Best cloud-based antivirus in 2026

Best cloud antivirus can help you receive strong protection against malware without having a huge impact on your computer’s performance. It carries out the virus scanning process directly on the cloud instead of completing it on the device itself. So you have plenty of resources left to continue browsing, playing games, or watching movies during the scans.

However, not all providers have implemented cloud technology with their products for home users. Thus, it becomes challenging to find a cloud-powered solution which is not for business only.

For this reason, we’ve carefully researched and tested well-known security products to compile a list of best cloud-based antivirus software in 2026. Each of our selected tools have great malware detection capabilities, low impact on PC performance, and offer additional security features.

Top 5 best cloud antivirus software:

1. TotalAV – overall best cloud-based antivirus in 2026
2. Norton 360 – cloud antivirus with smart firewall and backup solutions
3. Bitdefender – cloud-powered protection with top performance
4. Surfshark AV – top cloud-based AV with a VPN included
5. Avast – lightweight cloud-based antivirus with strong security

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What is cloud-based virus protection?

Cloud-based virus protection is a technical feature that defines how the antivirus operates. The differences between the cloud-based and traditional antivirus are most notable when it comes to malware definition storage and virus scanning.

Traditional antivirus solutions store known malware definitions and perform the scanning directly on the device. Cloud-based antivirus, on the other hand, does everything on the cloud. As a result, malware definitions on the cloud are updated in real time, meaning that the antivirus can instantly detect the most recent threats.

With traditional protection solutions, upgrades have to be performed manually. During that time, between the update release and installation, a new and unknown malware has a higher chance of infecting your device.

Another cloud-based antivirus benefit is a better computer performance. That’s because cloud-based scanning requires less of your device’s computing power and as a result – doesn’t deteriorate its performance.

The best cloud-based antivirus software – our detailed list:

To help you select the best cloud antivirus, we’ve tested a dozen of different providers for you. Below, you will find detailed descriptions of the great products that we’ve picked.

1. TotalAV – overall the best cloud-based antivirus in 2026

Max devices:	8
Platforms:	Windows, macOS, iOS, Android
Free trial:	Free version available
Current deal:	Get TotalAV, now 80% OFF

Visit TotalAV

TotalAV is the best cloud antivirus since it provides advanced cloud scanning of unknown or suspicious files in real-time. Also, you get a full security package with many additional features to protect your device as well as sensitive information.

Protection: this cloud antivirus has shown great results in independent tests – 99% protection against zero-day and 99.96% against widespread malware. So you can be sure that your system is safe from viruses, worms, Trojan horses or even ransomware.

Performance: it doesn’t take much time to ensure your device is malware-free either. During our tests, the Quick scan with TotalAV took merely 14 seconds, while the Full scan – 6 min 36 s. It’s an exceptionally great performance as most antiviruses require more than 20 minutes for a complete system checkup.

Features: apart from real-time cloud-powered protection, this antivirus also offers extra features for online security, like a VPN. Plus, you get a password manager to minimize the risks of account hacking and an AdBlock to remove intrusive and potentially malicious ads when browsing.

Compatibility: it doesn’t matter what type of device you use, as this cloud antivirus is compatible with all major operating systems. That includes Windows, MacOS, Android, and iOS. Both desktop and mobile apps are well organized and easy to set up.

Price: this provider offers multiple subscription options and the prices start from $19.00/year for 3 devices with a 30-day money-back guarantee. Additionally, there’s a free version that you can use to try the product before purchasing.

Read our full TotalAV review for more information.

2. Norton 360 – antivirus with smart firewall and cloud backup

Max devices:	10
Platforms:	Windows, macOS, iOS, Android
Free trial:	No
Current deal:	Get up to 60% OFF Norton Antivirus

Visit Norton 360 antivirus

Norton 360 delivers one of the most complete and trusted cloud-based security solutions in 2026. It blends award-winning malware protection with robust cloud backup, a smart firewall, and a suite of advanced privacy tools.

Protection: this antivirus software achieves near-perfect or perfect scores in malware detection, based on recent AV-TEST results (August 2025), consistently blocking even zero-day threats and earning the highest marks for usability and false positive rates. In our in-house tests that can be found in this Norton 360 antivirus review, it detected 88% of challenging malware samples and instantly stopped custom ransomware attacks, showing it delivers fast, dependable real-world protection.

Performance: when it comes to performance, Norton 360 stays light on resources, using only 18-41% of CPU during a full system scan – even less than most big-name competitors. Day-to-day, the app runs smoothly in the background with little to no noticeable slowdown, which makes it a strong pick for both new and older devices.

Features: Norton gives you real-time cloud protection, a top-rated AI phishing shield, Smart Firewall, secure VPN, 50+ GB of backup, a password manager, and a privacy monitor. Higher-tier plans unlock more devices and parental controls, making it a versatile cloud-based security suite.

Compatibility: Norton 360 works with all major platforms, with dedicated apps for Windows, macOS, iOS, and Android.

