How we rank: Antivirus Software
The Score (0–100) is a weighted sum of the factors below. Each factor is the weighted average of its metrics; each metric is calculated from one published fact. Missing facts score zero, and a service is ranked only when enough of its Score is backed by facts.
A service is ranked only when at least 70% of its Score is backed by verified facts.
Protection 45%
Independent lab results only. The AV-TEST protection score (out of 6) from the latest bimonthly Windows home-user test the product took part in within the last 12 months: 4 or less scores 0, 6 scores 100. The protection rate in the AV-Comparatives Real-World Protection Test February–May 2026 (blocked threats plus half of user-dependent cases): 95% or less scores 0, 100% scores 100. And the award in that test, which also accounts for false alarms: Advanced+ 100, Advanced 75, Standard 50, Tested 25.
| Metric | Rule |
|---|---|
| AV-TEST protection (of 6) | Linear from 4 (0) to 6 (100) |
| AV-Comparatives protection rate | Linear from 95 (0) to 100 (100) |
| AV-Comparatives Real-World award | Five Eyes = 30, Fourteen Eyes = 60, other = 100 |
Performance 10%
How much the product slows down the computer, according to the labs: the AV-TEST performance score (out of 6; 4 or less scores 0, 6 scores 100) and the impact score in the AV-Comparatives Performance Test of September 2026 (lower is better: 0 scores 100, 40 or more scores 0).
| Metric | Rule |
|---|---|
| AV-TEST performance (of 6) | Linear from 4 (0) to 6 (100) |
| AV-Comparatives impact score (lower is better) | Linear from 0 (100) to 40 (0) — lower is better |
Features 20%
How many of four platforms the company's home security apps support according to its official pages: Windows, macOS, Android, iOS (logarithmic, full score at 4). Plus whether at least one consumer plan includes a VPN (any traffic limit; the limit is given in the notes) and a password manager.
| Metric | Rule |
|---|---|
| Supported platforms (of 4) | Logarithmic, full score at 4 |
| VPN included | Yes = 100, No = 0 |
| Password manager included | Yes = 100, No = 0 |
Price and refunds 15%
Whether there is a permanent free antivirus (trials and online scanners don't count), and the money-back period for annual plans in days: 0 scores 0, 60 or more scores 100. Prices themselves are shown for reference only and are not part of the Score: most vendors load them with scripts and change them by region and first-year discounts, so we cannot verify them evenly for everyone.
| Metric | Rule |
|---|---|
| Free version | Yes = 100, No = 0 |
| Money-back guarantee | Linear from 0 (0) to 60 (100) |
Reputation 10%
Average App Store (US) rating of the company's mobile security app, weighted by the number of ratings. No app in the US App Store means no data for this factor.
| Metric | Rule |
|---|---|
| App Store rating | 3★ = 0, 5★ = 100, damped below 100,000 ratings |