The Best Antivirus Software for Laptops 2024

We’ve determined that the best antivirus software for laptops is Norton 360, with Bitdefender and AVG finishes just behind. The right choice for you will depend on your operating system, individual needs, and budget.

Norton 360 may be most beneficial for families looking to manage their children's browsing experience. Bitdefender has all the right tools for Windows and Android. Meanwhile, AVG provides premium antivirus tools ideal for real-time protection.

The best antivirus software for laptops

Laptops are essential for working, studying, and entertaining. They’re vulnerable to cyberthreats though, so it's necessary to protect laptops with antivirus software. Antivirus can protect your device and data from virus attacks, malicious websites, and other malware.

• Norton 360: Best for parental controls
• Bitdefender: Best for Windows and Android
• AVG: Best for real-time protection

Top 3 antivirus products for laptops compared

Antivirus
Star rating	4.8 AllAboutCookies writers and editors score products based on a number of objective features as well as our expert editorial assessment. Our partners do not influence how we rate products.	5.0 AllAboutCookies writers and editors score products based on a number of objective features as well as our expert editorial assessment. Our partners do not influence how we rate products.	4.8 AllAboutCookies writers and editors score products based on a number of objective features as well as our expert editorial assessment. Our partners do not influence how we rate products.
Starting price	Starts at $29.99/first yr	Free or $24.99/yr (first year only)	Free or $46.68/yr (first year only)
Max number of protected devices	Unlimited	10	10
EICAR test results	3/3	3/3	3/3
Malware scans	Manual and scheduled	Manual and scheduled	Manual and scheduled
Real-time protection
Firewall
Phishing protection
Ransomware protection
24/7 customer support
Learn more	Get Norton 360 Read Norton 360 Review	Get Bitdefender Read Bitdefender Review	Get AVG Read AVG Review

Norton 360: Best for parental controls

Who it’s best for

Norton 360 is a good choice if you're looking for an antivirus solution with all the premium security features, including a virtual private network (VPN) and password manager.

It's also a good option for families needing parental controls and wanting to set online boundaries for their children. Considering all of the additional security features, the price is surprisingly affordable for family plans.

What we liked

Beyond comprehensive antivirus protection, Norton 360 also offers several other tools to protect your online privacy. Some notable features include a password manager, Norton Secure VPN, and LifeLock identity theft protection.

A Norton security suite can help create a secure digital environment and protect you from cyberthreats. Even in the event of identity theft, LifeLock can help you recover quicker with financial reimbursements and lawyer coverage.

Families may be interested in Norton's extensive parental controls. It allows you to set online boundaries for children. You can:

• Supervise web activity, including search results and YouTube history
• View the 30-day location history of mobile devices
• Set time limits
• View app downloads and block them

As a bonus, Norton 360 offers a generous 60-day money-back guarantee. It gives you plenty of time to test and evaluate all of the features and make sure it's the right fit for you.

Norton 360 received perfect scores from the AV-TEST on macOS and Android.^[1,2] It performed reliably for protection, performance, and usability. Although it scored a little lower on Windows with a 17/18 score,^[3] Norton still earned the AV-TEST seal of approval.

What we didn’t like

While Norton antivirus was user friendly, we noticed during our testing that it doesn't have as many features for Mac users. For example, proactive exploit protection (PEP) and Power Eraser don't work on macOS.

If you’re using macOS, then you should take full advantage of the 60-day money-back guarantee to test Norton 360’s features and see if it meets your needs.

Norton 360 specs

Starting price	Starts at $29.99/first yr
Free version	No
Firewall	Yes
Phishing protection	Yes
Ransomware protection	Yes
Webcam protection	Yes
Network protection	Yes
Parental controls	Yes
Extras	Password manager, cloud backup, VPN, dark web monitoring, privacy monitor, LifeLock identity theft protection
Learn more	Get Norton 360 Read Norton 360 Review

Bitdefender: Best for Windows and Android

Who it’s best for

Bitdefender is best if you’re using Windows and Android operating systems. It offers a full antivirus suite of security features, including a VPN and anti-tracker, at an affordable price. While Bitdefender is available for macOS and iOS devices, it comes with significantly fewer security features.

What we liked

Bitdefender has a high-performance rating. Recent AV-TEST results show that Bitdefender had a perfect score on Windows, Android, and macOS.^[4,5,6] This means Bitdefender was reliable for performance, usability, and protection.

Independent testing labs evaluate antivirus solutions by testing for malware protection, speed impacts on devices, and looking for false positives. A perfect score indicates that Bitdefender can accurately detect malware and doesn't slow down your devices.

