Can You Rely on Free Antivirus Software?

Can You Rely On Free Antivirus Software?

Home Internet Cambridge

With so many antivirus systems available on the market, deciding on the best one to use can be hard. If you have no specific product in mind, the sheer number of programs can overwhelm you. This is what forces most people to evaluate different antivirus programs in generic ways. This method of evaluation often leads to one big question; are free antivirus programs good enough? There is no single word answer to this question because many things come into play.

Is Free Antivirus Good?

When it comes to antivirus programs, the phrase you get what you pay for doesn’t really hold water. Both paid and free antivirus programs have advanced over the years. They both offer a great user experience and improved security features. However, before you rush to purchase the free antivirus system, there are a number of things you ought to do.

Know Who is Supplying It

This is the most important thing you need to do. You don’t want to end up installing malware on your computer simply because you wanted a free antivirus. Dig deeper to understand the reputation of the supplier. What are people saying about the product? You must not just rely on online reviews but also talk to family and friends.

Know How They Make Money

Nobody in their right mind will build effective antivirus software and give it out for free. Prior to downloading a free antivirus system, take the time to understand how the supplier will be making money. There is also the fact that if you are not being asked to pay, the developer of the product will not have the resources needed to support the product. You should also check if the software is open source. Open source programs allow anybody to view the code and update it to make it better.

Ease of Use

You have to consider the ease of using the antivirus program. You don’t want to end up with a program that strains the bandwidth of your home Internet Cambridge. You also don’t need a program that has an interface that is too technical for you.

Secure

Last but not least, you need to make sure that the free antivirus you are about to download is secure. It makes no sense in installing a program that is known for its inefficiency as an antivirus. If it cannot protect you from malware, there is no need to install it.

Benefits of Using Paid Antivirus

Free antivirus programs have their fair share of benefits. However, when compared to paid ones, free antivirus programs are a bit lacking. The main benefit of paying for antivirus protection is accountability. When you pay for antivirus protection, you will get better technical support 24/7. This is a service that is hard to get when using the free antivirus software. You can also expect more features on the paid program than on the free one. It is also good to note that companies that offer paid antivirus protection are aware of their competition and have funding to offer the needed additional features.