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It’s scary out there. Bad actors are constantly developing new and more sophisticated ways to get at your devices and personal data—but the right software can help keep them at bay. Antivirus programs are the first line of defense against many malware attacks, including ransomware, and VPNs protect your privacy in real time as you traverse the internet. Many security suites include both of those safeguards and more, such as password managers, spam filters, and parental controls.
Half of the computer users in the US rely on the built-in antivirus in their operating system—or use none at all, according to Security.org’s last annual report. Thankfully, that means another 121 million US adults use an antivirus tool from a third party, mostly for their PCs, but a fair amount use the software to safeguard their tablets (18%) and phones (17%). Really, no platform is immune to attack. Nope, not even your iPhone.
An even slimmer chunk of the population taps into VPNs: Only 32% of US adults use one, a decrease from 2023, says Security.org. CNET’s research puts the figure higher, at 47%, possibly because of recent content access restrictions that only VPNs can solve. Either way, the numbers may not be high enough.
“This data shows us that a lot of people are still clinging to old myths about data and computer security,” says Alan Henry, managing editor of security coverage at PCMag. “Lots of people still think antivirus software slows your PC to a crawl, or mobile devices are inherently secure, and that’s just not true. Thankfully, though, more and more people are getting the message and protecting themselves.”
According to the report referenced above, Norton and McAfee are the most-used security-software brands in America—but should they be your top choice? We turned to our savvy audience to find out. Several hundred of you responded to our annual security surveys and the verdict is clear: The big sellers are not big favorites.
Read on to find out which brands you should trust, based on the informed experience and opinions of your fellow readers.
The Top VPNs for 2025
PCMag readers put Private Internet Access (or PIA) back on top as the most highly regarded VPN—an award it won in our security and privacy surveys from 2018 through 2021. PIA earns the highest marks for overall satisfaction and likelihood to recommend, as well as for internet speed and trustworthiness. And it ties with other brands for the lead in the crucial categories of cost (with Surfshark) and performance (with NordVPN).
PIA also notches its highest overall satisfaction score—9.0 out of 10—in any PCMag survey to date. That rating matches that earned last year by then-winner Proton (which slips down in our results this year).
“It is so easy to use and reliable that I would not consider switching,” reports one reader using PIA. Another agrees: “I've tried a few free and paid VPN services. I have found PIA to be the easiest to use. The interface is free of clutter. It's basic, yet efficient.”
“PIA has provided a consistent, privacy-first VPN to customers since 2010," says Justyn Newman, PCMag’s senior writer for security, specializing in VPNs. "Its long tenure in the space with no data handovers or breaches has fostered a loyal customer base that few competitors can match. It’s no surprise that users want to stick around with a proven VPN they know they can trust.”
Bitdefender snags second place this year, with solid scores for setup, performance, and trustworthiness. Other results worth mentioning include Surfshark’s win for best setup, ExpressVPN for best reliability, and NordVPN’s top ratings, including ease of use, tech support, browser integration, location spoofing, and WireGuard support. Not only does Proton slide out of the top spot, this time around, it doesn't win in any category. Proton isn't at the bottom of the list, but it’s a surprising placement for our Editors' Choice VPN after hitting such a high in 2024.
For more, read Newman's roundup of The Best VPN Services.
Editors' Note: Ziff Davis, PCMag.com's parent company, owns VPN services IPVanish and StrongVPN, as well as Vipre Security Group (which operates Internet Shield VPN). None of them qualified for inclusion in our survey results. For more, read about our ethics policy in the Editorial Mission Statement.
The Top Private Browsers for 2025
Browsers aren’t known for respecting your privacy, and people are getting sick of it. In recent years, more users like you are turning to secure, private browsers that try to prevent snoops from spying on your online business. We include these browsers in the VPN survey this year, since many are coupled with VPNs and other security options.
Brave is our inaugural winner, the best of the bunch when it comes to fingerprint tracking protection.
“Though it’s based on Google’s open-source Chromium web-browsing engine, Brave removes all of Google’s tracking code and implements advanced techniques like network request reduction and bounce-tracking protecting, which prevents sites from tracking you through redirects,” says PCMag principal writer for software Michael Muchmore. “Brave is alone among browsers with its fingerprint randomization, and its default tracking preventions are second to none.”
Brave's privacy bona fides include integration with the Tor network, widely known for protecting anonymity (and accessing the dark web). It also helps you earn cryptocurrency as you browse; you might want the extra money, since adding the VPN option to Brave costs $9.99 per month or $99.99 per year. But that doesn’t deter readers from appreciating Brave.
Another secure browser that readers prefer, DuckDuckGo, earns a higher reliability rating than Brave and ties it for ease of use. One reader remarks, “For being free, [DuckDuckGo is] great as a standalone browser, and if I had to end up paying for it, I would!”
Third place goes to Microsoft’s Edge, which scores well below Brave and DuckDuckGo. Note that we asked readers to rate it specifically for use with the built-in VPN feature (Edge Secure Network).
For more, check out our current top choices for The Best Private Browsers and How to Switch from Chrome to Brave.
The Top Security Suites for 2025
PCMag readers prefer robust protection—75% of the brands you rate in our survey this year are security suites rather than standalone antivirus apps. While you can get a few suite options for free, most of them come at a cost, usually a subscription; after all, you're getting much more than just the basics.
