products, Norton puts no limits on VPN usage. You can run as much traffic as you like through the VPN, and you can choose any server location.

Bonus features: After installing Norton, you’ll want to create a rescue disc or a thumb drive. If truly pernicious malware gets past the regular antivirus, you can reboot into an environment that’s a total killing field for malware. If that doesn’t do the job, Norton promises to have experts remote into your computer and remove the infestation manually, with a money-back guarantee. A powerful firewall and associated exploit protector keep your PC safe from outside attack, and 50GB of hosted online backup storage means you can recover from almost any disaster. You get performance features such as startup manager, system cleanup, and vulnerability scan. Other bonuses include password management, webcam protection, the Norton Genie scam-fighting chatbot, and a dark web monitoring system that alerts you to any breaches that expose your email address.

Score trackers: As a loyal PCMag reader, you’ve seen review after review that discusses hands-on tests and each app’s scores. Naturally, you like to see high scores. Norton routinely earns excellent scores in all my tests.

Lab test believers: When you buy an appliance, you check with consumer websites to verify its capabilities and effectiveness. You can do much the same in your security shopping by perusing reports from independent antivirus testing labs. All five of the labs that I follow include Norton in their latest reports, and four of the five award it their top rating.

Feature collectors: You have no interest in curating a collection of the best individual security components. You want a single, integrated solution that does everything you need. With firewall, parental control, VPN, hosted online backup, and more, Norton can be the solution you need.

VPN users: Connecting to Wi-Fi in airports and cafes makes you nervous, since you can’t control the network. Using a VPN to protect those connections should settle your nerves, and you get the bonus ability to spoof your location. Norton provides an effective VPN component with no bandwidth or VPN server limitations.

Loyal customers: Once you’ve surveyed the field and made a choice, you stick with that choice. If you demonstrate your loyalty by signing up for automatic renewal, Norton reciprocates with a virus-free guarantee.

Old-school enthusiasts: You’re not one to jump on a brand-new product. You’d rather choose something that’s stood the test of time. With a name dating back to the 1990s, Norton is a venerable choice.

Password organizers: We have been saying for years that you need to use a unique, strong password for every secure website, and you listened. Good for you! While it lacks some advanced features, such as secure sharing and digital legacy, Norton Password Manager is a solid choice and comes as part of Norton 360.

Protection type: Antivirus protection is just table stakes. For complete protection, consider a security suite. It’s true that Bitdefender’s antivirus is so feature-rich you might mistake it for a suite, but Bitdefender Total Security piles on even more useful security bonuses. It’s our Editors’ Choice for an entry-level security suite.

Scores in hands-on tests: To test phishing protection, I collect hundreds of known and suspected phishing URLs and challenge each antivirus to detect and warn about them. Bitdefender achieved an impressive 99% detection rate. In a similar test using URLs hosting malware, Bitdefender achieved 100% detection. As is common with this app, it didn’t perform as well in my hands-on malware-detection test, scoring 8.5 out of 10 points. However, it has many other high scores, both in lab tests and other hands-on tests, that outweigh that one low score.

Independent lab test scores: Whenever possible, I supplement my hands-on testing by verifying scores published by five independent testing labs worldwide. Four of the five included Bitdefender in their latest tests, and it received mostly perfect scores, with a couple of near-perfect results. Each lab reports success differently, with some using percentage-based metrics, some employing numeric values, and others relying on named certification tiers. Over the years, I’ve developed an algorithm to map all those varied results onto a 10-point scale and derive an aggregate. Bitdefender’s aggregate lab score is 9.6 points, based on scores from four labs. Few have done better.

Pricing and pricing tiers: Bitdefender’s suite-level solutions are available in two subscription types: individual and family. An individual subscription protects up to five devices, while the family version protects up to 25 devices and includes parental control. With Bitdefender Total Protection, you pay $109.99 for an individual license or $139.99 for the family edition. The latter pencils out to $5.60 per device, which is quite a bargain.

