Independent antivirus tests. One clear ranking.

Compare protection, false positives and performance results from trusted labs.

Quick view
Average protection -
Average false positives -
Average performance -

Select a product row to view its individual lab results.

Antivirus software guide

Find the best antivirus software for your needs

AV-SOFTWARE turns independent antivirus test results into a clear, customizable comparison. Instead of relying on advertising claims or a fixed editorial list, you can compare security products using published protection, false-positive and performance results from recognized test laboratories.

Compare protection

See how antivirus products performed in independent malware protection and security tests.

Check false positives

Strong detection matters, but so does avoiding harmless files and applications being blocked by mistake.

Compare performance

Use normalized results from AV-TEST and AV-Comparatives to compare the impact on system speed.

Build your ranking

Select laboratories and test periods, adjust the weighting, and exclude products you do not want to compare.

How to choose an antivirus program

The best antivirus software is not simply the product with the most familiar name. A useful antivirus comparison should consider current test data, malware protection performance and the number of false alarms. A product with excellent detection but frequent false positives may interrupt everyday work, while a balanced product can provide strong protection with fewer unnecessary warnings.

Use the Quick View menu for a ready-made comparison or customize the ranking to match what matters most to you. This makes it easier to compare Windows antivirus software using the same criteria across every included product.

Independent antivirus tests in one place

Results from laboratories such as AV-Test and AV-Comparatives are often published across separate reports and test periods. AV-SOFTWARE brings the relevant figures together, while keeping the individual laboratory results visible beneath each product.

The ranking is calculated from the tests and weighting you select. Product positions are not assigned manually, so changing your criteria can also change which antivirus program ranks first.

Transparent methodology

How performance results are normalized

The laboratories publish performance results on different scales. Before they influence the ranking, every raw value is converted to a comparable score from 0 to 100. A higher normalized score always means less impact on system speed.

AV-TEST 0–6 points · higher is better points ÷ 6 × 100

For example, 5.5 points become 91.67 performance points.

AV-Comparatives Impact Score · lower is better (190 − Impact Score) ÷ 190 × 100

For example, an Impact Score of 8.5 becomes 95.53 performance points.

Equal weight for each laboratory

If several periods from one laboratory are selected, they are averaged first. The laboratory averages are then combined with equal weight. A laboratory therefore receives no extra influence merely because it publishes more frequently. Missing performance results are not treated as zero; they are reflected separately by test coverage.

Sources: AV-TEST scoring and AV-Comparatives Performance Test methodology.

Ranking settings

Customize your ranking

1

Set priorities

Set the four values so the total is exactly 100%. Total: 100%

Rewards products with less impact on system speed.
Rewards products included in more selected tests.

Total must equal 100% before the weighting is applied.

2

Choose test data

Combine labs and test periods.

3

Include products

Selected products remain in the ranking.
Your ranking

Share your custom ranking

Share your personal ranking exactly as configured. The link includes selected tests, weighting and excluded products.
Ranking image

Choose image details

Choose whether the image should contain only the ranking or also every individual laboratory result.
Ranking PDF

Choose PDF details

Choose whether the PDF should contain only the ranking or also every individual laboratory result.
Ranking comparison

Compare two rankings

Compare the current ranking with a Quick View, or compare two Quick Views using your current weighting.
Product comparison

Compare antivirus products

Select two to four products from the current ranking.
Test history

Protection over time
About the ranking

Transparent by design

Trusted methodology

Independent test data

We exclusively utilize test data from laboratories that are active members of the Anti-Malware Testing Standards Organization (AMTSO). This ensures that all test results meet strict quality standards and testing methodologies. For more information about AMTSO standards and member laboratories, visit www.amtso.org.

AV-Test Logo AV-Comparatives Logo SE LABS Logo
Good to know

Frequently asked questions

There are several ways to create your own ranking:

  • Use one of the preset buttons at the top (AV-Comparatives 2024, AV-Test 2024, or combined)
  • Create a custom ranking by selecting specific tests from different labs
  • Adjust the weighting between protection rate, false positives, performance and test coverage
  • Optionally exclude specific antivirus products from the comparison

The ranking updates automatically based on your selection criteria.

You can adjust four factors that influence the final ranking:

  • Protection Effectiveness: How much weight to give to the detection rate
  • False Positives: How much weight to give to avoiding false alarms
  • Performance: How much weight to give to low impact on system speed
  • Test Coverage: Rewards products that appear in more of your selected tests

The four values must total 100%. The default is 85% protection, 5% false positives, 5% performance and 5% test coverage. Criteria that are not relevant to the selected tests are disabled automatically.

Yes, you can exclude any antivirus products you're not interested in from the comparison. Simply click on the antivirus product buttons to exclude or include them in the results. Excluded products are highlighted.

We use results from internationally recognized testing labs that are members of AMTSO (Anti-Malware Testing Standards Organization):

  • AV-Comparatives
  • AV-Test
  • SE Labs

This ensures all test results meet strict quality standards and testing methodologies.

Our test data is regularly updated with the latest published results from all test labs. Each test result shows its specific date, allowing you to see exactly how recent the data is. We typically include tests from the current and previous year to ensure relevance while providing enough data for meaningful comparisons.

Yes, you can easily share your customized ranking:

  • Use the "Copy ranking link" button to copy the URL
  • The link includes all your settings: selected tests, weightings, and excluded products
  • Anyone opening the link will see exactly the same ranking with your criteria

We calculate several key metrics:

  • Protection Rate: Average detection rate across all selected tests for each product
  • False Positives: Total number of false alarms in the selected tests
  • Performance Score: Average normalized performance score across the selected performance tests for each product
  • Test Coverage: Number of available results compared with all selected tests
  • Overall Score: Weighted combination of protection rate, false positives, performance and test coverage

The final ranking is determined by the overall score. A product with incomplete test data can therefore be ranked more cautiously without treating a missing result as a failed test.

In today's online landscape, finding truly unbiased antivirus reviews can be challenging. Many sites lack transparency or have hidden agendas, making it tough to trust the recommendations. We believe that choosing the right antivirus protection shouldn't be a guessing game. To help you make an informed decision, we created a platform that brings the test results directly to you.

Every antivirus test report is typically packed with dense information and technical jargon, making it difficult to get to the real insights you need. That's why we simplified things by aggregating and summarizing the critical data: the test scores from trusted labs. Our site cuts through the complexity, letting you easily compare the performance and reliability of each antivirus program based on hard data.

If you have an idea that would make this tool even more awesome than it already is, please let us know and we'll definitely consider it for the next release.