Best Antivirus Software UK | Top 9 Reviewed and Compared for 2023

The best antivirus software in the UK allows you to protect your PC, laptop, and mobile devices against cyber threats, plus block annoying ads and trackers and enhance your internet security so you don’t fall victim to online scams. But with ample options on the market, how do you know which UK antivirus is best for you?

Here, we analyze, review, and compare the best antivirus software in the UK, looking at their security features, other functionalities, reliability, performance, and pricing plans. Read on to discover how renowned antivirus software like TotalAV, McAfee, and Norton can help you stay 100% protected against ever-evolving online threats.

Best UK Antivirus Program in 2023 | Top 9 Shortlist

With so many options, it can be difficult to say if one solution is better than another. To help you make an informed choice, we’ve put together this shortlist of the top 9 antivirus software in the UK:

1. TotalAV — Overall the Best Antivirus Software in the UK | Test it Risk-Free With the 30-Day Money-Back Guarantee
2. Norton Antivirus — Excellent PC Antivirus With a Powerful Firewall | Try it Free for 7 Days
3. Nord Threat Protection — Best Antivirus That Comes With a Secure VPN | Put It To The Test With a 30-Day Money-Back Guarantee.
4. Surfshark Antivirus — Affordable Antivirus Solution With a Built-in Ad Blocker and World-Class VPN
5. McAfee — Popular Antivirus Solution With a 100% Protection Pledge | Start Your 30-Day Free Trial Today
6. Avast — Best Free Antivirus Software for UK Users | Put Avast to the Test Today
7. Kaspersky — Powerful Antivirus Compatible With All Devices | Offers a Free Forever Plan + a 30-Day Free Trial
8. TrendMicro — AI-Powered Security Suit that Offers Superb Protection Against Cyber Threats | Try it Free for 30 Days
9. Intego — Best Antivirus Solution for Mac Devices | 100% Malware Immunity Pledge + a 30-Day Guarantee
10. Avira — Free Antivirus Software for PC and Mac | Paid Plans Available With a 60-Day Free Trial

Best UK Antivirus Tool | Top 9 Reviewed

When it comes to purchasing a license for an antivirus program, you should carefully weigh all your options. Some antiviruses are better suited for PCs or laptops, while others offer excellent dedicated apps for iOS and Android.

Additionally, it’s worth checking out all the add-ons and additional security features, especially if you also need parental control, webcam protection, a browser extension, a virtual private network (VPN), or an ad blocker.

Here are in-depth reviews of the best UK antivirus solutions that can protect you against all types of malware, phishing attacks, online scams, and other cyber threats.

1. TotalAV — Overall the Best Antivirus Software in the UK 

TotalAV is an award-winning antivirus software solution for PC, Mac, iOS, and Android. It offers ironclad security and real-time protection against viruses, malware, trojans, ransomware, and other threats — in fact, it’s also the best spyware removal tool.

The app is lightweight and easy to use, so it won’t slow down your device — in fact, it’ll protect your device without you even noticing it’s there.

All you need to do is turn on real-time protection, and the app will automatically scan all downloads, files, and executables before your device accesses them to ensure they’re safe. If it detects any malicious code, it’ll notify you and quarantine the app, preventing it from infecting your device.

In addition to real-time threat protection, you can leverage TotalAV to run Smart Scans or schedule a full virus scan if you believe your device might already be infected.

TotalAV also includes a built-in browser cleanup tool, which lets you manage your browsing history and cookies, so you’ll be in full control over what data you share with the websites you visit.

On top of all of this, with the TotalAV Internet Security package, you’ll have access to a powerful VPN, so you can change your IP address to hide your internet activity from trackers and advertisers and access geo-restricted content.

What’s best, you won’t have to worry about annoying ads, so you can enjoy an uninterrupted online experience when browsing the web or watching your favourite TV shows or movies.

Other noteworthy features include: 

• A hard disk cleaner
• A file shredder
• System tune-up tools
• A password vault

Pricing

TotalAV’s cheapest plan starts at just £119/year. Covering up to 3 devices simultaneously, it’s the perfect plan for couples and small families.

The best part is that all the plans of TotalAV come with a 30-day money-back guarantee so that you can check out the platform risk-free. Try today!

2. Norton Antivirus — Excellent PC Antivirus With a Powerful Firewall 

Norton antivirus is a popular option for people who are looking for advanced security features on top of virus protection.

With Norton, you get anti-spyware, antivirus, malware, and ransomware protection, a powerful firewall, and a password manager — even with a basic subscription.

Moreover, you also get PC Cloud Backup storage, ranging from 2 Gb to 75 Gb. This ensures your valuable data is safely stored in the cloud, so you can recover crucial documents even if something happens to your device and you lose all of your files or have to reboot your operating system.

