Best antivirus software is one of the main topics here on our website. We’ve reviewed many of them so far. And we also looked into the best products for specific categories. Today, we’d like to focus on the importance of testing a free antivirus trial. That and some specific indications on what to test first.
We’ve noticed that internet users have one or two tendencies. They either ignore the importance of good antivirus software. Or they go with the flow and pick a name that they’ve heard of before. A product well-known and affordable enough for them.
The perils in doing so? You can choose something that doesn’t suit your needs. Or you can end up paying for functions that you won’t use.
Want to stop wasting time with extended research while your device lacks protection? We recommend you to take the free trials and make the most of them. Do that, before you decide on what product to buy.
You’ll see, some of them won’t even ask your credit card details when you sign up for the free trial. This will help you be more relaxed about testing it.
Why take the time to evaluate several different free trials?
On one hand, you must want the best protection you can get. But you’re hoping to get it without breaking the bank. If you look at a premium antivirus as an investment, you can see the point. No one invests nowadays without proper research. In any case, no one who is serious about their investment.
If you too are serious about getting a top antivirus, the last thing you should do is to hurry with the choice. Take as much time as you need to test as many free trial versions as you can. And note that the emphasis here is on free trial versions, not just free versions!
We’ve looked into free antivirus programs before. Even though many brands offer free versions, most of them are light on features. The point is, after all, to convince you into upgrading to a paid version. That is why the free versions will give you less than you need. To entice you into paying.
You will want to test the free trial versions to decide which of the paid versions are worth the investment.
Is there a difference between a free trial version and the paid version?
We’ve taken the time to explain the differences between free versions and free trials. Between the two of them, there are significant differences. But between the free trial and the paid version, there shouldn’t be any differences. At least not about the actual features.
As expected, when you’re running a free trial, you might have to deal with some pushy reminders. Most free trials work for 30 days. And throughout that month, you can get some calls to action, to upgrade to the paid version. Or some not too welcomed reminders that your free trial is due to expire soon.
In other words, the paid versions come with the luxury of not having to deal with ads. If you can handle this kind of “pressure”, you’re good to test the top antivirus with free trial for as long as you want. Speaking of which, where do you start from?
To ease your quest, we’ve selected a handful of the best options you have in 2019. Here they are…
A leading name in the AV industry – the Norton antivirus free trial
The Norton antivirus solutions make a special case. Not only because of their high price tag, but also because of the different information. The web is full of threads and discussions around their free trials. The Norton antivirus free trial for 90 days, in particular. Still, the only reliable place to look up for their active free trials is the official website.
Go to the Norton website and lookup for the download menu. In there, you’ll see that there is no such thing as a 90-day free trial promise. Currently, they are only promoting 30-day trials. They put emphasis on the Norton Mobile Security Android. And the Norton Family Premier, their proprietary parental control software.
The only numbers higher than the 30-day free trial? The 60-day money back guarantee, a promise for users who get an annual Norton 360 membership plan.
All these left aside, Norton gives access to all the paid features with the free trial. We’re talking anti-spyware, antivirus, malware, and ransomware protection. But also, online threat protection, smart firewall, cloud backup, password manager, and SafeCam. Even the secure VPN and Dark Web Monitoring are available for testing.
A close competitor on many levels – the Bitdefender antivirus free trial
Have you checked our website recently? If you did, you must have heard us talking about Bitdefender many times before. We have rated their free antivirus version as the best free antivirus in 2019.
But the free trial we’d like to suggest to you on this occasion is for the Premium suite. It comes with a 30-day free trial as well. And it packs way more features than the limited, free version.
As we said, the Bitdefender free version is great at catching viruses. Yet if you want more than that, you have to pay. So, our suggestion is to pay for the Premium suite. Only after you have tested it for free! You’ll get complete e-threat protection, unlimited VPN traffic, and priority when reaching out to customer support.
In case you’re wondering, there are some options between these two. In fact, ALL the Bitdefender products offer a 30-day free trial. Their official website doesn’t showcase a section for the free trials. But that shouldn’t discourage you.
Click on the Learn More button, next to each of the products listed on the website. And you’ll see the “Download 30-day free trial” option along with three invitations:
- See all features
- Check system requirements
- Read user guide
Then, you have the McAfee antivirus free trial to consider
Many people would like to know if McAfee has a free trial. Or where can they get McAfee for free. As always, we recommend you to check their official website. The 30-day free trial they offer can protect up to 10 devices.
Apart from ensuring top antivirus protection, McAfee does another great thing. They allow you to download the free trial without any credit card details! Most other sellers force you to fill in these details before you get the free trial. It’s like a promise that you’ll let them charge your credit card once the free trial expires.
McAfee doesn’t put this kind of pressure on you. It allows you to test the product. And it trusts you will return with the payment details once you know you want the paid version.
Chances are you’ll want the paid product. Especially after you test the software features of the McAfee Total Protection. Think of reliable antivirus software plus web protection, password management, and file encryption. They even include identity theft protection with this package.
The more or less controversial Kaspersky antivirus free trial
We’ve said it from the very beginning. Some accuse Kaspersky of spying its users. Others claim it’s the desirable alternative to some malware spying on you. If professional protection is all that matters to you, why not enjoy it?
On the official Kaspersky website, they promote the simple AV software. But aside from it, they also have an Internet Security advanced package. And a Total Security suite. Plus, they dedicate a special place to the Security Cloud for personal or family use.
All offer the reliable Kaspersky antivirus protection. And all support a 30-day free trial. Want to start with the basics? The core antivirus software will protect you from viruses, ransomware, and more! It promises to:
- Block a wide range of e-threats
- Put minimal pressure on your system resources
- Help you manage your security easier than ever
Last but not least, consider the BullGuard antivirus free trial
Remember our BullGuard extended review? It’s one of the first software with gaming features we’ve looked into, here at the Antivirus Jar. For sure, they know how to stand out through other things as well.
For instance, BullGuard gives away its Mobile Security product!
On the less pleasant side, they also stand out with a shorter free trial for the AV. If you want to try their standalone antivirus software, you only have a 15-day window. Still, their Internet Security and Premium Protection packages are more generous. Twice as generous, allowing 30-day trials.
With the Internet Security, they throw in a triple-layer AV protection. Behavioral threat detection and advanced machine learning are two other irresistible perks. That and the secure browser, plus the award-winning Game Booster feature.
With the Premium Protection, they offer identity protection and home network scanning. A bit hard to decide which one to pay for. But it’s a good thing you have free trials to… try, right?
We know, it’s not easy to make up your mind regarding the best antivirus with free trial. But download the free trial antivirus versions from above, anyway. And chances are you’ll fall for at least one of them pretty fast.
We’ve narrowed down your research. The final choice depends on your specific needs and preferences. Start from here and don’t hesitate to drop us a note if you have other thoughts!