Everyone has a difference of opinion as to what are the best computer security tools to keep your computer safe. So let’s talk about what makes a computer security tool the best. In most cases you will discover that although there is a significant amount of factual evidence provided by each software vendor as to why theirs is better than the competition, it really boils down to personal preference, individual need and independent facts and figures as provided by 3rd party testing labs. So let’s explore three factors that may influence your decision as what computer security tools you use on your personal or business computer to keep it safe online.
Free Vs. Paid
Price is definitely a factor when choosing which security software to install on your computer system, but the question remains, is free as good as paid? The answer may very well shock you. The free computer software is often very well written, especially when the major security tool vendors come into play. The only real difference here is that most of the free software is designed for home end users and not commercial end users, which requires a paid for license.
There are some limitations to using the free computer security tools. One of the main limitations is that they offer you basic security protection for your PC. What one free security tool lacks can often be overcome by installing more than one security tool, but it should be noted that you do not need to install more than one antivirus software program on your PC as this will cause them to fight with each other as they will mistake each other for a virus. It should also be noted, that if you want complete protection you should opt to pay for a license as this will also give you product support that is often missing or very limited in the free software versions.
Popularity
Popularity plays a major role in determining which computer security tools are downloaded the most. For example, Avast free antivirus is one of the most popular free antivirus products available for the home user today. This is understandably so since it is very easy to install and uninstall, has a very intuitive user interface and comes loaded with many robust features that it’s commercial counterparts offer, but without the expensive annual subscription fees. AVG is another top contender with rich features like its real-time antivirus engine, online surf-shield, identity theft protection, e-mail scanner and link scanner. So if you don't have any antivirus protection on your PC, download one of these antivirus products today and make sure your PC is safe online.
Performance
Another determining factor as to which free security software you should use is how well it performs in independent testing labs. Independent testing labs like AV Comparatives reveal the low down and dirty secrets of top antivirus products. When stacked side by side you can really see how they measure up, for instance, if you compare the file detection rate of Avast and AVG between February 2009 – March 2013, you will see that Avast scores in the advanced to advanced + range while AVG scores in the standard to advanced range. With clear statistics like these it is pretty obvious that Avast is better at detecting viruses.
It is one thing for an antivirus product to detect viruses, but crunch time comes when it is time to remove them. So using AV Comparatives data from September 2009-November 2012 shows a decline in AVG’s removal rate. In fact the removal rate went from advanced to standard. While Avast removal rate holds steady at the advanced level. The clear winner here is once again Avast.
In Conclusion
It should be noted that free does not necessarily mean cheap or useless software. If popularity is important you might want to perform a Google search to see which antivirus product is the most popular. You can also get this information on popular download sites like Snap Files that offer both user and editorial ratings to help you decide which product you should use. If you are more interested in performance over popularity or price you may want to look at the free statistical data offered by AV Comparatives.
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