Should I use paid or free antivirus software?

I have been asked this question a few times. Should I use free antivirus software that is available for download over the internet or should I fork out a few euro for paid antivirus software?

Essentially the main difference between paid and free antivirus programs is that most paid versions offer multiple updates per day whilst free only offer once a day, and also paid versions often offer other types of protection such as Firewall and antispam.

The answer, I believe, depends on the person and how they use their computer.
For most home users, free antivirus software is sufficient to protect their computer. However if you are one of the following users, then perhaps you should invest in better protection.
- a user that visits torrent sites to download movies or music

- a user that visits adult sites,

- a user that visits sites that provides cracked software

- if there are users in the house that are click crazy and will click on anything that pops up on screen,

If you are running a PC for business purposes it is important to ensure that you have the best protection software and this will require a small investment.

Irrespective of which type of antivirus software you opt for you should go for software that:
- Is not bloated so it will not slow down you computer
- Can be scheduled to scan at particular times
- Will update automatically-ideally several times a day.
- Will scan individual files and folders as well as full disk scans.
- Have good technical support help lines

So where do I find free antivirus programs? A quick google for the following free antivirus programs will allow you to download and start protecting your computer. Avast, AVG, and Avira Anti-Vir.

If you are going to invest in antivirus software I recommend ESET NOD32 or Kaspersky. I have found both products to be light on resources, quick scanning and very effective in keeping computers squeeky clean and virus free. In my opinion McAfee and Norton antivirus products are bloatware and can really slow down a computer without offering much protection.

Whatever you choose to go with, make sure to do some reading of your own to decide on what product is best for your needs. ESET NOD32 antivirus retails at €39.99 and in my opinion is worth the annual investment.