Versions of antivirus software are gaining increasingly comprehensive protection features, aimed at operating systems such as Windows 10 and MacOS. As a result, the thinking is growing that paying for an antivirus service is no longer a necessity. However, the decision should not be based on the features that a free version offers, but rather on how a person interacts with the online world and how much they stand to lose if their computer is hacked.
That's why we've decided to list some of the main advantages of paying for an antivirus.
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This is perhaps the most important argument. The threats from online fraudsters and hackers today go far beyond viruses and malware. Unlike most free antivirus software, paid solutions tend to offer a complete set of tools and features in one package, with a much wider range of protection. These add-ons usually include anti-phishing, VPN, anti-ransonware, online banking security and password managers. There are programs for each of these functions, but having them all bundled on the same platform makes security management easier.
On-call support
If you have a problem with a free solution, you'll be at the mercy of FAQ pages or user forums to find a solution. This is because free antivirus rarely includes technical or telephone support, while with paid options this is standard. In a situation where you are the victim of a ransomware attack, the delay in response can be disastrous. This risk drops considerably if there is a support team on hand.
Best cover for companies
Ensuring the security of your personal laptop, used for Netflix and social networks, is quite different from protecting the machine you use for work and business. The threats and needs are different in each case. So if you're running a company, no matter how big or small, where more than one computer is used for business, you need to consider varying levels of security. And only the paid version of an antivirus will have the necessary coverage for an efficient protection system.
Management
The paid antivirus will provide centralized management of all the company's devices, including servers, workstations and mobile devices, such as cell phones and tablets. This gives you visibility of the company's risk scenario, which speeds up action if necessary. Whereas the free program is a one-off, designed for the personal machine you have at home, without a complete dashboard for company IT to manage protection.
Email protection
Email continues to be one of the preferred routes for fraudsters who want to steal data using viruses and Trojans. All it takes is an accidental click on an image or seemingly harmless links. Premium antivirus will automatically scan incoming messages and attachments, alerting you to suspicious files and potential threats.
More efficiency
Antivirus software used to have a bad reputation (well-deserved, by the way) for taking up too many resources on the machines they ran on. Today, premium solutions have a much smaller impact on the system, running in the background with minimal impact on computer performance. And they are generally much more efficient than the free alternatives.
Protection for the family
The internet, unfortunately, is not a place that children can safely explore on their own. For this reason, antivirus programs usually have some kind of parental control functionality in the software. The paid version will probably provide you with a license to run the program on several machines, unlike free alternatives, which means you can protect the whole family's computers with just one payment.
By: Leonardo Camata