5 Best Free Antivirus for Windows | Tested & Ranked [2025]

Hazel Shaw
Published on: May 8, 2025 Lead Cybersecurity Editor

I’ve tested all of the most popular antiviruses on the market, and I only found a few free programs which are capable of providing a good level of virus protection for PCs.

But it wasn’t easy — a lot of free antiviruses do more harm than good! Many are slow and ineffective, and they leave major holes in your protection. Some are even malware in disguise trying to steal your information. That’s why you need to:

• Only ever download antivirus software from companies that have a good reputation.

I’ve run each one of these free Windows antiviruses through a series of rigorous tests to make sure that they’re trustworthy, secure, and offer good enough protection — but because they’re free, most antivirus companies want you to upgrade to a paid package in order to get a “complete” level of cybersecurity.

If you only use your computer for “non-important” things — light browsing, checking emails, watching YouTube, etc. — you only need a free antivirus, and any of the ones on this list will give you decent protection (way better than Windows Defender!).

But if you use your computer for important things — online shopping, online banking, storing passwords, etc. — you should invest in proper antivirus protection. It’s always better to get a low-cost premium antivirus like TotalAV than it is to deal with the limitations of a free antivirus.

Unfortunately, no free antivirus offers all the tools you need to be fully protected on the internet in 2025, but these 5 are better than the rest.

How to Choose the Best Free Antivirus for Your Windows PC

Modern antivirus programs need to provide protection against all kinds of malware, like:

• Viruses
• Trojans
• Worms
• Adware
• Spyware
• Ransomware
• Phishing
• And many others…

That’s why antivirus programs need to include a wide range of security features, like:

• Firewall — to block incoming network threats from reaching the computer.
• Behavior analysis — to analyze the “behavior” of programs that might be infected.
• Anti-phishing — to protect against fake websites from stealing your data.
• Dark web monitoring — to check the dark web for stolen accounts and passwords.
• Virtual private network (VPN) — to secure browsing sessions and bypass geo-restrictions.
• Password manager — to save passwords in a secure vault and auto-fill passwords upon login.
• Parental controls — to provide full control over what content kids can see.
• And a lot more…

Unfortunately, internet security companies don’t include all these features in the free versions of their programs.

Some of the free antiviruses on this list do have a few extra protections, but they’re usually limited until you upgrade to the paid plans. So, if you want full protection against all malware — with extra security features like a VPN and parental controls — you’ll need to get a premium antivirus (the best is TotalAV).

There are 3 things you need to look for in a good free antivirus for Windows:

1. Level of protection
2. Security features
3. Ease of use

And here’s what I did to help you:

1. I tested each antivirus on my list against a wide range of malware samples, including viruses, trojans, spyware, and ransomware, and I made sure that each had great detection rates.
2. I used each feature included in each antivirus to see if it worked properly and if it improved the overall security of the program.
3. I made sure that all functions were intuitive and that both advanced and beginner users can easily use them.

Ready? Let’s go!

🥇1. TotalAV — Best Windows Antivirus With a 7-Day Free Trial

TotalAV doesn’t just offer excellent protection against malware, it provides top-quality tools for safe browsing and improving your computer’s performance. And while TotalAV isn’t entirely free, its Windows version is available for a free 7-day trial and has a 30-day money-back guarantee. Personally, I think TotalAV’s features are worth the subscription cost, especially if you store sensitive data on your Windows device or go online banking or shopping.

Here’s what you get from TotalAV’s antivirus:

• Real-time protection — catches malware before it infects your PC.
• Web Shield — protects against phishing and malicious websites.
• Data breach monitoring — checks if your passwords were stolen.
• System tune-up — cleans browser junk, deletes duplicate files, and optimizes PC performance.
• VPN — encrypts your internet traffic, making your browsing 100% private.
• And much more…

TotalAV’s malware scanner performed exceptionally well in my tests, instantly blocking most of my malware samples. I also like how lightweight TotalAV is — I barely noticed it during scans, and it didn’t slow down my system at all. Plus, the PC optimization tools were pretty useful for improving my PC’s performance (I saved over 5 GB with my first scan!).

I also really like TotalAV’s VPN: it performs well with minimal impact on download and upload speeds, with a significant increase only in ping. It supports popular streaming services and torrenting, offering customization features, including a kill switch and protocol choice. In fact, it’s my favorite among antivirus-bundled VPNs.

TotalAV has 3 affordable plans — TotalAV Antivirus Pro comes with real-time protection, TotalAV Internet Security adds on a fast VPN, and TotalAV Total Security adds on an ad blocker and a password manager. They’re all good choices, plus they come with a 30-day money-back guarantee.

