Avast antivirus provides a great array of features in an easy-to-use package. In my tests, its malware engine received a perfect score. Its web protection was also effective in identifying phishing sites that got past the default detectors of Chrome and Firefox systems. Its performance scanner also vacation rental vrbo did an excellent job of keeping its impact on the system’s performance to a minimum. In fact Avast’s performance scanner proved more efficient in reducing CPU usage than any other program I tested.

Apart from the malware protection feature and performance scan, Avast offers a host of other tools. It includes a password management tool and an VPN (exclusive to Avast One), a photo vault, as well as a data breach monitoring feature. Its security toolkit is also quite extensive, with the ability to run programs in, as well as a router security scanner to look for vulnerabilities that could be present.

Avast offers a full support website that includes a knowledge base in case you encounter issues. The search function makes finding the answers to frequently asked questions easy. If you’re not able to find the answer, Avast’s forum is a great resource for assistance from other users.

Avast may claim that they does not sell data about its users, however the past of this practice remains popular in many people’s minds. PCMag and Motherboard reported in January 2020 that Avast had sold personal information as well as location data of its users via its Jumpshot subsidiary. Avast has since 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 information provided by consumers is “stripped off and de-identified prior being shared with a third party.”