Just the idea of putting your data and hardware at risk by having your device riddled with malicious software or viruses is unnerving, and to make things scarier, in the first 6 months of 2021 alone, UK residents lost £1 billion to cybercrime.

The best way to put your mind at ease is to opt for an antivirus solution, but with so many options, finding the best antivirus software in the UK isn’t easy.

In this post, we review the best free and paid UK antivirus software to help you find one that best fits your security needs and your budget.

Let’s get started!

Best Antivirus Software in the UK for 2022: Top 10

1. Norton — Overall our top pick for the best UK antivirus software

2. TotalAV — A trusted UK antivirus software with strong guarantees

3. Avira — Top free antivirus software UK

4. McAfee Antivirus Plus — Best UK antivirus software for Windows 10

5. Surfshark — UK antivirus software with robust VPN

6. Intego —Ideal antivirus software UK for Mac

7. ESET — Best choice for performance and fast scans

8. Quick Heal —Budget-friendly UK antivirus software

9. ZoneAlarm — Free antivirus software UK for Windows

10. BitDefender — Ideal UK antivirus software for families

The Best Antivirus Software UK 2022: Top 10 Reviewed

Choosing the best UK antivirus software isn’t easy so we’ve made it simple by reviewing each one’s features, pricing, and pros and cons.

1. Norton — Overall Our Top Pick for the Best UK Antivirus Software

 

When searching for ‘best antivirus software UK’, it’s likely that you’ve come across Norton, and for good reason — they’re big in the antivirus world.

In fact, they’re so confident in their security that they promise a refund if your device gets infected and they’re unable to remove it. Quite the promise, but we think Norton delivers. In fact, Norton is our choice of the best antivirus software in the UK for 2022.

Norton’s firewall does an excellent job of keeping out threats, and the platform’s Smart Scan tool makes it easy to remove any malware that makes it onto a user’s device. Plus, Norton offers a no-log VPN, a password manager, and secure cloud backup for sensitive files.

Let’s take a closer look at what’s on offer at Norton.

Special Features:

• Anti-spyware, virus, malware, and ransomware protection

• 10-75 GB cloud backup storage (Windows)

• PC and Mac firewall for network monitoring

• Secure password manager

• Strong parental control

• No-log VPN included to further protect you online

Pricing:

Norton has 3 pricing plans that can be billed yearly or bi-yearly:

• Plus (1 device) — £9.99/year (renews at £34.99/year) — PC cloud backup, real-time threat protection, firewall, password manager

• Standard (1 device) — £14.99/year (renews at £64.99/year) — VPN included, SafeCam protection

• Deluxe (5 devices) — £29.99/year (renews at £84.99/year) — Parental control, dark web monitoring

• Premium (10 devices) — £39.99/year (renews at £149.99/year) — Identity restoration support, social media monitoring

All of the plans above cover varying numbers of devices, including Windows, Mac, smartphones, and tablets. And on top of their unique promise, Norton also offers a staggering 60-day money-back guarantee for annual subscriptions.

Pros:

• Generous 60-day money-back guarantee

• Free trial for mobile devices

• Support for up to 10 devices

Cons:

• Norton icon remains on mobile screen

• Doesn’t cover iOS devices

• Expensive renewal pricing

Visit Norton

2. TotalAV — A Trusted UK Antivirus Software with Strong Guarantees

 

TotalAV comes in second place in our round-up of UK antivirus software. It offers impressive security, a powerful built-in VPN (with fast speeds across all of the servers), and it has a near-perfect 99%-100% threat detection rate.

And to make matters even better, they also offer an affordable solution to protect all of your devices (Windows, Mac, iOS, and Android! There’s no bias here). This is also one of the top-rated antivirus software in Canada for 2022.

Special Features:

• Password vault

• Ad and cookie tracking blocker

• Receive threat alerts

• Detection and removal of duplicate files

• Real-time protection against any potential threats

• WebShield to protect you from risky websites

• Ad blocker (including those found in videos)

• Easily set up scheduled scans

Pricing:

Here’s what yearly antivirus protection will cost you with TotalAV:

• Antivirus Pro — £29/year (renews at £119/year) — 3 devices

• Internet Security — £39/year (renews at £145/year) — 5 devices, safe browsing VPN

• Total Security — £49/year (renews at £179/year) — 6 devices, total AdBlock, password vault

All of the plans above come with a no-questions-asked 30-day money-back guarantee so that you can try TotalAV completely risk-free.

Overall, TotalAV is intuitive and super easy to navigate and for the value on offer, £119/year for 3 devices is a bargain.

