7 Best Antivirus for Servers Reviewed for 2023

Finding the best antivirus for servers isn’t easy, with so many products on the market that are flawed or don’t suit your needs. To keep your server safe from malicious attacks without overworking yourself with setting up complicated server antivirus software, you need to examine the market thoroughly and find the most convenient solutions.

We’ve already looked into the best server antivirus software and made a list of our top picks, which we’ll review in this article. We’ve compared their features, price, and more to help you gather all the details needed to make an informed purchase. Read on to find out why TotalAV, McAfee, and Norton are the best server antivirus software in 2023.

7 Best Server Antiviruses Ranked

Our in-depth testing found TotalAV to be the best antivirus for servers. Here’s the complete list:

1. TotalAV – Overall, the best antivirus for servers. Award-winning TotalAV uses AI-powered Total WebShield to protect against malware attacks and unwanted downloads.
2. McAfee – Among the best Windows antiviruses for servers, its Identity Monitoring feature works in real-time to prevent data leaks, phishing scams, and identity thefts.
3. Norton – A top server antivirus offering a 60-day money-back guarantee, Norton uses AI to detect threats and offers SafeCam protection to prevent webcam spying.
4. Avast – Powerful antivirus software free for individual users, Avast has high antivirus detection scores and offers six layers of protection against ransomware.
5. Nord Threat Protection – An antivirus with advanced malware protection and powerful ad blockers. Nord is fast, lightweight, and included with NordVPN.
6. Surfshark – One of the cheapest options in antivirus software, premium features are available at all price tiers. Surfshark offers an unlimited VPN, strong ad blocking, and a safe search engine.
7. Intego – The best antivirus software for Macs, Intego has been around since 1997. It’s excellent at detecting malware, has a user-friendly interface, and offers a strong built-in firewall.

Top Server Antivirus Tools Reviewed

Let’s take a closer look at each server antivirus on our list and compare them based on their features, pros and cons, prices, and more.

1. TotalAV – The Best Antivirus for Servers

TotalAV takes the first spot on our list of the best server antiviruses thanks to its superb security solutions.

As a member of the Microsoft Virus Initiative (MVI), TotalAV’s products are certified to meet all MVI requirements and provide advanced server security with real-time scanning.

TotalAV will help you rest easy knowing that your database files are safe from online threats, thanks to its advanced business network protection.

This server antivirus offers superb protection from malware attacks, and its Data Breach Monitoring will notify you if your data gets exposed anywhere on the internet.

Besides automatic scanning, which will stop any virus from harming your devices, you can also schedule regular scans for peace of mind, knowing your system and servers are always protected.

In addition, TotalAV performs zero-day cloud scanning, safeguarding you against the most dangerous threats with cutting-edge technology.

TotalAV is the best antivirus for companies, and not just because of its ability to detect and remove potential online threats.

While that’s certainly useful, the newest trends show that hackers rely on phishing more than deploying malicious software, making TotalAV’s Phishing Scam Protection an invaluable asset for every business.

Pros 

• System tune-up tools
• Ransomware protection
• Beginner-friendly interface
• AI-powered Total WebShield browser protection
• Protection against unwanted downloads
• Top Reddit-recommended antivirus

Cons

• Password vault reserved for high-tier plan

Pricing

The cheapest pricing plan of this server antivirus starts from as little as $29/year and provides superb protection against online threats.

If you want to unlock the full potential of TotalAV, the best antivirus for companies, you can try its Total Security plan.

Take advantage of the 30-day money-back guarantee now to try TotalAV’s services risk-free.

2. McAfee – Popular for its Privacy Features

McAfee server antivirus software is one of the best security measures for your business network against online threats and phishing scams.

Besides its comprehensive paid plans, McAfee has reliable customer support and unique privacy features.

McAfee is well suited for organizations of any size that want their privacy and database files protected.

Its advanced privacy features ensure that your company’s employees or personal data aren’t exposed anywhere on the internet.

