Best Free Antivirus Software 2022

Table of Contents

In this article, we will be talking about the best free antivirus software for protecting your computer. However, even the best antivirus software can’t protect you 100% from all viruses. Here are a few ways you can reduce your risk of getting infected in 2022:

Follow safe computing practices.
It’s important to use common sense when browsing the Internet and using other online programs.
Don’t visit unsafe websites or download files from unknown sources.
Never give out your personal information to anyone you don’t trust. If someone tries to persuade you to share this information, do not listen!
Always think before you click! Only open attachments and links from people you trust. Never open an email or click on a link if you aren’t expecting it from someone you already know and trust.
If you receive an email with a suspicious attachment or link, don’t open it! If you’re not sure if the attachment or link is legitimate, delete it right away.
Keep your software and operating system up to date. It’s a good idea to check to ensure that your software is regularly updated.
You should also keep your operating system up to date. Many viruses attack operating systems directly, so it’s essential to ensure your OS is fully protected.
Always use powerful and lightweight Antivirus software to protect your system from online attacks.

The 5 Best Antivirus Software of 2022

Here comes the need for powerful antivirus software. Antivirus software is an essential tool when it comes to protecting your computer from viruses and other malware. Several types of antivirus software are available and provide the Best free Ransomware Protection, Best free Spyware Protection, and Best free Malware Protection. Be sure to choose antivirus software that is reliable and easy to use. Antivirus is the first line of defense, but security goes farther than that. You can gain protection in new and practical areas by upgrading to a comprehensive security package. A firewall, for instance, prevents applications from abusing a network by blocking assaults across it. Your data is safe both on your computer and while it travels across the Internet if your security suite has the best VPN services. Some apartments even keep an eye out for indications of identity theft and assist in recovery if required. So here is the list of the 5 best free antivirus software of 2022 with key features.

Bitdefender Antivirus 2022:

When it comes to both the best protection and the lowest impact on performance, Bitdefender antivirus 2022 outperforms every other security program. Defend against viruses without sacrificing speed for your devices. Bitdefender Antivirus Free Edition is very quick, cost-free to use, and simply includes the most basic security features that are required for any machine.

Bitdefender Antivirus Free Edition was created from the ground up with the goal of letting you use your computer for whatever it is that you like doing the most while remaining completely protected from online dangers.

In addition to utilizing its own unique technology, Bitdefender also enhances more fundamental ones before integrating them for optimal security.

Features Of Bitdefender Antivirus 2022:

Access to the entire system is protected by the real-time shield. Files are scanned as they are accessed or copied, in other words. For instance, the most recent files you obtained from the Internet are quickly checked.
A crucial layer of security is provided by Active Virus Control. This revolutionary proactive detection system can quickly and correctly identify new potential threats for which default protection has not yet been issued.
Its Intrusion Detection System ensures that programs attempting to connect to the Internet, or a network are not disguised as e-threats by flagging them anytime their behavior is questionable and by terminating them if the score rises.
By examining application activity in a secure environment, B-HAVE proactively identifies undiscovered risks that other solutions overlook. B-HAVE launches the software normally if no harmful activity is found; if there is, it is immediately quarantined or deleted.
Utilizing stealthy software that is frequently malicious and used to conceal the existence of certain processes or programs from being discovered by standard methods of detection in order to maintain privileged access to a computer, rootkits are scanned for and blocked using this technology.
Its sophisticated screening technology identifies abnormal web page behavior and stops your important financial data from getting into the wrong hands if you ever find yourself on scam websites.
It prevents any ransomware, new or old, from encrypting your personnel files and requesting a payment. Which places you choose to protect are entirely up to you.
It does all conceivable scans on the cloud, which spares your device’s processing power. No files are ever uploaded or saved; just the signature of your data is examined.

Download Bitdefender Antivirus 2022 from here

Webroot SecureAnywhere Antivirus:

Webroot Antivirus is ransomware, phishing, and firewall-protected antivirus and antimalware solution that focuses on the cloud. Customers can decide between the basic antivirus package, Internet Security Plus with Antivirus, and Internet Security Complete with Antivirus when purchasing Webroot. The most sophisticated versions come with licenses for additional PCs, as well as security for tablets and smartphones.

