Australian antivirus deals in 2025: secure your devices with these top discounts

Like most security, be it a dashcam, security camera or video doorbell, you don't know you need a quality antivirus software, until it's already too late. While being aware of the threat and treading carefully online is a smart practice, even the most wary users can find themselves in trouble.

That's why we recommend subscribing to antivirus software and, in our opinion, Bitdefender is the one to go with for most people. Simply put, it earned 4.5 stars in our Bitdefender Antivirus review because it's the best at stopping malware – and it offers a 30-day free trial. If you're looking for alternatives, the other four services making up our top five antivirus suites are Norton, McAfee, Avast and Trend Micro.

There is a ton of cost-free online security to choose from. In fact, we have a complete guide to all the best free antivirus software on the market. Spending thousands of hours analysing each solution, we look at how each protects against malware and ransomware, as well as their scanning features, ease of use and customer support.

Accounting for all of that, Avast One Essential remains our #1 when it comes to free online security. However, while free is great, it's sometimes better to spend on the better option. Paid subscriptions offer features like spam filters, parental controls, system scans and advanced firewalls that make them more suitable.

While you might think antivirus software and security suites are one and the same, they each offer a different level of protection. And, considering that both require a large investment of time and money, it's important to know what you'll be getting from the best antivirus software and internet security suites.

Antivirus software uses various techniques and different engines to detect, recognise and eliminate malware. You can look antivirus as a local protection – scanning files on your device to ensure all is as it should be (modern software can actually also protect files in the cloud, but we digress). Internet security suites, meanwhile, include a wide array of tools like a VPN (including antivirus software) to protect you online and prevent malicious files from finding their way onto your device.

We have an entire page dedicated to this question, but the answer is yes. While Mac has traditionally been seen as more secure than other desktop platforms – including Windows – this is not the case today. And, it might not have ever been. In a 2019 report, Malwarebytes found Mac threats increased by 400% from the previous year – beating the total found on Windows machines.

But, don't worry. While the antivirus deals above have you covered no matter the devices, you can check out the best antivirus software for Mac to cover your bases.

You can check out our thoughts on the best free antivirus if you're looking to add a little protection without spending, but Norton only offers paid services.

However, Norton does offer a 14-day free trial on any of its four software options. If you're looking to shop around, Bitdefender offers a 30-day free trial, as does Kaspersky and McAfee.

Yes, antivirus software – like any file or app – is going to slow down your device in some way. However, not every service is made equal. Some services can slow down your device quite a lot, while others have a minimal impact. Luckily, our friends over at Tom's Guide have a helpful (you guessed it!) guide to which antivirus software has the smallest impact on your system.