Avast SecureLine VPN Review (2026): Is it the right choice?

Avast SecureLine VPN Review

Avast SecureLine VPN is an excellent choice, especially as part of Avast Ultimate or Avast One. It offers outstanding privacy, speed, and streaming capabilities. When bundled with Avast’s security suites, you get world-class antivirus protection, too.

• Privacy: 100%. Avast’s clear no-logs policy and robust privacy features ensure complete online anonymity.
• Streaming: 100%. Avast provided reliable access to Netflix, Disney+, Hulu, Prime, Max, and BBC iPlayer during our tests.
• Speed: 100%. Avast’s ultra-fast download speeds make it perfect for streaming, gaming, and downloading.
• Security: 100%. By purchasing Avast as part of Avast Ultimate or One, you gain access to all of its advanced security tools.

Thanks to the 30-day return policy, you can try it risk-free.

Privacy

When we tested Avast SecureLine VPN, we found that its approach to privacy is somewhat mixed. The service operates under the jurisdiction of the Czech Republic, an EU member that isn’t part of the 5, 9, or 14 Eyes intelligence alliances. However, the country is still subject to EU data retention laws and may cooperate with international intelligence-sharing agreements.

Data collection

Avast SecureLine VPN does keep some connection logs, including timestamps, bandwidth usage, device information, and account details. Connection data is retained for up to 35 days, while account information can be stored for as long as two years. Importantly, the VPN does not log your originating IP address, DNS queries, or any details about your browsing activity. That means your online behavior isn’t directly traceable through Avast’s servers.

Shortcomings

Despite these safeguards, there are a few shortcomings. Avast has not undergone any independent audits of its VPN apps or privacy policy. Its servers are not diskless (RAM-only), meaning data could, in theory, persist longer than intended. The company also doesn’t support anonymous payment methods or account signups, though privacy-conscious users can register with a disposable email address to minimize exposure.

Jumpshot

On the plus side, Avast’s privacy policy is clearly written and specific to its VPN service—unlike some competitors that reuse generic antivirus terms.

However, the company’s past raises legitimate concerns. Avast previously owned Jumpshot, a subsidiary that sold anonymized user browsing data gathered via Avast’s browser extensions. The information reportedly included users’ browsing histories, search queries, videos watched, and even clicked links.

Following public backlash and Mozilla’s decision to ban Avast extensions for privacy violations, Jumpshot was permanently shut down in 2020.

Conclusion

Overall, Avast SecureLine VPN logs more data than we’d like, but it does not collect or monitor actual usage activity. While its historical privacy issues may give some users pause, those practices are no longer active. For most users—particularly those already using Avast’s antivirus—it’s a decent choice. However, dedicated privacy enthusiasts may prefer a more transparent and independently audited VPN provider.

Streaming

Avast offers servers optimized for streaming in the Czech Republic, France, Germany, the Netherlands, the UK, and the USA. We tested these servers with various streaming platforms, including Amazon Prime Video, BBC iPlayer, Disney+, HBO Max, Hulu, and Netflix, and all performed flawlessly.

Speed

Avast SecureLine VPN delivers impressive local download speeds, averaging 95 Mbps. However, performance can drop by approximately 20% when connecting to distant servers.

To optimize your VPN speed, use the OpenVPN protocol for its speed, stability, and reliability. The proprietary Mimic protocol is designed to disguise VPN traffic as regular HTTPS traffic, prioritizing obfuscation over speed.

Security

When it comes to security, Avast VPN delivers solid fundamentals backed by reliable encryption and proven protocols. During our tests, the service used AES-256-bit encryption, the same military-grade standard employed by governments and financial institutions. It’s effectively uncrackable by current computing standards. In addition, Avast VPN supports ChaCha20 encryption, which offers similar protection while being optimized for performance on mobile devices.

Protocols

We tested all three of Avast’s supported protocols: OpenVPN (TCP/UDP), WireGuard, and the company’s proprietary Mimic protocol. OpenVPN and WireGuard are well-established, open standards known for their balance of security and speed. WireGuard is available only on Windows and Android, which limits consistency across platforms.

The Mimic protocol, meanwhile, is designed to obfuscate VPN traffic and disguise it as regular web data — useful for bypassing VPN restrictions on certain networks. However, Avast provides little technical transparency about Mimic’s design, and its long-term reliability is difficult to verify.

