But considering some of the best antivirus providers out there cost less than $10 / £10 / AU$20 per year, we’d always recommend playing it safe and paying for protection as you head into 2022.
If it's free antivirus that you're after, we have some top recommendations for you, too (as well as some top business packages).
Thankfully, 2021's best antivirus providers combine watertight protection, extra features to keep you safe from scams, and are easy to install and use. We're not trying to scare you and, since you’ve come to this page, you probably already have a fair idea why virus protection is such an essential tool. Threats come in many forms, but malware, ransomware and Trojans are generally designed to either take your data or do enough damage to your system that you'll pay a high price to reverse the effects. The way that viruses behave and their end goal has changed over the years, but generally the purpose is the same - to steal your money.
