The most expensive antivirus in the world. Which antivirus is better? Review of paid and free products! About Roskoshestvo and ICRT

These were the top free products that can help protect your Windows PC, and, in principle, they will be sufficient if you follow basic security measures. However, there are situations when your computer is used by other, not particularly knowledgeable and understanding people. In this case, it is better to pay for a more powerful and safe product, because the risks simply increase significantly. Besides, it’s better to pay about 50-60 bucks a year to antivirus software developers than to give absolutely all your savings to hackers and intruders. It is for this reason that today I decided to make a top 5 of the best paid antivirus for Windows 2019. And I sincerely hope that further information contained in this article will be useful to you.

Rating of paid antiviruses for Windows

Each such rating is compiled taking into account a variety of factors. This includes subjective experience of personal use, reviews of other users, and even the objective capabilities of each product under consideration. In this material, I will try to preserve all these dogmas, so that the output will be an excellent and objective article that will help you make a choice in favor of this or that software. This, in turn, will help protect your data in the future.

Kaspersky Total Security

A product that provides maximum protection not only for your main PC, but also for other devices such as smartphones and tablets. The program can provide secure operation on devices running Windows, Android and Mac. Tools for backup, parental control and secure online payments are also available here. We must not forget that the antivirus practically does not load your system. For this reason, it can be used even on the oldest equipment.

Key features of Kaspersky Total Security:

• Maximum level of protection for all your devices
• Parental control
• Data backup
• Confidentiality
• Secure browser for online payments
• Work without placing excessive load on the system
• Convenient password manager
• Etc

This antivirus has a lot of advantages, but let's now look at the system requirements.

• HDD: 1150MB free space
• OS: Windows 7, 8, 8.1, 10
• Processor: frequency from 1GHz
• RAM: from 1GB for 32 bits, from 2GB for 64 bits
• Additional software: Microsoft .NET Framework 4 or higher, Internet browser

Not too angry, considering that in most cases these requirements will be feasible. For other devices, the system requirements are also not particularly demanding, so you can try antivirus software on both smartphones and Mac computers.

By the way, this antivirus has a trial period (free testing) of 1 month. Therefore, before purchasing, you can use this software to your heart's content, and then decide for yourself whether it is worth it. Price the same for the annual version (for two devices) is only 1990 rubles. Quite good, considering the current prices for software.

Norton Security Premium

The most maximum protection from the entire Norton line, which will help protect your devices from the majority of currently known viruses and hacker attacks. Like all antiviruses from this top, protection is provided in real time, which means that all your processes are constantly monitored for suspicious activity. At the same time, the program can perform other functions, such as automatic backup of photos and documents and protecting your privacy on the Internet.

Key features of Norton Security Premium:

• Real-time protection for 10 different devices
• Functions for protecting personal and financial data on the Internet
• Automatic backup of photos and documents
• 25 GB of free space for backups in cloud storage
• Unified web interface for managing antivirus on all devices
• And so on

In principle, the program is almost in no way inferior to the previous one, they are all good. Perhaps it only consumes a little more resources, but these errors are not so significant for modern PCs.

System requirements for Windows

• HDD: 300MB free space
• Processor: for Windows XP - 300 MHz, for Windows 7/8/10 - 1 GHz
• RAM: for XP - 256MB, for 7/8 - 1GB, for Windows 10 - 2GB

Requirements vary depending on the operating system. In the case of newer operating systems (Windows 8 or 10), the hardware requirements are higher. This is due to some functions that are available on new versions of the OS.

Price for such splendor is only 3199 rubles per year. However, now (at the time of writing) 18% discount, that is, if you buy an annual subscription now, the price will be only 2599 rubles.

Avast Premier

Maximum protection from Avast. Avast Free took first place because it had features that even some paid products cannot boast of. Now imagine what range of features their paid product has. Yes, that’s right, this antivirus is truly very powerful. Just look at the webcam protection feature (for all those who are concerned about surveillance from all kinds of services), which many other antiviruses do not have.

Key features of Avast Premier:

• Protecting your webcam from hacking
• Blocking ransomware (at the stage when they have not yet started working)
• Comprehensive PC, password and home network protection
• Intelligent system for protecting your data
• Automatic software update
• Complete data deletion function
• Powerful firewall
• And much more

This software is really worth your attention. Many of the features described are not available in other similar products. Avast Premier is one of the best paid antiviruses for Windows. However, it is worth remembering that you should not abuse any actions either (for example, disabling the antivirus, or giving some programs excessively high rights).

