Free Virus Protection for Your Laptop

As a laptop computer owner, it’s critical that you and your machine are well protected from online intruders including viruses, malware, adware and spyware. It is recommended that all new computers have virus protection installed on them before they are even connected to the Internet. Fortunately, there are a host of antivirus programs available that will allow you to browse safely. Apart from the pay-for programs often available as part of your initial software package, there are a handful of quality antivirus software programs that are available for free. While many potential users might be put off by free antivirus software, the fact is that most of these programs are quite effective and receive constant updating and support from their producers. The allure for these companies is the potential for users to upgrade to their pay-for antivirus programs, which often include extra features not found on the free versions. These features include things like identity protection, firewall security and automatic email scanning. If you are after basic protection then it’s important that you read on for a quick review of the 2 most popular free antivirus programs, AVG and Avast.

AVG offers a free version of their antivirus software for home users that has received very high ratings among its users. The program features both an antimalware and antivirus engine and email scanning, and while the program is rather basic, users appreciate the overall effectiveness and ease of use offered. Many users have trusted the free edition of AVG for years and like how it runs seamlessly in the background without bogging down their systems. The free version can be downloaded at http://free.avg.com/us-en/download-avg-anti-virus-free-edition.

In addition to their free version, AVG also offers a more robust security package called AVG Internet Security, which offers identity protection, an enhanced firewall, LinkScanner browsing protection and a host of other features. The package costs $55 per year, per computer.

Like AVG, Avast offers a free version of their antivirus software for home use. The Avast Free Home Edition is also highly regarded by users and critics alike for its real-time protection and frequent updates. I have personally used the free version of Avast for the past 6 years and it has never once let me down. The program updates itself automatically in the background nearly every time I start my computer, and the user interface is very intuitive when it comes to scanning files and folders. The free version of Avast can be downloaded at http://www.avast.com/eng/download-avast-home.html.

Avast also offers a professional version of their antivirus software that includes anti-spyware and anti-rootkit protection. The program can be purchased for under $30 and is available for a free 60-day trial with no obligation to purchase.

The following video discusses some of the different antivirus programs currently available. The decision about what program to download is not as important as simply installing one and using it regularly. Any virus protection is better than nothing, so get moving.