Pros:

• Comes with a powerful VPN

• Supports all devices

• Simple dashboard that’s easy to use

Cons:

• Password manager could be improved

• High auto-renewal pricing

Visit TotalAV

3. Avira — Overall the Best Free Antivirus Software UK

 

Avira takes the spot for the best free antivirus software in the UK because unlike many free antivirus tools, Avira uses the same scanning and real-time monitoring that’s on offer with their paid version.

Avira’s free antivirus protection allows you to:

• Scan and repair files

• Get real-time updates

• Free 500 MB/month VPN for Mac, Android, and iOS

• Protection from trackers

• Secures your connection on public Wi-Fi networks

Avira also wins us over with the fact that you can cover up to 25 devices with one Prime subscription — making it great for both individuals and small businesses looking for quality online security across multiple devices.

Special Features:

• Clean your device and boost your speeds

• Block all online threats

• Secure VPN with unlimited traffic

• Password manager

• Anti scam protection

• Solid firewall protection

• Automatic software updates

Pricing:

On top of the superb free version, Avira also offers 3 paid plans, offering you even more protection and nifty extras — here are the prices:

• Pro (1 device) — £29.99/year — Antivirus protection

• Internet Security (1 device) — £15.99/year (renews at £38.99/year) — Automatic updates, password manager

• Prime (5 devices) — £33.99/year (renews at £85.99/year) — Tools to optimize your PC speed, VPN with no data limits

If you’re keen to try Avira’s paid options, there’s a 30-day free trial that lets you test all the premium features before you’re confident in whether or not you want to opt for a paid plan.

And on top of that, there’s also a generous 60-day money-back guarantee with all of the paid plans.

Pros:

• Free forever options for Windows, Mac, iOS, and Android

• 60-day money-back guarantee on paid plans

• Protects up to 25 devices on one Prime subscription

• Free plan includes scheduled scanning

Cons:

• Free version has ads to upgrade

The free version is safe for covering above-standard threats but there are limitations and the annoying ads that, more often than not, make the paid version worth it.

Visit Avira

4. McAfee Antivirus Plus — Best UK Antivirus Software for Windows 10

McAfee is a popular antivirus that offers an all-in-one solution that includes a secure VPN, identity monitoring, plus all the antivirus security features you need, in one.

Regardless of the device, McAfee protects Windows, Mac, iOS, and Android — protecting your PCs, laptops, smartphones, and tablets.

Special Features:

• Powerful antivirus technology to protect against threats

• Protection score to improve any vulnerabilities

• Scans to see if your private data is being used online and removes it

• Stop unauthorized access to your accounts

• Dark web identity monitoring

• VPN with unlimited bandwidth for 1-5 devices

• Parental control

• Firewall to protect your home network from hackers

Pricing:

McAfee has these 4 plans on offer:

• Antivirus Plus (10 devices) — £24.99/year (renews at £49.99/year) — Basic security

• Basic (1 device) — £29.99/year (renews at £64.99/year) — Protection score, identity monitoring, and unlimited VPN for 1 device

• Plus (5 devices) — £39.99/year (renews at £84.99/year) — Unlimited VPN for 5 devices

• Premium (10 devices) — £49.99/year (renews at £99.99/year) — Parental controls

All of the above plans come with a solid 30-day money-back guarantee.

Pros:

• Award-winning malware protection

• Unlimited VPN for 1-5 devices

Cons:

• Parental control is only available on the Premium plan

• High renewal rates

Visit McAfee

5. Surfshark — Best UK Antivirus Software that Includes a Robust VPN

 

Surfshark isn’t just an antivirus service because it also comes with a VPN, threat detection alerts, and a safe search engine free from ads and cookie tracking. Its comprehensive set of features makes it one of the best antivirus software India.

Overall, Surfshark goes above and beyond so if you’re looking for online privacy, access to geo-restricted content on Netflix and other streaming services, plus all the antivirus features you need to stay safe on the web, Surfshark is definitely worth considering.

Special Features:

• Strict no-logs policy

• Manual, scheduled, or automatic scanning to find and remove threats

• Protection from ads, trackers, malware, and phishing websites

• Hides your IP and your location and prevents tracking of your online activity

• Quick alerts for any data leaks

Pricing:

Surfshark offers 3 pricing plans for their bundle offer, and they all come with a 30-day money-back guarantee — here’s the pricing:

• 1 month — £10.09/month

• 1 year — £3.09/month (renews at £6.62/month)

• 2 year — £1.99/month (renews at £3.31/month)

As you can see, opting for the 2-year plan is the cheapest option and it gives you immense value for money.

