Free Antivirus Protection versus a Paid Subscription

I couldn’t talk about anti-spyware without talking about antivirus protection.  DUH!  In the time of rapidly advancing technology, it is more necessary than ever to protect your computer. Criminals have risen to the challenge and can use this technology to steal your information. Install software that searches for the criminal element and eliminates it from ever being a problem.

There is another dilemma: With so many antivirus products on the market, which one do you choose? There is no right and wrong answers here but some people are concerned about the difference between the free programs offered and the ones that you have to pay a yearly subscription for.

Let’s backtrack a bit and talk about viruses. Unlike the ones that humans deal with, the computer variety can be found and eliminated before they cause trouble. Computer viruses get into your hard drive and wreak havoc. They slow your computer down by taking up your hard drive space. Once there, they can infect your programs and steal personal and financial information. What you are left with is a big mess that is a pain in the neck to fix.

Antivirus software may come pre-installed on your computer. If it does, it is likely a free trial or a paid subscription that you ordered with the system. Either way, its job is to detect viruses within items on your hard drive and remove them according to your specifications. When the paid subscription is up for renewal, you’ll receive pop-up messages warning you that your system is about to be left unprotected.

What many computer owners don’t know is that you have a choice. You don’t have to pay for antivirus, when many companies offer antivirus software for free. We have all heard the adage, “You get what you pay for,” but, just like everything else, it is best to shop wisely before making a choice.

Ideally you want antivirus protection to alert you when a virus is trying to hack your system. Also, spyware falls into this category. The software will let you know if spyware a danger from anything that you have or will download.

A free program can do that is so much the better for you. Free doesn’t mean cheap, just minimal. Some companies offer a program that does what you need, but offers the extra bells and whistles for a fee. Depending on your computer usage, the bells and whistles are not needed. They take up extra hard drive space and almost never get used.

For a person, like yourself, who is careful about where they go on the Internet the basics of free antivirus protection will work. Protecting yourself with some basic surfing and downloading guidelines is half the battle.

Here is some good advice: While you are still within the free 30-day trial that the manufacturer gave you, compare free and paid software. If the free software gives you what you need, go for it. You can always change later.