Ransomware protection: Ransomware attacks typically exhibit common behaviors, such as encrypting important documents and evading detection. Bitdefender’s Advanced Threat Defense detects those ransomware behaviors, Network Threat Prevention prevents exploits that some attacks rely on, and Ransomware Remediation recovers any files damaged before behavioral detection kicks in. To test this feature, I turned off all other antivirus protection and released a dozen ransomware samples, one at a time. Bitdefender cut off 11 of them at the knees, preventing all harm, but the twelfth slipped past. Bear in mind, though, that I couldn’t begin to perform this test without turning off all other antivirus components.

VPN available: VPN (virtual private network) and antivirus software often go hand in hand, and many security suites include a VPN component. That way, your data is protected both on the computer and in transit across the internet. Bitdefender Total Security does include a VPN, but, like Bitdefender’s antivirus, it comes with significant limitations. You can’t take advantage of VPN-based location spoofing because you don’t get to choose your server. You can only protect up to 200GB of internet traffic per day. You must either carefully ration your VPN time or pay extra to remove these limits.

Bonus features: Naturally, Bitdefender Total Security includes all the same advanced bonus features as Bitdefender Antivirus Plus. Its mobile editions include a scam-detection system and an Account Privacy scan that warns if it finds your email exposed on the dark web. Bitdefender Total Security’s anti-theft service covers laptops as well as mobile devices. While the antivirus offers exploit detection, this suite extends that to a full firewall. Additionally, where the antivirus offers a trial of Bitdefender’s password manager, the suite includes the full password app. The suite also prevents misuse of your webcam and microphone and includes a collection of system cleanup and optimization features.

Lab test believers: You can’t tell which antivirus is most effective just by looking at it, yet you want to choose the best one empirically. The independent antivirus testing labs can help. Four of the five that I track rated Bitdefender in their latest tests, and it received a perfect score in almost every case.

Feature collectors: You always like to get the most for your expenditures. If two security subscriptions offer the same basic antivirus, but one has twice as many ancillary features, you’ll always opt for the more comprehensive one. Bitdefender Total Security is definitely a big one.

Ransomware hunters: A ransomware attack that turns your important files into encrypted gibberish would be disastrous for your business or your writing career. You want a security app that does everything it can to prevent that outcome. Bitdefender employs a multi-layered approach to ransomware protection, which has proven effective in real-world testing.

Laid-back users: Some consumers appreciate receiving constant reassuring messages that confirm their security software is working effectively. That’s not you. You’d rather have it just shut up and do the work. Bitdefender’s AutoPilot mode is just what you want.

Password organizers: Year after year, you’ve heard promises of passwordless security, and year after year, we all keep using passwords. At least you’re using strong, unique passwords for every website. Of course, doing so requires a password manager, like the Bitdefender SecurePass component of this suite.

Protection type: Identity thieves are wily. They’ll use any techniques, from hacking databases to sifting through your garbage. Norton 360 With LifeLock starts with the powerful device-level protection of Norton 360 Deluxe and adds full access to the LifeLock identity theft remediation service. When considering apps that combine device security with identity protection, Norton 360 with LifeLock is an Editors’ Choice.

Scores in hands-on tests: Norton’s browser-based protection aims to detect both dangerous websites (such as those hosting malware) and phishing fraud that tries to steal your login credentials. In extensive tests with both types of dangerous URLs, Norton scored 99% detection twice. When I checked its handling of my hand-curated malware collection, it detected 97% of the 90-odd samples and scored 9.7 of 10 available points.

Independent lab test scores: When a given antivirus app doesn’t appear in the results from an independent testing lab, it could mean the lab didn’t consider it consequential enough for inclusion. It could also mean the antivirus company declined the invitation to participate. But when an antivirus does appear in results from all five labs, as Norton does, you know it’s important. And all five flagged Norton with a perfect score. Its lab aggregate of 10 points, based on five labs, beats all competitors.

