Avast’s free software provides an effective foundation for protection against malware. Avast Premium Security and other paid versions provide a wide range of additional features to keep your device safe. This includes a VPN and Wi-Fi view website Inspector and more. Avast is rated among the best products in this category by AV Comparatives Real World Test of Protection.
Avast detected a range of threats swiftly and efficiently during our tests. In addition to this, the full scan took just 6 minutes and 50 seconds to complete, which is impressive given the fact that it trawled more than two million discrete files.
Avast’s tendency to label certain programs malicious was not what we expected. In our tests Avast identified five legitimate programs as such during Windows system scans which is 2 times higher than the industry-standard. The positive side is that this is not a common occurrence and you can send a file for analysis to resolve the issue when Avast is mistakenly flagging it.
Avast offers a solid knowledge base that can provide assistance for the most common issues as well as immediate phone and email support options available. Those looking for an extra level of security may choose an annual subscription that includes parental and password management controls to the program. Avast offers a 30-day refund guarantee on paid services.