McAfee will bolster your server security by securing all devices connected to it, preventing phishing scams, identity thefts, and other privacy-related online threats by instantly notifying you if you visit a suspicious website.

Its Identity Monitoring feature monitors up to 60 unique types of personal information and warns you in case of an information leak on the dark web.

In case of identity theft that leads to a loss of funds and expenses related to restoring your identity, McAfee will provide up to $1 million in insurance coverage, per adult, with its more advanced paid plans.

McAfee server antivirus software is also highly customizable, allowing you to configure its settings to fit your organization perfectly.

You can use its password manager feature to create complex passwords that’ll auto-fill, allowing for a secure and fast log-in on all devices.

Pros

• File shredder
• Security Freeze
• Expert advice on identity restoration
• Personal data cleanup
• Multi-platform compatibility

Cons

• Advanced plans come at a high price

Pricing

McAfee’s cheapest paid plan is a feature-rich solution that costs as little as $29.99, a small price to pay for the excellent server security it offers.

Although it’s one of the best antiviruses for Windows, McAfee offers highly customizable features for all devices and a wide variety of versatile paid plans.

In addition, you can take advantage of its 30-day money-back guarantee and try its services risk-free today.

3. Norton – Feature-Rich Server Antivirus Protection

Norton is one of the best server antiviruses to protect your business servers, capable of providing identity theft solutions, privacy monitoring, up to 250GB of cloud backup storage, and more.

Norton uses AI machine learning to detect online threats and respond to them to keep you safe. This real-time scanning feature effectively deals with spyware, malware, and ransomware and protects from hackers, safeguarding you from any malicious software they might use.

This server antivirus is easy-to-use for businesses of any size and allows your tech staff to monitor and manage all devices from one online account.

Norton’s advanced firewall works as a 2-way silent firewall by monitoring sent and received network traffic and ensuring server security.

That means it protects your business network from outside attacks and stops any intruders.

Pros 

• User-friendly interface
• Blocks phishing websites
• Comprehensive reports after each action
• Excellent mobile apps
• Frequent updates

Cons

• Heavy resource usage while running full scans

Pricing

Norton Antivirus Plus is its cheapest plan that starts at $19.99/year, but Norton also offers a variety of other plans suitable for various needs and budgets:

You can get one of the best antiviruses for companies with its Norton 360 Deluxe plan, with its LifeLock Select plan featuring additional identity theft protection solutions.

Beyond this, Norton offers a massive 60-day money-back guarantee, allowing you to try its server antivirus software risk-free.

4. Avast – Powerful Software Against Ransomware 

Avast is best known for its free antivirus software for individual users. However, the company provides more advanced services through its Antivirus Pro paid plans.

Over 435 million people trust Avast’s free and premium services in 2023.

Built by a company with over 30 years of cybersecurity experience, Avast server antivirus will protect your business network from online threats using its versatile features.

It excels at keeping your devices safe from ransomware, one of the most pressing cyber threats, and it updates its anti-ransomware features every minute to protect you from ever-evolving threats.

Avast can safeguard your business network by letting you browse the internet through its secure browser, minimizing the risk of malicious software getting into your system.

You can also install this server antivirus onto all devices connected to your server with a single click, making the installation simple.

Besides ransomware, Avast can protect your company from social engineering attacks, the second most common type of cyber threat this year.

This server antivirus will block and restrict access to dangerous websites that could steal valuable information from your employees.

Pros 

• Extra protection for sensitive information
• 6 layers of protection against ransomware
• Monitors your accounts for breaches
• Premium services aren’t expensive
• Comprehensive features for mobile devices
• One of the best Android antiviruses

Cons

• The VPN service lacks advanced features

Pricing

While Avast offers free server antivirus software, its advanced plans offer far more features to protect your business network. Its cheapest paid plan costs $34.68/year and provides a comprehensive server security service.