System requirements for Windows

• HDD: 1.5GB free space
• RAM: 256MB
• Processor: the minimum clock frequency is not indicated on the official resource, but you should aim for 500+ MHz.

As the developers assure us, system requirements are not so important (taking into account the above), so we can conclude that on most more or less modern PCs this antivirus will not “eat up” a lot of resources. Here we are greeted by delicious price, which is only 1250 rubles per year. True, for one PC, but still, there is at least a choice here (you can buy a license for more or fewer devices). By the way, you can try this version before purchasing. The trial period is standard - 30 days.

Bitdefender Total Security 2019

A high-tech, productive product that provides antivirus protection for devices running Windows, Mac, iOS and Android. Like all other participants in this top, this program has a number of quite powerful functions that help ensure complete protection of your computer or smartphone. Among all the others, the developers highlight the function of a secure Wi-Fi connection, as well as protection against ransomware.

Key features of Bitdefender Total Security:

• Centralized software management for all devices
• High performance and low resource consumption
• Webcam protection
• Secure storage of personal data
• Password manager
• Cross-platform
• And so on

This antivirus has fairly ordinary (within the scope of this article) capabilities. But you should understand that among most popular antiviruses, Bitdefender Total Security takes a well-deserved place. High performance coupled with fairly broad capabilities make this application one of the best paid antiviruses for Windows.

System requirements for Windows

• Processor: any, frequency from 1.6 GHz
• HDD: 1.5GB free space
• RAM: 1GB or more

Price(again, at the time of writing) annual subscription is only 1489 rubles. Moreover, this is a license for 5 devices.

Buy Bitdefender Total Security

The computer is an integral part of everyday life. For some it is a means of earning money, for others it is a means of spending leisure time, for others it is a means of communicating with friends and relatives through the computer, and for others the computer has even replaced going to the store. Therefore, people try to protect their computer and the data stored on it as best as possible. But how best to do this in the world of advanced technology? What guides people when choosing protection for their personal computer? How to achieve the maximum level of security? In this article we will help you understand everything and make the right choice.

So, in order to protect your “machine” you need to definitely install an antivirus on it. This is a program that will protect your computer from malicious software, scans the files and folders we work with to detect viruses, destroys the viruses found, and also disinfects infected files. There are a huge number of antivirus programs, and each of them has its own advantages and disadvantages.

Before you start choosing an antivirus, you should understand the fact that you need to install not two or three antiviruses, but only one. Since after installing several, a conflict of programs will begin, which will affect the performance of the system. If you want to install another antivirus, you must first uninstall the installed one.

Let's now look at the main antivirus programs. They are free and paid. Let's start with the free ones.

Free antivirus programs

• Avast Free Antivirus;
• AVG Antivirus;
• Avira Free Antivirus;
• MSE (Microsoft Security Essentials).

Avast Free Antivirus

1. Avast Free Antivirus is one of the popular antiviruses that not only protects your computer when viewing Internet content, but also protects against spam and hacker attacks. This program scans the entire OS for viruses at boot time. Adds suspicious or malicious files to quarantine. This program also has built-in self-defense, that is, no virus can remove it from the computer.

Advantages:

• High functionality and level of protection;
• Fast data scanning;
• Does not load the processor;
• Nice interface.

Flaws:

• Triggering false alarms;
• There is no blocking of pop-ups and banners.

AVG Antivirus

2. AVG Antivirus - protects your personal computer from spyware and viruses, and also blocks web pages with suspicious content. This antivirus is updated free of charge and supports common operating systems. Mainly used by home network users.

Advantages:

• Does not load the processor;
• High level of protection;
• User-friendly interface.

Flaws:

• Slow computer scanning;
• Intrusive advertising content.

Avira Free Antivirus

3. Avira Free Antivirus – reliably protects against viruses, worms, and Trojans. One click is all it takes to remove malicious software. Doesn't burden the system.

Advantages:

• Low resource consumption;
• Lightning-fast system scan.

