Best Antivirus 2026: An Honest Comparison of Bitdefender, Kaspersky, Norton, ESET and More
In this guide
Looking for the best antivirus for 2026? The good news is that the big names all protect you very well: in independent tests (like AV-Test and AV-Comparatives) Bitdefender, Kaspersky, ESET and Norton have been at the top for years. What makes the difference is the extras, the number of devices and the price. Here’s an honest comparison to help you choose based on what you need.
The short version
- The most complete: Bitdefender Total Security, excellent protection and lots of tools for 5 devices.
- The lightest: ESET, ideal on older PCs or for gamers.
- With VPN and password manager included: Norton 360 and Kaspersky Plus.
- For lots of devices on a small budget: McAfee Total Protection (10 devices).
- The cheapest for a single device: Panda Dome.
How we compared them
We looked at four things: protection (consistent results in independent tests), impact on performance, extra tools (VPN, password manager, backup, parental controls) and the cost per device using our store prices.
The comparison
| Antivirus | Strengths | Systems | Our price (1 year) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Bitdefender Total Security | Top protection, Safepay, optimisation | Windows, Mac, Android, iOS | 5 devices, €26.99 |
| Kaspersky Plus | Unlimited VPN, password manager | Windows, Mac, Android, iOS | 5 devices, €33.99 |
| Norton 360 Deluxe | VPN, cloud backup, Dark Web Monitoring | Windows, Mac, Android, iOS | 3 devices, €15.99 |
| ESET HOME Security Essential | Very light, protected banking | Windows, Mac, Android | 5 devices, €24.99 |
| G Data Total Security | German, backup and password manager | Windows, Mac, Android | 3 devices, €22.99 |
| McAfee Total Protection | Lots of devices at a low cost | Windows, Mac, Android, iOS | 10 devices, €15.99 |
| Trend Micro Maximum Security | Excellent against online scams | Windows, Mac, Android, iOS | 3 devices, €14.99 |
| Avast Premium Security | Simple, good Wi-Fi protection | Windows, Mac, Android, iOS | 1 device, €12.99 |
| Panda Dome Advanced | Light, parental controls | Windows, Mac, Android, iOS | 1 device, €11.99 |
Our store prices at the time of publishing.
Which one to choose for you
You want maximum protection
Bitdefender Total Security combines top-of-the-class protection with a low impact on your PC, and it covers Macs and smartphones too. It’s the “can’t go wrong” choice.
See Bitdefender Total Security
You have an older PC or play a lot of games
ESET is known for being light and quiet, with a gamer mode that pauses notifications and updates. For a single PC there’s also ESET NOD32.
See ESET HOME Security Essential
You want a VPN and password manager without any hassle
Norton 360 Deluxe includes a VPN and cloud backup; Kaspersky Plus includes an unlimited VPN and a password manager for 5 devices.
You need to protect lots of devices
McAfee Total Protection for 10 devices costs very little per device. If you’d rather have Bitdefender for the whole family, there’s the Family Pack for 15 devices.
One important tip
Install just one antivirus. Two antiviruses together get in each other’s way, slow down your PC and don’t protect you any better. When you install one of these, Microsoft Defender turns itself off; before switching antivirus, uninstall the old one.
Frequently asked questions
Isn’t a free antivirus enough?
For simple use, Defender or a free antivirus already protect you well. A paid version is worth it if you also want to protect Macs and smartphones, often shop and bank online, or need a VPN, password manager and parental controls.
Does an antivirus slow down your computer?
The ones in this list have a low impact. On older PCs, ESET and Bitdefender are among the lightest.
Can I use the same licence on my PC and phone?
Yes, if the licence is for multiple devices and the version supports both systems (see the “Systems” column).
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