If you opt for Norton 360 Deluxe or the Premium subscriptions, you’ll also have access to parental control features.

This functionality lets you keep an eye on what your kids are doing online, what videos they watch, what content they interact with, and the apps they download. You can even restrict what websites they can visit and monitor their location via a mobile GPS tracker.

Other reasons to opt for Norton over other antivirus software solutions are webcam protection, dark web monitoring, and a secure VPN that will further enhance your security and ensure your online privacy.

Pricing

Norton is comparatively cheaper than TotalAV. Starting at just £19.99/ year, even its renewal prices are affordable.

If you’re looking for additional features like VPN and parental control, we recommend you go for the premium plans. 

Norton also offers a whopping 60-day money-back guarantee along with a free 7-day trial. This way, you’ll have ample time to know whether Norton is a good match for your needs without risking your money.

3. Nord Threat Protection — Best Antivirus That Comes With a Secure VPN

Nord Threat Protection comes as a free add-on to your NordVPN plan. While it’s technically not an antivirus service, the features are such that they’ll give you 360-degree protection from all kinds of digital threats.

The best thing about Nord Threat Protection is that it protects you against unwanted ads. Intrusive online ads not only hinder your browsing experience but could also be potentially dangerous. 

A lot of ads have hidden links that could expose your device to viruses and malware. Blocking them amps up your device security in addition to improving your overall experience.

In the same way, it also blocks third-party trackers from accessing or selling your data. Every time you get spam mail, it’s probably an unauthorized tracker who sold your data to the company. Protect your privacy with Nord Threat Protection today.

For further protection, it also scans the items you download. However, it’s important to note that this feature only works on executable files, which leave behind PDFs, MS Word documents, and images. 

That being said, since Nord checks the websites you connect to for potential digital threats, the probability of you accidentally downloading harmful PDFs or images automatically goes down.

Pricing

Nord Threat Protection has one of the cheapest plans on the list, starting at just £3.49/month under the Standard package. It also includes a VPN and ad blocker tool. 

Along with the usual 30-day money-back guarantee, what makes Nord Threat Protection a must-have is that there are no renewal price hikes.

4. Surfshark Antivirus — Affordable Antivirus Solution With a Built-in Ad Blocker and VPN 

Surfshark offers one of the best VPNs on the market, but it also provides an excellent antivirus — all at an affordable price.

You can even get the Surfshark One bundle at a huge discount, which features the VPN, the antivirus, real-time alerts for data and security breaches, and a safe search engine that blocks annoying ads and tracking attempts.

As a standalone product, the Surfshark Antivirus offers state-of-the-art protection against viruses, malware, trojans, ransomware, spyware, and other forms of cyber attacks.

It also features a ‘Cloud Protect’ system that scans unknown files and applications for malicious code and prevents them from tampering with your device, thus acting as an additional layer of security.

Alongside real-time protection, Surfshark can detect and eliminate existing threats on your device, and you can schedule Smart Scans or manually run a full scan of your device to assess its health and remove any harmful applications.

The biggest advantage of Surfshark is the fact that it hides your IP address and physical location and prevents advertisers, trackers, hackers, and other shady individuals from monitoring your online activity or stealing your sensitive information.

Pricing

Surfshark lets you get started at just £2.11/month with their 2-year plan. The plan not only includes strong security features but also a VPN — the most complete security package you can get for your devices.

Although two years might seem like a huge commitment, you’ve got nothing to worry about, thanks to Surfshark’s 30-day refund policy that’ll ensure you don’t have to spend money on it if you don’t find it up to the mark. No risk. No hassle.

5. McAfee — Popular Antivirus Solution With a 100% Protection Pledge

McAfee is another exceptional antivirus software solution with multiple cybersecurity awards under its belt. The developers offer all users a 100% virus protection pledge, vowing to give you your money back if the software isn’t able to remove a virus or any other malicious program from your device.

In addition to real-time cyber threat protection, McAfee features a strong firewall to keep your network fully protected against hackers and other cybercriminals that might otherwise exploit its vulnerabilities to access your sensitive data.

You can also use McAfee to monitor up to 10 different email addresses to get instantly notified in the event of a security breach. This gives you an opportunity to react quickly and change your email password before hackers lock you out of your email account.

One of the latest features McAfee implemented is the personalised Protection Score. It checks the overall health of your online protection and provides advice and step-by-step instructions for improving your security.

If you opt for McAfee Total Security, you’ll also get access to a VPN, web protection, and priority customer support from an experienced team of knowledgeable experts.

6. Avast — Best Free Antivirus Software for UK Users 

Avast is the best free antivirus software in the UK due to the fact that it provides excellent antivirus protection at no charge. In addition to protection against viruses, malware, ransomware, and other online threats, you can also secure your Wi-Fi network with the Avast free antivirus.

