Which Is Better For Both A Pc & Mac Household Avast Or Avg

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There has been a long debate about which is better “PC ” or “MAC”. Both are great in their own ways and can outsmart each other, but deep down even best of the best Mac’s fanboys know that Window based PC is an overall better choice. The one you build with the intel cpu and the 250 GPU is much better. It's still a weak pc though and would only be good for maybe medium settings in that game.

Picked by Techconnect's Editors

• AVG Internet Security

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AVG has a big advantage in the free antivirus space since it owns both Avast (acquired in 2016) and its homegrown product, AVG Free. The hope is that you’ll love the free stuff so much that you’ll eventually upgrade to one of its paid products.

In the case of AVG, most people go with its Internet Security program. Priced at $70, it’s one step down from the company’s flagship product, AVG Ultimate, and lacks a number of Ultimate’s less crucial features. For example, you don’t get AVG’s PC tune up package or third-party desktop software updater. That’s hardly a loss, though, as you can find free programs to dump cached folders taking up too much space or monitor software updates. The important security features are all included in the $70 security suite, however, including antivirus, firewall, and phishing protection.

Unlike Avast, AVG opted not to include a password manager as part of its various security packages. Instead, you have to fork over an extra $20 per year to make that a part of your security set-up. That’s not a bad price, though for a few bucks more you can get an annual subscription to LastPass.

When you first open up AVG, it offers a similar aesthetic to its corporate counterpart Avast. The app largely has a gray background with bright green to highlight important information. You’ll first see a status dashboard that lets you know which AVG security features are active.

Note: This review is part of our best antivirus roundup. Go there for details about competing products and how we tested them.

This dashboard is not intuitive, though. Almost nothing is clickable in the main part of the screen. To tweak most options, you have to click on the Menu hamburger icon at the top right of the window. There you can get into the nitty gritty of the application’s settings, including general options, controls for ransomware protection, a data safe (encrypted folders), and a file shredder feature that overwrites deleted data to make it harder to recover.

Overall, the settings could be better organized and made clearer. Most of the key settings you’ll want to access, for example, are under Menu > Settings > Components. From there you can tweak your firewall and play with the spam scanning settings.

Reinforcing my point about organization, however, is how the options are laid out. Each part of the component settings is hidden under a downward facing arrow. Click that arrow and you reveal each section’s panel, but all you’ll see is an explanation of the feature and an option to uninstall individual parts of the security suite. To actually get deeper into those firewall settings, you have to click the Customize link in each tile, which is never hidden.

To access other options, like subscription information, you’ll have to go back to the main dashboard. In the upper left hand corner is an arrow—when you click on it, it opens another window where you can add another device to your subscription, as well as download and subscribe to other AVG products such as PC TuneUp, Secure VPN, and Password Protection. This window is very reminiscent of Norton Security.

AVG’s overall interface is not a deal breaker, and once you get used to the logic of the application, it’s not hard to navigate. However, during testing I often kept thinking about its Avast counterpart, which I found to be far more intuitive with items more readily accessible and not buried under a mountain of clicks.

One thing that AVG Internet Security does make very easy is the ability to scan your PC, as the Scan Computer button is the most prominent item on the primary dashboard.

Performance

Like many of the mainstream security programs, AVG got very high marks for antivirus and malware protection. A-V Test’s August tests gave AVG 100 percent detection in its 0-day and malware tests. In A-V Comparatives’ real-world protection test, meanwhile, AVG scored 100 percent as well with three false positives out of 329 samples. When pitted against A-V Comparatives’ malware protection test, AVG scored 99.8 percent in an online scan against nearly 38,000 samples and 98.8 percent offline.

SE Labs gave AVG an AAA rating, saying that both it and Avast were the most effective free software in its tests, but AVG did fail to detect five targeted attacks. All three organizations used the free versions of AVG’s antivirus, which doesn’t have the ransomware, firewall, or phishing protection.

AVG also did well in our performance benchmarks. When we ran PCMark 8’s Work Conventional test (a simulation of everyday tasks like word processing, web browsing, and video chat), our initial score was 2521. With AVG running in the background, that score was 2524—a tiny enough difference that the improvement could be chalked up to margin of error.

Our Handbrake test, which puts much more stress on a system, showed no significant performance dip. Our Windows 10 PC takes an average of one hour, 15 minutes, and 30 seconds to transcode a 3.8GB MKV file using the Android Tablet preset. With AVG installed, Handbrake transcoded the same file in one hour, 15 minutes, and 25 seconds.

Conclusion

AVG leaves a lot to be desired when it comes to app design, especially compared to Avast. Given that the same company owns both development teams, we hope to see some improvement. Nevertheless, AVG gets high marks for security, has enough features to satisfy most users, and doesn’t drag on your performance.

• AVG Internet Security

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  AVG does an excellent job of protecting your PC. Its interface is not great, but for $70 you can protect all the Mac and Windows PCs in your household, as well as your Android devices.

