Top Five Free Anti-Virus Programs in 2014

Anti-Virus programs have evolved quite a bit over the past few years, four hour scans are now a thing of the past, and real-time protection is the industry norm. This is great for users, but not so exciting for virus developers -- but who cares about those guys anyways. Here you'll find the five best Anti-Virus programs that you can get absolutely free! Oh, and best of all, you can get each one of these right here at Download3k.

# 5 - Microsoft Security Essentials

If you're using Windows, you'll have easy access to this Anti-Virus provided by Microsoft. Microsoft has definitely come a long way in the security department, and most users can get by with just this security essential suite. The nice thing about using a Microsoft product, is that you know it's going to work flawlessly with Windows, as they're developed by the same company. You're given a pretty clean interface that is easy to work with, and the protection is very good.

One issue that some users have with Microsoft Security Essentials, is that it can have an impact on your computer's performance depending on your hardware. This isn't the end of the world, but if you have low specs, you may want to consider some of the other options on this list.

# 4 - Avira Free Antivirus

Avira is most definitely a fantastic choice for an AV program in any situation. One of the things I really enjoyed about Avira, is how everything was categorized to where I could find exactly what I was looking for, right when I needed it. There's four protection categories: PC, Internet, Child, and Mobile. Each of these has a couple different sub-categories to further the organization. You'll also have access to a really useful Administration category, where you can schedule scans, view detailed reporting, and manage your quarantine.

Honestly, this is the best choice for anyone who wants a very simple AV, that doesn't require a whole lot of customizing to make it work the way you want it to. That doesn't mean it sacrifices any security by doing so, Avira is still one of the most powerful and secure options available.

# 3 - AVG AntiVirus Free 2014

One of the first completely free Anti-Virus suites was developed by AVG, so we can partially thank them for setting the stage for more companies to develop free AV solutions as well. Since AVG has been in the free market for so long, it's no wonder they've continued to see success with this specific program, which is updated regularly. Unfortunately, AVG just isn't what it used to be, and there's a couple better options now available that you'll read about in a moment. However, they are definitely still a contender, and I know a lot of people are used to AVG -- if that's the case, you should continue using it because it really is good.

Overall, AVG just needs some fine-tuning to reclaim it's crown as king of the Free Anti-Virus market.

# 2 - Ad-Aware Free Antivirus

Lavasoft has been in the computer security scene for a very long time, and it's obvious how experience they are by how powerful this Antivirus suite is. With Ad-Aware, you'll have protection against all types of adware, malware, and viruses. Browsing, e-mail, networking, and even your banking is highly secured behind this wall of protection. There's even a useful "Gaming Mode" that will ensure you don't run into any annoyances from your Antivirus while trying to play video games in full screen.

You really can't go wrong when you bundle Real-time protection against viruses and spyware with an inviting interface that is intelligently organized.

# 1 - Avast Free Antivirus 2014

I personally use Avast as my main Antivirus, so I may be a bit biased, but I only use it because I truly feel that it's the best solution. Avast offers a few different scanning options, such as the Quick Scan, Full Scan, Specific Folder Scan, Boot Scan, and even a Removeable Drive Scan. Options are great to have with any Anti Virus, and Avast is full of them, everything from scanning to the real-time protection can be tweaked and customized so you're never inconvenienced.

For anyone torn on deciding which AV they want to use, just give Avast a try, you'll see firsthand how easy to use and convenient it is to have around. Of course, any one of these five options is going to be a great choice, so pick the one that you think will work best in your situation.