Updated on: July 24, 2024
Short on time? Here’s the best Kaspersky alternative in 2024:
- 🥇 Norton : A US-based antivirus that’s better than Kaspersky. Norton has an excellent malware engine and a great range of additional tools, including a virtual private network (VPN), a password manager, parental controls, dark web monitoring, and cloud backup.
Kaspersky is a legitimate antivirus, but it has become controversial. This skepticism doesn’t stem from the software or the company’s actions. The doubt surrounding Kaspersky comes solely from the fact that its parent company is based in Russia. The US government has recently announced that sales of Kaspersky must stop, and other Western countries may well follow America’s lead.
For many users, now is the time to look for an alternative to Kaspersky. Whether you’re skeptical of Russian software, or your hand has been forced by the government, you may need to find a new antivirus. Kaspersky is one of the top antiviruses on the market, with many extra features, so former users will doubtless want an antivirus that measures up to Kaspersky. This is a high bar to clear.
Nevertheless, I found 5 great Kaspersky alternatives in 2024. My list only includes products with features comparable to those of Kaspersky, and in some cases, the tools on offer work even better than Kaspersky. The brands I recommend are all based in the US or EU and offer generous free trials or money-back guarantees so that you can try them out risk-free. My top pick, Norton, for example, offers a generous 60-day money-back guarantee.
Quick summary of the best Kaspersky antivirus alternatives:
- 🥇1. Norton — Best overall Kaspersky alternative in 2024 (100% malware detection + based in the US).
- 🥈2. Bitdefender — Most lightweight alternative to Kaspersky with an excellent cloud-based scanner.
- 🥉3. TotalAV — Easy-to-use antivirus with lots of features and apps for every device.
- 4. McAfee — Better web protection + no device limits (best for multi-device households).
- 5. Avira — Better free plan with decent cleanup tools, a VPN, and a password manager.
- Bonus. Intego — Best Kaspersky antivirus alternative for Mac with an advanced firewall.
Editors' Note: Intego and this site are in the same ownership group.
🥇1. Norton — Best Antivirus Alternative to Kaspersky
Norton isn’t only the best Kaspersky alternative — it’s the best antivirus on the market in 2024. Like Kaspersky, Norton provides excellent malware protection, advanced security tools, a wide range of features, and a beginner-friendly user interface. However, unlike Kaspersky, Norton was developed and is based in the US.
Norton has a powerful anti-malware engine that uses machine learning, heuristic analysis, and a massive malware directory to identify all types of malware. I put over 1,000 malware samples onto my PC, including viruses, adware, worms, trojans, and more. Norton’s full system scan detected 100% of this malware. Kaspersky and other top competitors also have excellent detection rates, but Norton’s full scans are the quickest, taking just 40 minutes on my computer.
The real-time protection is great, too. After I turned it on, I tried downloading the same set of malware samples, and Norton instantly blocked my attempts. Kaspersky also has excellent real-time protection, so it’s good to know that if you switch to Norton, you won’t lose this protection. Norton’s webcam protections also work with most cameras, while Kaspersky’s only works with certain hardware — which is overly complicated.
Norton’s other security tools include:
- Firewall.
- Web protection.
- VPN (unlimited data).
- Secure browser.
- Password manager.
- Parental controls.
- Dark web monitoring.
- Cloud backup.
- ID theft protections (US only).
I like how Norton’s VPN comes with unlimited data on all plans. Kaspersky sets a 300 MB daily cap on your data, while Bitdefender only offers unlimited data on its top-tier plan. Norton’s VPN also comes with 256-bit AES encryption, a no-logs policy, a kill switch, and split-tunneling, and it’s a decent choice for streaming. While it’s not as good as the best standalone VPNs, it’s still one of the best antivirus-bundled VPNs around.
As a US-based company, Norton is more practical for most people. However, it is simply the better antivirus. It’s passed more transparency audits, includes top-shelf identity theft protections for US customers, and has a better VPN.
