Best Free Antivirus For Chromebook (2024 Updated)

I’ve been using Webroot with NO problems for during the days when Webroot’s original creator/developer still ran and owned Webroot. When he sold Webroot, over the years going forward, I’ve been developing concern about Webroot because of the growing number of negative reviews of folks obviously having viruses and malware but Webroot didn’t detect them.

After using Webroot for decades, last year I decided to try McAfee and ended my Webroot. McAfee was so awful and so intrusive. It was this whole household’s computers that McAfee created so much frustration with our computer experience; slow start up, too many updated and reminder messages even when disabled, and in short, everyone’s computer experience (desktops, laptops) got too frustrating and slow that I went back to Webroot after seeing more positive reviews.

I’m keeping tabs on Webroot’s reviews, online and on Google Play, in case there are still, or more comments about viruses, malware, etc. , that are not being detected, and if I have to switch from Webroot again, pick the ones with the most 5-start reviews.

Because Webroot hasn’t been intrustive with our computer experience, that is what led me to “suspect” if it’s catching anything. I haven’t had any security problems with viruses, etc. , which is great, but as long as our computers and devices ARE protected that’s great, just that it’s a little scary to think that, according to the reviews, what if Webroot is not catching something.

Meanwhile, it appears to be all good, still, so unless something negative happens that slips past my Webroot, I’m staying with Webroot! I must say though, decades ago, Webroot had an AWESOME software called “Window Washer” which can really clean up your computer and leave no traces behind.

Then, I believe in the early 2000s, Webroot did away with that. THAT was heartbreaking. You guys would LOVE that. And that was extra security and peace of mind too. BRING IT BACK!! But that software which, if I remember correctly, was FREE, I think included with any of your Webroot security package.

But Window Washer was also from the original creator of Webroot, and whomever took over did away with it. It would be an awesome addition because it deletes a lot more and creates more space on your harddrive.

With many things going greatly out there, somehow someone always comes up with an idea to “fix” what is going awesomely only for the end result to be disappointing.

That being said once I made it through to the other side of their bungled up update process – the new & improved Webroot App is AWESOME & A JOY TO HAVE RUNNING on my cellphones & tablet! All of them run sooo much faster! I’ve been a Webroot customer since 08/2019 and after researching ALL THE REST I’ll STILL be a loyal Webroot customer through this change! I’m buying another 5 device 1 year subscription through their website today after I finish this review! Okay I’m going to try to list the update problems: 1.

I believe I had a problem with Sec code because I thought it was the old one under Webroot but now you will need to add Webroot to Microsoft Authenticator so you can complete the add. 2. The app says to follow the instructions from inside the app.

but mine never deleted the old app because Webroot is an admin app. I had to go to Settings, Apps, choose old Webroot which pop-up says this is an admin app blah blah blah. do you really want to delete? It makes you choose yes like 2 or 3 times at least mine did to get rid of it.

Once ALL of this was done it asks if you want Webroot’s internet protection? I LOVE THIS NEW VERSION OF THE INTERNET PROTECTION! Seamless & so invisible just remember to change you home page to this one so you’ll ALWAYS be safe while browsing!.

I was a Webroot Brand Ambassador for 8 years and I saw many cases where Webroot saved a customer’s machine. I called on Best Buys and became friends with most of the Geeks, who always recommended Webroot to customers because Weboot did not slow down a machine’s performance.

One lady brought her computer in because it would only run about 2 minutes until it crashed and had to be rebooted. It had a well know anti-virus in it which was expiring in a couple of days, so the Gook persuaded her to try Webroot and installed it.

Webroot found a page full of malware on the first scan that the famous brand had missed and removed it. On the first reboot the machine ran perfectly but the Geek ran the entire Geek Squad cleaning package on it which takes overnight.

There was no subsequent malware found and the Geek couldn’t wait to tell me and said it was the easiest cleaning he had ever done on a machine. After that, Webroot was the first thing he ran when cleaning a machine.

Webroot was already in the cleaning package but he moved it to the first step and it normally caught all the problems. Protection for a machine cannot get better than that. This is only one of many success stories.

Needless to say I did not have to sell Webroot because it sold itself. My stores never reached Webroot being 100% of protection software sales and installs but they all came close. It has been named the best in PC Magazine test on numerous occasions.

