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Review Of Avast Premium For Mac

Original review: April 21, 2019

I have installed Avast after malware got onto my computer, and I had to do a full restart of Windows 10. I already have Mcafee, which costs money just to protect you from a virus.>:( I shouldn't have to pay just to be protected. If the company believes in the customer and wants to actively be there for the customer, not just to get money, they would make this aspect free. I understand the other aspects, but you should be protected from malware on your computer. I was going to originally install Norton, because I've used that Anti-virus protection before, and, I like Norton, but I also know they make you pay, for literally everything, so I decided to try a new Anti-Virus. I found Avast upon my search. It looked good from the logo and the website.

I installed it and immediately was impressed with the user-interface. When I got re-directed somehow to another website, it protected me immediately, and even buzzed letting me know. Not only that, it told me what drivers to update, (although I only have free version so I cannot install this), but I can install the drivers manually myself, now that I know what drivers to install. I also swear my computer was speedier since this app install! This protects me from what I need to be protected, without money-costing me, because they care about me, not just my money.

I just love this product so much! Everything is perfect with this! I am going to stick with this Anti-virus forever! I love this Anti-virus so much, that I decided I am going to upgrade so It'll install drivers for me and do lots more! This program has so many features versus Mcafee, (which I also have but won't do anything because not paid!), and so much more than what other virus-protection services have. It also has good Anti-virus tests to prove it! Thank you so much Avast, you have changed my life for the better. Definitely will recommend!!

If you are looking for a premium protection, check out our Internet Security suites comparison including Avast, AVG, Avira, ESET, and Norton (Symantec). Additional Notes Information about the product features has been obtained from the official websites of each vendor. Bottom Line: Avast Pro Antivirus 2017 offers the same wealth of features as its free edition, and not a lot more. It's an excellent product, but for most people the free version will suffice. Avast avast antivirus avast for mac avast download avast definition avast secureline avast software avast login avast review avast secure browser avast cleanup premium avast removal tool avast account avast antivirus for mac avast activation code avast app avast account login avast avg avast antivirus windows 10 avast antivirus software avast antivirus uninstall a avast antivirus free download. Avast Premier 2018 Review A useful, user friendly product marred by clumsy attempts to sell what others include as standard, and by the intrusive ads in the mobile version. Avast is danged good at catching malware. AV Comparables says Avast detected 99.9 percent of macOS malware and 100 percent of Windows malware. In spot testing, the app did splendidly. Aug 11, 2018  The Avast Cleanup Premium is a system optimization software that scans your PC or Mac, resolves performance issues, boosts your PC speed, and concedes disk storage by deleting junk files, and bloatware. The software is paid and some users find the price of Avast Cleanup Premium.

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Avast Antivirus response

Hi, Sophia:

Thanks for your feedback and for choosing Avast for your security needs!

-Avast Team

2 people found this review helpful
Gloria of Coos Bay, OR Verified Reviewer Verified Buyer
Original review: April 15, 2019

I have Avast Premier, Cleanup and SecureLine. SecureLine is working normally. Premier and Cleanup have both been completely out of service for 2 days, starting April 3, 2019. Cleanup simply will not open. Trying to open Premier gets a black square on-screen that says, 'UI failed to load. This is embarrassing. Your protection is running, but the UI is having a really bad day.' Well, this is the 3rd day. What's happening with Avast? Can't find any news stories related to problems at Avast. Free trial of avast cleanup pro for mac. Is it just me?

Avast Antivirus response

Hi, Gloria:

Thanks for reaching out! We'd recommend running a repair to try to resolve the issue. Instructions for this can be found in our website.

If this does not resolve the issue, please contact us privately with your name, Avast account information, and your preferred contact email address so we can work with you directly.

-Avast Team

3 people found this review helpful
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Paweł of Poland Verified Reviewer
Original review: Feb. 1, 2019

I'm using free Avast Protection. Recently, Avast has interfered with my computer by replacing Adobe Reader with its Avast Browser for reading PDF files. It has made it impossible to use any other programmes for reading PDF files, preventing me for installing Adobe Reader again and actually making Adobe disappear as an option for reading PDF files. I wonder if it is the company's policy?

