Battle Free Lightweight Antivirus to replace ESET + TinyWall

mewcat83

Level 1
Thread author
Dec 6, 2018
11
I currently use ESET AV and I'm looking for a free alternative that doesn't bug me with ads and has a good detection rate. I've searched here and most of the threads that i saw are from like 2014.

Some antivirus programs that are out like Avira, Avast and Kaspersky as hog my system and have bloat.

So what I'm after a lightweight AV, light on features and memory but still having a good detection rate.
 
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kev216

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Aug 6, 2014
1,044
If you are looking for a light free program without ads, I can definitely recommend Panda Free.
It's maybe not the quickest to detect zero hour malware like the ones in the malware hub, but in real-world usage it is really good. Their PUP detection is also one of the better imo. With the cloud, you are always up to date, while keeping a local cache of the virus signatures too on your device.
Since a few weeks, they have no toolbar anymore included, so all the adware in the product is gone now.
The product is feather light, but it can be made even more light, if you do a full scan right after the installation, so it can cache the files you already have on you computer. To disable the ads, you have to go to settings and uncheck the two slides under 'Panda News'.
The combination with tinywall is no problem. I've used that combo myself in the past.
 

Stopspying

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Jan 21, 2018
814
Thanks for starting this thread, am looking for the same, a lightweight AV that works well as my current subscription expires imminently. I'm in the camp of regarding full-on AVs as probably being unnecessery today, provided people have other protections from baddies - VoodooShield etc etc

I agree fully on the point about bloat with some AVs these days. I used to use both AVG and Avast free AV's in the past, both worked well for me but now they are real resource hogs and have lots of surplus, for me anyway, stuff of the type that there are far better softwares available for from other vendors. I recently played with the free versions of Avira's Phantom VPN and HomeGuard, the latter would probably still be 'searching' if I hadn't killed it and they wanted to take over the PC and stall any other tasks I wanted to do, its my PC! Many seem to want to phone home a lot too, far more frequently than is necessary for update checks etc.

@Kev 216 I'll look at too Panda suggestion too, thanks, it may just be what I'm looking for if its ad service can be switched off now.
 

RoboMan

Level 34
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Jun 24, 2016
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eset works fine on my system but its not free so i guess im gonna have to pay cos ofc theres always some catch with free antiviruses
Is there? Install Kaspersky Security Cloud Free and pair with VoodooShield to replace AC and System Watcher.
Thanks for starting this thread, am looking for the same, a lightweight AV that works well as my current subscription expires imminently. I'm in the camp of regarding full-on AVs as probably being unnecessery today, provided people have other protections from baddies - VoodooShield etc etc

I agree fully on the point about bloat with some AVs these days. I used to use both AVG and Avast free AV's in the past, both worked well for me but now they are real resource hogs and have lots of surplus, for me anyway, stuff of the type that there are far better softwares available for from other vendors. I recently played with the free versions of Avira's Phantom VPN and HomeGuard, the latter would probably still be 'searching' if I hadn't killed it and they wanted to take over the PC and stall any other tasks I wanted to do, its my PC! Many seem to want to phone home a lot too, far more frequently than is necessary for update checks etc.

@Kev 216 I'll look at too Panda suggestion too, thanks, it may just be what I'm looking for if its ad service can be switched off now.
To be totally honest, I strongly believe all a final user needs today is an Application Control module (anti-exe) + good signatures. Everything else is bloat. Grab some basic decent free av and pair with ERP/VS. Learn to use it. Good to go.
 
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mewcat83

Level 1
Thread author
Dec 6, 2018
11
voodshield is paid software u get nothing in the free version, and as i said kaspersky hates my system for some reason and its developed in russia so no thanks, and ac and system watcher what are you even talking aobut i never mentioned either of those
 

RoboMan

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Jun 24, 2016
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voodshield is paid software u get nothing in the free version, and as i said kaspersky hates my system for some reason and its developed in russia so no thanks, and ac and system watcher what are you even talking aobut i never mentioned either of those
What's up with Kaspersky being russian? Plus, VS paid and free are the exact same software. Paid version unlocks tweaking the options. Don't be afraid to learn something new.
 

Stopspying

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Jan 21, 2018
814
What's up with Kaspersky being russian? Plus, VS paid and free are the exact same software. Paid version unlocks tweaking the options. Don't be afraid to learn something new.
I've recently changed up to the paid version of VS. I'd used the free version for some time, both work really well for me and as said above the paid version gives more tweaking options but the free version seemed sound to me too.

The issue about where software, OS's, online services etc comes from could go on forever - why use Facebook, Google, Microsoft any more than something from Russia, UK, Germany, China, Czechia....? There is bound to be something wrong with some software from just about every country, sweeping statement I know, its all down to individuals really in the end.
 

Stopspying

Level 19
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Jan 21, 2018
814
Having looked at the Panda and Kaspersky suggestions, plus a few others, I'm going to give Panda a go. If only because they tell you how to stop them being annoying, not sure that's a good business model. Joking aside, it seems like its what I'm looking for(don't tell U2!).
 

harlan4096

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Apr 28, 2015
8,635
I would not trust that 100% of Panda Dome Free AT ALL! I have being testing PD Premium during months and still doing but this month testing Panda Dome Free + NVT SH... You better enable Application Control for unknown malware and other tweaks (in paid versions)... and even doing so, PDP still is weak against scripts (better apply NVT SH and/or NVT OSA)... check Malware Hub during the last months...
 

RoboMan

Level 34
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Jun 24, 2016
2,399
I've recently changed up to the paid version of VS. I'd used the free version for some time, both work really well for me and as said above the paid version gives more tweaking options but the free version seemed sound to me too.

The issue about where software, OS's, online services etc comes from could go on forever - why use Facebook, Google, Microsoft any more than something from Russia, UK, Germany, China, Czechia....? There is bound to be something wrong with some software from just about every country, sweeping statement I know, its all down to individuals really in the end.
There's a general misunderstandment when people judge software according their nationality. If you think that because X antivirus is located in X country, then it won't gather data/personal information or sell you to the government, then you're done. Not a directly attack, just making a statement. The fact they say "no log policy" "we don't have ties with government" does not mean the information won't be given. When you hold a company somewhere, if you're threatened by the state to give or close, trust me, nobody closes. It's business.
Real-World Protection Test October 2018 – Factsheet | AV-Comparatives

eset
compromised 1%
user dependent 0%
blocked 99%
false positives 1


panda
compromised 0%
user dependent 0%
blocked 100%
false positives 8
XD
 

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