For $29.99 / year*, you can get Norton’s cheapest plan, Antivirus Plus, which covers 1 device (Windows, Mac, Android, or iOS) and includes malware and real-time protection, a firewall, web protections, 2 GB cloud storage, and a password manager.
But Norton 360 Deluxe is my favorite Norton plan. It protects up to 5 devices and adds a privacy monitor, VPN, and parental controls for $49.99 / year*. Norton’s Lifelock plans start at $99.99 / year* and include credit monitoring and identity theft protection, but they’re only available for US customers. All plans come with a 60-day money-back guarantee — twice as long as Kaspersky’s guarantee.
Bottom Line:
Norton is the best alternative to Kaspersky in 2024. It’s based in the US and offers flawless malware detection and excellent extras like a password manager, parental controls, dark web monitoring, and a VPN with unlimited data on all plans. It has cheap plans that are covered by a 60-day money-back guarantee.
🥈2. Bitdefender — Best Kaspersky Alternative With a Lightweight Cloud-Based Scanner
Bitdefender comes with a lightweight antivirus scanner that has perfect malware detection rates — it found all the malware samples I hid on my Windows PC. Like Norton, Bitdefender’s malware engine uses machine learning, advanced heuristics, and an immense malware directory to detect all threats. And because it’s cloud-based, I didn’t experience any slowdown during full system scans.
Other Bitdefender features include:
- Web protection.
- Ransomware remediation.
- Secure web browser.
- Password manager.
- VPN (200 MB/day).
- System optimization.
- Parental controls.
- Webcam protection.
Some of Bitdefender’s features are simply better than Kaspersky’s. For example, Bitdefender’s web protections blocked every phishing site I tried to visit, while Kaspersky missed a few. The optimization tools are also much more streamlined, allowing you to utilize every tool in a single click (the process is more involved with Kaspersky).
Bitdefender has a secure web browser called Safepay, which is similar to Kaspersky’s Safe Money but loads much more quickly. Safepay prevents hackers from accessing your device and stealing personal information during online transactions. I tested this by logging into my Payoneer account — I found I couldn’t copy and paste info or take screenshots while using Safepay. Plus, Safepay has a virtual keyboard, which prevents keyloggers from tracking your keystrokes.
Though it has offices worldwide (including in California), Bitdefender is based in Romania, a member of the European Union. Romania is not an espionage power or member of the 5/9/14 Eyes intelligence sharing group, so Bitdefender is great for users concerned about government meddling.
Bitdefender has several plans to choose from. Its entry-level plan, Antivirus Plus, costs $29.99 / year, covers 3 devices (Windows only), and includes malware protection, anti-phishing protection, a VPN with a 200 MB daily limit, and ransomware protection. If you want to cover multiple operating systems, Total Security is a great choice. It protects up to 5 devices (Windows, macOS, iOS, and Android) and adds parental controls, webcam protection, and a device optimizer for only $49.99 / year. Bitdefender backs all plans with a risk-free 30-day money-back guarantee.
Bottom Line:
Bitdefender has a powerful cloud-based malware engine that can detect any threat on your device. Based in the EU-member state of Romania, it also offers web protection, system optimization, a VPN, a password manager, and identity theft protection — all of which make it an excellent Kaspersky alternative. All plans are backed by a 30-day money-back guarantee.
Read the full Bitdefender review here
🥉3. TotalAV — Beginner-Friendly With Great Internet Security Tools
TotalAV offers a similar level of protection as Kaspersky. In addition to great features, it’s remarkably easy to use. As a UK-based company, TotalAV is a reliable option for Western consumers. It detected 99.6% of threats compared to Kaspersky’s 100%, but the extra features and better design more than make up for this small gap.
In addition to the anti-malware engine, TotalAV comes with:
- Web protection.
- Secure browser.
- Password manager.
- Unlimited-data VPN.
- Optimization tools.
- Identity theft protections.
