Battle Free Antivirus of the Year 2018 - Nominate

[jackuars]

This thread is now closed. Please vote for your favorite product at Free Antivirus of the Year 2018 - Poll​

Hello and we are back for 2018

2015 Winner - Qihoo Total Security
2017 Winner - Avast Free Antivirus
2018 Winner - ??????

Last year Avast won the nominations & the final round. This time are we expecting anything different? Let's wait and watch

To make these nominations/results more constructive for the end-user, I will start a Pro & Con section for each antivirus in their respective sections. Please state what you found best in each antivirus to help other users.

WINNER DECISION: 2 Phases

NOMINATE ONLY: 2 Products (AV/IS/TS)
NOMINATION PHASE: 9th Nov- 19th Nov

FINAL POLL: 5 Products (most nominated)
POLL PHASE: 20th Nov - 30th Nov

WINNER DECLARATION: 1st Dec​

CURRENT NOMINATION STANDINGS (votes) - Till military
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1. Kaspersky - 29
2. Microsoft - 6
3. Forticlient - 5
4. Comodo - 5
5. Bitdefender - 4
6. Panda - 3
7. Zonealarm - 3
8. Avast - 3
9. AVG - 2
10. Tencent - 2

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[Stas]

My vote go to
Kaspersky #1:emoji_v:
Avast #2:emoji_ok_hand:

 

[klaken]

1-conveniente nube
2-kaspkery free XD

 

[Moonhorse]

1. Kaspersky cloud free/ kfa
2. AVG

Looking forward forticlient & windows defender in 2019

 

[BigWrench]

KFA
Panda Free

 

[AtlBo]

KSC in a runaway with a nod to FortiClient for its web filtering. Takes some serious tweaks to get good protection from F-C, however, because it's designed to work with the Fortinet hardware. Very standard but outstanding if adding to Comodo or another firewalling, etc. application. Also great with OSArmor. Avast still deserves consideration. Personally, I just wish the removal tool was 100% a guarantee. I think it's the one thing avast should spend some time perfecting at this point. Sometimes it makes sense to unistall/reinstall security software during troubleshooting, and it's traditionally been too difficult with avast, especially if the program has been on the system for a long time and over many versions.

To be fair, for this year I would rank (in a 10 point split between top 3):
1. KSC-not even close. 6.5 points
2. Avast-good practical choice (privacy concerns hurt bad with Avast): 2 points
3. FortiClient-hard to configure (edit html file) but excellent web filtering : 1 point
4. Panda/Tencent-OK for free and getting better but privacy concerns still: .5 points each for continuing to move forward

Bitdefender, AVG, and the other free versions are kind of standing still. Good programs for some, but not sure I would give them consideration for making strides in 2018 per se. I REALLY hope that ESET will step up with a killer A-V/system watcher free program to compete with KSC. They must be making very good progress internally since partnering with Gryphon. Don't even need firewall control from ESET if there is super-duper cloud monitoring/filtering of connections and downloads and then, natively, the basic best of Gryphon network security built into the local client ...

 

[oldschool]

I think one of the Kaspersky versions will win. I don't have experience with it and have not sampled many free AVs. I like AVG for the GUI and ease of use of the free ones I've tried.

 

[Gandalf_The_Grey]

1) Kaspersky Security Cloud Free (enhanced and more configurable version of KFA)
2) Kaspersky Free Antivirus (current winner in Malware HUB)
3) Windows Defender (most progress this year, least compatibility issues on Windows 10)
4) Comodo Free Antivirus (great in blocking mode @BoraMurdar settings)

 

[RoboMan]

I will have to vote for Kaspersky. When I installed it in several machines I always ended up getting random bugs on the OS. Nevertheless, it's the best the free industry has lol

 

[Mahesh Sudula]

From the above.. i would rate.
KAF, Forticlient-Sophos, Avast for the free nominees.
The first and last provide exceptionally free features at par with PAID one's
However Forti, Sophos provide all of their Hard work for free ..you can just install their WEB Filters and forget about AV.
Consider NANO as well..seem to improving day by day but no here as recommended Av

 

[Kuttz]

1. KFA + OSArmor.

2. FortiClient + VoodooShield.

3. BD Free + EXE Radar Pro 4 + SysHardener.

 

[oldschool]

1) Kaspersky Security Cloud Free (enhanced and more configurable version of KFA)
2) Kaspersky Free Antivirus (current winner in Malware HUB)
3) Windows Defender (most progress this year, least compatibility issues on Windows 10)
4) Comodo Free Antivirus (great in blocking mode @BoraMurdar settings)

I think you nailed it. Absolutely agree on #3!

 

[mike6688]

I'm a big fan of Comodo and Cruel sisters settings. Many of the bugs have been ironed out and has little to no impact on my system. However, Kaspersky Free is also very impressive so my vote is as follows:
1. Comodo
2. Kaspersky Free

 

[Nestor]

I'm a big fan of Comodo and Cruel sisters settings. Many of the bugs have been ironed out and has little to no impact on my system. However, Kaspersky Free is also very impressive so my vote is as follows:
1. Comodo
2. Kaspersky Free

Totally agree.

 

[Huchim]

1. Kaspersky cloud free (it includes secure input unlike KFA)
2. Windows Defender (With some tweaks of course)

Overall, since this year Kaspersky is taking the place of best AV free and paid, is very known where I live but the people doesn't know that exist KFA o KSC free, so the trend is just starting.

 

[AlanOstaszewski]

I'm voting for Windows Defender.

 

[Pat MacKnife]

1) Bitdefender Free antivirus
2) Kaspersky Free Antivirus
3) AVG free

 

[ChemicalB]

Kaspersky Free also for me, solid protection, light, without useless frills and ads.

 

[blade1]

Kaspersky for me too.

 

[stefanos]

1. Kaspersky free 2. Bitdefender free. 3. Avast- AVG. Combo 1. 360TS osarmor voodooshield. The lightest combo

 

[Janl1992l]

comodo cloud av