Sam Boyd
Updated on: April 27, 2025
Fact-checked by Kate Davidson
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🥇 Norton
: A US-based antivirus with better identity protections than Kaspersky. Norton offers a strong malware engine and similar extras, including a VPN, password manager, and parental controls.
Kaspersky is a safe and effective antivirus, but it’s become controversial. This skepticism doesn’t stem from the software itself. The doubt surrounding Kaspersky comes from its parent company, which is based in Russia. The US government has banned the sale of Kaspersky products, and other Western countries may follow America’s lead
For many users, now is the time to look for an alternative to Kaspersky. Whether you’re skeptical of Russian software or your hand has been forced by the government, you need to find a new antivirus. Kaspersky is one of the top antiviruses on the market, with many extra features, so former users will doubtless want an antivirus that measures up to Kaspersky. This is a high bar to clear.
Nevertheless, I found 5 great Kaspersky alternatives in 2025. My list only includes products with features comparable to those of Kaspersky, and in some cases, the tools work even better than Kaspersky’s. The brands I recommend are all based in the US or EU and offer generous free trials or money-back guarantees, so that you can try them out risk-free. My top pick, Norton, for example, offers a generous 60-day money-back guarantee.
Quick Summary of the Best Kaspersky Antivirus Alternatives in 2025
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🥇1. Norton — Best Antivirus Alternative to Kaspersky
Approved by our experts
Norton isn’t only the best Kaspersky alternative — it’s the best antivirus on the market in 2025. Like Kaspersky, Norton provides excellent malware protection, advanced security tools, a wide range of features, and a beginner-friendly user interface. However, unlike Kaspersky, Norton is developed and headquartered in the US.
Norton has a powerful anti-malware engine that uses machine learning, heuristic analysis, and a massive malware directory to identify all types of malware. I put over 1,000 malware samples onto my PC, including viruses, adware, worms, trojans, and more. Norton’s system scan detected 100% of this malware. Kaspersky did just as well on my PC, but scans took slightly longer than Norton’s.
Norton’s other security tools include:
- Real-time protection.
- Firewall.
- Web protection.
- VPN (unlimited data).
- Secure browser.
- Password manager.
- Parental controls.
- Dark web monitoring.
- Cloud backup.
- ID theft protections (in some countries).
I like Norton’s VPN. In terms of features and functionality, it’s comparable to Kaspersky’s VPN, as it comes with 256-bit AES encryption, a no-logs policy, a kill switch, and split-tunneling, and it’s a decent choice for streaming. While it’s not as good as the best standalone VPNs, it’s still one of the best antivirus-bundled VPNs around.
As a US-based company, Norton is a more reliable option for most people. Norton offers extensive identity theft protections and has passed more transparency audits than Kaspersky. While Kaspersky provides limited identity theft protection in the UK and Ireland, if you’re in the US, its US-based insurance policy is no longer available due to the ban on Kaspersky sales. In contrast, Norton users in the US can still access complete identity theft protection, including insurance coverage.
For £19.99 / year, you can get Norton’s cheapest plan, Antivirus Plus. It includes malware and real-time protection, a firewall, web protection, 2 GB of cloud storage, and a password manager. The price and feature range are similar to Kaspersky’s Standard plan, but the downside is that it only covers 1 device instead of Kaspersky’s 3-device limit.
The 360 Deluxe plan, although a bit pricier, provides better value. It adds an unlimited-data VPN, parental controls, and more features for up to 5 devices for £29.99 / year. Users in the US also get a handy data broker removal tool. Norton’s LifeLock plans for US users include credit monitoring and identity theft insurance, which Kaspersky can no longer offer since it’s unavailable in the US. All Norton subscriptions come with a 60-day money-back guarantee.
Bottom Line:
Norton is the best alternative to Kaspersky in 2025. It’s based in the US and offers flawless malware detection and the same excellent extras that Kaspersky does, like an unlimited-data VPN, parental controls, a password manager, and more. Unlike Kaspersky, Norton offers excellent identity theft protection tools to users in the US. All of its plans have a 60-day money-back guarantee.
🥈2. Bitdefender — Best Kaspersky Alternative With a Lightweight Cloud-Based Scanner
Bitdefender comes with a lightweight antivirus scanner with perfect malware detection rates — it found all the threats I hid on my Windows PC. Like Norton, Bitdefender’s malware engine uses machine learning, advanced heuristics, and an immense malware directory to detect all threats. And because it’s cloud-based, I didn’t experience any slowdown during full system scans.
Other Bitdefender features include:
- Web protection.
- Ransomware remediation.
- Secure web browser.
- Password manager.
- VPN (200 MB/day).
- System optimization.
- Parental controls.
- Webcam protection.
Some of Bitdefender’s features are simply better than Kaspersky’s. For example, Bitdefender’s web protections blocked every phishing site I tried to visit, while Kaspersky’s missed quite a few. The optimization tools are also much more streamlined, allowing you to utilize every tool in a single click.
Bitdefender has a secure web browser called Safepay, which is similar to Kaspersky’s Safe Money but loads much more quickly. Safepay prevents hackers from accessing your device and stealing personal information during online transactions. Unlike Kaspersky, Bitdefender’s secure browser has a built-in VPN and blocks the copy/paste function, which can prevent malicious scripts from stealing data from your clipboard. Like Kaspersky, it’s got keylogger protection in the form of a virtual keyboard.
Though it has offices worldwide (including in California), Bitdefender is based in Romania, a member of the European Union. Romania is not an espionage power or member of the 5/9/14 Eyes intelligence sharing group, so Bitdefender is great for users concerned about government spying.
Bitdefender has several plans to choose from. Comparable to Kaspersky Standard, Bitdefender’s entry-level plan, Antivirus Plus, costs £22.49 / year and covers 3 devices. I think it’s better than Kaspersky’s alternative because it gets you a VPN (200 MB / per day) and a password manager — which Kaspersky reserves for higher-tier plans.
Total Security is an excellent choice if you want to cover mobile or Mac devices. It protects up to 5 devices (Windows, macOS, iOS, and Android) and adds parental controls, webcam protection, and a device optimizer for £42.49 / year. Bitdefender backs all plans with a risk-free 30-day money-back guarantee.
Bottom Line:
Bitdefender has a powerful cloud-based malware engine that can detect any threat on your device. Based in the EU-member state of Romania, it offers web protection, system optimization, a VPN, a password manager, and identity theft protection — all of which make it an excellent Kaspersky alternative. All plans are backed by a 30-day money-back guarantee.
Read the full Bitdefender review here
🥉3. TotalAV — Beginner-Friendly With Great Internet Security Tools
TotalAV offers a similar level of protection as Kaspersky. In addition to great features, it’s remarkably easy to use. As a UK-based company, TotalAV is a reliable option for Western consumers. It detected 99.6% of threats compared to Kaspersky’s 100%, but the extra features and better design more than make up for this small gap.
In addition to the anti-malware engine, TotalAV comes with:
- Web protection.
- Secure browser.
- Password manager.
- Unlimited-data VPN.
- Optimization tools.
- Identity theft protections.
- Ad and tracker blocker.
I really like Total Browser, TotalAV’s secure browser. Compared to Kaspersky’s Safe Money browser, Total Browser has a much better ad blocker. It also has unique features you don’t see in Safe Money. For example, you’ll be notified whenever you visit a site that’s previously suffered a data breach. It also has anti-phishing protection, but unlike Bitdefender’s secure browser, it lacks a screenshot blocker. Even if you don’t use Safe Browser, TotalAV will block dangerous sites through the main app.
You also get some handy optimization tools. I was able to speed up my PC’s boot time, and TotalAV detected a similar amount of unnecessary files and registered issues as Kaspersky. But unlike Kaspersky, TotalAV comes with an easy application uninstaller. It also found more junk overall than Kaspersky did. TotalAV has a duplicate file finder and other nifty features for Android and iOS, whereas Kaspersky doesn’t have any cleanup tools for mobile devices.
The whole process of installing and using TotalAV is simple. The apps all have clean interfaces to the extent that you don’t need any technical knowledge to use them effectively. If you have any issues, TotalAV offers excellent email support, live chat, and a helpful knowledge base.
