Antivirus Software reviews from Reddit

Summary

We analyzed 497 Reddit reviews across 25 subreddits and 52 posts to rank the best Antivirus Software brands recommended by redditors, including communities like r/malwares, r/computers, r/antivirus, r/cybersecurity, r/software. Top-rated brands include Bitdefender (4.3/5), Malwarebytes (4.2/5), Microsoft (4.2/5).

Stats

Reviews497

Subreddits25

Posts52

Brands63

Products32

Top communities

r/malwares110 r/computers105 r/antivirus89 r/cybersecurity28 r/software24

497 reviews from

and

By Brand

By Product

Bitdefender

4.3

(63)

"Bitdefender topping the tests by AV-Test and AV Comparatives."

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

"Seconded to Bitdefender"

"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."

"Kaspersky or Bitdefender are the best antivirus softwares, and two of the few that offers free but excellent protection."

"I’ve been using Bitdefender for a while now, and it’s been excellent."

"I second bitdefender, been using it for 10years living in China and haven't had a single problem"

"Bitdefender is your best option. Theres a free version and paid versions"

"It's one of the best actually for discounts."

Malwarebytes

4.2

(54)

"It does a solid job finding stuff that others miss."

"It's great for catching things that other software misses."

"It catches a lot of stuff that others miss."

"It handles threats differently than traditional antivirus."

"It's lightweight, runs in the background, and catches stuff that others miss."

"It’s not just an antivirus; it’s like having a little security guard for your system."

"It's reliable."

"Look into Malwarebytes for quick, effective malware removal."

"It’s lightweight and focuses on malware removal."

"Windows Defender + Malwarebytes + Firefox with uBlock Origin"

Microsoft

4.2

(51)

"Windows Defender. Ain't nobody that knows more about security and virus issues than Microsoft themselves."

"Free built-in Windows Defender + Free OpenDNS account using their DNS servers in your network configuration(s) or use something like Quad9 + Free AD-Blocker in your browser(s) like UBlock Origin = Great layered protection that is light on resources"

"Windows defender. Everything else is a scam."

"IMO Defender for general use, Free Malwarebytes for spot checks, and common sense work wonders."

"Just use windows defender, don't download or go to sketchy links, and do a yearly clean install to keep everything working as intended."

"If you use windows: just go for the defender and clam av on a live linux if shit hits the fan, else clam av"

"The integrated anti virus software windows defender is all you need."

"This just use Windows Defender and if you want an on demand solution Malwarebytes."

"Don't waste your money on those scams. Windows Defender and common sense is more than enough."

"Windows Defender and Malwarebytes. Get rid of the anti-virus."

ESET

4.1

(41)

"I swear by eset nod32"

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

"ESET NOD32 is another great option. It’s been highly rated for years."

"I second Nod32, my family has had it for over 20 years, it's been fantastic."

"The only antivirus you should use is ESET"

"ESET, use it since I had my first ever laptop."

"Malwarebytes, kaspersky or eset do the job."

"Kaspersky, Eset, BitDefender."

"ESET Internet Security"

"1. Eset"

Microsoft Defender

4.4

(37)

"Common sense + Defender."

"Windows Defender has you covered, no paid software does anything more than it."

"Defender all the way"

"Either Microsoft Defender or you could go with Datto EDR + AV."

"I wouldn't use anything but windows defender."

"I have just resorted to using Microsoft's built-in software."

"Windows Defender. Norton is like one of the worst AVs out there."

"I’ve been using Windows Defender and Malwarebytes Free for 5 years."

"Windows Defender with periodic scanning turned on."

"I've used Windows Security for years w/o a single problem."

Kaspersky

4.2

(35)

"Kaspersky or Bitdefender are the best antivirus softwares, and two of the few that offers free but excellent protection."

"Best overall protection, but not in all regions, has a good free version"

"Kaspersky"

"Definitely Kaspersky, that’s the best AV in all tests"

"Kaspersky"

"Kasperky is the one that gets the best results."

"Kaspersky"

"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."

"Kaspersky. You have nothing to hide if you don't have secrets..."

Windows Defender

3.9

(36)

"I have Windows Defender and nothing more haven’t had a virus on either of my PCs in years."

"Windows defender. Hands down."

"Windows defender with common sense is the best antivirus"

"99.9% chance people will tell you they use Windows Defender + Free Malwarebytes for occasional active scanning."

"Gravb a copy of DefenderUI. It helps configure Defender to be a bit more aggressive."

"Windows Defender works just fine"

"Windows Defender offers solid protection."

"Windows Defender plus the antivirus between your ears."

"Windows defender, a good adblocker like uBlock or ABP, common sense."

"For most people Windows defender"

Norton

3.2

(17)

"There is only 1 antivirus in the world and that is Norton Antivirus."

"I would recommend prioritizing Norton or Bitdefender from your top choices."

"Norton is good too - another antivirus people hate without rational reason."

"Norton 360 if you want a comprehensive package"

"Good detection rates and easy to use."

"Can be a solid pick if you want something comprehensive."

"If you want something with solid protection and good support."

"I’d say that it’s one of the best options out there."

"I bought virus protection from Norton that very day."

"Norton’s free version might be worth a shot"

Emsisoft

4.2

(13)

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

"It’s lightweight and effective."

"Emsisoft"

"Kaspersky or Emsisoft is lightweight"

"Solid free antivirus, give Emsisoft a shot"

"It catches a lot of unwanted stuff like adware. The setup is straightforward and you won't be bombarded by constant upgrade prompts."