I really like Total Browser, TotalAV’s secure browser. Unlike Kaspersky’s Safe Money browser, Total Browser comes with an ad blocker that actually works. It has unique features that you don’t see in Safe Money. For example, you’ll be notified whenever you visit a site that’s suffered a data breach in the past. It also has features like anti-phishing protection and a download checker (but there’s no screenshot blocker like with Bitdefender’s secure web browser). Even if you don’t use Safe Browser, TotalAV will block dangerous sites regardless of which app you use.
You also get some handy optimization tools. I was able to speed up my PC’s boot time, and TotalAV detected a similar amount of unnecessary files and registered issues as Kaspersky. But TotalAV’s tune-up tools do some things that Kaspersky simply doesn’t. For one, they can be used to fix issues and remove bloat files from your browser. And unlike Kaspersky, they even include a duplicate file finder and other nifty features on Android and iOS.
The whole process of installing and using TotalAV is simple. The apps all have clean interfaces to the extent that you don’t need any technical knowledge to use them effectively. If you do have any issues, TotalAV offers excellent email support, plus live chat and a helpful knowledge base.
My favorite plan, Total Security, costs $49.00 / year. It includes all of TotalAV’s features and covers up to 8 devices. If you don’t need the ad blocker and password manager, you can get the Internet Security package for $39.00 / year. TotalAV offers 7-day free trials and backs all purchases with a 30-day money-back guarantee.
Bottom Line:
TotalAV is an excellent choice for users moving away from Kaspersky. The apps are intuitively designed and offer great protection paired with all the features you get with Kaspersky, plus a few more. TotalAV is based in the UK and available worldwide. All plans are backed by a 30-day money-back guarantee.
Read the full TotalAV review here
4. McAfee — Great Web Protection + Easy-To-Use Apps
McAfee offers great malware protection and unbeatable web security features. Its antivirus scanner uses machine learning, heuristics, and behavioral detection to detect, isolate, and remove all sorts of threats. Just like Norton, McAfee is based in the US and had a 100% detection rate in my tests. However, unlike with Norton and Bitdefender, my system slowed down when I carried out full system scans with McAfee.
McAfee’s extra features include:
- Firewall.
- Anti-phishing protection.
- Wi-Fi network protection.
- VPN (unlimited with auto-renewal).
- Password manager.
- Performance optimization.
- Parental controls.
- Identity theft protection.
WebAdvisor is McAfee’s browser extension — it’s similar to Kaspersky’s Web Anti-Virus. WebAdvisor blocks exploit attacks, phishing sites, and browser-based cryptojackers. In my tests, it successfully blocked every phishing site and exploit attack. While Kaspersky’s web protection is also really good, it did let a couple of malicious sites through, so McAfee has the edge.
In terms of extra features, McAfee is better than Kaspersky. Both come with a VPN, parental controls, and a password manager, but I found McAfee’s apps to be easier to use and more rich in terms of features. I had no problem watching several different streaming services while using McAfee’s VPN. This wasn’t the case with Kaspersky, which doesn’t even include a VPN on all plans (McAfee does).
McAfee Total Protection Plus costs $39.99 / year and covers unlimited Windows, Android, iOS, macOS, or ChromeOS devices. It provides web protection, a VPN (unlimited data with auto-renewal), a password manager, a file shredder, and identity monitoring. However, my favorite plan is Advanced, which costs $89.99 / year. It also protects an unlimited number of devices (the best Kaspersky plan only comes with 20 licenses) and includes personal data cleanup scans, and the family version of this plan adds parental controls. Every McAfee subscription comes with a 30-day money-back guarantee.
Bottom Line:
McAfee is an excellent US-based Kaspersky alternative with a flawless antivirus scanner and great online security features. Its WebAdvisor browser extension protects you from unsafe websites and other malicious threats, and its firewall is very effective at preventing network intrusions and exploit attacks. McAfee also comes with extras like parental controls, a VPN, and a password manager. All plans are backed by a 30-day money-back guarantee.