Leak Tests

In our leak tests, Avast VPN performed exceptionally well. We found no IP, DNS, IPv4, or WebRTC leaks across multiple global servers, confirming that our true identity and online activity remained hidden. Its leak protection features worked as intended, though it’s worth noting that IPv6 is not supported, meaning that potential IPv6 traffic could remain unprotected in specific setups.

Kill Switch

A kill switch is available on all Avast VPN apps. It’s disabled by default, but once manually activated, it successfully blocked all internet traffic when we deliberately interrupted the VPN connection. This is a crucial safeguard against accidental data exposure. We also appreciated the Smart VPN Mode, which automatically activates the VPN under certain conditions — such as when connecting to public Wi-Fi or opening a torrent client. Users can customize up to four “Smart Rules” to define these scenarios.

Split Tunneling

Avast VPN’s split tunneling feature is limited to its mobile apps, allowing users to choose which apps use the VPN connection and which don’t. Additionally, the built-in password leak detector offers a free way to check if your credentials have been compromised in known data breaches.

Audit

However, there are some notable gaps. Avast VPN hasn’t undergone an independent security audit, leaving its internal safeguards unverified by third-party experts. It also lacks advanced privacy tools like RAM-only servers, open-source apps, Double VPN, Onion over VPN routing, or built-in ad and malware blocking.

Conclusion

Overall, Avast VPN’s core security is strong — it encrypts data effectively, uses reputable tunneling protocols, and prevents leaks. But the absence of independent audits and advanced privacy features means it still trails behind leading security-focused VPNs.

Servers

When we tested Avast SecureLine VPN, we found its server network to be relatively limited compared to the top VPN providers. Avast operates servers in 37 countries in total, including both physical and virtual locations. Unfortunately, the company does not disclose how many of these countries host physical servers, making it difficult to assess the network’s true global coverage.

For context, the average total country count among the top 10 VPN brands — including NordVPN, Surfshark, ExpressVPN, CyberGhost, and Private Internet Access — is 93 countries. Moreover, only five of those leading VPNs clearly indicate their physical server distribution, showing a higher level of transparency than Avast.

The difference between physical and virtual servers is important. Physical servers exist in the country they claim to be in, ensuring accurate location routing and compliance with local laws. Virtual servers, however, may appear to be in one country while actually operating from another. This can affect connection speed, data jurisdiction, and reliability—key factors for privacy-focused users.

Avast also lacks the specialty server options that advanced users often value. It does not provide Double VPN, Onion over VPN, Dedicated IP, Obfuscated, or P2P servers. While the service covers basic browsing and streaming needs, users seeking advanced anonymity or optimized torrenting will find the offering limited.

Prices

In our pricing comparison of the top 10 VPNs, Avast SecureLine VPN sits in the budget-friendly range, though not the cheapest. A 12-month subscription costs $59.98 for the first year and renews at $99.99, which is close to the average renewal price of $102.85 across competitors. The average first-year price among all brands we tested was $53.47, making Avast slightly above average for newcomers.

For those looking to maximize value, Norton, Private Internet Access, CyberGhost, Bitdefender, TotalVPN, and Avast itself all offer affordable plans. On the premium end, Surfshark, NordVPN, and ExpressVPN command higher prices but provide larger server networks and more advanced features. Avast’s pricing structure is reasonable, but given its smaller server count and lack of advanced tools, it may not deliver the best cost-to-feature ratio for power users.

User reviews

Avast enjoys a strong reputation among users. On Trustpilot, it holds an impressive 4.3 out of 5 rating based on 35,500 reviews. This is higher than the average score of 4.1 across the top 10 VPN brands, which collectively averaged 22,000 reviews.

From our experience and analysis, this suggests that most customers find Avast’s VPN dependable and easy to use. Many likely appreciate the simplicity of setup and the brand’s established credibility in cybersecurity. While it may lack advanced features, Avast SecureLine VPN appears to satisfy the majority of users looking for a straightforward and reliable VPN solution.

Ownership

Avast is part of the Gen Digital family (NASDAQ: GEN), a global leader in Cyber Safety with a mission to make the digital world safer and more private for everyone.

Gen isn’t just about individual products—it’s a collection of renowned cybersecurity brands that serve over 500 million users in 150 countries. Its portfolio includes Norton, Avast, LifeLock, Avira, and AVG.

Operating from dual headquarters in Tempe, Arizona, and Prague, Czech Republic, Gen brings together cutting-edge AI technology and data analytics to tackle today’s most pressing cybersecurity challenges. 

By consolidating these brands, Gen combines expertise and innovation to address both current and future cybersecurity threats.