Avast is among the most well-known brands in antivirus software that is free, offering a solid base of security against malware. The paid versions, especially Avast Premium Security, provide many additional features to keep your device secure. This includes a VPN service, Wi-Fi Inspector and more. In the AV-Comparatives Real-World Protection Test, Avast scores among the top products available in this particular category.
During our tests, it was clear that we discovered that Avast was able to detect numerous threats quickly and efficiently. Furthermore, the full scan took just 6 minutes and 50 seconds to complete, which is impressive given the fact that it crawled more than two million discrete files.
In terms of false positives, we were slightly shocked to learn that Avast was frequently flagging certain applications as malware vs virus infected. During our tests Avast flagged five legitimate applications as malicious during Windows system scans which is 2 times more than the industry-standard. This is only a few instances, and you can easily send the file for analysis for a correction if Avast flags it in error.
Avast provides a solid knowledge base that provides solutions to common issues. There are also options for direct phone or email support. A paid subscription provides parental controls and password management to the program. Avast provides a 30-day return guarantee on paid services.