Recently, I tested several antiviruses in VirtualMachine, and here are my 2cents: S Tier Kaspersky Free: Shows good scan detection rate, powerful behavior detection, runs fast with fluid performance, and has the least false positives. A Tier Bitdefender Free: Performs decently in scan detection rate and great behavior detection; however, it’s a bit laggy on my VM and has high false positives. Avast/AVG Free: Has a nice, organized interface with a great detection rate, decent behavior detection, and has few false positives. The downside is the annoying pop-up and being a bit sluggish. Windows Defender: Has no UI and a buggy Windows Security Center interface, but it boasts a high detection rate. However, its behavior detection is weak and has a high false positive rate. SEP: Technically not free, but I will give my opinion anyway. It has a dead-slow scanner, decent detection rate, good behavior detection, and decent false positive rate, but on an old Windows 98 UI. EES: Like SEP, it’s not technically free, but it shows a high scan detection rate with non-existent behavior detection; however, it’s light and has a great interface, with low false positives when PUA is turned off. B Tier Avira Free: incredibly laggy and buggy performance with a decent detection rate, non-existent behavior detection, and a decent false positive rate. F-Secure Protection (beta is free): Sluggish when opening exe, decent detection rate, decent behavior detection, high false positives. Trellix: Technically not free, heavy resource usage, laggy and sluggish performance, decent detection rate, high false positives. Drweb beta***(beta is free)***: This shows a slow scan, slow performance, low detection rate with decent behavior detection, and a low false positive rate. 360 Toal Security Suit: The cloud database in this version is much smaller than one in China , resulting in a decent detection rate. It has behavior detection and has few false positives. However, overall it’s just a nerfed version of the original. C Tier Ahnlab Lite: Decent Detection rate, No behavior detection. Malwarebytes Free: Buggy, slow performance, decent detection with no behavior detection and real-time protection for free version. To be honest, any mainstream antivirus + common sense will keep you safe. It’s no longer the XP generation. Answer from COVID-19VIRUS on reddit.com
Windows Report
windowsreport.com › windows 11 › best tools › 7 best free antivirus for windows 11 to download in 2025
8 Best Free Antivirus for Windows 11 to Download in 2023
July 18, 2025 - Panda Free Antivirus houses many of the same features and lightweight construction that are seen in many antivirus software. It isn’t a resource hog and you can use other apps while it scans.
Avast
avast.com › windows-11-antivirus
Download Free Antivirus Software for Windows 11 | Avast
Just make sure you’re running ... ready to protect your PC and everything you hold dear in it. ... It’s 100% compatible. Microsoft supports Avast Free Antivirus on all Windows 11 devices....
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Does Windows 11 need an antivirus?
Yes, Windows 11, like any operating system, needs antivirus protection against viruses and other types of malware. Fortunately, antivirus programs like TotalAV offer a lot more than malware scans and protection.
cybernews.com
cybernews.com › home › best antivirus software › best antivirus software for windows 11
Best Antivirus for Windows 11 in 2026
Is Avira Free Antivirus really free?
Yes. Avira Free Antivirus for Windows is available to download for nothing. The antivirus protection program for your PC uses the same antivirus scanning technology as Avira Antivirus Pro for online protection you can count on. The Pro version for Windows has additional features. This includes web protection and the Avira Firewall.
avira.com
avira.com › avira antivirus › windows
Download Free Antivirus Software for Windows PCs & Laptops | Avira
What’s the difference between Avira Free Antivirus and Avira Free Security?
In short, there is none. In the past, we added various tools and features to our Avira Free Antivirus app. This included a free VPN, software updater, and some optimization tools. Plus, we added a password manager too. After this, we renamed this all-in-one antivirus software Avira Free Security.
avira.com
avira.com › avira antivirus › windows
Download Free Antivirus Software for Windows PCs & Laptops | Avira
AVG
avg.com › en-ca › windows-11-antivirus
Download AVG AntiVirus FREE for Windows 11 PCs | AVG
Download free, award-winning antivirus for Windows 11. Install it in seconds to protect your devices in real time against viruses and other malware, and to secure your email accounts against online threats. 2023 Home Users Protection · 2023 Malware Protection ·
SoftwareLab
softwarelab.org › best-antivirus-windows-11
The 7 Best Antivirus for Windows 11 (2026 Update)
1 month ago - Avast remains one of the strongest antivirus solutions available, offering excellent malware protection and a wide array of security tools. It does, however, lack certain premium features such as a password manager and parental controls, which Norton 360 Deluxe provides. If you’re looking ...
Cybernews
cybernews.com › home › best antivirus software › best antivirus software for windows 11
Best Antivirus for Windows 11 in 2026
Its free version is ideal for students, casual users, or anyone looking to secure a single device with essential features. ... Avira Antivirus is my recommended Windows 11 antivirus service for beginners.
Published May 27, 2025
SafetyDetectives
safetydetectives.com › home › ✔ blog › 9 best free antivirus software for windows in 2026
9 Best Free Antivirus Software for Windows in 2026
August 21, 2025 - Here are the best free antivirus programs for Windows PCs or laptops with excellent malware protection and a wide range of internet security features.
AVG
avg.com › en-ca › free-antivirus-download
Download Free Antivirus Software for PC | AVG Virus Protection
AVG even offers protection against spyware, webcam threats, ransomware, rootkits, hackers, and more. While built-in PC protection like Windows Defender might stop some of the threats you’ll face, it’s crucial to have antivirus software like AVG’s to make sure you don’t leave yourself ...
SafeWise
safewise.com › home › internet security › best free antivirus software
Best Free Antivirus Software | SafeWise
Well, Bitdefender antivirus won independent tester AV Test’s top honors in 2021 for best protection.¹ In a 2022 test, independent testers AV-Comparatives found that Bitdefender caught 99.7% of real-world threats.² Bitdefender more recently ...
Published April 2, 2025