AVG Antivirus Review (2023 Update): The Truth about AVG

AVG review: summary

AVG is ranked #10 out of 20 antivirus software.

AVG has excellent anti-malware protection, a minimal impact on the speed of your PC, and some important security features, but it is fairly expensive compared to the features it offers.

And let’s not forget that, in 2020, AVG was caught selling user data (Google searches, Google Maps data, YouTube and YouPorn views) on millions of its users to other companies.

It was a major scandal and proof that you should never use free antivirus software. As the saying goes: If the product is free, you are the product.

Since then, AVG claims to have stopped selling user data. And honestly, we believe them. But Norton and Bitdefender have better test scores, more features, and are trustworthy. So why take the risk?

• Malware protection: 95%. AVG averaged 5.95 out of 6 in the last 10 protection tests. It is excellent at detecting and removing malware.
• Speed impact: 90%. AVG averaged 5.90 out of 6 in the last 10 performance tests. So it has a minimal impact on your PC’s speed.
• Features: 60%. AVG offers anti-malware, anti-phishing, firewall, and an unlimited VPN, but misses a password manager and parental controls.
• Price: 60%. AVG Internet Security and AVG Ultimate are too expensive when considering the features they offer.

If you want the best protection, we recommend Norton.

Click the links to compare the prices of the best antivirus software:

🥇 Norton Antivirus - The best of 2023
🥈 Bitdefender Antivirus
🥉 McAfee Antivirus

Or read our complete comparison of the best antivirus of 2023.

Specification comparison

Below, we have compared AVG Ultimate to Norton 360 Standard. These are the most affordable products at each brand, which allow you to protect at least 1 PC with the core features:

• Anti-malware
• Anti-phishing (web protection)
• Firewall
• Password manager
• Unlimited VPN (no data limit)

Norton 360 is the best antivirus for Windows, Mac, Android, and iOS.

Click the links to compare the prices of the best antivirus software:

🥇 Norton Antivirus - The best of 2023
🥈 Bitdefender Antivirus
🥉 McAfee Antivirus

Or read our complete comparison of the best antivirus of 2023.

Test score comparison

We’ve compared the 10 most recent test scores of all antivirus brands. The tests were performed by AV-Test, the German anti-malware test lab. They use three factors:

• Protection (1-6): Antivirus protection against malware attacks.
• Performance (1-6): System slowdown caused by the antivirus.
• Usability (1-6): Frequency of false alarms and disruptions.

We used their results, and this formula, to calculate the final score:

Final Score = 60% Protection + 20% Performance + 20% Usability.

Brands not listed in the table haven’t participated in the analysis by AV-Test. This is usually not a good sign. Because most reputable brands, except Panda, ESET, and Sophos, partake in the test.

Click the links to compare the prices of the best antivirus software:

🥇 Norton Antivirus - The best of 2023
🥈 Bitdefender Antivirus
🥉 McAfee Antivirus

Or read our complete comparison of the best antivirus of 2023.

Price comparison

We’ve compared the prices of the top antivirus products for Windows. To make it a fair comparison, we looked at what it would cost us, to protect a Windows PC with the following essential features:

• Anti-malware
• Anti-phishing (web protection)
• Firewall
• Password manager
• Unlimited VPN (no data limit)

A few notes:

• Some brands are missing features, lowering their value for money.
• Prices are second-year prices in the USA, without first-year discounts.
• Prices are rounded up for readability (e.g., $99.99 becomes $100).

Brands have different prices outside the USA. See those on their website.

Click the links to compare the prices of the best antivirus software:

🥇 Norton Antivirus - The best of 2023
🥈 Bitdefender Antivirus
🥉 McAfee Antivirus

Or read our complete comparison of the best antivirus of 2023.

User reviews

We’ve compared the user reviews of all antivirus brands. We’ve used the scores and review count of TrustPilot, a leading user review platform. However, take these results with a grain of salt, as some brands actively attempt to increase their ratings.

Personally, we are wary of exceptionally high scores. Especially those by brands such as TotalAV, known for aggressive marketing and sales tactics.

We consider scores between 4.0 and 4.5 good and realistic. Higher scores are dubious, and lower scores indicate that the brand might have a poor product or customer service. McAfee’s scores, for instance, are worrying.

Click the links to compare the prices of the best antivirus software:

🥇 Norton Antivirus - The best of 2023
🥈 Bitdefender Antivirus
🥉 McAfee Antivirus

Or read our complete comparison of the best antivirus of 2023.

Product analysis

In the table below are the core products with their features and prices. 

The prices shown are from the USA. However, most brands have different prices (and currencies) in other regions. So visit the brand’s website to see the price in your country.

