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

-------------------------------------------------------------------

 

[Hero7]

Norton Ftw

 

[OhioRebel]

Zonealarm

 

[roger_m]

Tencent PC Manager Global (with custom settings)

What settings do you change?

 

[Huchim]

Norton Ftw

Norton is not free.

 

[outlawxtorn]

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

Agree as well. I use them together.

 

[Viking]

I reckon KFA will easily win as the best free AV of 2018 awared.

 

[Der.Reisende]

What settings do you change?

Sorry, forgot adding the spoiler with them for some reason, edited the nomination, thanks for the heads up

Here we go:

Tencent PC Manager Global (with custom settings):
Realtime protection mode: Expert mode (Prompt upon detecting suspect actions)
File system protection level: High (monitor all file operations)
Action on threat detection: Choose action manually
Download Protection: Security prompt on dangerous files only

As I said, on first reboot, some of them were set back to the default ones, once applied again, they stay even after automatic or manual upgrades (you don't need to uninstall TCPM Global, it can upgrade while it's running).

 

[roger_m]

Sorry, forgot adding the spoiler with them for some reason, edited the nomination, thanks for the heads up

Thanks.

 

[silversurfer]

Kaspersky Free will be the winner...

I want to nominate others:
1. Windows Defender
2. Tencent PC Manager Global

 

[Black Wings]

Sorry, forgot adding the spoiler with them for some reason, edited the nomination, thanks for the heads up

Here we go:

Tencent PC Manager Global (with custom settings):
Realtime protection mode: Expert mode (Prompt upon detecting suspect actions)
File system protection level: High (monitor all file operations)
Action on threat detection: Choose action manually
Download Protection: Security prompt on dangerous files only

As I said, on first reboot, some of them were set back to the default ones, once applied again, they stay even after automatic or manual upgrades (you don't need to uninstall TCPM Global, it can upgrade while it's running).

Thank you for sharing your knowledge. In fact, I'm installing it to see how it works on my system.

I'm thinking of running it with VoodooShield or NVT Exe Radar Pro. Maybe OSArmor ... please, any recommendations?

Thanks again

 

[Der.Reisende]

Thank you for sharing your knowledge. In fact, I'm installing it to see how it works on my system.

I'm thinking of running it with VoodooShield or NVT Exe Radar Pro. Maybe OSArmor ... please, any recommendations?

Thanks again

Looking forward to your feedback!

Have only tried it in combination with SysHardener yet (v1.5), however haven’t tried it since I upgraded to Win10 1809.

Had no conflicts on the previous Windows Build 1803).

Currently using it in combination with Sphinx Software Windows 10 Firewall Control (Free Version) only.
Make sure to whitelist all TCPM Global processes when using it, you will get quite some notifications, but not more on upgrades (let alone for the installer).
One limitation of W10FWC: It has all Windows processes whitelisted, editing is only possible with the paid version.
All other processes: Default-Deny with notification.

 

[Black Wings]

Looking forward to your feedback!

Have only tried it in combination with SysHardener yet (v1.5), however haven’t tried it since I upgraded to Win10 1809.

Had no conflicts on the previous Windows Build 1803).

Currently using it in combination with Sphinx Software Windows 10 Firewall Control (Free Version) only.
Make sure to whitelist all TCPM Global processes when using it, you will get quite some notifications, but not more on upgrades (let alone for the installer).
One limitation of W10FWC: It has all Windows processes whitelisted, editing is only possible with the paid version.
All other processes: Default-Deny with notification.

Thanks! You´re very kind

 

[Hero7]

Norton is not free.

oh sorry didnt notice Free saw it antivirus of the year

for free i would have to go with Kaspersky

 

[ZeroDay]

Sorry, forgot adding the spoiler with them for some reason, edited the nomination, thanks for the heads up

Here we go:

Tencent PC Manager Global (with custom settings):
Realtime protection mode: Expert mode (Prompt upon detecting suspect actions)
File system protection level: High (monitor all file operations)
Action on threat detection: Choose action manually
Download Protection: Security prompt on dangerous files only

As I said, on first reboot, some of them were set back to the default ones, once applied again, they stay even after automatic or manual upgrades (you don't need to uninstall TCPM Global, it can upgrade while it's running).

Is Tencent safe software?

 

[Iapepe]

1) Bitdefender Free antivirus
2) Comodo

 

[TairikuOkami]

Is Tencent safe software?

Perfectly, it is being regularly tested on AV Comparatives, unlike its brothers, who got banned for cheating. Though it performs slightly worse than Bitdefender (delayed signatures?), I would probably pick Adaware over it, that is, if you do not like Chinese software or Chinese in general.

Spoiler: Do not click, if you like Chinese!

 

[ZeroDay]

Perfectly, it is being regularly tested on AV Comparatives, unlike its brothers, who got banned for cheating. Though it performs slightly worse than Bitdefender (delayed signatures?), I would probably pick Adaware over it, that is, if you do not like Chinese software or Chinese in general.

Spoiler: Do not click, if you like Chinese!

Thank you. I use KFA+CF I just wondered how safe Tencent was. Thanks again.

 

[Brie]

it is being regularly tested on AV Comparatives, unlike its brothers, who got banned for cheating.

which ones cheated?

 

[TairikuOkami]

which ones cheated?

OK, it seems, that I was wrong, I thought it was Qihoo and Baidu, but it was Qihoo and Tencent. Well it was in 2015, but Tencent's offence was minor in comparison, so it is being tested in AV tests now. I have not seen Baidu being tested in a long time, I guess that confused me, sorry. :emoji_flushed:

Tencent, Qihoo antimalware firms are accused of cheating, stripped of rankings in antivirus tests

 

[Der.Reisende]

Is Tencent safe software?

Though Zemana flags it as PUP, I would consider it safe to use, it's being certified by multiple labs (腾讯电脑管家_权威认证, if you trust them), just like as @TairikuOkami stated. However, you can never know what data it will transfer (but this is common for most vendors, to transfer data in the background). At least the Auto-SUD option is off by default (Auto report upon blocking suspected virus and trojans - Cloud Protection Project).