Avast Antivirus

Developer

Avast Software
Category

Tools
Version

24.6.0
Android OS

Varies with device
Downloads

290M
Content rating

0

Pro

👍 Avast delivers industry-leading malware protection with real-time scanning, AI-driven threat detection, and behavior-based heuristics. It blocks viruses, ransomware, spyware, and phishing attempts before they reach your device, while frequent signature updates and cloud-based analysis ensure new threats are identified quickly, maintaining strong security without constant manual intervention.

👍 Lightweight and efficient, Avast minimizes system impact while running comprehensive scans. Smart Scan consolidates vulnerability checks, junk cleanup, and outdated software detection into one click. Additional tools like Wi‑Fi inspector, browser cleanup, and an included password manager improve device performance and safety, giving users convenient, all-in-one maintenance and protection.

👍 User-friendly design and cross-platform support make Avast easy to install and manage across Windows, macOS, Android, and iOS. A robust free tier covers essential protections, while premium plans add VPN, advanced firewall, and identity protection. Clear dashboards, customizable settings, and reliable customer support simplify security for casual and power users.

Con

👎 Avast faced a 2020 controversy for selling anonymized browsing data through its Jumpshot subsidiary; although Jumpshot was shut down, users still worry about ongoing telemetry and potential third‑party sharing, and the app’s default data-collection settings can erode trust for privacy-conscious users without a clear, user-friendly opt-out.

👎 Avast’s real-time protection and deep scans can consume significant CPU, memory and disk I/O, causing noticeable slowdowns on older or low-end systems. Full-system scans may take a long time and drain laptop batteries, especially when scheduled during active work, making it less suitable for resource-constrained devices.

👎 The free Avast edition frequently displays pop-ups promoting paid upgrades and bundled features, which many users find intrusive. Core protections are available at no cost, but advanced tools like the VPN, password manager and ransomware shield require subscriptions, and support for free users is limited, making troubleshooting slower.