Avast Antivirus response

Hi, Pawel:

Thank you for reaching out! Our software would not have replaced your existing product with our browser without your permission. There would have been a option when installing our browser to include PDF documents. Please check your default programs list in Windows for the option to switch it back. If this does not resolve the issue, please contact us privately for further assistance and we'll be happy to help!

-Avast Team

6 people found this review helpful
Original review: Nov. 29, 2018

I've been using Avast FREE version for over 10 years, it help me block off harmful popups and ads, even a little suspicious connection they can handle it quickly and clean, virus scanning work really good and my computer is totally virus/malware/ransom free now. To those who rated 0.5, I'm pretty sure they are hired by other companies or are 'smart' people who get their laptop from Best Buy or Walmart.

Avast Antivirus response

Hi, Testa:

Thanks for being a loyal customer for more than a decade! We're thrilled to hear you've been pleased with our software's ability to keep you and your information safe!

-Avast Team

Be the first one to find this review helpful
Original review: Nov. 24, 2018

Since 2005 I have utilised Avast antivirus free version and later paid, and despite being free, it has protected my computer from virus, malware and recently stopped countless of ransomware attacks that have been going haywire on the Internet line in my area. Reading countless of the negative reviews of this program I can without a doubt say these people have no idea what they are doing, it surprises me they even know how to turn a computer on.

Avast unlike many other AV software I have tested, has successfully managed to isolate viruses and malware even in archived files surprisingly. Another astonishing feature with Avast subsequently missing from vast majority of other AV programs is customisation in the installer letting you decide exactly what you want included and what you want excluded.

Avast AV also gives you good control of settings, all the annoying features can be easily turned off, Avast has always had a good interface which really helps navigating through the various advanced features. Avast not only lets you quick scan but also do complete scans, Avast also includes a boot scan option which will scan your computer before Windows boots, extremely helpful in removing very dangerous threats.

Despite this, Avast will not compromise in safety even on the free version and will constantly give you offers on the paid variant, there no reason not to accept. Avast is also one of the extremely few that STILL supports Windows XP and Vista to this day letting you safely use older computers with Internet connection. As someone who still has to rely on old systems for crucial software support, this is a Godsent gift to not having to worry about ransomware attacking old systems thanks to Avast.

All my clients really like Avast except the annoying pop-up reminding them to buy the software but people having previously had their computers attacked by virus has never had issues after I installed Avast free Antivirus on their systems afterwards. It can without a doubt be said that Avast tops all charts in review sites for best protection, features, user friendliness, and excellent customer service willing to help. It is hard to understand why Avast themselves receive such harsh critique when they are just trying to help, but in reality there is no helping the helpless.

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Avast Antivirus response
Review Of Avast Premium For Mac

Hi, Johnnew:

Thanks for your feedback and for being an awesome Avast customer! We're thrilled to hear you've been pleased with our software!

-Avast Team

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Allison of Smithfield, VA Verified Reviewer
Original review: Sept. 3, 2019

I cancelled my service in 2017 with Avast because I was paying for 3 computers and I was down to one. They said they cancelled and refunded my money that year. The next year 2018, they charged me again (but changed the name of the service) and I missed it because I did not have the email that I had used anymore and I didn't check my Credit card statement. This year, 2019, I am charged again, but this time I see it and check with my CC company to find I was charged in 2018 also. Avast refunded my 2019 charge but keeps telling me that I never cancelled this new service (they changed the name and kept saying I had both, though I was never charged for both at one time and the new named service was also for 3 computers).

After they give me all the generic responses I try to reason with them that Why would I order a new service for 3 computers when I was down to 1. They changed the name, never cancelled me, charged me (stole from me) and refuse to refund my $60 from 2018 because it is beyond their refund time. I was able to get the order numbers so that I had proof of the charges but I have been given the runaround over and over with them trying to tell me that I ordered this and I never did. Be very careful.

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Avast Antivirus response

Hi, Allison:

Thanks for reaching out! We'd like to help find out what occurred and get this resolved for you. Please contact us privately with your full name and the subscribed email address (as well as your current email address if that one is no longer being used) so we can further assist you.