"It catches adware and PUPs. Runs smooth and doesn’t bug you for upgrades."

"It’s been good for me, lightweight and catches stuff well."

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

"It’s light on resources and effective against malware."

#10

F-Secure

3.9

(12)

"F-Secure Free. It gives solid basic protection and runs smoothly"

"It’s straightforward, doesn’t slow things down, and has decent malware protection for everyday use."

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

"It's light on resources and does a decent job blocking threats."

"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."

"It's straightforward and doesn't bog down your system."

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

"I only pay for two things in this life: Disney+ and F-Secure."

"I would suggest F-Secure or Kaspersky."

#11

Avira

3.7

(10)

"Avira-free feels good enough for a Windows file server"

"It quietly protects without hogging resources. The interface is pretty clean too."

"It gets the job done without slowdowns. You’ll appreciate the straightforward setup and it doesn’t throw ads in your face all the time."

"It's lightweight and surprisingly effective at catching threats without a ton of fuss."

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

"It's not resource-heavy and gets the job done well."

"You could try Avira, as it’s one of the most complete options out there."

"Avira."

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

"Avira is fine, though it's a bit of a bundled mess if you use the default installer."

#12

Sophos

4.0

(8)

"It's not just for a single device, so you can protect multiple gadgets at once. The online management is pretty decent too."

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

"It’s user-friendly and has solid features for blocking threats."

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

"It's solid and easy to use."

"It's got strong protection and covers multiple devices."

"Sophos anti virus, under settings you can allow or block websites."

"Sophos is very inexpensive and has a cloud portal."

#13

Webroot

4.0

(7)

"It’s super fast and doesn’t slow down my machine at all."

"It’s super light and doesn’t slow down your computer at all. The scans are quick, and it catches stuff pretty well."

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

"It's fast and doesn't hog resources like some other options."

"I been using Webroot for decades."

"The bank I'm with offers Webroot free."

"Webroot is aight"

#14

Comodo

3.9

(7)

"It packs a punch with its defense against malware. Plus, it gives you a nice firewall feature."

"It has a solid free firewall and good malware protection without the usual annoying upgrades."

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

"It's got a decent free version that packs a punch with proactive defense."

"I've been using Comodo (free) for years and had 0 problems with it."

"I'm happy with the free Comodo antivirus."

"It’s free and pretty solid."

#15

SentinelOne

4.6

(5)

"Sentinel One is my favourite investment that costs me about 100$ a year and protects me and my clients data"

"SENTINEL ONE 👼"

"SentinelOne next tier up."

"I'm a fan of SentinelOne after inheriting it."

"I would look at Sentinel 1 or CyberReason."

#16

Acronis

3.8

(6)

"Acronis Cyber Protect if you want a solid combo of antivirus and backup features"

"Acronis Cyber Protect a shot. It’s not just antivirus; it also backs up your files"

"Acronis Cyber Protect. It mixes antivirus with backup"

"It's got a solid mix of antivirus and backup features, making it a great overall choice for security."

"It combines antivirus with backup features. Solid choice for overall security."

"You can consider our Acronis True Image among other options - it has both backup/disaster recovery and AV capabilities."

#17

ClamAV

3.7

(6)

"It works well for scanning and has a solid reputation in the tech community."

"It also has a user interface if i remember correctly, so it's easy to use."

"A good idea considering more and more viruses are targeting Linux."

"It's different from what you're used to on Windows though."

"I would recommend clamav if you do need one."

"Might not be bad for not accidentally distributing Windows virii to friends."

#18

TotalAV

4.0

(5)

"It’s better than Windows Defender because I download a lot of pirated crap and it’s been keeping me safe."

"TotalAV would be my choice. Affordable pricing and it comes with a password manager."

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

"Go for TotalAV. Literally one of the best and cheapest options out there."

"It’s worked well for me, although I'm not the most tech-savvy person."

#19

McAfee

2.5

(8)

"McAfee is not bad. Nowadays McAfee is owned by Advent International, who bought it from Intel."

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

"It has a decent interface and covers the basics without slowing you down."

"I have used McAfee for a while and never had any performance issues."

"McAfee"

"McAfee, shits terrible and people even go crazy when I tell them that it's a bad antivirus and it just hoards your ram and cpu."

"Mcafee is bloat ware and does nothing useful or something worse than windows defender and only soaks up your ram and cpu usage."

"It's probably the worst choice possible."

#20

Avast

2.7

(7)

"I am on avast, consumes less resources then defender, has better scores and doesn't sam notifications or features to buy."

"These are the best antivirus software for PC..."

"Avast antivirus"

"For free versions, try Avast (the most complete)"

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

"Avast is literal adware now."

"They are both shit."

#21

AVG

3.6

(5)

"AVG. This antivirus gets a fuckton of unwarranted hate for some reason."

"Impressed how AVG detects and blocks harmful pages and downloads."

"Installing AVG was super easy and didn't slow my PC."

"I use the free version of AVG and a custom hosts file."

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

#22

AhnLab

4.0

(4)

"AhnLab V3. It’s pretty efficient and won’t bombard you with ads"

"It’s lightweight and effective, and you won’t get bombarded with ads."

"It's lightweight and does a solid job protecting your system. You won't have to deal with annoying ads either."

"It’s effective and doesn’t slow down your system. Solid choice for basic needs."

#23

ZoneAlarm

3.8

3.5

3.0

(1)

"Ubuntu"

#63

Norton 360

2.0

(1)

"What a stupid waste of money."

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