Choosing an antivirus software is one of the most important tasks for users of Microsoft's Windows operating systems, including the latest version of Windows 10. In this article we will focus on the comparison between Avast and Windows Defender , two of the most free antivirus solutions. popular that we can find for many reasons. Which of the two is the better option? Read on if you want to know the answer.
Windows Defender, simple but very effective
Microsoft's antivirus software offers us everything we need to protect our computer in an adequate way. In addition, it is a very light product, which has little impact on the consumption of computer resources.
Windows Defender offers us three options to carry out an antivirus scan of our computer, the three modes can be used without having to be connected to the Internet. These three modes are:
- Quick scan
- Full scan
- Custom scan
Windows Defender also includes a fairly advanced Firewall , which monitors all the connections that enter and leave the user's computer. This tool is responsible for preventing any attacker from taking advantage of a security hole, to gain control of our computer.
Finally, Windows Defender also includes a fairly complete parental control , which we can use, to protect our children from inappropriate content on the network.
Avast, a classic that keeps getting better
Avast is an antivirus that offers both a free version and a paid version with more advanced and complete functions. The free version is the most popular among users, and has always received rave reviews.
Avast also offers us several options when it comes to analyzing our computer, looking for malware, all of which also work without the need for access to the network.
- Smart scan
- Quick scan
- Full scan
- Scan during startup
A very interesting feature of Avast is its WiFi network inspector , which will warn you if your Wi-Fi connection is not secure and can be easily hacked. Avast also offers us a silent mode , which is responsible for eliminating all notifications and distractions while we are playing.
We continue to see the options offered by the free version of Avast antivirus. This software includes a module for creating Windows recovery discs, something that will be very useful to eliminate the most difficult rootkits.
Lastly, Avast includes two browser extensions: Avast Online Security and Avast SafePrice . The first of them is in charge of analyzing the web pages, which you try to visit to warn you if they are safe or not, while the second analyzes the products in online stores, to inform you if it is safe or is it a fraud.
Which offers better protection?
To analyze the level of protection of Windows Defender and Avast, we will use the tests performed by AV Comparatives.
The last comparison of this organization was made between the months of July and August of this year 2019. The data shows that both antivirus solutions offer a very similar level of detection, although Windows Defender is slightly higher than Avast .
conclusion
Our final conclusion is that both antiviruses are two excellent proposals, each one with its virtues compared to the other. The level of protection they offer is very similar , so we will have to look at the rest of the details to opt for one or the other.