Reviews of the top internet security programs

With this feature, Kaspersky Internet Security obscures your identity when you go to the Internet and visit websites that use tracking services that will try to access your personal information and learn your Internet behavior.

Kaspersky Internet Security shields your device against tracking services that collect data. These services come from the websites that you visit.

Kaspersky also features a private browser for added security. With this feature, you no longer have to worry about invasion of privacy. McAfee Internet Security utilizes cloud-based analysis to keep your devices shielded against threats without slowing down its performance. In addition, McAfee offers free customer support to help you with any issues regarding the product.

McAfee Internet Security allows you to manage all your devices even if they are using different operating systems in one network through a user-friendly webpage. Leave behind the hassle of having to recall all your passwords or save them in files that are open to unauthorized access.

McAfee comes with a password manager that keeps your passwords safe. With McAfee Internet Security installed on your devices, you can banking and shop online minus worrying. McAfee warns you about dangerous websites to keep cybercriminals at bay.

AVG Internet Security protects your devices from various forms of cyber threats. Besides having antimalware, it also comes with a software firewall that protects you from email threats and phishing sites.

It may come with at a high price for an Internet security suite compared to other offerings, being able to use it in several devices makes it a good deal to steal. The software firewall performs whether you are hooked up to a wired or a wireless network, protecting you from cybercriminals. The security software suite blocks or disables any malicious program that clings with your downloads for protection. Because many financial transactions happen online these days, more people become victims of phishing threats.

Fake websites fool people to input their personal data. AVG blocks these websites to make sure your transactions are secure. Bitdefender Internet Security provides unbeatable protection to keep your devices safe from existing and emerging threats.

Most importantly, it takes care of your privacy and personal information with the latest file encryption, password manager, and social network protection features. BitDefender also provides web protection blocking dangerous websites and online threats. You can stay protected against cybercriminals that are attempting to steal your information as you browse the Internet. BitDefender Internet Security comes with a sophisticated anti-malware engine that thoroughly scans malicious applications.

With this versatile security suite, your devices remain safe from the cyber threats of spyware and other forms of malware. You can also set rules on specific websites or web content if you have children at home. This software has the capability to filter content, limit screen time, and track location. BitDefender focuses on this area through tough encryption and file shredding technique. Internet security, in spite of the term, covers not only the Internet but also computer security and network security.

Internet security software usage aims to set up rules and ways to counter attacks happening over the Internet. Since its advent, the Internet has been a crucial channel where fraud and phishing can happen. In addition to Kaspersky Anti-virus, Kaspersky Internet Security offers a high level of protection through its sophisticated tools.

I'm the founder of VSS Monitoring. I have been both writing and working in technology in a number of roles for dozens of years and wanted to bring my experience online to make it publicly available. McAfee Total Protection. Menu Disclosure Privacy Policy. Why is internet security important? Protection against malicious email attachments. Protection against ransomware. Firewall protectors. Parental control. Best Internet Security Software Reviews.

Protection type. Security suite. Secure VPN Service. Parental controls. Phishing protection. File encryption. Password manager. McAfee Total Protection Pros. McAfee Total Protection Cons. Norton Deluxe Technical Specifications:. No-limit VPN. Firewall protection. Secure VPN. Online backup. Norton Deluxe Pros. Norton Deluxe Cons. Total AV Technical Specifications:.

Real-time antivirus protection. Cloud scanning. Web protection. Total AV Pros. Total AV Cons. Avira Antivirus Pro. Avira Antivirus Pro Technical Specifications:. Internet Security suite. Game booster mode. File shredding. Network traffic manager. File recovery. Avira Antivirus Pro Pros. Avira Antivirus Pro Cons. Features: Incredible malware protection ensures that you are safe from the latest threats Integrates easily across all major platforms to ensure everyone is secure Several plans make it easy to get the coverage you need to stay safe User-friendly interface makes antivirus management a breeze Robust protection that keeps you safe at all times If you want some of the best protection against malware, Malwarebytes is a solid buy that works hard to keep you safe from attacks.

Back in the day, Malwarebytes was pretty limited in its protection. Malwarebytes Technical Specifications:. Malicious URL blocking. Antivirus protection. Exploit protection. Malware protection.

