Best cheap antivirus in 2026
Backed by leading cybersecurity experts and investigative journalists, we deliver independent, real-world antivirus testing and analysis, guaranteeing objective evaluations without undue influence or bias from outside parties.
Our transparent and consistent methodologies ensure objective, up-to-date reviews, empowering readers to make well-informed decisions.
Learn more
You may assume that finding a reliable yet cheap antivirus software is nearly impossible. However, after testing and comparing the prices of 15 antivirus products, I discovered that there are plenty of affordable, high-quality options on the market.
My latest review confirms what I found before: Bitdefender is still the cheapest antivirus software if you just need solid antivirus protection without the extras. But if you want a wider security suite, TotalAV and Norton offer better value, even though they cost a bit more. And if you’re comfortable choosing a long-term plan, NordVPN Threat Protection Pro and Surfshark Antivirus can both be good-value security bundles.
In this guide, I'll walk you through the best cheap antivirus options in 2026, so you can find the right fit for your needs.
The 5 cheapest and best antivirus protection
- Bitdefender – best affordable antivirus software for only $12.99/year
- TotalAV – cheap antivirus with a rich feature suite for $19.00/year
- Norton Antivirus – budget antivirus with large cloud backup storage for $29.99/year
- NordVPN Threat Protection Pro – low-cost VPN bundle with antivirus included
- Surfshark Antivirus – cost-effective antivirus newcomer
Antivirus price comparison
Many providers lure you with discounts, then raise rates 3-4 times at renewal. After testing and comparing 15 providers, I compiled this table, showing both introductory and renewal prices for a clear comparison.
As you can see, Bitdefender offers the lowest first-year price at just $12.99, though the renewal does increase significantly. If you're looking for the most stable pricing without dramatic jumps, ESET NOD32 maintains consistent rates year after year. The table also shows which providers offer free versions – a great option if you want to test the software before committing to a paid plan.
| Provider | Monthly price | First-year price | Renewal price after year 1 | Free version |
| Bitdefender Antivirus | $1.08 | $12.99 | $49.99 | ✅ Yes (Windows only) |
| TotalAV | $1.58 | $19.00 | $99.00 | ✅ Yes |
| Norton Antivirus | $2.50 | $29.99 | $59.99 | ❌ No, only 30-day free trial |
| NordVPN Threat Protection Pro | $6.49 | $65.88 | $179.88 | ❌ No |
| Surfshark Antivirus | $3.59 | $53.85** | $269.25 | ❌ No, only 7-day trial |
| Microsoft Defender (via Microsoft 365) | $8.33 | $99.99 | $99.99 | ✅ Yes |
| McAfee Total Protection | $2.50 | $29.99 | $89.99 | ❌ No |
| Avira Antivirus | $2.25 | $22.99 | $64.99 | ✅ Yes |
| ESET NOD32 | $4.90 | $41.99 | $41.99 | ❌ No |
| Avast Antivirus | $2.60 | $31.20 | $77.99 | ✅ Yes |
| Malwarebytes | $4.90 | $59.99 | $78.73 | ✅ Yes |
| Intego ONE | $2.50 | $29.99 | $39.99 | ❌ No |
| Vipre | $1.25 | $14.99 | $38.49 | ❌ No, only 30-day trial |
| MacKeeper | $7.95 | $95.40 | $179.40 | ✅ Yes |
| Aura Antivirus | $3.00 | $35.99 | $69.99 | ❌ No |
*For a fair comparison, the prices indicated in the table are for 1-year subscriptions.
**Currently, Surfshark offers 3 free months with the 1-year subscription, making the total duration 15 months at the stated price.
The pricing information was updated in March, 2026.
Best cheap antivirus for PC in 2026
After comparing 15 antivirus providers, I conducted a detailed review of the top 5 cheap antivirus services to help you find the best value for your money.
1. Bitdefender – best cheap antivirus with robust cybersecurity features
| Simultaneous connections: | Up to 5 |
| Free version: | ✅ Yes (Windows only) |
| Platforms: | Windows, macOS, Android, iOS |
| Current deal: | Get Bitdefender for up to 78% OFF |
Bitdefender is the cheapest antivirus on my list that also offers some of the highest protection rates. Excellent malware detection coupled with customizable system scans is worth every dime. Here is Bitdefender antivirus pricing:
| Plan | First-year price | First-year price per month | Price after the first year | Price after the first year per month |
| Bitdefender Antivirus Plus | $12.99 | $1.08 | $49.99 | $4.17 |
| Bitdefender Total Security | $19.99 | $1.67 | $89.99 | $7.50 |
| Bitdefender Premium Security | $64.99 | $6.67 | $129.99 | $10.83 |
The most affordable Bitdefender Antivirus Plus plan offers real-time protection, multi-layered ransomware protection, malware scans, and scam prevention and detection. This plan covers up to 3 devices and adds extra privacy with a VPN – however, it limits traffic to 200MB/day. Still, it's the most budget-friendly antivirus plan if you need to protect a small number of devices.
