Cloud Hosting

Antivirus has become these days a catch-all term. It doesnt just mean blocking literal computer viruses, trojans, and other bits of malicious code meant to attack your PC. When you opt to go beyond Microsofts 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 youre 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.

Microsoft

Free antivirus isnt worse than paidnot when it comes to catching viruses and malware, anyway. For example, AVG (a highly popular free antivirus program) is scored well by respected testing groups like AV-Test and AV-Comparatives. In fact, it tops the charts for offline and online detection, as well as for online protection, with very low false positives. Microsofts Windows Defender also holds up, though AV-Test found it to be a little weaker at protecting against zero-day attacks.

So what does this mean? If youre careful about where you browse, as well as what you download, open, and click, then free antivirus should keep you adequately safe. Thats especially so if you sidegrade to a free version of something like AVG or Avast, which centralize more protections in a single interface.

Further reading: Best antivirus for Windows 2023

However, the flipside is that youre responsible for your own safety. Free software has limitations, too. Take Windows Defenderit protects against ransomware if you make sure controlled folder access is turned on. And generally, if you choose a free antivirus program, you also only have backup protection for your documents if you enable OneDrive syncing or another form of backup.

In a nutshell, free security is as good as your system of manual checks and balances. It relies both on you keeping on top of the latest security threats and avoiding them, as well as setting up your software (and making use of other services, like credit freezes) to thoroughly guard you on all those fronts.

PCWorld

Figuring out what to expect from paid antivirus software can be nebulous, since every antivirus software company offers at least one (if not more) paid subscription outside of the flagship premium option. In fact, long-storied companies like Norton and McAfee seemingly have an endless array of features remixed into different packages.

But at minimum, you should expect an entry-level subscription to include protection against malicious and phishing sites, online trackers, and bad email attachments and links. (This is in addition to basic blocking of virus, malware, and ransomware.) As you go up the tiers (and in price), you should get access to a VPN and/or password manager, parental controls, safeguards against unknown remote access to your PC, and identity monitoring.

In this middle ground, you should ask yourself:

For example, if you only need a little extra defense beyond free antivirus but for lots of devices, then the mid-tier plan from a company like AVG or Avast may be your best bet. Conversely, for roughly the same cost, you could get access to a password manager and cloud backups for your important documents through Nortons similarly priced Antivirus Plus planprovided you dont need protection for more than one device.

The more you pay, the more features you should get, but youll have to shop around and compare features to find your match. (Comparison charts on each companys website are a great starting point.) As you go up the scale, youll see more protections for your online life, like privacy related to social media and data brokers.

McAfee

Once upon a time, the top-tier subscriptions offered by antivirus companies would have been called Cadillac plansand in some cases feel like they cost as much as a luxury car. Take for example the McAfee+ Ultimate plan, which has a regular rate of $280 per yearand thats the individual plan, not the family plan ($425 per year).

But the most expensive plans across all antivirus companies arent equal. One companys Ultimate plan may be more akin to a rival companys mid-tier offering. (This is where comparison charts once again come in handy.)

When considering plans that cost more than $100 per year, expect to see financial protections layered into the plan, like banking account monitoring and online identity-theft assistance. Some even offer insurancelike $1 million of coverage related to identity theft losses.

If that sound appealing, ask yourself if you need to monitor all the major elements in your life (like your credit reports) through one source. It is easy, but you can also pretty easily freeze your credit reports on your own, for example. Most financial institutions also offer account alerts if you want to stay on top of your transactions.

Also, make sure you trust the antivirus company with your most sensitive informationwhich will include your social security numberin order for them to monitor your life online.

Thomas Newton / Foundry

Not interested in combing through endless charts? You cant go too wrong with a basic paid plan that protects against malicious and phishing websites, as well as nasty attachments and links in email downloaded to your PC. I like ones that also guard against remote access to your web cam and PC (though truthfully, I think these shouldnt be paid features). This way, you dont spend a ton of cash, and youve got software on the lookout for your major internet threats.

This level of protection will protect you against slipups, because even the vigilant among us can have off-days.

If you work often from public Wi-Fi, a VPN is also a good investment as a general principlethough signing up for a separate service is the better call. You get more control in what features and servers you get access to, as youll see in our roundup of the best VPNs. That goes even when using a free VPN.

My advice is similar for a password manageryou can often get more robust features and a better user interface if you choose a service independent of your antivirus software.

But as always, the best software is the one you use, so if getting these service as part of a bundle will ensure youll put it to work, then thats the right call.

View post:
How much antivirus protection is right for you? Here's how to tell - PCWorld