Anti-virus are one of those things that we never know how to deal with. Should we go with the free version and eventually leave our device unprotected or should we go all the way and pay for a premium version? Do you consider it's worth it to pay for an anti-virus or is our computer safe with a free one?
I am currently using Malware Bytes free version which does not expire, it has been working very well for me. I haven't tried to purchase one since I don't really know how well it will actually work. I was lucky enough to find this free version.
What OS are you running your computer at? If you use Windows I would recommend you get one but not the free version. I've had trouble with backdoor malware with the free versions and I have to manually remove the virus if the free one can't.
I am using two computers, one has Windows 7 and the other has Windows 10. On Windows 7 I still have Microsoft Security Essentials, on 10 it's already called Windows Defender, but it's the same Microsoft product, a free solution. So far I've been OK, but I do wonder. How did you manage to remove that malware @biege?
My home desktop is presently protected by Avast, a free anti virus. It used to be AVG but it slows down the computer with the automatic updates. I had wanted a licensed anti virus and Symantec is my choice. However, the license fee of 56 dollars is quite exorbitant.
That is something relevant you mention right there @Alexandoy, some anti-virus programs not only slow the computer down as they are rather intrusive and keep asking me questions if I allow this and that. So I want to be safe sure, I want to save money while doing it, but I also want to use my computer without an anti-virus blocking my every action.
From my limited understanding of IT related technical knowledge I think there is a difference between an anti-virus and a malware. I know of people to be using these two products simultaneously for better protection. My kaspersky free version just got expired and was wondering what to use next. I have used kaspersky premium extensively in the past with no problem ever. Now, I am conaidering Malware Bytes along with another anti virus free version. Mine is windows 7. Would love to get advice.
@Decentlady You are right there is a difference. You may also try Rogue Killer, also free. Haven't downloaded it myself yet but I definately will. I just remembered they used this at my old jobs main computer. It is known to be the toughest.
We have Windows Defender on our Dell all-in-one computer, and it seems to be keeping it virus-free, although I think that we do get a lot of pop-ups. We used to have an anti-spyware that worked great, but I don't remember what it was called anymore. We only had the free version of that, too, and it worked just fine. I have had symantec before, and it didn't do much of anything different than the free ones do. We also had McAfee free before, and I think that one might have been the best for protecting the computer. Since Windows Defender comes with our Dell, we have just kept that one. We seldom even use the computer anyway, since we have iPads, and never have to worry about things like anti-virus protection with the iPad.
I have removed the pesky AVG and installed Avast. This one is milder and it doesn't automatically update. I hope Avast will not slow down my computer. The observation period is one month.
I like MalwareBytes but it doesn't always detect what I want to get rid of. I use RogueKiller which got rid of a browser hijacker than MalwareBytes couldn't detect. I have the free version and it works well.
MalwareBytes is specific for Malware, so it doesn't clean other viruses. That's the issue, there are so many solutions and virus problems around there that many times I feel uncertain what is the best and if I should pay or not for a complete solution.
I have used Norton, McAcfee, Avast and AVG. I preferred AVG among all of them. I'm not willing to pay an expensive amount for an antivirus license if the free ones can do the job just the same.
I have never used Norton, but back in the days I did use McAfee, but the issue was that my computer got infected, so I gave up on it. As for both AVG and Avast I am under the impression they are rather intrusive and I really don't like an anti-virus bossing me around.
I think it actually depends on your usage; if your PC is only meant for home use I think a free version will serve the purpose. But we need to be careful in choosing the right one. As already mentioned above some anti-virus programs eat away a lot of memory which freezes our computer. I tried a number of programs in the past like Bitdefender, AVG, Avast, Commodo and now my PC is equipped with Avira. Bitdifender was the least resource hungry in the lot. But once my computer was totally hanged when it started malfunctioning and I don’t why. Now I use Avira which also got a malware detector. It is working fine at least for now. I also scan my PC using Malware bytes in between.
In the US, quality premium anti-virus isn't that much. For instance, the type I own, WebRoot, is ony 20 USD a year. However, if someone can find quality free anti-virus, then by all means go for it. Why pay when you can get the same for nothing? However, I do understand programmers need to make a living.
That's a good separation @luckycharm, but actually the company I work for has the exact same anti-virus my personal computer has and it's a free one, it's Windows Defender. I don't know if they have something different for their servers though. @Jason76, I agree that $20 per year is not much, but at the same time why should I pay for something I can get for free?
I am currently using Quick Heal Antivirus Pro for my laptop and my PC. It has been over 3 months now and the performance has been good. It has an inbuilt scanner which automatically scans connected devices(Pen Drives and External Hard Disks). I do a full system scan once every two weeks to filter out any existing virus. The Quick Heal Antivirus has another safety feature called "Quick Heal Secure Browsing." If you are dealing with online banking or online payments, all you have to do is start the "Secure Browse" mode and then make your transactions/payments. It provides an extra layer of security above the bank's or the online site's security gateway system.
Four essential levels of antivirus items exist: free, paid antivirus, suites, and "premium" suites. As you climb the stepping stool from free antivirus to premium suites, you normally get more components, for example, wholesale fraud assurance, firewalls, parental controls, and framework execution devices. Free antivirus programming as a rule gives an absolute minimum level of security. It will check for malware, and regularly can perform programmed filters, as well. Some free applications may have extra security apparatuses, for example, a program add-on that checks for terrible connection, a firewall. Yet, such elements are normally constrained to paid antivirus items. Some free applications offer behavioral malware identification, which finds malware in light of how it follows up on your PC, a great method for distinguishing fresh out of the box new malware episodes. Paid antivirus straddles a center ground between the essential freebies and the component stuffed security suites: They regularly offer more far reaching security apparatuses, (for example, parental controls and data fraud assurance) and more adaptability than a free antivirus bundle, however they have less extra elements than suites, which are expected to be one-stop security shops. One of the greatest disadvantages to running with a free item is the absence of specialized support. While most organizations offer some kind of telephone support for paying clients, free antivirus clients typically should fight for themselves.
Well, I'm currently on Avast free antivirus on both my computer and mobile phone.The operating system for my PC is window 7. I have not experience any attack using this free antivirus for over three years now except for the fact that it slows down my system sometimes. Going by what I read here don't know if I should consider going premium. I'll like add malwarebytes to the current antivirus.