The second plan, Total Security, builds on Antivirus Plus by protecting up to 5 devices and adding features such as parental controls, device optimization tools, anti-theft protection, and a firewall for Windows devices.
Lastly, Premium Security is the most feature-rich plan, protecting up to 5 devices and offering everything in Total Security, plus several valuable extras. You get email protection, a password manager, an ad blocker, and unlimited VPN traffic. For users who want all-in-one protection without any limitations, this plan offers the best overall value.
Bitdefender antivirus boasts the best Advanced+ badge on AV-Comparatives and a perfect score of 6 across all categories on the AV-TEST analysis, as well as a Top Product rating. Our Bitdefender review also proves that it is one of the most secure cheap antivirus products on the market.
Lastly, this provider offers a free version to scan devices for malware and a 30-day money-back guarantee on all other plans.
2. TotalAV – feature-rich, cheap antivirus software
| Simultaneous connections: | Up to 8 |
| Free version: | ✅ Yes |
| Platforms: | Windows, macOS, iOS, Android |
| Current deal: | Get TotalAV, now 80% OFF |
Based on in-house testing and my hands-on experience, TotalAV is one of the best cheap antivirus software providers. Here are the current subscription options:
| Plan | First-year price | First-year price per month | Price after the first year | Price after the first year per month |
| Premium | $19.00 | $1.58 | $99.00 | $8.25 |
| Internet Security | $49.00 | $4.08 | $129.00 | $10.75 |
| Total Security | $69.00 | $5.75 | $149.00 | $12.42 |
Our TotalAV review shows that it provides an impressive set of benefits, even on its cheapest antivirus deal. The TotalAV Premium plan includes real-time antivirus protection, phishing scam and ransomware protection, system optimization tools, and a disk cleaner. This plan protects 3 devices simultaneously.
Its cheapest antivirus plan is already excellent. However, if you need more features, you may want to pick the more expensive plans. The Internet Security plan adds a Safe Browsing VPN and simultaneous support for 6 devices. Meanwhile, the most expensive Total Security plan also includes a password manager and Adblock, as well as protects up to 8 devices. Also, you can check out our lists of the best VPNs and password managers in 2026 because these extras are a bit pricey.
TotalAV received an Advanced malware protection rating on AV-Comparatives’ latest test with 5 false positives. Independent research by AV-TEST assigned a 6/6 score for protection, 6/6 for performance, and a perfect 6/6 score for usability. Independent test results prove that TotalAV is consistently reliable antivirus software.
Lastly, TotalAV has a very basic free version and a 30-day money-back guarantee to try out its full benefits.
3. Norton Antivirus – antivirus with unique and affordable benefits
| Simultaneous connections: | Up to 10 |
| Free version: | ❌ No, only 30-day free trial |
| Platforms: | Windows, macOS, iOS, Android |
| Current deal: | Get up to 60% OFF Norton Antivirus |
Norton Antivirus is among the best cheap antivirus software with an extra twist – it offers secure cloud backup storage. Additionally, you can get a dark web monitor and parental controls with the more expensive plans. Here's the pricing list:
| Plan | First-year price | First-year price per month | Price after the first year | Price after the first year per month |
| Norton AntiVirus Plus | $29.99 | $2.50 | $59.99 | $5.00 |
| Norton 360 Standard | $39.99 | $3.33 | $94.99 | $7.92 |
| Norton 360 Deluxe | $49.99 | $4.17 | $124.99 | $10.42 |
| Norton 360 with LifeLock (bundled identity protection) | $59.99 | $5.00 | $149.99 | $12.50 |
Norton's cheapest antivirus plan provides 2GB cloud backup storage and a password manager alongside other cybersecurity necessities, like ransomware protection. Recently, Norton even added scam protection to this plan. However, it is limited to 1 device only, which is problematic as most people now use several devices simultaneously. Norton 360 Standard covers 3 devices and includes VPN.
Norton 360 Deluxe is the best-value Norton plan, expanding cloud storage to 50GB, adding parental controls, dark web and privacy monitoring, and protection for up to 5 devices. If you also need identity theft protection, you can bundle Norton 360 with the simplified three-tier LifeLock lineup – LifeLock Core, LifeLock Advanced, and LifeLock Total. These plans add automated data broker removal and stronger identity monitoring, with higher tiers offering broader coverage and higher reimbursement limits.
