The best antivirus in 2026: tested protection, price and devices
We put the public results of the independent lab AV-Comparatives and the vendors' official prices into a single table. No made-up scores: only numbers you can check at the source.
How to read the protection rate
AV-Comparatives tests products on Windows 11 against real attacks from the internet (infected websites and files). The protection rate shows how many of the 400 attacks each product stopped. The lab also publishes false alarms (clean files blocked by mistake) — they are worth checking in the full report.
The full table
Sorted by protection rate. For price we show the cheapest subscription found on the official page; currency and taxes differ from one market to another.
| Product | AV-Comparatives protection | First-term price | Devices |
|---|---|---|---|
| Kaspersky Official site | 99.8% (399/400) | 69.99 USD / 12 months Plus · excl. tax | 5 |
| Bitdefender Official site | 99.5% (398/400) | 59.99 USD / 12 months Total Security · excl. tax | 5 |
| Norton 360 Official site | 99.3% (397/400) | 49.99 USD / 12 months 360 Deluxe · tax: see cart | 5 |
| Avast Premium Security Official site | 99.3% (397/400) | 49.08 USD / 12 months Premium (1 PC + 1 mobile) · tax: see cart | 2 |
| AVG Internet Security Official site | 99.3% (397/400) | 59.99 USD / 12 months Internet Security · tax: see cart | 10 |
| TotalAV Official site | 99.0% (396/400) | 99.00 EUR / 12 months Plus · tax: see cart | 4 |
| Microsoft Defender (built into Windows) Official site | 99.0% (396/400) | free | 1 |
| F-Secure Total Official site | 98.8% (395/400) | 89.99 EUR / 12 months Total · tax: see cart | 3 |
| Malwarebytes Official site | 98.8% (395/400) | 26.99 USD / 12 months Standard · tax: see cart · promo until 11 October 2026 | 1 |
| ESET HOME Security Official site | 98.5% (394/400) | 59.99 USD / 12 months Essential · tax: see cart | 3 |
| McAfee Total Protection Official site | 98.5% (394/400) | 39.95 EUR / 12 months Essential · tax: see cart | 5 |
| Trend Micro Maximum Official site | 98.3% (393/400) | 74.95 USD / 12 months Maximum Security · tax: see cart | 5 |
| G DATA Total Security Official site | 97.8% (391/400) | 49.95 EUR / 12 months Total Security (1 device) · incl. VAT | 1 |
| Panda Dome Advanced Official site | 96.5% (386/400) | 38.46 EUR / 12 months Dome Advanced · tax: see cart | 1 |
| Avira Prime Official site | not in this test | 47.95 EUR / 12 months Prime · tax: see cart | 5 |
| Surfshark One+ Official site | not in this test | 747.82 RON / 24 months One+ · incl. VAT | 5 |
| Heimdal Security Official site | not in this test | 89.95 EUR / 12 months Premium Security Home · tax: see cart | 3 |
| NordVPN Complete Official site affiliate link | not in this test | 77.88 EUR / 12 months Complete · | 10 |
What to choose, in short
You have a single Windows PC
Start from the protection built into Windows and read is Microsoft Defender enough?. A paid product makes sense if you want extras (VPN, password manager, protection for other devices).
You have several devices in the family
Look at the number of devices included and which systems are covered (Windows, macOS, Android, iOS). A bundle for 5–10 devices usually costs less than several separate licences.
Check the renewal price
Almost all prices above are for the first year. See what you pay at renewal.
Open the comparatorFrequently asked questions
What is the best antivirus in 2026?
In the AV-Comparatives Real-World Protection test of Feb–May 2026, the highest protection rate went to Kaspersky (99.8%, 399 of 400 attacks), followed by Bitdefender (99.5%), Norton 360 (99.3%), Avast Premium Security (99.3%), AVG Internet Security (99.3%). The choice also depends on price, devices and extras.
How is antivirus tested?
Independent labs such as AV-Comparatives and AV-TEST expose products to real attacks (infected websites and files) and publish how many were stopped, plus false alarms.