Best Free Antivirus Software 2012

In this post I’d like to share a completely free resource, that has been a critical part in helping me keep my computers protected from viruses for years now. In fact this anti-virus program continues to rank high above many of  its paying competitors again now in 2012. Based upon my own experience I can say with the utmost confidence that the AVG Anti-Virus Free Edition is still the best free Antivirus software out there today.

Now to be clear,  AVG certainly does have an excellent anti-virus software package to buy, which adds many more features and options that the free version does not. However, if you don’t have the budget just yet to get the best for your money, then you can’t go wrong with the best free antivirus software available today.

That said, regardless if you’re looking for an excellent free version or you have the budget to get the best version available, let me give you 5 reasons why I personally use,  and have always recommended,  AVG  products for antivirus and spyware protection.

1.) AVG  antivirus programs use very little “computer power” while running in the background and continuously protecting your computer from threats. This is very instrumental in keeping your computer from slowing down after you’ve installed a virus protection program.

There are many other Antivirus Software packages out there now days, but often they require large amounts of power from your computer to keep them running in the background constantly. For an antivirus program to be effective, it must consistently check the health of each file used in normal computer activity.

It might be helpful to think of this in terms of a vehicle trying to pull a load. If I were pulling a trailer behind my GMC Yukon, the motor in my SUV would be working much harder than if I were simply driving without pulling anything. This is a very simplified way to think of your computer as well. The more power required from running programs,  the more load your computer will have. The more load, the slower each individual program will seem to run.

2.) Virus updates are free. The reality is that viruses are constantly being created and distributed, often through unsuspecting computer users, all the time. If a virus program is going to work well, then there must be a way for regular updates to be installed when new viruses are exposed.

AVG does not charge additional for their updates unlike other antivirus and spyware products do. Even if you purchased the full featured paid version, you still get the software updates for free. This is a big bonus in my book as other programs require you to spend a yearly amount to get their updates.

3.) When you install AVG Antivirus you are simply installing just that. Many other software packages install a good deal of unrelated software when you load them on your computer. Not only is this frustrating but it also consumes more power from your computer that is simply not needed.

4.) AVG Antivirus has a very clean interface that is simple and easy to use. As you’re learning how to use your computer, programs that don’t over complicate things are a huge help. AVG has a small icon that sits in the bottom right of your computer’s task bar. This area is called the “system tray.”  Most of the updates are done automatically for you, yet with a simple click of the icon you can gain access to the full interface.

5.) It just works. I know you might be waiting for “more” on this one but the truth is, having a program consistently and effortlessly do what it was designed to do, well that is a major value in itself. I’ve used AVG for years and the protection it provides has proved to far out-weigh the price to buy it, especially when you’re using the FREE! version.

If you’d like to download any of the AVG  products, they have been gracious enough to partner as an affiliate with me (I get a small percentage of any sale). As a benefit to you from their partnership, follow the link on my “Toolbox” page, and you will get a 20% discount on the full version of AVG Anti-Virus 2012. If you’d like to simply download and install the free version of AVG Anti-Virus you can find that here.

As always, I’d love to hear your thoughts on this post, you can include them in the comments section below.