Antivirus software: Should I pay for it or go free?

Virus scanners not only protect against malware, but also against phishing attacks. — Photo: Daniel Naupold/dpa

BERLIN: With the ever-present threat of malware and phishing attacks it makes sense to have a virus protection program on your computer, whether it’s a Windows machine or a Mac. But the good news is that free programs are just as good as paid ones.

This was the finding of a comparison of 14 such programs for Windows and nine for MacOS carried out by Stiftung Warentest, a consumer goods testing organization in Germany.