-Avast Team

Be the first one to find this review helpful
Original review: Sept. 1, 2019

While it works ok as a free version, Avast has become Adware. It constantly harasses with ads asking for paid upgrade. Which should be ok if it wasn't for the following. It has an insidious and sneaky way of making you go for a free trial of the paid version in an advert that makes you think you are updating the virus database. This method is only seen in predatory tactics of Adware.

Another disgusting Adware characteristic is lying and scaring the user into thinking they are being watched and followed and they need protection. Which Avast does it plenty. Mum called me horrified to tell me she's being watched and needs protection. I thought she's gone mad, but no. It was an Avast ad. Finally it does the same scaremongering as fake registry cleaners. Avast will tell you you need to upgrade to its paid version in order to clean your computer of unused programs and free your drive space. Avast kindly go ** yourself, I'm finally going for a paid version of ESET. Go cry in a bucket.

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Avast Antivirus response

Hi, I:

Thanks for your feedback. While we do occasionally notify our customers of our other great products and features, they are not meant to cause any undue stress and we do offer the ability to add/remove features that may or may not fit our customers' specific needs by clicking Menu>Settings>General>Troubleshooting>Add/Remove Components. Additionally, Silent Mode is located under the Notifications tab.

-Avast Team

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V of Other, Other Verified Reviewer
Original review: Aug. 31, 2019

I subscribed to the Avast Antivirus software. I'm not sure how good the software is, but it occasionally tells me it's spotted or blocked something. The problem is that I am paying much more than I intended. I was led to believe it was an annual fee, yet I've been charged four times within 12 months - each time the amount increases ($49.99, $49.99, $59.99, $79.99). Back in March I asked PayPal to stop letting them withdraw funds from my account and PayPal agreed. Since then the company has used disposable account information to withdraw funds. I'm now clamping down on my PayPal account so the processing company (Digital River) can't take money from me anymore.

Avast Antivirus response

Hi, V:

Thanks for reaching out! We'd like to investigate further to see what's happening as we do charge annually for each product. Please contact us privately with your full name, email address, and the dates and amounts of the charges and we'll be happy to sort it out for you!

-Avast Team

2 people found this review helpful
Hunter of Rancho Cucamonga, CA Verified Reviewer
Original review: Aug. 26, 2019

Avast installed without permission from me and without knowing which is an automatic one star from me. They also force you to use their uninstall software instead of having control panel delete it. It constantly sent me notifications that I have a virus, I have done multiple full scans with Windows Defender and it said nothing. And I also got this in an Adobe Flash scam, so they paid people to put something I don't want on my computer and wasting my time.

Avast Antivirus response

Hi, Hunter:

Thanks for reaching out! We can assure you we would never install our software without your permission. There would have been a box to opt-out during the installation of your other program. If you have any additional questions, we would be happy to help you directly.

-Avast Team

Be the first one to find this review helpful
Original review: Aug. 15, 2019

I signed up for a free trial and within an hour, they had upgraded me to a full subscription and charged my card $86. I called and cancelled subscription they added without authorization and got my money back. Took a while. Then on August 13th, I got two (2) $86.59 charges back to back that came out of nowhere. I called and talked with someone I couldn't understand well, but was told one of the charges would be refunded. It hasn't happened yet. Disputing with bank and Avast. It's a slow process. When this gets taken care, I will cancel my card. I was actually asked if I wanted to cancel my subscription!!?? Do not trust them.

Avast Antivirus response

Hi, Monica:

We apologize for the inconvenience and would like to investigate what happened and get this resolved for you! Please contact us privately with your full name, contact email address, the charges that were placed on your card, support ticket information (if you received an email), and the number you dialed so we can ensure you spoke with genuine Avast Support.

-Avast Team

3 people found this review helpful

When it comes to free antivirus for Windows computer, your friends will mostly recommend you either Avast Free Antivirus 2019, AVG AntiVirus FREE 2019, or Avira Free Antivirus 2019. But which one of them is the best? All are completely for free and offers plenty of advanced features. We’ll take a look at details on Avast and AVG.

