The differences between free and paid antivirus to know to protect your computer

The network allows us today to find almost all the services we need completely free, however, especially for antivirus there are differences to be known with those for a fee. If all this often spoils us and has accustomed us to not spending a cent on the internet, many times these services offer additional features for a fee. We usually turn up our noses and decide not to pay and continue to use the free version, but there are times when we ponder the idea of upgrading and switching to the paid version, often called premium. This happens more and more often when it comes to antivirus: although free ones are very popular, and generally safe, we don't always know if it is appropriate to switch to a paid antivirus.

Free vs premium services

It seems that the internet has reached a balance that is highly appreciated by users: today there are many free services that offer paid methods that allow access to exclusive features. These premium modes thus allow those who do not have much money to be able to continue browsing without problems, while giving the opportunity to those who want to know more or need personalized services to receive a valid and comprehensive treatment. This trend is now common to almost all aspects of the internet: online newspapers, for example, offer the possibility of reading a limited number of articles for free per month, while a monthly subscription is required to be able to access them at any time. Digital games work similarly.

There are many video games in the app stores that offer free modes, but which often require us to wait for our life points to recharge or switch to paid mode to proceed faster in the game. The free services are also used for bonuses and trials from online casinos which allow enthusiasts and less experienced players to spin free spins without wagering real money to learn how to play slots, roulette and much more. Finally, if we want to listen to music online, today we can choose whether to do it for free, but having to listen to advertisements between one song and another, or whether to pay a monthly fee to be able to access all the songs we want at any time. The antivirus world has also adapted to this new economic system, offering free and premium versions of the same service.

The differences between free and paid antivirus

How are free antiviruses different from paid ones? We must start by saying that the free ones are almost always extremely good. Especially if we use the computer as private individuals and not as corporate employees, often the protection offered by these antiviruses will be sufficient. Free antivirus in fact protect us from viruses and malware and allow us to surf fairly protected. However, many of these programs offer upgrades that can be very interesting to those who particularly care about the protection of their information and devices. Premium antiviruses often come with features that make our computers even safer. All this, moreover, without the advertising that often appears when we use free antivirus. Among the services most loved by users offered by premium antivirus stands out the VPN, which allows you to disguise your IP address and be less traceable. Parents can also switch to paid antivirus to take advantage of parental controls, which blocks children and teenagers from accessing certain sites.

But not only that, premium antiviruses also protect more against password or digital identity theft and defend us against ramsomware, a particularly annoying type of hacking that can cost its victims dearly. These antiviruses also offer firewalls that work together with those often already used by our routers or our connections, further protecting our browsing. Those who choose a paid antivirus also have the right to dedicated and attentive customer service capable of resolving doubts and intervening in case of emergencies, which is not guaranteed to customers of free antivirus. But how do you decide if it's time to upgrade to a premium antivirus? Fortunately, the main antivirus offer free trial services, usually lasting a month, which allow you to test all the potential of the premium antivirus without spending a cent.

Each user has different needs and needs a personalized level of data protection and internet connection. While many of us are satisfied with a free antivirus, there are cases where upgrading to a premium antivirus may be the right choice.

The article The differences between free and paid antivirus to know to protect your computer comes from Tech CuE | Close-up Engineering .