We already have a list of the best online antivirus in 2021 and it is that everyone who uses a computer will find it useful to have this information. In computers that use Windows as an operating system, it is normal that there is always a virus or malware lurking and we are not always willing to pay for protection, but it is not necessary to do so.
There are a large number of free alternatives to protect our PC and in fact you can use online versions that you can use to review specific files and files, so you will not have to reload your computer’s memory with more programs.
How does online antivirus work?
Before starting our list, it is necessary to know how online antivirus works and what they are for. Usually, you enter a web interface and in most of the alternatives, you can upload the file, which will be reviewed and will directly show you the results of the analysis.
In some cases, you may notice a screen that tells you if that file has already been reviewed by another person in the past with an online antivirus since for each review there is a trace on the file as a control.
If the document is clean, the same system will indicate it to you, otherwise, it will indicate that there is malware detected, and in that case, it may help you to eliminate it, as well as it may suggest that you dispose of the file completely due to the infection that may affect your computer.
In most cases, these tools are not capable of eliminating the threat, their job is mainly to detect the virus, but it can be a backup tool to quickly detect malware and attack directly with the antivirus that you have installed in your pc.
Advantages of using an online antivirus
- The first great advantage of using an online antivirus is that in most cases you do not need to install any type of file and program for it to work, in some cases you need to have a lightweight tool that allows you to do a complete analysis of the computer.
- Another advantage of using online antivirus is that most of them are free, that is, you will not have to pay anything for their protection and this represents an advantage.
- This also highlights the fact that being online does not affect the functioning of the computer, since some antivirus can generate problems when executing programs, downloading files, and more since it can classify any file as malicious and block it.
- Good online antivirus has the ability to use a database hosted in the cloud, unlike full antivirus installed on the computer that from time to time need to update their local database.
Disadvantages of using online antivirus
- Online antivirus is not as effective as complete protection, most of them only have the ability to notify the user that there is an existing thread on their computer, but they do not have the ability to eliminate them, as we pointed out before.
- Another disadvantage of online antivirus is that they are not always as effective as they search specific places on the computer, or else they do not always have a database so up-to-date to detect all kinds of threats.
- Also, we see that online antivirus in many cases is used to promote payment protections that are developed by their own companies, so they use this tool as a method to attract customers, instead of truly helping users.
However, many of them are worth using and that is why, now we show you our list of alternatives so that you can try different antivirus online.
Google Chrome CleanUp
It is not surprising that Google offers protection to its users for free, something that happens with most of its products, and a free online antivirus option from Montain View could not stop existing and that is why Google Chrome CleanUp is available within the browser.
As we pointed out at the beginning, with this tool you will not have to install anything additional on your computer, but you will have the opportunity to configure the protection function so that it is active and protects your browsing, something that is undoubtedly very necessary today. .
The procedure to activate Chrome protection is quite simple and we will explain it to you below:
- The first thing you should do is enter a search page within your Chrome browser.
- Then put the command “chrome: // settings / cleanup” in the address bar without the quotes.
- When looking for the address you will see that a screen appears that says “Clean computer” and in the lower right there is a blue button that says Search and when you press it will begin to locate threats.
In general it is a very good tool and it is also quite effective, but the procedure can take a while since it compares your files against their databases located in the cloud.
Trend Micro HouseCall
Online antivirus is very popular, because most security technology developers have chosen to create a free online tool that allows users to have medium protection in their browsing and generate the necessary alerts to be able to take care of their computers from everything types of threats that come from the Internet, exactly what Trend Micro HouseCall offers.
This tool is simple, but robust and has the task of determining if the system is infected with viruses , malware, spyware and any other type of threat. This tool will detect all types of infection that aims to steal information, implant tracking cookies and more.
This online antivirus requires you to download a light file that will allow it to completely check your computer and your browser and then alert you to any danger. You must enter the website and select the type of operating system that your computer has so that you can download and run the correct version.
Safety Detective
This is a simple but effective website that performs a quick scan of your computer’s files , applications and browser to verify if you are exposed to a threat, or if, on the contrary, your device is clean.
The great advantage of this alternative is that it will carry out its work as soon as you enter the address in the search engine and then enter its website, it will immediately indicate if you have any type of threat at that time and recommend an antivirus so you can clean your computer, or, it indicates that you are free of threats and you can continue browsing the Internet in peace.
This tool has its own database with the most current viruses and threats to be able to compare it with your computer and to be able in seconds to tell you what type of virus is present, or if you have any danger that can make your security and privacy vulnerable.
Web: Safety Detective
Metadefender
We advance in our count with this online antivirus option, it is Metadefender and it is one of the most popular. This tool is completely free and allows you to review files of up to 200 MB and also uses different antivirus engines to verify them.
It is a very easy-to-use online antivirus, all you have to do is go to its website and search for the file you want to review so that it can be scanned. In a few seconds you will have the result of the review , in which it will show you if there is any malware present, or if the file is free of threats.