Two biggest competitors, Avast and AVG, are today a single company. In October 2016 Avast acquired AVG company for $1.3B. From the end-user point of view, there is no change, both brands continue to coexist together. However, they use the same engine and technology in the background – the one from Avast. Feature-wise there are small differences, let’s take a closer look.

Feature Comparison Table – Does AVG Offer More Than Avast?

Both Avast and AVG are offering solid protection against viruses, spyware, malware, rootkits and even ransomware which is a big topic now. Plus you will be secured while browsing online, chatting on Facebook, or watching videos on YouTube. Also, they will protect and scan your incoming and outgoing e-mails if you are using an e-mail client like Outlook or Thunderbird. If you’re a gamer, you can relax – both antivirus solutions offer smart gaming mode and keep themselves silent.

Avast
Free Antivirus 2019
AVG
AntiVirus FREE 2019
Anti-Virus & Anti-Spyware & Anti-Malware
Web Browsing Protection
E-mail Client Protection
Silent/Gaming Mode
Home Network and Router Security
Unwanted Browser Plugins Cleanup
Outdated Software Scanner
Spying and Data Theft Protection
Permanent Deletion of Sensitive Data
Free To Use Without Personal Registration
Windows Boot-time28 sec.33 sec.
Performance Test Score2,116 pts.2,115 pts.
Size of Installer5 MB5 MB
PriceFree ($0.00)Free ($0.00)

From official AVG website

With Avast you will get some cool features like Wi-Fi Inspector (formerly called Home Network Security), which scans your home network, Wi-Fi connection, and routers. An easy-to-use tool called Browser Cleanup for removing unwanted toolbars from your browser. Software Updater for monitoring the up-to-date status of the other software like browser, Java, Adobe Reader, etc. And you can ask your IT friend to fix your computer via the secured remote connection.

However, there are some differences. AVG offers spying and data theft protection controlling what kind of data you are sharing with the other applications, and File Shredder which can permanently delete your sensitive information, so they can’t be restored. A similar feature called Data Shredder is available also in Avast, but only in the top-tier product Avast Premier, not in the free one.

A big plus for AVG is that you don’t need to register or give out any personal information. You can just download, install, and keep using it. With Avast you have to activate the product within the first 30 days, and then once a year.

Impact on the System Resources – Which Product is Lighter?

We have measured the impact on the system resources using two ways:

  1. How long does the computer to boot into Windows desktop while the AVG or Avast is installed
  2. How does the computer perform in various areas (CPU, Graphics, Memory and Disk operations) while the AVG or Avast is installed

In the boot time test where less is better, it took only 28 seconds (on average) to load Windows desktop when Avast Free Antivirus was installed. The same operation took 33 seconds (on average) when AVG AntiVirus FREE was installed. Default boot-time without any antivirus solution in place took 20 seconds. So according to our testing, Windows loads faster with Avast.

In the second area, we have tested computer performance in various areas and impact of the AVG or Avast on the results. Test results (higher is better) were practically the same for both products, 2,116 points for Avast and 2,115 points for AVG. The default performance without any antivirus installed was 2,150 points. So the overall impact on the system performance is really low for both products.

Final performance test results are highlighted in the chart below. You can clearly see the difference between no antivirus and Avast or AVG present. Please note the vertical axis ‘Performance Score‘ is not starting from 0, but from 2,110 to clearly show the small differences.

Avast vs. AVG – Performance Test Results

You can find more details about how we tested in the ‘Additional Notes‘ section at the end of the article.

User Interface – Is Avast Easier to use Than AVG?

/best-security-for-mac-instead-of-avast.html. Avast user interface is really nice and clear. There is only one main action leading to the Smart Scan, which runs all seven Avast scans: compatibility, viruses, outdated software, browser add-ons, router issues, performance, and weak passwords. The green button ‘UPGRADE‘ (or ‘ACTIVATE‘) leads to a comparison table of Avast Free Antivirus and Avast premium product (Avast Internet Security).

The status is also indicated by color when green obviously means ‘You are protected’ (note AVG is using the exact same term). Also, you are assured that ‘Everything is up-to-date‘. The top menu is easy to navigate and structured in fours groups – Scan, Tools, Passwords, and Store. What is pretty annoying is the top menu disappears every time you go from the home screen and you need to click on ‘Menu‘ to get it back.

