# What Anti Virus software would you recommend? **URL:** \ **Category:** In My Humble Opinion\ **Created:** [April 30, 2016, 2:01pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-anti-virus-software-would-you-recommend/753504 "2016-04-30T14:01:47Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Quimby](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/q/22d042/32.png) [@Quimby](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Quimby)\ **Post date:** [April 30, 2016, 2:01pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-anti-virus-software-would-you-recommend/753504/1 "2016-04-30T14:01:47Z")
I have used Avira for years but the free license expired so I am thinking of maybe switching to something else and looking for opinions. It does not necessarily have to be free if there is a paid one that is worth it but free is preferred. I have Malwarebytes already but would like a dedicated Anti virus program as well. I have a Windows 7 PC (that I am 95% sure I will upgrade to 10 before the offer to do so expires). Any suggestions or recommendations? Thanks. ---
**Author:** ![jtur88](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/e9c0ed/32.png) [@jtur88](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/jtur88)\ **Post date:** [April 30, 2016, 3:37pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-anti-virus-software-would-you-recommend/753504/2 "2016-04-30T15:37:57Z")
AVG has served me faithfully for a decade. But it is becoming decreasingly user-friendly, and apparently millions of users are jumping ship, since they started their recent campaign of frequent popups pitching their advanced service package (“Your coverage is incomplete”) , which is impossible to turn off. I use AVG for constant monitoring, but periodically switch it off and run a MalwareBytes scan. No objects are ever detected. ---
**Author:** ![Wesley\_Clark](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/wesley_clark/32/20581_2.png) [@Wesley\_Clark](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Wesley_Clark)\ **Post date:** [April 30, 2016, 3:41pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-anti-virus-software-would-you-recommend/753504/3 "2016-04-30T15:41:37Z")
I prefer AVG but either AVG or Avast are both good. ---
**Author:** ![ThelmaLou](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/thelmalou/32/390_2.png) [@ThelmaLou](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ThelmaLou)\ **Post date:** [April 30, 2016, 3:51pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-anti-virus-software-would-you-recommend/753504/4 "2016-04-30T15:51:12Z")
I use Kaspersky. It’s not free. ---
**Author:** ![Quartz](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/quartz/32/267_2.png) [@Quartz](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Quartz)\ **Post date:** [April 30, 2016, 5:00pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-anti-virus-software-would-you-recommend/753504/5 "2016-04-30T17:00:16Z")
I believe in a layered defence. ---
**Author:** ![Trinopus](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/2bfe46/32.png) [@Trinopus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Trinopus)\ **Post date:** [April 30, 2016, 8:39pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-anti-virus-software-would-you-recommend/753504/6 "2016-04-30T20:39:41Z")
> [@jtur88](#): > > . . . I use AVG for constant monitoring, but periodically switch it off and run a MalwareBytes scan. No objects are ever detected. Do you have to turn AVG off to run MalwareBytes? I’ve always run MWB without turning AVG off. Am I doing in wrong? Anyway, yes, same strategy: use one day-to-day, and use another for a check-up now and then. ---
**Author:** ![Alley\_Dweller](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/alley_dweller/32/430_2.png) [@Alley\_Dweller](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Alley_Dweller)\ **Post date:** [April 30, 2016, 9:21pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-anti-virus-software-would-you-recommend/753504/7 "2016-04-30T21:21:51Z")
> [@Trinopus](#): > > Do you have to turn AVG off to run MalwareBytes? I’ve always run MWB without turning AVG off. Am I doing in wrong? > > Anyway, yes, same strategy: use one day-to-day, and use another for a check-up now and then. I use the free Avast anti-virus together with the paid version of Malwarebytes. (The free version of Malwarebytes doesn’t provide real-time protection, but you can manually run scans to detect malware and remove it.) I don’t know if there is something special about AVG, but you shouldn’t have to turn off either one to use the other. Malwarebytes is designed to play nice with your anti-virus. I have daily system scans scheduled in both that happen while I’m usually sleeping and run manual scans on rare occasion. No need to turn either off. ---
**Author:** ![jtur88](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/e9c0ed/32.png) [@jtur88](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/jtur88)\ **Post date:** [April 30, 2016, 9:48pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-anti-virus-software-would-you-recommend/753504/8 "2016-04-30T21:48:40Z")
Historically, it has always been recommended to temporarily disable one anti-virus program if running another, but it may no longer be necessary. But AVG has at least made it simple to temporarily disable it. By the way, I also use Iobit to uninstall unwanted programs, I think it clears everything out a lot more thoroughly than the uninstaller provided in the Windows program. Periodically, I run Iobit uninstaller and look at the menu of programs listed, to see if there is anything that sneaked in there without my noticing it. ---
**Author:** ![Fair\_Rarity](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/fair_rarity/32/153_2.png) [@Fair\_Rarity](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Fair_Rarity)\ **Post date:** [May 1, 2016, 1:06am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-anti-virus-software-would-you-recommend/753504/9 "2016-05-01T01:06:58Z")
I started using AVG at least 10, 12 years ago. I’ve gone through several computers since then and it was always one of my first installs. I got rid of it a few weeks ago. It became too annoying. I switched to Avast (which I’ve used from time to time to compare/contrast) and while I don’t like it as much as I liked the old AVG, I like it a lot more than the new AVG. I run Malwarebytes and a few others that do slightly different things periodically, like Ccleaner. It’s not antiviral, but it helps tidy things up. ---