At £19.00 / year, TotalAV’s basic plan, Antivirus Pro, is cheaper than Kaspersky’s Standard plan while offering more device licenses (5 instead of 3). My favorite TotalAV plan, however, is Total Security. It costs £39.00 / year, includes all of TotalAV’s features, and covers up to 8 devices. TotalAV backs all purchases with a 30-day money-back guarantee.
Bottom Line:
TotalAV is an excellent choice for users moving away from Kaspersky. The apps are intuitively designed and offer great protection paired with all the features you get with Kaspersky, plus a few more. TotalAV is based in the UK and available worldwide. All plans are backed by a 30-day money-back guarantee.
Read the full TotalAV review here
4. McAfee — Better Web Protection + Easy-To-Use Apps
McAfee offers great malware protection and unbeatable web security features. Its antivirus scanner uses machine learning, heuristics, and behavioral detection to detect, isolate, and remove all sorts of threats. Just like Norton, McAfee is based in the US and had a 100% detection rate in my tests. However, unlike Norton and Bitdefender, my system slowed down when I carried out full system scans with McAfee.
McAfee’s extra features include:
- Firewall.
- Anti-phishing protection.
- Wi-Fi network protection.
- VPN (unlimited with auto-renewal).
- Password manager.
- Performance optimization.
- Parental controls.
- Identity theft protection.
WebAdvisor is McAfee’s browser extension that blocks exploit attacks, phishing sites, and browser-based cryptojackers. In my tests, it successfully blocked every phishing site and exploit attack. This is much better than Kaspersky’s web protection, which allowed me to access more than a few phishing sites.
Though both antiviruses come with a VPN, parental controls, and a password manager, McAfee is better when it comes to extra features. I found McAfee’s apps to be easier to use and more rich in terms of features. But it’s the identity theft protections that make McAfee stand out. The somewhat basic Essential plan comes with dark web monitoring, and higher-tier plans offer up to $1 million in compensation for identity theft victims in the US, UK, Australia, and Canada. On the other hand, Kaspersky provides only basic dark web monitoring and limits its identity theft protections outside of the US.
McAfee Total Protection Essential costs £34.99 / year and covers 5 Windows, Android, iOS, macOS, or ChromeOS devices. It provides web protection, a VPN (unlimited data with auto-renewal), a password manager, a file shredder, and identity monitoring. Compared to Kaspersky’s similarly priced Premium plan, it’s slightly cheaper and offers more device licenses, but it doesn’t include parental controls.
My favorite plan is Advanced, which costs £69.98 / year. It protects unlimited devices (the best Kaspersky plan only comes with 20 licenses in certain countries) and includes personal data cleanup scans and identity theft protections Kaspersky customers could only dream of. The family version even adds parental controls (Kaspersky’s highest-tier plan only comes with a 1-year subscription to the parental controls). Every McAfee subscription comes with a 30-day money-back guarantee.
Bottom Line:
McAfee is an excellent US-based Kaspersky alternative with a flawless antivirus scanner and great online security features. Its WebAdvisor browser extension protects you from unsafe websites and other malicious threats better than Kaspersky does. Its extra features are similar, but the more comprehensive identity theft protection for users in the US, UK, Australia, and Canada makes McAfee stand well ahead of Kaspersky. All plans are backed by a 30-day money-back guarantee.
Read the full McAfee review here
5. Avira — Excellent Free Plan With Good Cleanup Tools
Avira uses one of the most powerful malware engines on the market. Based in Germany, its anti-malware technology is so good that it’s been licensed to competitors such as TotalAV. Like Kaspersky, Avira’s malware engine is cloud-based, so it doesn’t strain your system.
When I tested Avira, it detected all the sample malware on my computer, and the scan didn’t slow my system down at all. My only problem with Avira’s full scan is that it takes over an hour — Kaspersky’s scans only take about 45 minutes. However, this isn’t a big deal since you can use your computer as normal while Avira is scanning.
I really like Avira’s free plan. Kaspersky’s free plan is Windows-only and offers just bare-bones antivirus protection, whereas Avira’s free plan comes with extras such as:
- Safe Shopping browser extension.
- Performance optimization tools.
- VPN (unlimited data with Prime).
- Password manager.
- File shredder.
