13 rules in 4 groups, worth 100 points in all. They were set before any product was scored and apply the same way to all 10.
Version 1, published 8 Oct 2026
In short
Each rule is a yes-or-no fact, a list (such as the systems with an app) or a number with published thresholds, read from the vendor's own pages or from AV-TEST and AV-Comparatives.
A fact the vendor does not publish earns nothing. A feature in beta or preview does not count.
The list follows the points. A tie goes to the lower price on "first-year price", then to the name.
Antivirus suites for home Windows PCs that independent labs test. Business endpoint products are left out.
Independent lab results 45 points
Rule
What it takes
Points
AV-TEST score
Protection, performance and usability added up (out of 18) in AV-TEST's latest test of home antivirus for Windows. 18 earns 15 points, 17.5 earns 12, 17 earns 9, 16 earns 5. Not in the test earns 0.
15
AV-Comparatives award
The award in AV-Comparatives' latest Real-World Protection Test. ADVANCED+ earns 15 points, ADVANCED 10, STANDARD 5, TESTED 2. The lab lowers awards for false alarms. Not in the test earns 0.
15
AV-Comparatives protection rate
The protection rate in the same AV-Comparatives test. 99.5% or more earns 15 points, 99% 11, 98.5% 7, 98% 4, 97% 2.
15
Protection features 25 points
Rule
What it takes
Points
Systems covered
The vendor sells protection apps for each system. Each one earns 2 points.
8
Firewall
The Windows product includes a firewall, or manages the Windows firewall from its own app.
5
Ransomware protection
A dedicated ransomware layer, such as protected folders or rolling back encrypted files.
5
Rescue or offline scan
A bootable rescue disk or offline scan for infections that stop Windows from starting cleanly.
4
Browser protection
Blocks phishing and malicious websites in Chrome or Edge.
3
Price 20 points
Rule
What it takes
Points
Free edition with real-time protection
A free edition (not a trial) that protects a Windows PC in real time, not only with on-demand scans.
8
First-year price
The cheapest paid plan that covers a Windows PC, first year, in US dollars. A product that is entirely free counts as $0. $30 or less earns 6 points, $40 or less 4, $50 or less 2.
6
Price from the second year
What that plan costs a year after the first year. $40 or less earns 6 points, $60 or less 4, $80 or less 2.
6
Refunds and security 10 points
Rule
What it takes
Points
30-day refund
A money-back guarantee of at least 30 days on yearly plans.
5
SOC 2 Type II or ISO 27001
The vendor names a SOC 2 Type II report or an ISO/IEC 27001 certification for this product or the company running it.
5
Independent labs
Lab results are the only test results that earn points here: the labs run the same tests on every product and publish the numbers.