Best Antivirus Software Canada | Top 10 Reviewed and Compared for 2024

The best antivirus software in Canada can keep both business and at-home computer systems safe and secure. If you have important data or work on your computer, you must install an antivirus program to protect against malware and other online threats. However, finding the best antivirus program for you is no easy feat.

Considering features, pricing, and ease of use, we’ve ranked, reviewed, and compared the best antivirus software in Canada. Our top 10 list includes industry leaders like TotalAV, McAfee, and Norton, amongst others — read on to learn how these antiviruses can protect your devices and find the one best suited to your needs and budget.

The Best Antivirus Software Canada 2024 | Top 10 Shortlist

TotalAV was an easy pick for our top spot; from affordable pricing to top-notch features and industry-leading security — TotalAV has it all and more. With that said, the competition is certainly there. Here’s the best Canada antivirus in 2024:

1. TotalAV — Overall, the Best Antivirus in Canada | Take Advantage of the 30-day Money-Back Guarantee Now.
2. Norton Antivirus — Offers Great Value for Money for Comprehensive Security.
3. Nord Threat Protection — Provides Fast Scans Along With VPN Security.
4. Surfshark Antivirus — Phenomenal Antivirus and VPN in One for Added Security and Online Freedom.
5. McAfee — Popular Malware Removal Solution for Protection Against Viruses.
6. Avast Antivirus — Extremely Lightweight Antivirus Solution | Try it Free for 7 Days Before Committing.
7. Kaspersky — Offers Excellent Multi-Layered Security + Outstanding Features | Test it Free for a Full Month.
8. TrendMicro — Has the Best Ransomware Protection | Try the Free Trial Before You Buy.
9. Intego — Top-Notch Antivirus Software for Mac Devices.
10. Avast — The Best Free Antivirus for Canadians for Solid Protection Against Online Threats.
11. Avira — Budget-Friendly Security Solution | Has a Forever Free Plan for Basic Protection.

The Top 10 Canada Antivirus Programs | Reviewed

To help you get a better idea of what these top 10 best antiviruses in Canada can do for you, we’ll review them in more depth below. Let’s jump right in.

1. TotalAV — Best Overall Antivirus in Canada

TotalAV is quickly making a name for itself as a top-rated antivirus solution. It provides excellent protection. On the whole, TotalAV provides trustworthy security, is respected by top cybersecurity players, and offers features that even a novice user can utilize.

TotalAV runs automatic scans, but you can also schedule them. This is an excellent feature as you can set it and forget it. The software will take care of the rest, ensuring your devices are always protected from the latest threats.

Besides this, TotalAV has a fantastic data breach monitoring and prevention system that’ll notify you of any suspicious activity. Breaches like these typically happen when you least expect them, so it’s great to have this extra layer of protection.

This software also includes an excellent cookie and ad blocker that keeps you safe from online trackers and unwanted ads. Websites tend to be loaded with these nowadays, so it’s great to have an antivirus that can take care of them.

In terms of features, TotalAV antivirus software provides the following:

• • Automatic and scheduled scans
  • Protection against phishing attacks
  • A system optimizer to clean and speed up your devices
  • Malware removal

And more. Overall, TotalAV is our top pick for the best antivirus in Canada. It’s a great all-rounder that provides phenomenal protection and valuable features at a reasonable price.

Pricing

TotalAV is one of the most affordable antivirus solutions on the market. It has a free version that provides essential protection and a paid version that unlocks all the features. The paid version starts at $29.99/year, which is very reasonable.

2. Norton Antivirus — Great Value for Money

Norton antivirus, made by Symantec, is one of the most popular security solutions in the world. The company’s been in business since 1991, and its software is used by millions of people around the globe.

Norton offers a variety of features that make it an excellent choice for anyone looking for comprehensive protection from online threats. The software has a complete online threat protection system that uses various techniques to keep your computer safe.

When we say comprehensive, we mean it. Norton will protect you from:

• • Viruses
  • Ransomware
  • Spyware
  • Malware
  • Phishing attempts

And more. Plus, Norton offers a great password manager that helps you keep track of all your online passwords in one place.