Pros:

• Simple app

• Includes a VPN

• Cheap billing on the 2-year plan

• Safe no-logging policy

Cons:

• Costly monthly plan

Visit Surfshark

6. Intego — The Best Antivirus Software UK for Mac

 

Although Intego now also has Windows products, it’s been the go-to service for protecting and optimizing your Mac since 1997.

Whether you’re wanting to protect your macOS, OS X, or Windows hardware from threats, Intego has the built-in capabilities to put your mind at ease.

Special Features:

• Firewall network protection

• Parental controls for blocking websites and applications

• Speeds up and organizes your Windows or Mac

• Backup for quick restoring

• Anti virus, phishing, and spyware

• Advanced engine to block attacks

• Automatic updates and scanning

Intego has various products including a VPN for macOS and Windows to protect and hide your online activity and give you access to the world of geo-restricted streaming services.

Pricing:

Intego has packages specific for Windows, a VPN, and Mac, but they also have a dual plan that covers Windows and Mac devices:

• Dual Bundle (1 device) — £79.99/year

• Dual Bundle (5 devices) — £129.99/year

There’s a 30-day money-back guarantee on all products and a 7-day free trial for Windows products.

Pros:

• Trusted protection for Windows and Mac devices

• Loads of package options

• Dual bundle offers great value for money

Cons:

• No support for Android devices

• Covering different devices can be costly

Visit Intego

7. ESET — The Best UK Antivirus Software for Performance and Fast Scans

 

ESET offers strong antivirus protection for a large variety of needs, varying from homes to enterprises with options to protect 1 or over 1,000 devices.

Of course, the more devices you wish to cover, the more expensive your plan will be.

ESET offer a fast, trustworthy antivirus solution for Mac, Windows, and Android, but unfortunately, there’s no support for iOS devices.

Special Features:

• Multi-layered protection against malware, ransomware, and phishing threats

• Powerful data encryption protection

• Wi-Fi network protection

• Secure online payments

• Parental controls

• LiveGuard to find and remove unknown threats

Pricing:

ESET has 7 products that vary in price depending on the number of devices you’re wanting to cover and the duration of the coverage (in years).

Here are the starting prices for 1 device:

• NOD32 Antivirus — £29.90/year — Offers the essentials you need to protect your Windows or Mac device

• Internet Security — £39.90/year — Includes Android coverage, network and confidential information protection, parental controls

• Smart Security Premium — £49.90/year — Includes Android, strong data encryption, LiveGuard

• Mobile Security for Android — £9.95/year — Secure banking and shopping, device locating

Besides the above plans, ESET also has plans specific for macOS devices.

If you’d like to try ESET before you commit, there’s a free, generous 30-day trial and if you’re dissatisfied with your purchase there’s also a 30-day money-back guarantee.

Pros:

• Large number of options for varying needs

• 30-day free trial and money-back guarantee

Cons:

• Covering several devices can be expensive

• No support for iOS devices

Visit ESET

8. Quick Heal — The Best UK Antivirus Software for Those On a Budget

 

Quick Heal offers a robust suite of solutions spanning over 8 products — including for Windows, Mac, Android, and server security and management.

Special Features:

• Ransome, malware, phishing, and virus protection

• WebCam and spam protection

• Anti browsing tracker

• Parental controls

• Wi-Fi scanner

• Secure banking

• Complete Mac security

• Optimized speed, battery, storage, and more for Android

• App locking and file vault for Android

The features above are for the “Quick Heal Total Security Multi-Device” package as this covers Windows, Mac, and Android devices.

Packages that are specific to a device may come with additional or varying features.

Pricing:

Here’s the pricing of some of Quick Heal’s products:

• Quick Heal Antivirus Pro (1 user) — £34.50/year

• Android Security (1 user) — £8.05/year

• Mac Security (1 user) — £63.25/year

• Server Antivirus (1 user) — £71.30/year

There’s no doubt that Quick Heal has a lot to offer, but the best package is the “Quick Heal Total Security Multi-Device” because this covers up to 3 devices including Windows, Mac, or Android for £65/year.

Pros:

• Offers fantastic security

• Decent pricing covering 3 devices

Cons:

• Doesn’t support for iOS

• A mere 7-day return policy

Visit Quick Heal

9. ZoneAlarm — Best Free Antivirus Software UK for Windows

ZoneAlarm is known for its personalized firewall protection — offering homes and enterprises security against any emerging threats.

