Is free antivirus software legit?

Mostly. HasTrust rates free antivirus software Mixed (51/100), checked 2026-10-07: Aggressive and misleading marketing tactics; Significant price increases upon subscription renewal; Difficult cancellation and refund processes for many users.

Mixed🏷 Brand siteUnsure

🔗https://totalav.com/free-antivirus-software

What we measured

✓Domain registered 26+ years ago

✓On the public web since 2001 (Internet Archive)

✗No valid HTTPS — never enter card details here

Why this score?

Starting point (no evidence either way)50

Domain registered 10+ years ago+10

No valid HTTPS−20

Among the most-visited sites (rank #89800)+8

Written about by 5+ independent sources+3

Buyer reviews: 2.2/5 from 25 (Sitejabber)+0

Trust score51

View at store →

Our own checks on totalav.com found signals both for and against it. The domain was registered 26 years ago, and it has been on the public web since 2001. We rate it Mixed on what we measured ourselves; the score breakdown lists every signal. Reviews and claims from other sites are shown separately and do not count.

See a trust score on every shop — automatically

The free extension shows this check on every store you visit, warns you before you pay on a risky one, and suggests safer or cheaper alternatives.

Get the free extension →

Video reviews

Pros

Legitimate, functional paid antivirus software
User-friendly interface
Includes useful privacy and cleanup tools in paid tiers

Cons

Aggressive and misleading marketing tactics
Significant price increases upon subscription renewal
Difficult cancellation and refund processes for many users
The free version lacks essential real-time protection and relies on Microsoft Defender
Persistent upselling of add-ons even for paid users
Watch for fake or lookalike sites using the brand name — only use the official domain
Reports of unexpected charges and difficult-to-cancel subscriptions
Misleading marketing regarding 'free' versions that require payment for core features

Better options

💡 Smarter pick

Avast One BasicFree

Why switch: It is a reputable, truly free antivirus that includes real-time protection, unlike the free version of TotalAV.

View →Check it →

AVG AntiVirus FreeFree

It is a well-regarded, free alternative that focuses on essential antivirus tasks without relying on Microsoft Defender for real-time protection.

View →Check it →

What web sources say (not checked by us)

+Clear contact info

+Stated return policy

?Presence on scam-report/complaint sites

Third-party ratings

Trustpilot4.6/5

Facts

Domain registered 1999-11 · 26 years old

Connection No valid HTTPS

From web sources

Headquarters: United Kingdom

Refund policy: Generally 30 days for annual/biannual initial purchases and renewals, 14 days for others

Based on 8 sources

TotalAV Internet Security (2026) - Test, Reviews & Prijzen | Consumentenbond Onze mening over TotalAV: is deze antivirus te vertrouwen?TotalAV Free Edition - Review 2024 - PCMag UK TotalAV Antivirus Review - Updated 2026 TotalAV Review 2026: Strong Protection, Costly Renewal TotalAV Reviews | Read Customer Service Reviews of totalav.com TotalAV Antivirus Review 2026: Is It Safe?TotalAV Antivirus & Security - Apps on Google Play

HasTrust summarizes public web sources and can be wrong or out of date. Not a guarantee of safety or quality — always verify before you buy or pay.

💬 Ask about this shop

Answers come from what we checked about this site — the AI only picks the topic, it writes nothing.

🛡️ Site safety check

✓Domain registered 26+ years ago

✗No valid HTTPS — never enter card details here

✓On the public web since 2001 (Internet Archive)

✓Among the ~1M most-visited sites on the web (Majestic Million #89800)

–Domain registered via eNom, LLC.

–DNS managed by awsdns-45.org.

What you should do

Use a payment method you can charge back (credit card or PayPal) — skip bank transfer or "friends & family".
Place a small first order before trusting it with a big one.
Search the shop's name plus "reviews" or "scam" for recent experiences before paying.

🔍 What we checked ourselves

Each row is a check HasTrust ran, and the day it ran.

Check	What we found	How	When
HTTPS certificate	No valid HTTPS certificate	TLS handshake from our servers	2026-10-07
Domain registration	1999-11 (26 years old)	RDAP registry record	2026-10-07
First seen on the web	2001	Internet Archive	2026-10-07
Popularity rank	#89800 on Majestic Million	Majestic Million list	before 2026-10-07
Registrar	eNom, LLC	RDAP registry record	2026-10-07
DNS	awsdns-45.org	Nameserver records	2026-10-07
Blocklist	Not listed	HasTrust blocklist	2026-10-08

Do you trust this site?

Buyer reports

No buyer reports yet — bought from here? Be the first to share.

Bought from this site? Tell other shoppers

Comments are screened before they appear. The count updates immediately.

Something wrong on this page? Tell us

Own this site, or spotted an error? A person reviews every report and corrects the page when a fact is wrong.

Checked 6h ago. · How we score →

Shop policy, from their own pages

Their own policy page says: refunds go back to your original payment method.

What their page says, word for word

“This refund will be provided through the same means of payment that you used for the original transaction” — their page

Read on 2026-10-07. This is what the shop states about itself, not a promise from us; we only show what we found on their page.

Frequently asked

Is free antivirus software legit?⌄

Mixed. HasTrust trust score: 51/100. Our own checks on totalav.com found signals both for and against it. The domain was registered 26 years ago, and it has been on the public web since 2001. We rate it Mixed on what we measured ourselves; the score breakdown lists every signal. Reviews and claims from other sites are shown separately and do not count.

Is free antivirus software a scam?⌄

Our check surfaced no major scam signals — still verify payment and seller details before you pay.

What is the free antivirus software trust score?⌄

HasTrust rates free antivirus software 51/100 (Mixed). Unsure

What is the return policy of free antivirus software?⌄

Their own policy page says: refunds go back to your original payment method.

🔔 Email me if this shop's trust rating changes

Free. You confirm by email (double opt-in); unsubscribe any time.