AVG 8.5 Free

This long-standing program performed well in system disinfection. In one test, it detected and disabled all ten malware infections. It tended to miss less-critical things such as Registry changes or blocked access to the Windows Task Manager, but so did all the other free antivirus software we tried. AVG also did well in avoiding false positives, making only one boy-who-cried-wolf mistake.

The AVG package offers a good set of features. Its LinkScanner component will try to detect and stop attacks on Web pages while you surf, and it will provide safety ratings for search results (you can download LinkScanner by itself).

The program can scan e-mail, too, something only Avast Antivirus Home Edition and ClamWin Free Antivirus also offer. But while that is a beneficial extra, the program's AVG toolbar with search options doesn't afford any additional protection; you can safely skip it during installation. You'll likely find most of the default settings appropriate, except for the daily full scan at noon. You can choose another time of day in the installation wizard, but to change it to a weekly scan you'll have to adjust the settings after installation.

AVG displays an ad for its paid product at the bottom of the main program window, along with an occasional pop-up ad. Neither is especially intrusive, and the interface is generally straightforward enough for use on a daily basis.

AVG 8.5 Free is well-rounded overall, but its second-tier malware detection rate should make you consider one of the better-performing programs first.