Avast One
Free antivirus heritage plus an all-in-one Avast One suite with VPN and breach monitoring (Gen Digital).
Long-standing free antivirus now rebuilt as the modular Avast One suite.
See Avast One plans →The best antivirus tools in 2026: all 8 compared
Quick answer: We compare all 8 antivirus tools we track, including Avast One, AVG and Bitdefender. Entry prices start around $13/mo and 3 offer a free plan. Each is rated on entry price, core strengths and who it fits, with links to a full review and pricing breakdown.
Every antivirus tool we track, in one place: 8 options compared on entry price, strengths and who each one fits. For a curated shortlist by use case, see the guides linked below.
All 8 antivirus tools compared
| Tool | Entry price | Best for |
|---|---|---|
| Avast One | $0 | free-tier |
| AVG | $0 | free-tier |
| Bitdefender | ~$12.99 yr1 | windows |
| ESET | from ~$34.99/yr | lightweight |
| Kaspersky | ~$45.99/yr | detection |
| Malwarebytes | $0 | malware-removal |
| McAfee | ~$39.99 yr1 | families |
| Norton 360 | ~$49.99 yr1 | all-in-one |
Prices verified 2026-06-28 from public vendor pricing. Plans and prices change — always confirm on the vendor's own site. No price here is guaranteed.
Every option in detail
AVG
Long-standing free antivirus brand sharing Avast's engine, with affordable paid Internet Security tiers (Gen Digital).
A long-standing free antivirus brand running Avast's proven detection engine.
See AVG plans →Bitdefender
Consistently top independent lab detection scores with light system impact and a feature-packed Total Security suite.
Routinely tops AV-Comparatives/AV-TEST detection while keeping system impact low.
See Bitdefender plans →ESET
Very low system footprint, strong heuristic detection and granular controls favored by power users.
Very low system impact paired with strong heuristic detection from the long-running NOD32 engine.
See ESET plans →Kaspersky
Historically top lab-test detection and a feature-rich Premium suite (note: US government use restrictions).
Consistently top-rated lab detection, but unavailable to US users due to a federal ban.
See Kaspersky plans →Malwarebytes
Strong remediation/anti-malware specialist, lightweight scanner and a usable free on-demand cleaner.
The go-to specialist for removing active malware, with a famously light footprint.
See Malwarebytes plans →McAfee
Unlimited-device family plans, identity monitoring and an integrated VPN.
One subscription covers unlimited household devices with AI scam protection built in.
See McAfee plans →Norton 360
All-in-one suite bundling antivirus, VPN, cloud backup and LifeLock identity options (Gen Digital).
Bundles antivirus, VPN, cloud backup and optional LifeLock identity protection in one subscription.
See Norton 360 plans →FAQ
What is the best antivirus tool in 2026?
It depends on your priorities. This page compares all 8 antivirus tools we track on entry price, strengths and who each fits; Avast One and AVG are common starting points.
How many antivirus tools are compared here?
All 8 antivirus tools in our VPN & Security category, side by side, with links to each tool's full review and pricing breakdown.