Pricing: its plans start at $29.99/year, often with discounts up to 58% off your first year.

3. Bitdefender – cloud-powered protection with top performance

Max devices:	10
Platforms:	Windows, macOS, Android, iOS
Free trial:	Yes, on Mac or Android
Current deal:	Get Bitdefender for up to 78% OFF

Visit Bitdefender antivirus

Bitdefender is a great pick for cloud-based antivirus, combining perfect independent lab scores with nearly invisible system impact. Its real-time cloud engine, powered by advanced AI, quickly blocks threats, while a full suite of privacy and security extras makes it one of the most well-rounded protection platforms available.

Protection: in recent in-house tests, which you can find in our in-depth Bitdefender review, this antivirus removed 91% of 150 randomized malware samples, confirming consistently high day-to-day protection. Recent AV-TEST reviews (February 2025), however, have repeatedly awarded Bitdefender perfect or near-perfect malware detection (up to 100% for zero-day and widespread threats) with minimal false positives. Advanced ransomware, web, and behavioral defenses are included in both paid and free versions.

Performance: Bitdefender relies heavily on cloud-based scanning, so it uses less CPU and RAM than most full-featured competitors. The antivirus runs quietly in the background, with no slowdowns in daily activity, and real-time protection typically goes unnoticed even on older devices. Full system scans may use moderate resources, but the impact is very low compared to most big-brand suites.

Features: the core Bitdefender engine is shared across both free and paid plans, meaning all users get top detection. Paid upgrades add a personal firewall, secure VPN, password manager, anti-tracking, multi-layer ransomware shield, safe banking, anti-theft, and more. Extensive real-time scanning, scheduled scans, and anti-phishing are all driven by Bitdefender’s cloud platform.

Compatibility: Bitdefender offers cross-platform protection for Windows, macOS, Linux, Android, and iOS. The free version is primarily for Windows, while Mac and Android users can access a limited-time trial before upgrading.

Pricing: paid subscriptions start at $12.99/year and are regularly discounted. Always-free tier available for Windows users.

4. Surfshark AV – top cloud-based antivirus and a VPN bundle

Max devices:	5
Platforms:	Windows, macOS, Linux, Android, iOS, FireTV
Free trial:	No
Current deal:	Get Surfshark Antivirus - 85% OFF + 3 months FREE

Visit Surfshark Antivirus

Surfshark AV is also one of the best cloud-powered antivirus solutions. Apart from real-time and scheduled scans, it has the Surfshark Cloud Protect system that examines unrecognized files on the cloud to better detect rare types of malware.

Protection: you can expect great malware detection rates as during our tests, it successfully detected 7/10 malicious files planted among 100,000 regular ones. That’s a really great result considering that we’ve used various types of viruses, including Trojans, spyware, adware, and others. Surfshark’s strong performance in detecting malware has not gone unnoticed – its consistent protection has earned it the prestigious AV-TEST "Top Product" award, reflecting its reliability in real-world scenarios.

Performance: another great thing about Surfshark AV is that it’s lightweight – the average CPU usage during our full scan test was around 22% and it took 25 minutes to complete. The highest peak was 53% but it dropped down quickly. So the impact on PC performance isn’t visible.

Features: this provider offers an all-in-one security package. For that, you get the top-class Surfshark VPN – one of the best VPN services currently available. Also, there’s an option to use a private search engine to hide your online activities and even receive alerts if your data gets leaked.

Compatibility: this cloud antivirus has dedicated apps for Windows, Android, and Mac. We’ve tested each of them – the design is not cluttered and they’re ultra easy to use. However, since this is a relatively new product, there’s no app for iOS just yet.

Price: the subscription prices start from $37.66/year for 5 devices and include a 30-day money-back guarantee. You can also choose your subscription duration based on your needs.

Learn more about this provider in our Surfshark Antivirus review.

5. Avast – lightweight cloud-based antivirus with strong web and device security

Max devices:	30
Platforms:	Windows, Mac, Linux, Android, iOS
Free trial:	Yes
Current deal:	Get up to 60% OFF Avast Antivirus

Visit Avast antivirus

Avast remains one of the top cloud-powered antivirus solutions, balancing effective malware detection with a lightweight design. Its cloud engine delivers fast definition updates and layered real-time protection, keeping email, downloads, and browsing safe across all your devices.

Protection: independent lab tests in 2025 awarded Avast near-perfect marks – scoring a 99.98% online protection rate and up to 98.9% detection for real-world malware threats. In our in-house tests, Avast's full scan found 65% of deeply hidden threats, and its real-time protection caught 63%, showing decent but not flawless results for everyday attacks. Still, most users will find day-to-day malware and phishing blocked before it causes issues, especially when paired with cloud updates.

Performance: Avast stands out for its low system impact, with fast scans and unobtrusive real-time shields that run quietly in the background. Full scans rarely take more than a few minutes and have a moderate performance footprint, making it a good choice for older or lower-power computers.