Flaws:

• The absence of a module that warns about visiting a malicious site;
• A huge amount of advertising;
• Lack of Russified menu.

MSE (Microsoft Security Essentials)

4. MSE (Microsoft Security Essentials) is an antivirus program that will protect your computer from malicious files and spyware. The program is updated every 24 hours. After installation on your computer, you do not need to restart it.

Advantages:

• Ease of use;
• Nice interface;
• Doesn't load the system.

Flaws:

It is worth noting that to use a free antivirus you need to install it and go through the registration procedure. Some antiviruses, such as Avast, are available in both paid and free versions. After the free demo version of the program expires, you will need to purchase it, but after purchasing the program’s capabilities expand significantly. But if you have enough of the functions that the demo version is equipped with, and you have neither the desire nor the need to buy it, then after the program expires, the activation procedure should be repeated.

Now let's move on to considering the main paid antivirus programs.

Paid antivirus programs

• Kaspersky
• Dr.Web
• NOD32

Kaspersky

1. Kaspersky is the most popular and revered antivirus. This program perfectly protects the system from worms, viruses and other “virtual nastiness”. It also has the following functions: payment protection, parental controls, anti-spam and anti-banner.

Advantages:

• High scanning speed;
• Effective protection;
• Instantly block threats.

Flaws:

• Expensive license;
• To scan your computer completely, you need to close all programs.

Dr.Web

2. Dr.Web is at the origins of antivirus programs. It effectively protects your computer and allows you not only to remove virus software, but also to treat and restore infected files. Using this antivirus, important information is restored. Dr.Web also has excellent self-defense; it will not be removed by a pest program.

Advantages:

• Ability to check archives;
• High level of self-defense.

Flaws:

• High license cost;
• Needs regular downloading of updates.

NOD32

3. NOD32 – perfectly protects the system from malware, spyware, and resists scammers. This program includes anti-spam protection and a personal firewall. There is an opinion that this is the best antivirus for experienced users, as it requires some settings.

Advantages:

• High speed;
• High level of protection;
• User-friendly interface.

Flaws:

• High license cost;
• Some settings required.

We reviewed the main anti-virus programs, which, according to their criteria, occupy leading positions in the ratings. All of these programs are compatible with the Windows 7 and Windows 8 operating systems. Of course, the main indicator when choosing antivirus software is the security and protection of data stored on the computer. But when choosing antivirus software, you should also consider the power of your computer.

Which antivirus is better to choose for Windows 7?

The Windows 7 operating system was created in such a way that it has built-in functional protection, which is many times greater than previous versions of the OS. And everything seems to be fine, but the “evil geniuses” who develop malware are one step ahead, and their pest programs penetrate the system, infecting and destroying everything in its path. Therefore, like any other version of the OS, Windows 7 needs additional protection. This means that you definitely need to install an antivirus program on your computer.

But what is the best antivirus program to choose? There is no clear answer to this question. Of the programs we have listed, all are considered good, but none of them guarantees 100% protection for you.

When choosing an antivirus, keep in mind that the operating system can be 32- or 64-bit. Antivirus software is developed specifically for each type. And, of course, computer parameters. If they are very weak, then an antivirus like Kaspersky will simply slow down all the work.

Also, when choosing an antivirus, you need to decide what kind of work you need a computer for. If you use a computer to play games or surf the Internet, then Avast (free version) is suitable for you. If you also work on it, then, by the way, Kaspersky (paid) will suit you. So, the choice is yours!

Which antivirus is better to choose for Windows 8 and 10?

The Windows 8 operating system, like its predecessor, is equipped with a basic level of protection. Each new OS version has expanded and improved security features. Finally, we see that Windows 8 has reached the point where programmers claim that this system is so developed and debugged that it can easily protect itself without antivirus software. But after weighing all the pros and cons, we still recommend installing an antivirus on your computer.

Since Windows 8 is significantly different from previous versions, not every antivirus program is suitable for this system.

And yet, which antivirus is best to install to ensure stable system operation and protect your computer? Hand on heart, we can safely say that Kaspersky antivirus is ideal for Windows 8. It was this company that was the first to “conquer” and adapt antivirus software for Windows 8. The system’s operation with this antivirus is stable and safe.

Antiviruses such as NOD32 and Avast have also performed well in terms of system protection and stability.

