Best Kaspersky alternatives in 2024

The US government recently banned Kaspersky from selling its antivirus software, and as of September 30, it will no longer receive updates or core software improvements. This makes the program ineffective for those who still have it installed. Some users have even noticed Kaspersky being automatically replaced by the basic Ultra AV antivirus on their systems. To maintain proper protection, it’s essential to switch to a more reliable solution. I’ve put together a list of Kaspersky alternatives, each offering similar features and free trial options so you can test them before making a final decision.

Top 3 alternatives to Kaspersky

1. TotalAV – overall best Kaspersky alternative in 2024
2. Norton Antivirus – secure replacement to Kaspersky antivirus
3. Bitdefender – budget-friendly substitute to Kaspersky

Best alternatives to Kaspersky in 2024

Below, you will find a list of the top replacements for Kaspersky. Any of them will serve as a good Kaspersky alternative if you’re ready to switch from this Russian antivirus software.

1. TotalAV – the best Kaspersky alternative overall

Based in:	The UK
Simultaneous connections:	8
Free version:	Yes
Platforms:	Windows, macOS, iOS, Android
Current deal:	Get TotalAV, now 80% OFF

Visit TotalAV

TotalAV is the best Kaspersky alternative on the market, as it provides the same level of malware protection as Kaspersky. It even has a free version with an anti-malware scanner that will give you a basic level of protection. However, TotalAV’s paid subscriptions are much more feature-rich, ensuring high-standard protection.

With TotalAV, you’ll get top-notch protection from viruses – don’t just take my word for it, independent labs show that it blocks 100% of threats. Plus, there’s not only real-time protection but also a few different types of scans that you can choose from. For example, Cloud scanning protection of the next generation instantly analyzes unknown zero-day threats in real time. TotalAV will also make sure that ransomware doesn’t get into your system either.

During my in-house TotalAV testing, I’ve put both quick and system scans to the test. It maintained a light 8% to 38% CPU load during a quick scan that didn't even last a minute, while the CPU load during the system scan fluctuated between 17% and 99%. It took only a bit over 6 minutes, which I consider a very good result, keeping in mind that it scans your whole system thoroughly. I was well impressed with the results, which showed an average detection rate of 99%.

You’ll also receive quite a few extra features like a VPN, which is a pretty good one as far as antivirus VPNs go (it also comes with unlimited data). There’s also a password manager that will not only store your credentials but will also create extra-strong passwords for you.

And in case your device has been getting a little slow lately, you can always make use of TotalAV’s system optimizer to remove junk files and unused programs.

I also like how easy it is to use TotalAV’s applications, whether you need an app for your desktop device or a smartphone. They are very intuitive and I actually find them easier to navigate than Kaspersky’s apps.

TotalAV antivirus cost starts from $19.00/year for 8 devices. If you notice something you don't like, there's a 30-day money-back guarantee.

2. Norton Antivirus – one of the top Kaspersky competitors

Based in:	The US and Czech Republic
Simultaneous connections:	10
Free version:	No
Platforms:	Windows, macOS, iOS, Android
Current deal:	Get up to 58% OFF Norton Antivirus

Visit Norton

Another Kaspersky competitor that’s really worth your attention is Norton Antivirus. Even if you’re not tech-savvy at all, you’ve probably already heard this name once or twice, and not without a reason.

To begin with, Norton offers excellent virus detection rates – as good as Kaspersky does. It has proven its malware-detecting capabilities time and time again thanks to various independent tests by AV-Comparatives, AV-Test, and SE Labs.

Norton also provides good real-time protection. In other words, the antivirus software is good not only at detecting and eliminating existing threats, but it will also prevent new viruses from entering your system.

During my testing, the full system scan was 100% effective (caught all planted malicious files) and took only 11 minutes. However, the CPU load fluctuated between 70 and 100%.

Just like Kaspersky, Norton has lots of extra features that won’t let you miss your old antivirus tool. You’ll be getting a Norton Secure VPN, a password manager, cloud backup, Dark Web monitoring (which isn’t offered by Kaspersky), webcam protection, and even Parental Controls.

Keep in mind that Norton offers a lot of different plans depending on what you need from an antivirus. The best Norton 360 plan starts at $29.99/year for protecting 10 devices. It also offers a lengthy 60-day money-back guarantee.

3. Bitdefender – wallet-friendly Kaspersky alternative

Based in:	Romania
Simultaneous connections:	15
Free version:	Yes
Platforms:	Windows, macOS, Android, iOS, Linux
Current deal:	Get Bitdefender for up to 78% OFF

Visit Bitdefender

If you’re looking for a cheaper replacement for Kaspersky Internet Security or any other version of it, consider Bitdefender for an added layer of security.

