Non-cloud free anti-virus programs?

Vomacka,
I have noticed that pretty much all the free anti-virus programs contain adds. I personally only use Microsoft Essentials. It is free and works great.

From my experience, and unless suddenly something somewhere has changed -- free and ad-free are mutually exclusive when it comes to 3rd party AV programs.

I just noticed you're using Windows 7; Windows Defender will be ok, however, MSE is probably more robust. Windows Firewall is probably all you need for a firewall. Later on, you might need more powerful 3rd party stuff....
This is only a starting point! I do not mean to imply that you stop with WD or MSE. As other followup posters have indicated - a more robust AV is needed and a more robust AM is needed.

Addendum: Due to excellent followup posts, I amended the above; "aok" changed to so-so "ok"]

Hi:

RolandJS said:

I just noticed you're using Windows 7; Windows Defender will be aok, however, MSE is probably more robust.

Windows Defender in Win7 is NOT an anti-virus.
It is only a weak anti-spyware/anti-malware application.

For Win7, the comparable, free, MS product is Microsoft Security Essentials.

MSE has both fans and detractors.
It is probably "as good" as any other "free" AV, is relatively easy to use and it does not include ads.

But all of the "free" AVs suffer from hidden costs, such as weak protection, ads, popups, toolbars/PUPs, reduced features and/or reduced support.
Developing and supporting robust security applications costs money.
Most (all, except MSE) "free" AVs are really more of a marketing tool for the vendor than anything else.

The cost of a robust security program works out to pennies a day and is $ well-spent.
There are many options to suit different computers and users.
But no AV or suite of products will protect 100% of computers from 100% of malware 100% of the time.
The most important security component is the part between the chair and the keyboard.
The next most important component is regular practice of backing up data and system images.

Cheers,
MM

DavidE said:

There are 2 types of updates. Program updates and virus/malware definition updates.
Do you want no auto updates, including the definition updates, or just no auto update for Program updates ?

Excellent point.
There's more to real-time protection these days than just signatures and databases.

Running an outdated security app -- free or paid -- because one does not enable real-time updates is not much better than none at all.
By the time one is infected with some of today's zero-day and zero-hour threats, especially ransomware, it would be too late.
Most popular AVs provide a means to disable automatic MAJOR program updates (e.g. from version 2016 to 2017).
But few, if any, will run for long in real time with any sort of updating capability (for program updates and especially for "databases") fully disabled.
That would be something more akin to a manual, on-demand, second-opinion scanner, not a real-time AV or security program/suite.

I'm not sure the list of criteria presented can be satisfied AND still provide sufficient protection.

MM

I use
Avast free on Win 7
Avira free on Win 8.1
Panda free on Win 10 (RTM)
Windows Defender on Win 10 (Insider)

Panda:
If news is turned off i get no popups, not even if a new program version is available.
I don't know of a way to stop definition updates (synchronized with the cloud).

Avira:
As far as i know it will eventually auto update to a new program version.
They throttle the auto program update, so it does take quite a while to get it that way.
I get an ad popup when i startup 8.1.

Avast:
auto Program updates can be turned off.
I can't remember the last time i got an ad popup.
I'm not sure what happens if i disable auto definition updates, i never tried that.
Have to be careful installing/updating the program, so bloat doesn't get installed.

MSE/WD
That's up to whatever MS does, updates can come in via Windows Update.
no ad popups.

Personally i want auto updates for definition updates, and to be alerted when a new program update is available.

MM! Thanks for helping :) I only mentioned Windows Defender and MSE as a starting point. I did not mean to imply thread starter should stop there. Many rely on Windows Firewall and either WD or MSE - I would rather, like you, have more robust AV and AM -- like the ones you mentioned.