Top 5 Antivirus Software for Laptops (Windows + Mac) in 2022

I tested all the antiviruses available to determine which ones offer the best protection for laptops by 2022.

It wasn’t an easy task. Many antiviruses offer very basic protection and are expensive. Many antiviruses, even those that provide good protection against viruses, don’t offer protection against internet security threats such as ransomware and phishing.

A basic antivirus is sufficient if you use your laptop only to surf the web at home. You’ll need something more powerful if your laptop is used for online banking, shopping, traveling, or connecting to public Wi-Fi networks.

Anti-phishing protection and real-time protection are key features of a good laptop antivirus. It should also include Wi-Fi security, performance optimization, and a VPN.

I spent several weeks testing many different antiviruses on my MacBook Air and Windows 10 laptop. I evaluated each of the antiviruses’ security features and price, as well as whether they are worth it.

Here are my findings.

• Top 5 Antivirus Software for Laptops

Quick summary of the best antiviruses for laptops in 2022:

• 1.🥇 Norton 360 — Excellent antivirus with a VPN, cloud backup, and more.
• 2.🥈 Bitdefender — Great malware protection with a super-fast VPN.
• 3.🥉 McAfee Total Protection — High-quality antivirus with identity theft protections.
• 4. TotalAV Internet Security — Advanced malware detection and an excellent VPN.
• 5. Avira Prime — Powerful scanning with an intuitive interface.
• Bonus. Intego Mac Internet Security X9 — Mac-specific malware detection and removal.

🥇1. Norton 360 — Best Antivirus for Laptops in 2022

Norton 360 is my favourite laptop antivirus in 2022. It performed extremely well in my tests and blocked 100% of malware samples from my MacBook and PC. Norton’s antivirus engine works well. It employs advanced heuristics and known malware databases to detect all types of new and emerging malware.

Norton’s antivirus scanner runs very smoothly. During testing, I was able to do many CPU-intensive tasks and run Norton’s full disk scan for viruses. This was really impressive — McAfee antiviruses can slow down your computer when the full scan is being run.

Norton 360 also includes:

• Wi-Fi scanner.
• VPN (with unlimited bandwidth).
• Firewall.
• Parental controls.
• Protection of webcams.
• Dark Web Monitoring.
• Identity theft protection for US only.

Norton’s WiFi scanner is a great tool. It analyzes WiFi networks for security problems, so you can avoid Wi-Fi networks used by hackers to steal data. This was tested with several public (unsecured Wi-Fi hotspots) and Norton immediately flagged any potentially unsafe connections, asking me if it was safe to continue to connect.

The VPN service offered by Norton is excellent. It offers servers in more than 30 countries, no logs, lightning fast speeds, and an intuitive interface. Norton’s VPN was able to access Netflix and Amazon Prime content without any major slowdown during my testing, but it wasn’t able access Hulu or Disney+. Norton’s VPN is an excellent choice for streaming and browsing the web, but it does not allow torrenting, unlike Avira.

Norton Antivirus PLUS is a great entry-level plan, priced at $19.99 per year. However, Norton 360 Deluxe ($49.99/year) offers more features such as parental controls, 50GB cloud storage and coverage for five devices. For US-based users looking for identity theft protection, Norton 360 and LifeLock (starts at $99.48/year) are great options.

Bottom line:

Norton 360 is an outstanding antivirus. It blocked all malware I tested and did not slow down my Mac or Windows computers. Norton 360 offers a wide range of internet security features, including a WiFi scanner, VPN, dark web monitoring, firewalls, webcam protection, and more. Norton Antivirus PLUS is a great deal. However, Norton 360 Deluxe offers the most value, with parental controls and protection for as many as 5 devices. Norton offers a 60-day money back guarantee so you can test all plans.

🥈2. Bitdefender — The Best Advanced Malware Protection

Bitdefender Total Security uses an advanced anti-malware engine which uses artificial intelligence (AI). It has a 100% success rate in blocking trojans rootkits and spyware. The scanner runs in the cloud so it didn’t slow my computer down. I was able to use my laptops as usual while it ran.