Summarizing what has been said, we can conclude that choosing an antivirus program is your personal choice and we have no right to impose our opinion on you, but please give advice on choosing a particular antivirus program. There is no need to chase popularity and brand, this is not always an indicator of quality. And also follow the reviews of friends and acquaintances, because every user praises the antivirus that he uses. But, be that as it may, the choice is yours. Make no mistake, read, take a closer look, because the security of your computer depends on your choice.

Don't forget, your computer needs protection, so it is very important to choose high-quality antivirus software for it.

Even the simplest virus can cause serious harm to user data and the system as a whole.

Today, the software market has hundreds of thousands of different antiviruses, so it is difficult for the user not to get confused and choose a truly high-quality product.

The developers position the program as a powerful analogue to most antiviruses, which, among other things, can protect the operating system from pop-up advertising banners and prevent the hidden operation of some extensions.

Malwarebytes is not a full-fledged antivirus, but a huge number of users from all over the world have noted its high-quality work and real ability to protect their computer.

Therefore, it can be used in addition to the main computer defender.

The total cost of the software is $26 (annual subscription with the ability to regularly receive database updates).

No. 9. Advanced SystemCare Ultimate

A large number of users keep saying that most popular antivirus systems slow down the computer very much.

If the technical characteristics of your device do not allow you to work with complex types of system defenders, the program can replace a full-fledged antivirus.

According to 2017 data, after a complete update of the program, the number of users increased by 2 million people.

Probably, such a sharp jump in the popularity of the program occurred due to the fact that the developers were able to achieve stable and efficient operation of the program, while the installation file itself takes up little space.

The free trial version of the program is available to users for thirty calendar days; it can be downloaded on our website.

During this time, the user can fully evaluate the performance of the program and decide whether to purchase the full version.

In the process of creating the antivirus, the developers tried to adapt it as much as possible for Windows 7.

The program provides:

• Real-time protection;
• Three types of system scans: quick, full and custom scans;
• Work in the background without loading the system.

No. 8. AVAST Free

This antivirus is familiar to everyone.

AVAST, over the many years of its presence on the market, has gained the status of a reliable and easy-to-use defender that is able to quickly detect and neutralize any type of threat.

The latest version of the antivirus was developed specifically for Windows 10/8.

Some software components of the program were completely redesigned, which allowed the updated version to become “lighter” and cope with the assigned tasks faster.

The AVAST interface is made of tiles and resembles the metro interface, which is presented in the new version of the Windows OS.

In addition to the updated interface, users will be able to receive updates much faster than in previous versions of the product.

You can download this antivirus.

AVAST is one of the best free antiviruses in the world, so it rightfully takes its place in this ranking.

No. 7. AVG

This antivirus, due to its simplicity and at the same time high efficiency, is actively gaining new users who respond positively to the work of the program.

Among the features are the following:

1. Using one of the best algorithms in the world to detect and destroy viruses;
2. Cross-platform. Ability to work with both mobile devices and PCs;
3. The program can work stably even on machines with fairly low technical characteristics;
4. Convenient user interface.

The paid version of the program, in addition to all the products included in the free version, includes an email protector that filters spam and emails with malicious links.

Thus, AVG is one of the effective antiviruses in 2017.

No. 6. Bitfender Soft

This software is a powerful computer protection system and includes a firewall, an additional program that is specially designed exclusively to protect users’ personal data and the antivirus itself.

According to the majority of software testers, this antivirus is perfect for those who care not only about the stable operation of their systems, but also carefully monitor their personal user data.

Bitfender is the best paid antivirus, according to user reviews from all over the world. An annual subscription to this antivirus software costs $26.

You can download Bitfender on the official website.

No. 5. Avira

Avira is a completely free antivirus software that managed to gain new users in the new year.

Program features:

1. Cross-platform. This characteristic allows the antivirus to attract more and more users, as well as synchronize data on several user devices online;
2. The new version has improved malware search algorithms;
3. High performance.

No. 4. Kaspersky Anti-Virus

No. 3. Dr. Web

When using the Internet, it is very easy to “catch” a virus or inadvertently download a spyware or other harmful application onto your computer. You need resources to protect your PC, including antivirus solutions. There are both free and commercial ones, and the choice is quite wide. What antiviruses are good? Are these found among the free versions?

