Antivirus has become these days a catch-all term. It doesn’t just mean blocking literal computer viruses, trojans, and other bits of malicious code meant to attack your PC. When you opt to go beyond Microsoft’s built-in protections, an antivirus software subscription can provide a light step up from Windows Defender or a set of intensely comprehensive safeguards that extend to your financial accounts.
So what level of defense do you need, especially when you’re concerned about all angles of online security? Here are the general levels of protection you can choose from, as well as what you should consider when considering each.
FREE ANTIVIRUS
Free antivirus isn’t worse than paid—not and . In fact, it tops the charts for offline and online detection, as well as for online protection, with very low false positives. Microsoft’s Windows Defender also holds up, though AV-Test found it to be a little weaker at protecting against .
