I believe you need to study your personal use case when purchasing antivirus and security software.

My personal recommendation is that most home users do not need to pay for antivirus or security software.

Microsoft and Apple provide built-in antivirus solutions. Browsers like "Google Chrome" and others also provide excellent warnings when you enter a dangerous area on the internet. Additionally, email service providers such as "Google," "Microsoft," and "Yahoo" scan your emails for dangerous attachments.

Windows Operating System

If you are using "Windows 11," you can go to "Settings," then "Privacy & Security," then "Windows Security" to view a dashboard of the different security categories monitored by the system.

By clicking on "Virus & Threat Protection," you will see the latest scan and its results, in addition to the date of the last update for virus definitions. There are red, yellow, and green status icons for each section, allowing you to see any areas that need your attention at a glance. Just make sure to keep up with updates.

Apple Operating System

The same applies to "Apple" computers. You only need to update the operating system and security updates. What happens if you click on something in the browser and strange pop-up windows start appearing or web pages redirect you to a fraudulent ad page? This can happen.

In these cases, I download and use Malwarebytes, which scans and repairs your system when you suspect you have clicked on something bad.

Security Software

"Malwarebytes" is available in a free version (for Mac or Windows), and you can try it if you need it. I advise paying for it if you need it regularly, but I do not recommend leaving it installed on your computer. When I had to use it, I would download it, run it, let it clean the system, and then uninstall it.

My Perceptions and Beliefs

In my belief, any software that runs on your system and performs the same function as the built-in security software is not a good thing. From my experience, third-party real-time antivirus protection applications can slow down the system, and they actually do so.

I fully expect that many of you will disagree with me, and I don't mind. Caution is not a bad thing. If you use your computer for a small project, or you earn your living from it, you might feel safer with security software installed. I do not mind using any software that helps you feel safer online.