Read the full McAfee review here
5. Avira — Excellent Free Plan With Good Cleanup Tools
Avira uses one of the most powerful malware engines on the market. Based in Germany, its anti-malware technology is so good that it’s been licensed to competitors such as TotalAV. Like Kaspersky, Avira’s malware engine is cloud-based, so it doesn’t strain your system.
When I tested Avira, it detected all the sample malware on my computer, and the scan didn’t slow my system down at all. My only problem with Avira’s full scan is that it takes over an hour — Kaspersky’s scans only take about 45 minutes. However, this isn’t a big deal since you can use your computer as normal while Avira is scanning.
I really like Avira’s free plan. Kaspersky’s free plan only offers bare-bones antivirus protection, whereas Avira’s free plan comes with extras such as:
- Safe Shopping browser extension.
- Performance optimization tools.
- VPN (500 MB monthly limit).
- Password manager.
- File shredder.
I particularly like Avira’s PC junk file cleaner, which detects and removes junk files and folders from your PC. It found over 26 GB of junk files on my system. It also has a driver updater, a startup manager, and a duplicate file finder. Kaspersky has all those features but lacks a battery monitor, game booster, and system speed-up tools.
Upgrading to Avira Prime unlocks all features, including web protection, a firewall, an unlimited-data VPN, and advanced optimization tools, for just $59.99 / year. Avira plans come with a 60-day money-back guarantee, while Kaspersky will only offer a refund within the first month.
Bottom Line:
Avira has a powerful cloud-based malware engine and good system optimization tools. The free plan includes a VPN, a password manager, and a Safe Shopping browser extension. Avira’s premium plans are also a good value, and they’re all backed by a 60-day money-back guarantee.
Bonus. Intego — Best Kaspersky Alternative for macOS
Intego is my favorite internet security suite for macOS. Its antivirus scanner — VirusBarrier — has near-perfect malware detection rates. While Kaspersky is based in Russia and geared toward Windows users, Intego is a US-based company offering an excellent range of Mac-specific security tools.
Intego’s full scan took about an hour to scan over 1 million files, but because it uses a file caching system (the same technology Norton uses to skip previously scanned files), subsequent scans took only a few minutes. VirusBarrier also lets you scan external drives or iOS devices you connect to your Mac, making it easy to protect your other devices.
Intego’s features include:
- Advanced firewall.
- Mac optimization and cleaning tools.
- Customizable backup options.
- Parental controls.
I was impressed with Intego’s NetBarrier firewall. It alerts you to incoming and outgoing network connections and gives you the option to allow or block them. It also adjusts settings depending on the network you’re using — home, work, or public Wi-Fi. Kaspersky, on the other hand, only includes a network attack blocker in its Mac version rather than a comprehensive firewall, which is disappointing.
Another stand-out Intego feature is the Washing Machine system optimizer, which scans your Mac for junk files and duplicates and helps you arrange apps and files on your system. After scanning my MacBook for about a minute, Washing Machine discovered over 100 duplicate files. Overall, it’s a great optimization tool, on a similar level to Kaspersky’s system cleanup tools.
Intego has 2 plans — Mac Internet Security X9 and Mac Premium Bundle X9. Priced at $24.99 / year, Mac Internet Security X9 offers malware protection and a firewall. But to access parental controls and optimization tools, you should get Mac Premium Bundle X9, which costs $34.99 / year. Both plans protect up to 5 Mac devices and are covered by a risk-free 30-day money-back guarantee.
Bottom Line:
Intego is an American company that provides excellent malware detection and removal and a range of excellent Mac-specific security features. Its advanced firewall, backup tools, and parental controls are much better than Apple’s built-in features. Intego’s plans come with a 30-day money-back guarantee, so you have plenty of time to test it and see if it’s right for you.
Editors' Note: Intego and this site are in the same ownership group.
