Here is a list of five best Windows 10 antiviruses which were the best of the best. They all have been rated on key parameters such as malware detection, internet security, and overall value.
They also offer protection on all kinds of Windows devices — home PCs, office PCs, gaming PCs, and multimedia PCs — for a reasonable price.
1. Norton 360 — Best PC Security Suite in 2022
Norton 360 is the gold-standard of antivirus software. The antivirus engine — powered by artificial intelligence (AI) and machine learning — is excellent at protecting against all cybersecurity threats.
Norton’s 360 package includes:
Antivirus protection. Guarantees 100% protection against the most advanced viruses and malware, including ransomware and spyware.
Cloud backup. Securely store up to 75 GB of important files to Norton’s dedicated cloud.
Integrated firewall. Scans at the network level for cybersecurity threats.
Parental controls. Advanced settings to ensure kids are safe online.
Secure VPN. Fast bandwidth speeds with unlimited data and a wide range of server locations.
2. Bitdefender Total Security — Best for Advanced Malware Protection
Bitdefender Total Security uses a powerful cloud-based anti-malware engine that doesn’t slow down Windows computers — I was extremely impressed with how smoothly Bitdefender ran on my PC, not affecting my CPU or RAM (even during full scans).
Bitdefender offers 3 layers of malware protection to keep Windows computers safe:
Advanced threat defense. Uses machine learning to recognize malware (including ransomware) by continuously analyzing a PC for suspicious behavior, blocking threats immediately.
Ransomware remediation. Backs up important data if any suspicious activity is detected and restores the data after the threat is removed.
Bitdefender offers some excellent additional features as well, including comprehensive anti-phishing protections, a lightning-fast VPN (limited to 200 MB per day), and some of the best parental controls on the market.
Bitdefender caught more phishing sites in my testing than most competitors, the VPN allowed me to safely and anonymously browse the web without a significant speed drop, and the parental controls made it easy for me to filter unsafe content and receive alerts when my child left a predefined safe location.
3. TotalAV — Best for Windows Performance Optimization Tools
TotalAV has a really strong anti-malware engine — with good antivirus scanning, real-time protection, identity protection tools, and some of the best PC performance optimization tools I’ve tested.
The performance optimization tools include:
Junk and duplicate file cleaner.
Easy-to-use application uninstaller.
Startup program manager.
Web browser junk file cleaner.
My girlfriend and I both tested these features on our Windows 10 devices. My girlfriend found over 18 startup programs which were seriously slowing down her laptop’s startup times. The Startup Manager feature made it really easy to remove all of these unnecessary startup programs — which sped up the startup time by around 4 minutes.
The junk cleaner found over 8 GB of useless files that were clogging up my hard drive, so I could actually make room for my video software.
4. McAfee Total Protection — Best for Additional Security Features
McAfee Total Protection has an excellent malware scanner — detecting over 99.7% of the malware in my testing. It’s also got some of the best features of any internet security suite, including:
Web protection tools. Comes with Wi-Fi scanning, smart firewall, and anti-phishing protection.
Battery optimization. Offers an option to reduce battery drain on laptops.
System tune-up. Improves a computer’s performance by erasing unnecessary files that may slow down PC operations.
File shredder and file encryption. Securely deletes files or renders them unreadable in case of theft.
Vulnerability scanner. Scans and installs important Windows and application updates.
Secure VPN. Encrypts internet traffic with decent bandwidth speeds and unlimited browsing data.
Identity theft protection (US only). Monitors credit reports for unusual activity and includes a sizable insurance payout.
5. Avira Prime — Best for Fast Scans & Automated Software Updates
Avira’s Prime package really impressed me with it’s antivirus engine — it got exceptionally high detection rates and low false positives during my testing. Utilizing cloud-based technology to make scan speeds super quick and accurate, it scored a 100% detection rate against both old and new malware samples.
In addition to the state-of-the-art virus scanner, Avira offers:
PUA shield. Protects against potentially unwanted applications (PUAs) that can be hidden within legitimate software.
Firewall manager. Optimizes firewall settings based on desired levels of security.
Web protection. Protects against all kinds of malicious web content and phishing sites.
Email protection. Scans email attachments to check for malware and harmful links.
Software updater. Automatically updates many popular programs.
Outdated programs can expose systems to threats, so I was happy to discover that Software Updater identifies outdated programs and automatically updates them. It found 17 programs on my PC that desperately needed updating — some of which hadn’t been updated for 5 years — and it downloaded and installed all updates automatically.