Pricing and pricing tiers: Pricing for Norton 360 With LifeLock is multidimensional. At the Select, Advanced, and Ultimate+ tiers, the annual fees are $149.99, $249.99, and $349.99, respectively. That gets you five, 10, or unlimited licenses, with increasing hosted backup storage at each higher tier, as well as additional identity protection features. At each tier, you can also choose individual (one identity), family (two adult identities), or family with kids (two adult and five child identities). The system maxes out at Norton 360 With LifeLock Ultimate+ for family and kids, priced at $819.99 per year.

Ransomware protection: This extended suite’s protection is identical to that in the basic Norton 360 Deluxe. The Data Protector component prevents all changes to files of specific types residing in specific important folders. When a program triggers its warning, you can block and terminate it or add it to the trusted list. In testing, with all other antivirus protection suspended, Norton detected 11 of 12 real-world antivirus samples. As with all such permission-based systems, the ransomware attacks managed to encrypt files not identified as protected, as many as 10,000 such files. Fortunately, on a production system, other antivirus components would have wiped out all the ransomware samples on sight.

VPN available: This suite covers all the bases. Norton 360 Deluxe handles antivirus and other device-level security components. LifeLock monitors for signs of identity theft and helps you recover if necessary. The VPN component both encrypts your internet traffic and hides your IP address from trackers. With Norton, you get the same number of VPN licenses as suite licenses—five, 10, or unlimited, depending on the tier you chose. And there are no limits on bandwidth or server selection.

Bonus features: Norton 360 With LifeLock is teeming with useful security bonuses, but they’re precisely the same bonuses you get with Norton 360 Deluxe. The big difference is the LifeLock component, the most full-featured identity theft protection and remediation system I’ve seen. Each of the three subscription tiers offers additional identity protection features. At the top tier, Norton will spend up to $3 million on tasks to recover your stolen identity. That tier includes advanced features such as home title monitoring, investment account activity alerts, and cyberbullying detection for your children.

Score trackers: You like to understand exactly how your security protection works, as evidenced by detailed discussions of hands-on tests. Norton’s score in my basic malware protection test is among the best, and it scored 99% protection in both my phishing test and my malware-hosting URL test. It’s in the winners’ circle.

Lab test believers: If anyone asks who’s the best shortstop of all time, you consult the statistics. Likewise, to find the best antivirus protection, you want stats that you can rely on. I subscribe to regular reports from five labs worldwide. All five consider Norton worth including, and all but one give it their maximum possible rating.

Feature collectors: Even with device-level security protecting all your desktops and mobile devices, you don’t feel fully insulated from attacks on your identity. Norton 360 With LifeLock doesn’t merely build in identity theft detection and remediation; it lets you choose from three different levels, depending on how much you’re willing to pay.

VPN users: Every website you visit can learn your real-world location based on your IP address. You’d rather preserve your privacy and, as a bonus, protect your internet communications. Norton’s VPN component will do that for you and can even let you consume region-locked content by spoofing your location. Unlike some competitors, Norton allows you to choose any VPN server you want and imposes no bandwidth limits.

Identity defenders: You’ve carefully installed security protection for all your devices, but you’re aware that there’s nothing an app can do about real-world attacks on your identity. A super-suite like Norton 360 With LifeLock is the solution, combining cross-platform device protection with top-tier identity theft detection and recovery.

Loyal customers: Whether it’s cars, sodas, or whiskey, you like to pick a brand and stick with it. As long as you show your loyalty by signing up to automatically renew your security subscription, Norton reciprocates with its virus-free guarantee. If malware gets past the security app, Norton agents will remote into your computer and fix the problem, with a money-back guarantee.

Old-school enthusiasts: When a new security product comes out, you watch to see if it will last. For your own protection, you prefer tried-and-tested brands. Norton dates back 30 years, and LifeLock has been in existence for 20. Norton 360 With LifeLock is in for the long haul.

