Avast’s free software provides a solid foundation of security against malware. The paid versions, such as Avast Premium Security, provide many additional features to protect your device. This includes a VPN service, Wi-Fi inspector and more. In the AV-Comparatives Real-World Protection Test, Avast scores among the top offerings in this class.
In our tests, we observed that Avast was able to detect many different threats swiftly and efficiently. In addition the entire scan took just six minutes and 50 seconds to complete which is impressive given the fact that it trawled more than two million discrete files.
Avast’s view website tendency to mark certain programs as harmful was a disappointment. In our tests, the program identified legitimate applications five times when it detected malicious programs during system scans on Windows which is two times higher than the industry standard. This happens only in rare instances and you can send the file to be examined to make a correction if Avast flags it by mistake.
Avast offers a good knowledge base that can provide assistance for common issues, and there are also direct support via email and phone options available. A paid subscription includes parental controls and password management to the program. Avast provides a 30-day money back guarantee on its paid services.