The Best Free Anti-Virus Software

You know that you need to run anti-virus software on your computer but you just absolutely hate paying for it. It's just one of those expenses that you know you ought to be able to justify but you just don't want to spend the money. Never fear; there are plenty of anti-virus software programs out there and some of those are ones that you can get for free. Of course, you should always do your research and make sure that any free anti-virus software that you download to your computer is safe; tricky people sometimes spread viruses through the very software you're trying to use to prevent virus problems from overtaking your computer. But there is good, safe, free anti-virus software out there if you know what you're looking for.

Here's a look at the basics of some of the best free anti-virus software:

Trend Micro Housecall - This is a website that does a free virus scan of your computer without requiring you to download any unsafe programs. The site is legitimate and the product works for running a scan to check for existing viruses. You simply go to the site, click on the free scan and let the computer do it's work. This isn't going to protect you against incoming viruses but will at least let you know if there's a problem on your computer and it'll tell you what the problem is so you can find the fix for it.

Avast! - This program using scanning technology to check your computer for viruses. It's good for personal, small business or even corporate computers and is widely considered to be one of the safest, most effective free anti-virus software programs in use today. It can be downloaded from CNET Download.com among other places. Check the site (see link) for details.

AVG Anti-Virus Free Edition - Another of the most popular free anti-virus software programs is AVG. AVG has both a free and a commercial version of the software; if you find that you really like the free one and that you use your computer enough to benefit from perks like anti-spam and anti-spyware software, tech support and firewall protection then you can always upgrade from the free service.

If you think that you're going to eventually want to pay for your anti-virus software but would like to see what the free versions do first (like in he case of many AVG) users, you should know that many of the standard anti-virus software programs offer free trials of their full-services. The most popular pay-for-it anti-virus software programs are Norton and McAfee, both of which regularly offer free trials. If you're interested in looking at - and comparing - the options that you have anti-virus software in general (both free and pay-for-it), take a look at this list of good anti-virus products.

Do your research into your options before paying outright for anti-virus software. It's suggested that you consider other factors besides price - including graphical user interface, compatibility with your computer and operating system, and user language options - before you make a final decision as to which anti-virus software is right for you. Try the free stuff first, though. After all, why would you pay for it when you can get it for free?!