Ransomware protection. Malwarebytes Pros. Malwarebytes Cons. Spybot Search and Destroy. Features: Malicious URLs are blocked to ensure you have a safe browsing experience Real-time protection ensures new threats are addressed accordingly Ultra-inexpensive so that everyone can get protection on the cheap Easy user interface makes this great option for first-timers Malware focus keeps you safe from harmful activity Search and Destroy has been around for a while now, building a reputation as being one of the better malware detection and endpoint protection programs on the market.

So, how did it do during my time with it? Spybot Search and Destroy Technical Specifications:. Real-time protection. Spyware protection. Spybot Search and Destroy Pros. Spybot Search and Destroy Cons. Bitdefender Total Security.

Read the full Norton review here. Plus, Windows Defender consistently ranks below the top antivirus scanners in our independent lab testing.

The free downloads on this list are from top-notch cybersecurity companies that are offering their premium antivirus protection for free. And some of the free programs on my list also include additional cybersecurity protections. Free antiviruses like Avira and TotalAV are pretty good, but their paid versions are way better — to begin with, they come with all of the internet security protections you need to stay as safe as possible online.

Together with a malware scanner, these tools are crucial to building a good online defense against hackers, scammers, and predators. Here are a few of them:. Avira Free Security for Windows is my favorite free Windows antivirus in — it has one of the best anti-malware engines on the market, includes more free features than any other competitor, and is really easy to use.

Paid programs like McAfee and Norton are equally effective at detecting malware, but their full disk scans will slow down your system much more than Avira will. The Safe Shopping browser extension for Firefox and Chrome is really good — it blocks suspicious phishing sites, web trackers, and unwanted advertisements. The extension also automatically recommends links to better deals when shopping online. Download Avira Free Now.

Another thing that makes Panda a good choice for Windows users is the Rescue Kit feature, which allows you to download a bootable version of Panda to a USB drive and then use the USB drive to clean an infected PC and get it up and running again. With lightweight malware scanning, an automatic gaming mode, a Rescue Kit, and a VPN, Panda is an excellent free internet security product.

Download Panda Free Now. It uses a huge blacklist to identify known phishing sites as well as an AI-powered phishing detection system to detect new threats. TotalAV is also the most intuitive free Windows antivirus on this list, with easy-to-use and easy-to-understand features and functions inside a minimalistic, well-designed dashboard. Kaspersky Security Cloud — Free is good at detecting and removing malware, and it also comes with plenty of extras — including:.

And all McAfee plans are protected by a day money-back guarantee. BullGuard includes extras like parental controls, a firewall, anti-phishing protection, identity theft protections, and cloud backup. In addition to optimizing and improving gameplay, BullGuard has helpful cybersecurity protections, like a firewall, anti-phishing protection, and identity theft protection. Avira also has an excellent Safe Shopping browser extension which identified and blocked more phishing sites in my tests than most competitors.

The extension is also very useful because it also blocks browser tracking, preventing companies from tracking your online activity and delivering ads based on your browsing habits. One other cool thing about this extension is that it helps you find the best shopping deals online.

Using the VPN, I was able to browse the web, stream video, and download files with minimal or no speed loss — which is pretty great for a bundled VPN. Avira has a lightweight cloud-based antivirus engine with perfect detection rates as well as excellent web protection. Avira Prime also has a VPN, a password manager, a game booster, system tune-up, and more.

Learn More — Avira Prime. Panda Dome Complete has a good malware scanner, an easy-to-use interface, and more additional features than most competitors. Panda Dome Complete offers good malware protection and is one of the most feature-rich internet security suites on the market — although not all of its extra features are that good.

Panda detected most of my test malware, and I was impressed with its intuitive interface and unique features like the Rescue Kit. Learn More — Panda Dome Complete. Kaspersky also has comprehensive parental controls, a good password manager, and a solid VPN — although the VPN is pretty limited. While Kaspersky offers good protection, I think all of its plans are a little bit too expensive when compared to competitors with a similar amount of features.

All Kaspersky purchases come with a risk-free day free guarantee. Learn More — Kaspersky Total Security. Malwarebytes Premium is an easy-to-use internet security suite for users looking for malware and web protection… and not much else. Malwarebytes also comes with a browser extension that prevents phishing attacks, blocks sites with malware including cryptojackers , and removes ads.