Big-name antivirus protection platforms like McAfee, Norton, Avast, AVG, Kaspersky, and more have long defended computers and mobile devices from potential viral threats. News that Avast has been selling user data makes it a great time to drop excess unnecessary potential snooping threats. Now Microsoft has built up its Windows Defender to a level that, many say, is enough to protect you without the need for these other services. Is this true? We lay it all out for you to decide.

Microsoft has started taking endpoint security seriously, and as such the current Windows Defender is often found to outperform a lot of the third-party dedicated antivirus software competition when it comes to malware protection.

One of the stand-out features of Windows Defender is that it's really fast. Since this is built by Microsoft, into Microsoft systems, it can be optimized to perform far more efficiently than a third party option. As such, the system impact of Windows Defender is minimal, making it ideal for use on a tablet or laptop where battery life will be impacted far less.

The software can scan your system for known malware signatures, but it can also monitor your software for signs of an infection.

There are still instances where you might want to pay for an antivirus service. These are mainly due to the extras that some of these software packages bundle in for you. Many offer related services like VPNs, credit monitoring and protection, online password vaults, and more.

Even with Windows Defender, and everything we've said so far, another layer of security can't hurt. Also, for malware, another option is essential.

Bitdefender is a great example as it not only covers the virus protection side of things, like Windows Defender, but it also tackles malware, ransomware, Trojans and rootkits. Essentially this is a do-it-all solution in one package. There's even a VPN thrown in, plus a password manager and even some banking tools. It's a whole lot of bang for your buck. Talking of, this will cost you as little as $20 for a year. There are lots of options with one, two, and three-year tiers, each with one, three, five, or ten devices supported. Check out the Bitdefender pricing options here.

Another option is VIPRE, which is ideal for those that want an extra layer of email security. This minimal solution offers an email quarantine for suspicious emails, like phishing schemes. A copy is sent to the quarantine folder where you can open them securely to check if they're legitimate without putting your system at risk. This starts at $45.99 for one device for a year and goes up to ten devices – check out all the pricing options here

Avast is also worth looking at since it offers excellent malware protection, ransomware defense, webcam monitoring, an auto gamer mode and works across lots of devices. This is really feature-rich and, as such, costs a bit more, starting at $48 for the year for a single device and going up to $72 per year for ten devices. Head over to Avast to see for yourself.

While near perfect at keeping you safe and protected from malware, there are a few instances where Microsoft still has work to do. Granted, these are largely superficial menu gripes, but they're worth mentioning.