Avast, which means “to stop”, has an impactful brand reputation in providing online security and system protection on several operating systems. In the effective attempts in living up to its name, Avast has developed a series of security and online privacy protectors and similar utility tools, which aims at halting potential malware attacks and viruses from infecting your PC. However, among these, there are three, or preferably four (which I’ll come to later) products which deal with providing virus security.
But how Avast compares to the other giants that are leading competitors in the antivirus solution development market? How good is it? And is it worth paying for the Avast Premium Security features?
Avast Antivirus Review : The Products
What are the features of Avast Antivirus?
When it comes to antivirus, the only product in concern shall be Avast Premium Security as it is sufficient enough for sustaining a protected computer system and a shielded network connection. Yet, we will discuss all the features that come with all the four options of Avast Antivirus and will then suggest the best one.
As stated above, there are three major packages of Avast Antivirus Solutions:
Free Antivirus
Premium Security Single-Device
Premium Security Multi-Device
For those who’re wondering after reading the first option, well, it’s true. Avast is one of the very few, and the only one among the leading antivirus solutions developer which offers a Free version of its product. But, yes, there are some areas where you’d have to compromise with the features, but even the Free one offers top-notch security and virus protection. The features in this version include security from all kinds of malware and viruses that can infect your system, while also securing your WiFi network and offering safe logins to different online accounts over the web.The Premium Security deal gives an additional layer of security to your system and online activities as well. It helps you avoid websites that run on unsecured servers, activates a robust firewall on your network connection, and also secures your webcam from prying eyes.The Multiple Device version of Premium Security offers the same features on multiple devices, including phones, thus offering all-round security for all computer systems and phones at your house.
Then there’s the fourth kind of security solution offered by Avast, called Avast Ultimate, which more of a bundled package that has three different protection and security products developed by Avast. It is an amalgamation of Avast’s Premium Security Antivirus, Avast’s Secureline VPN, and Avast’s Cleanup Premium. These three features combined form a protective shield over your computer as it just not secures it from viruses and other online threats and viruses; but also optimizes the system via deep scan and cleanup of junk and clutter on the hard drive. It also safeguards Internet connections by masking IP addresses and similar private information.
Malware & Virus Protection
For any antivirus solution, virus detection and protection is the prominent feature which tests its competency. And Avast’s reputation speaks for its competencies in virus detection and removal. The software has six different layers that perform deep system scans for virus or malware detection and efficiently remove any found traces of the same. It not only detects infection in the system but also stops harmful programs from infecting your PC with malware or viruses in real-time.
The software is a cross-platform solution that works for Mac, Windows, iOS, and Android, thus offering protection on all devices.
Avast CloudCare
This is Avast’s web protection feature where the software checks every URL and see if it’s malicious or problematic. In case any such information is found, the software disables your Internet access.
Ransomware Shield
A Ransomware attack can threaten your system files and your online credentials and other private information. The attackers will demand a hefty ransom in return for the access and control of these files.
Avast Antivirus’ Ransomware Shield offers protection against encryption attacks, webcam threats, ransomware trojans, and password theft threats.
The Ultimate bundle of Avast Antivirus comes with free decryption tool that allows users to decrypt ransomware encryptions often.
Phishing Protection
Avast claims that it uses artificial intelligence to track phishing sites and email addresses over the web. This accounts for a robust, rapid, and real-time protection to consumers against potential phishing attackers, thus also offering you online privacy.
WiFi Inspector
WiFi Inspector is about monitoring and analyzing the network connection on your computer and determine if those connections have any vulnerabilities to cyberattacks. The feature isn’t limited to scanning the system network connections, but it also monitors routers, mobile phones, and other IoT devices connected to the Internet.
Avast AntiTrack
It’s a browser extension that comes at a separate price with the Avast Antivirus package and is available for Chrome, Firefox, Edge, Internet Explorer, and Opera. The extension, when activated encrypts or masks your browser activity by blocking web advertisements, securing activity history, and protecting login credentials.
This way, users can surf the web while staying anonymous. Furthermore, by blocking advertisements it also restricts advertisers from tracking your online activity and preferences for further ad targeting measures.
Note: Avast Antitrack costs $49.99 per year.
Password Premium
It’s another paid feature (but included in the Ultimate package), which allows users to store important passwords in a secure built-in vault. Users mostly tend to use a single password for multiple login accounts so they don’t have to remember too many credentials; however, this poses a severe threat to all accounts as if the password is exposed, all the logins will be compromised.
Using Password Premium could help users just to store multiple passwords in a vault and then activate automatic fill-in feature for all login credentials on any supported browser.
Note: In case you use Avast Antivirus Free, the Password Premium is then priced at $19.99 per year.
Avast Game Mode
It’s a feature that optimizes the gaming experience of users. Avast Game Mode pauses Windows feature updates, kills background processes, and mute all notifications and sounds to reduce interruptions in the gaming session. By killing the background processes, the Game Mode also takes some load off the system memory and allocate additional component on RAM for the game to run smoothly without lags.
SecureLine VPN
SecureLine VPN is an included feature in the Avast Ultimate Security package. Like all VPNs, SecureLine offers encryption over all the transmitted data between the browser and the visited sites’ servers. Moreover, SecureLine has more than 50 servers that it uses for tunneling of data before reaching the sites’ servers and hence, masks the IP address and safeguards all online activities.
Note: If purchased separately, SecureLine VPN comes at $59.88 per year
Cleanup
It’s an optional paid feature (included in Avast Ultimate Security), which is more a system optimizer and cleaner than a protector. It clears off junk and clutter on the hard drive, as well as remove unwanted items and applications. This enhances system performance and improves its functioning state. Moreover, it also adds up more disk space on your system or any other device.
Note: Cleanup Premium costs $59.99 per year if purchased separately.
Avast Antivirus: Pricing
Users can save upto 8% annually if they subscribe to Avast’s services for a minimum of two years. On a three-year subscription, the savings rate goes upto 12% annually.
Avast also offers a complete moneyback guarantee if the users wish to cancel the subscription within the first 30 days of purchase. The amount is refunded back via PayPal or Debit Card.
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Our Pick
For usage on a personal computer, we recommend using the Avast Premium Security package. Users can choose to opt for multiple device facilities in case they have more users in the family or among acquaintances who are willing to purchase Avast Antivirus. Although the Free Version offers malware protection and deep scan detection of viruses on the system, there are many features which will come at a separate price such as Wifi Inspector, Data Shredder, Password Premium, etc.
Here are the features that’ll be included in the package with Avast Premium Security:
– A thorough analysis of network protection via Wi-Fi Inspector
– Real-time protection from viruses, malware, phishing attacks, adware, etc.
– Behavioral Analysis for browsers to determine potential threats associated with ransomware attacks.
– CyberCapture feature which isolates downloaded files (from the web) over the cloud for security scanning.
– Avast Game Mode to optimize gaming experience by killing background processes and notifications.
– Protection over webcam and emails (to determine viruses in attachments).
– Automatic program updater to keep the system in a top-notch functioning state.
– Web Protection via bocking of malicious advertisements on sites.
– Ransomware protection by monitoring browser activity for potential threats associated with ransomware attacks.
In case users need a secured VPN, we wouldn’t recommend using SecureLine but go for another VPN service and pay for it separately as SecureLine lacks several proxy servers and is not reliable when it comes to encrypted data tunneling. You can choose the best VPN services from this list and obtain a secured and encrypted private network connection.
Avast Antivirus is highly secure when it comes to detecting viruses; however, the recent data breach allegations (which are proven) have led Avast on a setback and therefore, users shall use the services offered by Avast and its subsidiaries at their discretion.
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