Advice Request Best Antivirus for my Family

Please provide comments and solutions that are helpful to the author of this topic.
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Jonny Quest said:
It sounds like Kaspersky is off the table, too ;) :)
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The choice is between McAfee and Trend Micro most likely. McAfee has better and more modern architecture with very little kernel presence (just ELAM driver and mini filter) — McAfee is less likely to cause issues. Trend Micro on mobile devices (sadly not on Windows in the home version) can block all untested websites.

Anyway, the McAfee web protection is efficient (even more so than Trend).
 
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Trident said:
The choice is between McAfee and Trend Micro most likely. McAfee has better and more modern architecture with very little kernel presence (just ELAM driver and mini filter) — McAfee is less likely to cause issues. Trend Micro on mobile devices (sadly not on Windows in the home version) can block all untested websites.

Anyway, the McAfee web protection is efficient (even more so than Trend).
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Depending on what further happens with F-Secure, I would seriously consider McAfee.
 
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If you got more than 5 devices, I would say McAfee is the choice as they got offer for unlimited devices. You can't go wrong with both TM and McAfee thou.

Another feature to consider since you said those are family members is some sort of remote management or visibility. Something like AVG Zen or something similar that you can login and see the malicious alerts of your users. I believe you will be the tech guy so it's better to be alerted in advance in case the AV sees something suspicious.
 
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If the choice is between McAfee and trend micro now, atleast on mobile devices you can set up trend micros web filtering to maximium and it blocks very effective, but of course it will have some false positives.

If the mobile version of trend web filter is on so called ''normal'' its worse than McAfees web filter

And pretty much if you check MalwareTips tests done, mcafee is winner of malware protection compared to trend micro

So personally i would go with McAfee , its improving constantly...even the new android version just got updated lately.

All kaspersky, mcafee and trend micro are my current favorites, sophos i tried lately but did not interested about it that much..
 
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KnownStormChaser said:
I won't be using windows defender for them. I need something that works on all devices and that has better web protection than only in Edge.
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Hard_Configurator (H_C) and other tools (except for ConfigureDefender) work with other AVs as well. You probably will not find a better free solution for a family (although there are a few free alternative solutions).
But, such hardening requires some knowledge about Windows and some administrative skills. I do not recommend using H_C on the family computers if you do not use it on your computer.

All AVs recommended here are OK. For web protection, you can consider NextDNS (requires a free or paid account) or the Osprey extension.
NextDNS has an advantage over other free web filtering solutions with DNS over HTTPS - it uses some advanced features like AI and blocking newly registered domains (other similar solutions allow such features in paid versions). NextDNS has a limit of 300000 filtered events per account in one month, which is enough for most people.
 
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Andy Ful said:
Hard_Configurator (H_C) and other tools (except for ConfigureDefender) work with other AVs as well.
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Yes thanks again I'm using it alongside ESET.
Andy Ful said:
NextDNS has a limit of 300000 filtered events per account in one month, which is enough for most people.
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How can I configure it on my desktop? I'm using broadband connection. Should I configure it in browser settings or ethernet settings? I've free NextDNS account.
 
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anirbandutta01 said:
Yes thanks again I'm using it alongside ESET.

How can I configure it on my desktop? I'm using broadband connection. Should I configure it in browser settings or ethernet settings? I've free NextDNS account.
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As far as I know, to check your filter events, you need to log into your created NextDNS account, it's the Analytics tab that shows you your amount of queries at that point in your 30 day allotment for the free version.
 
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anirbandutta01 said:
Should I configure it in browser settings or ethernet settings
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In the browser settings; modem router settings would not fit if your ISP is using dynamic IP for you like mine.
Log in your NextDNS account and get the address next to this field:
Screenshot_31-7-2025_193624_my.nextdns.io.jpeg

The in Edge settings, paste this address in the field below this one, after selecting it.
Screenshot_31-7-2025_193751_settings.jpeg
 
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Trident said:
I’ve already started deploying McAfee on all family devices, effectively replacing Trend Micro. Trend Micro is another contender.

I obviously use Check Point on my devices.

