In my earlier article about browsing without antivirus, I explained why active protection matters. The next question was which free product to choose.
Historical context: This comparison was originally published in November 2016. The test system ran Windows 7 Home in virtual machines using Hyper-V. The products, interfaces, and operating system described here belong to that period. This is an archive of my impressions, not a current buying guide.
What I compared
I installed the products on equivalent virtual test computers and considered four things:
- Protection against threats.
- How easy the interface was to use.
- How clearly the software reported threats and handled removal.
- Its effect on system performance.
The original article did not include detection percentages, a malware sample list, or performance measurements. These results should therefore be read as a personal comparison rather than a reproducible laboratory test.
1. Avast Free Antivirus
Avast stood out to me as a responsive option with clear notifications about scans and updates. At the time, it was a familiar name in desktop security, with versions available for Windows and Mac.
The appeal was straightforward: basic protection without an upfront subscription and an interface that made it easy to see what the software was doing.
2. AVG Antivirus
AVG was another free option aimed at home users. In my comparison, its interface and notifications were easy to understand, and its relatively light system requirements made it worth considering for older computers.
As with any security product, the experience depended on the hardware and the version installed. The original test did not establish a measured performance advantage over the other products.
3. Microsoft Security Essentials
Microsoft Security Essentials offered a simple approach for the Windows systems it supported at the time. It came from Microsoft, worked quietly in the background, and offered fewer settings for users to adjust.
That simplicity made it appealing to someone who wanted basic protection without spending much time managing it. It is included here for historical context, rather than as installation advice for a computer in use today.
What to take away from the comparison
The main lesson remains useful: security software needs to be understandable enough that you can tell whether protection and updates are working. If you’re choosing a product today, use information for your current operating system and the current product version, rather than relying on this 2016 ranking.