  Pros

  • Highly-rated antivirus protection
  • Install on all Windows, Mac, and Android devices in your home

  Cons

  • Tries to sneak in a bundled software download
  • The interface leaves a lot to be desired

(Last updated on August 29th, 2019)

Avast or AVG, which antivirus software is a better pick in 2019?

We have put together this detailed, value='{'show_for_logged_in':'1','hide_on_device':'}'>

In this comparison, we’ll show you the strengths and weaknesses of two top antivirus companies: Avast and AVG. We’ll examine each software in detail so you can make a smart decision.

In a rush? Check out the rundown below to see which software wins in each category.

A Quick Rundown of Winners Antivirus in Each Category

1. Features
Winner: Avast. Compared to AVG, Avast offers a more comprehensive feature-set as part of its premium suites.

2. Malware Protection
Winner: Tie. According to two independent tests, both Avast and AVG protect your computer against all sorts of malware.

3. System Performance
Winner: Tie. Again, both companies tied during independent performance tests.

4. User-Friendliness
Winner: Avast. Both programs have simple, intuitive user interfaces, but Avast’s secondary screens are more easily reached than AVG’s.

5. Pricing
Winner: AVG. AVG offers more bang for your buck; you can protect more devices for less money through AVG.

6. Customer Satisfaction
Winner: AVG. AVG has slightly better customer satisfaction ratings than Avast

Short Verdict

The independently held examinations conducted by the AV-Test and AV-Comparatives prove that both Avast and AVG provide excellent malware protection with minimal impact on system performance. But Avast offers more protection-related features and extra utilities in its security suites than AVG.

Now, we’ll go into the details.

1. Features

Good antivirus software won’t just defend you against malware; it will also come with a host of advanced features and extra utilities that enhance your security and promote extra value.

First, let’s see what features Avast offers as part of its software packages.

Avast has different protection tiers for Windows and Mac computers.

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Avast Free Antivirus is the company’s freemium security product for PCs. It doesn’t offer much in terms of advanced features and utilities, but it does protect against a host of malware types. As expected, the freeware is easily overshadowed by Avast’s premium tiers of protection coverage.

Avast Internet Security is the company’s first premium antivirus package. This suite offers excellent protection against all sorts of digital threats, along with several advanced features and add-ons. These include a smart two-way firewall that keeps an eye on your network traffic, an email filter that helps junk and malicious emails away from your inbox, and the Wi-Fi Inspector that checks for weakness in your home network.

The Real Site feature is also jammed into the suite; this prevents hackers from taking over your DNS and rerouting you to fake sites to steal your financial details. The Sandbox feature is another useful offering that lets you run suspicious files and programs in a secure environment, so there’s no risk of malware infiltrating your computer.

Finally, there’s also the Do Not Disturb Mode that minimizes disruptions and distractions while you’re enjoying your favorite game, for example.

The company’s next offering is Avast Premier. Everything that comes with the Internet Security suite is also part of this package, plus you get the Data Shredder utility that allows you to permanently delete your sensitive data so hackers can’t recover them. Webcam protector (prevents people from spying on you through your webcam) is also part of the suite, as well as an automatic software updater.

Avast Ultimate is the company’s full-blown antivirus offering. This suite has all the advanced features and utilities you can expect to find in a high-end security package.

All the features we mentioned above are part of the Ultimate suite, plus there’s a VPN that lets you surf the internet anonymously and can be used to access content that may be blocked in your geographic location. There’s also a clean-up tool that removes junk files to free up disk space, optimizes computer operations to improve the speed of operations, and fixes annoying problems. Finally, there’s an advanced password manager and protector that can store all your sensitive details in a secure, digital vault.

If you use a Mac user, there’s Avast Security for Mac. There are two different versions of this software: Free and Pro. The free software is a lot like the Windows freemium option; it’s not worth much in terms of advanced features and only provides barebones security. The Pro version offers several advanced features that make it worthwhile, such as a ransomware guard, and the Wi-Fi intruder alert feature.

If you’re interested in Avast’s business-specific security solutions, click here for more information.

Now let’s see what AVG offers in terms of features.

AVG also offers a freemium solution, called AVG AntiVirus Free. As you’d guess, there aren’t any advanced features or tools jammed into the freeware, but it does offer protection against different types of malware threats. The software also protects against malicious links and downloads.

AVG Internet Security (compatible with both Windows and macOS) is the company’s mid-level premium offering. This suite offers excellent protection against all kinds of malware, plus you get a two-way firewall that defends your network, a file encryption utility that lets you secure your important data against ransomware, and a file shredder.

Webcam protection software that prevents surreptitious spying is also part of the suite, as well as an email filter (filters malicious emails and blocks dangerous links) and a fake website detector; this feature helps prevent financial information theft.

Next up is AVG Ultimate, the highest, full-blown tier of coverage offered by AVG. It can be used to protect PCs, Macs, or Android devices.

All the features and utilities that are part of the Internet Security suite are also found in this suite, plus you get a comprehensive computer performance optimization tool, called AVG Tune-up; this all-in-one utility automatically cleans up junk files, speeds up your system performance, and keeps your applications up-to-date.

