Updated on: December 9, 2024
Short on time? Here’s the best antivirus with a free trial in 2024:
- 🥇 Norton : Combines 100% malware detection with a wide range of industry-best security tools, including anti-phishing protection, a VPN, parental controls, and much more. All Norton plans are available with a generous 60-day money-back guarantee.
Most top antiviruses offer free trials, but there’s usually a catch. They often limit the tools and protections available until you commit to a plan, so you won’t know if you’ve found the right antivirus until you’ve paid. And then you might discover the antivirus doesn’t fit your needs or offer enough protection.
To save you the trouble of signing up for countless antiviruses, I’ve tested dozens of programs that offer a free trial or risk-free money-back guarantee. I installed each one on my Windows, macOS, Android, and iOS devices and tested every feature and tool, including malware protection, web protection, and extras like built-in VPNs, password managers, parental controls, and much more. I also tested how easy it was to transition to the free or paid version of each antivirus after each trial expires.
While many performed poorly in my tests, I did manage to find some really good brands that you can try 100% risk-free. My #1 pick is Norton 360. It packs a wide range of tools and features into a simple, easy-to-use interface, with different price plans to fit every budget. It also comes with a generous 60-day money-back guarantee, which gives you 2 months to try it and see if it works for you.
Try Norton (60 Days Risk-Free)
Quick Summary of the Best Antiviruses With Free Trials
Editors' Note: Intego and this site are in the same ownership group.
🥇 1. Norton — Best Overall Antivirus With an Extended Money-Back Guarantee
Norton is my top-rated antivirus for 2024 — it had perfect malware detection rates during my trial, it comes with a ton of useful features, and provides intuitive apps for all major platforms. It regularly offers free (usually week-long) trials, and it has a generous 60-day money-back guarantee — that’s twice as long as most antiviruses offer!
Norton’s malware scanner is able to identify, block, and remove all types of malware, from simple viruses to advanced threats like ransomware. The scanner, which uses a comprehensive malware database along with machine learning, is pretty fast, taking around 40 minutes to scan an entire system. It causes no noticeable slowdown during full system scans (so you can continue using your device normally while running scans).
Norton also comes with:
- Firewall.
- Web protection.
- VPN with unlimited data.
- Password manager.
- Privacy protection.
- Parental controls.
- Secure browser.
- Dark web monitoring.
- Cloud storage.
I really like Norton’s Smart Firewall — it doesn’t just offer significant improvements over Windows or macOS’s built-in firewalls, but it also lets you set rules for how every program on your device is protected, depending on its importance or type. While leaving the settings on default works for most people, advanced users will enjoy the opportunity to tweak them.
For remote workers, Norton’s Smart Firewall is invaluable. It proactively monitors network traffic to block unauthorized access, keeping sensitive work data safe. Combined with Norton’s Wi-Fi Security feature, which scans networks for vulnerabilities, and its VPN with unlimited data, remote workers can confidently use public Wi-Fi without risking exposure to cyber threats. Features like dark web monitoring and cloud backup (50 GB on 360 Deluxe) ensure critical data remains secure and recoverable in case of an incident.
Norton’s built-in password manager — while not as comprehensive as dedicated password managers like 1Password — is by far the best on this list. It makes it easy to generate, save, and auto-fill passwords. Unlike many antivirus-bundled password managers, it lets you monitor the strength of your passwords and automatically update weak passwords across compatible sites from within its app. Plus, it’s free to use even after the antivirus trial ends.
Norton has several plans to choose from. After your trial expires, you’ll be automatically charged for the plan you were testing (unless you cancel, of course). In my opinion, Norton 360 Deluxe is the best-value plan for most users. It includes all of Norton’s features and covers up to 5 devices for $49.99 / year*. US users can also get the Norton 360 LifeLock plans, which start at $99.99 / year* and add excellent identity theft protection tools.
Bottom Line:
Norton is my favorite antivirus in 2024. It had perfect malware detection rates during my free trial, and I could access a ton of features, including a highly customizable firewall, a VPN with unlimited data, a full-featured password manager, and excellent dark web monitoring. It often offers free trials, and there’s a 60-day money-back guarantee which gives you plenty of time to decide if Norton is right for you.