We have made a selection of programs based on their versatility - each solution, judging by the content of reviews on the Internet, is the optimal antivirus for Windows 7, for XP, for the latest version 8.1.

First, let's look at the features of some commercial offers. Let one of them be Russian, and the other foreign.

The main thing about Kaspersky

Among the most popular paid antivirus programs in the world is a product from Kaspersky Lab. The 2014 distribution is capable of protecting not only from viruses and Trojans, but also from spyware applications and advertising scripts. Like most modern antiviruses, the Kaspersky program can detect threats that are not in the database. For this purpose, heuristic analysis is used.

The main functions of the program from Kaspersky:

• tracking virus attacks, disinfecting files in real time;
• checking programs for reputation;
• analysis and identification of malicious codes in Internet traffic (links);
• monitoring the system for suspicious software actions.

The modern version of Kaspersky antivirus is compatible with the latest operating systems, such as Windows 8.1. The proactive protection policy implemented by this solution includes monitoring sites on which malicious modules are installed and warning the user in advance about identified threats when attempting to enter such web resources. Experts note that the antivirus is adapted to the optimal use of PC resources.

Kaspersky program: activation nuances

For many years, special antivirus keys were required from Kaspersky to activate the distribution (using such a scheme is common). But since August 2013, the methodology of this process has changed. You can activate Kaspersky Anti-Virus only using a special code online, that is, Internet access is required. A necessary condition for the successful completion of this procedure is a correctly set system date.

Kaspersky and promotion from Yandex

There is an interesting precedent in the history of the Russian IT industry. Users had the opportunity to observe a rather unusual guise in which Kaspersky anti-virus was - the Yandex version of the product. In December 2011, two large Russian IT companies - Yandex and Kaspersky Labs - decided to carry out an unusual action.

Users from Russia and several other neighboring countries had the opportunity to use a full-fledged product from Kaspersky, released in a co-branded version with Yandex, completely free of charge. In this case, it would be fairest to say that in this form, Kaspersky Anti-Virus is a trial version. The fact is that the validity period of the license for the program as part of the promotion was not very long - 6 months. Also, participants of the promotion had the opportunity to purchase standard Kaspersky anti-virus with a 20% discount.

The promotion included a number of restrictions. In particular, there was no technical support for the version of the antivirus distributed through Yandex. If the user had difficulties mastering the program, he was recommended to turn to the resources of the Kaspersky Lab knowledge base.

By now the action has ended. Currently, you can use Kaspersky Lab products for free only if you download a trial antivirus that works for 30 days.

NOD: strong competitor from Slovakia

One of the most famous competitors of the antivirus from Kaspersky Lab is a product produced by the Slovak company ESET. We are talking about the NOD32 program (in Russia it is often called simply “NOD”). Its main functions are the same as those of most analogues: “catching” viruses, “Trojans”, advertising applications, protection against phishing, etc. The program has its own heuristic analysis algorithm called ThreatSense.

Users and experts in the field of information security note the low level of consumption of computer resources by the antivirus, as well as the low intensity of Internet traffic use when updating databases and main software modules. The security system works, for the most part, in the background. Some experts believe that this antivirus is one of the best in terms of file scanning speed.

The ESET software package also includes the Smart Security application. Its main functions:

• email monitoring, blocking malicious scripts, spam filtering;
• detection and removal of spyware email programs;
• protects your computer from connections from outside (the application acts as a firewall).

Smart Security is also characterized by many experts as a solution that consumes a minimum of system resources.

According to many experts, GOD is an antivirus that can easily be ranked on par with the world's leading products.

Now let's move on to free antiviruses.

Avast - reliable protection for free

Avast antivirus (Free Antivirus version), according to some analysts, is the most popular product in the world in the free solutions segment. It has all the basic features you need for a home program. Activating Avast antivirus is very simple - just enter your name and e-mail. After this, you can use the program for free for a year.

Operating systems for PCs on which the free version of Avast can be installed are Windows, Linux and MacOS. Mobile platforms compatible with the antivirus include Android and Windows. There are several paid versions of the program: Pro, Internet Security, and Premier. There are a number of enterprise solutions.

