What to keep in mind when choosing your antivirus software.

So, you just got a brand new computer. Or perhaps you are looking because the subscription on your current antivirus is running out. Either way, you are shopping for antivirus software. This blog post will offer some tips on how to make the right choice to protect your investment from malware.

First off, antivirus software does not mean that it only protects against viruses. This is just the most used word to describe it. Most antivirus software these days offers protection from most if not all types of malware. But this is not to say that antivirus software will detect and remove all malware. This is because no piece of software is perfect, no matter how much we attempt to make it perfect.

Tip #1: Remember that the antivirus software you are looking for may be free. Some people purchase the most expensive antivirus software available. The reasoning behind this is that the antivirus software must be good because it is expensive. But in my experience, the antivirus software you need may be free.

Tip #2: Know what you need. This somewhat ties into #1 in that you need to realize what you do or will do on your computer. From this, you would likely pick a more expensive option.  But the most expensive option often includes a lot of stuff that you will never use. This wastes space on your hard drive and might even slow your computer down.

Tip #3: Don't listen when antivirus companies tell you that their antivirus is the best. Everyone will say that they are the best, I am the best anti-malware-blogger on the internet. But without something to back it up, words like these mean nothing.

This is why you should check out independent testing labs that preform tests on antivirus software throughout the year. Two independent testing labs are AV-Test, and Virus Bulletin. You can find test results here:

http://www.av-test.org/en/home/

https://www.virusbtn.com/index

Tip #4: Check to see if the antivirus company you are looking at has actual support. A good antivirus company should have 24/7 support in some way. This can include customer service, a forum, or support by email. This support should also be free. After all, the company you are looking at made the antivirus, they ought to know how to properly fix issues that may come up.

Tip #5: Check reviews of the antivirus software. Even after all is said and done, even after you followed the rest of the tips to the letter, people may have had bad experiences with the software that you might have to watch out for. Although something you should watch for are reviews planted by competitors who want to bring other antivirus software down.

If you have followed all these tips, but still cannot make a choice, ask a geek friend of yours. I'm sure that your friend will be happy to recommend antivirus software to you. And if I am the closest you have to a geek friend, I can help you.

Thanks for reading. I invite readers to comment with any questions or comments.