🥈2. Bitdefender — Tons of Features + 30-Day Free Trial
Bitdefender is one of the most comprehensive internet security packages on the market — and it comes with a 30-day free trial period AND a 30-day money-back guarantee on all of its plans, which is more than enough time to thoroughly test all of its features.
No credit card is required for Bitdefender’s free trial — just a name, email, and password to register for an account. Once registered, select your desired product and download the full-featured trial, identical to the paid version. In the final week of the trial, Bitdefender sends a reminder email, often with a discounted subscription offer. If you don’t subscribe, the software transitions to the free version automatically.
Like Norton, Bitdefender uses a massive malware directory and machine learning to detect both known and zero-day threats. Its cloud-based malware scanner ensures minimal system impact, whether you’re working or gaming. Bitdefender’s Game, Movie, and Work Modes automatically detect activity and optimize system resources by pausing notifications and delaying scans, providing a smooth, uninterrupted experience. In my tests, Bitdefender caught all malware samples and ran silently in the background, allowing me to stream videos and play games without any noticeable performance issues.
Bitdefender also has multi-layered ransomware protection, which prevents hackers from encrypting your files during attacks. In my tests, its real-time protection blocked every simulated ransomware attempt before any files were encrypted.
Bitdefender also has:
- Firewall with stealth mode.
- VPN (200 MB/day/device; unlimited only on Premium Security).
- Password manager.
- System cleanup and optimizer.
- Parental controls.
- Webcam and microphone protection.
- Anti-theft protection (Windows and Android).
- Safepay secure browser.
Bitdefender’s VPN is one of the best antivirus-bundled VPNs around, with speeds that are comparable to the top standalone VPNs. During my tests, it maintained fast speeds and worked with popular streaming services. However, only the Premium Security plan includes unlimited data — other plans limit you to 200 MB/day, which is barely enough for basic browsing. In contrast, Norton offers unlimited VPN data on all 360 plans.
Bitdefender’s Antivirus Plus plan covers 3 Windows devices for $24.99 / year, whereas Total Security adds coverage for up to 5 devices for $40.99 / year. Each plan also includes a 90-day free trial of Bitdefender’s password manager. However, after 90 days, you have to pay an extra fee to continue using the password manager, and I think you’re better off with a dedicated password manager like 1Password or Dashlane. Upgrading to Bitdefender Premium Security, which costs $63.99 / year, gets you a VPN with unlimited data, the full-featured password manager, and coverage for 10 Windows, macOS, Android, or iOS devices.
Bottom Line:
Bitdefender is one of the most comprehensive antiviruses on the market, and it comes with a 30-day free trial and 30-day money-back guarantee. It has a cloud-based scanner that is able to identify all types of malware without slowing down your device. It also offers multi-layered ransomware protection, a secure browser for online banking and shopping, and one of the fastest antivirus-bundled VPNs on the market. There are several plans to choose from, but my favorite is Premium Security, which includes all of Bitdefender’s features without any limitations for up to 10 devices.
Read the full Bitdefender review >
🥉 3. TotalAV — Easy-to-Use Antivirus With a Decent Free Plan
TotalAV is one of the most intuitive (if not the most intuitive) antiviruses I’ve ever tested. Its dashboard is super easy to navigate, and all of the features are easy to find and use, so I’m confident that even beginner or non-tech-savvy users will have no issues running scans and accessing and tweaking all of its additional protections.
TotalAV offers a 7-day free trial of most of its premium features, after which you’ll still be able to use its limited free version (which is actually one of the best free antiviruses for Windows). That said, some premium features are locked behind upsell prompts, which can be irritating to deal with.
Like Bitdefender, TotalAV’s malware scanner is also cloud-based, but TotalAV missed a couple of malware samples during testing that Bitdefender caught, scoring a 99.6% detection rate (this is still excellent and way better than most antiviruses).
TotalAV’s real-time protection is excellent. I tried to download a bunch of malicious programs and files during my trial period, including roughly 500 different virus samples, and TotalAV identified all of the threats before they could do any damage to my test device.
TotalAV also comes with:
- Anti-phishing tools.