Bottom Line

TotalAV is an excellent antivirus software for Windows that includes real-time protection, data breach monitoring, anti-phishing, VPN, and PC optimization tools. While it doesn’t have a free plan, you can test all its features for 7 days and remove all kinds of malware during that period. All TotalAV purchases come with a 30-day money-back guarantee.

TRY TOTALAV

🥈2. Norton 360 — Full Internet Security Suite With Perfect Detection Rate

Norton 360 is one of the best Windows antiviruses I’ve ever used. It doesn’t have a “free” version, but it does have a risk-free 60-day money-back guarantee, so you can try it out for 2 months and see if it’s right for you.

Norton 360 comes with high-quality internet security features like:

• VPN (with unlimited data).
• Password manager.
• Parental controls.
• Dark web monitoring.
• And much more…

Norton’s malware scanner uses AI and machine learning to detect malicious behavior, so it’s particularly good at detecting new and emerging malware. In my tests, Norton had a 100% detection rate, blocking viruses, trojans, spyware, ransomware, and other malicious files.

Norton 360 is an overall excellent internet security suite. It’s light, it’s fast, it’s easy-to-use, and it’s got a ton of great features. I particularly like Norton 360 Deluxe for its parental controls, 50 GB of cloud storage, and coverage for up to 5 devices.

Norton 360 isn’t technically free, but if you’re looking for a premium, all-around antivirus program, you can try Norton risk-free for 60 days.

Bottom Line

Norton 360 is my #1 choice for the best Windows antivirus in 2025. It has a powerful malware scanner, it’s simple-to-use, and it has a lot of premium features, like a VPN, parental controls, and dark web monitoring. While it’s not technically free, Norton has a 60-day money-back guarantee, so you can test it for 60 days risk-free.

TRY NORTON

🥉3. Aura — Good Antivirus With Excellent ID Theft Protection

Aura combines robust antivirus protection with top-tier identity theft safeguards. While it doesn’t offer a free version, it has a 14-day free trial, allowing you to test its features risk-free.

Aura’s features include:

• Real-time malware protection.
• Web protection.
• VPN.
• Password manager.
• Identity theft monitoring.
• Encrypted storage.
• And more…

Aura’s antivirus engine has excellent malware detection rates, identifying and blocking many threats, including viruses, ransomware, and spyware.

Aura also comprehensively monitors personal information, credit reports, and even home and auto titles. It includes data broker removal services and instant credit lock features.

Aura’s user interface is straightforward, making it accessible for novice and experienced users, although some users might find the lack of scan scheduling options limiting.

Aura has 3 plans, Antivirus, Antivirus Plus, and Ultimate, which can cover 3, 5, or 10 devices. My favorite is Antivirus Plus ($48.00 / year), as this plan includes all of Aura’s features except the ID theft protection (if you need those as well, consider Ultimate). In addition to the 14-day free trial, all plans are covered by a generous 60-day money-back guarantee.

Bottom Line

Aura is great for those wanting identity theft protection alongside traditional malware defense. While its antivirus capabilities are solid, its comprehensive identity safeguards make it great for users seeking digital security. With its 14-day trial and 60-day money-back guarantee, Aura offers a risk-free opportunity to experience its full features.

TRY AURA NOW

4. Avira Free Security for Windows — Very Generous Free Plan for Windows PCs

Avira offers a very generous free plan for protecting Windows computers — it comes with one of the best anti-malware engines on the market, it’s very easy-to-use, and it provides more extra features than any other free antivirus (that said, it just can’t compare to a premium antivirus like TotalAV).

It also includes extras like:

• Virtual private network (VPN).
• Password manager.
• Privacy optimization.
• PC optimization.
• Ad-blocker.
• Anti-phishing protection.

During my tests, Avira’s cloud-based antivirus scanner detected and blocked all the malware samples on my computer, including advanced threats that Windows Defender missed.

I was impressed with how little system resources Avira required during use, making it a great choice for both users with older Windows PCs and users who regularly do CPU-intensive things (like streaming, video calling, and gaming).

I also like that Avira Free includes a browser extension that improves online shopping. The extension not only blocks ads and phishing websites, it also finds the best shopping deals!

I think Avira’s free VPN is pretty good, but it has a monthly data limit of 500 MB and it doesn’t have a kill switch.

Upgrading to Avira’s Prime package gives you the full-featured VPN with no data limits, premium tools for improving your PC’s performance, coverage for up to 5 devices, and a lot more.

