The Best Email Security Antiviruses in 2024: Built-in Protection
Reading time: 14 min
Updated on November 07, 2024
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![Osama Zahid]()
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![Justyn Newman]()
Fact-Checked by Justyn Newman Lead Cybersecurity Editor
Opening even a single unsafe email could compromise your whole system, as it could contain dangerous malware or redirect you to unsafe websites. This is why it’s critical to ensure you have a top antivirus solution installed to defend against malicious emails.
After extensively testing many apps, I’ve picked the best antiviruses for email security. These antiviruses have excellent web protection and real-time security to keep you from downloading malicious email attachments or opening dangerous links. Plus, they include features like reliable virus scans and built-in VPNs to add extra layers of safety.
Of the top choices, Norton offers the best overall email protection. Its flawless 100% real-time malware detection score and web protection maintain airtight security against risky emails. Plus, the 60-day money-back guarantee lets you try Norton risk-free.
Try Norton risk-free for 60 days
Quick Guide: 5 Best Antivirus Software With Email Protection
- Norton — Offers best-in-class security against all malware, including those in emails.
- TotalAV — Has easy-to-use apps for all major platforms, but its support isn’t the best.
- McAfee — Provides excellent web protection, but it isn’t the cheapest option.
- Intego — Includes useful tools to defend against malicious emails, but it isn’t the most feature-rich option.
- Bitdefender — Comes with feature-rich apps that deliver excellent security, but it can flag false positives.
Editor’s Note: We value our relationship with our readers, and we strive to earn your trust through transparency and integrity. We are in the same ownership group as some of the industry-leading products reviewed on this site: ExpressVPN, Cyberghost, Private Internet Access, and Intego. However, this does not affect our review process, as we adhere to a strict testing methodology.
The Best Antiviruses With Email Protection — Full Test Results in 2024
1. Norton — The Best Overall Antivirus for Defending Against Unsafe Emails and All Other Threats
Key Features:
- Detects 100% of real-time threats, including those in emails
- Finds and removes 100% of malware via its scans
- Includes extra security features like a firewall, VPN, and a customizable firewall.
- Offers support via 24/7 live chat, email, and other channels
- Comes with a 60-day money-back guarantee
Norton is the best antivirus for defending against email-based threats. During tests, it had a 100% real-time malware detection score, enough to ensure you never accidentally download a malicious file from an email. The app also includes various other security features to defend against unsafe emails, including the following:
- AntiSpam — monitors your email inbox to check for suspicious links and phishing scams.
- Built-in VPN — secures your browsing activity using AES 256-bit encryption.
- Cloud backup — provides up to 250GB of secure cloud storage for sensitive data.
- Firewall — blocks network intrusions and other online threats.
- PC SafeCam — prevents any unauthorized access to your system’s webcam.
Another useful tool is the Norton Safe Email feature, which actively monitors up to 5 email addresses to check for malicious emails. However, this feature is difficult to find as it’s not available in any Norton plans or on Norton’s website. You need to contact customer support to get it — I did, and I got a 1-month free trial of the tool that I could access in my Norton account.
Norton also delivers best-in-class customer support, including 24/7 live chat, email, and a detailed knowledge base. I frequently contacted its live chat support during my tests, and I connected to an agent within a few minutes regardless of what time I contacted. Plus, all the agents gave helpful answers to my queries.
It’s available for as low as $19.99/year, but you’ll get the best value with Norton’s $29.99/year Deluxe plan, which includes 50GB of cloud storage, the VPN, and protection for up to 5 devices. All plans are backed by a 60-day money-back guarantee, meaning you can try Norton completely risk-free.
Secure your email accounts with Norton
2. TotalAV — Provides Easy-To-Use Apps With Useful Tools for Defending Against Unsafe Emails
Key Features:
- Has a 100% malware detection score to defend against malicious emails
- Offers reliable virus scans that find and remove 100% of malware
- Provides easy-to-use apps for Windows and other major platforms
- Comes with 24/7 live chat support
- Includes a 30-day money-back guarantee
TotalAV offers intuitive apps that make it simple to defend against harmful emails. I found it easy to navigate the apps and use all the features available in this antivirus. Plus, the desktop apps have a helpful navigation bar on the left-hand side that quickly takes you to all the available features.
During tests, TotalAV had a real-time malware detection score of 100%, which will ensure no malicious files in emails will reach your system. Also, the app comes with many other useful security features to improve protection, including the following:
- Web protection — keeps you from opening malicious links or unsafe websites.