- VPN with unlimited data.
- Windows and Mac system cleaner.
- Password manager.
- Identity theft protection (US only).
TotalAV has the best antivirus and VPN bundle in 2024. During my tests, it delivered fast speeds with minimal slowdown, worked seamlessly with Netflix and Disney+, and supported torrenting on all servers — unlike Norton’s VPN, which restricts torrenting to a few servers.
The password manager, Total Password, fulfills all the basic functions most users need, including generating complex passwords, saving them all in a private virtual vault, and auto-filling them on appropriate websites. It also offers 2FA and a cool remote logout function called Secure Me. However, it doesn’t quite compare with the best standalone password managers.
TotalAV has a Free Antivirus plan that only includes the antivirus scanner (but no real-time protection) and some anti-phishing tools for 1 device. This is the version TotalAV will revert to once your free trial has expired. Its paid plans start with the Antivirus Pro package, which adds real-time protection, an ad blocker, and coverage for 5 devices for $19.00 / year. Its Internet Security package costs a little extra, $39.00 / year, but it covers 6 devices and includes the VPN with unlimited data. Finally, the Total Security package adds the password manager and coverage for 8 devices for $49.00 / year.
Bottom Line:
TotalAV is an easy-to-use antivirus with a decent free plan and a 30-day money-back guarantee on paid plans. It performed near perfectly in my malware tests, it has the best antivirus-bundled VPN on the market, and it comes with other extras like a password manager and system optimization tools.
Read the full TotalAV review >
4. McAfee — Full-Featured Antivirus With a 30-Day Free Trial
McAfee is a powerful antivirus with a wide range of advanced features — on top of excellent malware protection, it offers anti-phishing protection, an unlimited-data VPN, a tracker remover, identity monitoring, a password manager, parental controls, and more.
You can try McAfee with a 30-day free trial, and there’s also a 30-day money-back guarantee on all of its plans. I really like that the free trial comes with all of the premium features for up to 5 devices — it even includes advanced features like identity monitoring. However, unlike Bitdefender’s no-strings-attached trial, you’ll need to set up an account with McAfee and provide your payment information when signing up.
McAfee is also a great choice for families, as most of its plans offer unlimited device coverage — perfect for households with multiple phones, tablets, and PCs. The Premium family plan also includes parental controls, making it easy to monitor and protect children’s online activities across all devices.
McAfee detected 100% of malware in my tests, including viruses, spyware, trojans, rootkits, and more. Unfortunately, it slowed down my PC during full system scans, but you can always schedule your scans to happen when you don’t need your computer (although it’s worth noting that Norton and Bitdefender didn’t slow down my device at all). 
McAfee’s web protection is excellent. Its WebAdvisor tool (available for Chrome, Firefox, Edge, Explorer, and Safari) blocks phishing sites, analyzes websites for exploit attacks, and flags suspicious links in search results and on social media. In my tests, it blocked every phishing site and exploit attempt. Plus, it’s free to use even if you don’t subscribe after your trial.
McAfee’s Safe Connect VPN is good — it’s powered by TunnelBear and offers servers in 45+ countries, fast speeds, a strict no-logs policy, military-grade encryption, and a kill switch. However, it doesn’t reliably work with all streaming services, and unlimited data requires turning on auto-renewal — without it, you’re limited to 500 MB/month, which isn’t enough for even a 30-minute HD show.
McAfee’s password manager is easy to use and performs basic password management and auto-fill well. It uses 256-bit AES encryption and zero-knowledge architecture to keep your data secure, and you can store credit cards and documents. However, it lacks the advanced features found in top standalone password managers in 2024.
McAfee’s Total Protection plans offer a great value. The Essential plan covers 5 devices and comes with antivirus protection, web protection, a password manager, and the VPN for $39.99 / year. The Premium family plan adds parental controls, identity theft monitoring, and coverage for unlimited devices for $49.99 / year, while the Advanced plan offers credit monitoring and up to $2 million in identity theft coverage for $89.99 / year.