Same as AVG, also Avast is using the bottom space for the up-sell offers.

AVG user interface is quite busy compared to Avast. When everything is fine, you will see green tick marks with the message ‘You are protected‘. The interface will go red if there will be some issue. What is nice is when some of the shields are disabled, you will see immediately which ones as they will also turn in red.

AVG AntiVirus FREE 2019 – User Interface

The main tiles show you the status of the specific shield protection. If you are looking for a scan, it’s the less visible button ‘Scan now‘. The ‘Fix performance’ button sounds pretty interesting, but you need to download other product (AVG PC TuneUp) to actually fix the performance. The last button is for checking if the program is up-to-date, of course, the virus definitions are updated automatically. ‘Join us on Facebook‘ link at the top bar is very visible and somehow distracting.

Bottom of the interface is used as an offer space to buy or try for free the paid-for version.

Localizations/Translations – Is The Product Available in my Language?

Both Avast and AVG are available in plenty of languages, of course for free. But Avast offers many more.

Avast languages (46): Arabic, Belorussian, Bengali, Bulgarian, Catalan, Chinese (simplified), Chinese (traditional), Croatian, Czech, Danish, Dutch, English (United States/United Kingdom), Estonian, Finnish, French, German, Greek, Hebrew, Hindi, Hungarian, Indonesian, Italian, Japanese, Korean, Latvian, Lithuanian, Malay, Norwegian, Persian, Pirate talk, Polish, Portuguese (Brazil/Portugal), Romanian, Russian, Serbian, Slovak, Slovenian, Spanish, Swedish, Thai, Turkish, Ukrainian, Urdu and Vietnamese

AVG languages (22): Chinese (simplified), Chinese (traditional), Czech, Danish, Dutch, English, French, German, Hungarian, Indonesian, Italian, Japanese, Korean, Malay, Polish, Portuguese (Brazil), Portuguese (Portugal), Russian, Serbian, Slovak, Spanish, Turkish.

Popularity – Which is the Most Popular Free Antivirus? Avast or AVG?

The better product is, the most users it has. It’s simple as that. However, it’s not easy to say which is the most popular antivirus, if Avast or AVG. For expressing popularity we are using several, publicly accessible methods.

1. Official Sources

According to the official website, Avast is protecting more than 400 million users worldwide, but that probably includes also AVG users. The last publicly available number was 230 million users. AVG doesn’t state anymore how many users are using their products, however using simple math it’s around 170 million (400 – 230 = 170). Therefore we believe it’s safe to claim Avast has more users than AVG.

2. Antivirus Vendor Market Share by OPSWAT

OPSWAT is regularly releasing reports about the antivirus market share. Data are based on the OPSWAT GEARS software installed on the client machines. According to the latest report from November 2017, Avast is dominating the worldwide market with 18.48%. Followed by ESET with 13.97%. AVG is still reported as a separate company and didn’t make it into top 10 for June 2017, however, AVG’s share was around 4% in the last few months. It is also important to mention Microsoft for some reason is not included at all.

Avast vs. AVG – Market Share Report November 2017 by OPSWAT

3. CNET Download.com Ranking

Download.com by CNET is the World’s most popular download portal. According to its popularity rankings, AVG has more total downloads – almost 564 million, while Avast has ‘only’ 406 million. However, the recent trend shows Avast is slightly more popular, as it leads the last week downloads number.

Avast vs. AVG – Number of Downloads & Rating on CNET Download.com June 2017

Avast has higher editor’s rating– 4 stars (meaning excellent), while AVG has 3.5 stars (meaning very good). The user/community rating is also better for Avast – 4.5 stars, while AVG has 4 stars.

4. Number of Fans on Social Media Networks

Another way how to measure product/company popularity is the number of fans/followers on social media networks like Facebook and Twitter. Avast is leading on Facebook with 4.1 million fans vs. AVG’s 3.1 million. On Twitter, the leader is AVG with 216k followers vs. Avast’s 181k.

