Kaspersky Premium

Kaspersky Premium delivers some of the strongest malware detection numbers in the industry. AV-TEST and AV-Comparatives consistently award it top marks, and our own testing confirmed a 99.9%+ block rate across ransomware, spyware, banking trojans, and zero-day threats. The feature set is among the most complete available — unlimited VPN, identity theft monitoring, parental controls, password manager, and a data-leak checker are all included.

There is one conversation we have to have before recommending it: Kaspersky is headquartered in Moscow, Russia. In 2022, the US FCC added it to its Covered List of companies considered a national security risk. In 2024, the US government banned new Kaspersky sales to American consumers. UK and EU government departments have issued usage advisories. This does not mean the software is malicious — independent security researchers have not found evidence of backdoors or data exfiltration in the consumer product. But it does mean some users — particularly those in government, defence, healthcare, or sensitive industries — should choose a different product. For the vast majority of home users in Europe, Asia, and beyond, Kaspersky remains a technically excellent choice.

Protection that rivals anything on the market

In AV-TEST's most recent evaluation, Kaspersky scored 6/6 for Protection — the maximum possible — blocking every single malware sample in both widespread and zero-day categories. AV-Comparatives gave it an Advanced+ rating, also the highest tier. In our own testing with 1,200 live malware samples, Kaspersky missed two — a miss rate of 0.17%, which is exceptionally low.

The anti-ransomware module works by monitoring for the behavioural signature of ransomware: mass file encryption at high speed. When it detects this pattern, it terminates the process and rolls back any encrypted files using shadow copies. In our test, it stopped a live LockBit sample in under six seconds and recovered all test files cleanly.

System impact: lighter than you expect

Kaspersky has historically been criticised for high resource usage. That criticism is outdated. In our performance tests on a mid-range Windows laptop, full scans used an average of 8% CPU — higher than Bitdefender's 3%, but below the 15–20% we saw from several competitors. Quick scans completed in under two minutes and were essentially undetectable during normal use. AV-TEST gave it 5.5/6 for performance, reflecting a slight impact that most users will never notice.

The feature set: more than just antivirus

Kaspersky Premium includes features that most antivirus suites charge extra for or do not offer at all:

• Unlimited VPN — powered by Hotspot Shield technology, covers all your devices, no daily data cap. Useful for public Wi-Fi and privacy, though not as fast as dedicated VPN services.
• Identity Theft Protection — monitors dark web databases and data-breach lists for your email addresses, phone numbers, and financial account details. Alerts you if your information appears.
• Password Manager — stores and auto-fills passwords across browsers and devices. Works on Windows, Mac, Android, and iOS.
• Safe Kids (Parental Controls) — monitors app usage, blocks inappropriate websites, sets screen time limits, and shows location for Android and iOS devices.
• Data Leak Checker — scans known breach databases for your personal information and tells you exactly what was leaked and where.
• Privacy Cleaner — removes browsing history, temporary files, and traces of activity that advertisers and third parties could use to track you.
• Safe Money — opens banking and payment sites in a protected browser, isolated from other software on your computer.

App quality across platforms

The Windows application is polished and logically organised. Everything is accessible within two clicks. The Mac app has a slightly reduced feature set — no firewall or application control — but covers all core protection functions well. The Android app includes anti-theft features: remote lock, wipe, and location tracking from Kaspersky's web portal. The iOS app covers anti-phishing, VPN, and privacy tools, within Apple's platform restrictions.

Pricing and renewal

Kaspersky Premium's first-year price is competitive for a suite that includes unlimited VPN. The renewal price is higher — typically 40–50% above the introductory offer — which is standard across the antivirus industry. At renewal, check for a loyalty discount or promotional code before auto-renewing at the full rate.

Should you be concerned about the Russia connection?

We address this directly because you deserve a clear answer. For most home users — people browsing the web, streaming, shopping online, doing online banking — the practical risk is minimal. The concern is theoretical (could a government compel Kaspersky to modify software for espionage?) rather than evidenced (no such modification has been found). If you work in government, critical infrastructure, or handle classified information, use a different product. If you are a private individual in Western Europe, Australia, or most of Asia, the decision is yours to make based on your own risk tolerance. We score Kaspersky on its technical merits; you decide whether the geopolitical context matters for your situation.

The bottom line

Technically, Kaspersky Premium is one of the two or three best antivirus products available. The detection rates are outstanding, the feature set is unmatched at the price, and the system impact is acceptable. The only reason it sits below Bitdefender in our overall rankings is the jurisdiction consideration — which for some users is irrelevant, and for others is decisive.