On top of this, the software also includes an anti-spam filter that blocks unwanted emails from reaching your inbox. This is very helpful for keeping your inbox clean and clutter-free.

Unlike other competitors, Norton has a cloud-based backup system that helps you recover your files in case of a ransomware attack or other data loss incident.

Norton offers 24/7 live support via chat or phone, which is also helpful if you ever run into any problems with the software. Overall, Norton is an excellent choice for comprehensive protection from online threats.

Pricing

Norton offers various subscription plans that provide different levels of protection. The most basic plan starts at just $5.99 CAD per month and includes all the above features.

For those who want more comprehensive protection, the Norton 360 Deluxe plan costs $7.99 CAD per month. This plan includes everything in the basic plan plus additional features, such as online backup and PC tune-up tools.

3. Nord Threat Protection — Provides Fast Scans Along With VPN Security

Nord Threat Protection comes in two versions — a regular Nord Threat Protection and the Nord Threat Protection Lite.

The regular plan protects you from unwanted ads and shady websites. It’ll also scan all your executable files so that you don’t end up accidentally exposing your device to digital threats. The best part is that you don’t have to be connected to VPN for this feature to kick in.

The Lite version, on the other hand, requires you to be connected to the VPN and doesn’t scan your files. 

To make up for that, it works on a DNS level to filter your online traffic and block IP addresses of websites that are known for illegitimate activities. 

Another benefit of using the Lite version — it’s compatible with multiple device types, such as Android, Linus, and iOS, and browsers like Chrome, Firefox, and more.

Being compatible with browser extensions, Nord Threat Protection also safeguards you against shady websites. You can even read the full report to really understand how they could harm your system — Nord believes in complete transparency.

Nord Threat Protection will also help you enjoy an uninterrupted browsing experience by blocking unwanted ads. The biggest benefit of blocking unsolicited ads is the added layer of security. 

After all, pop-ups and ads often hide links that could lead you to a virus-laden website that can completely take down your system.

Pricing

Nord Threat Protection Standard pack offers the cheapest antivirus pricing at just $4.19/month — no renewal price hikes either. 

If you’re looking for additional features such as a cross-platform password manager and 1TB cloud storage, go for the Complete plan at $6.69/month. 

Each plan also comes with a 30-day money-back guarantee. Try the platform risk-free today.

4. Surfshark Antivirus — Antivirus and VPN in One

Surfshark is one of the few VPN providers offering a comprehensive antivirus and VPN solution. It’s an all-in-one package that’ll protect your computer from online threats while safeguarding your privacy.

The Surfshark antivirus is powered by Bitdefender, one of the world’s most popular and well-respected security companies. This means it has all the features you’d expect from a top-tier antivirus program, including real-time protection against malware.

You’ll feel secure knowing that your devices are protected 24/7. Surfshark Alerts, on the other hand, is a data and device breach monitoring feature that’ll notify you if your personal information or any of your devices are compromised.

This is an excellent complement to antivirus protection, which not many other VPN providers offer. And finally, Surfshark Search is the company’s search engine that doesn’t track your searches or store any logs.

This is a tremendous privacy-focused feature, and it’s something that more people should be using. All in all, Surfshark is an excellent choice for those who want both antivirus protection and a VPN.

They’re one of the few companies that offer both and do it at a very reasonable price. If you’re looking for an all-in-one security solution, Surfshark is an excellent option.

Pricing

Surfshark offers a variety of pricing options, depending on how many devices you want to protect and how long you want to subscribe for. All plans come with a solid 30-day money-back guarantee, and you can install Surfshark on 5 devices.

5. McAfee — Solid Malware Removal Software

McAfee is a well-known name in the world of antivirus and security software. The company’s been around for over 30 years and offers a variety of products for both home and business users.

McAfee’s flagship product, Total Protection, is a comprehensive security solution that includes antivirus, firewall, web filtering, and more — it even removes spyware.

