You may need a different antivirus program

So what's the best antivirus program? And to refine that question further for those of us on a tight  or nonexistent budget, what is the best FREE antivirus program?





PC Magazine has recently done a review
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Why should you try something different from what you currently have installed? Some of the malware and virus authors write their crapware to specifically disable some of the mainstream antivirus programs like McAfee and Norton. Once the antivirus is disabled, there's no telling what they can do with and from your computer.

One of the most popular FREE antivirus programs is AVG from Grisoft Software. I have used that one and it seemed pretty good.

Another FREE one comes from Avira. Also good and generally gets good reviews and high marks for detection rates.

And currently I'm running Ad-Aware Pro Internet Security.  (not the FREE version, but I got it FREE).

There are others that are FREE, but these are the ones I've actually used. Why do they provide a FREE antivirus program? The catch with most of the FREE versions is they don't have all the features of the Pro or Premium version of the same software. So once you try the FREE version, you might be inclined to spend some bucks on the Pro  or  Premium version. The FREE version may also have "nag" screens to encourage you to upgrade to the Pro or Premium version.

And with some of the FREE versions, you may actually be offered the Pro or Premium version at no charge through TRIALPAY. TRIALPAY has literally hundreds of introductory offers from companies and manufacturers. Most require a credit card, even if the introductory period is FREE.

For example, one of the TRIALPAY offers is for Netflix. Although it was supposed to be FREE to try, two days after signing up for the free trial, my card was charged for a month of Netflix service. But that's the exception - most trial offers that have a no charge trial period, really are free of any charges.

When I went to download Ad-Aware Internet Security FREE recently, I was offered the Pro version at no charge through TRIALPAY. I chose to get PEOPLE and ENTERTAINMENT WEEKLY - no risk and no charge for the first 8 issues. If you don't cancel the subscription before you get all 8 issues, your credit card will be charged the regular annual subscription fee. So far no charges during the risk free trial, and I've got Ad-Aware Internet Security Pro installed.

Most experts advise against running more than one antivirus program on a computer - but I've run the free ones from Microsoft (Windows Defender and its replacement, Microsoft Security Essentials) in addition to another  antivirus program with no problems.

Some malware threats are detected by both programs, but Microsoft Security Essentials has missed a few in my experience, so I wouldn't try to depend on Microsoft Security Essentials by itself.

FREE is good and Pro or Premium versions through TRIALPAY may be FREE or close to FREE. While the old saying is "there ain't no such thing as a free lunch" - it's nice to discover FREE things once in a while that are really FREE.

So it goes.