AVG Internet Security review: Reliable, budget-friendly antivirus

Best Prices Today: AVG Internet Security

AVG is finest recognized for its glorious free antivirus software program—so why pay a premium for the AVG Internet Security suite? In a phrase: comfort.

With safety software program, the extra you pay, the extra complete your safety turns into. That may be precious in the event you discover maintaining with on-line threats too overwhelming or time consuming. There’s one thing to be stated for a program that may deal with the main components for you. And that’s what AVG Internet Security, the corporate’s entry-level model of its paid antivirus software program, offers.

By transferring as much as a paid subscription, you get further options that hold you safer throughout your off days. No antivirus program is bulletproof, in fact, however this one hits the main factors whereas not overloading you with extras you gained’t use. Whether it’s best for you is dependent upon how a lot you prioritize simplicity.

Note: This evaluation is a part of our best antivirus roundup. Go there for particulars about competing merchandise and the way we examined them.

How a lot does AVG Internet Security value?

First, the fundamentals—let’s discuss value. If bought immediately from AVG, leaping from the free plan to the corporate’s Internet Security package deal is cheaper for the primary 12 months, after which reverts to the complete value thereafter.

Single-device plan (1 PC)

• $47 for the primary 12 months
• $76 per 12 months thereafter

10-device plan (Multiple gadgets)

• $60 for the primary 12 months
• $100 per 12 months thereafter

AVG doesn’t provide household plans, however if you are going to buy a multi-device plan (which helps PC, Mac, Android, and iOS), you’ll be able to share the device quota with members of the family. Even in the event you’re flying solo, the additional money for multi-device protection may be value it—as of late it’s widespread to personal at the least a pc and cellphone, and infrequently a pill as nicely.

Compared to the competitors, AVG prioritizes extra gadgets moderately than further options. Take for instance Norton—its closest equal plan consists of VPN entry, however you’ll be able to solely use it throughout 5 gadgets. Also shocking: Avast, which really owns AVG, expenses extra for nearly the very same plan.

For extra financial savings, you should buy a license for AVG Internet Security via retailers like Amazon or Newegg, which provide multi-year plans in addition to ones with fewer gadgets—so you may get a subscription appropriately sized in your scenario, in the event you want.

What does AVG Internet Security embody?

AVG Internet Security provides 5 extra options to the free plan’s antivirus, firewall, internet and e mail menace, and community safety. You get safeguards for the passwords saved to your browsers; webcam takeovers; unknown entry to recordsdata with delicate knowledge; malicious redirects for web sites you’re attempting to go to (aka DNS hijacking); and assaults performed via Windows’ distant desktop protocol.

This specific plan doesn’t embody entry to a VPN. AVG additionally doesn’t have its personal password manager or parental controls, so you’ll be able to’t get these by altering your subscription.

Key options of AVG Internet Security

Installation and consumer interface

To set up AVG Internet Security, both obtain the free model after which improve, or first purchase the paid subscription and set up afterward.

AVG’s dashboard is clear and logical, although probably gloomy for individuals who like light-themed apps. The almost black background is punctuated with vibrant inexperienced textual content to cue you in to vital info. Both your PC’s standing and key options are clearly highlighted within the dashboard.

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Starting a scan from the dashboard is simple—for a fast scan, you press the Run Smart Scan button towards the underside of the display. You can select a special sort of scan by clicking the textual content that claims Run different scans. Your choices are deep scan, file or folder scan, boot-time scan, USB/DVD scan, and a efficiency scan. Using the efficiency scan requires a separate subscription to AVG TuneUp, or an additional improve to an AVG Ultimate plan.

Above the scan choices are the dashboard tiles. Currently, there are 4 tiles associated to the software program’s options—the fifth is now reserved for the AVG retailer, via which you should buy subscriptions for different AVG software program not included with Internet Security.

If you click on any of the primary dashboard tiles—Computer, Web & Email, Hacker Attacks, and Personal Data—you’ll see explanations for every of the software program’s elements. You can even broadly customise your settings, both by toggling off a characteristic or twiddling with the defaults. For the most effective safety, most individuals ought to depart every thing on after which additional add gadgets for defense the place relevant.

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However, in the event you run into conflicts or annoyances that require a bit fine-tuning, AVG does present extra granular management. To entry, you’ll click on on the Menu hamburger icon on the high proper, then select Settings. This dropdown menu offers entry to options like the info shredder, subscription information, browser extensions, and assist as nicely.

These detailed settings are a boon for software program nerds, by the way—significantly these of us who function tech assist for family members. You can tweak a good variety of issues, together with privateness settings (you’ll be able to decide out from knowledge sharing proper from the app), and even set a password to maintain others from altering settings.

The solely actual difficulty with AVG’s app is the continued upsells for its different merchandise. If you thought that paying for AVG would cease the movement, alas, no. It solely reduces the quantity.

Virus, malware, and menace safety

Real-time safety

AVG Internet Security protects your PC in opposition to real-time threats in a number of methods. On your PC, the software program scans recordsdata you add or open, checks apps for uncommon conduct, and controls entry to pick folders typically focused by ransomware. Ransomware safety is customizable, so you’ll be able to add extra folders to the default checklist. Email downloaded to your PC is screened for harmful attachments and malicious hyperlinks, too.