Bottom Line:
McAfee offers robust antivirus protection and a variety of advanced features, all of which you can test with a 30-day free trial. During my free trial, it had perfect malware detection rates in line with its top competitors, but the scanner can slow down your PC’s performance. That said, McAfee offers some great extra features like a fast VPN, a user-friendly password manager, and parental controls. McAfee’s Total Protection plans cater to individual and family needs, are reasonably priced, and are covered by a 30-day free trial and a 30-day money-back guarantee.
5. Intego — Best Antivirus for Mac Users With a 14-Day Free Trial
Intego is easily the best antivirus for macOS on the market. It was built from the ground up to improve Apple’s native security features and includes the best range of features for Mac of any antivirus out there. Like Norton and Bitdefender, it scored a 100% perfect malware detection rate in all my tests.
The 14-day free trial lets you test most features before committing, and all subscriptions come with a 30-day money-back guarantee. I recommend selecting the Mac Premium Bundle X9 to explore most of Intego’s features. Windows users can also try a 7-day free trial.
Intego comes with a purpose-built Mac firewall (NetBarrier) that builds upon Apple’s built-in version. It’s surprisingly simple to navigate and has tons of customization options. I like how it automatically detects what kind of network you’re using (e.g., home, work) and changes its security settings accordingly.
Intego also provides:
- Parental controls.
- Advanced Mac backup options.
- Washing Machine system optimizer.
- And more…
The Washing Machine system optimizer tools are great additions to make sure your macOS devices are running as efficiently as possible. And the Personal Backup cloud storage feature provides more personalized options to back up your files.
While Intego may be the best antivirus for Mac, it does have a few issues. Its VPN is only available on a separate subscription, and there’s no password manager. There’s also no standalone iOS app – but you can plug your iPhone or iPad into your MacBook to scan for viruses and malware.
There are 3 Intego Mac packages to choose from. The Mac Internet Security plan covers 1 device (can be increased up to 5) and includes real-time protection and a firewall for $19.99 / year. Mac Security and Performance ($26.99 / year) offers the same features, plus the system-optimization tools. However, I think the Mac Premium Bundle X9 offers a much better value, as it includes all of Intego’s features and coverage for up to 5 devices for just $34.99 / year.
Bottom Line:
Intego is the best macOS antivirus out there, with excellent features that build on Apple’s native security, and it’s available with a 14-day (for macOS) or 7-day (for Windows) free trial and 30-day money-back guarantee. Its scanner detects 100% of malware, and it also comes with an advanced firewall and excellent optimization tools to improve your device’s performance. Intego covers up to 5 devices, and while it’s not available on mobile, you can connect your iOS device to your Mac and scan them via its VirusBarrier tools.
Editors' Note: Intego and this site are in the same ownership group.
6. Panda Dome — Flexible Plans With Unique Features
Panda offers a good malware scanner, plus extras like cleanup tools and a VPN. Its flexible pricing — including a 100% free plan — makes it a great budget option, and the 30-day trial allows you to thoroughly test all of its features before purchasing a subscription (which comes with a 30-day money-back guarantee). Strangely, Panda Dome’s trials are available both with and without providing your credit card info — it just depends on what button you click on the website. I’m not sure why Panda Dome offers both options.
Panda’s antivirus scanner detected 95% of malware on my test devices. This is a pretty good result, but brands like Norton and Bitdefender had perfect 100% detection rates in my tests. In addition, while Panda’s quick scan only took about 5 minutes to complete, which is on par with top competitors, its full system scan took up to 8 hours! Norton, on the other hand, takes roughly 1 hour for a similarly comprehensive full scan.
Panda also offers a cloud-based scanner for Windows called Cloud Cleaner, which is much quicker (the scan took less than an hour during testing) and is available as a separate free download. However, while I appreciate that Panda offers a separate cloud-based scanner, I’d like to see it included within its main antivirus engine.
Panda also offers:
- Parental controls.
- Anti-theft tools.
- Password generator.
- Dark web scanner.
- System optimization tools (CleanUp).
Panda offers a VPN, too, but I’m not a big fan. The Premium plan (the most expensive option) is the only one that offers unlimited data. On every other plan, you only get 150 MB/day – barely enough to browse, let alone stream or download anything. Worse still, the VPN lacks some really basic security features, like a kill switch, and it doesn’t let you pick your server.
