The Best Security Suites for 2020

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Antivirus? Firewall? Malware protection? What do you really need to keep your PC safe? We've tested, reviewed, and rated nearly 50 apps to help you choose the best security suite for protecting your devices and your data.

Get a Security Suite for All-Around Protection

There are so many kinds of security protection for your devices and data, it's tempting to just fill your shopping cart. Here's a shiny antivirus—toss it in! Oh, that VPN looks good, so grab it. And this firewall makes some great promises about network protection. Pretty soon you have a cart full of mix-and-match security. And that's a terrible idea. Your purchases aren't necessarily compatible, and you're paying way more than you should. Put all those selections back, then pick out a single security suite that covers all the same bases. Now you've got integrated protection that should use way less system resources, and cost less, too.

The top security companies offer security suites that integrate a variety of features. Some stick to the basics, while others pile on tons of useful extras, from VPN to online backup to dedicated ransomware protection. Just read PCMag's reviews of security suites and select one that has the features you need. We've reviewed nearly 50 security suites and identified a collection of the best, of all types from simple entry-level suites to cross-platform multi-device extravaganzas.

This article briefly mentions the many tests we use to evaluate security suites and determine which are the best. If you want more details on the torture tests we perform on every product we review, please read the full explanation of how we test security software.

Basic and Advanced Security Suites

Most security companies offer at least three levels of security products, a standalone antivirus utility, an entry-level security suite, and an advanced suite with additional features. Most entry-level suites include antivirus, firewall, antispam, and parental control. The advanced "mega-suite" typically adds a backup component and some form of system tune-up utility, and some also add password management, a VPN, or other security extras.

When a new product line comes out, we start by reviewing the antivirus. In our review of the entry-level suite, we summarize results from the antivirus review and dig deeper into the suite-specific features. And for a mega-suite review, we focus on the advanced features, referring back to the entry-level suite review for features shared by both. Your choice of a basic or advanced security suite depends entirely on what features matter to you.

The suites we've rounded up here aim to protect consumers. You can definitely use any of them in a small business, but as your company grows you may need to switch to a SaaS endpoint protection system. This type of service lets an administrator monitor and manage security for all the company's computers.

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