Top 10 Free Antivirus for 2023

Meta: As 2022 comes to an end, getting ready for 2023 means being more secure. What are the top 10 free antivirus options for 2023? Who can protect you best?

Cybersecurity is a major topic of conversation – and it is easy to see why. Cybercrime is rising, and the post-pandemic landscape has left many innovative hackers with easy access to our private information. To protect yourself, there are various free antivirus solutions that you could try out. What makes up the top ten free antivirus programs for 2023?

The Top 10 Free AntiVirus for 2023

BitDefender

The free edition of BitDefender is ideal for both desktop and mobile users. It provides some excellent tools with a clean, easy-to-manage interface. It covers most of the typical day-to-day threats you could face when browsing online. Robust, strong, secure, and most importantly, reliable for catching modern, up-to-date viruses that could pose a problem for your system.

Malwarebytes

With real-time protection and easy scanning, Malwarebytes offers one of the best overall products on the market. They make it easy for you to scan for issues and provide real-time scanning. If you download a file or visit a URL that could be potentially dangerous, malicious, or risky, Malwarebytes will inform you before proceeding further.

Kaspersky

A great choice for most people would be Kaspersky. This is known for providing excellent real-time protection. While its trial features are quite limited, it does offer enough general security to be a good free antivirus for 2023. Regardless of negative PR around its Russian-based development, Kaspersky is well-regarded.

Panda

A popular choice for many, Panda offers reliable core protection. Compared to basic protection, Panda is adept at spotting adware and spyware as well as ransomware compared to most in-house and basic defence. It also provides USB “vaccination” which is ideal for removing USB-loaded malware before it loads in.

ZoneAlarm

Proclaiming itself as one of the best firewalls in the world, ZoneAlarm has a long-term history. It updates daily, meaning it has a solid library for new malware and riskware. It does not provide web or real-time protection, but it is ideal for countering phishing and data theft due to its excellent firewall.

Adaware

Adaware is a popular choice for various reasons, but it lacks the robust features you will find elsewhere. It does not provide meaningful URL protection or real-time browsing security. For file scanning, though, this does a decent enough job of spotting potentially dangerous files.

AVG

AVG is one of the most recommended names in the market and is known for producing a free antivirus tool you can trust. From the ability to delete sensitive content securely and permanently to easy file scanning to spot malware and junk, there is a reason why AVG is one of the most highly recommended free antiviruses for 2023.

Avira

Avira has become very popular, with a wide-reaching range of malware-blocking solutions. This offers real-time protection that ensures you catch potentially dangerous malware before it gets comfortable within your system. However, Avira can drain system resources, and most of its ‘free’ features are limited time only, meaning you are encouraged to upgrade ASAP.

Avast

Avast provides a free antivirus solution comparable to most paid options on the market. The easy-to-use interface pairs well with its web browsing support, network security caning, and extremely useful Do Not Disturb mode. Lifewire Behaviour Shield also looks for signs of malware infection.

Windows Defender

Already installed on your Windows computer, this is a standard built-in antivirus that does a decent job. It costs you nothing, provides essential protection for issues like ransomware, and can be a useful starting place if you want to keep things simple and in-house overall.

Sophos

Sophos is a popular alternative to many of the ‘big’ names. It is a useful tool that can be remotely managed from afar, meaning you can use this to help support elder and non-tech-fluent family members. Provides excellent protection from malicious and dangerous website addresses.