They also offer Identity Protection to help keep your personal information safe. This is essential, especially if you regularly shop online, as it’ll give you an extra layer of protection in case your computer gets hacked.

McAfee has an excellent reputation for malware removal and is one of the best antivirus software programs. It scans your PC and will show you a Protection Score, which rates how well your computer is protected. The higher the score, the better.

Lastly, if your PC is slowing down, they provide a file shredder to help you clean up your system and make it run faster. This optimizes your PC for better performance and enables you to get rid of unwanted files.

Overall, McAfee is an excellent choice for antivirus protection, and it offers a wide range of features to keep your computer safe.

Pricing

In terms of pricing, McAfee is very affordable. Their most basic and cheapest plan — which has everything most users need — costs $34.99 CAD.

From there, the price goes up to $44.99 CAD for their top-of-the-line Premium Total Protection product, which includes all the above features we reviewed.

6. Avast Antivirus Pro — Extremely Lightweight Antivirus Solution

Avast — using just 6.6 MB of memory usage while idle — makes it one of the lightest antivirus solutions available. It’s so lightweight that you may not even notice it’s there, which is excellent for resource-strapped PCs.

But don’t let its small footprint fool you — Avast is a powerful antivirus solution that can protect your PC from all sorts of malware, including viruses, spyware, ransomware, and more. And it does all this without slowing down your PC or interrupting you with annoying pop-up messages.

In addition to its excellent malware protection, Avast also comes with various extra security features, including a secure browser. It’s like Google Chrome but has built-in security features that make it much safer.

Besides this, it has:

• • A video downloader
  • An ad blocker
  • A password manager

All of which are valuable tools to have. But, on top of all of this, Avast also protects you from unwanted network attacks and has a built-in firewall to further protect your PC. For example, when you’re using public Wi-Fi, Avast will warn you if the network isn’t secure.

All in all, Avast Antivirus Pro is a great choice for those looking for a lightweight but powerful antivirus solution. It has all the features you need to keep your PC safe and comes with a few extras that are always nice to have.

Pricing

There’s a free version of Avast (which we’ll also review later); however, the pro version is only $4.59 CAD per month and includes all the features listed above. It’s not as expensive as other options on this list, but it packs a powerful punch.

7. Kaspersky — Excellent Multi-Layered Security With Great Features

Kaspersky has been around for over 20 years and is one of the best-known names in antivirus protection. The company offers a wide range of products, including Kaspersky Internet Security for Mac, one of our picks for the best antivirus software for Macs in 2024.

Kaspersky Internet Security provides excellent multi-layered security against malware, phishing attacks, and other online threats. Multi-layered security means that the software uses multiple techniques to detect and block threats, making it more difficult for malware to slip through.

This is great for older PCs that might not have the latest security features built in. In addition to its excellent malware protection, Kaspersky Internet Security has several other great features.

These include a Secure Payment Browser so you can shop online without worrying about your financial information being stolen, a VPN for encrypting your web traffic, and a password manager to help you keep track of your login credentials.

Finally, like Avast, it’s lightweight and can act as a performance optimization tool for your PC. It can clear out junk files and ensure your system runs as efficiently as possible.

Pricing

Their cheapest plan will set you back just $20.99 CAD per year. As you pay more, you’ll get more features. For example, Kaspersky Premium costs $24.99 CAD per year, giving you all the standard features but with added 24/7 remote IT support.

8. TrendMicro — Best Ransomware Protection

TrendMicro is widely known for its excellent protection against viruses and other online threats, but it also offers comprehensive ransomware protection. This feature is designed to detect, block, and remove ransomware before it can encrypt your files.

Ransomware is malware that encrypts your files, then demands a ransom to decrypt them. It’s a fast-growing threat, and TrendMicro is one of the best defenses you can find.

TrendMicro uses AI-powered learning to constantly improve protection against new and emerging threats. This means it’s always up-to-date with the latest ransomware variants and can protect you even before they’re added to virus databases.

It studies your PC’s behavior to detect malicious activity, and it can even roll back any changes made by ransomware. In addition, its Identity Theft Protection feature can help prevent your personal information from being stolen by hackers.

