Avast One
Avast One's free tier remains one of the most widely used antivirus products for a reason — solid core protection, with a reasonably priced upgrade path.
Avast's free engine holds up well in independent lab tests, scoring close to several paid competitors on core detection.
System impact is light for a free product, with quick scans and minimal background overhead during normal use.
One bundles a capped VPN and PC cleanup tools with the free tier; the paid Individual plan adds identity monitoring and a full firewall.
The free tier is a legitimate long-term option; the paid Individual plan at $69.99/yr adds meaningful extras for a fair price.
The interface is modern and easy to navigate, though the free version surfaces upgrade prompts more often than we'd like.