Professional evaluations of Webroot complement its quick functionality and minimal impact on devices. They point out that the architecture, which allows questionable software to run in a bubble, so it can be examined rather than relying on matching it with a list of antivirus signatures, is responsible for the speed. This method is more likely to discover malware that was previously undiscovered. However, reviews also blame Webroot for having trouble passing common antivirus detection tests and for having a disproportionately high number of false positives, or instances in which it incorrectly classifies software as malicious when it isn’t.

Features of Webroot SecureAnywhere Antivirus:

In order to protect you from danger, URL filtering combines real-time anti-phishing with Webroot’s extensive database of bad websites. This performed admirably for us, consistently blocking harmful websites that Chrome and Windows missed.
The application provides what Webroot refers to as a firewall, however, it lacks any of the customization options offered by Norton, Bitdefender, or other firewalls. Instead, Secure Anywhere Antivirus handles the bulk of the labor-intensive task by monitoring any new connections to the internet made by untrusted programs, alerting you to these connections, and requesting your approval or disapproval.
By allowing you to execute questionable apps in a separate environment, the Safe Start Sandbox makes it more difficult for them to alter your system.
An Antimalware Tools dialogue offers a tool to manually uninstall suspicious apps and the related Registry entries. This isn’t a feature we’ve seen from other suppliers, but even if it’s not a full uninstaller, it may be useful.
An option to “Set system policies to defaults” is one of the practical system repair features. Webroot will resolve the issue with a single click if malware or anything else has disabled Task Manager, RegEdit, or set other policy-type restrictions.

Download Webroot SecureAnywhere Antivirus from here

Microsoft Defender Antivirus:

Microsoft Defender is a free built-in antivirus for Windows. It contains several security features aimed at protecting devices and the Internet from malware such as spyware, adware, ransomware, and other threats. It is an easy-to-use antivirus program for Windows users. The fact that Windows Defender is pre-installed and available for free on all Windows devices contributes to the antivirus program’s broad appeal.

Although Microsoft Defender is convenient and has some passable safety features, there are still areas where it falls short, and users are still forced to fend for themselves in scenarios involving Internet threats.

Features of Microsoft Defender Antivirus:

A decent malware scanner is included in Windows Defender. To find new and emerging malware threats, such as Trojans, worms, cryptojackers, and rootkits, it makes use of a sizable malware database, machine learning, and heuristic analysis. The safe firewall in Windows Defender keeps track of all incoming and outgoing network traffic and blocks any suspicious connections it discovers.
The Windows Defender anti-phishing capability performs admirably with Microsoft’s Internet Explorer and Edge “native” browsers. It is important to install the Defender plug-in individually if other actively used alternative browsers are used.
Additionally, Windows Defender has a ransomware defense function. In all honesty, it is quite simplistic, but it functions. You can save copies of critical data in the One Drive cloud safely to prevent fraudsters from blocking and then deleting them.
Windows Defender’s parental control tool is fantastic, especially when you consider the fact that it’s free. All family members can have their own accounts that can be managed from the “primary” (admin) account. Additionally, multiple accounts might have different characteristics and constraints defined. You may shield kids from objectionable information by imposing restrictions on the Edge browser and preventing them from using other browsers.
That serves as a centralized platform for in-the-moment, proactive, and post-event security. The business provides a free trial so that customers may try the product and determine whether they are a suitable fit.

Download Microsoft Defender from here

Norton Antivirus:

Machine learning, cutting-edge heuristics, and a regularly updated malware directory are all used by Norton’s anti-malware engine to detect malware, from viruses and Trojans to more sophisticated forms like ransomware and cryptojackers. In my tests, Norton’s real-time protection and comprehensive scan were both able to identify each malware file attempted to download with no system lag and no false positives.

Additionally, Norton Antivirus includes a firewall, web filtering, anti-phishing protection, virtual private network (VPN), password manager, parental controls, device optimization, cloud backup, webcam filtering (for Windows only), and identity theft defense (US only).

Features of Norton Antivirus:

Norton employs a sizable malware catalog, heuristic analysis, and machine learning to find malware and offer outstanding virus defense. It provides several virus scanning options in addition to real-time defense against malware for Windows, Mac, Android, and iOS devices.

All of Norton’s virus scans can be scheduled very quickly.

A smart firewall included with Norton has several advantages over Windows and macOS built-in firewalls. When exploits were tested, Norton found every single network breach—including a handful that Windows Firewall was unable to stop.

