Antivirus Recommendations reviews from Reddit

Summary

We analyzed 257 Reddit reviews across 20 subreddits and 34 posts to rank the best Antivirus Recommendations brands recommended by redditors, including communities like r/malwares, r/ComputerVirus, r/computers, r/antivirus, r/ComputerHardware. Top-rated brands include Bitdefender (4.4/5), Malwarebytes (4.4/5), ESET (4.1/5).

Stats

Reviews257

Subreddits20

Posts34

Brands39

Products7

Top communities

r/malwares110 r/ComputerVirus45 r/computers32 r/antivirus16 r/ComputerHardware10

257 reviews from

and

By Brand

By Product

Bitdefender

4.4

(33)

"Bitdefender is what I've been using past ~5 years and recommend to all friends/family."

"Yes. On many computers over around 15 years now. I always use it. And it’s saved my ass too many times to mention."

"Switch to Bitdefender and been very satisfied. Even FREE version is sufficient for most users."

"Lightweight and pretty powerful. I can run it without my system feeling slow."

"Go for Bitdefender for top-notch protection."

"Bitdefender"

"Get a good total security solution (such as Bitdefender Total Security that I've been using for years) and you'll never need the included antivirus."

"BitDefender and Kaspersky are in the first place on the podium."

"Bitdefender is truly the best combination of protection and useability."

"Bitdefender is the best by far."

Malwarebytes

4.4

(32)

"It's not your typical antivirus but it does a solid job finding stuff that others miss. It's lightweight and doesn't bog down your machine."

"It’s not just an antivirus; it’s like having a little security guard for your system. You can run it alongside other stuff, and it’ll catch things that slip through."

"It does a solid job catching stuff that sneaks past other defenses. I’ve used it for years and it’s always caught things before they become a problem."

"My favorite is Malwarebytes because it's powerful and offers a lot of real-time tools and modules that you can manage fully."

"Malwarebytes is excellent at keeping their signatures up to date."

"Malwarebytes & the Malwarebytes Chrome plugin is what I recommend both to my IT clients."

"Windows Defender and Malwarebytes is everything you need."

"Gonna second (third? forth?) Malwarebytes. I have used the free version for years."

"I've been using Malwarebytes, and I think it's one of the best antivirus 2024 options out there."

"Best Free Antivirus: Malawarebytes antimalaware"

ESET

4.1

(25)

"Eset. Been using since 2012. Never had any issues on about 75 pcs."

"Best Paid Antivirus: Eset Home Security Premium"

"Eset for customizability, light weight and efficient."

"I would reccomend purchasing ESET NOD32 Antivirus 4 or Smart Security."

"Eset Nod32, install and forget. Never had any troubles."

"I personally can recommend ESET - cheap and works very well"

"If you want a solid antivirus, just go with ESET or Malwarebytes."

"Try using ESET. It's light on resources and effective."

"If you want something solid, try out ESET."

"If you want something solid, check out ESET."

Microsoft

4.5

(22)

"Windows defender. Everything else is a scam."

"Windows Defender is all you need"

"MS Defender is completely reliable now, more than others even because it’s one less company giving away your information"

"Dump all the 3rd party software (they're borderline malware honestly) and make sure MS Defender is up and running. It's all you need."

"Defender should be more than adequate. It’s quite good now."

"Defender is simply the best one, it's free and onboard."

"Windows Defender is actually the best for non enterprise users."

"Windows Defender and Malwarebytes is everything you need."

"Windows Defender."

"Windows defender and don't be stupid."

Kaspersky

4.1

(22)

"BitDefender and Kaspersky are in the first place on the podium."

"Kaspersky or bd . but kaspersky better much more settings you can set and better detection ratio"

"Kaspersky free is the king, best choice now."

"Kaspersky Free"

"I think the best overall is Kaspersky, but you can't use it if you're living in some countries."

"It does a good job of protecting your system without being a resource hog."

"It has solid protection and great features. I've used it for years without issues."

"It’s powerful and has great features for blocking threats without slowing down your system."

"For antivirus options, I recommend Bitdefender, Kaspersky, or ESET."

"2. Kaspersky Security Cloud (Best free AV)"

TotalAV

3.7

(14)

"1. Total AV (Best paid AV)"

"Total AV is a lifesaver for gamers. I switched from Norton after seeing a recommendation on a best antivirus Reddit discussion."

"Total AV: Best Overall"

"Total AV is one of the best options."

"TotalAV is best overall due to its fast malware scan, built-in system cleaner, effective browser extensions, and excellent customer support."

"I found it does a good job without slowing my laptop down too much."

"It's free and works pretty well without taking up too much space."

"It's pretty straightforward and does a good job without hogging resources."

"After diving into several best antivirus Reddit threads, I decided to switch from Norton to Total AV. The difference is remarkable."

"Total AV seems to stand out as a top contender for the best antivirus reddit users recommend."

Emsisoft

4.0

(9)

"It’s effective for malware, doesn’t eat up system resources, and is simple to set up."

"Try out Emsisoft if you want solid ransomware protection. It’s lightweight and effective."

"It's solid for malware and doesn't bog down your system."

"Look into Emsisoft Free. It's effective and doesn’t hog your system."

"Go for Emsisoft if you want solid protection. It’s light on resources and effective against malware."

"Look into using Emsisoft for solid ransomware defense. It’s effective and lightweight."

"Consider using Emsisoft if you want solid ransomware protection. It’s lightweight and gets the job done without slowing you down."

"It has a reputation for being effective against ransomware and other nasty stuff. It's not as popular as some others, but it does a solid job."

"I like Emsisoft. Solid protection, great support."

