Panda Cloud vs. Norton

In the Panda Cloud vs. Norton comparison, consumers are much more likely to recognize the brand name Norton because this manufacturer has been in the anti-virus software manufacturing business essentially since the internet began. Norton has built a reputation of providing effective and quality software that holds a lot of weight in today's market. While the latest version of Norton's anti-virus software has received very positive reviews and has a great deal of functionality to offer consumers, it costs $39.99, while the less well-know Panda Cloud anti-virus option is a free download that may do the same job just as well for many users.

Panda Cloud vs. Norton: Effectiveness

The most important factors in rating anti-virus software are how well it prevents future attacks and how well it can remove pre-existing malware from a computer that has already been infected. Several independent labs conduct tests to accurately determine the overall protection levels of anti-virus software.

When it comes to preventing future threats, Norton performs well in these tests across the board, but never ranks at the top. Norton generally places third, fourth or fifth in round-up comparisons. However, Norton is certified by West Coast Labs and ICSA Labs and protects against nearly 99 percent of future attacks. A few other top-tier brands such as BitDefender, Kaspersky and Webroot edge ahead of Norton in this area, offering nearly 100 percent total protection against future threats.

Panda Cloud vs. Norton: Cleaning Up Computers

However, Norton comes out on top in one area, and that is eradicating infections that already exist on computers. In two separate independent tests, Norton outscored all the competition for effectively removing several different types of pre-existing infections. Testers also say that Norton's virus-removal process is fast and most often does not require a system reboot, unlike several other top-tier anti-virus software brands. In the Panda Cloud vs. Norton comparison, this is Panda Cloud's biggest shortcoming.

Panda Cloud vs. Norton: How Panda Cloud Compares

Panda Cloud is a free software download, and for the price, it delivers excellent protection against future threats – nearly 99 percent, just like Norton. This is a very high percentage for freeware. In one comparison study, for instance, researchers found that free anti-virus software typically protects against only about 95 to 97 percent of potential attacks. However, unlike Norton, Panda Cloud does not do a good job of removing pre-existing infections on a computer. In independent testing, Panda Cloud was only able to remove about half of the infections present.

If, say, you have a brand-new computer or know that your computer is virus free, Panda Cloud can protect it against future threats effectively. Panda Cloud also has several features many users enjoy. Since it runs off the computing cloud and not in the background on your local machine, it does not slow down your computer in the least, which cannot be said for other security software suites. Also, since it runs on the cloud, installation and scan times are lightening fast.

Panda Cloud vs. Norton: Overall

In the Panda Cloud vs. Norton comparison, it's clear that Norton is the better choice if you have any pre-existing viruses on your computer that you need to eliminate. However, when it comes to preventing future malware incursions, Norton and Panda Cloud are neck and neck, so if you know your computer is clean, consider saving yourself a little money by opting for the free Panda Cloud suite.

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