Top 10 Best Reviews Of Antivirus Software of 2026

AV-TEST.org is a premier independent testing laboratory specializing in the evaluation of antivirus and security software across platforms like Windows, macOS, Android, and iOS. It conducts rigorous, real-world tests assessing protection against malware and exploits, system performance impact, and usability including false positives. Monthly reports and certifications provide transparent, data-driven rankings to guide users in selecting top-performing solutions.

AV-Comparatives is an independent, non-profit organization dedicated to testing and comparing antivirus software through rigorous, real-world scenarios. It evaluates products on malware detection rates, false positives, performance impact, and advanced threat protection, publishing detailed reports, charts, and awards like Approved Product status. Users can access annual summaries, malware removal tests, and ongoing real-time protection assessments to make informed decisions on AV solutions.

SE Labs (selabs.uk) is an independent cybersecurity testing laboratory specializing in real-world evaluations of antivirus and endpoint security software. They conduct rigorous tests simulating actual threats to measure protection rates, false positives, and usability, publishing detailed reports and awarding certifications like AAA and AA. Their objective assessments help users identify top-performing antivirus solutions in practical scenarios.

MRG Effitas is an independent testing laboratory specializing in comprehensive evaluations of antivirus and endpoint security solutions. Their 360° Assessment methodology tests products against real-world threats, including malware detection, exploit protection, ransomware defense, and behavioral analysis. Free public reports and certifications provide unbiased insights for consumers, businesses, and vendors to select effective security software.

Virus Bulletin (virusbulletin.com) is a leading independent testing organization specializing in rigorous evaluations of antivirus software through its renowned VB100 tests. It provides detailed comparative analyses, detection rate certifications, and expert insights into malware threats and security products. Primarily aimed at professionals, it awards the prestigious VB100 certification to solutions achieving 100% detection without false positives, serving as an industry benchmark.

VirusTotal is a free online service that scans files, URLs, IP addresses, and domains using over 70 antivirus engines and web reputation services to detect malware. It aggregates results from multiple scanners to provide a consensus verdict, helping users assess threats objectively. Ideal for quick checks and comparisons of antivirus detection rates, it offers detailed reports including behavioral analysis and YARA rules.

PassMark Anti-Virus Test is a free benchmarking tool from passmark.com that evaluates antivirus software performance by measuring detection rates and scan speeds against a large set of real-world malware samples. Users can run tests on their own systems with installed AV products, generating detailed reports and optionally submitting results to PassMark's public database for comparison. It provides objective, hardware-contextual metrics, making it valuable for independent AV evaluations beyond lab-controlled tests.

Hybrid Analysis (hybrid-analysis.com) is a free online malware analysis platform that allows users to submit files, URLs, and IP addresses for scanning against over 50 antivirus engines and dynamic sandbox execution. It generates detailed reports comparing detection rates across various AV vendors, enabling objective evaluation of antivirus software performance on specific threats. The service also provides behavioral analysis, YARA rules, and community insights, making it valuable for reviewing AV efficacy in real-world scenarios.

ANY.RUN is a cloud-based interactive malware sandbox platform designed for detailed analysis of suspicious files and URLs, offering real-time detonation and observation of threats. It provides comprehensive reports including behavioral insights, process trees, network activity, and detection verdicts from over 70 antivirus engines, making it useful for evaluating AV performance. As a tool in antivirus software reviews, it enables dynamic testing beyond static scans to assess how AV solutions handle live malware.

Joe Sandbox is a powerful online malware analysis platform that detonates suspicious files and URLs in virtualized sandbox environments across multiple operating systems. It generates detailed behavioral reports, including process trees, registry changes, network traffic, and verdicts from integrated antivirus engines. This makes it valuable for evaluating antivirus software performance against real-world threats by observing detection rates and evasion techniques.