46% of Americans Rely on Third-Party Antivirus Software for Protection

Antivirus Software Preferences

Nearly half of Americans are using third-party antivirus software, while the rest rely on the default protection in their operating systems—or none at all. According to a survey by Security.org, 46 percent of almost 1,000 US citizens use third-party antivirus on their computers. Breaking it down further, 49 percent use it on their PCs, 18 percent on their tablets, and 17 percent on their phones.

Reasons for Purchasing

The top reason for purchasing antivirus software, cited by 84 percent of respondents, was fear of malware. Privacy concerns followed closely at 54 percent, and worries over online shopping at 48 percent. Interestingly, fear of losing cryptocurrency stashes from wallets was at eight percent, a figure that has doubled since last year’s survey.

Brand Preferences

Among paying users, the most popular brands were Norton, McAfee, and Malwarebytes. On the other hand, free users showed a preference for McAfee, Avast, and Malwarebytes.

Age Group Comparison

The use of paid third-party security software doubles among the over-65 age group compared to the under-45s. The report suggests that this is due to the older generation being more cautious.

Operating System Preferences

Windows was the OS most likely to have third-party security software, with 43 percent of respondents using it. For Apple users, 31 percent brought in outside defenses. In the “Other” OS camp, 26 percent reported using third-party tools.

While native security systems in operating systems like Apple and Microsoft may work well, having a third-party solution adds an extra layer of defense, which might not be the worst idea in the world.

Update: 23 Jun 2026