Many users note that Avast antivirus has a very user-friendly interface. All necessary options are displayed compactly and conveniently on the screen. Users like the display of interfaces related to real-time computer protection. This component of the program analyzes several threat sources at once and shows on the screen what percentage of a particular source has been processed.

There is also a minimal amount of advertising in the application interface, as well as its complete absence when using some options in the active window. Many users, determining for themselves which antiviruses are good and which are not so good, form their opinion based on the amount of advertising in the free versions of the programs.

Users note the very fast operation of the manual scanning module, as well as low consumption of computer RAM.

AVIRA: universal protection format

Another popular solution that can be used for free is Avira antivirus in the Free Antivirus version. This product consists of several applications: a monitor (scans files in real time), a module for checking the system on demand, and a program for updating malicious code databases.

The main functionality of the antivirus:

• detection and removal of malicious codes, Trojans and other malicious applications;
• detection and filtering of advertising exploits and spyware.

There is also a commercial version of the product - AntiVirus Premium. Compared to a free antivirus, the program has several advantages:

• accelerated updating via the Internet;
• no advertising;
• the presence of a function to block sites containing malicious codes;
• ability to check e-mail using POP3 and SMTP protocols.

In addition to basic platforms, Avira offers users several specialized packages that are adapted for use on workstations, corporate networks, etc.

Lavasoft: simplicity and reliability

Users of this antivirus note the convenience and balance of the interface. The window displays only the necessary information, with a minimum of unnecessary data. If there is a need to enable some additional function, this can be done in one click. If the user wants to scan the entire system at once, then just click the large Scan Now button.

The only difficulty noted by antivirus users is that by default there is no option to select individual drives for scanning. However, this option can be enabled through the program settings menu. Additional features for antivirus users are available in large quantities in the paid version. Some users describe Lavasoft as not the most productive solution. Even in the background there is active consumption of software RAM.

AVG: simplicity and functionality

AVG is another free antivirus. The program interface, as users note, is very simple. It is a list of icons indicating a particular anti-virus protection module. System scanning functions are located on the side panel of the window. Just like many other antiviruses, there is a Scan Now button, when clicked, a comprehensive scan of the entire computer is performed.

The AVG package contains a large number of additional modules. For example, those designed to protect email and filter web traffic. Some users say that to activate many modules you need to buy a license. Sometimes it turns out that options are not intended for desktop operating systems, but for mobile platforms.

Many people note the insufficient performance of the antivirus when scanning disks, but are quite satisfied with the low level of RAM consumption by the program.

Another drawback of AVG antivirus is its rather complex interface. You can get confused. In order to scan a specific disk or other storage medium, you have to perform several sequential actions. In addition, to use some options you need to enable a special mode called “expert”, while in many other antivirus programs this option is available in the main menu of the program. There is no need to activate any other modes other than what is enabled by default.

Many users were impressed by the performance of the antivirus and its low consumption of system resources.

Microsoft Security Essentials: Free solution from the giant

Unlike other programs in our review (which provide only the most basic version with limitations for free use), this product is completely free. And this despite the fact that it was released by one of the most commercially engaged IT companies in the world.

Many users note that the program interface is very convenient; they especially emphasize that there are no advertisements on it. There are, however, some disadvantages: it cannot scan email and does not contain anti-phishing modules. While other antiviruses even include such features in the free version.

According to users, the Microsoft product is characterized by an average level of performance.

Pros and cons of free antiviruses

Without claiming to be the ultimate truth, we will try to summarize the pros and cons of each of the free antiviruses in our review. Based, of course, on user reviews. We will not determine which antiviruses are good and which are not. We will highlight the strengths and weaknesses of each.

If speed is important to the user, then it makes sense to pay attention to Avira, even despite the platform’s shortcomings in the form of confusing interface elements. According to some users, the creators of this antivirus should definitely work on the appearance of the product. If they do this, Avira will have a great chance to get closer to the market leaders.

Avast antivirus may be the best choice for those users who do not gravitate towards an in-depth study of program settings. The performance of the product is quite good. The interface is clear and pleasant. Advertising, if you do not pay attention to it, does not interfere with working with the program at all. Many users will want to get a free antivirus for 1 year with the functionality that Avast has.

Solutions from Lavasoft and AVG are praised by users for their good functionality. For some users, it is important which antiviruses are good in terms of the capabilities that their creators have endowed them with.

