Paid Antivirus vs. Free Antivirus Software

 

Paid Antivirus vs. Free Antivirus Software

 

Nowadays, we have many possibilities to use Free Antivirus, from email platforms, maps or navigation programs to a multitude of applications for Smartphones, so why hire a paid antivirus when I can have one for free?

 

In reality, it all depends on what type of needs the user has and the profile of the information to be protected. When we talk about cybersecurity, the security you may need in your home is not the same as the protection for a professional environment, where much more sensitive information is being handled and much stronger information protection is necessary.

 

We must bear in mind, especially in the professional environment, that the information we store on our computers can be equivalent to thousands of hours of work; therefore, taking extreme precautions when protecting that information can be a small investment considering the value of what we are protecting.

 

Advantages of a paid antivirus

The paid antivirus offer a series of advantages compared to the free ones that go beyond greater protection, here we list some of them:

 

·                  Bigger protection against different threats.

Payment antivirus, no longer only protect against virus attacks, they have evolved and are now complete security suites, offering protection against other types of threats such as phishing , illegal access attempts , increasing security in banking operations and online shopping or offer parental control systems that help protect children while using the internet.

 

·                  Protect more devices.

The paid antivirus offer different types of licenses that include the protection of different devices. In a multi - device environment like this, you need to cover the security needs of all the devices used, avoiding so the threats may find the weakest link in the chain.

 

·                  Telephone technical support.

If you have a problem, paid antivirus give you telephone support and help you find the solution. This is not a trivial matter, since when there is an inconvenience, very valuable information is compromised and you do not know very well what is happening or how to proceed, it is not the same to face the threat alone than to have support to help you solve the problem. We all remember the hysteria that was experienced in many companies when the Ransomware attack occurred , right?

 

·                  They detect new threats more quickly.

One notable difference between free and paid antivirus programs is that the latter detect new threats much faster. It is important in an environment like today where new threats continually emerge. Free Antivirus often incorporate more basic detection tools that only stop known viruses and take longer to cover the latest virtual threats.

 

·                  Less false positives.

Antivirus in its effort to block threats can make mistakes and block files that are not really a threat and are essential for the proper functioning of certain programs. They are called false positives. Free programs tend to give more alerts than they really aren't and can create problems by locking or deleting important files.

 

·                  Easy to install and with less conflicts with other applications.

The paid antivirus is very easy to install and configure. When it comes to selecting specific functions, activating or deactivating certain functionalities or establishing rules and exceptions to behaviors, they offer a much more usable and user - friendly interface.

 

Who Needs A Paid Antivirus?

After seeing all the advantages of a paid antivirus, you may still be wondering whether or not you need to buy an antivirus. It really depends on the information profile that you have to protect. If you operate in a professional environment, we undoubtedly advise having a paid antivirus that offers the highest possible protection, so that the information is always safe against cyber attacks, attempted theft, illegal access, etc.

 

On the contrary, if you move in a domestic environment, a free antivirus may give you the necessary benefits, it all depends on the importance of the information you want to protect for you. If you are a parent, you may also be interested in hiring a paid antivirus that offers greater protection to children and incorporates parental control, ensures online transactions or incorporates protection of the home network, for example, to prevent other users from accessing to the family wifi network.

 

Now you are the one who has to assess whether you are more interested in installing a free antivirus or, on the contrary, opting for one of the different payment options offered by the market. In any case, as a last tip, if you choose to install a free antivirus , do not click on any banner or button that you find while browsing where it says "free antivirus program", since very often they tend to start the download of malicious programs that will infect your team.