Windows computers are known for their security flaws and vulnerabilities so virus protection is absolutely paramount! With there being such a vast amount of choice when it comes to windows antivirus software, how do you know what one to choose? Below are a few pointers to look out when choosing an antivirus.

Features. The amount and quality of features can determine whether you’ll be fully protected or not. So, the more features the better? Not necessarily. Gimmicky features such as password managers and cloud backup don’t prevent virus attacks and are usually bundled into packages to make it look better value for money but in reality, they might not ever be used. McAfee and Kaspersky are guilty for doing this… if they spent more development time on their windows antivirus could they produce a better AV solution? Quite possibly. The important features you need to look out for are browser protection, firewalls and anti-spams but the suite must also include real-time protection — which should be standard for any paid suite, but it’s worth checking!

Budget. This could be a deciding factors for a lot people but spending loads doesn’t always mean you’re getting more for your money. With Scanguard you can spend as little as $1.60/month and get yourself a state-of-the-art windows antivirus that has all the relevant features to keep you protected online. Then there’s McAfee which is on the other end of the spectrum. It’s almost $80/year but doesn’t offer a great deal more than Norton or Scanguard.

Support. Having great support can be very influential these days – some people have been known to pay more than double the price for a product just so they know they have great aftercare and a fair returns policy. We’ve checked out the support from all the companies we review and the quickest response time we had was from Total AV via their live chat. The support agent was very helpful also. Total AV also include a 30-day money back guarantee as standard. This proves that paying less can still get you first-class support and aftercare!

If you’re looking for an all-round, fresh and feature rich (but not too rich) antivirus we’d suggest checking out Total AV before committing to anything else, after all they do offer a 30-day money back guarantee, so what’s to lose? You also won’t go too far wrong with Norton – you’ll be paying slightly more but they do have experience on their side.