Many different companies have topped this category in the past, including Bitdefender on more than one occasion. This year, Malwarebytes absolutely crushes the competition across the board, earning the high score in our most important categories (overall satisfaction and likelihood to recommend) by over half a point, as well as dominating every single subcategory. That includes top ratings amid the extra suite features, such as ransomware protection, phishing protection, and integrated VPN (it offers one with no bandwidth limits in Malwarebytes Ultimate). It’s also tops with readers for performance and trustworthiness.
PCMag’s principal writer for security software, Neil J. Rubenking, knows the brand well. “For myself, I look for a suite with a very broad selection of security components, as you never know which one is going to save your bacon," he says. "But our readers are clearly happy with a suite that hits high points like a strong antivirus, flexible VPN, and thorough identity theft protection, even if Malwarebytes skips traditional security suite components such as firewall, spam filter, and parental control.”
When commenting on Malwarebytes, many of our readers mention how they’ve stuck with it for years. Others note how often they recommend the brand. “Whenever I was called to fix a friend's PC loaded with malware or viruses, I relied on Malwarebytes to get it back up and running. So it only made sense to invest in the paid version to protect my own system,” said one. Another singles out the software's tech support: “I once worked with Malwarebytes tech support for thirty days in order to resolve an issue. It was something in their software...they went above and beyond to get the issue resolved. Malwarebytes is an excellent software company.”
Bitdefender, last year's runner-up, stays put in second place, posting the same overall satisfaction score. Other brands bounce around the list, such as Avast moving from fifth place last year to third, and Microsoft moving from seventh to fourth. As we’ve seen in years past, the big-name companies, Norton and McAfee, settle into the bottom slots when it comes to our readers' satisfaction.
For more of Rubenking's current top picks in lab testing, read our roundup of The Best Security Suites.
The Top PC Antivirus for 2025
Bitdefender remains the top standalone antivirus product. It boasts a high score in every measure in which it qualifies, with the exception of ease of use—the top mark there goes to Malwarebytes (which was previously the top product in the standalone antivirus category from 2020 to 2023).
Bitdefender’s scores for its antivirus-only products across the chart are all 9.2 to 9.4 in every category. Its standalone virus fighters include Bitdefender Antivirus Free and the Editors’ Choice Bitdefender Antivirus Plus.
“Bitdefender Antivirus Plus routinely aces tests by independent labs,” says Rubenking. “In addition to effective antivirus protection, it includes specific layers to defend against exploits, ransomware, and ad trackers. Its collection of useful security bonuses beats out some full security suites.”
“I have never been infected while using Bitdefender,” observes one survey respondent. Another says, “The only issue I have with it, at times, [is that Bitdefender] is a little too aggressive.”
The chart above includes the paid and free programs on PCs. When we narrow things down to free brands only, only two names make the list, and the winner remains the same as last year: Microsoft Defender Antivirus, which outpaces Avast. Microsoft stays ahead of it on every measure in which they both appear.
Naturally, readers who love Microsoft’s Defender Antivirus do so because it’s free and comes along with the OS. But our survey indicate that it's better than expected. One reader believes that “Microsoft Defender has steadily improved over the years.” A second says, “I have had no virus problems or phishing problems; there is no need to pay for any additional services, since Microsoft’s free protection is all I need on my five PCs.”
“If you let your antivirus expire, Microsoft Defender steps up to protect you. When you restore third-party protection, it shuffles back to the sidelines,” says Rubenking. “Defender is a cut above no protection at all, but the best third-party antivirus apps, even free ones, are even better.”
For more, read our roundups of The Best Antivirus Software and The Best Free Antivirus Software.
The Top Mobile Antivirus for 2025
Every operating system needs protection. That includes macOS—Malwarebytes and Bitdefender both supply tools for Apple computers—as well as mobile platforms like Android and iOS. In fact, the latter two have had trouble with virus-laden apps infiltrating their app stores as recently as February and July.
In the lists of mobile security solutions, the same three brands appear in the charts for both Android and iOS, and the same brand is the top choice in both. For Android, Malwarebytes leaps ahead of last year’s winner, Bitdefender, as it does in PC security suites above. Bitdefender has the same overall satisfaction score for its Android option as it did last year; it just can’t match Malwarebytes' leap from an 8.6 to 9.4. It's the first time Malwarebytes has won for its Android app.
One reader shares a tale about using the mobile software: “In 2022, I accidentally clicked on a strange update request on my Android phone while on the hospital's free Wi-Fi. I realized it was a dumb mistake and immediately paid for a year's subscription to Malwarebytes. Four to six months later, Malwarebytes found a Trojan trying to activate and snuffed it. They waited that long to get the Trojan going. Only by having Malwarebytes on the job was I able to keep my phone protected.”
Likewise, Malwarebytes takes home top marks in security options for Apple phones and tablets. Last year, it didn’t even make this list; Bitdefender won handily. Even though Bitdefender’s satisfaction number goes up this year, Malwarebytes fares even better. It also posts almost-perfect 9.7 scores for both ease of use and reliability.
“Three independent labs put Android antivirus apps to the test,” says Rubenking. “The one lab that includes Malwarebytes gives it a perfect score, but all three award top scores to Bitdefender. Our readers provide a different view, with Malwarebytes edging out Bitdefender in every category.”
For more, read The Best Android Antivirus.
The PCMag Readers’ Choice survey for Antivirus and Security Suites was in the field from July 17 to Oct. 2, 2025; the VPN survey ran from July 23 to Oct. 15, 2025. For more information on how we conduct surveys, read our methodology.
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