Features: the free version of Avast provides core malware and ransomware protection, web/mail scanning, network inspector, and quarantine tools. Paid plans unlock advanced bonuses like a robust firewall, VPN, anti-tracker, and breach monitoring for enhanced privacy and security.

Compatibility: available for Windows, Mac, Linux, Android, and iOS, Avast adapts easily to every major home and office platform.

Pricing: premium plans begin at $31.20/year, but Avast Free Antivirus remains permanently available for home use.

How we tested these cloud-based antiviruses

Selecting the best cloud-based antivirus solutions requires evaluating each one in terms of specific criteria. In order to provide you with top-class products, we’ve used the following ones:

• Malware detection scores. We’ve examined how well the cloud-based antivirus can protect against viruses and other cyber threats. For that, we’ve used reports from reliable and independent testing labs, like AV-Test and AV-Comparatives.
• Impact on PC performance. Scanning all of the files on the computer for malware can take a lot of CPU power and have a significant effect on its performance. For this reason, we’ve also evaluated the impact score and checked which cloud-based antivirus providers offer lightweight solutions.
• Compatibility. All types of operating systems are vulnerable to attacks. Likewise, we’ve selected products that are compatible with the most popular devices, including Windows, MacOS, and Linux. This way, you can get top-class protection against malware without wondering whether it works with your OS.
• Free trial availability. Additionally, it’s great if you can try out the software before commiting to a long-term plan. Thus, we’ve checked which cloud-based antiviruses offer free trials or include money-back guarantees. Both options allow you to test the product risk-free.
• Price. While many might think that higher price equals better protection, it’s not always the case. We’ve compared the price and quality ratio of the available cloud-based antivirus solutions and selected products that offer multiple subscription plans, including affordable ones.

Why should you use a cloud-based antivirus?

Cloud-based antivirus solutions have multiple benefits. Here are the reason why you should use one:

• Get better protection against new malware. Since cloud-based antivirus doesn’t keep malware definitions on the device, they’re continuously updated in real time on the cloud. Meaning that the antivirus gets information about the latest cyber threats quicker and can detect them almost instantly.
• Enjoy unaffected device performance during scans. The process of scanning computer files for viruses is also completed on the cloud. As a result, it requires less of your device’s computing power – so, more of it is available for your daily tasks.
• Have more device storage. Even though the cloud-based antivirus program has to be installed on the device just like the traditional one, it requires less space. So, you can have more device storage for other applications.

How does cloud antivirus software work?

Cloud-based antivirus software operations are based on offloading the scanning process from the device to the cloud. This way, it uses less computer resources for the process and can better detect malware in real-time.

Here’s a short explanation of how cloud antivirus works:

1. Detection. Antivirus detects a suspicious file and sends its digital fingerprint to the cloud.
2. Examination. The file’s data is compared to the database of known malware in real-time.
3. Evaluation. If the digital fingerprint matches with information on the database, the file is identified as malicious; if no match is found, then the file is marked as safe.
4. Return of information. The information is sent back to the device with further instructions to either keep the file or remove it immediately.

Traditional or cloud-based antivirus – which’s better?

Cloud-based antivirus is superior to the traditional one because it’s better at detecting the newest malware and has less impact on the computer’s performance. In simple terms, you can get top-class protection against the latest viruses and perform your regular activities uninterrupted at the same time.

Additionally, antiviruses with cloud-based protection use artificial intelligence (AI) and machine learning (ML) to become better at malware detection. On top of that, installing one on your device requires less storage space so you have plenty of it left for other applications.

Here’s a full comparison of other key cloud-based and traditional antivirus features:

	Cloud-based AV	Traditional AV
Real-time malware definition updates	✅	❌
Advanced learning with AI and ML	✅	❌
Less impact on PC performance	✅	❌
Requires less storage	✅	❌

However, cloud-based antivirus also has a downside. For example, since all examined files are compared with the information on the cloud, the scanning process might take longer than with the regular antivirus.

Should I use free cloud-based antivirus?

No, you shouldn’t use a free cloud-based antivirus unless it’s a free version or a free trial of a trusted premium provider. That’s because freemium tools are unreliable and might pose security and privacy risks.

Especially since cloud-based antivirus solutions upload all computer files for comparison on the cloud – unverified products can steal your sensitive information and sell it to third parties.

If you want to avoid the risks but still enjoy free services, we recommend using the free versions or trials offered by premium providers. For example, TotalAV allows you to enjoy cloud-based protection risk-free with a 30-day money-back guarantee.

Conclusion

Best cloud-based antivirus, like TotalAV, is a great solution for strong protection against widespread and unknown malware. That’s because the virus database used for detection is continuously updated in real-time, making it easier to identify all types of threats.

Additionally, using an antivirus with cloud technology instead of a traditional one can help you avoid a negative impact on your computer’s performance. Meaning that you can continue with your regular activities without any interruptions while the scanning is in progress.

Have you already tried using a cloud antivirus? Share your experience and insights with us in the comments below!

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