It also has fantastic free options available for Windows and mobile devices — it includes free browser extensions, and basic firewall and antivirus protection against hackers, viruses, and identity theft.

Special Features:

• Antivirus and anti-spyware engine

• Ransomware and phishing protection

• Two-way firewall to make you invisible to hackers

• Extensions for Chrome, Firefox, and Edge

• Android and iOS security

• Real-time security updates

Pricing:

ZoneAlarm has 2 paid PC packages that include everything on offer in the free version and some valuable extras:

• Pro Antivirus + Firewall (5 Windows PCs) — £29.95/year — Real-time cloud security, anti-phishing, web security extensions

• Extreme Security NextGen (5 devices including Android and iOS) — £35.95/year — Parental control, anti-ransomware, mobile antivirus security

Mobile protection can be downloaded for free for iOS or Android, but for added security on mobile, you’d need to opt for the Extreme Security plan.

ZoneAlarm also lets you turn off auto-renewal at checkout which is nice and there’s a 30-day money-back guarantee.

Pros:

• Loads of free protection options across devices

• You can turn off auto-renewing of your subscription

• Affordable pricing plans

• Web extensions for Chrome, Firefox, and Edge

Cons:

• Better mobile protection is only available on the Premium plan

Visit ZoneAlarm

10. BitDefender — The Best UK Antivirus Software for Families

BitDefender is ideal for families as they offer all-in-one protection for up to 10 devices on just one subscription.

To make it even better, they offer loads of value including a secure VPN and parental controls.

This makes BitDefender perfect for families looking for total protection across multiple devices and platforms — whether it’s for Windows, Mac, iOS, or Android, BitDefender has you covered at every angle.

Special Features:

• Multi-layered threat protection

• Innovative anti-phishing, spam, fraud, zero-day threats, etc.

• Secure VPN (200 MB/day/device)

• Advanced parental controls

• WebCam protection

• Safe online banking with dedicated browsers

• Minimal impact on your device’s performance

Pricing:

The BitDefender Total Security plan comes with 1, 2, and 3-year billing options with the choice to pay for 5 or 10 devices, here’s the pricing for 10 devices:

• 1 year (10 devices) — £39.98/year (renews at £79.99/year)

• 2 year (10 devices) — £94.49 (renews at £134.99)

• 3 year (10 devices) — £125.99 (renews at £179.99)

The 3-year option works out the cheapest and gives you the best value for money, plus, you can try BitDefender with their free 30-day trial, and there’s a 30-day money-back guarantee.

Pros:

• Offers great value for money for families

• Includes parental controls

• Affordable yearly billing options

• Lengthy 30-day trial and money-back guarantee

Cons:

• Limited VPN use per device

• Ransomware detection could be improved

Visit BitDefender

Best Antivirus Software UK: Comparison

What is Antivirus Software?

Antivirus software protects your device(s), they do this by continuously scanning your device’s code against known viruses on a database.

This ensures that the software detects and removes any threats such as viruses, malicious software, spam, and other cyber security issues before they have the chance to pose any real threat to you.

How Does Antivirus Software Work?

This can vary depending on the software, but all legit, reputable antivirus software has the same goal in mind — to protect your device(s).

Generally, this is how they work:

• Install the antivirus software on your device

• You can choose to run scans on a manual, scheduled, or automatic basis

• The software runs in the background, monitoring your web pages, applications, and files for any potential threats

• If a threat is detected, it blocks it and works on preventing similar attacks in the future

The software already recognizes all the well-known threats and it uses machine learning technology to prevent unknown future attacks.

Why Do You Need Antivirus Software?

There’s an increase in hacks, data theft and leaks, tracking, malware, and more — and those doing the attacks aren’t slowing down.

You may feel that the chance of it happening to you is slim, but vulnerability opens you up to attack and without antivirus software, you won’t even know it until it’s too late.

Let’s take a closer look at some of the common threats that everyone who’s unprotected is vulnerable to.

1. Viruses

Small bits of code that usually come in an email as an attachment, and once it gets opened the device gets infected.

2. Trojan Horse

These appear seemingly harmless to trick you into downloading malicious applications. Once in, they steal your personal data, crash your devices, spy on you, and more.

3. Worm

These malicious worms spread over networks and are difficult to find. Plus, they can copy themselves from one machine to another exploiting any security vulnerabilities without you needing to interact to make it function.

4. Ransomware

Ransomware is incredibly scary and costly, and unfortunately its pretty common due to it being the most profitable for cybercriminals.