My favorite Panda plan is the Complete package, which gives you access to the Windows firewall, real-time protection on Mac and Android, parental control on Windows, anti-theft protection, and cleanup tools for $40.50 / year.
Bottom Line:
Panda offers highly customizable plans that range from a simple free malware scanner to a full-featured antivirus package that includes a ton of extras, including a VPN, password generator, and parental controls. It also has a 30-day money-back guarantee and a 30-day free trial.
7. Avira — Good Antivirus With a Fully-Free Plan
Avira offers a 30-day free trial of all of its home solutions — no credit card required. All you need to do is pick the package you want to test, enter your email address, and Avira will send you the installation link that you can use to protect up to 5 devices. Once the trial has expired, you don’t need to do anything to cancel your subscription. If you want to buy the product, the premium packages are all covered by a generous 60-day money-back guarantee.
Throughout my tests, Avira’s cloud-based scanner picked up on 100% of my malware samples. In fact, Avira’s scanner is so good that it licenses the software to many competitors, including TotalAV. It also goes further than just scanning for viruses and similar issues. The Smart Scan feature scans your devices for out-of-date software, privacy settings that might be exposing you, performance issues, and much more.
Avira’s also has a free plan that comes with:
- Password manager (limited).
- VPN (limited to 500 MB per month).
- Device optimization tools (limited).
A highlight in my tests was Avira’s password manager. It’s one of the best antivirus and password manager bundles, only beaten by Norton and Bitdefender. It’s easy to use, syncs across multiple devices, and includes essential tools like a password generator, two-factor authentication, and biometric mobile login. Upgrading to the premium version of the password manager brings password security auditing and data breach monitoring.
During my free trial, I also got to test Avira’s Phantom VPN, and I can say that it worked pretty well in terms of security and privacy (I experienced no DNS leaks, and the one time the VPN got disconnected, the kill switch instantly severed my connection to the internet). On the other hand, it only provides limited access to streaming platforms.
Avira’s free plan is pretty good, but upgrading to Avira Prime gets you all of Avira’s features, including advanced device optimization and a premium VPN with unlimited data. Avira Prime covers up to 5 devices across all operating systems and costs $59.99 / year.
Bottom Line:
Avira has a really good free plan, 30-day trials of its premium products, and a generous 60-day money-back guarantee. The free plan comes with real-time malware protection and limited versions of Avira’s password manager, VPN, and device optimization tools. Upgrading to Avira Prime unlocks all of Avira’s features and provides coverage for up to 5 devices.
8. Kaspersky — Good Parental Controls + 30-Day Free Trial
Kaspersky is an excellent choice for families: it has perfect malware detection rates, some of the best parental controls on the market, and provides coverage on up to 20 devices. It also offers 30-day free trials of all of its paid plans and a 30-day money-back guarantee. All you need to do to use the free trial is create a Kaspersky account. The trials will give you full access to all features available on the specific plan, which is great.
Kaspersky’s Safe Kids parental controls include all industry-standard tools such as usage limits, website and app filtering, location tracking, and activity reports, as well as extras like YouTube and social media monitoring. The parental controls can’t be bypassed with a VPN, and they come with uninstall protection, so there’s no way for your child to delete the app from their devices.
Kaspersky’s other top features include:
- System cleanup tools.
- Secure browser.
- Password manager.
- VPN.
- And much more…
Some of Kaspersky’s other features are a bit lackluster. For example, Backup and Restore lets you backup files to Dropbox or another cloud service. But as Dropbox only offers 2 GB of free storage, this feature doesn’t add much value. In contrast, Norton offers up to 500 GB on certain plans, and you don’t need to subscribe to another service.
After your trial, you can continue using the free version of Kaspersky or buy one of the 3 plans (Standard, Plus, or Premium). To continue using Kaspersky Free, just follow the Kaspersky Free Migration Wizard. To pick a paid plan, click the Renew license button. You can try any of the 3 plans on a 30-day free trial, but if you need to protect multiple devices with different operating systems and want to keep your kids safe online, I recommend Kaspersky Premium. It offers all the above features on up to 20 devices, comes with a 30-day money-back guarantee, and costs $38.99 / year.