I was hacked and my identity stolen by a child abuser whom I had reported in earnest to CPS. I heard him talking about the hacking after they had disabled our pcs by May 2020. Have used other products that did nothing but give the hackers more code to play with and they used remote software to access my bios to which they set a password and installed their own drives.

After I cleared the bios and removed their password only a blinking cursor appeared on screen and the pc would not boot. After a year and a half I was too tired; I shut the system off for four months.

No internet, Then staff at Office Depot recommended McAfee Total Protection. My husband and I researched it’s performance record and found that it has a stellar reputation. I could not be happier. I discovered the hackers’ added drives in the bios and disabled them, then wiped my HDD and reinstalled my OS, immediately installed McAfee Total Protection on my pc and phone.

The VPN and auto-blocking and scanning features have been great. One complaint: The VPN is supposed to engage on boot. This has been sketchy and very much hit and miss. It could be that the hackers are interrupting McAfee as it tries to load.

Today, when I first booted the system, the VPN was off and all Windows Security features were off. The VPN was grayed out and would not turn on. I hope that McAfee can develop a hacker tracker code to trap hacker information, resolve spoofed ips and send it to the feds.

So far McAfee has been a terrific product. After installing McAfee Total Protection on my phone, the spoofing/harassment has stopped completely. Thank you McAfee!.

Please note that this review is only about Kaspersky’s customer support and not on the software itself. Personally I see this as a whole as they advertise their tech support as one of the product’s features.

I gave it two eggs because I still think the software itself is good. If customer support is important to you, keep on reading. I’ve been using Kaspersky Anti-Virus for several years now, but I’m going to find another solution because of my recent experience with their awful customer support.

I purchased two activation codes, with one activation code intended to be used for computers in the U. S. and second code for my family in another different country. When I purchased the codes it did not say anywhere on the website that Kaspersky’s activation codes are region-based and cannot be used outside the U.

S. (FYI – it still doesn’t say so here). When I complained about this to Kaspersky support, they kept explaining to me that this policy was to prevent piracy (not sure how exactly), and practically blaming me for buying the codes illegally! After long email correspondence, escalation to a manager and sending them proof that the licenses were purchased legally and that it does not mention anywhere that the codes are region-based, only then they agreed to replace one of the codes to a code that will be suitable for another region.

But the mess is not over. This week I got a notification that my second activation code (the one used for the U. S. computers) is blacklisted. After trying to figure out why Kaspersky blocked my activation code, they “reminded” me that they gave me a different code for this code, and this one should not be used.

The problem is, I never actually gave them the code since I didn’t have a problem with it, I asked them to replace another code. They probably saw that there were three codes on my account (the two original ones I purchased and the replacement code) and decided just to blacklist the one that was already activated instead of the one that is not activated (on their website you can clearly see if a code was activated or not, so I would assume that they probably can see it too).

So once again, Kaspersky made a mess and I need to prove them, again, that the codes were purchased legally.

I am Mac user and IT professional. I do not use any Windows products at home since 2004 and for the same reason I stopped using antivirus software. I did try though free antivirus software on my iMac and MacBook Pro such as Sophos and Avast.

(my spouse and kids are not computer savvy) The Sophos I uninstalled after two months of use. It did slow down my iMac to the point where you really cannot watch video or listen an Internet radio without interruptions.

The Avast antivirus software last much longer before I replaced it with Kaspersky Internet Security 2018 two months ago. The installation went smooth and the KIS works fine on all of my Mac machines.

I a.

The Bottom Line. Kaspersky Anti-Virus takes perfect or near-perfect scores from all the independent testing labs, and it aced our hands-on ransomware protection test. It remains an antivirus Editors’ Choice.

PCMag editors select and review products independently.

The Good: I have started my 3rd year with Webroot. It must say something positive when you renew a product for an additional two years. I like how Webroot has protected my PC, but the interface with me is close to zero.

I like that in a security program. I don’t need to be told every month or so that the product has blocked a bazillion items without me seeing them. Glad they did, but I’m not a fan of the bragging. The Bad: Before my previous version expired I had the new version up and running.

However, for the next 3 months, I got reminders that I had not renewed my program and that my computers were unprotected. It seems to me that Customer Service could check the database of “expired” accounts to find out which ones were renewed, but not renewed by purchasing from Webroot – there are other retailers out there and some of them were offering better deals.

I choose the better deal. However, the whole episode of email after email telling me that I had not renewed my product and my system was unprotected soured everything. I may well remember that next year and find a different software protection package.