It does this by monitoring your credit report and alerting you of any suspicious activity.

Pricing

TrendMicro offers two main antivirus products: TrendMicro Antivirus+ and TrendMicro Premium Security Suite. Both come with a free 30-day trial. The cheapest is the TrendMicro Antivirus+ which costs $19.95 CAD per year for one device.

9. Intego — Perfect Antivirus Software for Your Mac Devices

Intego, initially made for Mac devices, is also available for Windows. It has top-of-the-line features and offers excellent protection against all kinds of malware, including viruses, Trojans, spyware, adware, and more.

Intego has two main features within its antivirus solution. The first one is the VirusBarrier X9. Mac users have relied on this app for over a decade to protect their devices against malware.

VirusBarrier X9 is a powerful, real-time antivirus scanner that detects and eliminates known and unknown malware and viruses. It also features a heuristic engine that can detect unknown threats.

The second is the NetBarrier X9. This two-way firewall app protects your Mac from hackers and malicious software. It also blocks unknown incoming connections.

NetBarrier is an excellent complement to VirusBarrier X9, and together they provide complete protection for your Mac. If you’re looking for a Mac or Windows antivirus solution that offers solid protection and top-of-the-line features, then Intego is a great option.

Pricing

Intego’s antivirus solution costs $29.99 USD per year for one device. You can get it cheaper if you purchase its 2-year protection plan for $69.99. The price goes up as you add more devices.

10. Avast — Best Free Antivirus in 2024

Avast has been a reliable name in the antivirus industry for years, and its free offering is no different. It’s our top pick for the best free antivirus software in Canada, thanks to its wide range of features and ease of use.

The biggest selling point for Avast Free Antivirus is its many features. The most significant feature that puts this free software ahead of competitors is the Ransomware Shield — this protects your files from ransomware, which can be a huge pain to deal with.

Another great feature of Avast is its Web Shield. This scans links and attachments for malware before you open them, which can protect you from accidentally infecting your system. It also blocks dangerous websites so that you don’t accidentally land on one and end up with malware.

In addition, its free plan includes a firewall, which is practically unheard of. Not many free antivirus software packages come with a firewall, so this is a nice perk.

The only downside to Avast Free Antivirus is that its pop-ups and notifications can be a little intrusive. However, this is to be expected with any free antivirus software.

On the whole, Avast Free Antivirus is an excellent choice for protecting your PC if you can deal with the occasional pop-up.

Pricing

It’s free forever, but if you wish to upgrade, you can get the Avast Antivirus Pro, which costs $4.59 CAD per year. It gives you several useful additional features.

11. Avira — Budget-Friendly Security Solution

Avira offers free and paid versions of its antivirus software, with the paid version offering more features and better protection. However, even the free version protects against malware, phishing attacks, and other online threats.

One of Avira’s best features is its ransomware protection.

This is designed to prevent your personal files from being encrypted and held hostage by ransomware attackers. Ransomware is becoming increasingly common, so this is a valuable addition to any antivirus program.

Other features include web protection via Avira’s Phantom VPN service, which encrypts your web traffic and prevents malicious websites from infecting your computer. You can also use the VPN to bypass geo-restrictions and access blocked content.

Finally, its email and phishing protection is top-notch, and it can even scan your incoming emails for threats before they reach your inbox. Avira is an excellent choice for a budget-friendly antivirus solution that doesn’t skimp on features or protection.

Pricing

You can use Avira on your devices for $18.99 USD per year. Given that most antivirus programs cost between $40 and $70 for single-device protection, this is fantastic value for money. Before purchasing the yearly package, try it risk-free for a full 7 days with the free trial.

The Best Antivirus Companies in Canada | Compared

If you still can’t decide which is the best antivirus for you, this comparison table of the top antivirus software in Canada may help. Here’s a side-by-side comparison of the top 10:

Why You Need a Canada Antivirus Solution in 2024

Ransomware. Hackers. Data breaches.