Note that, due to regulatory restrictions, Kaspersky cannot be sold in the US.
Bottom Line:
Kaspersky offers excellent malware detection and robust parental controls. It’s compatible with all major operating systems and covers up to 20 devices. I like that it comes with a 30-day money-back guarantee and a 30-day free trial period, so you’ve got plenty of time to try out all of its features before committing to a subscription.
Read the full Kaspersky review >
Quick Comparison Table
Editors' Note: Intego and this site are in the same ownership group.
Testing Methodology: Comparison & Ranking Criteria
To help you get the best out of free antivirus trials, I used our testing methodology. In particular:
- I looked for a generous free trial period, risk-free money-back guarantee, and/or free plans. I only included antiviruses that let you test them out without committing to a long-term plan. Most offer a 30-day trial, they all include money-back guarantee periods, and a couple of them have free plans, such as Avira and TotalAV.
- I looked for a free trial that has minimal or no restrictions. The antiviruses on my list provide complete access to their malware protection functions, but the superior ones (like Bitdefender and McAfee) give full access to all of their features.
- I selected products with web protection. Without web protection, your antivirus won’t protect you from malicious websites that contain phishing scams or other malware. Look for extra features like Bitdefender’s Safepay browser, which can significantly enhance your security during online shopping or banking.
- I assessed the extra features. The best antiviruses don’t just offer malware detection and anti-phishing tools. They keep you safe by providing a suite of additional security and privacy features, including VPNs, password managers, parental controls, dark web monitoring, and much more.
- I checked compatibility. Check that the antivirus you select is compatible with all your devices (Android, iOS, Windows, etc.) and can protect multiple devices under one plan. Certain antiviruses, like McAfee, offer protection for an unlimited number of devices.
Top Brands That Didn’t Make the Cut
- Malwarebytes. Malwarebytes has a 14-day free trial and a 60-day money-back guarantee, but its malware detection rate is lower than the brands on this list and it also lacks many security and privacy features I consider essential to any antivirus, such as a firewall, parental controls, or a password manager. Also, the free trial is only available on Windows devices.
- PC Matic. PC Matic offers decent antivirus protection and a 30-day money-back guarantee, but it’s missing quite a few extra features I want to see in a premium antivirus, like a VPN or password manager.
- MacKeeper. MacKeeper is a decent antivirus for Macs, but it’s not nearly as good as Intego. What’s more, it doesn’t offer a free trial, its money-back guarantee period lasts for just 2 weeks, and the free version is extremely limited.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is included in antivirus free trials?
Most antivirus free trials include all of the features of the full premium version. With the best antivirus free trials, like Bitdefender’s, you get access to everything from its malware scanner and anti-phishing features to its VPN, password manager, system optimization tools, and more. This allows you to really test all of its features and make sure it works for you before committing.
Which antivirus has free trials without credit card?
There are several great antiviruses that you can use on a free-trial basis without providing your credit card details. For example, Bitdefender, Panda Dome, Avira, and Kaspersky will all give you a chance to test their products for an extended period (30 or 60 days), while only requiring your email address to send you the installation link. This is convenient because you don’t have to worry about forgetting to cancel your trial and getting charged if you don’t want to continue using the product.
Why pick a premium antivirus over a free one?
Premium antiviruses, like Norton or Bitdefender, offer considerably more tools and features for detecting threats, keeping your data safe, and cleaning up your devices.
A free antivirus might still give you decent security, and the best free plans from premium providers offer some useful features. But there are always some shortcomings. For example, free antiviruses can often have annoying limitations, lack standard features, and constantly prompt you to pay to unlock more.
For those reasons, I’d recommend trying a premium antivirus that offers a free trial or money-back guarantee, like Norton or Bitdefender.
Will an antivirus with a free trial remove existing viruses?
Yes! If you are already dealing with viruses on your device, you can use a free trial period to remove these viruses and keep your device healthy.
A full system scan like the one offered by Norton will scan through all the files, apps, and software on your device and look for viruses. I’d recommend regularly scanning your devices, even after you’ve removed any malware.