Web: Metadefender
VirusTotal
We continue to review the online antivirus and now it is the turn of VirusTotal, which is one of the best known along with the previous alternative. This antivirus is free , you do not need to register and it is very convenient because it supports all types of files and also web page addresses to check through its 68 different antivirus engines.
One of its main advantages is that it has the ability to automatically recognize files that have already been scanned with its platform and shows you a revision history.
It will be enough to load the file you want to review, it is important to note that it supports a weight of up to 128 MB , for this you must click on load and analyze the file and you can also drag the element to the screen of your browser.
After completing the process, the analysis will show you a results sheet with different technical details, such as the creation date, different types of hashes and all the information about the origin.
Web: VirusTotal
VirSCAN
We continue to search for the best antivirus online and now we come to VirSCAN, another free option that uses the engines of many popular antivirus such as Avira, Avast, Bitdefender, Eset and others to verify that the scanned files are free of threats. In this option you don’t need to register either and it supports files up to 200 MB.
The method of use is very easy and intuitive , it will be enough to enter its website and then you must click on the Choose file button located at the top, after choosing the file click on Scan and you will have the results of the review in seconds on your screen.
Web: VirSCAN
Jotti
We continue to look at the good options for scanning files and one of them is Jotti, a web antivirus that uses different popular antivirus engines to analyze files in detail and detect the different threats that can affect your computer.
It is also a free alternative and allows you to review up to five files at the same time, the only drawback is that it will support up to 100MB per file and may be a limitation compared to the other alternatives on this list.
To use it, go to the Jotti website, then click on the Browse button located at the bottom left, then select the files you want to review. You can take as many files as you want up to a maximum of five at a time.
Once scanned, you will have a screen with the results and technical details of the files checked, after having compared with the engines of Avast, AVG, Kaspersky, among others. This antivirus will show you two types of result “Nothing found next to” the name of an antivirus and the warning of “Potential threat found”.
Web: Jotti
ESET Online Scanner
We move forward in our search for the best online antivirus and now we turn to a more robust and much more popular option, it is ESET and its Online Scanner version that has the ability to review all threats within your computer and you will not have to install the antivirus, at least completely.
It is a free tool that asks you to download and install a file of just 6 MB that will give you access to your PC to review the content and detect threats, once the process is completed you can delete it if you wish.
Once the review is complete, the antivirus will show you a list of files with malware , threats, and will let you know which ones you should delete and those that you should send to quarantine. It also has the ability to analyze your browser to determine if there is any type of vulnerability.
This alternative is available for Windows and for macOS if you wish, and you will not have to pay anything to use it.
Web: ESET Online Scanner
Panda Cloud Cleaner
Now it is time to include the Panda Cloud Cleaner option, which is an online and lightweight version of the popular antivirus . With this alternative you can do a complete review of your computer and detect all kinds of viruses and threats that may be inside it, as well as list malicious files and everything that is affecting the performance of your PC.
This is a free service, you only need to download and run a 30 MB file that the platform will use to perform the review with its online antivirus engines. After that, it will offer you a list of the results obtained after analyzing your computer. You can choose files that you want to delete, also if there are any that you need to quarantine.
The advantage of this version is that you will not need to buy the full version to install on your computer, which translates into a substantial saving of money and in addition to not loading more programs on your PC in case your storage is limited.
Web: Panda Cloud Cleaner
Kaspersky Threat Intelligence Portal
We move on to another popular online antivirus alternative and it is Kaspersky Threat Intelligence Portal, which is the free and web version of Kaspersky. This tool allows us to analyze web addresses, IP addresses, all kinds of URLs and files that are directly on our computer, effectively detecting any threat or malware.
Once the computer has been analyzed, the tool shows you a list of different threats and malware present on your computer, as well as suggestions on what you should do with these files.
In this case, you do not need to download any type of file to use it , since the whole process is done directly on its website. This is an ideal alternative for those who do not want the paid option and do not want to install one more heavy program inside their computer.
Web: Kaspersky Threat Intelligence Portal
F-Secure
Another web antivirus alternative that you can consider is F-Secure, which is cloud-based and has an excellent vulnerability scanner that is also free. You do not need registration of any kind, but if you need to download a file, just run it from its website and it will download the file automatically to fully analyze your computer.
Once executed, the tool will show you a list of all the vulnerabilities present on your PC and suggests how to correct each of them. This is a perfect option for anyone looking for a free tool.
Web: F-Secure
Dr. Web
Finally, in our list of online antivirus we come to the option of Dr. Web, a very well achieved tool that allows you to review a file on your computer or a web page completely online, to detect any malware or threat that may be present and then notify it in a detailed report.
The whole process is done through its website and does not require you to download any type of file to use it.
Web: Dr. Web