Bitdefender’s additional features are also great. These include:

• VPN (virtual private networks).
• Parental controls.
• Web security.
• Securepay (online transaction protection).
• System tune-up.
• Time Machine Backup Protection (for Mac users)

Safepay is a secure encrypted browser window that Bitdefender provides. It’s something I love. It offers a secure and fast way to access your online finances.

Bitdefender’s VPN is the most lightweight and fast antivirus VPN I have tested. It’s too limited at 200 MB per day, which is not enough to allow for browsing. You can buy the premium VPN with unlimited data at checkout. It’s also quite affordable. Or, you can get it as part Bitdefender’s Premium Safety plan ($69.99/year), which includes coverage for up 10 devices.

Bitdefender Antivirus plus is $23.99/year and covers one Windows device. It offers basic protection but no parental controls nor firewall. Bitdefender Internet Security (32.00/year) covers 3 Windows devices. It includes real-time antivirus scanning and anti-phishing protection. The firewall and parental controls are also included. The Total Security plan ($36.00/year) is better for protection of your Mac laptop. It covers up to 5 Windows, Android and iOS devices.

Bottom line:

Bitdefender provides great protection against malware, ransomware, and other threats. I also like the Safepay online transaction security. Although the VPN’s bandwidth limit is only 200MB per day, you can still purchase premium VPN either as an individual or as part Premium Security. Bitdefender plans include a 30-day money back guarantee.

🥉3. McAfee Total Security — Best Web Protections

McAfee All Protection is one of the most efficient and comprehensive antivirus scanners available. It detected all my malware samples in a single scan, but I was still able to browse the internet and view videos without any problems.

McAfee’s anti-malware engine in real time is also very efficient. It blocked all the malicious scripts and malware files that I tried to launch, including ransomware, trojans, rootkits and spyware.

McAfee’s web protections are the best I have seen. The anti-phishing protection caught more fake sites than Chrome’s or Safari’s built in phishing protection tools. McAfee’s VPN was extremely fast. It didn’t slow down my internet, but it encrypted my web traffic and hide my IP address. The VPN comes with unlimited data, unlike Bitdefender which requires you to pay an additional fee for unlimited VPN.

McAfee Complete Protection includes additional features such as:

• Firewall.
• Web performance optimization.
• System cleanup tools.
• Wi Fi network scanner.
• Device encryption.

McAfee’s web optimization tools are great. They stop videos from autoplaying on websites. This reduced my bandwidth usage and greatly increased my browsing speed.

McAfee’s device encryption works well too. McAfee encrypted my hard drive with an unbreakable 256 bit AES encryption, keeping my data secure even if someone stole it and attempted to access my information.

McAfee’s basic plan is for those who only need to protect one laptop. It costs $84.99 per year. The Plus plan (499.99 USD/year) offers a better value with coverage for up 5 devices at a low cost. McAfee premium (54.99/year) offers additional protection, parental controls, and protection for as many as 10 devices.

Bottom line:

McAfee, a powerful antivirus program for Windows and Mac computers–it has a quick and thorough malware scanner which caught all my malware files. McAfee’s antiphishing tools are my favorite. They block fake websites more effectively than Chrome’s and Safari’s anti-phishing protections. McAfee VPN is fast and secure. It performed exceptionally well in our testing. McAfee offers a 30-day money back guarantee on all of its packages.

4. TotalAV Internet Security — The Best for Device Optimization Tools

TotalAV excels at virus detection. It uses a cloud-based scanner, which makes each virus scan extremely accurate. Although TotalAV does a great job at protecting against viruses, it lacks McAfee’s web-based malware technology.

TotalAV’s simple-to-use optimization tools were a great help. TotalAV’s easy-to-use tools made it possible to delete more than 8 GB worth of duplicate and junk files, remove unwanted and useless apps, clear browser cookies and much more. This greatly improved the speed of my Windows and Mac laptops.

TotalAV also includes:

• Anti-phishing.
• VPN (with unlimited bandwidth).
• Password manager.

TotalAV’s VPN performed extremely well in my tests. It blocked my IP and encrypted my data and allowed me to access all the most popular streaming services like Netflix and Hulu. Avira’s VPN however, could not access Netflix during my tests. TotalAV’s VPN works fast and is easy to use. It also allows torrenting, which is why it is ranked among the top antiviruses in 2022.