Password organizers: With a password manager, it’s easy to make every password strong and unique. The password manager included with Norton handles all essential tasks, although it lacks a few advanced features.

Protection type: When your business runs from your dining room table and the staff is just you, you can probably get away with just using a standard security suite. But as the business expands, you’ll eventually want security designed for a business setting. Avast Premium Business Security naturally includes the powerful security features you expect from Avast, but it also gives you, the boss, a comprehensive remote monitoring and control system, as well as purpose-built security for your Exchange and SharePoint servers.

Scores in hands-on tests: In both my latest malware protection test and the previous test, Avast, AVG, and Norton all detected 97% of the malware samples and scored 9.7 out of 10 possible points. This matchup is no surprise, since all three use the same antivirus engine. Phishing is a problem both for consumers and businesses, and Avast made a fine showing in my hands-on phishing test, scoring a near-perfect 99%.

Independent lab test scores: When all five independent testing labs I follow include antivirus technology in their reports, it’s clear that antivirus software is important. Avast doesn’t merely show up in all five reports—it does so with perfect and near-perfect scores. My algorithm, which combines multiple lab scores into a single aggregate lab score, yields 9.8 out of 10 for Avast.

Pricing and pricing tiers: Most consumer security suites offer specific tiers of protection, such as 5, 10, or 25 devices. With Avast Premium Business Security, you can purchase as many seats as you need, from 1 to 999, with progressively deeper volume discounts. A subscription for just one device runs $49.81 per year, while $467.50 protects 10 devices. Many small business suites top out at 25 users; 25 Avast licenses would cost $1,093.25 per year.

Ransomware protection: A ransomware attack on your personal files is terrible, but a ransomware attack on your business can put you right out of business. Avast’s real-time malware protection should smack down any such attack before it can start, but just in case, Ransomware Shield provides a second level of defense. On each employee’s PC, it prevents all unauthorized changes to files in the Documents, Downloads, and Desktop folders. You can extend that protection to additional folders if necessary. It proved effective in testing.

VPN available: Avast’s antivirus protects all your business computers from malware, but when your employees start communicating and exchanging data over the internet, the antivirus can’t help. Fortunately, your Avast Premium Business Security subscription comes with licenses for Avast SecureLine VPN, as well as an integrated VPN component. When the VPN is active, no industrial spy or corporate hacker can interfere with your business communications.

Bonus features: The most important bonus feature in this suite is the comprehensive remote management and control system. Not only can you get insight into your whole fleet of computers, but you can also remotely trigger actions such as running a malware scan, checking for updates, or even shutting down the device (after warning the user). A network security scan is more useful to you, the boss, than to employees, but everyone benefits from scam detection, firewall, and browser tracking prevention. And Avast’s protection against abuse of webcams and microphones could well defend your secrets against corporate eavesdropping.

Lab test devotees: When you go to spend money on security for your business, you may need to justify your choice. You can hardly get a stronger recommendation than what the independent testing labs give Avast. All five of the labs I follow include Avast in their most recent test results, and its scores are all perfect or near-perfect.

Remote controllers: You have remote employees scattered across the globe, and you can’t depend on all of them to install and manage security protection. With Avast, you can install protection remotely, monitor security events across all your devices, and even take remote control to resolve issues.

Tech-savvy bosses: Your employees are good at their jobs, but your business isn’t in the tech sector. In fact, you’re the only one in the company with serious tech skills. Avast’s remote management system lets you easily spot security issues and address them from your desk. No need to spend all your time wearing your tech support hat.

Protection type: Macs also need antivirus protection, and Bitdefender Antivirus Plus for Mac offers more than just the basics. Among antivirus tools focused on macOS, Bitdefender is an Editors’ Choice.

Scores in hands-on tests: My coding skills are strictly Windows-based, so many of my hands-on tests are only possible under Windows. Phishing attacks are platform-agnostic, and the Mac edition of Bitdefender antivirus scored the same as its Windows counterpart, 99%. I also performed a simple test of its ability to detect and quarantine my Windows-based malware sample collection. In that test, it managed 82%, which is better than most competitors.

