In today’s digital world, it is essential to have an antivirus program on your personal or work computer. Even the brightest minds out there have fallen victim to different digital threats, such as ransomware, phishing attacks, and malware. These threats can steal your personal information, lock your files, and even take control of your computer. With the ever-increasing number of cyber threats, it is only a matter of time before your computer is targeted.
An antivirus program can help protect your computer from these threats by scanning your files for viruses and malware, blocking malicious websites, and warning you about suspicious emails. So it is not a question of whether you need an antivirus, but which one you need. There are many different antivirus programs available, so it is important to choose one that is reputable and has a good track record of detection and removal of viruses.
Depending on the device you use, you can choose between built-in, free or paid antivirus programs. For instance, the latest versions of Microsoft Windows ship with Windows Security (previously called Microsoft Defender), a digital security layer built into the Windows operating system. But that may not be sufficient for many. Then, if you need to pick one from the likes of Malwarebytes, Bitdefender, Norton, McAfee etc, you may face the dilemma between their free and paid version.
The majority of antivirus developers offer a free trial or a free version of their security suites. But at the back of the mind you aren't sure whether the free antivirus programs are as reliable as the paid ones, right? That’s where we come in to clear your doubts. We have compiled a few points that will help you decide.
Advantages of Free Antivirus Programs
There are multiple reasons people use a free antivirus program instead of a paid one. Here are two major ones.
Free-of-cost Protection
Free antivirus programs are just as the name implies - they do not require a paid license. This means you can download them from the official website and get protection from threats without having to pay anything. While you may see occasional pop-ups asking you to upgrade to the premium plan, free antivirus apps themselves remain free. For example, the popular antivirus software Malwarebytes Anti-Malware is known for its free-to-use app that is incredibly effective at removing complex malware.
Light on System Resources
Free antivirus apps generally do not consume a lot of system resources. This is because they are typically lightweight and offer only basic protection features. So, they do not need to overuse system memory or storage space. That appears to be the case with free antivirus apps from third-party developers. However, there are some exceptions to this rule. For example, certain features of Windows Security can sometimes be resource-intensive, even though it is built into Windows.
Periodic Updates
Despite being free, most reputed antivirus developers offer regular updates for the software and virus definitions or database. That helps you stay protected from newer malware threats. If you opt for a free antivirus, make sure you choose one that has a good track record of periodic updates. This is a very important aspect of any antivirus program.
Limitations of Free Antivirus Programs
Free antivirus programs offer some basic protection, but they lack many features that are available in paid programs. Free antivirus programs typically fail to impress when it comes to:
Advanced Security Options
Free antivirus programs offer a basic level of protection against common malware, but they are not enough to protect you from the latest threats. Free versions of popular antivirus programs often have a limited malware detection/removal engine, which means they might not be able to remove all types of malware. Additionally, free antivirus programs do not offer the same level of support as their paid counterparts.
Additional Privacy Features
Simply protecting your endpoint devices—your PC and smartphone—is not enough these days. You also need to know when your digital identity is exposed. So, we recommend extra features like identity theft protection with an antivirus suite. Once again, a free antivirus program does not deliver much here.
On the other hand, paid antivirus suites like Bitdefender Total Protection offer additional options to keep your identity secure online. You get features like VPN, anti-theft protection, Wi-Fi security advisor, online banking protection, etc. Since you do not get these from free-of-cost antivirus apps, you tend to be more vulnerable.
Pop-up Ads
Except in the case of open-source antivirus programs, free antivirus programs always bring the problem of advertisements. So, when you choose the free version instead of the paid one, you must be ready to bear with some annoying pop-ups. These pop-ups appear whenever you try to access specific features.
More importantly, these advertisements can often create a feeling of being tracked. And it is not something great during these times. There have also been cases where advertisements on free antivirus programs are used for malicious activities like phishing. But you can prevent such cases by picking a free antivirus program from a trusted developer.
In addition, paid antivirus also offer you better tech support, zero-day threat protection, regular updates etc.
Should You Opt for Paid Antivirus?
Even though free antivirus programs may offer baseline protection for most people, it is not sufficient for everyone. For instance, you may use the free version of Bitdefender Antivirus to remove specific malware from your Mac or PC, but the same version may not offer real-time protection or advanced security features. These features require a paid subscription or purchase.
These days, enhanced protection from existing and upcoming security threats is a necessity. Therefore, it makes sense to spend some money upfront and opt for a paid antivirus suite. By doing so, you can also find better ways to protect your digital life. You can stay away from those annoying ads as well. Having said that, a free antivirus is still much better than no antivirus at all.
