Kaspersky review (2026): verdict, pros & cons
Historically top lab-test detection and a feature-rich Premium suite (note: US government use restrictions).
We sized up Kaspersky against the rest of the antivirus field on value and fit, and here is the short of it.
Verdict: For detection, Kaspersky is one of the safer bets among antivirus tools. Our editorial rating is 4.6/5 — an editorial assessment from sourced research and feature comparison, not an average of user reviews.
Who Kaspersky is for
You'll get the most from Kaspersky if you're focused on detection and feature-rich. If that matches how you'll use it, value comes quickly; if your needs sit outside that core, a more focused or cheaper tool may serve you better.
Notable features
A few capabilities do the heavy lifting in Kaspersky:
- Historically top lab-test malware detection
- Feature-rich Premium suite (VPN, password manager, identity)
- Safe Money secure banking browser
- Low false-positive rate
- Anti-phishing and ransomware protection
Consistently top-rated lab detection, but unavailable to US users due to a federal ban.
Pros & cons
What stands out
- + Excellent detection (Advanced+ across AV-Comparatives 2025 tests)
- + Very low false-positive rate
- + Feature-rich Premium tier
Watch-outs
- - Banned from sale/updates to US persons since Sept 30, 2024
- - Russian-origin ties remain a trust concern for some
- - US customers were migrated to UltraAV after the ban
Bottom line
The short version: Kaspersky rewards anyone whose work leans on detection, and paid plans start around $45.99/mo, so run a quick trial on a live project before committing.
FAQ
Is Kaspersky good?
In our assessment, yes for its core use case: detection. We rate it 4.6/5 editorially. For detection, Kaspersky is one of the safer bets among antivirus tools.
Is Kaspersky worth the money?
Paid plans start around $45.99/mo. For detection it generally justifies the cost; if that is not your main need, weigh it against cheaper alternatives first.
What are the downsides of Kaspersky?
Banned from sale/updates to US persons since Sept 30, 2024; Russian-origin ties remain a trust concern for some; US customers were migrated to UltraAV after the ban.
Sources
Our read on Kaspersky draws on these independent reviews and vendor pages: