Avast and AVG are just OK as AV software goes. But excellent as FREE AV software goes.
ESET’s NOD32 is easily the best on the planet.
I’m a computer consultant and have installed it on literally thousands of machines.
It is not free but we have very few virus callbacks when combining NOD32 with Malware Bytes.
My two cents.
I have combined the FREE AVG and Spybot S&D to protect one of my laptops.
Within the same time, I used McAfee to “protect” another. It was the McAfee AV-protected laptop that was NOT able to detect the Vundo malware until it sputtered and crashed.
The laptop with the free AVG/Spybot has never let me down in 2 years.
I don't like Avast that well. In raw detection (on demand scan) I much prefer AVG or AntiVir.
ESET’s NOD32 is easily the best on the planet.
Would *nearly* agree. I would still rate Kaspersky as *best*, but NOD32 is seriously right up at the top.
As a service tech, I recommend F-Protect. It is really quite good, and has a very nice price- $35 for 5 machines, $45 for 10 machines.
I’ve used Nod32 and Avast! on a couple of my computers, all networked.
Avast caught more viruses than ESET’s did, especially the kind that infects USB thumb drives.
I run Webroot Spy Sweeper, Lavasoft’s Ad-Aware (manually, once a week), and the McAfee that comes free with Comcast. I also run Window Washer on a regular basis. I have never had a virus or malware problem, ever.
I love avast it is my antivirus and every couple of weeks I do an online scan with ESET just to introduce a competitors look at everything.
http://www.eset.com/onlinescan/scanner.php?i_agree=14
I am a scanning nut, when I am away from the computer I like it to be doing something. If I will be away for an hour then I do a spyware/malware scan, if I’m going to be away from the computer for three hours then I do a virus scan.