A cybersecurity strategy has become a necessity to safeguard businesses. Where businesses are utilizing technology to its full potential, saving data has become more challenging and crucial.
According to statistics, every second, 54 people fall victim to cyberattacks, and viruses disrupt their functioning. To avoid such scenarios, people prefer to use antivirus software.
There is plenty of such software available on the market; a few are free, and others offer a free trial version. This antivirus software has advanced features in paid subscriptions.
Now, many think that the free version is sufficient, or do they need a paid version? To solve this issue, we have differentiated between the features of free and paid versions of antivirus software. Later, we will list the best free and paid antivirus software.
Free vs Paid antivirus software
| Free Antivirus Software | Paid Antivirus Software |
| It offers basic protection against any threat. It blocks malicious websites, scans for viruses on the system, etc. | It has more comprehensive protection. It scans viruses in real-time using AI. |
| It lacks advanced features that provide extra protection, like a VPN and a firewall. | Advanced features like VPN and firewall protection give you the freedom for safe browsing. |
| There is no customer support to train or solve queries. | It offers 24/7 customer support to help users learn how to use the antivirus software and protect their systems. |
| It only works on a single device and needs multiple downloads for multiple devices. | You can use the paid antivirus on different devices through a single account. |
| Features such as parental control and email protection are not available or are limited. | It offers better customized features to fulfill all your requirements. |
We have understood the difference between paid and free antivirus software. The free version is insufficient if you need protection for your business. Paid antivirus software is a better choice to manage the security of your business. It protects data, saves your system from attacks, protects the network, and much more. The free version is for homes to protect against basic threats. Let us explore and assess the features of the best antivirus software in 2025 and provide overall protection.
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Five Best Paid Antivirus Software and Their Features
1. RestoreX360
A complete system protector is available. It is a revolution in the antivirus software industry due to its combination of antivirus protection and the ability to repair Windows errors. It protects your system from malware attacks and recovers from problems like BSOD, system crashes, startup issues, and slow software due to corruption.
How does RestoreX360 software help?
It repairs more than 10,000 errors that your Windows can cause.
Scan, detect, and remove the viruses.
The most powerful feature is saving the snapshot daily. It saves the data, and when Windows crashes, you can recover the data using the snapshot you saved last.
It also controls Windows automatic upgrade and update features. This feature prevents bug integration that can cause damage to your existing PC.
The product is affordable and comes with 24/7 customer protection.
RestoreX360 not only works as an antivirus software but helps you to repair your Windows errors and prevent system crashes or complete shut down.
2. Norton
Norton is one of the best antivirus software programs available to date. Norton Antivirus Plus offers extensive protection and is rather easy to use. Additionally, the corporation offers a wide range of add-on options, such as identity theft protection and a VPN. Additionally, Norton plans usually offer substantial savings for the first year.
How does Norton antivirus help?
It offers an excellent user experience. It is well-designed with an interface that a newbie can easily use. Higher-tier subscriptions can cover up to 10 devices.
It uses real-time scanning and blocks any existing virus or upcoming threat.
Its VPN allows safe internet usage and provides firewall protection.
24/7 customer support helps users understand complex functions.
Other than virus protection, it comes with extra features like cloud storage and parental control.
Norton is one of the trusted and best antivirus software in 2025. It offers all-around protection that makes it a perfect choice for businesses.
3. Bitdefender Antivirus Software
Bitdefender is a great antivirus software for those who want their protectors to work silently. This software runs in the background and does not disturb users with constant pop-ups or notifications. The software will scan and detect the malware when you are working, playing games, or browsing the internet.
How does Bitdefender antivirus help?
It has a perfect score in our virus detection test.
It can protect up to 25 devices.
It uses AI for real-time scanning and blocks unwanted or suspicious websites.
The price is affordable. VPN is available as a separate app.
Its free version offers a variety of features that are excluded in most free version antivirus software.
You can protect your system using Bitdefender, which a user-friendly, requires low space, and removes all viruses that can damage your system. It is one of the best antivirus software in 2025.
4. Mcafee Antivirus Software
Because McAfee offers three subscriptions specifically designed for families, we chose it as the best antivirus software in 2025 for homes. These subscriptions let you use a VPN to safeguard your privacy, run scans for your personal information, and install antivirus software on an infinite number of devices. Additionally, identity protection features are available in the mid- and top-tier programs.
How does McAfee antivirus help?
The software comes with advanced features, VPN, identity protection, block suspicious websites.
McAfee offers real-time threat detection and destruction.
Its premium subscription offers unlimited device protection.
The navigation between apps is easy.
Its file shredder deletes unwanted suspicious files to secure the system and maintain its speed.
Mcafee is a perfect paid antivirus software for families. It has three different subscription options that are suitable for your devices.
5. SurfShark Antivirus Software
Because Surfshark Antivirus includes other helpful security features, such as a highly regarded VPN, a data breach monitoring tool, and a data cleaning service, we believe it to be good for overall digital protection. For this reason, we included it to be one of the best antivirus software in 2025.
How does SurfShark antivirus help?
The software can schedule the scans at a particular time interval. It detects and removes the malware.
It is a combination of an antivirus, a VPN, and a data breach monitoring feature
It denies access to suspicious websites, files, or folders.
Different plans are available; users can choose the most suitable one.
It offers good customer support.
SurfShark is a budget antivirus software that lacks some features. It does not have a firewall or tools to clean the system, but it provides security in your budget.
Choosing paid antivirus software depends on many factors, such as
What features it has.
What is the price?
How to better perform in stressful situations?
How well it protects against unknown threats.
How well does it clean the system for better performance?
Select your security partner wisely to minimize the damage and know all the features it offers.
Free versions of antivirus software, Microsoft Defender and Avira, can protect you from weak malware and viruses. Paid antivirus software has comprehensive and strategic protection against threats.
Secure your system with antivirus software. Remember, it is an investment that saves your data and minimizes any loss in threatening situations.