The Ultimate license also gives you access to AVG’s live phone or chat support at any time of day or night, as well as AVG’s mobile antivirus and clean-up apps.

If you’re interested in AVG’s business-specific products, click here to see the full range.

Winner: Avast. AVG’s products come with an impressive feature-set, but Avast offers more security-enhancing features and tools in its security suites.

2. Malware Protection

The ability to defend your computer from malware is the most important factor you should consider when purchasing a security program. We’ll examine the recent lab tests conducted by AV-Test and AV-Comparatives to see how Avast and AVG compare in this category.

AV-Test’s most recent evaluations were held in April 2019. During these evaluations, all antivirus companies were tested for Protection, Performance, and Usability.

In the Protection tests, Avast scored a 5.5 out of 6, which is a decent score but not a perfect one.

AVG also got a 5.5/6 score in the Protection category.

AV-Comparatives is another well-known independent organization that regularly conducts several exhaustive to determine the performance of top antivirus software brands.

In the AV-Comparatives’ 2019 Real-World Protection tests, both Avast and AVG got the second-best ADVANCED award, because of their good malware detection rates. Other products, like Bitdefender and Kaspersky, got the highest ADVANCED+ award in these evaluations.

Winner: Tie. Overall, both companies scored equally well in both independent evaluations we considered.

3. System Performance

Another important aspect you should consider is the impact (or strain) each antivirus software will put on your system performance. Good antivirus programs don’t slow down your system.

In the performance category of AV-Test evaluations, both Avast and AVG received a perfect 6 out of 6 score, meaning both software are excellent in terms of the impact on system performance.

In the AV-Comparatives’ recent performance test, which was held in April 2019, both Avast and AVG got the highest ADVANCED+ award form the company, because of their low impact scores.

Winner: Tie. Once again, both companies were neck and neck during both performance evaluations.

4. User-Friendliness

The interface of a security product should be simple and easy to use, even for those who aren’t very computer literate.

Let’s take a look at the user interface of both software to see which one is more user-friendly.

Avast’s interface is intuitive and straightforward, dominated by dark colors. There’s a left-hand bar with four main categories, which are Status, Protection, Privacy, and Performance.

The Status screen is the default view. When everything is okay, you will see a green checkmark in the center with a reassuring “you’re protected” message. You can begin a quick scan right from this screen at the click of a button.

You can customize the controls to a reasonable extent, either by turning tools off or adjusting their usage. You can also lessen the amount of scanning and monitoring the software undergoes if it’s putting too much of a strain on your computer, although this shouldn’t be an issue given the high scores and received for performance when it was tested by unbiased organizations. The software also allows you to schedule scans, allowing you to make the software work around your personal schedule.

Links to Notifications, Settings, and Help are in the top bar.

Now, let’s examine AVG’s interface.

AVG’s dark, intuitive interface uses green and white as its primary colors. On the main screen, there’s a large circle at the top which will be a green checkmark if everything is fine. At the bottom, there’s the prominent Scan Computer button that allows you to initiate a scan with just one click.

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There’re five modules on the main screen: Computer, Web & Email, Hacker Alerts, Privacy Data, and Payments. Each module has relevant features and their settings. All the advanced features and functions of the software can be easily reached with a few clicks.

Winner: Avast. Overall, Avast’s interface is simpler, more straightforward than AVG’s.

5. Pricing

Now, let’s look at the pricing structure of both companies to see which software gives more bang for your buck.

Avast Internet Security protects 1 device for $59.99 per year. Avast Premier costs $69.99 per year for a single PC.

Finally, Avast Ultimate, which is the highest package offered by the company, costs $119.99 per year for 1 PC.

Avast Security for Mac, which is the company’s offering for macOS, costs $59.99 per year for 1 Mac.

Let’s compare what AVG costs.

AVG Internet Security, which works on both PCs and Macs, protects up to 10 devices for $79.99 per.

AVG Ultimate, the highest tier of coverage from AVG, actually gives you an unlimited number of licenses for $99.99 per year; it represents excellent value for money, especially in comparison to Avast’s top-of-the-line product.

Winner: AVG. It’s a close call, but you can protect more devices for less money with AVG. Also, AVG is a better pick if you’d like to get antivirus protection for all your family devices.

6. Customer Satisfaction

Before we render our final verdict, let’s look at the overall customer satisfaction ratings for companies.

The Better Business Bureau (BBB) combines company reputation and user reviews and awards a single letter rating from A to F to each company. Avast has an excellent A+ rating from the BBB, showing great company reputation and exceptional customer service. AVG has an A+ rating as well, meaning they too have a good company reputation and high levels of customer satisfaction. How to scan one file with avast for mac.

Winner: Tie. Both companies score equally well in this category.

Final Thoughts

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Avast is the overall winners as it won more rounds of the competition, although AVG puts up a good fight. Both companies are neck and neck in terms of anti-malware security and system performance. Avast wins in terms of features and user interface, while AVG offers a better pricing structure.

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