by John Mcnamara

Created on: June 22, 2009   Last Updated: July 03, 2009

Are free antivirus programs any good? The short answer is yes, free antivirus software is just as good as the ones you pay for at eliminating virus threats. I know many of us have learned the hard way that you get what you pay for but that is not the case with free antivirus software.

The truth is, many antivirus companies give out their personal or home version of their product for free. They do this so that people will use it, become impressed with it and then recommend it to the companies they work for. These antivirus companies make their money from the commercial versions of their products.

Most companies that offer a free antivirus product are just as fast at detecting new viruses as the pay-for companies. These companies make their money by offering a good commercial version so their reputation would be on the line if they didn't come out with updates just as fast as the other guys. Their business model is to get referrals from the free versions so it is in their best interest to keep them updated and working well. They are just as fast or even faster in some cases at getting new virus definition files created.

Another benefit to the free versions is that most of them auto-update. These products get judged on how well they work and the companies that make them need word of mouth to push sales. It would not be good if they let people install the products and then relied on those people to update the software themselves.

The updates are the most important part of having an antivirus program. As new viruses come out, new updates to your AV program come out to keep you safe from them. If you are not updating your AV programs, you are leaving yourself open to be infected by any new virus that comes along.

I recommend using AVG, Avast or Avira. All these products come in a free home version for your personal use and all of them rate just as high as the pay-for versions from the big two (Norton and McAfee). I have seen independant reviews of antivirus programs where AVG or Avira rank number one. Do a search on Google for antivirus reviews and take a look, just dont forget that some of the reviews out there may be affilliates with one of the AV companies and the review may not be "independant".

If you would like to check out a website that has links to the free programs I mentioned here then check out this free virus scan and removal website. It also has links to reviews and other helpful information concerning virus protection.

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