I particularly like Avira’s PC junk file cleaner, which detects and removes junk files and folders from your PC. It found far more junk than Kaspersky could, clearing over 26 GB from my system. It also has a driver updater, a startup manager, and a duplicate file finder. Kaspersky has all those features but lacks a battery monitor and a game booster. The free version and mobile versions of Kaspersky are also missing any tune-up tools.
Upgrading to Avira Prime unlocks all features, including web protection, a firewall, an unlimited-data VPN, and advanced optimization tools, for £51.99 / year. Avira plans come with a 60-day money-back guarantee.
Bottom Line:
Avira has a powerful cloud-based malware engine and good system optimization tools. The free plan includes a VPN, a password manager, and a Safe Shopping browser extension. Avira’s premium plans are also a good value, and they’re all backed by a 60-day money-back guarantee.
Bonus. Intego — Best Kaspersky Alternative for macOS
Intego is my favorite internet security suite for macOS. Its antivirus scanner — VirusBarrier — has near-perfect malware detection rates. Meanwhile, Kaspersky’s Mac scanner only detected 95% of threats in my tests. And unlike Kaspersky, Intego is a US-based company offering an excellent range of Mac-specific security tools (although it provides protection for Windows, too).
Intego’s full scan took about an hour to scan over 1 million files, but because it uses a file caching system (the same technology Norton uses to skip previously scanned files), subsequent scans took only a few minutes. VirusBarrier also lets you scan external drives or iOS devices you connect to your Mac, making it easy to protect your other devices.
Intego’s features include:
- Advanced firewall.
- Mac optimization and cleaning tools.
- Customizable backup options.
- Parental controls.
I was impressed with Intego’s NetBarrier firewall. It alerts you to incoming and outgoing network connections and gives you the option to allow or block them. It also adjusts settings depending on the network you’re using — home, work, or public Wi-Fi. Kaspersky, on the other hand, only includes a network attack blocker in its Mac version rather than a comprehensive firewall, which is disappointing.
Another stand-out Intego feature is the Washing Machine system optimizer, which scans your Mac for junk files. Unlike other antiviruses, these tools are built explicitly with macOS in mind. After scanning my MacBook for about a minute, Washing Machine discovered over 100 duplicate files. Similarly, Intego’s parental controls are designed for Macs, containing features like optional keystroke logging and communications blocking that Kaspersky lacks.
Intego has 3 plans — Mac Internet Security X9, Mac Security And Performance, and Mac Premium Bundle X9. Priced at £17.99 / year, Mac Internet Security X9 offers malware protection and a firewall. But to access parental controls and optimization tools, you’ll need Mac Security And Performance (£24.99 / year). The top plan, Mac Premium Bundle X9, costs £27.99 / year and adds parental controls and cloud backup. All plans protect up to 5 Mac devices and are covered by a risk-free 30-day money-back guarantee.
Bottom Line:
Intego is an American company that provides excellent malware detection and removal and a range of excellent Mac-specific security features. Its advanced firewall, backup tools, and parental controls are much better than Apple’s built-in features. Intego’s plans come with a 30-day money-back guarantee, so you have plenty of time to test it and see if it’s right for you.
Editors’ Note: Intego and this site are in the same ownership group.
Quick Comparison Table
Testing Methodology: Comparison & Ranking Criteria
I considered several factors to determine which antiviruses are the best alternatives for Kaspersky. First, I was guided by our rigorous methodology for testing and rating antiviruses. Then, amongst other things, I compared each antivirus to Kaspersky regarding its effectiveness against malware and extra features. With the issues surrounding Kaspersky, I also looked into the company behind each software.
- I tested each antivirus against a wide range of malware. Kaspersky detected 100% of malware in my tests on Windows, so the ideal alternative will offer a similar level of protection. I found several that met this high bar, with every antivirus on this list detecting at least 99.6% of threats.
- I considered the number and quality of extra features. The ideal alternative has just as many bonus features as Kaspersky. This wasn’t easy to check because Kaspersky has a VPN, password manager, parental controls, and more. But every antivirus on this list has a comparable number of extra features. As it happens, Norton’s additional features are far better than Kaspersky’s.
- I looked into the company behind each antivirus. Kaspersky has been targeted due to its Russian origins. Anyone looking for an alternative will want an antivirus that isn’t likely to suffer the same scrutiny. Every product on this list is based in the US or EU and is unlikely to be targeted by Western governments. Bitdefender is based in Romania, for example.
