Since the ‘technology boom’ of the 80s and 90s, we have become increasingly more dependent on our electronic devices to keep us current with the rest of the world.

One of our main forms of communication today is through computers. Whether we use them at work to communicate and send information to our colleagues, or we use them at home for social media or gaming purposes, computers play a very important role in how our world works.

The threat computers’ come with

As great as our computers are at handling, editing, and transferring data, we need to make sure we keep them safe. All computers can potentially get computer viruses on them.

These viruses can slow them down, cause certain functions to not work correctly, or even attack the hard drive and cause the computer’s data to become vulnerable to hackers.

To make sure we don’t find ourselves in such positions, we use Antivirus Software. Most of this software can be costly, or not work across different operating systems. After researching, and using different types of software, I have come up with the best free virus scanning software – one for Windows, and one for MacOS.

Microsoft Windows  best antivirus

In my opinion, Windows software can be more prone to virus attacks. I use my Windows PC mostly for gaming, surfing the web, or using social media – all of which can be potentially harmful to my PC. When searching for the best Antivirus Software, I wanted to make sure it was easy to use, secure, and that it ran as a background application that would not inhibit your experience when using your PC.

Avast’s software

The Avast Free Antivirus software is my choice for making sure my PC does not become susceptible to any viruses from malware or hackers. Avast, as a company, has been in the game for quite a while, and the latest version (2016) of their software is winner, hands-down.

Avast’s software protects virtually any version of Windows, from Vista to Windows 10. Basically, if you are running Windows 95, you have more on your plate than just finding a great antivirus software.

The free software also comes with specs that you would normally only see with paid versions of its competitors. In addition to scanning for outdated software, system cleanup, boot-time scan, and an included rescue disk, you also get 24/7 phone and technical support and access to an Avast forum filled with questions and answers from other customers.

The software also includes a vulnerability scan to gauge just how safe your PC really is from harmful viruses – something that I didn’t see with any of the other software available for PCs. You can download Avast’s Free Antivirus software here.

MacOS

Like most Apple device owners, I consider my MacBook to be my most prized electronic possession. I do most of my work on my Mac, as well as keep all of my confidential documents on my MacBook due to the accessibility to my ever-so-secure iCloud Drive straight from my desktop.

I work hard at keeping it safe from harmful viruses because of the information I upload/download to its drives. Finding the best Mac antivirus software was not an easy task. I needed to find one that wouldn’t slow down my processor – which I found most software choices can do – and I also needed to make sure that the software itself did not compromise my Mac’s own security.

Sophos Antivirus Mac Home Edition

Sophos Antivirus Mac Home Edition is my choice for the best Mac antivirus software. Sophos has literally been around the Mac world since the beginning – 1982 to be precise. The company actually has a history of Mac malware dating back to ’82 for reference, which I find completely comforting in a software.

Sophos offers complete protection at a great price – FREE! The software also has an “Automatic Virus Protection” feature that will separate unknown files from the rest and perform a specific security check to ensure no harmful viruses are in them.

To many, this can be seen as going too far, but I find it reassuring that the software takes that extra step to make sure my files and data are safe. Sophos also runs its scanning software from a compact interface, which means it takes up the least amount of memory possible on your Mac so that it doesn’t create lag and remains easy to use.

You are also able to toggle different options using the interface’s small menu – something not seen from many free software systems.

This is one of the best antivirus and gives you hands-off abilities as well. Simply set your desired settings using its dashboard, then let the program do the rest. It runs in the background and notifies you of any abnormalities as they arise. You can download Sophos Antivirus Mac Home Edition here.

Every computer user, regardless of Mac or Windows (check out more amazing softwares for both operating systems), has specific needs they expect to be met from the antivirus software. That is how we determine what works for us, what the best antivirus software is for what we need protected.

The two software programs listed above cover all bases, and even offer services you never knew you needed until you see them in action.