We focus on the rating

Users' opinions about certain software products are subjective. Attempts are now being made to formulate an objective rating of antiviruses. Let's see who does it and what are the results of their work.

The research methods of the Safety-Gate portal are recognized by the Russian IT community as one of the most effective. Therefore, we will take the rating of antiviruses according to the experts of this organization. Satefy-Gate conducts tests of solutions from various global manufacturers every quarter. Testing sessions are called On-Demand (checking “on demand”, that is, in manual scanning mode). In the second quarter of 2014, the Safety-Gate portal tested the effectiveness of 26 solutions, both commercial and free. Let's look at the overall results and how the antiviruses in our review fare.

During testing, the programs had to identify as many as possible of the 3,266 files infected with malicious code, which were prepared by Safety-Gate specialists. The number of detected viruses was expressed as a percentage, rounded to the nearest hundredth. That is, if, for example, the program found 3000 infected files, then the result was recorded as 91.86%.

Let's look at the distribution of places in the top ten rankings.

• The first place was taken by the Ashampoo antivirus, its indicator is 98.96% or about 3232 viruses found.
• In second place (with a very slight lag) is the Slovak product ESED NOD32, which found 98.71% of infected files.
• The third and fourth places were shared by solutions from TrustPort (Total Protection and Internet Security, respectively). The first received a result of 98.07%, while the second lagged behind, managing to find only 95.71% of viruses.
• The top 5 ranking included the Emsisoft Anti-Malwre program with a score of 95.34%.
• In sixth place is the antivirus from our Avira review. The program was able to find 95.22% of infected files.
• The seventh result was shown by the 360 ​​Internet Security antivirus, having managed to detect 94.76% of programs with malicious code.
• Eighth place was taken by the Russian Dr.Web, showing a result of 94.3%.
• In ninth place is HitmanPro antivirus, which was able to detect 93.63% of infected files.
• The eScan Internet Security product took tenth place, showing a result of 93.57%.
• What place does Kaspersky antivirus have? One of the most popular Russian solutions showed a rather modest result, taking 12th place. The program found 92.92% of infected files.

How do the remaining antiviruses in our review fare? Even lower.

AVG took 14th place, detecting 92.22% of infected files. Avast is in 16th place, having found 91.64% of viruses. Microsoft Security Essentials and Lavasoft have not been tested by experts.

This is the rating of antiviruses according to the Safety-Gate portal. This is, of course, one of dozens or even hundreds of possible rankings, but it allows you to get a rough idea of ​​the quality of solutions for protecting your PC from malicious codes. If you go by the Safety-Gate rating, the best free antiviruses of 2014 that we reviewed are Avira and Avast. The first one was ahead of the decision from Kaspersky. The best paid antivirus from our review, judging by the test results, is Satefy-Gate, which is NOD32.

Having studied the general data on the leading antivirus brands and examined the test results, we can also pay attention to some expert advice regarding the criteria for choosing the optimal solution for protecting your PC from malicious codes.

Experts do not recommend using “hacked” (“cracked”) versions of antiviruses downloaded from free torrents and other portals of this type. It often happens that the installation files of these programs are already infected with malicious code. In addition, manufacturers of modern antiviruses have learned to build reliable algorithms for identifying pirated versions. Most likely, an illegal copy of the program will quickly be detected and will no longer be serviced (new databases and software components will no longer be downloaded). Experts note that due to Russian providers’ tightening policies for filtering search results regarding pirated copies of programs, searching for unlicensed versions of antiviruses or “keys” for them will take a very long time. Analysts advise spending money on purchasing a legal copy of the software and saving time.

IT specialists do not recommend choosing antiviruses based on the criteria of “lightness”: small amount of disk space, low rate of RAM consumption, low processor load, etc. According to experts, a high-quality program to protect your computer from threats cannot be “lightweight” . An antivirus performs many functions, and this cannot happen without using system resources. Experts note that most modern computers are equipped with sufficient RAM and hard drives to ignore the PC performance requirements recommended by software manufacturers. If it turns out that the system’s power is not enough, then it is preferable to upgrade its individual components than to change the antivirus to a less demanding one. The only difficulty is that by default there is no option to select individual drives for scanning, but this option can be enabled through the program settings menu.