For starters, Bitdefender has shown higher virus detection rates than Kaspersky. While both products are considered Advanced by AV-Comparatives, Bitdefender actually did a better job of protecting devices from malware. Meanwhile, Kaspersky let four viruses in, which is something you wouldn’t want to risk.

Next, if you’re concerned about waving off Kaspersky’s varied scanning options, don’t worry – Bitdefender will provide you with the same kind of choices. You’ll get to choose from a quick scan, a full system scan, or a custom scan that you can configure yourself however you want. My testing on a full system scan took about 24 minutes and Bitdefender managed to catch 9 out of 10 zero-day threats – an impressive result. Besides, I was rather impressed, as its impact on the device’s performance was fairly low – it used about 50% of the device’s CPU during a full scan – much lower, compared to other antiviruses.

Of course, you’ll also get a whole bunch of extra security features. Bitdefender offers Wi-Fi protection, ransomware protection, safe browsing, a strong firewall, webcam/microphone protection, and Rescue Environment – everything boasted by Kaspersky and more.

You’ll also enjoy lots of extra tools like a Bitdefender VPN, a file shredder, a password manager, an anti-spam feature, and tons of other additions to the family.

And the best thing? Bitdefender is cheaper than Kaspersky. It only costs $9.99/year to protect a single device. You can also use a 30-day money-back guarantee. In other words, you’ll get everything you need and save a few extra bucks.

4. Surfshark One – beginner-friendly Kaspersky alternative

Based in:	The Netherlands
Simultaneous connections:	5
Free version:	Yes
Platforms:	Windows, macOS, Android
Current deal:	Get Surfshark Antivirus - 82% OFF + 4 months FREE

Visit Surfshark Antivirus

If you're looking for a solid alternative to Kaspersky, Surfshark One might be just what you need. Although slightly more expensive than Kaspersky, Surfshark AV offers way more in its package, including a market-leading VPN.

Firstly, Surfshark Antivirus offers strong malware detection and removal capabilities. It uses advanced threat detection technology to identify and eliminate viruses, malware, ransomware, and other malicious software, keeping your devices secure.

Next, if you’re concerned about maintaining comprehensive protection, Surfshark Antivirus has you covered. It includes features like real-time protection and scheduled scans (every 3 hours). These tools work together to ensure your system is continuously monitored and protected against threats. I tested Surfshark Antivirus's scans, and they showed great results — although it took around 25 minutes, the full scan found 9 out of 10 malicious files.

These solid detection capabilities, combined with its overall performance, have contributed to Surfshark earning the AV-TEST "Top Product" award, underscoring its reliability and effectiveness.

One of the coolest things about Surfshark Antivirus is how well it integrates with Surfshark VPN. This means you not only get protection from malware but also top-notch privacy for your online activities.

Oh, and there are plenty of extra features. Surfshark One includes a user-friendly interface, making it easy to navigate and customize your security settings. It also offers web protection to block phishing attempts and malicious websites, further safeguarding your online experience.

And the best part? Starting at $51.04/year it provides top-notch security without breaking the bank. Plus, it comes with a 30-day money-back guarantee, giving you the freedom to try it risk-free.

In summary, Surfshark One offers comprehensive protection, integrates well with other security tools, and is available at an excellent price point, making it a smart choice for keeping your devices and data safe.

5. Avira – extremely user-friendly Kaspersky competitor

Based in:	Germany
Simultaneous connections:	50
Free version:	Yes
Platforms:	Windows, macOS, Android, iOS
Current deal:	Get 1 year of Avira at 43% OFF

Visit Avira

Avira Antivirus is yet another safe alternative to Kaspersky. It has won multiple awards for its exceptionally good virus detection rates (including the AV Product of the Year award from AV-Comparatives) and has scored really high during independent virus tests throughout the years.

Having all that in mind, it comes without saying that Avira offers everything a great antivirus tool should have. This includes real-time protection, multiple virus scanning options, ransomware protection, web protection (from phishing and scams), and a software updater.

I really like that Avira offers plenty of extra features. There’s the Phantom VPN, a password manager, a Safe Shopping browser extension, a driver updater, and many more.

What many users really like about Avira is the low impact on PC performance (lower than Kaspersky’s). You see, Avira is extremely lightweight, and you shouldn’t notice a difference in your system speed when a scan is taking place.

The Aviva plan starts at $26.99/year for protecting 1 device. It also offers a lengthy 60-day money-back guarantee.