My memory about who and what annoys me is good and long lasting.

I love the product but the renewal process was a hot mess. After I renewed my subscription for three more years. I received an e-mail about the next steps. It said to log in to my account and follow the download instructions.

When I tried to log in to my account, it did not like my password. My password does not have any capital letters but the log in screen was looking for a password with capital letters. So I clicked on reset my password.

I entered my email address but nothing showed up in my inbox. I tried it again, Still nothing. Finally I opened Webroot on my computer and my subscription had gone from 9 days remaining to 1104 days remaining.

That is without downloading anything. So it did work but why can’t the instructions they give people match what really happens? Also, the website says that the subscription starts upon purchase which is not true because I did get the benefit of the nine days remaining.

Why does a renewal have to be so complicated? It actually seemed more like an initial purchase than a renewal. Just saying.

This is the 3rd time I have installed Avast and have had NO problems (1 Windows 7 Desktop and 2 Windows 10 Laptops). Bought this during the Black Friday sale at $19. 99 (beats the Competition’s prices).

I got my activation code email a few hours after initial purchase. The security code was GOOD. I reinstalled the install exe (downloaded from Avast’s server over my previous edition, you have the option for automatic full or a “customized”).

Once the installation is completed, you do a restart. Open up any of the installed icons (Cleanup, Antivirus, etc. ) and use the Menu to enter the Activation Code and all applications are updated as to subscription date.

Best Buy sends you an Activation Code via email (save it and write it down or archive that email!). This does not appear in Best Buy’s “Download Library” Everything should update and activate. Set up an account on Avast if a first time user.

Avast “warns” you about 5 days before expiration. Software does “maintenance” cleanup on system as well as antivirus, firewall, scans your network, warns of obsolete versions of installed software, etc.

If installed correctly, great for the tech challenged, like anything else, you need to familiarize yourself with menus. Avast main site has guides. The Anti Tracking at first did not “transfer” but I think that if you were scanning or cleaning, that interfered so do nothing if you transfer.

It does a lot of automatic cleaning and updates. I have had NO problems with it and do not foresee any future problems. Not sure why other buyers have had problems but may be their hardware or software on their machines.

This covers 5 machines including cell phones, Avast subscription on Menu says I have “10 machines” I can use this with (??).

Still loving this software, does what I need. Light footprint on my machine. Barks bites and quarantines the bad guys. Firewall is quite effective and FULLY controllable, people learn what a firewall is and how it works.

, then adjust and configure it. All in all the best overall all around protection you can put on a machine. These folk do a great job and offer a great product. Sometimes they are the best, others a step behind then they catch up before the year ends.

Updates offer new features as needed. Good software at a fair price, easy to install, set up and administer. No idea about the parent controls, the dog doesn’t have thumbs as most don’t, and its not paw proof! But honestly a STRONG Windows system password to start the machine is a good idea on any machine.

Did I mention it also has a password manager?.

Could not get it down loaded, or unlocked, from your site. It turns out I didn’t need it anyway. My old computer died with Avast installed directly from Avast, and Avast noticed I wasn’t using their product at all.

They showed me how to transfer Avast to my new computer. So, now I have Ultimate on my new computer. I tried to get a refund from you, but was told it was impossible. So, now I am out $9. Thanks a lot.

I guess $9 bucks isn’t very much. No problem.

I have tried Bitdefender, McAfee, Total AV, Norton, Malwarebytes, and Webroot all within the last 2 years, and all have been paid subscriptions. I am not an IT person, not a pro at determining what is the best and worst with AV/malware/internet security.

I can honestly state that Webroot is my favorite of all the above-mentioned products, not because I can prove it is the best, but because it fits my needs above all the competition, installs easily, doesn’t get in the way of using my PC with all kinds of popups and such.

I do wish so much that customer support (compared to the competition) was a little better lately, as I am still waiting for a response after days as I type this review, but my need for support is not specifically critical to the product working or not.

My need for support is regarding another active Webroot subscription I currently have that seems to have problems within the console and was likely caused by me (I think, but not sure, which is why I need support, yet no one responds after numerous requests).

Regardless, I cannot help but love this product above all the others because it is simple, straightforward, practical, and apparently as effective as the others, all without seeming to take over the PC.

I’ll hopefully be a Webroot customer for as long as I am a PC user.