Best free antivirus software 2014

Our best free antivirus round-up has been fully updated for August 2013. Viruses, spyware, hackers, phishing sites - the web is a dangerous place, and every PC owner needs effective, reliable antivirus software to keep them safe. But this can be expensive, especially as you'll pay again to update the package, each and every year. Fortunately there is plenty of free antivirus software, many of which are just as capable as their commercial cousins. So if you're tired of annual subscriptions, read on - we've picked out nine of the best free internet security tools to deliver great security at no cost at all. 1. Avast Free Antivirus Download Avast Free Antivirus You don't have to spend long with Avast Free Antivirus to realise why it's one of the most popular security tools around. The program is simple to install; a straightforward interface makes it easy to use; a quick first scan should identify any potential threats on your PC, and this all has minimal impact on your system performance. Avast These aren't just subjective opinions, either. Independent testing by AV-Test has found the program to be a good all-rounder, and it was one of AV-Comparative's "Products of 2012". Avast Free has some useful extras, too. A Software Updater alerts you to program updates you've missed, for instance, while its Browser Cleanup tool provides a simple way to remove unwanted add-ons from your browsers.