This is where they install malware onto your machine and encrypt files that they use against you. They’ll demand payment (usually in Bitcoin) in exchange for returning your data.

5. Spyware

As the name suggests, this results in you, your family, or your employees being spied on.

It usually enters as a Trojan Horse and monitors all your activities and communications, stealing information such as your habits and sites visited, personal details, and more.

6. Adware

As the name suggests, these cause unwanted pop-ups or ads that you can’t remove.

As we can see from the above, it’s better to be safe than sorry with a trusted antivirus software solution that can protect your files, personal information, and communications from attacks.

If you’re looking for even more internet privacy, some antivirus software providers include a VPN in their bundles. A VPN will hide your online activity and your IP address from your ISP and anyone looking to snoop or collect and use your data.

What is the Best Free Antivirus Software in the UK?

Our top pick for the best free antivirus software UK, is Avira.

They have a forever free version for Windows, Mac, iOS, and Android and they offer top-notch security by using the same powerful scanner and real-time monitoring that’s available on the paid plans.

And of course, you get to protect your online visibility with the free VPN.

But depending on your needs, ZoneAlarm is also a great option:

What is the Best Value Antivirus Software UK?

The answer to this will depend on your needs and various factors such as pricing, the devices supported, and the valuable features on offer for the price:

What is the Best Antivirus Software for Small Business UK?

Our top pick for the best antivirus software for small businesses in the UK is Avira, it supports all devices and offers 25 connections on one affordable yearly subscription.

But Surfshark, McAfee, and ESET also offer loads of value to small businesses:

How to Install Antivirus Software in the UK

With an antivirus software like Norton (the majority will be similar), simply:

1. Head to their website and decide on a plan

2. Finish the checkout process

3. Install the software on your device

4. Open the downloaded file in your browser and accept the terms of allowing Norton to make changes to your device

With Norton, real-time scanning is already on, but if you wish to do a complete scan, simply open Norton and hit ‘Run Smart Scan’:

It’ll do a scan of your entire device and automatically remove any threats that it picks up.

How to Choose the Best Antivirus Software in the UK

When it comes to finding the best antivirus software in the UK, you have to consider a number of factors to determine whether it’s the best for you and your needs.

Device Count

Depending on the antivirus software, you’d need to consider how many devices you’d want to cover beforehand as some services may work out cheaper than others in this respect.

This is just as important for businesses to consider.

Device Support

If you’re looking to protect a specific device such as your iPhone or iPad, you’ll need to ensure that the antivirus software supports iOS — several don’t.

You’ll also want to ensure that your device model is compatible with the software because every antivirus solution has specific model and compatibility requirements.

Renewal Price

Pricing may be a determining factor for you.

If this is the case, bear in mind that prices that you see are generally on a one-time special when you sign up.

When your initial term ends, the plan will renew on the renewal price which is usually quite a jump from the original price you signed up for, so be sure to consider the renewal fee and not just the starting price.

For this reason, we’ve focused on the renewal pricing for our list of the best antivirus software UK, giving you an accurate look into what these platforms will cost you after your initial sign up period.

Also bear in mind free plans, trials, and make use of the money-back guarantees if you’re, for whatever reason, dissatisfied with the software.

Paid Antivirus Software VS Free Antivirus Software

Opting for free antivirus software from a reputable provider is fine but your protection will be basic and limited.

And although both macOS and Windows come with built-in protection, with infrequent updates this puts you at high risk of emerging threats.

The risk of free antivirus “solutions” is one we’d recommend avoiding because here are two of the main issues that you’ll likely encounter:

• Tracking of your internet activity

• Additional software installations that slow your device with pop-ups

Completely free services also make you wonder where they make their money from, because if there are no paid options, the answer is, more often than not, the opposite of protecting your data.

The fact of the matter is that a paid antivirus solution is your best bet for protecting yourself against advanced virus and malware attacks, more so if you’re an enterprise protecting confidential information and data.

Overall, we’re certain that complete peace of mind is worth the price tag and with so many options, you’re sure to find one that fits your security needs and budget.

Conclusion: What is the Best Antivirus Software UK for 2022?

Our top pick for the best antivirus software in the UK is Norton because it’s a powerful tool that’ll give you top quality security for all of your devices plus nifty extras like the VPN, all at an affordable price point.

Of course, whether it’s your top pick is up to you to decide and thankfully you aren’t limited as there’s loads of fantastic options on the market.

Regardless of the one you pick, be sure to bear in mind those money-back guarantees, free trials, and free plans.

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