Microsoft recently published a blog post stating that most people can rely on Microsoft Defender for all their antivirus needs. This isn’t the worst advice I’ve seen. Microsoft Defender reliably earns high protection scores in third-party lab tests, making it a good choice for malware protection. 

However, there are many digital threats beyond malware, including ad trackers and dark web data breaches that can compromise your device or even your identity. Microsoft Defender won’t protect you from these threats -- which is why I recommend buying a third-party antivirus bundle if you regularly participate in potentially risky activities like torrenting or if you just want additional peace of mind. 

These third-party antivirus bundles provide not just great antivirus protection, but additional tools for protecting yourself from adware, data breaches and more. Some even offer tools for recovering from identity theft, including identity theft insurance, for folks with significant financial assets.

Note: Your device may be at increased risk if you’re still using Windows 10 and missed Microsoft’s free extended Windows 10 security offer, as Microsoft Defender isn’t being updated anymore. Third-party antivirus programs continue to receive updates for Windows 10, providing the security you need without forcing you to upgrade to Windows 11.

For malware protection, Microsoft Defender is a top choice

Generally, I recommend sticking with your device’s built-in antivirus software -- Microsoft Defender on Windows and XProtect on MacOS -- as these programs provide effective protection from most malware without any extra setup. Microsoft Defender specifically has proven its effectiveness through third-party lab tests, earning a consistent 6 out of 6 protection score from AV-Test in all tests since summer 2024. AV-Comparatives testing in September 2025 confirmed Defender’s effectiveness, showing a 97.9% online detection rate. 

We recommend installing third-party antivirus software on Windows devices if you want full control over scan scheduling. Microsoft Defender makes scheduling scans somewhat cumbersome, whereas most other antivirus tools let you easily schedule scans from the main antivirus dashboard. However, Defender automatically schedules scans for hours when you’re not using your device, so this level of granular control is only needed by a small subset of people.

When to consider additional third-party antivirus software

Microsoft Defender is great at blocking malware, but it won’t protect you from other online threats. For example, adware -- which displays ads on your device and may also collect data for the purposes of creating targeted ads -- isn’t always classified as malware. As such, it may not be blocked by Defender despite its potential to infringe on your privacy and slow down your computer. 

Similarly, Defender won’t help you remove your data from data broker sites or inform you of dark web data breaches, meaning you'll purpose-built soultions, like data removal and identity monitoring services.

Third-party antivirus bundles, meanwhile, often include software and online tools to protect you from additional threats. You can either use those tools in conjunction with Microsoft Defender or install the third-party antivirus for more control over things like your scan schedule -- both options will ensure effective protection from various online dangers.

Identity monitoring and protection

Identity monitoring services scan various sources across the internet, like public records and websites, for your personal information such as your name, email address, home address, phone number and government ID. You’ll receive alerts as this information is found online, with information about where it’s been found and the steps you can take to remedy the situation.

Dark web monitoring, another form of identity monitoring often provided by antivirus companies, searches the dark web for your personal information and alerts you to any breaches. These tools are often capable of detecting data breaches dating back a decade or more, identifying compromised data and accounts so you can take steps to minimize related risks (like changing your password or switching to a passkey, which makes it harder to access accounts).

Furthermore, many antivirus companies offer cybersecurity suites with more advanced identity protection features like credit reporting, which alerts you to suspicious activity on your credit cards and helps you track your credit score. This, along with tools such as instant credit freezing, access to identity rescue professionals and identity theft insurance, can help you protect your financial assets. You can get these identity protection features from Bitdefender if you’re in the US, while international users can get them through Malwarebytes.

I’m a big fan of bundling services to save money and reduce administrative overload, but you can purchase identity theft insurance separately -- and there are pros and cons to bundling cybersecurity software.

Data removal and account management

Data removal services search data broker and people-finder websites for your personal information, such as your email address, phone and home address. Depending on your plan, these services will either provide data removal request templates you can send yourself or send the requests for you. Companies like Bitdefender and McAfee include data removal tools in their higher-tier cybersecurity suites.

