Published on: May 9, 2025
Short on time? Here’s the best antivirus according to Reddit users in 2025:
- 🥇 Norton: Provides 100% malware detection rates and a good range of additional features, including excellent anti-phishing protection, a good VPN, comprehensive customer support, and more.
I tested the top antivirus programs recommended by Reddit users to find out which ones provided the best malware protection, extra features, ease of use, customer support, and more. Each antivirus on this list performed extremely well, passing my malware tests, and keeping my computer safe from the latest cybersecurity threats in 2025.
However, before following Reddit recommendations, you need to be careful. Although Reddit users have first-hand experience with the antiviruses they’re recommending, anyone can make a Reddit account. Unfortunately, this means cybercriminals are active on the site, looking for susceptible users to spread malware to. Never click on a Reddit link you don’t trust and ensure you’re buying your antivirus from a trusted seller like Norton before spending any money on it.
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Quick summary of the best antiviruses according to Reddit users:
- 🥇 1. Norton — Best antivirus according to Reddit users in 2025.
- 🥈 2. TotalAV — Easiest-to-use antivirus (with a great VPN).
- 🥉 3. McAfee — Excellent web protection + great for families.
- 4. Bitdefender — Feature-rich & very lightweight.
- 5. Panda — Great for users on a budget.
- Comparison of the best antiviruses according to Reddit users.
1. 🥇Norton — Best Antivirus According to Reddit in 2025
Norton is the most recommended antivirus by Reddit users in 2025. It comes with excellent malware detection rates and includes a wide range of additional features:
- Web protection.
- Firewall.
- VPN (virtual private network).
- Parental controls.
- And lots more…
Norton’s scanner is the best around. Before running Norton’s full system scan, I hid 1000s of malware samples on my PC. The scan completed in about 40 minutes and had a 100% malware detection rate, which is impressive.
I really like Norton’s web protections. They blocked every phishing website I tried visiting, including those accessed through dangerous Reddit links. I particularly like how Norton highlights these dangerous links before you click on them — it’s especially helpful if you end up on subreddits you don’t fully trust.
Norton has several different pricing plans, but Norton 360 Deluxe is the best value. It includes all the features you’d expect in an antivirus suite and covers up to 5 devices. You can also try it on a 30-day free trial and with a 60-day money-back guarantee — which is very generous!
Bottom Line:
Norton 360 is an excellent antivirus suite. It has great malware detection rates and a wide range of additional features. You can try it for just $29.99 / year*, which is a really good deal.
🥈 2. TotalAV — Easiest-to-Use Antivirus (With a Great VPN)
TotalAV is an easy-to-use antivirus with excellent malware detection rates. It includes a wide range of features, such as:
- Malware scanner.
- Anti-phishing tools.
- VPN (virtual private network).
- System optimization tools.
- And lots more…
The anti-phishing tool works well. It uses AI-based detection to block dangerous websites, which is a great help when navigating different subreddits.
TotalAV’s VPN performed well in my tests. I didn’t experience any slowdowns and liked how I could click on a country’s flag to connect to it automatically. I could also watch HD content without buffering and download P2P files quickly.
The pricing plans are simple to understand, too — with each plan offering additional features for a slightly increased price. My favorite plan is TotalAV Total Security, which covers 6 devices for $19.00 / year and includes every TotalAV feature.
Bottom Line:
TotalAV is a simple-to-use antivirus with a sleek and intuitive dashboard. It has excellent malware detection rates, a great AI-based anti-phishing feature, and a fast VPN. You can try TotalAV for $19.00 / year on a risk-free 30-day money-back guarantee.
🥉 3. McAfee — Excellent Web Protection (And a Good Family Plan)
McAfee has some of the best web protections on the market. It also has good malware detection rates and a generous family plan. McAfee includes:
- Malware scanning.
- Secure firewall.
- Anti-phishing protection.
- Parental controls.
- And lots more…
McAfee blocked every simulated exploit attack I ran against it. The WebAdvisor extensions for Chrome, Firefox, and Edge also alerted me to dangerous Reddit links before I clicked on them.
I also like McAfee’s firewall. It blocked multiple network intrusions and provided me with a ton of customization options. For example, I could adjust what programs could connect to the web and change the intensity of the firewall’s protection.
As said, McAfee is great for families — its Premium and Advanced plans offer coverage on unlimited devices. Since I’m in a household with quite a few people who use Reddit, I enjoyed protecting everyone for as little as $39.99 / year. Note that McAfee’s plans might change slightly depending on your location.
Bottom Line:
McAfee offers some of the best web protections, a customizable firewall, and lots more. I like how you can protect unlimited devices for as little as $39.99 / year, making this an excellent choice for families. You can try it on a 30-day free trial.
4. Bitdefender — Lightweight Antivirus With Tons of Features
Bitdefender is a lightweight antivirus with a wide range of additional features. It includes:
- Malware scanning.
- Anti-phishing protection.
- Ransomware remediation.
- Secure web browser.
- And lots more…
Bitdefender had perfect malware detection rates in my tests. I even ran simulated ransomware attacks against it, and it restored any files before the ransomware could lock them.
