Antivirus Software Reviews, Best Antivirus Software Program

Best antivirus software

NOD32 earns accolades from users and experts for effectiveness and performance. Reports say that software conflicts are rare and that the program won't noticeably slow down your computer. Virus protection is first-rate… according to tests. The user interface notably improved in the previous version, and version 4 brings further improvements, making NOD32 easy to use. Unlike most antivirus software, user reaction and satisfaction is very positive.

See more photos, specs, and reviews

expand

collapse

Expert & User Review Sources:

Virus Bulletin: To receive certification from Virus Bulletin, an antivirus program must detect all in-the-wild viruses "during both on-demand and ...

CheckVir.com: CheckVir.com tests antivirus programs against nearly a thousand common threats. This table summarizes CheckVir.com's testing ...

Michael Aulia's Blog: Blogger Michael Aulia is a fan of NOD32 because it is effective and doesn't seriously impact computer performance. He reports ...

Download.com: Download.com gives users a chance to rate and/or review software. While a couple of negative comments are posted, most seem ...

CNET: CNet.com's Robert Vamosi covers reports on NOD 32 version 3. He writes that NOD32's interface has been much improved and is now ...

Where to buy:

See All Stores

Download ESET NOD32 Antivirus 4

Free antivirus software

AVG Anti-Virus Free Edition 8.5

Free Compare Prices

Professional reviewers conclude that AVG Anti-Virus Free Edition is the best of the free antivirus programs, and it is handily the most popular as well. No substantial reviews compare free and commercial programs, but… reviews of the commercial version of AVG provide one yardstick. That program fares poorly when compared with Norton and NOD32, among others. AVG and other free programs offer much less user control than commercial programs, but users swear they work. If you're diligent and careful about your personal security practices, free antivirus software might be enough.

See more photos, specs, and reviews

expand

collapse

Expert & User Review Sources:

Which? (UK): British consumer magazine Which? doesn't review any of this year's commercial standalone antivirus programs, but it does test and ...

PCMag.com: Neil J. Rubenking calls AVG Anti-Virus Free Edition 8.0 "an excellent choice if you need free protection against both viruses and ...

Download.com: Download.com has already amassed more than 17,000 ratings and 100 reviews of AVG Anti-Virus Free Edition 8.5, which is latest ...

BetaNews FileForum: BetaNews offers shareware downloads plus an extensive member review section. AVG Anti-Virus Free Edition 8.5 has garnered more ...

Where to buy:

See All Stores

Download AVG Anti-Virus Free Edition 8.5

Security suite with antivirus software

Norton Internet Security 2009

*Est. $45 Compare Prices

Security suites bundle antivirus and anti-spyware software, a firewall and other components into a single program. Reviewers like Norton's Internet Security 2009's new simplified interface and the fact that most… operations occur seamlessly in the background. User reviews indicate that it's quick to install with minimal impact on system performance. The biggest advantage of using a security suite instead of separate antivirus, firewall, anti-spyware and other security applications is that the potential for software conflicts is eliminated. However, reviewers note that Norton is best used as a standalone application; users report conflicts with other brands of security software.

See more photos, specs, and reviews

expand

collapse

Expert & User Review Sources:

PCMag.com: PC Magazine has extensive coverage of Norton Internet Security 2009. Neil J. Rubenking conducts his own testing, but he relies on ...

CNET: CNet's Robert Vamosi writes comprehensive reviews of several security suites, including Norton Internet Security 2009, which he ...

Which? (UK): Which? includes Norton Internet Security 2009 in its most recent security software round-up. Each suite is tested for spam ...

Amazon.com: Amazon.com has nearly 120 reviews of Norton Internet Security 2009. A sizeable number give it perfect scores, and owners say this ...

About.com: About.com's guide to antivirus software includes a review of Norton Internet Security 2009, but it's short on critical analysis. ...

Where to buy:

See All Stores

Buy direct from Symantec

Most popular antivirus software

Norton AntiVirus 2009

*Est. $20 Compare Prices

Norton continues to be the best-selling antivirus program, and reviews say it's excellent at detecting viruses. Professional reviewers say the new release is light and fast, with a user-friendly interface. Owner ratings… have improved significantly as well. While not everyone is 100 percent pleased -- complaints about conflicts with other programs and installation woes remain -- much of the bloat and system drag that frustrated users in previous years is gone. Still if you have to choose one antivirus program to install, users are happier overall with NOD32.

See more photos, specs, and reviews

expand

collapse

Expert & User Review Sources:

CNET: Robert Vamosi gives Norton AntiVirus 2009 high marks for its lean footprint, improved speed and free technical support. User ...

Amazon.com: Over 60 Amazon.com users weigh in on the 2009 release of Norton AntiVirus, giving it a solid four out of five stars overall. ...

TopTenReviews.com: In its roundup of 18 antivirus programs, TopTenReviews.com ranks Norton AntiVirus 2009 just below the middle of the pack. Ease of ...

Geek.com: Geek.com doesn't perform its own tests, but it does report on testing by AV-comparatives.org, which gives Norton AntiVirus 2009 a ...

NewEgg.com: Newegg.com has just five user reviews so far, and most are very short. At this point, Amazon.com is a much better source of user ...

Where to buy:

See All Stores

Buy direct from Symantec

Antivirus Software: Reviews

Best antivirus software

Free antivirus software

Security suite with antivirus software

Most popular antivirus software

Antivirus Software by Price Range