When you’re on the net, AVG Internet Security scans the info transmitted to your laptop for malware and for any sneaky DNS redirections to faux web sites. It additionally screens site visitors going to and from apps, and locks down the passwords saved to your browsers. You get safety from distant entry assaults, too—AVG blocks distant connection makes an attempt from unknown sources, and it restricts entry to your webcam and microphone.

As a small safety in opposition to being caught unawares from knowledge breaches, AVG Internet Security retains tabs in your e mail deal with. If it’s noticed in a leak, you’ll get a notification within the app.

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Scheduled and handbook scans

By default, a sensible scan (the equal of a fast scan in different antivirus software program) is scheduled for as soon as a month. You can regulate this timing and depth of scan, in addition to add extra scans to the checklist. You have 4 sorts to select from: Deep Scan, File or Folder Scan, Boot-time Scan, and USB/DVD Scan.

Each sort of scan is customizable in settings—for instance, Deep Scan usually scans for recordsdata which can be weak to malware, and just for widespread set up apps. But you may make it dig additional and have it scan all recordsdata, in the event you like. You can even change how this system handles contaminated recordsdata.

Additional options

Browser extensions

If you put in AVG’s browser extension, you’ll be able to add an additional layer of safety whereas visiting web sites. It’ll flag unknown websites and in addition add standing badges to Google and Bing search outcomes. In my expertise, I discovered it barely overzealous at first—it threw up a warning after I navigated on to www.google.com—but it surely appeared to relax after that.

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Data shredder

Formerly often known as File Shredder, this characteristic helps you to securely delete recordsdata, folders, or entire drives by overwriting them with different knowledge. On the face of it, this appears like a superb characteristic—and it may be, if you wish to clear knowledge from a tough disk drive (HDD). 

However, most fashionable computer systems have strong state drives (SSD), which save knowledge differently than mechanical drives. At finest, you gained’t really securely overwrite the info utilizing this methodology, and at worst, you’ll be able to shorten the lifetime of your SSD. (You’ll need to use this method as a substitute.)

Customer assist

Aside from AVG’s support pages and forums, you’ll be able to contact technical support via an internet chat or via a cellphone name. The assist pages are finest for fast overviews and/or walkthroughs of assorted options, whereas the boards may help with troubleshooting—supplied you’re prepared to dig via a number of threads.

Updates and upkeep 

Updates for each virus definitions and the app itself run mechanically within the background, although you’ll be able to change these to solely remind you when an replace is obtainable or go full handbook (which isn’t suggested). If you need to manually set off the replace your self, there’s additionally a button to verify for updates. You can discover this by heading to Settings > General > Update.

Performance

AVG will get extraordinarily excessive marks for antivirus and malware safety from main organizations that consider safety software program. In AV-Test’s zero-day assault and malware exams for July and August 2023 (probably the most present as of this text’s publishing), AVG Internet Security detected 100 % of the threats. 

Similarly, in AV-Comparatives’ real-world safety take a look at for July through August 2023, AVG’s core antivirus part blocked 100 % of the 254 take a look at circumstances, with one false constructive. When confronted with 10,007 samples in AV-Comparatives’ September 2023 malware protection test, it scored a 95.3 % offline detection charge, 99.5 % on-line detection charge, and 99.97 % on-line safety charge, with one false constructive.

AV-Comparatives

During my {hardware} efficiency exams on a modest Acer Aspire 3 laptop with an AMD Ryzen 5 7520U processor, a 128GB SSD, 8GB of RAM, and Windows 11 Home, AVG had no tangible impression on most common duties carried out on a PC, as simulated by PCMark 10—e.g., video chatting, internet looking, gaming, picture and doc enhancing in free apps like GIMP and LibreOffice. Surprisingly, it additionally had little impact on our Handbrake encoding take a look at, too.

However, operating the identical deep scan whereas utilizing Microsoft Office (as simulated by UL Procyon) did trigger a dip in efficiency on our funds laptop computer—an virtually 20 % drop. That means in the event you’re on a less expensive PC and slinging bigger knowledge units in Excel, you’re finest served scheduling your system scans for off-hours. The hit was a extra palatable 9 % lower when AVG was left to idle within the background, holding real-time look ahead to threats.

As for options, Sensitive Data Shield (which helps you to scan your system for recordsdata containing high-risk items of private info) was a bit hit and miss. For instance, one bill was flagged, however not one other comparable doc that lacked the phrase “invoice.”

Other protections aren’t really accessible with the Internet Security plan—although the interface is designed to make you suppose it’s till the final second. E.g.: Running a Performance Scan will show motion gadgets. But in the event you click on on the button to resolve all of them, you get a display asking you to pay for AVG TuneUp, as proven above.

The proven fact that the ads don’t utterly stop when you begin paying for AVG is a bit off-putting—it makes the app really feel incomplete, despite the fact that you’ve bought a full package deal.

Conclusion

AVG Internet Security is an effective possibility for individuals searching for to be extra hands-off with on-line safety with out paying a ton for the comfort. In reality, it’s strong sufficient to nonetheless earn a advice regardless of how sturdy the free model is by itself. (And the continued upsells, as a result of actually, they’re extremely annoying to see in a paid product.) It affords nice efficiency and an easy-to-understand interface together with a number of useful safety features.

Editor’s notice: Because on-line companies are sometimes iterative, gaining new options and efficiency enhancements over time, this evaluation is topic to alter with a view to precisely mirror the present state of the service. Any modifications to textual content or our last evaluation verdict might be famous on the high of this text.