I Can Read Your Mind: You're Relying on One of These 2 Brands to Stay Safe Online

The survey asks participants the security apps they use. Specifically, it asks for ratings on a 10-point scale for attributes such as setup, cost, reliability, and ease of use. There’s also a rating for overall satisfaction, and that’s the one that defines a winner in each category. In the best antivirus survey block, only four brands received enough responses to make it into the final chart. Bitdefender topped this list, with 9.3 points, followed by Malwarebytes with 9.1. Avast and Microsoft both earned 7.8 points for overall satisfaction. As for reader reactions to security suites , Norton and McAfee appear, but at the bottom of the list, with 8.0 and 7.5 points, respectively. Malwarebytes leads the pack with 9.5 points, followed by Bitdefender and Avast at 8.9 each. Rounding out the finalists, Microsoft took 8.5 points, and AVG earned 8.4. CNET Group surveyed 1,000 average consumers. That group clearly put Norton and McAfee on a pedestal. Readers’ Choice respondents are all PCMag readers, and many have actively requested inclusion. This better-informed group strongly leans toward Bitdefender and Malwarebytes. Considering Microsoft Defender's free pricing and its relative popularity across these lists, do I recommend you use it ? Well, it's better than nothing, but despite Microsoft's claims and improved test scores, relying solely on Defender is insufficient due to its lack of cross-device support, weaker phishing protection outside Edge, missing features like AI scam detection, and a subpar user interface compared with third-party alternatives, like my top picks listed below: Don't Settle for Whatever Comes With Your PC How would you have answered the questions in this survey? Would you have easily named one or more security brands? How many brands would you have checked off as familiar? And just what do you use to protect your primary computer? If you feel you would have come up short on answers, it’s time to broaden your horizons. Check out our roundups of the best antivirus , security suites , and VPNs . Even if you just skim the list of products and note which ones are at the top of the list, you’ve expanded your knowledge of the field. If you dig into the details of the products, you’ll be well prepared to select the best security products for your needs.

In the best antivirus survey block, only four brands received enough responses to make it into the final chart. Bitdefender topped this list, with 9.3 points, followed by Malwarebytes with 9.1. Avast and Microsoft both earned 7.8 points for overall satisfaction. As for reader reactions to security suites , Norton and McAfee appear, but at the bottom of the list, with 8.0 and 7.5 points, respectively. Malwarebytes leads the pack with 9.5 points, followed by Bitdefender and Avast at 8.9 each. Rounding out the finalists, Microsoft took 8.5 points, and AVG earned 8.4. CNET Group surveyed 1,000 average consumers. That group clearly put Norton and McAfee on a pedestal. Readers’ Choice respondents are all PCMag readers, and many have actively requested inclusion. This better-informed group strongly leans toward Bitdefender and Malwarebytes. Considering Microsoft Defender's free pricing and its relative popularity across these lists, do I recommend you use it ? Well, it's better than nothing, but despite Microsoft's claims and improved test scores, relying solely on Defender is insufficient due to its lack of cross-device support, weaker phishing protection outside Edge, missing features like AI scam detection, and a subpar user interface compared with third-party alternatives, like my top picks listed below: Don't Settle for Whatever Comes With Your PC How would you have answered the questions in this survey? Would you have easily named one or more security brands? How many brands would you have checked off as familiar? And just what do you use to protect your primary computer? If you feel you would have come up short on answers, it’s time to broaden your horizons. Check out our roundups of the best antivirus , security suites , and VPNs . Even if you just skim the list of products and note which ones are at the top of the list, you’ve expanded your knowledge of the field. If you dig into the details of the products, you’ll be well prepared to select the best security products for your needs.