Another reason why Avast is a great free antivirus for Windows 10, macOS, Android, and iOS is the fact that it prevents hackers and other cybercriminals from accessing and changing, deleting, or otherwise modifying your files and photos.

That said, if you want access to advanced security features, you’d have to upgrade to one of the paid plans. Doing so will enable you to:

• Sandbox-test any app and safely test it for viruses before running it on your device
• Protect your information when shopping online
• Lock hackers out with a powerful firewall
• Prevent webcam spying

With Avast Premium Security and Avast Ultimate, you’ll be able to protect 10 devices with a single subscription, which makes it an excellent choice for both personal and business use.

7. Kaspersky — Powerful Antivirus Compatible With All Devices 

Kaspersky is a powerful online cybersecurity solution that safeguards you against cyber attacks and improves your device’s performance.

Kaspersky relies on the power of AI technology to detect, quarantine, and remove viruses, malware, and other forms of cyber threats before they get a chance to infect your PC, laptop, or mobile device.

The antivirus software also enhances your privacy by preventing tracking attempts from advertisers, websites you visit, and malicious individuals online, as well as blocking attempts to access your webcam without your permission.

Another standout feature of the Kaspersky antivirus is online payment protection. With the hacker-proof ‘Protected Browser’, you can safely shop online without fear of having your credit card details compromised.

If you want to test out the antivirus solution in practice without committing to a monthly or annual subscription, you can take advantage of Kaspersky’s free plan.

The Kaspersky free antivirus is cloud-based, meaning it’s easy to install and use, and it offers the same level of antivirus protection as its paid counterparts, but it doesn’t include any additional security features, such as:

• A VPN
• A password manager
• Home Wi-Fi monitoring
• Parental control

8. TrendMicro — AI-Powered Security Suite that Offers Superb Protection Against Cyber Threats

TrendMicro is an affordable security suite that merges antivirus protection with powerful online security functionality.

The software utilises the power of artificial intelligence and machine learning to provide superb protection against complex online threats — including viruses, malware, ransomware, and keyloggers.

TrendMicro also protects you against all kinds of online and email scams by flagging suspicious websites and email addresses associated with malicious activity.

It also ensures safe online shopping through ‘Micro Pay Guard’, which protects your payment information.

When you sign into the Micro Pay Guard, the program will open a secure browser that encrypts all your banking details, making it virtually impossible for cybercriminals to get their hands on your sensitive financial data.

Another feature worth mentioning is parental control, which gives you valuable insights and control over how your children use the internet.

If you want to prevent them from accessing certain websites or interacting with inappropriate or dangerous content, you can leverage TrendMicro to restrict their internet access and keep an eye on their online behaviour patterns.

9. Intego — Best Antivirus Solution for Mac Devices 

Intego is one the best antivirus software solutions for your Mac devices. Unlike the majority of other antiviruses that put the emphasis on Windows devices, Intego was specifically designed to combat threats that target macOS.

The developers offer a 100% malware immunity pledge, offering to return your money in the unlikely event that their antivirus software is unable to remove malicious software from your Mac device.

Coupled with multiple awards under its belt, this goes to show you just how powerful Intego antivirus software is.

In addition to real-time threat protection, Intego offers a strong firewall to maximise your network security, plus protection against phishing attempts and unknown apps and devices.

You can also leverage Intego’s parental control functionality to block inappropriate content, restrict access to certain apps and websites, and ensure your children are safe and protected on the internet.

On top of all of this, Intego also helps to remove unwanted files and applications from your Mac laptop, organise your desktop, and optimise your device’s performance.

10. Avira — Free Antivirus Software for PC and Mac 

Avira is another antivirus solution provider that offers free virus protection to all of its users.

You can use it to run a free virus scan and remove existing threats, set up real-time protection against all forms of cyber attacks, and optimise your device’s performance by clearing junk files, accelerating boot times, and extending your laptop’s battery life.

This makes Avira the best antivirus for laptops, plus, if you want access to more advanced features, you can always upgrade to one of the two paid plans — Avira Internet Security and Avira Prime.

The internet security package will protect you against email and online scams by scanning email attachments before you download them, blocking malicious websites, and preventing phishing attacks.

Avira Prime, on the other hand, gives you access to all advanced security features on up to five devices regardless of the operating system (Windows, macOS, Android, iOS). Plus, it also throws in a PC cleaner, password manager, a powerful VPN, and automatic software updates into the mix.

Best Antivirus Services UK | Top 9 Compared 

Sometimes, seeing a head-to-head comparison like this can help you reach a decision on the best antivirus tool for your needs:

Why You Need an Antivirus Solution in the UK

Most people mistakenly believe they don’t need an antivirus since they only visit reliable websites and don’t engage in any potentially dangerous activity online, like downloading unverified torrents or clicking dubious links.

