A virus on your computer can have serious consequences, such as data loss and equipment failure. Fortunately, a good antivirus program helps prevent a lot of suffering. The choice is huge. There are both free and paid virus scanners, each with their own advantages and disadvantages. In this article we help you make the right choice.
What is a virus scanner?
A virus scanner is also called an antivirus program, antivirus package or security software. You can compare that software as a combination of a security officer and a doctor on your computer. A virus scanner continuously monitors your PC for suspicious activity. Before a virus can do any harm, it is stopped. And if there is already a virus or other suspicious files on your computer, an external drive or USB stick, the software acts as a doctor that disinfects your computer (read: safely removes the virus). So always install a good virus scanner on your computer. In this article we discuss computers with Microsoft Windows as the operating system. For the Mac, read the article ‘Mac computers: security’.
Three options
When choosing a virus scanner, you have roughly three options. You choose one:
- virus scanner that you use for free or for a small fee through your provider;
- free virus scanner;
- paid virus scanner.
We’ll walk you through these three options in the following paragraphs.
Virus scanner via internet provider
Many providers nowadays offer a virus scanner as an extra service to the internet subscription. It is smart to see if your provider also offers this service. In most cases it concerns the virus scanner F-Secure SAFE. This program provides excellent protection for your PC against viruses and other computer threats.
Some internet providers give you the virus scanner as a gift, such as the provider XS4ALL. In that case, you do not have to think long and can therefore use the virus scanner of the provider. In other cases you have to pay extra money for using the virus scanner. Check carefully whether the costs of this are cheaper than if you purchase the virus scanner from F-Secure on your own initiative. Do you want to know more about it? Then read the tip ‘Security packages from the provider’.
Free virus scanner
If your internet provider doesn’t offer a free (or cheap) antivirus solution, there are free virus scanners that protect your PC against most viruses. Usually these are stripped down versions of the paid version.
The advantage of a free antivirus scanner is of course that you do not have to spend money on it, and you can easily (and free of charge) switch to another program if you are not satisfied.
However, there are also drawbacks to free antivirus programs. In many cases, advertisements or notifications in the program will entice you to purchase the paid version. This is sometimes very intrusive and in the long run annoying.
Another disadvantage is that free virus scanners sometimes install extra programs, such as an extra toolbar in the browser or another search engine that is set as default. Usually you can indicate during the installation that you do not want this. Therefore, always pay close attention during the installation to options that are checked by default and that it is better to uncheck them.
Also, a free antivirus usually doesn’t protect you from other computer threats, such as spyware, identity theft, fake sites that look real (phishing), and other dangerous websites (that try to install software unnoticed). So if you install a free antivirus scanner, you must remain extra alert to these matters. Also read the article ‘Getting started with safety’.
Which free program?
Windows 10 already includes a virus scanner with Windows Defender. For several years this program provided poor protection against new viruses. The program has since been greatly improved. So there is not necessarily a need to install another program.
If you prefer to use an alternative program for Windows 10, you can try one of the following free scanners:
- AVG AntiVirus FREE
- avast! Free Antivirus
- Avira Free Antivirus
By the way, never install more than one virus scanner. You can read more about this in the tip ‘One antivirus program is enough’.
Paid virus scanner
If your internet provider does not provide a free or cheap virus scanner, you can purchase a good program yourself. Every commercial provider releases multiple versions with all kinds of functions. To keep costs down, you can choose to purchase just the antivirus solution. Unlike a free program, it does offer protection against spyware and phishing. Although an extensive (internet) security package has more functionality (such as a password manager and parental control), it is not necessarily necessary as basic security for your computer.
The virus scanner Norton Security scores excellent in various studies by independent test labs. For an amount of 54.99 euros per year you can install this program on no less than ten devices. Another good program is Kaspersky Anti-Virus. For this you pay 31.95 euros per year, whereby you can install the program on one computer.
If you buy a computer or laptop in the store, there is often already a trial version of a paid virus scanner available. After thirty days, the license will usually expire and you will have to pay for the program. That is the time to consider for yourself whether you will use a free or paid package in the future.
Compare yourself?
There are many free and paid virus scanners that we cannot discuss here. The independent German testing agency AV-TEST regularly tests all virus scanners and compares the programs on the basis of protection, speed and user-friendliness. Would you like to compare the virus scanners yourself? Then surf to the English website of AV TEST.
Also the Consumers’ Association test antivirus scanners. But you must be a member of the Consumers’ Association for the overview of the research results.