Looking for an effective antivirus without breaking the bank? Sharesub has done all the research for you! In the following article you will find out which antivirus is right for you!
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Introduction to affordable antivirus software
Premium antivirus products are no longer reserved for the budget-conscious. Publishers now offer affordable packages with the same protection technologies as their top-of-the-range versions. These solutions offer excellent value for money, especially when you consider the number of devices covered by a single subscription.
Which is the best and cheapest antivirus?
The good news is that high-performance antivirus products are now really affordable. Most publishers now offer packages costing around €40 a year, which is pretty reasonable for protecting all your devices.
Here are the current best offers, ranked by value for money:
- Bitdefender Total Security is the most balanced solution. For €42.49 per year (with 50% discount), you get comprehensive, highly effective protection. It’s our first choice for the majority of users.
- Norton 360 Premium is even better value: €31.49 instead of €89.98 to protect up to 10 devices for a year. This offer also includes an unrestricted VPN and 75 GB of cloud storage.
- McAfee Total Protection is particularly interesting for large families: €39.99 per year to cover 10 devices. Unlimited VPN is included in the price, making it an excellent deal.
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An important piece of advice: opt for one-year subscriptions. Publishers often offer big discounts in the first year. This is the ideal time to take advantage of them and test the service. You can always change antivirus software the following year if you’re not satisfied.
But beyond price, quality of protection remains essential. So, which three antivirus products really stand out in 2024?
What are the 3 best antivirus products?
After hundreds of hours of testing and the analysis of millions of users, three antivirus products clearly stand out in 2024.
Bitdefender Total Security comes out on top. Its strength lies in its minimal impact on your system’s performance, while providing maximum protection. It stands out for its ability to simultaneously protect 5 different devices, whether Windows, macOS or mobile. Its integrated VPN, although limited to 200 MB daily, offers a valuable additional layer of security for web browsing.
Second place goes to Norton 360, which particularly excels in the family environment. Its particularly intuitive interface and advanced parental controls make it an ideal choice for households with children. It also stands out for its included cloud storage and totally unlimited VPN, major assets for everyday use.
McAfee completes the podium with its Total Protection formula. What sets it apart? Unrivalled flexibility, enabling you to protect an unlimited number of devices with the Premium version. This feature, combined with its unrestricted VPN and family-friendly interface, makes it particularly well-suited to highly connected households.
These three antivirus products share essential common features: they effectively block viruses, ransomware and phishing attempts. And they all come with a 30-day money-back guarantee. So you can test them without risk before committing yourself.
But beyond these strong points, each solution has its own specific features and minor shortcomings. To better understand which one really suits your needs, it’s useful to compare them point by point.
Antivirus comparison: Avast, Norton, Bitdefender and McAfee
Every antivirus has its strengths and weaknesses. Let’s compare them on the criteria that really count.
When it comes to advanced security, Norton and McAfee stand out with their dark web monitoring and identity protection. These features provide more comprehensive protection against modern threats and the theft of personal data.
For multi-device management, Bitdefender offers a particularly effective solution with excellent synchronization between the various protected devices. This approach facilitates centralized security management across all family devices.
Additional features vary significantly from solution to solution. Avast stands out with its unlimited VPN for a fee. Parental control is available with Bitdefender, Norton and McAfee, but not with Avast. For cloud storage, Norton takes the lead with a generous 200 GB offer. Avast’s firewall remains more basic than that of its competitors.
The user interface also reveals differences in approach. McAfee and Avast focus on simplicity, with highly guided interfaces. Norton maintains a classic yet intuitive design. Bitdefender adopts a slightly more technical approach, while remaining accessible to users.
Beyond basic functionality, it’s often these specific tools that make the difference on a day-to-day basis. Each of these antivirus products focuses on specific features to appeal to different user profiles.
Price analysis and special offers
Antivirus prices vary widely. For a basic antivirus, expect to pay around €20 a year. A complete suite with VPN and other tools? Between €40 and €60 a year.
But here’s the thing: publishers often run huge promotions. Bitdefender, Norton or Avast regularly offer discounts of 50% to 70% for the first year. For example, Norton 360 is reduced from €39.99 to €14.99 for 3 devices.
The number of devices covered greatly influences the final price. Packages range from 1 to 10 devices, and some, like McAfee, even offer unlimited licenses. For a family, a 5-device license is often the best compromise.
Advantages and disadvantages
Every antivirus has its own strengths that set it apart. Bitdefender stands out for its threat detection and affordable price. Norton stands out with its unlimited VPN and comprehensive parental controls. McAfee offers an excellent detection rate and powerful PC optimization tools.
On the weak points side, we often find the same limitations:
- Integrated VPNs are less efficient than specialized services
- Free versions have limited customer support
- Prices vary widely depending on the number of devices protected
A word of advice: avoid unknown antivirus programs found randomly on the Internet. Some are actually viruses in disguise! For your own safety, stick to the well-known brands mentioned in this article.
To help you make the best choice from among these trusted antivirus products, we have produced detailed comparisons between the leading solutions. These face-to-face comparisons will enable you to accurately assess the strengths and weaknesses of each option in relation to your specific needs. Now find out how these antivirus solutions measure up against each other on the criteria that really matter.
Which is better, Norton or Mcafee?