However, TotalAV’s password manager was not what I expected. It lacks many of the features that I look for in a password manager. TotalAV’s password manager works well if you only need a simple password manager to store your logins and then fill them in.

TotalAV Antivirus Pro ($29.00/year) provides coverage for three devices. TotalAV Internet Security ($39.00/year) includes VPN coverage and coverage for five devices. TotalAV Total Security ($49.00/year) covers six devices and includes a password manager and an advertising blocker.

Bottom line:

TotalAV is a powerful virus scanner that also has easy-to-use optimization tools. It cleared a lot of space on both my laptops. The higher-tiered plans include a password manager as well as a VPN. Although I would like to see more features in the password manager, the VPN is excellent — it’s fast, secure, simple to use, and can access popular streaming services. TotalAV products come with a 30-day guarantee.

5. Avira Prime — The Best Privacy Optimization Software

Avira, a beginner-friendly antivirus, has a cloud-based malware scanner that detects and removes all the malware I tested.

Avira’s anti-malware engine is excellent, but Avira also offers privacy optimization tools to stop companies from collecting and tracking private data. It can also delete browser cache, browser history and chat logs and permanently delete files – all in one click

Avira Prim comes with:

• VPN (with unlimited bandwidth).
• Password manager.
• Web protections.
• Firewall.
• System cleanup and speedup tools.

Avira’s VPN works well and it allows unlimited simultaneous connections, which is rare among standalone VPNs. Avira’s VPN is one of the fastest bundled VPNs that I have ever tested. It’s also very secure and allows torrenting. However, unlike Norton’s VPN it can’t access Netflix.

Avira’s browser extension is also a great option. It prevents phishing attacks, and blocks tracking links. Avira’s browser extension “Safe Shopping” even suggests better deals from shopping websites — a significant improvement over other “safe web” plugins which don’t do much for the online shopping experience.

Avira’s basic antivirus package, Avira Antivirus Pro ($57.99/year), includes the malware scanner as well as web protections. Avira Internet Security ($45.99/year) includes a password manager. Avira Prime ($59.99/year) is the best deal. It offers a VPN and system optimization tools that can be used on up to five devices.

Bottom line:

Avira is fast, safe, and simple to use antivirus that offers privacy protections. During my tests, Avira’s cloud-based antivirus scanner performed well. I also liked how easy it was for me to adjust my laptop’s privacy settings. Avira has an easy-to-use interface and includes a variety of tools including a VPN, anti-phishing tools and a browser extension that helps you find the best online deals. All premium plans of Avira are available for free with a 60 day money-back guarantee.

Bonus. Intego Mac Internet Safety X9 — Best For MacBook Users

Intego is my top antivirus for MacBooks in 2022. Intego detected all malware samples on my MacBook and removed them, even ransomware and Mac-specific spyware.

Intego offers data backup options that far surpass Apple’s. It can backup data to multiple devices, sync backups between them, back up custom folders and create a bootable backup with the latest Mac OS X version. You can also easily boot your files and the operating system to any Mac device.

Intego also contains:

• Firewall.
• Wi Fi network security.
• System cleanup.
• Parental controls.

Intego’s firewall stopped all network-based attacks during my testing. It also gave me the option of stopping third-party applications (including spyware) potentially sending my sensitive information across the internet. It also checked my Wi-Fi network for any security problems. I was impressed that I could set the firewall’s controls as well as how they change based on where I am (home, office, public). This is something I have not seen in any Mac-based antiviruses.

Intego also offers great parental controls. Users can create lists of permitted websites and block access from entire categories like adult or gambling sites. Intego’s parental control features also include chat monitoring. This sends you an alert when your children engage in dangerous chats. Avira and other competitors don’t offer parental controls, so Intego is a better option for keeping your children safe online.

Mac Internet Security ($24.99/year) is Intego’s base package. It includes the malware scanner, firewall, and covers up 5 Macs. The Mac Premium Bundle HTML9 ($39.99/year) adds parental controls, backup tools and advanced Mac optimization features.

Bottom line:

Intego can be used to enhance your Mac’s security features. Intego’s smart firewall offers different settings for public Wi-Fi networks and private Wi-Fi networks. Its parental controls are more precise and secure than Apple’s native protections. With a 30-day guarantee, you can test Intego on your MacBook without risk.

