Free plans only

8 Best Free Free Antivirus Software of 2026

By the Rankozo research desk · Updated November 12, 2026

8 of the 8 tools in our best free antivirus software ranking offer a permanent free plan. Avast Free Antivirus scores highest among them at 8.9 out of 10.

1. 01

   Avast Free Antivirus

   home users with a mix of PCs, Macs and phones

   Free Antivirus at no cost; Premium Security $49.08 first year for 1 PC and 1 mobile device, renews at $77.99 a year

   Full entry, No. 1 overall

   Paid from

   $4.09

   Score 8.9

2. 02

   Bitdefender Antivirus Free

   Windows users who want a quiet scanner

   Antivirus Free at no cost; Antivirus Plus Multiplatform $29.99 first year for 3 devices; renewal may be higher

   Full entry, No. 2 overall

   Paid from

   $2.50

   Score 8.8

3. 03

   AVG AntiVirus Free

   families who want free Wi-Fi and password breach checks

   AntiVirus Free at no cost; AVG Ultimate $59.88 first year for 10 devices, regular price $149.99 a year

   Full entry, No. 3 overall

   Paid from

   $4.99

   Score 8.7

4. 04

   Microsoft Defender

   Windows users who want nothing extra to install

   Microsoft Defender Antivirus is included in Windows; Microsoft 365 Personal $99.99 a year or $9.99 a month adds the Defender app for Windows, Mac, iOS and Android

   Full entry, No. 4 overall

   Paid from

   $8.33

   Score 8.7

5. 05

   Avira Free Security

   users who want a free VPN and password manager alongside antivirus

   See vendor pricing (USD check pending)

   Full entry, No. 5 overall

   Paid from

   Free plan

   Score 8.6

6. 06

   Panda Dome Free

   Windows and Android users who want a small free VPN allowance

   See vendor pricing (USD check pending)

   Full entry, No. 6 overall

   Paid from

   Free plan

   Score 8.0

7. 07

   Comodo Internet Security

   experienced Windows users who want a free firewall and sandbox

   Free Internet Security at no cost; paid Comodo Antivirus $29.99 for a year; 3 licenses $39.99

   Full entry, No. 7 overall

   Paid from

   $2.50

   Score 7.9

8. 08

   Malwarebytes Free

   cleaning up an infected PC as a second opinion

   Free scanner at no cost; Standard $59.99 a year for 3 devices; Plus with VPN $79.99; Standard Family $119.99 a year for 10 devices

   Full entry, No. 8 overall

   Paid from

   $5

   Score 7.4

Scores and prices come from our Best Free Antivirus Software ranking, which uses one method for every tool. Questions or corrections: editorial@rankozo.com