# Best Antivirus Software _CompareFairly · en/US · neutral comparison, cited sources, no paid placement_ **Category:** software › securite › antivirus **Our pick**: McAfee Total Protection (84/100) · **Cheapest**: Avast One · **Best value**: ESET NOD32 Antivirus ## Comparison table | Criterion | McAfee Total Protection | Bitdefender Total Security | Trend Micro Maximum Security | Norton 360 Deluxe | Kaspersky Premium | Sophos Home Premium | | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | | Price / year (USD) | 80.0 | 80.0 | 90.0 | 105.0 | 110.0 | 60.0 | | Malware Protection (/10) | 9.5 | 9.8 | 9.4 | 9.7 | 9.9 | 9.3 | | Phishing Protection (/10) | 9.4 | 9.7 | 9.3 | 9.6 | 9.8 | 9.1 | | Performance Impact (/10) | 9 | 9.5 | 9.2 | 9.3 | 9.4 | 9 | | Extra Features (count) | 6 | 5 | 5 | 4 | 5 | 3 | | VPN Included | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | - | | Parental Controls | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | | Password Manager | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | - | | Ease of Use (/10) | 8.8 | 9 | 8.9 | 9.1 | 9.2 | 8.7 | | Device Coverage (devices) | 5 | 5 | 5 | 5 | 3 | 10 | | Customer Support (/10) | 8.5 | 9.2 | 8.7 | 9 | 8.8 | 8.2 | ## 1. McAfee Total Protection Offers broad protection, identity theft protection, and a password manager. _Source (estimate): [https://www.mcafee.com/](https://www.mcafee.com/)_ ## 2. Bitdefender Total Security Comprehensive security suite with strong malware and phishing protection, impacting performance minimally. _Source (estimate): [https://www.bitdefender.com/](https://www.bitdefender.com/)_ ## 3. Trend Micro Maximum Security Provides robust protection across multiple devices, including social media privacy and password management. _Source (estimate): [https://www.trendmicro.com/](https://www.trendmicro.com/)_ ## 4. Norton 360 Deluxe Robust protection against malware and phishing, includes a VPN and parental controls. _Source (estimate): [https://us.norton.com/](https://us.norton.com/)_ ## 5. Kaspersky Premium Excellent malware detection rates and includes features like a VPN and parental controls. _Source (estimate): [https://www.kaspersky.com/](https://www.kaspersky.com/)_ ## 6. Sophos Home Premium Offers strong protection for home users with features like web filtering and remote management. _Source (estimate): [https://home.sophos.com/](https://home.sophos.com/)_ ## 7. Avast One A free option with good core protection, but paid versions offer more features like a VPN. _Source (estimate): [https://www.avast.com/](https://www.avast.com/)_ ## 8. Microsoft Defender Antivirus Built into Windows, offering solid real-time protection and good performance impact. _Source (estimate): [https://support.microsoft.com/](https://support.microsoft.com/)_ ## 9. ESET NOD32 Antivirus Lightweight and effective antivirus with good detection rates, but fewer bundled features. _Source (estimate): [https://www.eset.com/](https://www.eset.com/)_ ## 10. Malwarebytes Premium Excellent at detecting and removing malware, including ransomware, with a clean interface. _Source (estimate): [https://www.malwarebytes.com/](https://www.malwarebytes.com/)_ ## 11. TotalAV Antivirus ## 12. Aura Antivirus ## 13. Guardio ## In short This comparison evaluates 13 antivirus programs based on 11 criteria, including price per year, malware protection, phishing protection, performance impact, extra features, and whether a VPN is included. McAfee Total Protection secured the top spot with a score of 84 out of 100, largely due to its perfect scores in Extra Features and Parental Controls. Bitdefender Total Security came in second with 83 out of 100, excelling in Customer Support. Avast One was identified as the most affordable option. The facts in this summary are computed from the table below; only the wording is generated. ## Frequently asked questions **What is the best antivirus software in 2026?** In 2026, McAfee Total Protection ranks highest with a score of 84/100, closely followed by Bitdefender Total Security. Our rankings are based on objective data and are not influenced by paid placements. **How do you compare antivirus software?** We compare antivirus software based on key criteria including price per year, malware protection, phishing protection, performance impact, extra features, and whether a VPN is included. **Is McAfee Total Protection really the best antivirus?** McAfee Total Protection currently leads our comparison with a score of 84/100, indicating strong performance across our evaluation criteria. Our methodology ensures a neutral assessment of each product. **What are the main features to look for in antivirus software?** When choosing antivirus software, consider its effectiveness against malware and phishing, its impact on system performance, the value of its extra features, and if it includes a VPN, all while keeping the annual price in mind. --- _Generated by CompareFairly - neutral universal comparator. Ranking not for sale, data sourced._ --- _CompareFairly · https://comparefairly.com/en/US/best-antivirus-software — citation with a link is allowed; bulk extraction/redistribution is prohibited._