Avira: If you’re looking for the best bang for your buck when it comes to antivirus software, look no further than Avira. In addition to being comprehensive protection against malware, including ransomware and phishing attacks, it also includes a firewall and email security to protect your devices from being hacked.

McAfee: If you want world-class security but don’t have a team of experts, then McAfee is the program for you. This top-of-the-line software comes with a robust firewall, email protection and industry-leading ransomware defence. In addition, it has a password manager and parental controls to keep your family safe online.

Avast: Avast is an excellent program for people who frequently work from home. It comes with a firewall, email security and real-time protection against cyberattacks such as malware, phishing and ransomware.

Which antivirus should you choose? While you have many options, two stand out from the rest. Bitdefender Antivirus Plus holds perfect and near-perfect scores from three independent antivirus testing labs, with more features than some security suites. Norton AntiVirus Plus likewise offers many suite-level features, and it gets excellent scores from all five testing labs we follow. We've named these two our Editors' Choice winners for commercial antivirus, but they're not the only antivirus apps worth consideration. Read the reviews of our top-rated programs, then make your own decision.

Editors’ Note: Given that the US government has banned new sales of Kaspersky security products, we no longer recommend them.

You’ve come to the wrong place if you’re looking for free antivirus protection. Our list here covers the very best antivirus tools, and they’re not free. On the other hand, the best free antivirus apps beat out many of their commercial counterparts. Consider Avast One Basic or AVG AntiVirus Free if your budget just doesn’t stretch to paying for antivirus protection.