Microsoft Security Essentials vs Avira Antivirus

Struggling to choose between Microsoft Security Essentials and Avira Antivirus? Both products offer unique advantages, making it a tough decision.

Microsoft Security Essentials is a Security & Privacy solution with tags like antivirus, malware-protection, microsoft, free.

It boasts features such as Real-time protection against viruses, spyware, and other malware, Scheduled scanning for threats, Automatic updates to help keep definitions current, Lightweight impact on system resources, Integration with Windows Action Center for security alerts, Free for personal use on Windows PCs and pros including Free, Effective protection, Low system resource usage, Easy to use, Automatic updates, Backed by Microsoft.

On the other hand, Avira Antivirus is a Security & Privacy product tagged with antivirus, malware-protection, realtime-scanning, lightweight.

Its standout features include Real-time protection against viruses, malware, and other threats, Scheduled scans to detect and remove threats, Web protection to block malicious websites and downloads, Email protection to scan incoming and outgoing emails for threats, Automatic updates to ensure the latest virus definitions, Small system footprint for minimal impact on system performance, and it shines with pros like Free version available with basic antivirus protection, High detection rates for malware and other threats, Lightweight and efficient, with a small system footprint, Easy to use and configure, Offers additional features in paid versions.

Feature	Microsoft Security Essentials	Avira Antivirus
Overall Score	N/A	N/A
Primary Category	Security & Privacy	Security & Privacy

Product Overview

Microsoft Security Essentials

Description: Microsoft Security Essentials is a free anti-virus program developed by Microsoft. It provides real-time protection against viruses, spyware, and other malicious software for Windows-based PCs.

Avira Antivirus

Description: Avira Antivirus is a free antivirus program known for its high detection rates and small system footprint. It offers real-time scanning and scheduled scans to detect and remove malware.

Key Features Comparison

Microsoft Security Essentials Features

• Real-time protection against viruses, spyware, and other malware
• Scheduled scanning for threats
• Automatic updates to help keep definitions current
• Lightweight impact on system resources
• Integration with Windows Action Center for security alerts
• Free for personal use on Windows PCs

Avira Antivirus Features

• Real-time protection against viruses, malware, and other threats
• Scheduled scans to detect and remove threats
• Web protection to block malicious websites and downloads
• Email protection to scan incoming and outgoing emails for threats
• Automatic updates to ensure the latest virus definitions
• Small system footprint for minimal impact on system performance

Pros & Cons Analysis

Microsoft Security Essentials

Pros

• Free
• Effective protection
• Low system resource usage
• Easy to use
• Automatic updates
• Backed by Microsoft

Cons

• Limited configuration options
• No advanced features like firewall
• Only available for Windows
• May miss some threats detected by paid antivirus

Avira Antivirus

Pros

• Free version available with basic antivirus protection
• High detection rates for malware and other threats
• Lightweight and efficient, with a small system footprint
• Easy to use and configure
• Offers additional features in paid versions

Cons

• Limited features in the free version compared to paid versions
• Some users report occasional false positives
• Paid versions may be more expensive than competitors

Pricing Comparison

Microsoft Security Essentials

• Free

Avira Antivirus

• Free
• Freemium