If you want to install Avast on up to 30 devices, it costs $48.60/year for its most feature-rich paid plan.

You can try it out risk-free with the 30-day guarantee before committing to a subscription.

5. Nord Threat Protection – Advanced Malware Protection and Ad Blocking

Nord Threat Protection is another great server antivirus software to keep ransomware, phishing, and other attacks at bay.

Besides blocking malicious software, it’ll also block intrusive ads and trackers, protecting your privacy.

Nord Threat Protection will always notify you if you visit a malware-infested website and scan all downloads and attachments for malware.

This server antivirus will delete the problematic files before they can cause harm to your system and have a detailed error report to explain what happened.

Whenever you visit a website, your device sends a large amount of your data to help the website create a more personalized experience.

Every time that happens, trackers keep your information, collecting them from multiple websites, and soon enough, they have near-perfect details of your interests.

Nord Threat Protection’s built-in tracker and ad blockers remove that possibility, resulting in faster and more private browsing for all devices on your business network.

Besides keeping your server security tight and your browsers running smoothly, Nord Threat Protection keeps checking for data breaches and information leaks, notifying you if it detects one.

Pros 

• URL Trimmer
• Easy to use and install
• Lightweight and won’t slow your devices down
• Detailed security summaries
• Cloud-based threat detection

Cons

• VPN isn’t included in the cheapest plan
• NordVPN required for Nord Threat Protection Lite on mobile devices

Pricing

The cheapest Nord Threat Protection plan protects you from intrusive trackers and ads for just $29.88/year and protects you from malware.

To unlock NordVPN and more advanced server security features, you’ll want to choose one of the two more expensive plans.

However, you can try them risk-free for 30 days, thanks to the company’s money-back guarantee.

6. Surfshark – Lightweight Server Antivirus That Includes an Unlimited VPN

Surfshark antivirus is a capable server security measure that’ll detect online threats in real-time and keep your database files safe. The antivirus comes as a part of an all-around cybersecurity bundle called Surfshark One.

Surfshark is a versatile server antivirus paired with a professional VPN service, ensuring the privacy of your personal and server data.

It protects your business network with a minimal workload on your devices, making it one of the best lightweight server antivirus software.

Regarding scanning, this server antivirus software offers you plenty of choices, including real-time scanning, quick, full, scheduled, and drag-and-drop scanning.

It’ll continuously monitor your devices, ensuring they stay malware-free, and send real-time notifications whenever you open a dangerous website.

If your employees’ info gets leaked on the dark web during a social engineering attack, Surfshark will warn you to take adequate measures and protect your database files.

Pros 

• Advanced and safe search engine
• Checks for data breaches
• Real-time alerts
• Excellent ad blocking
• Guards your emails and personal ID
• Top Windows antivirus

Cons

• Offers only one paid package option
• Fewer features on macOS

Pricing

Surfshark antivirus comes as a part of the Surfshark One bundle, which includes its VPN and antivirus software.

It offers the best value for your money with its 2-year paid plan priced at $95.52, providing you with one of the best VPNs on the market and an impressive server antivirus.

You can also commit to an annual subscription for $65.76/year or a monthly subscription for $14.44/month.

However, the 2-year plan has the best value, and it’s fully refundable within 30 days, letting you try it out risk-free.

7. Intego – Easy-to-use Antivirus That’s Perfect for MacOS 

Intego has a long history of award-winning cybersecurity services, and it’s held in high regard for its protection of Apple devices, which it has been protecting since 1997.

Besides its comprehensive features, this server antivirus is straightforward and beginner-friendly.

Intego believes that devices running macOS need virus protection like any other device, firmly standing against the myth that macOS is immune to viruses.

That’s especially true if your business network or servers rely on Macs. Its features include a bootable backup for Mac, saving essential files in case your business network falls victim to an advanced malicious attack or needs to relocate.