Avast vs. AVG – Number of Fans/Followers on Facebook and Twitter

Independent Labs Test Results – Will AVG Protect You Better Than Avast?

Avast Download For Mac

If you are looking for a more advanced comparison of antivirus protection, the best resources are the independent test labs. These labs are regularly performing various tests like how many viruses will get through the antivirus software, or which vendor offers better performance.

Selection of the most important and relevant test results is below:

  • AV-Comparatives Real Word Protection Test Results (November 2017)
  • AV-Comparatives Performance Test Results (October 2017)
  • AV-TEST Avast Results (October 2017)
  • AV-TEST AVG Results (October 2017)

As we mentioned the antivirus engine is the same for both products and that’s also visible in tests. In the latest AV-Comparatives Real-World Protection Test from May 2017, both Avast and AVG got 100% detection rate with 0 false-positives. Both products also scored the same score on the latest Performance Test.

Respected computer magazine PCMag gives both products the same rating of 4,5 stars in their comprehensive comparison of free antivirus solutions written by security expert Neil J. Rubenking. Actually, both Avast and AVG are their #1 recommendation for the free antivirus software.

Our current Editors’ Choice products for free antivirus utility are Avast Free Antivirus and AVG AntiVirus Free. Both get very good scores from the independent labs, and in our own tests as well. Both include some useful bonus features.

Neil J. Rubenking for PCMag

System Requirements & Compatibility – Will the Product Run on my Computer?

Both products will run on a majority of today’s computers as there are no special requirements. In fact, the system requirements are identical since the antivirus engine is the same. You just need to run a newer Windows than 2000, so at least Windows XP with Service Pack 3. Both Avast and AVG are also fully compatible with the latest Windows 10.

System Requirements for Avast Free Antivirus 2019

  • Supported operating systems: Microsoft Windows 10 / 8.1 / 8 / 7 SP1 or higher / Vista / XP SP3 or higher (any Edition, 32-bit or 64-bit)
  • Processor: Intel Pentium 4 / AMD Athlon 64 or above
  • Memory: 256 MB RAM or above
  • Space: 2 GB of free hard disk space
  • Please note that Avast Free Antivirus 2019 won’t work on Microsoft Windows 95 / 98 / ME / 2000 / Server, or any other operating system which isn’t specified above

System Requirements for AVG AntiVirus FREE 2019

  • Supported operating systems: Microsoft Windows 10 / 8.1 / 8 / 7 / Vista / XP SP2 or higher (any Edition, 32-bit or 64-bit)
  • Processor: Intel Pentium 4 / AMD Athlon 64 or above
  • Memory: 256 MB RAM for Windows XP or 1024 MB RAM for Windows Windows 10 / 8.1 / 8 / 7 / Vista
  • Space: 2 GB of free hard disk space
  • Please note that AVG AntiVirus FREE 2019 won’t work on Microsoft Windows 95 / 98 / ME / 2000 / Server, or any other operating system which isn’t specified above

Test Conclusion – Both Avast and AVG are Worth of Trying!

Both products have their pros and cons. We don’t want to recommend only one of them, instead, we would like to encourage you to try both, and see if Avast or AVG will suit you better. Even they are offered completely for free, the level of protection you will get is comparable with the paid-for antivirus solutions. The download links are below.


From official AVG website

If you are looking for premium protection, check out our Internet Security suites comparison including Avast, AVG, Avira, ESET, and Norton (Symantec).

Avast Mac Security Free

Additional Notes

Information about the product features has been obtained from the official websites of each vendor. If you believe we have stated something not correct, please let us know, and we’ll fix it immediately. Our intention is to offer a fair and fact-based comparison of each product.

Avast Premier

For measuring the boot time we have used a free tool called BootRacer. We have tested AVG AntiVirus FREE 2016 (2016.0.7163) and Avast Free Antivirus 2016 (2016.10.2.2215) released on March 23, 2015. Both tests were performed on a Windows 7 Professional x64 computer with CPU Intel Core i7 @ 2.70GHz and 8 GB RAM.

Avast Premium Free

For measuring the overall PC performance we have used a free tool called PassMark PerformanceTest which tests various areas including CPU, graphics, disk, and memory.