ARP and DNS spoofing protection, SSL Man-in-the-Middle attack detection, port access detection, and a wealth of customization options are all provided by Norton’s firewall for sophisticated users.

For Chrome, Firefox, Safari, and Edge users, Norton’s Safe Web browser plugin offers protection against phishing websites, community evaluations for dubious web pages, and an “Isolation Mode” for online banking. Norton’s Safe Search, a search engine, also tells users whether a website is secure or not.

In tests, the Safe Web browser extension provided excellent anti-phishing security, detecting nearly all the phishing sites, even those that Chrome and leading rivals like McAfee were unable to identify.

Although several antivirus programs include VPNs, I believe Norton’s VPN to be among the finest in 2022. One of its biggest features is that it offers limitless browsing data (even on the cheapest plan). Other antivirus VPNs with data restrictions include Kaspersky and Bitdefender. Additionally, Norton Secure VPN offers extras like Wi-Fi security, split-tunneling, an ad blocker, and Tor compatibility in addition to industry-standard VPN security features like 256-bit AES encryption, a kill switch, and a no-logs policy.

It also boasts more than 2,000 servers in more than 30 locations, which is around the usual number of servers for a VPN that comes with an antivirus program. It’s not even close to being as large as a standalone VPN like ExpressVPN or CyberGhost VPN, both of which have servers spread throughout an astounding 90+ nations. As a result, thanks to Norton Secure VPN’s servers spread across six continents, most customers may connect to a server nearby to enjoy the fastest connections.

Many antivirus programs just offer basic password storage for a single device, without any of the extra capabilities that make Norton’s password manager unique. By comparison, Norton’s built-in password manager is surprisingly effective. Although it may not be complete, it is easy to use, secure and has a few helpful supplemental functions.

Download Norton Antivirus from here

ESET Nod32 Antivirus:

Every antivirus program’s primary duty is to eradicate any malware infections that existed before it was installed and then to remain vigilant to thwart any upcoming attacks. While some solutions stick to those fundamental tasks, others—like ESET NOD32 Antivirus—go far beyond.

NOD32 comes with a host intrusion prevention system, a firmware scanner for your PC, and a complex device management system, among other extra features. It performs well in most of the testing, including our hands-on tests and lab tests, although it did provide a few subpar results. Additionally, some of its sophisticated functions can be too difficult for the typical user to operate.

ESET outperforms its competitors in terms of scanning accuracy and performance effect because it scans a system for threats quickly and at a low-performance cost.

Features on ESET Nod32:

The company’s Live Grid cloud lab receives new potential threats, which machine learning algorithms analyze using the Live Grid platform. ESET refreshes its 110 million customers with updated malware signatures and other information as needed.
The UEFI start-up code is safeguarded by all three ESET security suites, which also prevent script-based assaults and include specialized anti-phishing protections. Heuristic monitoring is used by the upgraded Ransomware Shield to find dangers like malicious apps buried in the system registry.
The Windows Management Instrumentation (WMI) repository, which houses the system’s metadata and definitions that the operating system and apps depend on to run, is one of the first security programs to check for dangers there.
The malware scanner from ESET provides excellent defense against all types of attacks. This places ESET among the most effective antivirus solutions available when combined with its quick scans and minimal impact on the system. The three antivirus products from ESET can all stop phishing attempts, risky scripts, and ransomware. It checks the Windows Registry, the Windows Management Instrumentation, and the UEFI boot-up sector for issues.
For 2021, ESET’s host-based intrusion protection, which serves as an early-warning tripwire, has been enhanced. Several kinds of protection are now available, including a self-learning option that becomes better over time. The Social Media Scanner from ESET, however, is no longer available.
ESET Parental Controls, an online service that must be configured individually for each kid, is a feature of ESET Internet Security and Smart Security Premium. You can restrict which applications your kids may use, filter websites by category or age, and find a youngster using the program (or at least his or her phone).
The top two ESET suites include a two-way firewall to take the place of the Windows Defender Firewall and fight spam as well. By requiring an encrypted session, preventing the use of other extensions, and encrypting your keystrokes, ESET’s Banking and Payment Protection browser extensions safeguard online banking and commerce on Edge, Internet Explorer, Chrome, and Firefox (but not Safari).

Download ESET Nod32 from here