Avast antivirus offers a comprehensive array of features included in a simple package. Its malware engine scored an outstanding score in my tests, and its web protection was effective at catching sites that were phishing that slipped through Chrome and Firefox’s default detection systems. And its performance scanner did a good job of keeping its impact on system speed to a minimum. In fact Avast’s performance scanning was more efficient in cutting down on the CPU usage than any other program I tested.
In addition to the malware protection and performance scan, Avast offers a host of other tools. Avast One is the only one that provides a VPN as well as photo vaults, and a tool to monitor data breaches. Its security toolkit is also very extensive, including the ability to run programs within and a security scanner to look for any vulnerabilities.
Avast provides a comprehensive support website that includes a knowledge base in case you encounter problems. The search function makes finding the answers to frequently asked my website questions a breeze. If you can’t find an answer then the Avast forum is an excellent source of assistance from other users.
Avast might claim that it has stopped selling data about its customers, but the history of this practice is still fresh in many consumers’ minds. In January of 2020, PCMag and Motherboard revealed that Avast sold the location and other personal data of its users to third parties through its Jumpshot subsidiary. Avast has recently stopped this practice, and now asks users to sign-up during new installs of its desktop AV software. In its privacy policies, Avast states that all consumer data is “stripped off and de-identified prior being shared with a third-party.”