Quick answer
Start with what you need, check independent lab results, then read the renewal, cancellation and privacy terms before looking at features. A product that tests well, renews at a price you can accept and is easy to cancel is a sound choice, whatever its name.
Step 1: Write down what you need
Before you look at any product, write a short list. It keeps the comparison anchored to your household rather than to whichever product has the longest feature table.
- How many computers need cover, and which operating systems do they run?
- Who uses them? Children, older relatives and shared family computers raise different questions.
- Which extras would you genuinely use, such as parental controls, a password manager or multi-device management?
- Which extras do you already have elsewhere? Many households already pay for a password manager or receive one free with their browser.
- How much are you prepared to pay each year, including after any introductory period ends?
This list also tells you when to stop. If nothing on it goes beyond what the built-in protection offers, the guide Do I need antivirus? explains why you may not need to buy anything.
Step 2: Look for independent evidence
Every vendor describes its own product favourably. Independent testing organisations run products against collections of real malware under controlled conditions and publish the results. Two that are widely referred to are AV-TEST, based in Germany, and AV-Comparatives, based in Austria. Both publish results for consumer Windows products and for macOS products, and both describe their test methods on their own sites.
When you read a test report, a few habits help:
- Check the date. Results from several years ago say little about a product today. Look at the most recent rounds.
- Check the version. Labs often test a specific edition. A result for a vendor's paid suite does not automatically apply to its basic product, or the other way round.
- Look at more than detection. Labs also measure false positives, where safe files are wrongly flagged, and the effect on system performance. A product that blocks everything, including legitimate software, is hard to live with.
- Look for consistency. A product that performs well across several rounds and more than one lab is a safer bet than one with a single strong result.
Consumer NZ, an independent non-profit organisation, also publishes product testing for its members on its own site at consumer.org.nz. Its content may sit behind a subscription.
Be cautious with awards and badges shown on a vendor's own site. Check that the award came from the organisation named, for the product and year shown, by finding it on that organisation's site.
Step 3: Work out the real cost
Antivirus is almost always sold as a subscription. The figure on the front page is frequently an introductory price that applies to the first term only. Before you compare products on price, find these details for each one on the vendor's own site, in New Zealand dollars:
| Detail | Why it matters | Where to look |
|---|---|---|
| First-term price | This is what you pay today. | The checkout page, before you enter card details. |
| Renewal price | This is what you will pay every year after that, and it can be noticeably higher. | The terms of sale, or a note near the price. |
| Automatic renewal | Many subscriptions renew unless you turn renewal off. | The terms of sale and your account settings after purchase. |
| Number of devices | A low price may cover one computer only. | The plan description. |
| Refund window | Tells you what happens if the product does not suit you. | The refund policy, usually linked in the site footer. |
| Currency and GST | Prices shown in other currencies can change with exchange rates. | The checkout page. |
Write the renewal figure next to the first-term figure. Comparing products on the renewal price gives a fairer picture of what each will cost over several years. The page on subscriptions and your rights covers auto-renewal and cancelling in more detail.
Step 4: Decide between no-charge and paid versions
Several vendors offer a basic product without a fee alongside paid versions. The trade-offs are fairly consistent across the market, although the details differ by vendor and change over time.
Points in favour of a no-charge version
- No subscription to manage or cancel.
- Core malware scanning is often included.
- Useful if you mainly want a different interface from the built-in one.
Points to weigh against it
- Upgrade prompts can be frequent.
- Support is usually limited to online help pages.
- The vendor may fund it partly through data or offers; read the privacy policy.
Paid versions usually add support, extra tools and fewer prompts. If the only reason to pay would be features you have listed as not needed in Step 1, a no-charge version or the built-in protection may serve you just as well.
Step 5: Read the privacy terms
Security software sees a great deal of what happens on a computer. That makes the vendor's approach to data a fair question. Look in the privacy policy for what is collected, whether browsing or app data is shared with third parties, whether you can opt out of any data sharing, and where data is stored. Products from overseas companies are common in New Zealand; the Office of the Privacy Commissioner has guidance on your rights when your information is handled by organisations, including those based outside the country.
A clear, readable privacy policy with simple opt-outs is a good sign. One that is vague about sharing, or that requires you to accept marketing in order to use the product, is a reason to look elsewhere.
Step 6: Try before committing, if you can
Some vendors offer a trial period or a refund window. If you use one, note the date it ends in your calendar, check whether a card is charged automatically at the end, and test the things you care about: how it behaves during a normal day's use, whether it disturbs games or work software, and how easy the settings are to find. If it does not suit you, uninstall it using the steps in Installing or switching antivirus safely and cancel before the trial ends.
What to ignore while comparing
- Claims of total protection. No product can promise to stop every threat, and a claim of perfect protection is a reason for doubt.
- Countdown timers and "today only" prices. These are sales tactics, not information about the product.
- Scans offered by a website. A website cannot scan your computer from a browser tab. Results shown on a web page are not real.
- Rankings with no stated method. If a list does not explain how products were chosen and ordered, you cannot judge it. That applies to affiliate sites, including this one, which is why Nexaline does not rank products.
Bringing it together
A good choice is one that meets your written list of needs, has a record of solid results in recent independent tests, renews at a price you can accept, is easy to cancel, and handles your data in a way you are comfortable with. If two products meet all of those, choose the one whose interface you find easier; you are more likely to keep it updated and pay attention to what it tells you.
This site has an affiliate arrangement with one vendor, Avast, and its overview of Avast applies this same method, setting out what the vendor states and which questions remain for you to check. You can apply the method equally to any other product.