Free antivirus software is good enough for most people, here's why

We've all heard the phrase "you get what you pay for" but what about when it comes to antivirus? Do we always have to purchase software packages rather than protecting yourself for free? We don't believe so and this is why!

Since the launch of the antivirus, brands such as Norton and McAfee have dominated the consumer security market. However, Norton has now pulled its free offering meaning that people are now looking to alternative brands such as Bitdefender, Kaspersky, Sophos and others.

But if you're sitting on the fence about brands you might not have encountered before, we've pulled together five reasons why free antivirus software sets the bar high for device protection.

Avira Antivirus Free

• Free at Avira

Avira is one of the best free antivirus solutions, in addition to protecting your Windows PC you can also add some protection for your phone.

It's pre-installed on Windows devices

If you buy a desktop computer or laptop with Windows 10 already installed on it, then you already have an adequate antivirus solution at your disposal.

Microsoft Defender Antivirus is described as the "next generation protection component" of the company's Defender Advanced Threat Protection (ATP). Without paying a penny, you have access to protection that brings together machine learning, big-data analysis and in-depth threat resistance research. It also detects and blocks apps that are deemed unsafe, even though it may not be detected as malware.

The antivirus software updates as part of the Microsoft updates we've all come to know and love, so there's no need to worry about keeping it up to date with virus definitions. Why would you pay for anything else?

Techies rate free antivirus software

Forget falling for adverts when you surf the web—listen to the technology experts. These people live and breathe tech and highly recommend free antivirus software.

Avira's Free Antivirus is loved by reviewers from technology writers due to its thorough offering, with Kaspersky's free software liked for its ability to monitor in real-time from the browser. If the experts think it's okay for people to have free antivirus software, then it's okay.

It does the job without slowdown

Free sometimes means sacrificing other perks such as efficient machine running, which can mean the battery drains a lot quicker than normal or the computer slows down when doing CPU-intensive tasks.

But free antivirus software packages don't do that. For example, Avria operates in the cloud rather than on the device itself. This means less work for the device itself while ensuring top-notch protection.

Some paid for software packages from Norton and McAfee have been found to slow down when running PC scans, so this makes the free solution more efficient.

They come with loads of features

When you think of freemium services, for example, you often need to pay for the better features such as VPN protection, browser safety and additional device protection. However, the free antivirus software packages of today offer more than before.

Firewalls, VPN protection, mobile device coverage and more are just examples of features that are included in free packages, which rival those offerings from paid providers such as Norton.

They're made to be simple

Due to the likelihood that children, teenages and tech-illierate users will be needing antivirus software, companies have been keeping antivirus software, especially the free versions, simple and easy to use. You don't need to be a pen tester to know your way around security protection on your device.

BitDefender, Panda and Avira are just a few of the examples that users find easy to navigate, without sacrificing advanced protection. Panda, for example, offers VPN protection with Avira offering a safe shopping extension for browsers.

No need to get the manual out for these.

In the end, the choice lies with the user whether they buy an antivirus package or not. But we hope these reasons have given you food for thought, saving you money in the long run. However, if you're worried about being scammed by online ads, opening your devices up to malware, you can read our recommendations for the best antivirus brands available today.