This article details the latest trends in anti-virus software for the year 2021. We also explain which antivirus programs were among the best this year and the criteria experts used to evaluate their suitability.

Antivirus – what is it for?

Despite the fact that anti-virus protection can be incredibly frustrating, anti-virus software provides essential “insurance”. Without antivirus software, any network interaction can lead to your PC becoming contaminated by harmful software. In short: Without antivirus protection, surfing through the Internet would be impossible. Reliability and security of antivirus software are essential factors.

The principle behind the antivirus software currently in use to secure customers from harmful software is essentially the same. Antivirus security modules scan all files in real-time, i.e. as soon as they reach the PC. The web security module tries to prevent the availability of malicious sites. Finally, the anti-malware reader checks all local data at the user’s request for possible infection.

All of these options require processing power and therefore slightly reduce the performance of the system. However, there are techniques that are used to reduce this effect. One of them is the layered approach to malware detection.

Modern anti-virus software

Antivirus must be capable to secure from the latest and most developed forms of malware, covering viruses, spyware, rootkits, worms, Trojans and ransomware – all the antiviruses on our list provide first-rate security from all kinds of malware. 

Most anti-viruses are now part of a complex package of Internet safeguarding measures that also provide many various cybersecurity functions. These include:

• Network firewall – to block network attacks;

• Virtual Private Network (VPN) – to protect network traffic;

• Password Manager – to store account information and create strong passwords;

• Parental controls – to keep the whole family safe;

• Device Optimisation – to maximize the speed, performance, and lifetime of the gadget.

Altogether these options improve the embedded in the safety device and the more secure the appliance, the fewer the chances of your credit card details, accounts, and other sensitive information will fall into the hands of hackers.

Principle of the best antivirus in 2021

• Strong anti-virus and malware protection. All of the recommended programs are provably protective from the most recent harmful malware-not just  and any other malware that could harm you or your gadget;

• Top quality functions. Most antivirus programs offer extra internet safety options, but these are often just ostentatious options that take up unnecessary space on your PC and impair it. All of the programs on our list provide helpful and useful tools, not just pretty add-ons;

• Speed and performance The leading antivirus programs don’t take up too much space or impair your operating system, even on older, underpowered PCs;

• Ease of use. Virus security for newbies and professionals alike. All antivirus programs are easy to utilize;

•  Price – performance. Antivirus may not be cheap. There are important factors to consider, involving the availability and quality of web security functions, the number of gadgets to kee safe, and the availability of a free trial and money-back guarantee. All of the top antiviruses on this list provide high quality at a decent price.

A quick look at the best antivirus software for 2021

1. Norton 360

Norton 360 offers unrivaled security against malicious viruses. It’s a quality Internet security package with a great back-up that can keep your information completely safe, confidential, and protected, and it operates great on all OSs (Windows and Android in particular).

Norton Anti-Virus uses a proprietary scanner that is robust enough to handle new and emerging threats. It has shown 100% protection in all tests.

2. McAfee Total Protection

McAfee Total Protection gives you almost everything you will require to stay safe online – anti-malware protection, encrypted storage, a password manager, browser extension, and a VPN.

McAfee Total Protection deserves high marks for at least impressive virus protection – it scored a great 100% in all our badware detection tests. Meanwhile, the built-in additional features also provide additional protection.

One of McAfee’s unique protection functions is the My Home Network. This function allows you to set a handy map of all the devices connected to your home WiFi network, which means you have complete control over your network security and block unwanted users.

3. Intego

Intego is an antivirus for MacOS developed only for the protection of all Mac computers. In contrast to most anti-viruses that concentrates solely on Windows computers, all Intego suites are developed just to help protect and optimize your  network and reinforce the protection functions built into Apple:

• Real-time malware protection;

• Optimisation and cleaning tools for Mac;

•  Advanced backup features for Mac;

• Network security tools;

• Parental controls.

The Intego scanner is extremely fast and offers superior security against all harmful software it has been tested with (on both MacOS and PC).

Intego’s backup features, parental controls and device optimisation tools add the ability to configure Apple’s own tools for Macs, all in a great package.

4. Bitdefender

Bitdefender has a very capable virus scanner – it utilizes a massive badware index and a machine that learns to recognize badware faster than the competition.

Bitdefender isn’t just an anti-virus to secure from badware, Bitdefender Total Security is one of the most versatile protection suites that offer the following functions:

• Web Protection;

• System optimization;

• VPN (200 MB/day);

• Parental controls;

• Password manager;

• Webcam protection;

• And much more…

Bitdefender offers all the cybersecurity tools you need for reliable online protection and is also one of the lowest-cost antivirus options on the market.

5. TotalAV 

TotalAV provides a great virus scanner module and some nice additional features, all presented in a very user-friendly control panel, making  an excellent choice for novice and technology-averse users.

TotalAV’s  virus scanner is based on Avira’s fast and dependable anti-virus technology, which has been shown to spot badware almost perfectly.