Best program(s) for protection on Windows 10?

It's no better than Defender (i.e. low detection rate)

I use Norton 360, with Malwarebytes (free version).

I like Malwarebytes and ESET ONLINE SCANNER

Panda Free is very light and fast and highly regarded. There is no bloat and you do not have to see the GUI. Avast is a very good product but they have added too many features for my taste. If you want a paid product, Avast, Bitdefender, Panda, and yes, Norton, are all good choices. I have never tried Kaspersky or Trend Micro but they get good reviews. AVG used to be a leader but has fallen in recent years. The same is true (even more so) with McAfee. I just never liked Avira.

I would use the free Malwarebytes as a backup scanner no matter which AV you choose but it's even more important if you're depending on Windows Defender. Another good supplementary program is Malwarebytes Anti-Exploit which is free and gives excellent protection against new threats that the AV programs haven't been updated for yet. Many people are saying that the combination of Windows Defender and Malwarebytes Anti-Exploit is very solid. It seems that they can be run concurrently.

thunderclap said:

I use BitDefender Free and MalwareBytes Premium, that way I have dual real-time protection. And if you're interested in MalwareBytes Premium you don't have to use their subscription service, instead buy a lifetime license off of Amazon. Best $40 I ever spent.

Bitdefender Free is not fully compatible with Windows 10 and they have announced that it never will be. I was using it happily in 8.1 but have now switched to Panda.

Quoted from Bitdefender tech support:

Bitdefender Antivirus Free Edition is not compatible with Windows 10.

You will be able to install it but there will be side effects including but not limited to inaccurate detection, unwanted false alarms of legitimate apps that come with Windows 10, etc.

As the best protection for the new OS, we would recommend one of the Bitdefender 2015 classic line products: Antivirus Plus, Internet Security, Total Security

We do not offer technical support for Bitdefender Antivirus Free Edition on Windows 10.

The same rep also said that it would never be made compatible. They have essentially abandoned the project.

I use Kaspersky Total Security 2016 and it's very light on resources.

I have been using Panda Free for a while now, no issues. A nice improvement from Avast and AVG, no pestering about upgrading

AmericanPharoah said:

I use Norton 360, with Malwarebytes (free version).

I have been using Norton 360 a few years, and it is good so far... I am thinking about adding a free version of Malwarebytes and really checking it out.

Thanks for your comments. Cliff M.