Anti-malware software is usually software that deals with not only malware but spyware, adware, ransomware... the lot! This type of software can cost absolutely nothing but can also set you back hundreds of dollars. The question is, why should anyone pay for software that some people develop for free?

Anti-malware tools can be used to clean and prevent your device from getting infected but knowing which one to choose can be hard! There is an array of choice on the internet. But not only that, whether you go free or paid.

If you’re reading this article the chances are you’ve got a free solution installed and are wondering whether you should upgrade to an advanced paid version.  There are many advantages to upgrading but also a couple of disadvantages. 

The obvious disadvantage is that it will cost you money when at the moment, you aren’t spending a dime on your free software. Another negative is that the software packages can be a lot larger (due to the extra features) and depending on the spec of your PC it has the potential to slow it down considerably. If these extra features aren’t applicable or useful to your application then why compromise performance?

There are a lot of advantages however. Any advertisements will be removed from the software, technical support is usually included and additional features like browser protection and an advanced firewall are almost always implemented to further protect you online.

The bottom line is that if you’re using your device very heavily online, visiting social media sites and doing your online banking then the extra features would definitely come in handy but if you’re more of or completely an offline user then upgrading would probably be useless. It’s something that should be considered and taken very seriously as if you haven’t got the appropriate protection the consequences could be nasty and might turn out to cost more than upgrading in the first place.