Independent lab test scores: While I follow five independent antivirus testing labs for my Windows antivirus reviews, only two of those also test Mac antivirus software. Bitdefender received the highest possible score from AV-Test Institute, 18 of 18 points. In an AV-Comparatives test, several competitors achieved 100% detection, while Bitdefender came close with 99.4%. It detected 100% of Windows malware samples used in another test by this lab. And no competitor beat its 99% detection score for PUAs (potentially unwanted applications).

Pricing and pricing tiers: As with Windows antivirus apps, two-thirds of the Mac antivirus tools I track cost between $40 and $50. And, like its Windows equivalent, Bitdefender for Mac is at the high end of the spectrum. You pay $49.99 per year to protect one Mac, or $69.99 for three. Simple enough.

Ransomware protection: The Safe Files feature blocks unauthorized changes to files in your Desktop, Documents, Downloads, and Pictures folders to defend against ransomware. It also applies this protection to your Time Machine backups. If a hitherto unknown app tries to modify a protected file, you get a notification. When the warning comes up just after you’ve launched a new word processor or image editor, you can just click to make the app trusted. However, if you receive that same warning unexpectedly, block access immediately and then run a full scan.

VPN available: Any time you connect your Mac to a Wi-Fi hotspot, you’re taking a chance that the network is compromised. A shady network administrator could snoop on your connection, possibly even interfere with your communication. But not if you connect using a VPN. With a VPN, your connection is encrypted, your IP geolocation is hidden, and you can even spoof your location to a different country. Antivirus protects your data at home on your computer; a VPN extends that protection when that data heads out into the wild web. With Bitdefender, you do get a VPN, but it’s capped at 200GB of bandwidth per day. You can’t play tricks with your location, because you don’t get to choose the server. If you want to shake off those limits, it will cost you an extra $69.99 per year.

Bonus features: Most security companies allocate more resources to securing Windows PCs than to Macs, and Bitdefender is no exception. Where Bitdefender Antivirus Plus is bursting with bonuses, the Mac edition sticks mainly to antivirus essentials. As noted, it does defend against ransomware by denying unauthorized changes to protected files. In the browser, its Anti-tracker feature prevents advertisers and other trackers from profiling you on the web, and the Traffic Light extension marks up search results, with green indicating safe and red indicating dangerous.

Lab test believers: You’ve come to accept that your Mac needs protection from an antivirus, but which one? Why not check with the experts—independent labs that thoroughly test Mac antivirus tools? Both labs that I follow for Mac testing include Bitdefender, and it holds one perfect and one nearly perfect score.

Laid-back users: To you, Mac security is a chore, not a hobby. You don’t want to spend more time on it than is necessary. With Bitdefender, once you’ve gone through the initial installation, you can just flip on AutoPilot and chillax.

Protection type: Many antivirus apps have a layer of ransomware-specific protection. ZoneAlarm Anti-Ransomware focuses on ransomware protection, with a secondary antivirus layer included. It’s our Editors’ Choice for ransomware protection.

Scores in hands-on tests: As there are many techniques for ransomware detection, I don’t have a standardized test with a numeric score. And ZoneAlarm Anti-Ransomware, although it includes some antivirus features, isn’t intended as your sole antivirus protection. The one hard-number score I can report is from my antiphishing test, where ZoneAlarm steered the browser away from 99% of the newly discovered phishing URLs I gathered for the test.

Independent lab test scores: I follow five independent labs that continually test antivirus apps and report their findings periodically. However, none of these labs publishes a regular report with ransomware protection scores.

Pricing and pricing tiers: At $34.95 per year, Webroot Anti-Ransomware costs less than most antivirus apps. Do remember, though, that you use it in conjunction with a regular antivirus. If you need ransomware protection for more computers, you can purchase a three-device license for $44.95 or upgrade to a five-device license for $54.95. Still not enough? Paying $94.95 per year grants you licenses to protect up to 10 PCs from ransomware.