Overall, Norton Antivirus is a reliable, secure, and cheap antivirus. Norton performed strongly in AV-Comparatives testing in 2025 and received multiple awards. It detected 100% of online threats, outperforming most antiviruses. AV-TEST assigned Norton 6 out of 6 in performance and usability. Plus, it got a Top Product badge. Our Norton review also shows that it’s one of the best cheap antivirus tools.
Norton has several free tools and scans that you can check out. It also has a 60-day money-back guarantee to try it out for 2 months.
4. NordVPN Threat Protection Pro – robust malware and online privacy protection with the best VPN
| Simultaneous connections: | Up to 10 |
| Free version: | ❌ No |
| Platforms: | Windows, macOS |
| Current deal: | Get 75% OFF NordVPN + 3 months free |
NordVPN Threat Protection Pro is not a stand-alone antivirus app but a built-in security suite of NordVPN, one of the most popular VPNs in 2026. It offers efficient malware detection and online protection for an affordable price, securing its place on the best cheap antivirus list. Note that the Threat Protection Pro feature is included in the NordVPN Plus plan and onward, starting from $4.49/month if you purchase a 2-year subscription. As you can see in the table below, you get the best value by subscribing to NordVPN’s 2-year plan:
| Plan | First 2-year price | First 2-year price per month | Yearly price after the first 24 months | Price after the first 24 months per month |
| Plus | $93.36 | $3.89 | $179.88 | $14.99 |
| Complete | $129.36 | $5.39 | $219.48 | $18.29 |
NordVPN provides the best ratio of price-value to performance for the first 2 years, and I would say it’s worth the price increase afterward due to its powerful VPN. The best Complete plan includes 1TB of cloud storage, a cross-platform password manager, and the Coveron (formerly NordProtect) service for identity theft protection.
Threat Protection Pro automatically scans the web and blocks websites that host malware. It also neutralizes trackers, blocks ads, checks downloads for viruses, and has an app vulnerability scanner. NordVPN lets you customize the level of protection by enabling specific features or turning them off.
Its VPN runs on the proprietary NordLynx protocol with industry-standard AES-256 encryption to protect user data. NordVPN has undergone 6 independent no-logs audits and a security audit to prove its services are as reliable as possible. According to our NordVPN Threat Protection Pro review, its cybersecurity software is best for online privacy enthusiasts seeking antivirus-like online safety features.
Although there is no free NordVPN version, the service provides a 30-day money-back guarantee for all users, so you can safely test it out for a month.
5. Surfshark Antivirus – cheap antivirus to protect online identity
| Simultaneous connections: | Unlimited |
| Free version: | ❌ No, only 7-day trial |
| Platforms: | Windows, macOS, Android |
| Current deal: | Get Surfshark Antivirus - 85% OFF + 3 months FREE |
Surfshark Antivirus is relatively new compared to TotalAV or Norton, so it's no surprise it has one of the cheapest antivirus deals. It was developed by award-winning VPN professionals and doesn't hold back on robust cybersecurity features. Here's how much its best-value 2-year plan that includes antivirus protection costs:
| Plan | First 2-year price + 3 free months | First 2-year price per month | Yearly price after the first 27 months | Price after the first 27 months per month |
| Surfshark One | $67.23 | $2.49 | $269.25 | $22.44 |
| Surfshark One+ | $113.13 | $4.49 | $312.75 | $26.06 |
Surfshark Antivirus is included in the Surfshark One and Surfshark One+ plans. Beyond antivirus protection, Surfshark offers privacy-focused tools such as Search, Alert, Alternative ID, and its VPN with unlimited simultaneous connections.
Surfshark One+ also includes Incogni, Surfshark’s personal data removal service. Surfshark Alert can notify you if your email address, credit card details, or personal ID number appear in data leaks, while Alternative ID lets you generate an alternative online identity and masked email for sign-ups.
AV-TEST’s published Surfshark results show strong recent performance, including 6/6 for protection, 5.5/6 for performance, and 5.5/6 for usability in Surfshark’s referenced certification period. This marks a significant improvement from its December 2022 evaluation, where it received a below-perfect score of 4.5 in protection and performance and a maximum of 6 points for usability.
This recent recognition reflects Surfshark's advancements in its antivirus capabilities and earned it the AV-TEST Top Product award. These improvements align with our in-house Surfshark evaluation, where the antivirus successfully detected 9 out of 10 malicious files, showcasing its enhanced protection.
Surfshark offers a 7-day free trial for eligible new users on select 12- and 24-month plans, depending on the purchase method. In addition, plans bought through Surfshark’s website include a 30-day money-back guarantee, so you can test the service with lower risk.
What makes the best cheap antivirus?
Regarding cheap antivirus software, you don't want to sacrifice online safety for a few dollars. Luckily, you don't have to. The price of antivirus software heavily depends on feature availability, as is evident from the numerous plans we've reviewed. However, some features are mandatory for all antiviruses.
