AV-TEST Best Windows antivirus software for home users (Test November and December 2020)

[Gandalf_The_Grey]

During November and December 2020 we continuously evaluated 21 home user security products using their default settings. We always used the most current publicly-available version of all products for the testing. They were allowed to update themselves at any time and query their in-the-cloud services. We focused on realistic test scenarios and challenged the products against real-world threats. Products had to demonstrate their capabilities using all components and protection layers.

Test antivirus software for Windows 11 - October 2025

The current tests of antivirus software for Windows 11 from October 2025 of AV-TEST, the leading international and independent service provider for antivirus software and malware.

www.av-test.org

 

[EndangeredPootis]

Ah yes, more tests which are never shown to take place and always incredibly inconsistent, but lets keep believing them, also, PUP' which only use the avira engine gets 99% detection ratio of zero day malware? yeah suure thats so believable.

 

[ForgottenSeer 85179]

Defender 100% protection

Test Microsoft Defender 4.18 for Windows 10 (204917) | AV-TEST (av-test.org)

 

[MacDefender]

It seems like lately other than with a small set of consistently poor performing products, almost everything else is getting 100% across the board at AV-TEST. Are their samples just not challenging enough?

It seems like those of us with sandboxes and the Malware Hub frequently finds samples that have extremely low detection ratios, not to mention if these products truly had 100% malware protection we wouldn’t see ransomware make the news anymore

Anyone have insight what’s going on?

 

[mazskolnieces]

It seems like those of us with sandboxes and the Malware Hub frequently finds samples that have extremely low detection ratios, not to mention if these products truly had 100% malware protection we wouldn’t see ransomware make the news anymore

Anyone have insight what’s going on?

This has been the pattern for at least the past 10 years.

What protects people is almost entirely probability, and not the security software. The probability of downloading and executing a < 24 hour old malware is very low. That is what keeps peoples' systems from being smashed.

 

[mlnevese]

In the last 10+ years I found 2 malware... one was in a thumb drive a client sent me with documents and the other was a supposedly infected PDF file I'm not sure wasn't a false positive by Kaspersky as literally nobody else detected it... Safe practices on the web help a lot.

 

[Venustus]

I'm really disappointed that they did not test Webroot

almost everything else is getting 100% across the board at AV-TEST

Sorry but I just can't resist the temptation

Spoiler: This

 

[Lenny_Fox]

As a junior on this board I did a check (because I don't have that legacy knowledge) and in ten years time industry average against zero day improved from 75% to 99.1% protection (at AV-test). Because rating was given based on industry average protection, the top performers scored triple-6 ten years ago (e.g. with protection rates above 75% for zero day protection). According to the tests protection in percentages has increased substantially in ten years time (top performers now need to score above 99.1% for zer day protection to get a 6 rating for top-product).

Also improvement of Windows Defender is impressive, V1 scored in June 2010 a meagre 4 for protection, 4.5 for performance and 5 for useability (source: AV-test 2010 june), while version 4.18 scores a solid triple 6 in june 2020! Not bad for a free product, considering protection can be easily enhanced with configure defender (for WD) and simple windows hardening (for OS) and enabling protected folders feature.