Panda Cloud vs. AVG Free

Panda Cloud vs. AVG Free – two competitors in the antivirus software market with several similarities and a few key differences. Let’s start with the similarities: Both antivirus software applications are free and are rated highly by independent labs, with many labs ranking both Panda Cloud and AVG Free in the top five best free antivirus software programs. Both are very effective at eliminating malware, but both also are not 100% effective in detecting all malware. Additionally, both are not 100% on point in detecting phishing sites.

Essentially, when it comes to Panda Cloud vs. AVG Free, both are solid choices for free antivirus software. However, which one is better?Before answering this question it’s important to understand that both Panda Cloud and AVG both have pay versions, and depending on your needs, upgrading to the pay versions of each antivirus software application is well worth the money. The pay versions are pretty much 110% effective in catching and eliminating all malware, have easier to use interfaces and are free from advertisements. Based on TopTenREVIEWS' analysis of each product, AVG is slightly more effective, significantly easier to use and is loaded with more useful features.

The differences in performance and use in the pay versions are similar in the downgraded free versions of Panda Cloud vs. AVG Free. AVG Free has been around for a very long time, and it is one of the most downloaded free antivirus software programs available on the internet. The AVG Free is far more tried and true than Panda Cloud, with a long history of effective malware protection. In fact, the 2011 AVG Free is almost just as good as AVG’s paid solutions, with some great bonus features that were not included in the free version before the 2011 release. The only difference between the AVG Free and AVG paid software is in malware blocking. Lab results show that the AVG Free and paid versions are equally effective at removing malware, but the paid version is more effective at blocking 100% of malware and identifying phishing sites.

The AVG Free software also comes equipped with the most features of any of its freeware competition. The interface is top ranked for usability, and one click “update” and “fix” buttons make maintaining the software and eliminating malware a cinch. AVG Free is also very quick at scanning for viruses; the average competitor takes 27 minutes for a full scan, while AVG Free takes just 18 minutes.

In a comparison of Panda Cloud vs. AVG Free, Panda Cloud is significantly less effective than AVG Free in both detecting and removing malware as evidenced across the board in independent lab tests. Panda Cloud also comes with a very minimalistic interface, not without quirks, that is more suited for tech savvy individuals than for your average user.

However, Panda Cloud has some stand out components that make this antivirus software the one to watch for future use. While AVG Free has a small part of its system running on the computing cloud, which is a host of high-end servers maintained off site that interact with your PC, Panda Cloud is almost entirely on the cloud. The Panda Cloud software is only partially installed on your PC. This means a few very positive things: Panda Cloud is incredibly lightweight, and it will use hardly any of your processing power or local storage; Panda Cloud is hosted on some of the best servers available, making the application run at lightening fast speeds; and lastly, Panda Cloud’s servers are constantly updated, meaning you never, ever have to update the antivirus software on your PC. However, Panda Cloud is the first antivirus software to run almost entirely on the cloud and just came out of beta testing. So until more kinks are worked out and the software is more effective at identifying and removing malware, AVG Free is your best choice for the time being.

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