Avast is among the most popular antivirus programs in the market. It is a powerful malware detection engine, as well as several other features like ransomware protection as well as a web-based firewall and VPN assistance. Its malware detection score of 6 out of 6 is outstanding and it did an outstanding job at blocking access to phishing websites that slipped through Chrome’s and Firefox’s default security features.
In our tests in the real world, Avast was able to sort through more than two million discrete files in one full scan which is impressive considering that the software is extremely light and efficient. In our tests of speed, Avast didn’t impact system performance in any noticeable way and it performed better than most competitors which can take up to an hour to trawl through the exact number of files.
The interface of Avast is simple, clear and simple to use. The majority of its features are placed on a single screen that is adorned with clear tiles which depict each feature, making it easy to find what you need without having to navigate through a long menu or multiple applications. This is a major improvement over McAfee suite that has all its features scattered among different applications.
Avast offers a high degree of customer support, offering 24 hour support via email and telephone. Avast also offers a Knowledgebase and forums to help you with issues that are simple. It also offers a ticketing service to get help with more complex problems. Its practices for sharing data are problematic, and it does not include parental controls or a password manager to compete with Bitdefender Total Security.