- Built-in VPN — uses AES 256-bit encryption to keep your browsing safe and anonymous.
- Total AdBlock — blocks annoying ads and trackers while surfing the web.
- Password manager — provides secure storage for passwords and sensitive data.
While it has many strengths, I found that TotalAV’s live chat isn’t as good as other top apps. I often had to wait a long time before connecting with an agent. Thankfully, TotalAV’s phone support is much more responsive and doesn’t take nearly as long to connect to an agent.
Pricing for the app starts at $19.00/year, but I found that TotalAV’s $39.00/year Internet Security plan delivers the best value for money. It includes the app’s key security features, VPN, and protection for up to 5 devices. There’s also a 30-day money-back guarantee with each plan, letting you try TotalAV completely risk-free.
Secure your email accounts with TotalAV
3. McAfee — Has Effective Web Protection to Defend Against Downloads in Malicious Emails
Key Features:
- Includes effective web protection to block malicious downloads in emails
- Detects 100% of real-time threats and finds 100% of malware via scans
- Has a VPN, firewall, and other extra tools for protection
- Offers responsive 24/7 live chat and email support
- Provides a 30-day money-back guarantee
McAfee’s excellent web protection offers airtight security against threats in emails. The app’s WebAdvisor actively scans any links you’re about to open and warns you about any that could harm your device, including unsafe links in the emails you receive.
Alongside WebAdvisor, McAfee has a real-time malware detection score of 100% and finds 100% of malware via scans. It also provides the following to add extra layers of safety:
- Built-in VPN — safeguards your online activity using AES 256-bit encryption.
- Firewall — works besides the Windows firewall to block network intrusion.
- Password manager — offers safe storage for passwords and other sensitive information.
- Tracker remover — finds and removes trackers from your device.
McAfee’s support options include 24/7 live chat, email, phone support, a detailed knowledge base, and community forums. All the options are reliable, but the 24/7 live chat is the best way to get help quickly.
The cheapest McAfee plan costs $39.99/year, making it more expensive than some other competitors. However, the app’s various security features make it a decent value for money. You can also try McAfee risk-free, as it comes with a 30-day money-back guarantee.
Secure your email accounts with McAfee
4. Intego — Includes macOS Antivirus With an Innovative Firewall That Improves Overall Security
Key Features:
- Eliminates 99.4% of real-time threats and finds 99.4% of malware through scans
- Has an innovative 2-way NetBarrier firewall for added security
- Includes the Safe Browsing feature for added safety against dangerous emails
- Comes with 24/7 live chat, email, and phone support
- Offers a 30-day money-back guarantee
Widely considered the best macOS antivirus, Intego provides an innovative NetBarrier firewall to ensure airtight device security. It monitors incoming and outgoing traffic, effectively blocking all suspicious connections and intrusion attempts, including those occurring from suspicious email links.
It’s not the best feature-rich app, but Intego provides Safe Browsing and ContentBarrier to defend against unsafe emails. Safe Browsing improves your browser security, while ContentBarrier monitors emails and other content to ensure you don’t accidentally click on unsafe links. In conjunction, these tools drastically improve safety against dangerous emails.
You can buy Intego for just $19.99/month if you get the $34.99/year plan. You’ll also get a 30-day money-back guarantee with your purchase, letting you try Intego risk-free. If you’re unsatisfied, you can easily get a refund by contacting support.
5. Bitdefender — Provides Feature-Rich Apps That Reliably Defend Against Dangerous Emails
Key Features:
- Blocks 100% of real-time threats and detects 100% of malware with its scans
- Has effective web protection and a firewall to safeguard against unsafe emails
- Includes other useful security features like a built-in VPN
- Provides responsive 24/7 live chat and other support channels
- Comes with a 30-day money-back guarantee
Bitdefender’s feature-rich apps make it a top choice for protection against unsafe emails. It offers the following tools to provide airtight security against all cyber threats, including email-based ones:
- Web protection — blocks unsafe links and stops any malicious downloads.
- Built-in VPN — secures traffic with AES 256-bit encryption and keeps you anonymous online.
- Safepay — maintains an isolated environment for secure banking and shopping.
- Customizable firewall — blocks all network intrusion attempts.
- Safe Files — provides secure storage that’s isolated from the rest of your system (macOS only).
- Microphone and webcam protection — stops unauthorized access to your system’s microphone and webcam.
The app also has a 100% real-time malware detection score and a 100% malware detection score via scans. These results are impressive, but it does flag more false positives than competitors. Thankfully, this isn’t much of an issue, as you can manually remove these files from quarantine.
