Independent testing lab AV-Comparatives has published its annual consumer antivirus summary, assessing how 19 Windows security products performed across a full year of testing.
The report looks beyond a single snapshot, combining results from multiple test types to show how well popular security tools protect users in real-world conditions.
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AV-Comparatives’ lab tested consumer antivirus products throughout 2025 for real-world threat protection, malware detection, resistance to advanced attacks, false positives, and system performance. All products reached an acceptable overall level, although results varied across categories, with some scoring consistently higher than others.
Based on combined performance across all main consumer tests, AV-Comparatives awarded its Top-Rated Product designation to Avast, AVG, Bitdefender, ESET, G Data, Kaspersky, and Norton. The awards reflect consistent performance across the full test series rather than results from a single test.
Avast and AVG both reached Advanced+ levels in six out of seven tests and Advanced in the remaining one. Each also received Gold awards for overall performance, reflecting a balance between protection strength and low system impact.
Bitdefender earned Top-Rated status after collecting a mix of Advanced+, Advanced, and Standard awards. It secured Gold in the Advanced Threat Protection test, alongside strong results in real-world and malware protection categories.
ESET achieved the highest Advanced+ rating in all seven tests. It also received a Gold award for Advanced Threat Protection, mostly down to its ability to block targeted and fileless attacks under test conditions.
G Data received Top-Rated recognition with a combination of Advanced+ and Advanced awards. It also earned Silver awards in malware protection and advanced threat testing, placing it among the stronger performers across defensive scenarios.
Kaspersky, while remaining a divisive choice for many people because its Russian links, collected Advanced+ ratings across all tests and received Gold awards for malware protection and low false positives. It also placed highly in real-world and advanced threat categories, contributing to its Top-Rated status.
Norton completed the Top-Rated group with seven Advanced+ awards. It also secured Gold in real-world protection, alongside Silver awards for overall performance and advanced threat protection.
Other products delivered mixed results. McAfee received Bronze awards for real-world protection and overall performance. Microsoft Defender earned a range of Advanced+ and Advanced ratings while remaining tightly integrated into Windows.
Avira and Panda showed solid protection levels, particularly among free products, although with more variation across tests.
AV-Comparatives explains its findings
The lab stressed that no security product is ideal for every user and that its awards are based purely on technical test results and do not account for factors such as pricing, support, or interface language availability. AV-Comparatives recommends users try trial versions and consider protection quality and performance impact before committing themselves and their systems.
The report also noted that free antivirus products from several vendors delivered protection and performance comparable to paid options, although support and advanced features will likely be more limited.
Auto-renewal practices and long-term subscription pricing were highlighted as areas users should consider carefully.
What do you think about AV-Comparatives antivirus rankings? Let us know in the comments.