- I made sure the products were worth the money. In addition to testing the efficacy of each piece of software, I considered whether they were worth the money. I balanced the quality of each antivirus’s features with its cost. Every product on this list is comparable to Kaspersky in terms of value for money.
Is UltraAV a Good Kaspersky Alternative?
In September 2024, Kaspersky antivirus users in the US experienced a sudden transition when their software was automatically replaced by UltraAV. Forced to leave the US market following the ban on its products, Kaspersky partnered with UltraAV, a product from the American company Pango Group, to transition its US customers. Many users were surprised to see UltraAV suddenly appear on their systems.
While UltraAV is a legitimate antivirus that’s been around for over 20 years, it is relatively unknown in the antivirus market compared to well-known brands like Kaspersky or any of the antiviruses from my list. UltraAV offers malware detection with advanced threat detection techniques, including artificial intelligence and sophisticated heuristics, and coverage for up to 10 devices. It has features like identity theft protection, including transaction monitoring and real-time fraud alerts, which Kaspersky lacks.
However, UltraAV lacks some features that Kaspersky users might miss, such as webcam protection and online payment protection. It’s not very affordable either: after the initial transition period for former Kaspersky users, UltraAV will cost $149.99 per year for antivirus protection across multiple devices. This is more expensive than other well-regarded antivirus options like Norton 360 Deluxe or Bitdefender Total Security, which offer more comprehensive features.
So, should you use UltraAV? If you received it as a free replacement due to the transition, it may be worth keeping until your original Kaspersky subscription expires. However, once that period ends, I suggest exploring other well-known antivirus solutions that offer more robust features at competitive prices.
Top Brands That Didn’t Make the Cut
- Trend Micro. Trend Micro’s antivirus scanner is decent, detecting around 97% of the malware samples in our tests, but the brands that made it to this list have better malware detection and removal rates.
- Malwarebytes. Malwarebytes offers great web protection and a VPN with unlimited data. However, I’m not impressed with its 95% malware detection rate. Plus, Malwarebytes doesn’t offer much in the way of additional features.
- Heimdal. Heimdal has a 98% malware detection rate and a couple of useful tools for advanced users, but it’s also somewhat buggy and lacks additional features like a desktop VPN and password manager.
Frequently Asked Questions
What’s the best alternative to Kaspersky?
I recommend Norton as the best overall alternative to Kaspersky. It has a powerful malware engine with a 100% detection rate. What’s more, it’s based in the US and has passed more independent audits than Kaspersky. Norton also provides useful extra features like web protection, a VPN, a password manager, dark web monitoring, parental controls, and identity theft protections (only in certain countries).
How secure is Kaspersky?
According to independent audits and third-party tests, Kaspersky is very secure. However, Russia’s war against Ukraine has raised concerns about Kaspersky’s security. Whether because of politics or genuine security threats, countries have started to ban the product, with sales in the US halted for the foreseeable future. Kaspersky has denied all allegations, and there’s no proof to support any of these suspicions. Nevertheless, Kaspersky announced that they would cease operations in the US. If you live in the US, getting a new subscription is impossible, so you’ll have to check out one of these great antivirus alternatives.
Is Kaspersky owned by Russia?
No, Kaspersky isn’t owned by Russia. Kaspersky was founded in Russia, and its headquarters are in Moscow. Also, Eugene Kaspersky, the current CEO of Kaspersky Lab, worked in The Ministry of Defense of the Russian Federation before co-founding Kaspersky Lab in 1997. However, this doesn’t mean that Kaspersky is a pawn of the Russian government.
Nevertheless, Western governments have started to clamp down on Kaspersky. If you live in the US, you need to find an equally effective alternative. Other countries may well follow suit.
Is Microsoft Defender better than Kaspersky?
No, Microsoft Defender is not better than Kaspersky. Kaspersky has a flawless antivirus engine that detects malware more effectively than Microsoft Defender. Plus, it offers a secure browser, webcam protection, a VPN, and a password manager, all of which Microsoft Defender lacks. It also has better web protection and more advanced parental controls than Microsoft Defender.
Overall, Kaspersky’s excellent features put it more on par with premium antivirus competitors like Norton and Bitdefender.
