Free antivirus
Antivirus software is necessary to keep your devices safe against malware, such as viruses, computer worms, and spyware. But why should you pay for cyber security software if you can download an antivirus for free?
What is an antivirus?
As its name suggests, antivirus software fights against viruses. These are a great threat to both desktop computers and mobile devices, such as smartphones and tablets. Without an antivirus program installed on your device, you are susceptible to malware that can be used by online criminals to steal your money, compromise your private information and destroy valuable files on your computer. Information stolen with malware can be used for identity theft and blackmailing the victim, for instance.
The purpose of antivirus software is to prevent all this by catching viruses and other malware before they infect your device or finding and removing malware already on your computer or smart mobile device. Antivirus stops malware by scanning files and programs on your device and checking if the websites you visit are safe to use. Although many are tempted to download a free antivirus to save money, they may in fact be doing more harm by allowing an unsafe program to access their computer or mobile device.
Are free antivirus programs safe?
The alarm bells should be ringing if you are offered anything for free on the internet, especially if you normally would have to pay for it. Antivirus software is no exception. Although many reliable antivirus programs have a free trial you can try out for a limited time, entirely free antivirus software is another thing.
If you are not paying for antivirus protection with money, you are most likely giving away something else, perhaps without knowing. Just like a free VPN, a free antivirus can collect your data that can be used for different purposes, such as being sold to advertisers and other third parties. On top of that, a free antivirus may in fact be a piece of malware in disguise.
You may get some basic protection for your device with a free antivirus. However, you will be lacking the more advanced protection features that help catch even the newest and more sophisticated online threats. When paying for premium antivirus protection, you have access to frequent updates that protect you against novel viruses that free alternatives are unable to stop. To keep you protected at all times, F‑Secure Total’s antivirus updates itself whenever new patches and updates roll out.
Does my mobile device need an antivirus?
Mobile devices tend to be safer and better protected against malware than computers. This is because mobile users generally download new applications via official app stores that are good at catching malicious programs. However, this has not stopped online criminals and hackers from developing special mobile malware, such as banking trojans that can impersonate actual banking apps used for two‑factor authentication. Therefore, it is always a good idea to protect your smartphone and tablet with a premium antivirus as well.
F‑Secure Total can be downloaded both for your computer and mobile devices. That way you can protect all your devices with the same reliable antivirus software.
Premium vs free antivirus software
One benefit of a free antivirus software over a more advanced, yet paid one is its price. However, you are most likely missing out on many additional features that improve your cyber security by choosing a free option. You are also more prone to putting your safety at risk by using a free antivirus.
- Better performance. A premium antivirus that has been optimized to run smoothly in the background takes up less of your device’s resources than a heavier free version. A poorly optimized free antivirus can use more memory and processing power which can lead to slow performance and even crashes.
- Automatic and frequent updates. An up‑to‑date antivirus software is your main line of defense against malware and various vulnerabilities. With a premium antivirus, you can turn on automatic software updates that improve your protection whenever new threats are found. It will catch up to new and emerging threats much faster than a free antivirus.
- Extensive user support. Getting help quickly when you need it makes staying safe simple. Most likely free antivirus software does not provide proper customer support, if any. F‑Secure Total’s expert support team helps you without extra cost with your cyber security questions.
- Additional parental features. If you share your computer, phone, and tablet with children or the young ones in your family have their own internet-connected devices, consider getting an antivirus with parental features. Nowadays, kids are well‑versed in the digital world, yet do not always have the skills to navigate it safely. F‑Secure Total’s Family Rules also let you limit daily screen time and block harmful online content or websites.
- Mobile and desktop support. Both mobile devices and computers are susceptible to viruses and other malware. Therefore, you need an antivirus to protect all your devices. An advanced antivirus solution works seamlessly on mobile and desktop with the same description and user account.
- All features in a single app. If you do not want to install numerous apps or juggle with different user accounts to stay protected, then a premium antivirus is the way to go. In addition to our advanced antivirus, F‑Secure Total provides everything you need with the same subscription, including a VPN, password management tools, and more.
Try F‑Secure’s antivirus protection for free
Before buying, you can protect your devices with F‑Secure Total’s free trial. In addition to Total’s advanced antivirus protection, you get access to our versatile VPN that makes secure and private browsing easy wherever you are. Total’s Identity Protection tools include a password vault that makes logging into your different accounts simple, while also helping with monitoring your online identity. Try F‑Secure Total’s all‑around antivirus protection for free.