The first half-year results of the ongoing Consumer Real-World Protection Test are now available!
https://www.av-comparatives.org/tests/real-world-protection-test-february-may-2026/

AV-Comparatives Publishes Latest Consumer Security Solutions Test Results

Continuing its dedication to assessing home-user security software, AV-Comparatives, a prominent antivirus testing lab, proudly presents the results of its Real-World Protection Test conducted from February to May 2026. This thorough evaluation covered 20 leading anti-malware programs, scrutinizing their effectiveness in shielding users from internet threats.

The Real-World Protection Test is an integral part of our ongoing Consumer Main-Test Series, designed to replicate real-life scenarios that users face daily. The test meticulously checked whether each threat could alter the test system, reflecting the practical impact of these security solutions. Additionally, to gauge user-friendliness and reduce false alarms, every product was subjected to a false-positives test. Products with high false alarm rates had their award levels adjusted accordingly.

In this year’s Real-World Protection Test 20 home-user security programs were assessed this are: Avast One Free Antivirus, AVG AntiVirus Free, Bitdefender Total Security, ESET HOME Security Essential, F-Secure Internet Security, Fortect PC Suite, G DATA Total Security, K7 Total Security, Kaspersky Premium, Malwarebytes Premium, McAfee Total Protection, Microsoft Defender Antivirus, Norton Antivirus Plus, Panda Dome Advanced, Quick Heal Total Security, Sophos Home Premium, Total Defense Essential Anti-Virus, TotalAV Premium, Trend Micro Internet Security, and VIPRE Advanced Security.

Seven of these products achieved the highest award level, “ADVANCED+,” in the Real-World Protection Test. These top-tier security solutions, listed alphabetically, are from Avast, AVG, Bitdefender, Kaspersky, Microsoft, Norton, and TotalAV. These vendors’ programs all displayed excellent protection capabilities against various internet-borne threats.

AV-Comparatives has always been committed to transparency and provides open access to the Real-World Protection Test report without requiring registration or charging any fees. Our belief is that consumers should be empowered with the information they need to make informed security decisions.

You can read or download the full report on our website: https://www.av-comparatives.org/tests/real-world-protection-test-february-may-2026/