Ransomware protection: This app has one focus—protection against ransomware. It monitors programs on your PC for behavioral clues to ransomware activity. Upon detecting a ransomware attack, it eliminates the malware itself and restores any files that may have been damaged prior to detection. It scatters “bait files” in folders favored by ransomware, in hopes that any attack will treat them as cannon fodder. When tested with a dozen ransomware samples drawn from the wild, it exhibited almost perfect protection. It prevented (or reversed) all damage in 11 of the files. It also detected and quashed the twelfth, but failed to recover five bait files and three unimportant Windows ancillary files.

VPN available: Did I mention that this app’s singular focus is ransomware protection? It’s not an antivirus, and neither is it a VPN. If you want the security of a VPN for your internet connections, you’ll have to purchase one separately or choose among the best free VPNs.

Bonus features: With an antivirus or security suite, you expect to find additional security features. A one-track app like ZoneAlarm, devoted solely to ransomware detection and remediation, doesn’t offer additional features.

Ransomware hunters: You’re aware that ransomware is just another type of malware, and that your security software should take care of it. But you’re afraid of the consequences if it fails. Adding a ransomware-specific layer, such as ZoneAlarm, should alleviate those concerns.

Old-school enthusiasts: Given the choice between a brand with a long history and a shiny new app, you’ll always take the well-established one. While ZoneAlarm Anti-Ransomware itself isn’t yet 10 years old, the ZoneAlarm name dates back to 2000.

Protection type: Just how many devices in your household need a security app? With McAfee+, one subscription covers every device you’ve got, whether they run Windows, macOS, Android, iOS, or even ChromeOS.

Scores in hands-on tests: I challenge every antivirus with a collection of malware samples that I gathered and analyzed myself. When I tried to download my samples from cloud storage, McAfee+ diverted most of them straight to quarantine. Its current score of 9.3 points is a drop from its previous perfect 10. McAfee+ did detect 100% of my phishing samples. When I attempted to visit 100 malware-hosting URLs in a browser under McAfee’s protection, it prevented the browser from reaching 81% of them and blocked the malware download for another 16%, resulting in a very good 97% score in this test.

Independent lab test scores: I closely follow the regularly issued test result reports from five antivirus testing labs. Three of the five labs include McAfee in their latest publications, and two give it perfect scores. Of three tests by the remaining lab, McAfee took two perfect scores but bombed the third. Feeding all that data into my aggregate lab score algorithm, I obtain an overall lab score of 8.9 for McAfee, which is down from its normally impressive scores.

Pricing and pricing tiers: With McAfee+, pricing is simple. You pay $149.99 per year for your subscription, which lets you install McAfee protection on every device in your household. In addition to supporting the expected Windows, macOS, Android, and iOS devices, McAfee can protect ARM-based laptops and ChromeOS devices.

Ransomware protection: While many security apps add ransomware-specific defenses to basic antivirus, McAfee+ integrates ransomware protection with general malware protection. I couldn’t turn off non-ransomware components for testing, so I resorted to using hand-modified versions of my samples. The antivirus caught most of them, but allowed one to go on a file-encrypting spree. It also missed a less common whole-disk-encrypting ransomware sample. This is unlike my other ransomware tests—McAfee failed these two tests, despite all antivirus components being active.

VPN available: McAfee used to offer a separate VPN app called Safe Connect, but that functionality is now only available as part of the Secure VPN suite component. While it lacks some advanced VPN features, it’s very easy to use, and there are no bandwidth or server selection limits. There is one limit you might not notice at first, though. While your subscription allows you to install security suite protection on all devices in your household, you can only have five devices connected to the VPN at a time.

