To get an idea of how effective a given antivirus product is, we look to four independent testing labs around the world. And with the trial active, it popped up to warn about the expiry of Pro features. Even so, TotalAV occasionally popped up with a free trial offer.

With a free installation, you get a one-week trial of Pro features. Click it and you’ll once again get an invitation to upgrade. Popup warnings about blocked websites include an Activate Now button. Clicking the button to enable it informs you that doing so requires a Pro license. The status indicator displays a yellow warning that real-time protection is disabled. With TotalAV’s free antivirus, you can never get to green. If not, you typically get advice for correcting a problem. Just about every antivirus features a status indicator on the main window. That’s high-Bitdefender, ESET, and Kaspersky give you three licenses for $59.99, Webroot asks $49.99, and F-Secure goes for $39.99. That product lists for $99 per year to protect three PCs. Most features on the Internet Security menu, along with Password Vault and Family Sharing, require purchase of the commercial TotalAV Antivirus Pro. Hovering over an icon reveals the corresponding six protection categories: Malware Protection, Internet Security, System Tune Up, Password Vault, Family Sharing Accounts, and Settings. The product's dark gray main window features a left-rail menu with six icons.

Given the absence of real-time protection, I wish it offered a daily scan option. You can opt instead for a fortnightly or monthly scan. It also schedules a weekly scan, during a non-busy time that you specify, though it doesn't give you control over the day of the week for the scan. TotalAV runs a required Smart Scan after installation, an important step given that it doesn't offer any real-time protection.

When you install the product, it requests that you activate your free account, a simple matter of supplying your name and email address. In a rare departure from the expected, even essential real-time antivirus protection is locked behind a paywall. TotalAV Free Edition makes all the paid features visible, but clicking on many of them just gets you an invitation to upgrade. A CISO who uses a free antivirus at home just might lean toward that company when it comes to equipping a whole enterprise with endpoint protection. Many antivirus companies put full-scale protection into their free antivirus offerings, figuring they’ll benefit in goodwill and mindshare rather than in cash.

Best Hosted Endpoint Protection and Security Software.

Total av free antivirus review