As for reader reactions to security suites , Norton and McAfee appear, but at the bottom of the list, with 8.0 and 7.5 points, respectively. Malwarebytes leads the pack with 9.5 points, followed by Bitdefender and Avast at 8.9 each. Rounding out the finalists, Microsoft took 8.5 points, and AVG earned 8.4. CNET Group surveyed 1,000 average consumers. That group clearly put Norton and McAfee on a pedestal. Readers’ Choice respondents are all PCMag readers, and many have actively requested inclusion. This better-informed group strongly leans toward Bitdefender and Malwarebytes. Considering Microsoft Defender's free pricing and its relative popularity across these lists, do I recommend you use it ? Well, it's better than nothing, but despite Microsoft's claims and improved test scores, relying solely on Defender is insufficient due to its lack of cross-device support, weaker phishing protection outside Edge, missing features like AI scam detection, and a subpar user interface compared with third-party alternatives, like my top picks listed below: Don't Settle for Whatever Comes With Your PC How would you have answered the questions in this survey? Would you have easily named one or more security brands? How many brands would you have checked off as familiar? And just what do you use to protect your primary computer? If you feel you would have come up short on answers, it’s time to broaden your horizons. Check out our roundups of the best antivirus , security suites , and VPNs . Even if you just skim the list of products and note which ones are at the top of the list, you’ve expanded your knowledge of the field. If you dig into the details of the products, you’ll be well prepared to select the best security products for your needs.

CNET Group surveyed 1,000 average consumers. That group clearly put Norton and McAfee on a pedestal. Readers’ Choice respondents are all PCMag readers, and many have actively requested inclusion. This better-informed group strongly leans toward Bitdefender and Malwarebytes. Considering Microsoft Defender's free pricing and its relative popularity across these lists, do I recommend you use it ? Well, it's better than nothing, but despite Microsoft's claims and improved test scores, relying solely on Defender is insufficient due to its lack of cross-device support, weaker phishing protection outside Edge, missing features like AI scam detection, and a subpar user interface compared with third-party alternatives, like my top picks listed below: Don't Settle for Whatever Comes With Your PC How would you have answered the questions in this survey? Would you have easily named one or more security brands? How many brands would you have checked off as familiar? And just what do you use to protect your primary computer? If you feel you would have come up short on answers, it’s time to broaden your horizons. Check out our roundups of the best antivirus , security suites , and VPNs . Even if you just skim the list of products and note which ones are at the top of the list, you’ve expanded your knowledge of the field. If you dig into the details of the products, you’ll be well prepared to select the best security products for your needs.

Considering Microsoft Defender's free pricing and its relative popularity across these lists, do I recommend you use it ? Well, it's better than nothing, but despite Microsoft's claims and improved test scores, relying solely on Defender is insufficient due to its lack of cross-device support, weaker phishing protection outside Edge, missing features like AI scam detection, and a subpar user interface compared with third-party alternatives, like my top picks listed below: Don't Settle for Whatever Comes With Your PC How would you have answered the questions in this survey? Would you have easily named one or more security brands? How many brands would you have checked off as familiar? And just what do you use to protect your primary computer? If you feel you would have come up short on answers, it’s time to broaden your horizons. Check out our roundups of the best antivirus , security suites , and VPNs . Even if you just skim the list of products and note which ones are at the top of the list, you’ve expanded your knowledge of the field. If you dig into the details of the products, you’ll be well prepared to select the best security products for your needs.

Don't Settle for Whatever Comes With Your PC

How would you have answered the questions in this survey? Would you have easily named one or more security brands? How many brands would you have checked off as familiar? And just what do you use to protect your primary computer? If you feel you would have come up short on answers, it’s time to broaden your horizons. Check out our roundups of the best antivirus , security suites , and VPNs . Even if you just skim the list of products and note which ones are at the top of the list, you’ve expanded your knowledge of the field. If you dig into the details of the products, you’ll be well prepared to select the best security products for your needs.

If you feel you would have come up short on answers, it’s time to broaden your horizons. Check out our roundups of the best antivirus , security suites , and VPNs . Even if you just skim the list of products and note which ones are at the top of the list, you’ve expanded your knowledge of the field. If you dig into the details of the products, you’ll be well prepared to select the best security products for your needs.