Its Mac Washing Machine feature will boost the performance of your device and clean it of unnecessary files, helping you run your business network smoothly.

Intego also has a user-friendly interface for all its features, including its firewall, which is usually very complicated and hard to navigate.

Its advanced two-way firewall provides anti-spyware measures to ensure your Mac isn’t sending sensitive information to a third-party hacker and blocks any unauthorized connection to your business network.

Pros 

• System failure insurance
• Feature-rich Mac packages
• Background scanning and monitoring
• Lets you synchronize files between Mac devices
• Sends you an email notification when it finds malware

Cons

• Fewer features for Windows PCs

Pricing

Intego offers a wide variety of paid plans for Windows and Mac, with the cheapest plan for both being only $19.99/year for the first year.

If your business network requires a server antivirus on a dozen devices or more, you can contact Intego’s customer support for a quote on its VirusBarrier X9 and NetShield X9 packages.

Intego offers a 30-day money-back guarantee on all its products, allowing you to try its services risk-free for a month.

Top 7 Server Antiviruses Compared

Here’s a quick head-to-head comparison of the top 10 best antiviruses for servers:

Do I Need an Antivirus for My Business Servers?

It’s possible to run business servers without antiviruses, but since cyberattacks are more common and have an ever-evolving nature, leaving your business server unprotected is a massive risk for your business network.

A good server antivirus software will avoid leaving vulnerabilities in your server security, making it more robust and turning malicious actors away.

Besides protecting your server from some of the most prevalent online threats, like ransomware and malware software, a good server antivirus will prevent data breaches, safeguarding your database files.

Server Antivirus Free | Are Free Server Antiviruses Enough?

A free server antivirus is a welcome addition to your server security, although it won’t provide a service as comprehensive as a premium server antivirus.

They can be helpful if you’re running a home office and don’t need to monitor multiple devices and employees.

However, like every other software advertised as free, most free server antiviruses are dysfunctional or scams with hidden fees.

We’ve found that TotalAV offers the most comprehensive free server antivirus service that doesn’t overwork your devices while protecting them.

How to Choose the Best Server Antivirus for Your Business

Choosing the best server antivirus isn’t easy, especially when you consider that it’s not just your business network at stake but also the privacy of your customers and partners.

Here’s a list of crucial factors to consider when deciding which server antivirus to purchase for your business:

Performance

Some server antiviruses overwork your devices by constantly scanning and monitoring them, ultimately slowing your system down, which could impair your work.

Ensure that your devices can run the server antivirus you choose and that it can protect your business network without bogging it down.

Frequent Updates

We don’t even consider server antiviruses that don’t have regular updates for our lists.

With new online threats constantly evolving and emerging daily, serious antivirus companies must provide constant and comprehensive updates to keep your business network safe.

You should also ensure the software supports automatic updates to avoid wasting time performing them manually.

Ease-of-Use

Unless your company has tech expert security staff on deck, avoid overly complicated server antiviruses that require help for their installation and use.

The best server antivirus should have a user-friendly dashboard that’s easy to navigate. You should also look for an antivirus program that provides detailed and accurate reports after every incident.

Comprehensive Threat Protection

The best server antivirus must protect you from well-known online threats, like viruses, ransomware, malware, spyware, and others, but also from more sophisticated malicious attacks.

Look for antiviruses that protect from phishing and social engineering attacks based on their identity protection capabilities.

How to Install a Server Antivirus

While different software requires a different approach to its installation, most of the server antiviruses from our list follow a similar process.

Here’s a quick installation guide for our top pick this year, TotalAV:

Step 1 – Download TotalAV

Start by downloading TotalAV from its website. Click “Yes” to allow TotalAV to make changes to your device, and finally, click “Install” to start the process.

Step 2 – Wait for the Installation to Finish

Step 3 – Start Your First Scan

After completing the installation, TotalAV will allow you to perform your first device scan and immediately start protecting your device.

Server Antivirus FAQs