6. Trend Micro – beginner-friendly Kaspersky alternative

Based in:	The US and Japan
Simultaneous connections:	10
Free version:	Yes
Platforms:	Windows, Linux, macOS, Android, iOS
Current deal:	Get Trend Micro, now 54% OFF

Visit Trend Micro

Moving to Trend Micro from Kaspersky will greet you with an intuitive interface and a list of comprehensive features. Its sophisticated AI technologies quickly catches any type of suspicious activity, and the software itself has nearly no impact on the device’s system.

As seemingly simple antivirus software, Trend Micro includes nearly everything you could expect from a robust cyber security program. It offers malware scanning, assorted ransomware protection, real-time protection, suspicious URL detection, and malware protection against phishing, one of the most popular ways to attack online today.

In addition to essentials, Trend Micro has implemented features that will protect you during your daily browsing. For online shopping, a Pay Guard feature creates a secure environment for transactions. There’s also a Privacy Scanner for staying private on social media. And you can add a VPN proxy and a password manager to your plan for an additional charge.

This antivirus has both – a free version and a paid one. As a rule, a free version offers a more limited app. Pricing goes from $19.95/year to $59.95/year. However, if you have doubts about committing to a long-term subscription, there’s a 30-day money-back guarantee for a risk-free trial of this service.

7. ESET – lightweight antivirus alternative to Kaspersky

Based in:	Slovakia
Simultaneous connections:	5
Free version:	Yes
Platforms:	Windows, macOS, Linux, Android
Current deal:	Get ESET, save up to 30%

Visit ESET NOD32

One of the most popular antiviruses globally – ESET – offers top-quality performance and is on par with Kaspersky. With it, you get an extensive list of features, like One-way messaging, Anti-theft optimization, and more. And the performance during independent lab tests is almost flawless.

ESET is titled to be one of the best antiviruses for a reason. It has multi-platform protection that you can use for Windows, macOS, Linux, and Android devices with a single license. There's real-time ransomware protection to avoid one of the most frustrating malware. To keep your online transactions protected, you can use the Secured banking and privacy feature.

I also like ESET home network security. It informs you of anyone trying to access your connection, inspects incoming packets for an attempt to infect your device, and blocks them.

If you decide to go all in, ESET offers a plan for ultimate protection. This way, the antivirus becomes an all-in-one solution. With it, you get a password manager and the possibility to encrypt your personal files.

It is a bit on the pricier side, from $41.99/year. But trying out any of the plans is risk-free as you can benefit from a 30-day money-back guarantee.

Kaspersky alternatives compared

Antivirus provider	Starting price	VPN	Free option	Maximum devices	Money-back guarantee
Kaspersky	Purchase unavailable for US customers	✅Yes (select plans)	✅Yes	10	30 days
TotalAV	$19.00/year	✅Yes (select plans)	✅Yes	8	30 days
Norton Antivirus	$29.99/year	✅Yes (select plans)	❌No	10	60 days
Bitdefender	$9.99/year	✅Yes	✅Yes	15	30 days
Surfshark One	$51.04/year	✅Yes	❌No	5	30 days
Avira	$26.99/year	✅Yes (select plans)	✅Yes	50	60 days
Trend Micro	$19.95/year	✅Yes (select plans)	✅Yes (mobile only)	10	30 days
ESET	$41.99/year	✅Yes (select plans)	❌No	10	30 days

Which Kaspersky alternative should I pick?

The Kaspersky alternative you should pick depends on your needs and wants. The good thing is that all the antivirus programs mentioned on this page are equally good in terms of quality, with only minor differences in features and virus detection rates.

However, if you’re still confused about which Kaspersky competitor to pick, here are some tips that might help you make up your mind:

• Free version. If you’re currently unable to spend any money on an antivirus suite, you can look into the free versions. For example, TotalAV, Bitdefender, and Avira offer good free applications for desktop devices.
• Simultaneous connections. If you’re only going to use the antivirus on a single device, then it’s not worth paying for many simultaneous connections. However, if you need to protect lots of devices, then you can look into Avira or Bitdefender, as they have multiple options for simultaneous connections.
• Features. Usually, the pricier the plan, the more features you’ll get. However, think if you really need them all. If, for example, you already have a VPN or a password manager, then there's no use in overpaying for an expensive antivirus subscription.
• Money-back guarantee. Just like with all goods and services, a money-back guarantee is a must when it comes to antivirus suites. Most of the products on this page offer either a 30 or a 60-day guarantee. However, Norton and Avira are the most generous of them all – they give you 60 days to make up your mind.

How I selected and tested these Kaspersky alternatives

Choosing good antivirus services for this list was quite a task – after all, these are the tools that will be responsible for protecting your device (and, in turn, your personal information) from malware and viruses.