If you think only big businesses face these threats, you’re wrong. Your personal data is just as valuable to cybercriminals, so you need an antivirus solution in 2024. Here are some things you can take advantage of with a reliable Canadian antivirus solution.

Preventative Care

The best way to deal with malware is to prevent it from getting onto your devices in the first place. A good antivirus solution will have real-time protection that scans files and applications as they’re downloaded or run.

If any malicious code is detected, the file will be quarantined or removed so it can’t do any damage. This protection is important for stopping ransomware and other threats that encrypt your personal data and demand a ransom for the decryption key.

Data Protection

Even if you’re careful about what you download, it’s impossible to prevent all malware infections. That’s why a good antivirus solution will also include anti-spyware and a firewall to protect your devices and personal information.

The best spyware detectors also help to detect and remove any tracking cookies or adware that could be used to collect your data without your knowledge.

Plus, a firewall can help block incoming threats and can be configured to only allow trusted applications and websites to access your network.

Safe Browsing

One of the most common ways for malware to end up on your devices is through malicious websites. A good antivirus solution will include safe browsing features that warn you if you try to access a site known to be dangerous.

Plus, it’ll also block any pop-ups or ads that could be hiding malware. These features are important for protecting you from phishing attacks, which can trick you into giving away your personal information or downloading malware.

Free Vs. Paid Antivirus Services

Most of the providers we listed above are paid but also have a free version. Here are the top three free antivirus software programs in Canada.

Avast Free Antivirus

Avast is one of the best-known antivirus companies in the world.

It’s no surprise that its free antivirus offering is also one of the best. Although it doesn’t have all the features of the paid version, it’s still an excellent product. It can protect you from ransomware and other types of malware and has an excellent detection rate.

Avira Antivirus

Avira is another company with an excellent reputation in the antivirus world. Its free version includes many of the same features as the paid version, including web and email protection, real-time protection, and a scan scheduler. It also has a very good detection rate.

Kaspersky

Kaspersky’s free version includes its excellent Safe Money feature, which protects you when banking or shopping online. However, it doesn’t have some of the more advanced features you’d find in the paid version, such as parental controls and webcam protection.

So are free antivirus programs enough? There’s no easy answer to this question.

It depends on various factors, including what device you’re using and how you use it. A free antivirus might be enough if you only use your computer for basic tasks and don’t download many files from the internet.

However, if you use your computer for more demanding tasks or regularly download files from the internet, you’ll want to consider a paid antivirus.

Factors to Consider When Choosing the Best Antivirus Security Software

When choosing the best antivirus security software for your home or business, there are many factors you need to take into account to make an informed decision.

Here we’ll outline some of the most important considerations you need to keep in mind when comparing different antivirus solutions.

Ease of Use

The first thing you need to consider is how easy the software is to use. Some antivirus programs can be quite complex and difficult to navigate, making them a chore to use daily.

Look for an antivirus program that’s straightforward and easy to use so that you can get the most out of it without spending hours trying to figure out how it works.

Protection Against Viruses and Malware

Of course, the primary purpose of antivirus software is to protect your computer from viruses and malware.

Make sure that the program you choose offers comprehensive protection against all types of threats so that you can rest assured knowing your computer is safe.

Regular Updates

The best antivirus programs are regularly updated with the latest virus definitions and security features. This ensures that your computer is protected against the latest threats, which can be especially important if you regularly use the internet.

Affordable Pricing

Another important consideration is the cost of the antivirus program. Many great options are available at various price points, so be sure to shop around and find one that fits your budget.

Customer Support

When choosing an antivirus program, it’s also important to consider customer support options. If you have any questions or issues with the software, you should be able to easily get in touch with someone who can help.

These are just a few factors to consider when choosing the best antivirus security software for your needs. By factoring in all of these considerations, you can be sure to find a program that offers the perfect balance of protection and ease of use.

How to Get Started with the Best Canada Antivirus Tool

As our top pick, let’s use TotalAV as an example of how to install and set up the software.

Step 1 — Download and Open the File

Step 2 — Install TotalAV on Your PC

Step 3 — Enable Real-Time Protection

Canada Antivirus FAQs