You’ll get the best value with Bitdefender’s $40.99/year plan, which costs just $24.99/year. Plus, all the app’s plans come with a 30-day money-back guarantee, meaning you can try Bitdefender completely risk-free.
Antiviruses That Didn’t Make the Cut
1. PCProtect
PCProtect has decent malware detection scores but is a basic antivirus without email protection or other advanced security features. So, it’s not the best choice if you want to ensure safe emails and keep your system protected against all threats.
2. Microsoft Defender
While it offers reliable built-in security for free, Microsoft Defender doesn’t provide proper email security tools to filter malicious emails. If you want guaranteed protection, you’re better off using a premium alternative.
Quick Comparison Table: 2024’s Best Antivirus With Email Protection
| Real-Time Malware Detection | Web Protection | Built-in Firewall | Lowest Price | Money-back Guarantee | |
| Norton | 100% | ✔ | ✔ | $19.99/year | 60 days |
| TotalAV | 100% | ✔ | ✘ | $19.00/year | 30 days |
| McAfee | 100% | ✔ | ✔ | $39.99/year | 30 days |
| Intego | 99.4% | ✔ | ✔ | $19.99/year | 30 days |
| Bitdefender | 100% | ✔ | ✔ | $24.99/year | 30 days |
4 Easy Steps: How to Install an Antivirus With Email Protection
- Subscribe to an antivirus with email protection. Choose an antivirus that offers tools to secure against unsafe emails, and subscribe to a plan that suits you. I recommend Norton, as it provides unbreakable security.
![image of Norton's AV plans and their available features.]()
- Download the setup. Access your chosen apps’ web portal after subscribing and download the setup for your device.
![Screenshot showing how to download Norton's setup from its web portal]()
- Install the app. Run the setup and follow all its steps to install the antivirus on your system.
![Screenshot showing Norton's installation in progress on Windows]()
- Secure your system. Ensure all your downloaded app’s real-time security features are running to ensure your system isn’t infected through malicious emails.
![Screenshot of Norton's home page after installation]()
How I Tested and Ranked the Best Antiviruses With Email Protection
I used the following criteria to pick the best overall antiviruses with email protection:
- Email security — I chose apps with reliable web protection to ensure they can keep you from downloading unsafe attachments and opening dangerous links.
- Malware detection — I picked antiviruses with effective real-time malware detection scores and reliable virus scans.
- Extra features — I selected antiviruses with other useful security features like built-in VPNs and firewalls.
- Customer support — I chose apps that offer reliable customer support through 24/7 live chat or other channels.
- Value for money — I found antiviruses that deliver good value for money, especially with their long-term plans.
- Money-back guarantee — I only selected antivirus apps with money-back guarantees, letting you try them risk-free.
FAQ: Best Antivirus Software With Email Protection
What is the best antivirus software with email protection?
Norton is the best overall antivirus with email protection. It has an anti-spam feature that checks your emails for malicious links or phishing threats, and its web protection ensures you don’t accidentally open unsafe links from an email.
There’s also an extra Norton Safe Email feature that you can link directly to your email accounts, but it’s a separate purchase not included with Norton’s subscriptions.
Can I get a virus from an email?
Does Gmail have virus protection?
Can I use a free antivirus for email protection?
Maybe, but I don’t recommend it. Unlike the best premium antiviruses, free apps have limitations, like poor malware detection scores and limited security features. So, your system might remain vulnerable to email threats if you use a free antivirus.
There are some reliable free antiviruses that may offer decent security, but using a top premium alternative like Norton is always better.
Secure Your Emails Using a Top Antivirus
Using a top antivirus is the best way to stay safe against email-based threats. Otherwise, you might accidentally download malicious email attachments that can compromise your entire system.
Thankfully, all the above apps deliver excellent email protection. Their real-time security and web protection work together to ensure you don’t open unsafe links or download malicious files attached to emails.
Among the top choices, I consider Norton the best overall option. It has a flawless 100% malware detection score, ensuring no malware can slip by its defenses. Plus, the app has web protection, a VPN, and reliable web protection to enhance safety. You can also try Norton risk-free, as it comes with a 60-day money-back guarantee.
Summary — The Best Antiviruses With Email Protection in 2024
Editor's Note: We value our relationship with our readers, and we strive to earn your trust through transparency and integrity. We are in the same ownership group as some of the industry-leading products reviewed on this site: ExpressVPN, Cyberghost, Private Internet Access, and Intego. However, this does not affect our review process, as we adhere to a strict testing methodology.
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