**Author:** ![urban1a](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/u/e47c2d/32.png) [@urban1a](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/urban1a)\ **Post date:** [May 1, 2016, 1:50am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-anti-virus-software-would-you-recommend/753504/10 "2016-05-01T01:50:14Z")
Very timely post; I started today thinking about replacing AVG and for some of the same reasons others have. There is a push, and not a very subtle one, to get everyone to upgrade to a more comprehensive version. I guess I have nothing against companies making money, but they could be nice as they are doing it. I do use the free Zonealarm firewall, but I am wondering if I might want to upgrade to their firewall with the anti-virus software, also. FYI, I found (sorry no link) today with a list of the best free anti-virus software, according (I think) to PC magazine. Avast was number 1. Bob ---
**Author:** ![purplehearingaid](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/7bcc69/32.png) [@purplehearingaid](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/purplehearingaid)\ **Post date:** [May 1, 2016, 2:00am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-anti-virus-software-would-you-recommend/753504/11 "2016-05-01T02:00:09Z")
> [@ThelmaLou](#): > > I use . It’s not free. I use Kaspersky and CCleaner which is free… ---
**Author:** ![HeXen](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/c89c15/32.png) [@HeXen](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/HeXen)\ **Post date:** [May 1, 2016, 2:45am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-anti-virus-software-would-you-recommend/753504/12 "2016-05-01T02:45:36Z")
Webroot. It’s extremely light and you basically don’t know it’s there. ---
**Author:** ![Ranger\_Jeff](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ranger_jeff/32/2065_2.png) [@Ranger\_Jeff](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ranger_Jeff)\ **Post date:** [May 1, 2016, 8:34am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-anti-virus-software-would-you-recommend/753504/13 "2016-05-01T08:34:13Z")
I bought my last laptop from Best Buy and they included Webroot with it. It’s not free, but I liked it enough that when I got my next desktop, I got the version of Webroot that allows you to use it on 3 computers. I’m still happy with it. Before that, I was fairly happy with AVG. ---
**Author:** ![Dag\_Otto](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/439d5e/32.png) [@Dag\_Otto](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dag_Otto)\ **Post date:** [May 1, 2016, 5:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-anti-virus-software-would-you-recommend/753504/14 "2016-05-01T17:32:08Z")
FYI, if you are an Ally Bank customer you can get Webroot for free from their site. ---
**Author:** ![Fool\_in\_the\_Rain](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/8491ac/32.png) [@Fool\_in\_the\_Rain](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Fool_in_the_Rain)\ **Post date:** [May 2, 2016, 1:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-anti-virus-software-would-you-recommend/753504/15 "2016-05-02T13:30:00Z")
Why not stay with the free version of Avira? I’ve been using it forever, and it does just fine. ---
**Author:** ![DCnDC](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/dcndc/32/2842_2.png) [@DCnDC](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DCnDC)\ **Post date:** [May 2, 2016, 2:03pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-anti-virus-software-would-you-recommend/753504/16 "2016-05-02T14:03:59Z")
I use Bitdefender (free). Seems to do the job, has an extremely minimal interface which I like, and best of all, except possibly once when I installed it, it’s never ever bugged me to upgrade to the paid version. Aside from just after starting up, I never see it unless there’s a problem. ---
**Author:** ![Quimby](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/q/22d042/32.png) [@Quimby](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Quimby)\ **Post date:** [May 2, 2016, 5:02pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-anti-virus-software-would-you-recommend/753504/17 "2016-05-02T17:02:37Z")
> [@Fool\_in\_the\_Rain](#): > > Why not stay with the free version of Avira? I’ve been using it forever, and it does just fine. I may but I figure since I am going to have to install a new one anyway, I may as well see what else is out there. Good information so far, everyone, thanks. ---
**Author:** ![control-z](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/eada6e/32.png) [@control-z](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/control-z)\ **Post date:** [May 2, 2016, 8:13pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-anti-virus-software-would-you-recommend/753504/18 "2016-05-02T20:13:36Z")
Avira still does well for me. ---
**Author:** ![Merneith](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/57b2e6/32.png) [@Merneith](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Merneith)\ **Post date:** [May 2, 2016, 8:33pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-anti-virus-software-would-you-recommend/753504/19 "2016-05-02T20:33:53Z")
I’ve been using Microsoft’s anti-virus for close to a decade now. I’ve got all my family using it, too. No problems, no infections, and they never even notice it. I use Microsoft’s firewall, too. It’s free. It’s an extra download for Win7 but in Win10 it’s built in. ---
**Author:** ![Chunkylord](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/e5b9ba/32.png) [@Chunkylord](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Chunkylord)\ **Post date:** [May 3, 2016, 2:26am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-anti-virus-software-would-you-recommend/753504/20 "2016-05-03T02:26:06Z")
I’d suggest looking at some of the AV ranking websites like [AVTest](https://www.av-test.org/en/antivirus/home-windows/)and [AVcomparitives](http://chart.av-comparatives.org/chart1.php)if you’re concerned enough to ask. Seems like Avira’s free solution is more than capable, so that’s what I suggest. I personally use Kaspersky which came free from my bank and is also highly rated. Supposedly, the only real mistake would be to just use Microsoft security essentials, which has performed poorly in tests for a while now. Honestly though, it’s still better than nothing and I’m sure the vast majority of people are completely fine with MSE. You probably only need a better AV when going to higher risk websites. [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-anti-virus-software-would-you-recommend/753504.md?page=2)