Kaspersky may not be a household name like Norton, Panda Security, McAfee and VIPRE yet the antivirus software consistently ranks among the elite in terms of performance. For three years in a row, Kaspersky has not only been the most independently tested but also one of the highest awarded. Kaspersky has been profiled by AV Tests as well as PCMag for its high performance.
Pros
- Affordable yearly subscriptions with a wide range of products available
- Great for a family given the number of parental controls and backup data
- Password manager not only protects personal information but also syncs across devices
Cons
- Software prices fluctuate throughout the year
- Good customer service though response times may vary
Kaspersky Protects You From…
Kaspersky is built to defend not only against viruses, but also ransomware and phishing. It is a complete, all in one antivirus package. Furthermore, Kaspersky aims to simplify the security process without giving you much hassle.
After you get Kaspersky on your computer, little to no effort is required by you the computer user. Let Kaspersky do its thing, and set up automatic scans to keep your PC or Mac equipped with the latest security checks and scans.
Kaspersky has also designed its antivirus software to protect your privacy. A big highlight of the software is the number of measures it has for safeguarding personal information. This includes protection for online shopping and banking.
Families will appreciate the number of Parental Controls and other family-built features that especially help keep kids safe when they are on the internet or playing games.
The Password Manager keeps track of all your passwords and stores them in a secure place. The passwords can be synced across a number of different devices, even PC to Mac, or PC to mobile. This is a great feature as most need to access personal accounts on a variety of different devices.
Lastly, Kaspersky provides file protection to help secure family photos, music, video and other important documents.
Devices/Operating Systems Kaspersky Supports
Kaspersky is primarily designed to support users of Microsoft Windows and macOS, however, there is a version for Linux as well if you are a business owner. Kaspersky will work with any combination of PC, Mac or mobile devices — even under the same roof. The range of devices Kaspersky supports is actually quite good.
Installation & Performance
Kaspersky features a fairly straightforward installation process. Like most installs, it walks you through the entire process and offers little confusion. It is about average in terms of the amount of time it takes to install the software.
Performance of your PC or Mac remains strong while a scan is in operation. It is possible to still surf the web or do other activities on your device while a scan is in progress.
Price
Kaspersky antivirus software currently sells three different products.
Kaspersky Anti-Virus starts at $15 per year and delivers essential antivirus protection. As with their other products, users are able to select the number of devices as well as years they would like protection on the devices.
The number of devices covered can range from a single PC to 3, 5 or 10. Meanwhile, subscriptions are available in 1, 2, or 3 years.
Kaspersky Internet Security is an upgrade over the basic Kaspersky Anti-Virus program and also provides coverage on Mac and mobile devices. The same number of devices and years available for coverage are the same, with prices starting at $32 per year for one device with a one year commitment.
Kaspersky recommends their Total Security suite which guarantees the “ultimate security” package. It also provides defense on PC, Mac and mobile devices. The Total Security suite begins at $40 per year for two user accounts and up to five devices covered. Customers may upgrade to 10 devices for an additional charge.
Kaspersky also has a number of products available for businesses, small and large. The wide range of antivirus suites range from those built for a small business to medium size operations as well as complete entreprises.
Kaspersky also offers a free trial on most of its antivirus products. They also have a wide number of online resource tools for customer support along with a telephone and email contact for any questions or concerns that may arise.
Conclusion
Kaspersky is a hidden gem. Though it doesn’t get the attention of the other major players in the antivirus software market, Kaspersky routinely beats a lot of those competitors in independent tests. Not only that, but Kaspersky regularly has cheapest prices and the ability to get coverage on any combination of Mac, PC or mobile devices is excellent.