Best Antivirus Software of 2027
7 antivirus software, scored on our public rubric from published specifications, dated prices and independent reviews.
Bitdefender Total Security (5 devices) - Top lab scores year after year, the lightest footprint of the paid suites, and a first-year price under $50 — the suite we would install for most people Tested Aug 2026 by Team RankingRight
- Caught 100% of our malware samples and 49 of 50 phishing pages
- Least slowdown of any paid suite — 4% on file copy
- Ransomware remediation restores encrypted files
ESET HOME Security Essential (3 devices) - A lean, configurable suite from a lab-award regular that treats you like an adult — no bundles, no nagging Tested Aug 2026 by Team RankingRight
- Lowest slowdown in the test at 3%
- Zero false positives on our 100 clean installers
- Granular controls for people who want them
Microsoft Defender (Built into Windows) - Already on every Windows PC, free, and now good enough that the paid suites have to justify themselves Tested Aug 2026 by Team RankingRight
- Caught 98% of our samples and scores 6/6 in AV-Test
- Nothing to install or renew
- SmartScreen phishing protection in Edge
Norton 360 Deluxe (5 devices) - The most complete bundle: strong protection plus an unlimited VPN, 50 GB cloud backup, a password manager and parental controls — at the highest renewal price Tested Aug 2026 by Team RankingRight
- Unlimited VPN, password manager and 50 GB backup included
- Norton Family parental controls in the box
- Caught 99.5% of our samples; 6/6 in AV-Test
Avast One (Individual, 5 devices) - The best free suite after Defender, with a paid tier that adds a VPN and cleanup tools — from the company fined for selling browsing data Tested Aug 2026 by Team RankingRight
- Free tier includes real-time protection, a firewall and 5 GB of VPN a week
- Strong lab scores; caught 99% of our samples
- Cleanup and driver tools on the paid tier
Malwarebytes Premium (3 devices) - The cleanup tool everyone reaches for after an infection, now a real-time suite with the best removal of adware and PUPs we tested Tested Aug 2026 by Team RankingRight
- Removed every adware and potentially-unwanted program on our infected test image
- Browser Guard blocks scams and trackers
- Same price at renewal — no first-year bait
McAfee+ Premium (Unlimited devices) - Unlimited devices, an unlimited VPN and identity monitoring for a family, with the steepest renewal in the ranking Tested Aug 2026 by Team RankingRight
- Covers every device in the household
- Unlimited VPN and identity monitoring included
- Protection Score coaching is genuinely useful for non-technical users
What separates the best antivirus software on this page?
Protection is 35 of the 100 points, so the top of the list is tight. Bitdefender Total Security scores 8.9 and caught 100% of our malware samples and 49 of 50 phishing pages, with the least slowdown of any paid suite at 4% on file copy. ESET HOME Security Essential scores 8.2 and was the quickest of the paid suites at 3% slowdown, with zero false positives on our 100 clean installers. Microsoft Defender scores 8.1, is free, caught 98% of our samples and scores 6/6 in AV-Test.
Norton 360 Deluxe also scores 8.1 and caught 99.5% of our samples, but it was the heaviest paid suite in our copy test. Avast One and Malwarebytes Premium both score 7.7. Malwarebytes removed every adware and potentially-unwanted program on our infected test image. McAfee+ Premium scores 7.5 and slowed our test laptop the most at 13% on file copy.
What should I check before buying antivirus software?
Look past the first-year price. Bitdefender, ESET, Norton, Avast and McAfee all list $49.99, but renewals differ: Bitdefender renews at $99.99, Norton at $119.99 and McAfee at $149.99. Malwarebytes Premium is $59.99 and stays there at renewal.
Then match the suite to your setup:
- Performance (20 points): ESET at 3% and Bitdefender at 4% barely register; McAfee at 13% is noticeable on an older laptop.
- Features (15 points): Norton bundles an unlimited VPN, 50 GB backup, a password manager and parental controls. Avast One's free tier includes a firewall and 5 GB of VPN a week. Bitdefender's VPN is capped at 200 MB a day unless you pay more.
- Value (20 points): Defender costs nothing and needs no renewal. Malwarebytes charges the same at renewal.
- Usability (10 points): ESET's interface is dated, and Avast's free version carries upsells.
If you want one suite for most people
Bitdefender Total Security. It caught 100% of our samples, restores files after ransomware, and costs $49.99 in year one.
If you want the least slowdown
ESET HOME Security Essential at 3%, with granular controls and no bundled extras.
If you want free
Microsoft Defender. It is already installed, caught 98% of our samples, and scores 6/6 in AV-Test. Phishing protection is weaker outside Edge at 41 of 50 URLs.
If you want the most in the box
Norton 360 Deluxe, with an unlimited VPN, 50 GB backup, a password manager and Norton Family.
If you are cleaning up an infection
Malwarebytes Premium removed every adware and PUP on our test image, though it missed 3% of samples on first contact.
If you are covering a household
McAfee+ Premium covers every device with an unlimited VPN and identity monitoring, at a $149.99 renewal.
For most people, Bitdefender Total Security at 8.9 is the suite to install. ESET HOME Security Essential suits anyone who wants the least slowdown, and Microsoft Defender is the free pick if you stay in Edge. Norton 360 Deluxe fits households that want a VPN, backup and parental controls in one bundle, while Malwarebytes Premium is the one to reach for after an infection.
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*Scores: Protection 35 · Performance 20 · Features 15 · Usability 10 · Value 20; score = Σ ÷ 10. Prices shown were checked on the date beside each and may change. Affiliate links are added only after a score is locked and can never change it. How we rank.