My advice when installing security software for family, look for the options that are easiest to use. Pay particular attention to alerts and ensure the security software doesn’t make “a big deal “ out of things. Make sure the software respects the performance of the device.

Any problems — you will deal with them. So make sure there aren’t such.
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@Trident almost a sidenote, my wife has iMac, use Nothing, McAfee, TrendMicro, Malwarebytes, or something else... I had a very bad experience ages ago, and reluctant to put any 3d-party AV on macOS.
 
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monkeylove said:
Tell your Pop not to look up "eyes nations". Otherwise, he'll probably not be using lots of software from different countries.
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The two recommended software programs from the forum lately are compliant with U.S. policies.

Trend Micro has a global presence with headquarters in multiple locations:

* Global Headquarters: Trend Micro's world headquarters is in Tokyo, Japan.

* Americas Headquarters: The company's Americas headquarters is in Irving, Texas, United States.

* Global R&D Headquarters: Its global research and development is headquartered in Taipei, Taiwan.

Due to its global operations, Trend Micro must adhere to the laws of every country in which it does business. However, it is particularly subject to the following regulations and legal frameworks:

* Japanese Law: As a Japanese company, Trend Micro must comply with the laws of Japan.

* U.S. Law: Due to its significant presence and Americas headquarters in the United States, the company is subject to U.S. laws, including export control regulations. This means it cannot export its products or services to countries embargoed by the U.S. government.

* Global Data Privacy Laws: Trend Micro, like other multinational technology companies, is committed to complying with a wide range of global data protection and privacy regulations, such as the General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR) in the European Union.

* Industry Standards: The company also adheres to various international standards and certifications for information security management, such as ISO 27001.

McAfee's corporate headquarters is located in San Jose, California, in the United States.
As a company with global operations, McAfee must adhere to the laws and regulations of the countries where it does business. However, due to its U.S. base, it is particularly subject to U.S. export rules and restrictions. This means that McAfee cannot provide its software or services to countries that are under U.S. export restrictions or are on a list of prohibited entities. These countries include, but may not be limited to, Cuba, Iran, North Korea, Sudan, Syria, and certain regions of Ukraine, Russia, and Belarus.
Furthermore, McAfee, like many international companies, must also comply with various international standards and frameworks related to data privacy and security, such as ISO 27001 and ISO 27701. The company also has specific privacy policies and data transfer procedures for regions like the European Economic Area (EEA), Japan, Argentina, and Canada.
 
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anirbandutta01 said:
How can I configure it on my desktop? I'm using broadband connection. Should I configure it in browser settings or ethernet settings? I've free NextDNS account.
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You might use rather system-wide protection by NextDNS Official Desktop App: Windows
  1. Install our official app → https://nextdns.io/download/windows/stable.
  2. After installing, right-click on NextDNS icon in the Systray then open the Settings.
  3. Set your configuration ID as Configuration ID.
  4. Right-click on NextDNS icon in the Systray, then click on Enable.
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Or you can setup manually in Windows 11 - Network Settings like that guide:
DNS over HTTPS

Windows 11
  1. Open the Settings app.
  2. Go to Network & internet.
  3. Click on Wi-Fi (or Ethernet).
  4. Click on Hardware properties, or ignore this step if you clicked on Ethernet.
  5. Click the Edit button next to DNS server assignment.
  6. Select Manual.
  7. Enable IPv4.
  8. Enter 45.90.28.0 as Preferred DNS, then select On (manual template) and enter https://dns.nextdns.io/ (your config ID)
  9. Enter 45.90.30.0 as Alternate DNS, then select On (manual template) and enter https://dns.nextdns.io/ (your config ID)
  10. Click Save.
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simmerskool said:
@Trident almost a sidenote, my wife has iMac, use Nothing, McAfee, TrendMicro, Malwarebytes, or something else... I had a very bad experience ages ago, and reluctant to put any 3d-party AV on macOS.
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What happened when you used an AV on a Mac? I am surprised something went wrong, macOS is pretty locked down compared to windows, so there is less chance of things breaking.
 
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