Avast Review

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Highlights

• Features: Comprehensive cybersecurity suite

• Ease of Use: Very easy to use

• Reliability: Above average

• Value: Above average  

• Money Back Guarantee: 30 days 

Best For

• Customizable antivirus scanning

• Comprehensive protection from online threats

• Families and small businesses with up to 30 devices

Why Choose Avast

Avast provides protection against a wide range of online threats. You can use the secure browser and integrated password manager to keep your accounts safe while browsing and shopping. A firewall defends against malware, while the antivirus scanner removes any malicious software that lodges itself in your system. Disk cleaning tools help keep your devices running as quickly as possible.

Avast is very affordable. It costs less than many competing antivirus platforms and comes with additional tools like a VPN and password manager. In addition, Avast offers protection for up to 30 devices, making it ideal for many families and small businesses.

What Avast Offers

Avast offers a powerful cybersecurity suite that includes an antivirus scanner, a VPN, a secure web browser, a password manager, and disk cleaning tools. These tools are designed to work together to protect your devices from all online threats and help you respond in the event your system is compromised.

Here’s a complete list of the tools included in the Avast One suite:

• Antivirus scanner

• File scanner

• Firewall

• WiFi network scanner

• Webcam protection

• Email attachment scanner

• VPN

• Secure web browser

• Password manager

• Disk cleaner

• Software updater

Features

Let’s examine some of the key features of Avast in more detail.

Antivirus scanner

Avast’s antivirus scanner checks your device for malware and eliminates or quarantines any malicious files it discovers. There are multiple options, including its quick “Smart Scan”, a more thorough “Deep Scan”, or a customizable targeted scan. You can also run a boot-up scan, which can find malware that’s deeply rooted in your device’s operating system.

File scanner

Avast can automatically scan files for malware before you open them. This is a very effective way to prevent downloaded malware from being installed on your computer. You can customize the file scanner to exempt certain types of files or ask before deleting files that are suspected of harboring malware.

Firewall

Avast’s firewall prevents known malware from being transmitted to your computer by a malicious website. It is customizable so that you can whitelist or blacklist specific websites or apps. You can also prevent other devices from connecting to your computer over a public WiFi network.

VPN

Avast’s VPN offers access to 55 server locations in 36 countries. You can automatically connect to the fastest available server or choose your server location. The VPN includes an IP kill switch. This shuts off your connection if the VPN tunnel is interrupted so that no personal information is leaked.

Secure web browser

The secure web browser automatically scans websites for signs of malicious activity before allowing you to connect. It can also force sites to use encrypted connections, which protect traffic between the site and your device. Avast’s secure web browser also restricts cookies, making it more difficult for advertisers and malicious actors to follow you around the web.

Password manager

Avast’s password manager is an extension for the secure web browser. It will help you create complex passwords and alert you if you have duplicate passwords. Avast will also alert you if any of your passwords are leaked onto the Dark Web, enabling you to change them before your accounts are compromised.

Disk cleaner

The disk cleaner identifies old, temporary, and junk files on your device that you might want to delete. Removing these files can free up hard drive space and help your device run faster.

Ease of Use

Avast is available for Windows and Mac computers and iOS and Android smartphones. I think the platform is very easy to use, and I like that all of the tools can be accessed from a single app. Avast organizes tools into three categories: Device Protection, Online Privacy, and Smooth Performance—making it simple to find the tools you need.

Avast offers handy automation as well. You can schedule antivirus scans and set the VPN to turn on automatically when you connect to certain types of websites, such as online banking sites. You can also set Avast to automatically scan files before they’re opened, which is an effective way to avoid being infected with malware.

Detection Rates and Reliability

Avast’s antivirus scanner has received top marks from independent testing firm AV-Test. The scanner identified all planted malware on Windows and Mac computers in tests and received the maximum possible scores for performance, protection, and usability.

I tested Avast on a Windows computer and didn’t find any malware with a Smart Scan. However, the scanner did identify more than 20GB of junk files I could delete to clean up my computer. The Smart Scan took 34 seconds to run and used 75% of my computer’s CPU power at peak.

Pricing

All of Avast’s tools are available through the Avast One suite. You can buy a license for either five or 30 devices. You can also buy the antivirus scanner on its own for up to 10 devices with Avast Premium Security.

Avast only offers annual subscriptions, but your first year is discounted by up to 50%. There’s also a 30-day money-back guarantee.

Avast also offers a free version of Avast One. The free version only offers the superficial antivirus Smart Scan, and you’re limited to 5GB of VPN bandwidth per month. Other tools, including the disk cleaner and password manager, have limited capabilities.

Value for Money

I think Avast provides excellent value for anyone who wants to protect their devices from online threats. This cybersecurity suite includes not only a powerful antivirus scanner but also a firewall, file scanner, VPN, password manager, alerts, and disk cleaner. All of these tools work together to form a multi-layered defense against bad actors.

Families and small businesses with a lot of devices can especially benefit from Avast. You can protect up to 30 devices with Avast One for just A$189.99 per year. That’s equivalent to A$0.53 per device per month. You’ll be hard-pressed to find another cybersecurity suite at that price.

Help and Support

Avast offers 24/7 customer support by phone and through an online form. I called the company and was connected with an agent right away. The agent was very helpful and walked me through how to run an antivirus scan using Avast One.

Avast’s website is also packed with tutorials. These cover everything from how to install Avast to how to customize protection settings. All tutorials include screenshots, making them easy to follow.

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Bottom Line

Avast’s cybersecurity suite is a great choice for anyone who wants to defend their computers and smartphones against online threats. You get a powerful antivirus scanner, a firewall, a file scanner, a VPN, a password manager, a disk cleaner, and more. All of Avast’s tools are customizable and work together to provide overlapping protection for your devices.

Avast is cheaper than many competing stand-alone antivirus platforms. You can protect up to 30 devices with Avast One, so it’s a great choice for families and small businesses. Overall, I’d highly recommend giving Avast a look if you want to keep your devices and data safe from malicious actors.

About Avast

Avast is a Czech Republic-based cybersecurity firm founded in 1988. The company acquired the competing antivirus provider AVG in 2016, then merged with NortonLifeLock in 2022. The now-combined company is known as Gen, but Avast cybersecurity products continue to be sold on their own. Avast has 435 million active users around the world.