Bitdefender has all the features you expect from an antivirus program, including the ability to block computer viruses, phishing attempts, and ransomware in real time. It also has premium security features like device optimization, VPN, anti-tracker, and a file shredder. Bitdefender can provide multiple layers of cybersecurity for your home network.

What we didn’t like

Bitdefender antivirus isn't a great choice for macOS or iOS devices since it doesn't offer as many features compared to the Windows and Android versions. Beyond that, it's also disappointing that a firewall costs extra instead of being automatically included in the basic plan.

Bitdefender specs

Starting price	Starts at $24.99/yr (first year only)
Free version	Yes
Firewall	Yes
Phishing protection	Yes
Ransomware protection	Yes
Webcam protection	Yes
Network protection	Yes
Parental controls	Yes
Extras	VPN, file shredder, device optimization
Learn more	Get Bitdefender Read Bitdefender Review

AVG: Best for real-time protection

Who it’s best for

AVG is best if you're looking for a reliable antivirus tool that works on all device operating systems. It's a great choice if you use both PC and Mac devices.

AVG also provides several premium security features that make it ideal for real-time protection against cyberattacks. Along with perfect AV-TEST results, AVG will work well on any device and detect malware and other threats.

What we liked

AVG has several advanced antivirus features that make it ideal for real-time scanning and protection. Some of the antivirus tools include:

• Alerts for suspicious software behavior
• AI to detect malware
• Scans and identifies potentially unwanted apps
• Automatic software updates
• Scans links and downloaded files for malware
• Blocks dangerous email attachments

Recent AV-TEST results show that AVG had a perfect score on Windows, macOS, and Android.^[7,8,9] It tested flawlessly for performance, usability, and protection.

Unlike Norton and Bitdefender, AVG is a better choice if you use devices running macOS or iOS. It offers several premium features for Apple users like phishing protection and unsafe email attachment blocking.

AVG also offers free ransomware protection software for Windows. You can also get a 60-day free trial of the paid version.

What we didn’t like

AVG doesn't have any parental controls. Families looking for this feature will need to look elsewhere for antivirus software or will need to find a separate parental control app.

Another issue is that its most basic plan is far more expensive than Norton or Bitdefender's basic plan. AVG starts at $46.68/yr (first year only). Meanwhile, Norton is $29.99/first yr while Bitdefender costs $24.99/yr (first year only) as well. While AVG has a free antivirus program, it's not as comprehensive as its paid version.

AVG specs

Starting price	Starts at Free
Free version	Yes
Firewall	Yes
Phishing protection	Yes
Ransomware protection	Yes
Webcam protection	Yes
Network protection	Yes
Parental controls	No
Extras	VPN, device optimization (TuneUp), anti-tracking (AntiTrack)
Learn more	Get AVG Read AVG Review

Honorable mentions

If you are still unsure if you've met your perfect match, there are other options. Here are a few antivirus programs that may fit your needs:

• McAfee: McAfee topped our list for best anti-malware software. It has premium features like parental controls, VPN, and scam protection. However, you may end up paying a premium price tag after the first-year discount ends.
  
  Get McAfee | Read McAfee Review
• TotalAV: TotalAV is a solid antivirus program and is easy to use. However, we were disappointed there wasn't a firewall included.
  
  Get TotalAV | Read TotalAV Review
• Malwarebytes: Malwarebytes is a premium antivirus program with several security features included. Besides antivirus protection, you also get ad and track blockers and a VPN.
  
  Read Malwarebytes Review

How we tested the best antivirus software for laptops

When choosing the best antivirus software for your laptop, we researched and evaluated a few key features:

• Additional features: A strong antivirus program is essential, but we also looked at additional features that added value to your security.
• Multi-device capabilities: Not all antivirus software is compatible with all operating systems. We checked to see which features were accessible on various operating systems.
• AV-TEST results: We also evaluated the performance and reliability of antivirus programs by reviewing third-party testing results.
• Pricing: Budget tends to be an important factor, so we also evaluated if the price was worth the value.

FAQs

Bottom line: The best antivirus programs for laptops

The best antivirus program for your laptop will depend on your operating system and your individual security needs. For Windows and Android users, Bitdefender is a great choice for comprehensive protection. If you’re a macOS or iOS user, then AVG is more compatible with those devices. Meanwhile, Norton 360 is a great overall antivirus program with excellent parental controls.

3 best antivirus products for laptops 2024

	Starting price	Best for	Learn more
	Starts at $29.99/first yr	Best for parental controls	Get Norton 360 Read Norton 360 Review
	Starts at $24.99/yr (first year only)	Best for Windows and Android	Get Bitdefender Read Bitdefender Review
	Starts at $46.68/yr (first year only)	Best for real-time protection	Get AVG Read AVG Review