One intrusion is enough

A single breach can expose your personal data, drain your finances, and brick your hardware. No desktop, laptop, or tablet should run without security software.

“There's simply no excuse to run any kind of tech, whether it be desktop, laptop, or tablet, without security software.”

What you are defending against

Antivirus hunts malware, Trojans, rootkits, spyware, adware, and ransomware across computers, phones, and tablets. Regular safety checks help, but they are not a substitute.

How PCMag tests

Decades of security coverage, with hundreds of real malware packages thrown at test systems, plus threats from multiple angles. Bundled extras like firewalls and parental controls get tested too.

“Our process closely replicates real-world scenarios to keep our reports up-to-date.”

Free versions fall behind

Plenty of vendors offer free tiers, but they update less often and are less dependable than paid ones. A subscription is the recommendation if you want real protection.

Six deals this month

The September roundup covers Bitdefender, Avast, McAfee, Norton, Surfshark, and Sophos, with savings running from $20 to nearly $377.

“Here are the six most powerful antivirus deals available for September.”

Bitdefender at half price

Bitdefender Antivirus drops to $54.99 from $109.99, a $55 saving and a straight 50% cut for PCMag readers.

Editors' Choice pick

Bitdefender Total Security won PCMag's Editors' Choice as a feature-rich suite that covers every computer, phone, and tablet in the house.

“feature-rich suite that protects all your computers, phones, and tablets”

What Bitdefender includes

A 365-day plan for five devices across Windows, macOS, iOS, and Android. Malware scanning, browser protection, a spam filter, and anti-theft that locks hardware if it moves without permission.

Avast cut by 57%

Avast One Ultimate falls to $49.99 from $109.99, saving $60. That is the steepest percentage discount on the main list.

Avast's VPN and mail guard

An unlimited VPN with no bandwidth or server caps, plus Email Guardian, which scans messages in the cloud and strips malicious attachments before they reach your PC.

Avast scales to 30 devices

Depending on the plan, coverage stretches to 30 devices. There is a free tier, Avast One Essential, but the paid version earns its price at this discount.

McAfee's headline price

McAfee AntiVirus Plus drops to $39.99 from $119.99, an $80 cut and the biggest dollar saving among the four traditional antivirus entries.

Unlimited devices, actually

McAfee+ Advanced is $89.99 down from $199.99 and covers an unlimited number of Windows, Android, macOS, iOS, and ChromeOS devices from the start, which is rare now.

“a rarity these days”

McAfee guards your money

Bank and credit card transaction monitoring, monthly credit scores and reports, identity monitoring, and personal data cleanup sit on top of the standard antivirus.

Why McAfee scored well

PCMag's reviewer rated McAfee+ Excellent overall, citing top test scores and its knack for deleting defunct online accounts. A family plan covers two adults and four kids.

Norton under forty

Norton Antivirus is $39.99, down from $94.99, for a $55 saving on one of the most recognized names in consumer security.

Surfshark's huge markdown

Surfshark One lists at $67.23 against a $444.15 regular price, a $376.92 cut. The size of that gap reflects a long multi-year term, so check what you are committing to.

Sophos for the smallest spend

Sophos Home Premium is $39.98, down from $59.99. The $20 saving is the modest end of the list, but so is the entry price.

Pick by device count

Sophos and Norton suit a single machine, Bitdefender and Avast cover a household of five, and McAfee+ makes sense when you have stopped counting devices.

Buy the discount now

These are September prices on annual plans, and renewal usually lands at the crossed-out figure. Note the date you signed up before the second year arrives.