Avast    A popular antivirus application.

  Free antivirus protection. This application is rather resource heavy and should be installed on newer PCs and laptops only.

A very good antivirus application. However, be aware that their is advertising pop-ups. Avira is light on system resources so it is a good option for older PC.

  Better cybersecurity for small and midsize businesses.
This is the only pay for antivirus program shown in these recommendations. Emsisoft is a New Zealand based cybersecurity company. Their antivirus solutions are reasonably priced and they provide excellent support. Contact Emsisoft and you are sure to receive a reply from a real person.

  Older versions of Malwarebytes no longer receive malware signature database updates. If you are looking for an alternative standalone malware scanner, try out the Emsisoft Emergency Kit. Originally based in Australia, now based in New Zealand, Emsisoft provides excellent support. Contact support at their Emsisoft website and you will received a reply from a real person.

  I previously use Malwarebytes as a supplement to my main antivirus program. Malwarebytes only runs on execution so it will not interfere with your antivirus program. This will help broaden your spectrum of coverage against viruses. Unfortunately, older versions of Malwarebytes no longer receive malware signature database updates. Running later versions of Malwarebytes (later then version 2.22) now operate in the background. Malwarebytes is no longer a standalone software package, this is not an ideal solution.

Microsoft Security Essentials  is a good antivirus solution for Windows 7. Microsoft Security Essentials no longer runs under Windows XP. Microsoft will continue to provide signature updates until 2023. More information about Windows Security Essentials here. Update: as of 07/06/2024, signature updates are still coming in.