Free antivirus software

Free software can help

If you don't want to pay for antivirus software, you have many options, but according to reviews, free programs are not as good as commercial antivirus software. We found popular support for three free programs: AVG Anti-Virus Free, avast! 4 Home Edition and AntiVir PersonalEdition Classic.

AVG Anti-Virus Free 8.5 is a stripped-down version of AVG Anti-Virus 8.5 (discussed earlier). The free version doesn't come with free technical support, and it lacks some of the full version's advanced features including rootkit and spam detection. Version 8.5 is newly released. The major change over Version 8 is that it now includes LinkScanner Active Surf-Shield, which provides real-time protection against malicious web pages. That feature was previously only available in the paid version of the software.

Download.com users have already weighed in on version 8.5, and give it a very respectable average rating of four stars. PC Magazine's Neil Rubenking looks at the very similar version 8.0 and is enthusiastic, calling it "an excellent choice if you need free protection against both viruses and spyware." Unlike most free antivirus software, it will automatically check for updates so your virus protection remains up-to-date. Another bonus is that you can run it in Windows Safe mode.

Rubenking ranks avast! antivirus Home Edition 4.8 just behind AVG's offering. One advantage is that avast! offers a built-in anti-rootkit feature even on the free version. It also gets good marks for spyware removal, although Rubenking says it doesn't quite compete with top standalone programs like Spyware Doctor. A short editorial review on Download.com rates avast! neck and neck with AVG, but it comes out half a point ahead with users. ALWIL Software, the developer of avast! antivirus Home Edition, also makes a commercial version, avast! Professional Edition (*est. $40).

Avira AntiVir PersonalEdition fares a bit worse with Download.com users than the other top free programs, but the average rating is still a decent 3.5 stars. Download.com's very basic editorial review says it offers "effective protection," and a "well-rounded set of features."

The common thread we found in user reviews of free programs is that few people claim they are better than commercial programs. In addition to free antivirus software, you can often get regular software for free, if you're willing to send in rebate forms. You can get a rebate on security software when you purchase tax-prep software. Other rebate deals are common.

Most antivirus software manufacturers offer "competitive upgrade rebates" if you switch to their brand. You need specific proof of ownership of a competing product (e.g., a CD-ROM). While these rebates rarely equal the purchase price, manufacturers and/or retailers often offer second rebates so retailers can advertise that the product is free.

Another option is to use software provided by your Internet service provider (ISP). The national ISPs offer free antivirus software as a competitive advantage. Comcast, AOL and MSN Premium offer a free version of McAfee. Verizon, EarthLink and others offer proprietary programs.