I also found Bitdefender’s secure browser to be a cool inclusion. Admittedly, it’s not great for everyday browsing, but it includes many protections for online transactions. For example, it activates Bitdefender’s VPN and stops hackers from remotely accessing your desktop. I always turned on Bitdefender’s secure browser whenever I clicked on Reddit links.
I also think Bitdefender comes with some super well-priced deals. For example, Bitdefender Premium Security only costs $64.99 / yearbut offers coverage on 10 devices and includes every Bitdefender feature. You even get an unlimited VPN! Most Bitdefender plans come with a 200 MB per day limit on the VPN.
Bottom Line:
Bitdefender is a lightweight antivirus with great features. It has perfect malware detection rates, and its secure browser works well. Each Bitdefender’s plan is well priced (starting from $34.99 / year), but I really like Bitdefender Premium Security which costs $64.99 / year.
5. Panda — Flexible Pricing Plans (Great for Budget Users)
Panda has good malware detection rates, excellent real-time protection, and flexible pricing plans. Panda includes:
- Malware scanning.
- Performance optimization.
- Gaming mode.
- And more…
Panda’s malware detection rates are good, but they aren’t the best I’ve seen. That said, Panda’s real-time protection is perfect. I downloaded tons of malware samples, and Panda blocked every one.
What’s more, Panda comes with unique features. For example, it includes a file encryption tool that stops hackers or users you share your computer with from accessing files without your permission. I download quite a few files from Reddit, so I love being able to encrypt them whenever I’m done using my computer.
What really makes Panda stand out is that it comes with flexible pricing plans. There are 4 different plans starting from $20.00 / year, but you can cover unlimited devices and subscribe for 1–3 years. I particularly like Panda Premium, which includes every Panda feature.
Bottom Line:
Panda doesn’t have the best malware detection rates, but its real-time protection and additional features are excellent. It also includes unique features that are particularly helpful for Reddit users wanting to maintain their privacy. You can try Panda with a 30-day money-back guarantee.
Comparison of the Best Antiviruses According to Reddit Users
How to Choose the Best Antivirus Recommended by Reddit Users in 2025
After visiting Reddit, you’ll see tons of antivirus recommendations from different users. Some will tell you which antivirus they’ve been using for years (and they’ll say that’s the best choice), and others will tell you that you don’t need an antivirus. There’s no guarantee that either of these recommendations is correct, and your best bet is to make your own decision by looking for these key features.
- Choose an antivirus with excellent malware detection rates. Any antivirus program recommended by Reddit must have near-perfect malware detection rates. Norton is an excellent recommendation, and it had 100% malware detection rates in all of my tests. Antivirus programs like Norton use different methods to find known and emerging malware threats, including machine-based learning, heuristic analysis, and a vast online malware database.
- Look for an antivirus with comprehensive web protection. If you often visit message boards and forums like Reddit, you must choose an antivirus program with comprehensive web protection. All of the above Reddit recommendations did exceptionally well in my tests, but McAfee stood out in particular. It can highlight links as safe or dangerous before you click on them — which is a good way of preventing cybercriminals disguised as everyday forum users from sending you malicious links.
- Ensure the antivirus program comes with lots of additional features. The best internet security programs pack loads of features into a single intuitive package. Features you should look out for include a firewall, VPN, PC optimizer, game booster, and parental controls. Each of the above antiviruses recommended by Reddit users includes at least one of these additional features.
- Make sure the antivirus doesn’t impact your system performance. The best antiviruses on the market are non-intrusive and should still allow you to browse sites like Reddit, stream HD video, and play video games without significant system slowdown. Each antivirus recommended by Reddit barely impacted my system performance. Bitdefender is a particularly good and lightweight choice that offloads its CPU usage into the cloud.
- Assess the antivirus’s different pricing plans and choose the one that’s the best value. The cheapest antiviruses only include the most basic protections, with some lacking essential features like real-time protection and a firewall. When you look at antiviruses recommended by Reddit, you need to look at each of their plans and decide if they contain the best features and functionality for you. You should also look for free trials and money-back guarantees so you can try each of the recommended antiviruses without any financial risk to yourself.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is an actually good antivirus?
There are many good antiviruses on the market, but Reddit users often recommend Norton. It has some really good features, including perfect malware detection rates and excellent web protections. It also performed well in each of my tests. However, when choosing an antivirus (especially one recommended by Reddit users), you must do your research first and understand what features to look for.
Is a third-party antivirus necessary?
Yes, a third-party antivirus is necessary. While Windows Defender and Mac’s built-in protections are pretty good, their malware databases aren’t updated as regularly as premium antiviruses.
Protections built into your OS also lack additional features to protect you from more advanced cybersecurity threats, including dark web monitoring, identity theft protection, and ransomware remediation.
Is it worth it to pay for antivirus?
Yes, it’s worth it to pay for an antivirus. Each of the premium antiviruses recommended by Reddit users contains features that free antiviruses lack. For example, most free antiviruses lack a VPN, password manager, identity theft protections, PC optimizer, and more.
However, if you’re certain you don’t want to pay for a premium antivirus, each of the antiviruses on this list comes with a free trial and money-back guarantee, so you can try them without any risk.