Account management tools scan for accounts connected to your email address, compiling them into a list so you can sort through them and manage or delete accounts. My favorite account management tool is the McAfee online account cleanup tool, which identified over 450 accounts linked to my email address and sorted them by risk factors so I could quickly delete the highest-risk accounts. McAfee provides account closure requests you can send yourself or, if you’re using the most advanced cybersecurity suite, have McAfee send for you.

Some companies let you buy data removal and account management tools without investing in an antivirus bundle. Norton's Privacy Monitor Assistant, for example, is sold on its own and includes both data removal and online account management tools. This can be more cost-effective than purchasing a full cybersecurity suite, especially if you’re happy sticking with Microsoft Defender for malware protection. However, buying a cybersecurity bundle from a company like McAfee can be more efficient if you want multilayered protection.

Parental controls

The internet, and the devices we use to access it, can be a wonderful thing -- but it can also be dangerous, particularly for kids. Parental controls help you mitigate some of those risks by limiting screen time, blocking specific websites or apps, and monitoring how your kids use the internet.

Microsoft Defender can be connected to Microsoft Family Safety for parental controls, with the added benefit of extending those controls to Xbox and Android devices. However, third-party companies like Norton can offer simpler systems for implementing parental controls, providing immense value to caretakers with minimal tech knowledge (or a desire to learn new tech). 

Many third-party parental control tools are also compatible with various operating systems, including MacOS and iOS, letting you maintain control across digital ecosystems.

While these parental controls can provide value, it’s important that you aren’t fully reliant on them for protecting kids from digital threats. It's always good to discuss basic internet safety practices, like being cautious about sharing personal information or downloading files. Kids should have a trusted adult to speak to when they encounter suspicious or harmful content online.

Other privacy and security benefits

Many third-party antivirus companies offer additional cybersecurity tools to help you minimize corporations’ access to your information and maximize your device’s performance. The browser security tools are especially promising, while the VPNs often disappoint with their lack of advanced privacy features and transparency reports.

Browser security tools like Malwarebytes’ Browser Guard extension block ad trackers and other spyware. This protects you from mild annoyances, such as targeted advertising campaigns, and potentially serious threats, such as having your data sold to data brokers or malicious third parties. Some of these browser safety tools also scan websites you visit and search engine results for signs of phishing and other scams. Notably, companies like AVG and Bitdefender offer some browser security tools for free.

Device optimization tools like AVG TuneUp help you improve your computer’s performance by cleaning junk files and customizing startup settings to speed up boot time. Other companies, like Malwarebytes, focus entirely on the settings side of things, making it easy to control the data your computer collects and sends to Microsoft.

Most antivirus companies also sell VPNs, or virtual private networks. However, these generally lack advanced privacy features, such as obfuscated servers (which aim to mask that you’re using a VPN), and the third-party audits we consider key trust signals. 

Additionally, most of the VPNs I tested from antivirus-first companies caused dramatic speed loss, in some cases making my internet unusable. We recommend buying one of the best VPNs on the market, like ExpressVPN, NordVPN, Surfshark, Proton VPN or Mullvad.

Bundling services vs. à la carte route

The additional tools we’ve mentioned aren’t just sold by antivirus companies but are bundled with the antivirus software. These cybersecurity bundles can save you money and reduce administrative hassle by consolidating your bills and the companies you deal with into a single bill and company. 

On the other hand, it means you’ll have a lot more to move if the company raises prices beyond your budget, experiences a data breach or otherwise becomes unpleasant to work with.

Antivirus companies are dedicated to antivirus software above all else. This can result in other tools being less than spectacular. Specifically, VPNs from antivirus-first companies tend to perform poorly and offer minimal privacy features, so I always recommend buying a dedicated VPN if you’re concerned about privacy.

Final thoughts

Microsoft Defender is great for casual Microsoft users whose primary concern is malware protection. For folks seriously concerned about privacy or identity theft, however, Defender’s not going to cut it -- and that’s where third-party antivirus bundles come in. I recommend Bitdefender and Malwarebytes for great antivirus software, browser security tools and identity protection services.