Bonus features: McAfee+’s big claim to fame is its unlimited coverage for all the devices in your household. Beyond that, it does come with some useful and uncommon security features. If you give it access to your email account, it can sift through your messages to identify secure accounts you may have forgotten and even help you shut them down. Like Norton, McAfee promises expert help removing any malware that gets past its antivirus, backed by a money-back guarantee. You get the True Key password manager, a file shredder utility, and Scam Detector protection for up to 10 email accounts. And its breach detection system scans the dark web for a wide variety of personal information items, not just your email address. At the higher subscription tiers, breach detection expands into full-blown identity theft detection and remediation, similar to what you get from Norton With LifeLock.

Score trackers: You can’t actually put antivirus products through hands-on testing, but you still want to understand just how effective they are. We handle that hands-on testing, and McAfee’s scores are nearly perfect.

VPN users: An antivirus keeps your files and data safe while they’re on your device, but when you start sending data across the internet, the antivirus has no power. If that’s a worry, McAfee’s VPN can help. It protects your connection, hides your IP address, and can even make you seem to be connecting from another country.

Identity defenders: You’ve encountered horror stories about people finding their bank accounts empty, losing their homes, or even being arrested due to identity theft. You’re not willing to risk that. No problem—McAfee+ includes full-scale identity theft remediation, at least at its higher subscription tiers.

Loyal customers: With you, loyalty is a two-way street. You commit to a group or brand and expect a certain level of commitment in return. That’s just how McAfee operates. You commit to automatic renewal, and McAfee commits to keeping your computer malware-free. If a slippery zero-day attack slips past the antivirus, McAfee experts will remove it. And if they can’t, you get your money back.

Password organizers: You know you need a password manager to create a unique, strong password for every website, but you worry you might forget the master password and lose all access. McAfee’s True Key password manager, part of McAfee+, has you covered. Once you configure it to use several alternate authentication methods, you can use those to reset the master password if you forget it.

Protection type: Webroot Essentials is an antivirus app, but it doesn’t work like most. It identifies and removes known malware on sight and flags trusted programs. When an unknown app launches, Webroot sends a dossier to its cloud-based brain and isolates the unknown, preventing it from making any permanent changes. If the cloud sends back a thumbs-down, Webroot wipes out the program and rolls back any changes it attempted.

Scores in hands-on tests: Webroot’s unusual journal-and-rollback protection system doesn’t always jibe with independent lab tests, but Webroot has routinely scored near the top in my hands-on tests. It detected 99% of my current malware collection and scored 9.7 out of 10 in my basic malware detection test. Challenged with hundreds of real-world phishing fakes, freshly scraped from the web, it managed to replace each with a warning page. And when I tried to launch 100 malware-hosting URLs, it prevented 97% of the downloads.

Independent lab test scores: Webroot doesn’t always detect malware right away. Sometimes it isolates an unknown program, pending a verdict from its cloud-based analysis system. This delayed gratification grinds the gears of some independent testing labs. Webroot hasn’t participated in recent tests by AV-Test Institute or AV-Comparatives, but it achieved perfect scores in the latest reports from SE Labs and MRG-Effitas. The average of perfect is perfect, so Webroot’s aggregate lab score is 10 out of 10. I do give more weight when there are more results, so, for example, I’d consider ESET to be even more successful, with 10 points based on scores from four labs.

Pricing and pricing tiers: Like Bitdefender, Webroot charges $49.99 per year to protect a single computer, or $69.99 for a three-license subscription. Webroot goes one step further, offering five-device protection for $89.99.

Ransomware protection: As noted, Webroot approaches malware differently from most. When encountering an unknown program, it sends details to a cloud-based analysis system and then runs the program in isolation, recording its every action while preventing permanent changes. If the completed analysis flags the app as malicious, Webroot removes it and then reverses all the changes it made. That reversal includes restoring files encrypted by ransomware. Webroot doesn’t separate ransomware protection from regular antivirus, so I couldn’t test this system.

