How We Test and Review Antivirus Software

By rigorously examining the features, performance, usability, customer support, and value for money, Techopedia provides its readers with data-driven insights and comparisons. This enables our audience to make informed decisions when selecting an antivirus solution that best fits their needs. Through this initiative, we not only highlight the importance of proactive cybersecurity measures but also demonstrate its commitment to assisting readers in navigating the complex landscape of antivirus software.

Our Testing Criteria for Antivirus Software

Our team of cyber security experts test antivirus software in terms of features and functionality, performance, security, ease of use, customer support, and price. This allows us to present a fact-based and unbiased overview of each antivirus solution, its strengths, and weaknesses.

Our testing process includes:

• Hands-on antivirus software testing
• Reviewing documentation and video tutorial
• Focus group interviews with antivirus software users
• Third-party reviews and user forums

After collecting data, running tests, and analyzing results, we are confident to recommend to our readers the best antivirus software for different use cases.

Features and Functionality

Why we test it: 

Most antivirus software provides a similar set of core features that are primarily meant to detect, prevent, and eliminate malicious software. However, this similarity might make it difficult to distinguish which antivirus software is better for you. Therefore, we examine the feature package to evaluate how many core features each software offers and whether any additional advanced tools are already included in the package.

How we test it: 

We evaluate every antivirus feature and its performance by conducting numerous hands-on tests. This way, we gauge how functional the features are in guaranteeing users’ safety online.

Here are the main features we focus on:

• Real-time Protection – To test real-time protection, we download a test file from eicar.com and see whether the antivirus recognizes any dangers within it.
• System Scans – We run automatic and manual scans to see whether the antivirus solution catches any dangerous files or programs on our devices. The team also takes note of how long the scan takes and whether it slows down the device.
• Ransomware Protection – We enable antivirus protection, and then, in a controlled environment, we try to access a site or download a file that contains ransomware.
• Anti-phishing Tools – We attempt to engage with a phishing email to see how the antivirus reacts to our actions and whether it issues any warnings or entirely prevents us from further engagement with the phishing attempt.
• Firewall – We evaluate how customizable the firewall is and whether we can alter its default settings. Then, we examine how it monitors local applications and its capabilities in preventing port scanning.
• Web Protection/Browser Extensions – We note whether the antivirus software offers web protection or a browser extension. If it does, we then try to access a confirmed phishing site to see whether the web protection tool blocks our access or gives a warning of any sort.

Performance

Why we test it: 

Antivirus software runs in the background 24/7 to protect your devices in real time, continuously using your device resources. This can potentially slow down your device and even result in lagging when using other apps or software. However, good antivirus software should not hinder your device’s performance, and it should run smoothly in the background.

How we test it: 

We first take note of device resource use before activating the antivirus software. Then, we turn on the antivirus and monitor the change in the resource use when the software is running in the background or performing manual scans and health audits.

Independent Lab Tests

Why we evaluate it: 

Antivirus tests performed by independent companies give an unbiased, objective evaluation of the software’s effectiveness in detecting and neutralizing threats. While we perform our own in-house test of the software, we also compare our findings to the lab results to see whether our experience was similar to the independent lab’s findings.

How we evaluate it: 

Whenever we review an antivirus solution, we examine performance reports from trusted independent labs, like https://www.av-test.org/en/ and https://www.av-comparatives.org/. We compare our findings to those of the labs and see whether we’ve experienced the same issues as the lab during the testing.

Ease of Use

Why we test it: 

Regardless of your prior experience with online cybersecurity tools, you should be able to easily navigate the antivirus interface, perform scans, or find the features you are looking for. A steep learning curve might put many users off using cyber security tools altogether, so we test antivirus software dashboards to make sure they’re easy to use even for all types of users.

How we test it: 

We test ease of use by accessing the dashboard ourselves and evaluating its layout. Is the interface modern and easy to navigate? Are all the core security features displayed on the main screen, and if not, can you find them easily? This enables us to understand how easy or difficult it is for first-time users to customize security settings, locate core functionalities, perform manual scans, or find reports on their device health.

Customer Support

Why we test it: 

We test customer support to ensure that if users face an antivirus-related issue, they will get instant help from the support team. New or less tech-savvy users feel much more confident in using the service if they know that support is available 24/7 and provides helpful information and fast solutions in case a serious issue arises.

How we test it: 

We note how many support channels are available and at what times. Our team always hopes to find a 24/7 support option, like a live chat or phone support. We contact customer support to test their responsiveness and helpfulness and ask questions about any issues we might have.

Price and Value for Money

Why we test it: 

Good antivirus software should keep you and your devices safe at all times; however, it should not break the bank. There’s a common belief that pricier things are of higher quality. However, that’s not always the case. We note the price of each antivirus provider’s package and evaluate whether the features and tools included in said package are really worth the price point.

How we test it: 

We start evaluating the value for money by examining the list of features of each plan the antivirus provider has to offer. We look for the most basic security tools and free advanced features that are typically paid for, as they add to the overall value of the offer. Then, we compare said packages to the competitor’s offerings and take note of the price difference. Alongside this, we also look for free trials and extended money-back guarantees to ensure users will be able to get a feel for the software before investing in one.