But things started changing with the advent of free anti virus software. Given free anti virus software may not be as good as their commercial counterparts but they nevertheless, are pretty good for most computer users. Most free anti virus software come with even advanced detection technologies. What's more, these free anti virus software keep their virus signature database updated regularly like any other commercial anti virus software!

Many people are of the opinion that commercial anti virus software are rip-offs. Most of them require renewal of licenses every year by asking a user to pay certain amount of money. If licenses are not renewed, such commercial anti virus software would stop detecting newer viruses. Free anti virus software, however, does not require such renewal of licenses. They are free to download, install, run and update as and when necessary.

One of the most popular free anti virus software is Grisoft's AVG anti virus software. This free anti virus software is as good as a free software can get. There are no hidden malware and neither does one have to pay anything for using it. The virus signature database can also be updated without paying a fee! Unfortunately, this free version is however, meant for personal and non-commercial use only.

There are many other free anti virus software out there. Not all of them are however, good enough to provide proper security to computers. Some free anti virus software do not come with advanced detection technologies and therefore, may fail to detect different variants of viruses. Such free anti virus software are not simply worth anything. If you are planning to get a free anti virus, it is important you do some homework on the software. Check the reviews of other users to find out how good, in reality, the free anti virus software is before you start trusting it wholeheartedly!