VPN available: Using a virtual private network (VPN) app protects your data in transit, hides your IP address from trackers, and lets you spoof your location by connecting to servers worldwide. It’s a common addition to round out the feature set of a security suite, and some antivirus apps include a VPN component. Not Webroot. If you want the benefits of a VPN, you’ll have to purchase a powerful VPN app separately.

Bonus features: As the name suggests, Webroot Essentials focuses primarily on the essentials of antivirus protection. You do get a full subscription to the LastPass password manager. The firewall component operates in the background, enhancing network protection whenever it detects malware. Tech-savvy users will appreciate advanced features such as the System Control process manager and the SafeStart Sandbox.

Score trackers: You always check the charts in PCMag’s antivirus and security reviews to see which apps did best in our hands-on tests. With 100% phishing protection, 99% malware detection, and 97% deflection of malware-hosting URLs, Webroot is a big winner.

Ransomware hunters: A zero-day ransomware attack could scramble your files, forcing you to pay the attacker or lose those files forever. Webroot treats that attack like any other unknown program, virtualizing all its system changes so they can be rolled back if the program turns out to be a stinker. And yes, it can restore ransomware-encrypted files to their original, undamaged state.

Password organizers: You understand that each of your secure accounts requires a unique password that nobody could guess. And you know that reaching that goal requires a password manager. With your Webroot subscription, you get a full subscription to the well-known LastPass. Problem solved!

Protection type: Sometimes, a brand-new malware strain gets past your antivirus. Other times, a pernicious infection prevents you from installing antivirus software. Malwarebytes Free exists to rescue you from situations like these. It focuses solely on detecting and eliminating tough malware, with no real-time protection component as you’d find in a standard antivirus.

Scores in hands-on tests: My antivirus tests generally assume the app under testing provides real-time protection. Malwarebytes Free is primarily a cleanup tool that runs on demand to eliminate persistent issues, so my standard malware protection test isn’t applicable. When I simply ran an on-demand scan, it quarantined 99% of the samples, including all the ransomware samples. The separate Browser Guard utility aims to keep you from accidentally visiting dangerous or fraudulent sites, but it didn’t do well in testing. Its 96% phishing detection score isn’t bad, though many have scored higher. But in my test using malware-hosting URLs, it only successfully prevented 73% of the downloads.

Independent lab test scores: I always welcome the detailed reports and scores regularly issued by independent antivirus testing labs. Of the five labs I follow, two included Malwarebytes Premium in their testing, and both gave it a perfect score. However, that score doesn’t apply to Malwarebytes Free, which lacks the real-time protection needed for success. We don’t have any lab results for the free edition.

Pricing and pricing tiers: There is no need to discuss the details of pricing. The cleanup-only version of Malwarebytes Free is, as the name suggests, free.

Ransomware protection: Ransomware protection only works when the security app runs in the background, preventing damage caused by ransomware. Malwarebytes Free only steps in after the damage has been done, cleaning up stubborn infestations. That’s no help with ransomware; even if you remove the malware, your files are still encrypted.

VPN available: Like real-time antivirus protection, a VPN works in the background. And that’s not how Malwarebytes Free works. You use it to scan and fix specific problems, but it does not provide ongoing protection. Just as this app doesn’t include real-time antivirus, it equally doesn’t include a VPN.

Bonus features: Malwarebytes Free is the tool you use when other antivirus solutions have failed. Without real-time protection, it’s not suited to many common security features. It includes a scanner to identify exposure of your email address on the dark web, but naturally omits real-time monitoring for new breaches. The latest edition introduces a simple startup program manager and includes some tweaks for Windows 11, both of which are marked as experimental.

Freebie seekers: You want to keep your PCs safe from all kinds of malware attacks, but you’re not thrilled to spend your hard-earned cash doing so. Malwarebytes Free isn’t a full-scale antivirus app, since it lacks real-time protection. But when the chips are down, it can rescue a compromised computer, and it doesn’t cost a dime.