Quick Comparison Table
Testing Methodology: Comparison & Ranking Criteria
I considered several factors to determine which antiviruses are the best alternatives for Kaspersky. First, I was guided by our rigorous methodology for testing and rating antiviruses. Then, amongst other things, I compared each antivirus to Kaspersky regarding its effectiveness against malware and extra features. With the issues surrounding Kaspersky, I also looked into the company behind each software.
- I tested each antivirus against a wide range of malware. Kaspersky detected 100% of malware in my tests, so the ideal alternative will offer a similar level of protection. I found several that met this high bar, with every antivirus on this list detecting at least 99.6% of threats.
- I considered the number and quality of extra features. The ideal alternative has just as many bonus features as Kaspersky. This wasn’t easy to do because Kaspersky comes with a VPN, password manager, parental controls, and more. But every antivirus on this list has a comparable number of extra features. As it happens, Norton’s extra features are far better than Kaspersky’s.
- I looked into the company behind each antivirus. Kaspersky has been targeted due to its Russian origins. Anyone looking for an alternative will want an antivirus that isn’t likely to suffer the same scrutiny. Every product on this list is based in the US or EU and is unlikely to be targeted by Western governments. Bitdefender is based in Romania, for example.
- I made sure the products were worth the money. In addition to testing the efficacy of each piece of software, I considered whether they were worth the money. I balanced the quality of each antivirus’s features with its cost. Every product on this list is comparable to Kaspersky when it comes to value for money.
Top Brands That Didn’t Make the Cut
- Trend Micro. Trend Micro’s antivirus scanner is decent, detecting around 97% of the malware samples in our tests, but the brands that made it to this list have better malware detection and removal rates.
- Malwarebytes. Malwarebytes offers great web protection and a VPN with unlimited data. However, I’m not impressed with its 95% malware detection rate. Plus, Malwarebytes doesn’t offer much in the way of additional features.
- Heimdal. Heimdal has a 98% malware detection rate and a couple of useful tools for advanced users, but it’s also somewhat buggy and lacks additional features like a VPN and password manager.
Frequently Asked Questions
What’s the best alternative to Kaspersky?
I recommend Norton as the best overall alternative to Kaspersky. It has a powerful malware engine with a 100% detection rate. What’s more, it’s based in the US and has passed more independent audits than Kaspersky. Norton also provides useful extra features like web protection, a VPN, a password manager, dark web monitoring, parental controls, and identity theft protections (US only).
How secure is Kaspersky?
According to independent audits and third-party tests, Kaspersky is very secure. However, Russia’s war against Ukraine has raised concerns about Kaspersky’s security. Whether because of politics or genuine security threats, countries have started to ban the product, with the US set to stop all sales by the end of 2024. Kaspersky has denied all allegations, and there’s no proof to support any of these suspicions. Nevertheless, Kaspersky announced that they would cease operations in the US. If you live in the US, getting a new subscription is impossible (though you can get 6 months for free if you already have a My Kaspersky account), so you’ll have to check out one of these great antivirus alternatives.
Is Kaspersky owned by Russia?
No, Kaspersky isn’t owned by Russia. Kaspersky was founded in Russia, and its headquarters are in Moscow. Also, Eugene Kaspersky, the current CEO of Kaspersky Lab, worked in The Ministry of Defense of the Russian Federation before co-founding Kaspersky Lab in 1997. However, this doesn’t mean that Kaspersky is a pawn of the Russian government.
Nevertheless, Western governments have started to clamp down on Kaspersky. If you live in the US, you need to find an equally effective alternative. Other countries may well follow suit.
Is Microsoft Defender better than Kaspersky?
No, Microsoft Defender is not better than Kaspersky. Kaspersky has a flawless antivirus engine that detects malware more effectively than Microsoft Defender. Plus, it offers a secure browser, webcam protection, a VPN, and a password manager, all of which Microsoft Defender lacks. It also has better web protection and more advanced parental controls than Microsoft Defender.
Overall, Kaspersky’s excellent features put it more on par with premium antivirus competitors like Norton and Bitdefender.