In reality, this couldn’t be further from the truth. Even if you’re extra diligent with how you use your internet, cybercriminals have developed so many clever ways to infect your device and steal your personal information.

Even if you don’t do anything risky, an online shopping website might become a victim of a cyber attack and unauthorised third parties may gain access to your credit card information.

We firmly believe it’s better to be safe than sorry, so we highly recommend installing antivirus software on all the devices you use to access the internet.

Here’s a quick breakdown of the primary reasons why you need an antivirus in the UK.

1. Protection Against Viruses and Malware

The best antivirus software solutions scan files before your device gets a chance to interact with them. The files are checked for malicious code either as they’re downloaded or in a safe environment (Sandbox testing), ensuring that they can’t infect your device even if they’re malicious.

On the other hand, an antivirus can also scan your PC, laptop, or mobile phone for existing threats and remove them before they do more harm.

2. Identity Protection

Cybercriminals will always come up with new ways to scam you out of your money or steal your login credentials and personal information. Antivirus software flags suspicious email addresses, scans all email attachments, blocks malicious websites, and ensures you’re safe from online scams.

3. Safe Online Shopping

With the best antivirus software in the UK, you don’t have to worry about unauthorised third parties potentially getting access to your payment information. TrendMicro, for example, opens a new, secure, encrypted browser whenever you pay for stuff online, ensuring that nobody (not even the website you’re purchasing on) can see your credit card details.

4. Ad and Tracker Blocking

In addition to protecting your device from cyber threats and safeguarding your data, most antivirus software solutions come with built-in ad blockers and they prevent all tracking attempts.

This ensures a smooth, uninterrupted online experience and prevents websites, advertisers, and harmful individuals from seeing your location and spamming you with targeted ads.

5. Parental Control

With so much inappropriate, disturbing, and potentially dangerous content on the internet, it’s essential for parents of minors to have control over what websites their children can visit.

Most antivirus software solutions include parental control in their offers, so you can ensure that your child is safe online.

Free Antivirus VS Paid Antivirus Solutions

Free antivirus software solutions are a great way to protect your device while you’re weighing all your options and comparing multiple paid solutions. While providers like Avast and Avira do offer superb antivirus protection for free, you won’t have access to crucial advanced security features with a free plan.

If you want to stay 100% safe and secure, you’ll want to upgrade your subscription after testing out a particular antivirus software in practice. Web protection, safe online payments, anti-phishing, a VPN, firewall, ad-blocking, and a myriad of other security features are well worth the monthly subscription.

In short, we firmly believe you should view free antivirus software as free trials of their paid counterparts, rather than as robust security solutions.

Factors to Consider When Choosing the Best UK Antivirus App 

There are many great antivirus software solutions on the market. Choosing the best one for you comes down to what devices you’ll install the antivirus on, what features and functionalities you need, and how much money you’re willing to dedicate to the monthly or annual subscription.

Here are the key factors to consider before making your final decision:

• Is the antivirus compatible with your devices and operating system?
• What advanced security features does the software offer on top of antivirus protection?
• Does the software offer identity monitoring and online security features?
• Do you need a virtual private network (VPN) with the antivirus?
• Will the software block annoying ads and tracking attempts?
• How much value do you get for your money?

Another variable to consider is how many devices you can install the antivirus software on with a single subscription. While some providers might appear slightly more expensive at first glance, they may actually be more cost-effective than the competitors if you can install them on up to 10 different devices.

How to Get Started with the Best UK Antivirus

Here’s a step-by-step guide for getting started with TotalAV, the best antivirus software in the UK. Follow the simple steps outlined below to protect all your devices today.

Step 1 — Get the TotalAV Antivirus

Visit TotalAV’s website and choose AntivirusPro from the drop-down menu:

Click the ‘Protect Your PC Now’ button (will change to Android, Mac, or iOS depending on what device you access the website from).

Step 2 — Choose a Pricing Plan

Choose a pricing plan that best aligns with your budget, proceed to checkout, and complete your purchase.

Make sure to check the box confirming that you agree with TotalAV’s Terms of Service and that you’d like to take advantage of the 70% discount.

Step 3 — Download the TotalAV App

Download TotalAV from the official website and double-click the downloaded file to begin your installation.

Follow the simple prompts on your screen and click the ‘Install’ button to add TotalAV antivirus to your device.

Step 4 — Turn on Real-Time Protection and Start a Smart Scan

After completing the installation, open the TotalAV antivirus app. Click ‘Enable Protection’ to ensure you’re protected against malware, viruses, ransomware, and other same-day threats.

If you believe your device might already be infected, you can run a Smart Scan and have TotalAV check the most critical files and folders on your device.

That’s all there is to it. If you’ve completed all the steps, your device is fully protected by the best UK antivirus software.

Antivirus Software UK FAQs