How to choose the best antivirus for your laptop in 2022

• Security. Security. You need an antivirus that provides advanced protection against a variety of malware including trojans, spyware and viruses. To ensure that they offer excellent protection against all types of malware, I tested each of the antiviruses in this list.
• Performance. An antivirus must run smoothly on all laptops. All of the antiviruses I reviewed were lightweight and fast. Top brands such as Bitdefender and Norton didn’t slow my system down at all. My laptops worked normally during their malware scans.
• Features. A good antivirus should provide additional features that will improve your cybersecurity. To confirm the usefulness of the additional features, I tested every product on this list. McAfee has excellent optimization tools and TotalAV offers a great VPN.
• Easy to use. It should be simple to download, install and set up antivirus on your laptop. These factors were also important in my testing. I also rated products on ease of use and accessibility. Extra points were awarded for good customer service, such as a comprehensive knowledge base and live chat support. I found all brands easy to use and offered good support options.
• Value. Value. The antivirus that you choose should be of good quality. I looked at how many features each antivirus offers, what devices it covers, as well as whether there is a free trial and a money back guarantee. All the brands that made it to the list offer a wide range of features, multiple devices and a reasonable price.

Top Brands that Didn’t Make it to the Cut

• Heimdal – Heimdal is a good malware scanner and comes with advanced cybersecurity tools. However, it’s more difficult to use than other antiviruses so it’s not the best option for most users.
• Webroot – Webroot’s cloud-based antivirus scanner is great because it doesn’t take up space and won’t slow down your computer. Webroot does not have internet security features and is too expensive to provide basic protection.
• Kaspersky – Kaspersky antivirus has excellent malware detection rates. Its extra features may not be as good as those offered by top brands, and customer service could use improvement.

Are the built-in protections of my laptop sufficient?

Most cases, no. Both Windows & Mac have security tools that offer some protection against viruses. They are not capable of protecting your computer against advanced threats such as phishing and adware.

Anti-malware engines for laptops are powerful enough to detect the most advanced cybersecurity threats. They also offer tons of additional tools that increase a laptop’s security such as:

• Network firewalls.
• Wi Fi security scanners.
• Anti-phishing protection.
• Virtual Private Networks
• Protections.

Norton 360, for example, has an advanced antivirus scanner, parental controls, dark web monitoring, dark-web monitoring, and many other internet security protections to make sure laptop users are fully protected.

Can I get a free antivirus program for my laptop?

For basic protection, free antiviruses can be used. A free antivirus will be sufficient if you use your computer only to view YouTube videos and check email.

However, if your laptop is used for online banking or shopping, or if there are sensitive files such as credit card numbers, logins to accounts, or photos, you can’t trust a free antivirus program to protect all that information.

Avira Free Antivirus has a great virus scanner and privacy optimization tools. They are missing many other cybersecurity features, such as a firewall and Wi-Fi scanning.

Premium antiviruses such as Norton 360 or Bitdefender Total Security offer superior protection than free ones. They also provide online protection for a very low price.

Check out our Mac and Windows recommendations for the best free antivirus software.

Are laptops really required to have antivirus software?

Antiviruses are essential for all laptops, particularly those that run on Windows. However, MacBooks also need protection.

Most laptops do not come with basic antivirus protection because each operating system offers only basic protection.

• Real-time malware protection.
• Advanced malware scan.
• Anti-phishing protection.
• Ransomware protection.
• Dark Web Monitoring.
• VPN (virtual private networks).
• A password manager.
• Other important protections…

A good laptop antivirus, on the other hand will protect your computer from malware. It will keep your data and identity safe, as well as prevent any potential damage to your device.

Avira, Bitdefender and Norton are top-rated antiviruses. They all offer excellent malware scanners as well as additional protections such VPNs, antiphishing tools, dark-web monitoring, and other security features.

Is an antivirus going to slow down my computer?

It all depends on the antivirus that you install. Even if you have an older device, the antiviruses in this list will not slow down your computer.

Avira and Norton 360 antiviruses have device optimization tools, which increaseoverall performance. Your laptop will perform better.

Source : #safetydetectives
Editor by : BEST Antivirus Review Team