Definitive Best FREE Antivirus 2016

[4CxbqFxVnstmA Veteran]

It's a new year, and so we have a new poll for Definitive Best Free Antivirus.

 

The 2015 thread can be found here.

 

This is a poll for best free antivirus software. There is a separate thread for paid antivirus software here.
 
If your choice of free antivirus software is not listed, please choose Other and specify in the comments.

[goretsky Supervisor]

Hello,

 

Would it be possible to change "Microsoft Security Essentials" to "Microsoft Security Essentials/Windows Defender"?  The engine is the same; it's just skinned differently depending upon which version of Windows is being used.

 

Regards,

 

Aryeh Goretsky

 

[The Evil Overlord]

I voted 'other' as Zonealarm Free antivirus and firewall wasn't listed

[francescob]

MSAV.EXE still reigns supreme.

[+kpo6969 Subscriber¹]

Microsoft Security Essentials

SuperAntiSpyware

Malwarebytes (the one I voted for)

[Obi-Wan Kenobi]

has Microsoft's really gotten that much better? I'm asking a serious question. Haven't used it in a while. (Not trolling, but asking a genuine question)

[maverick09]

Tencent PC Manager

[+Gary7 Subscriber²]

Avast

[drugo]

hi

i voted for bitdefender free

but about Microsoft Security Essentials  , is it windows defender?

or should i download it ?

thanks

 

[+John. Subscriber¹]

Secureaplus. Without a doubt. 

[compl3x]

Use Avira on everything. Seems to work just fine. 

[LimeMaster]

On 21/01/2016 at 7:43 AM, Obi-Wan Kenobi said:

has Microsoft's really gotten that much better? I'm asking a serious question. Haven't used it in a while. (Not trolling, but asking a genuine question)

Probably not. It's just that most people who use it have some common sense, so they rarely get infected.

[torrentthief]

29 minutes ago, compl3x said:

Use Avira on everything. Seems to work just fine. 

I use avira too and i use BGPkiller to stop avira free from launching nagware popups telling me to buy it

[compl3x]

52 minutes ago, torrentthief said:

I use avira too and i use BGPkiller to stop avira free from launching nagware popups telling me to buy it

 

Never heard of that little utility. Given that those pop ups are the only thing I dislike about Avira I might have to start using it and then I'll have no complaints 

[Rippleman]

1 hour ago, torrentthief said:

I use avira too and i use BGPkiller to stop avira free from launching nagware popups telling me to buy it

I can't recall, but when i used to use it, you could simply just block the process that sends the popup... i can't recall perfectly but i think it was "somethingnotify.exe" in the avira folder.

[calimike]

I just watch news on Bloomberg TV that Avast buy AVG for $1.3 billion. Did you see news anywhere?

[Shiranui]

ClamAV has the best real-time virus protection ever!

Spoiler

Not really.

 

[PsYcHoKiLLa]

No multiple options? I use Avast alongside Malwarebytes, it's a winning combination I'm sure a lot of other people use.

[T3X4S]

Hilarious that MSE is the top rated free AV in this poll.  I thought this was a tech site 

[+Gary7 Subscriber²]

10 hours ago, T3X4S said:

Hilarious that MSE is the top rated free AV in this poll.  I thought this was a tech site 

The only reason I use it that Win 10 acts a tad strange if you use a third party AV. I used to use Avast Internet Security but to use certain MS app I had to turn it off,

[T3X4S]

6 hours ago, Gary7 said:

The only reason I use it that Win 10 acts a tad strange if you use a third party AV. I used to use Avast Internet Security but to use certain MS app I had to turn it off,

Check your PM from me

[Bryan R.]

Considering Malwarebytes Free isn't a real-time scanner I'm surprised it's ranked up there with those that are.

Glad to see Avast! is going strong.

Does anyone realize that Avast! now offers "Avast! for Business" for free??

[T3X4S]

1 minute ago, Bryan R. said:

Considering Malwarebytes Free isn't a real-time scanner I'm surprised it's ranked up there with those that are.

Glad to see Avast! is going strong.

Does anyone realize that Avast! now offers "Avast! for Business" for free??

I think most people think the free MBAM is an AV pkg - not an "after you get infected" solution

[+Gary7 Subscriber²]

31 minutes ago, Bryan R. said:

Considering Malwarebytes Free isn't a real-time scanner I'm surprised it's ranked up there with those that are.

Glad to see Avast! is going strong.

Does anyone realize that Avast! now offers "Avast! for Business" for free??

MBAM Free is only used as a secondary source of protection that you can scan with. It used to only cost 24.95 but now it is a subscription for that amount per year.

[Circaflex]

On of my VMs I am testing Avast Pro, they give you a free key if you sign up for the beta test, so far pretty good.

 

Another test VM I have Defender + MBAM Premium + MB Anti Exploit + MB AntiRansome 

 

My laptop I use Nod32 + MBAM Premium + MBAE and sandbox anything that isn't from a trusted source