The best cheap antiviruses must have excellent malware detection rates verified by independent test results. Performance is secondary, but all our included services received a perfect or nearly perfect usability score.
Online safety cannot be achieved by one single application. You will get the best value if your antivirus software deal includes additional benefits, like a VPN, a password manager, identity theft protection, and parental controls.
Lastly, the cost of antivirus software should align with your needs. For example, Bitdefender lets you choose reliable yet cheap antivirus protection, but it charges extra for a bundle with a VPN and password manager. In the end, it's all about the consumer’s choice.
How we tested best cheap antivirus
Our team tests and ranks antivirus software based on its malware detection capabilities, independent test results, our in-house testing, app design, cross-device compatibility, additional features, and pricing plans. The same workflow applies to ranking the best cheap antivirus software because even the most affordable antivirus is worthless without efficient malware protection. These are our main evaluation criteria:
- In-house tests (30%). We infect dedicated test devices with malware samples and run various antivirus scans, marking down the results. This lets us compare the results with independent laboratory tests for a precise software analysis.
- Independent laboratory tests (25%). We constantly analyze independent antivirus tests by AV-Comparatives, AV-TEST, SE Labs, and Virus Bulletin. All antivirus providers must have satisfactory malware detection and online safety scores, whether cheap or expensive.
- Features (25%). You will get the most value for your money if your antivirus plan includes additional benefits like a VPN, a password manager, parental controls, data breach monitor, etc.
- Free version or trial (15%). It's always best to try the service out before subscribing for a year or two. If there's no free antivirus version or free trial, we check the money-back guarantee policies to ensure you still have a way to try the antivirus without spending extra.
- Price and value (5%). While affordability matters, the cheapest option isn't always the best deal. We evaluate whether the subscription price matches what you're actually getting, factoring in the number of devices covered, included features, and how much the price increases after the first year. A slightly higher upfront cost can often mean better long-term value if it comes with more comprehensive protection and stable renewal rates.
What to know when buying cheap antivirus software
Before you commit to a cheap antivirus plan, there are a few things you should keep in mind to avoid unpleasant surprises down the road.
- Watch out for renewal prices. The biggest catch with budget antivirus software is the price jump after your first year. Some providers increase renewal costs by 300% or more, so always check what you'll pay long-term, not just the introductory offer.
- Check device coverage. Many cheap plans only cover 1-3 devices. If you need protection for your entire household, make sure the plan supports enough devices or compare the cost of upgrading to a multi-device plan.
- Look at what's included. Some cheap antivirus plans offer basic malware protection and nothing else, while others bundle in VPNs, password managers, and parental controls. Compare features across providers to see which gives you the most value for your budget.
- Test before you buy. Always take advantage of free trials or money-back guarantees. Even cheap antivirus software should offer strong protection – testing it yourself ensures it works well on your devices and doesn't slow down performance.
- Don't sacrifice protection for price. Cheap antivirus software is only worth it if it actually protects you. Stick with providers that have strong independent test results from labs like AV-TEST and AV-Comparatives, even if they cost a few dollars more per year.
Conclusion
While antivirus protection is essential for staying safe online, it can't do the job alone. And there's no point paying top dollar for an antivirus if it doesn't come with the basics like a password manager or VPN.
After reviewing dozens of independent lab tests and running our own in-house analyses, the Cybernews research team and I found that Bitdefender is the best cheap antivirus in 2026. The renewal price after the first-year discount is still reasonable, and its malware detection is excellent. The built-in VPN is solid too – only falling short of dedicated providers like NordVPN and Surfshark.
FAQ
What is the best and most affordable antivirus?
Bitdefender is the best affordable antivirus that starts from only $12.99/year. It scans your device for malware, defends against ransomware, uses system tune-up tools, and blocks ads. Bitdefender also includes real-time online protection that blocks malicious websites.
How much should I pay for antivirus software?
A standalone antivirus software typically costs $12 to $30 for the first year with introductory discounts. After the initial term ends, renewal prices usually increase to $60 to $120/ year, depending on the provider and features included. If you want a full security suite with extras like a VPN, password manager, or identity protection, you may pay more – often $100 to $180/year after renewal.
Is antivirus software worth it anymore?
Yes, an antivirus is essential for online and offline device safety. Although most operating systems have built-in antivirus tools, they often lack additional features and customization options. Furthermore, a cross-platform compatible antivirus lets you secure all devices with one account.
Can antivirus software be both the best and cheap at the same time?
Yes, a cheap antivirus can still be one of the best. A competitive market reduces software costs to attract users, and the best antivirus services offer their apps to millions without charging extra. Trusted cybersecurity brands like Bitdefender provide outstanding protection at an affordable price.