Norton and McAfee both excel in their respective fields. Norton stands out for its flawless protection against malware and its included unlimited VPN. Its clear, intuitive interface is perfect for family use. McAfee, on the other hand, stands out for its flexibility: you can install it on as many devices as you like with the Premium packages. Its strong point? Privacy protection, with advanced tools to monitor your personal data.
McAfee offers packages starting at €29.99 per year. This is excellent value for money, especially if you have a lot of devices to protect. Norton is a little more expensive, but justifies its price with additional features such as cloud storage.
The final choice depends on your needs: opt for Norton if you’re looking for comprehensive protection with useful extras, or for McAfee if you prefer an effective antivirus to be installed on several devices.
Which is the best antivirus between McAfee and Avast?
McAfee has the edge over Avast thanks to its more comprehensive suite. Its Total Protection offer includes unlimited VPN and covers 10 devices, making it an ideal solution for families. Parental control and advanced identity protection are also major assets.
Avast remains an interesting choice for tight budgets. Its basic antivirus starts at €39.99 per year and offers effective protection against common threats. The premium version adds unlimited VPN, but does not offer parental controls.
To put it simply: choose McAfee if you want to protect the whole family with comprehensive functionality. Choose Avast if you’re looking for basic protection at a low price, especially for individual use.
Antivirus features
Modern antivirus software does more than just block viruses. They have become veritable control centers for the security of your devices.
Let’s start with the essentials: real-time protection. Your antivirus constantly monitors your device. It analyzes the files you download, the sites you visit and even your online behavior. This continuous monitoring protects you from threats before they do any damage.
Web protection has become essential. Antivirus software includes browser extensions that block dangerous sites. They also secure your online purchases and banking transactions. For example, when you make a purchase, the antivirus checks that the site is legitimate.
Intelligent firewalls are an important feature. They control incoming and outgoing connections to your device. Bitdefender, Norton and McAfee offer the most comprehensive firewalls. Others, such as Avast, offer a simpler version that is sufficient for everyday use.
Most antivirus products now include practical tools for optimizing your device. They clean out unnecessary files, speed up startup and check for security updates. These functions are not vital, but they do help to keep your device in good condition.
An important point: the impact on performance. Good antivirus programs like Bitdefender or Norton have become very lightweight. You’ll hardly notice their presence on your device. This is a major advance on the antivirus products of a few years ago, which slowed computers down considerably.
Some editors also offer more advanced functions. Norton monitors whether your webcam is being used without your consent. McAfee checks to see if your personal data is on the dark web. These extras are not essential, but can be useful depending on your needs.
But all these features are only of real value if they fit in with your digital lifestyle, whether you use a computer, tablet or smartphone. That’s why it’s essential to check subscription compatibility, the ability to protect multiple devices and free trial options before making your choice.
VPN, parental control and advanced security
Modern antivirus software includes features that go far beyond simple virus protection. VPN is a perfect example. Norton and McAfee include it directly in their subscriptions, with unlimited access at Norton and prices starting at €29.99 per year at McAfee.
Norton, Bitdefender, McAfee and Panda all feature well-developed parental controls. It allows you to :
- Limit screen time
- Block inappropriate content
- Track device location
Advanced security features include essential tools such as webcam protection, dark web monitoring and a digital safe. Norton stands out with 100% guaranteed protection against malware. An added bonus: most of these antivirus products offer trial periods, such as Norton’s 14-day free trial, so you can test these features without obligation.
Compatibility, multi-device protection and free trials
Protecting multiple devices has become essential for connected families. The good news is that today’s antivirus products have adapted to this need, offering affordable multi-device protection.
Take Norton 360 Deluxe, for example. For €14.99 a year, it protects up to 5 different devices. If you’ve got a bigger family, the Premium version goes up to 10 devices for €31.49 a year (instead of €89.98). McAfee does even better in terms of numbers: their Total Protection package covers 10 devices for €39.99 per year.
When it comes to compatibility, there’s nothing to worry about. These antivirus products work on all systems: Windows, Mac, Android and iOS. So you can protect your computers as well as your smartphones and tablets with the same subscription.
A word of advice before you decide: take advantage of free trial periods. Norton, for example, offers a 14-day no-obligation trial. This is the ideal opportunity to test the interface and functionalities on your various devices. Most other publishers also offer 30-day free trials, with a money-back guarantee if you’re not satisfied.
FAQ
No, modern solutions like Bitdefender or Norton are designed to run in the background with minimal impact on performance. They monitor your device without consuming too many resources, even during scans.
Free antivirus software offers basic virus protection, but paid versions add essential features such as VPN, advanced firewall, parental controls, dark web monitoring and multi-device protection.
Yes, most subscriptions are valid for one year. It’s advisable to compare offers before renewal, as first-year promotions often don’t apply to subsequent years. There’s nothing to stop you changing antivirus software at that point.
Official websites always specify software compatibility. In general, Bitdefender, Norton, McAfee and Avast work on Windows, macOS, Android and iOS. Some plans even allow you to manage all your devices from a single interface.
No, not all of them do. Norton and McAfee include an unlimited VPN in their most comprehensive packages. Bitdefender also offers one, but limited to 200 MB per day in its basic version. Check this detail carefully before making your choice.