Bottom Line

Avira Free Security for Windows is a fast and powerful antivirus that protects Windows computers from all kinds of malware. It’s simple to use, light on system resources, and it comes with extras like a VPN (500 MB data limit per month) and a password manager. If you’re looking for even more functionality, upgrading to Avira Prime gets you coverage for 5 users, advanced PC optimization tools, the full-featured VPN, and much more. You can try out Avira’s premium features for 60 days with a risk-free 60-day money-back guarantee.

TRY AVIRA NOW

5. Panda Free Antivirus for Windows — Best for Ease of Use

Panda is the most user-friendly free antivirus for Windows, so it’s an excellent choice for beginners and users who don’t want to deal with a ton of technical settings.

Panda’s free antivirus doesn’t have a lot of extras, but it’s secure, fast, and easy to use.

Since Panda’s anti-malware scanner is cloud-based, you’ll barely notice it on your computer. I ran a video-streaming app while Panda was scanning my computer, and there were no disturbances or slowdowns.

And I was impressed with Panda’s anti-malware engine that earned top scores against all of my sample viruses.

I also like that Panda Free includes a VPN, although that VPN is limited to 150 MB per day. This is ok for simple secure browsing, but not for data-heavy activities like streaming or file sharing.

You can get the VPN with unlimited data on Panda Dome Premium, which also includes a firewall, parental controls, device cleanup tools, a password manager, and much more.

Bottom Line

Panda Free Antivirus for Windows is a user-friendly, lightweight Windows antivirus with a great anti-malware scanner and a decent VPN (limited to 150 MB per day). However, it doesn’t come with much else. Upgrading to Panda Dome Premium gets you a VPN with unlimited data, parental controls, a password manager, and many other internet security protections. You can test all of Panda’s premium plans with a 30-day money-back guarantee.

TRY PANDA NOW

6. Bitdefender Antivirus Free — Best for Fast Antivirus Scans

Bitdefender has a decent free antivirus for Windows — in my tests, it blocked all malware samples on my computer. I was especially impressed with how fast the scanning engine worked, scanning my entire PC in only 30 minutes.

Bitdefender is also good at phishing detection, with a perfect detection rate. However, other than anti-malware and phishing protection, Bitdefender has no other free features.

Since Bitdefender is easy-to-use, it’s a solid option for beginner users who only want basic malware protection.

Bitdefender’s premium packages offer much more functionality — Bitdefender Antivirus Plus has advanced ransomware protection, a gamer mode, a VPN, and a password manager. And Bitdefender Total Security adds a firewall, microphone and webcam protection, parental controls, and more.

Bottom Line

Bitdefender Antivirus Free is a lightweight antivirus scanner that has one of the fastest antivirus scanners on the market, and it’s got excellent malware detection rates. Upgrading to one of the premium packages gets you a wide range of additional features, such as a VPN, a password manager, webcam and microphone protection, PC optimization tools, and more. You can try Bitdefender for free for 30 days using a free trial.

Download Bitdefender Free Now

Doesn’t Windows already have an antivirus?

Most Windows computers have “Windows Defender” — this is a built-in free antivirus which provides decent protection against certain computer viruses, but it doesn’t protect against advanced cybersecurity threats like spyware, phishing, ransomware, and other kinds of malware.

Third-party antiviruses like TotalAV offer protection from all malware and come with a wide range of extra features like a VPN, a password manager, dark web monitoring, and much more.

Why is Windows so vulnerable to malware?

Windows is the most popular operating system in the world, and it’s also the most targeted one. However, it’s not necessarily “less secure” than other operating systems.

Since Windows has more users than others, it’s where most hackers focus their attention. So in order to stay protected, Windows users (in particular) need to be running some kind of antivirus software on their computers.

Some internet security companies like Avira offer good free antivirus software, but if you’re looking for complete malware protection, you need a premium antivirus like TotalAV.

Is free antivirus software safe?

Free antivirus software from a legitimate company is safe.

Unfortunately, there are a large number of free antivirus programs whose only purpose is to steal user data. If you use these antiviruses, your data will be stolen, exploited, and maybe even sold to identity thieves.

If you want to download a free antivirus, make sure to choose one from a trustworthy company like Avira.

Is a paid antivirus really better than a free one?

Paid antivirus programs offer protection against all kinds of malware and keep you safe against all kinds of cybersecurity threats. They also include a lot of advanced tools like a VPN and parental controls.

There are few decent free antiviruses out there — including Avira and Panda — but they only offer basic protection against malware and only include a few extra security tools that are pretty limited in functionality.

If you want to make sure your Windows PC is protected against all types of malware, and you want to improve your cybersecurity with extras like a VPN and a password manager, it’s definitely better to invest in a low-cost premium antivirus like TotalAV.