In order to ensure thorough and reliable results, I ran antivirus software tests on a VirtualBox virtual machine running Windows 11, set up on a powerful Lenovo ThinkStation with an AMD Ryzen Threadripper PRO 3945WX processor (12 cores, 3.99 GHz), 64 GB of RAM, and a 3TB SSD. For Mac tests, the research team used a VMware setup with macOS 12.0.1 Monterey, packing 16GB of RAM and 4 CPU cores running at 3.81 GHz.

Working alongside the Cybernews research team, I put various popular malware samples through the wringer. This included testing for ransomware, keyloggers, spyware, adware, and other sneaky digital pests to see how well the antivirus software held up in real-world scenarios.

You might wonder why one ranks higher on the list. Here are the criteria I use for ranking:

• I checked virus protection capabilities. First and foremost, a good antimalware tool that will replace your Kaspersky antivirus should offer stellar virus detection rates during both real-time protection and security scans. For this, I research all the tests performed by independent antivirus testing labs and also do some in-house testing, too.
• I evaluated false positives. It’s annoying when an antivirus tool keeps showing you scary notifications that turn out to be false in the end. Thus, I aim for antivirus apps that have the lowest rates of false positives.
• I researched each provider’s reputation. This is a really important aspect, as well as the main reason we eliminated Kaspersky from our suggested antivirus lists. If the service is involved in a scandal or a data breach, it’s not worth your money.
• I looked for extra features. Even though the main job of an antivirus tool is to protect your device from viruses, having some useful extra features doesn’t hurt. Thus, a good Kaspersky alternative will give you lots of extras like Parental Controls, a system booster, a password manager, and even a VPN.

Why look for an alternative to Kaspersky?

Even though Kaspersky used to boast a spot among Cybernew's top antivirus tools for quite some time, the recent events made us reconsider offering it to our readers.

As Russia’s threats against the EU and NATO are getting more intense every single day, and Kaspersky’s links with the Russian government are rather unsettling, many countries are already abandoning Kaspersky in fear of spying and the leaking of important information, including Canada and the USA.

Following the US ban, Kaspersky subscriptions for US customers are being transferred to Pango’s UltraAV service, marking a shift away from Kaspersky in the American market.

With all that in mind, I can simply no longer recommend Kaspersky as a reputable antivirus service provider and thus encourage our readers to boycott it and get an alternative antivirus tool in order to stay safe online.

US ban on Kaspersky

As there are fears about Kaspersky’s ability to access computer systems, potentially allowing it to snoop on sensitive information from American computers, plant malware, or even withhold critical updates, the United States Commerce Department with Biden’s Administration has banned new sales of Kaspersky Labs' antivirus software on July 20th, 2024. Additionally, Kaspersky customers in the US are being moved to Pango’s UltraAV as part of the transition.

To minimize the disruption for US consumers and businesses, the Department permits Kaspersky to continue operations in the US, including updates, until September 29th, 2024.

Is UltraAV the best alternative to Kaspersky?

With Kaspersky no longer available in the US, subscriptions are being transferred to UltraAV, Pango's antivirus solution. While UltraAV is both legit and safe, offering basic antivirus protection, it may not be the best replacement for everyone.

UltraAV complies with necessary safety standards and is designed to protect your devices from malware and threats. However, it lacks some advanced features found in top-tier antivirus programs.

If you're looking for more robust security, I recommend TotalAV. It provides stronger protection, more features, and reliable customer support, making it a better choice for safeguarding your devices.

Why did the US ban Kaspersky?

The US has banned Kaspersky Labs' antivirus software from being sold in the United States on July 20th, 2024. It's all because they're worried about national security, especially since Kaspersky has ties to Russia and could potentially mess with American computer systems. They're particularly concerned because Kaspersky’s software is used by some pretty important folks like government agencies and key infrastructure providers.

Kaspersky, based in Russia, isn't too happy about this ban, arguing it's more about politics than their actual product security. Still, the US government isn't taking any chances, especially after banning Kaspersky from federal agencies back in 2017.

The Commerce Department's investigation found some serious reasons behind the ban:

• Kaspersky's cozy relationship with the Russian government raises red flags about data security.
• There's a worry that Kaspersky's software could be used to sneak in malicious stuff or block important updates, leaving American users open to cyberattacks.
• Integrating Kaspersky into other products adds more uncertainty about data protection.

To ease the transition, Kaspersky can still send updates until September 29th, 2024, giving everyone time to find a new digital bodyguard.

Commerce Secretary Gina Raimondo emphasized that this move is all about protecting Americans and their information. She pointed to past incidents where Russia might've used Kaspersky for its own gain instead of US security interests.

This decision shows how seriously the US takes its digital defenses and the ongoing battle against threats that could mess with the country's safety.

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