Avira

3.8

(9)

"Give Avira a shot. It's light and protects well."

"It’s light and effective for basic protection."

"It’s got a good reputation for keeping things clean without hogging resources."

"It’s got a solid free version and won’t slow your system down too much."

"It's lightweight and does a solid job."

"It's got a free version that does a decent job without slowing you down too much."

"It's not resource-heavy and gets the job done well. The free version has decent features too."

"Avira or AVG always complemented with Malware's Bytes."

"Avira, Avast & AVG are all now owned by Norton. Avast bought Avira & AVG several years ago and more recently, Norton bought Avast."

Norton

3.7

(9)

"If you're looking for something solid, just go with Norton."

"If you want something that actually works, try out Norton."

"Norton has been solid for me."

"Norton’s got a strong rep."

"It's free for a trial and offers solid protection."

"Norton has worked well for me. Good detection rates and easy to use."

"Norton can be a solid pick if you want something comprehensive."

"Try out Norton if you want something with solid protection and good support."

"Avoid Norton, AVG, McAfee, and Avast."

#10

F-Secure

3.9

(8)

"It provides solid protection without messing up your computer's speed."

"It's light on resources and does a decent job blocking threats without getting in your way."

"Try using F-Secure. It's lightweight and offers solid protection."

"It's simple and lightweight, making it a solid choice for basic protection."

"It's light on resources and does a decent job without causing slowdowns. You could also check out Emsisoft for its ransomware protection; it’s effective."

"It's straightforward and doesn't bog down your system. Plus, it has a good track record for detecting threats."

"It's got this no-nonsense approach and doesn’t mess with your system speed."

"Try F-Secure. It’s lightweight and doesn’t slow you down."

#11

Sophos

4.0

(7)

"Check out Sophos. It’s light and doesn’t hog system resources."

"If you want reliable antivirus, try using Sophos."

"It's got good detection and runs quietly without bugging you."

"Try out Sophos if you want something that’s effective without being too complex. It’s user-friendly and has solid features for blocking threats."

"Look into Sophos. It’s tough on threats."

"Look into Sophos. It's solid and easy to use."

"I use Sophos because I get it free from work."

#12

Windows Defender

3.6

(7)

"Microsoft Security Essentials, free and I've had zero issues."

"Windows defender and common sense practices."

"MS Defender + uBlockOrigin in browser for windows"

"Use Windows Defender and add Malwarebytes for extra protection."

"Try using a combination of Windows Defender and Malwarebytes."

"Just stick with Windows Defender and run a Malwarebytes scan once in a while."

"Using MS Defender as part of office 365 subscription."

#13

Comodo

4.0

(5)

"It offers solid protection and has a free version that works well for basic needs."

"It's free and quite effective at blocking threats."

"It's got a decent free version that packs a punch with proactive defense. Their sandboxing feature is solid."

"It’s free and pretty solid."

"Comodo Antivirus for Windows will work on 64bit versions of Windows plus it is free."

#14

Webroot

3.8

(5)

"It’s really fast and doesn’t slow down your machine at all."

"It’s light on resources and fast. Great for Windows 11 and easy to manage."

"It's fast and doesn't hog resources like some other options. It updates automatically, which is a nice touch."

"It’s super fast and doesn’t slow down my machine at all. Plus, it updates automatically."

"Look into Webroot. It's lightweight and doesn't slow down your computer."

#15

Avast

2.6

(7)

"Avast Premium, you can dm me for a good deal"

"For free versions, try Avast (the most complete), AVG, Bitdefender (lacks firewall and anti-ransomware remediation), and Kaspersky (lacks firewall)."

"It’s decent and free."

"Avast: Best for Android"

"Avast or AVG. Don't use Norton antivirus unless you hate your computer."

"Avast is literal adware now."

"Avoid Norton, AVG, McAfee, and Avast."

#16

ZoneAlarm

4.0

(4)

"Try out ZoneAlarm Free. It’s lightweight and does the job without being a hassle."

"Look into using ZoneAlarm for free. It's pretty reliable and light on resources."

"It’s free and does a solid job at keeping threats away."

"It's got a solid firewall and decent malware protection. I've used it for a while, and it keeps things pretty light on resources."

#17

ClamAV

3.0

(5)

"Try using ClamAV if you want a free antivirus that's pretty solid."

"It's open-source and does a good job for free. Lightweight too."

"I have ClamAV on Ubuntu, it automatically starts an antivirus scan of my home directory at midnight."

"ClamAV. Use FreshClam to update!"

"As commented below ClamAV is wholly inadequate."

#18

McAfee

3.0

(5)

"It has a solid reputation and covers multiple devices."

"At least, I use McAfee Total and I've been impressed."

"Consider using McAfee for a solid antivirus option."

"I just had a really good discount for McAfee that came with my laptop, so I went with it"

"Avoid Norton, AVG, McAfee, and Avast."

#19

PCprotect

4.0

(3)

"3. Pcprotect (My personal choice)"

"PCprotect: Most user-friendly"

"I personally use and recommend PCprotect."

#20

AVG

2.8

(4)

"Avg always worked fine for me as a supplement."

"Avg free"

"Look into using AVG. It’s pretty decent for free."

"Avoid Norton, AVG, McAfee, and Avast."

#21

Cylance

4.0

(2)

"It uses AI to catch threats early and won't slow your machine down like some others tend to do."

"It uses AI for threat detection and doesn’t slow your system down. Worth considering for solid protection."

#22

Panda

4.0

(2)

"It's light and effective."

"It's lightweight and pretty effective for basic protection."

#23

Heimdal

4.0

3.0

(1)

"Check out Panda Antivirus. It’s lightweight and pretty effective."

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