Click the links to compare the prices of the best antivirus software:

🥇 Norton Antivirus - The best of 2023
🥈 Bitdefender Antivirus
🥉 McAfee Antivirus

Or read our complete comparison of the best antivirus of 2023.

AVG antivirus review

Virus Scanner

AVG’s malware scanner employs machine learning and heuristic analysis to identify and eliminate malware. It offers four scan types: smart, deep, file/folder, and USB/DVD.

The smart scan is fast, checking for malware, vulnerabilities, and performance problems, but might overlook some malware instances.

The deep scan takes longer but examines every file and folder, including computer memory, achieving 100% malware detection.

The USB/DVD scan effectively assesses removable media. AVG’s real-time protection excels, blocking downloads and stopping malware execution.

However, its ransomware protection covers only specific files and folders. Despite a few drawbacks, AVG’s virus scanner performs admirably, with deep scan and real-time protection compensating for other weaknesses.

Web & Email Protection

AVG provides a highly customizable web and email shield, preventing access to harmful websites and stopping dangerous email attachments. It outperforms default browser protections but may not block all phishing or unsafe websites, unlike other antiviruses like Norton.

The email scanner works well with email clients such as Outlook or Thunderbird. AVG Online Security, a browser extension, categorizes websites by safety level but may not detect risky sites as effectively as Norton’s Safe Search.

Web protection customization options grant advanced users more control, while email signatures indicating virus scans might be considered intrusive.

Overall, AVG’s web and email protection proves generally dependable and offers more customization than rival antiviruses.

Enhanced Firewall

In 2023, AVG’s firewall stands out for its effectiveness in monitoring network traffic and identifying threats. It provides leak protection, port scanning, and ARP spoofing alerts.

The firewall has four methods for managing new apps that require internet access: Smart mode, Block, Allow, and Ask. By default, Smart mode offers unobtrusive protection.

We believe “Allow” is risky, while “Block” is useful for active malware threats. Although “Ask” grants full control, it can become bothersome.

Network Inspector

AVG’s network inspector scans for vulnerabilities, taking a mere 6 minutes. It displays connected devices and detected vulnerabilities, alerting users to risks. However, it may list unknown devices without offering helpful information or remote disconnection options.

In our opinion, it efficiently identifies network issues, despite minor shortcomings.

Device Optimization Tools

AVG TuneUp optimizes computer performance and clears hard drive space, rivaling providers like TotalAV. However, it requires separate downloading from the main antivirus suite.

AVG TuneUp consists of a junk files cleaner, problem detector, outdated progrm detector, startup and program manager, unnecessary program remover, and computer maintenance tool. The junk cleaner effectively removes redundant files, while the problem detector locates and resolves vulnerabilities.

The startup and program manager showcases background apps and their performance impact, yet it lacks filtering options. The unnecessary program scanner needs improvement. Despite these minor drawbacks, we find AVG TuneUp remarkably enhances computer performance and conserves hard disk space.

VPN

AVG offers a reliable VPN, called AVG Secure VPN, employing 256-bit AES encryption to safeguard users’ sensitive data and IP addresses. It grants access to 59 servers spanning 37 nations. While fewer than Norton’s 2,000+ servers, they perform with satisfying speed.

The VPN features a kill switch and multiple protocols, including WireGuard, Mimic, and OpenVPN. However, AVG’s VPN has drawbacks, such as the recording of logging timestamps and data transmission, and struggles with TOR network access.

In conclusion, AVG’s VPN proves adequate for everyday use, but alternatives may better suit TOR network enthusiasts and privacy advocates. If you’re looking for the best VPN, consider CyberGhost or NordVPN.

Secure browser

AVG’s Secure Browser promises various privacy features, but our experience reveals mixed results. The browser includes automatic ad blocking, VPN integration, forced HTTPS encryption, tracking script protection, browser fingerprint masking, and an add-on marketplace.

Regrettably, some features underperform, and the add-on marketplace pales compared to the Chrome Web Store. Despite a competent built-in ad blocker, other antivirus solutions provide comparable extensions for popular browsers.

In conclusion, users seeking a more comprehensive secure browser should explore other options, such as Bitdefender’s or Norton’s offering. Nonetheless, AVG’s browser is a free download, making it a low-risk trial for the curious user.

Additional features

AVG Antivirus boasts a variety of additional features, such as Hack Alerts, Data Shredder, Anti-Track, Rescue Disk, and several Shields. We appreciate the Rescue Disk and Shields that address malware and online dangers.

Nevertheless, AVG’s emphasis on quantity over quality is evident in some less effective features.

Installation and user experience

Setting up the AVG antivirus software is simple but requires the download of five distinct apps. Although navigating these apps is straightforward, AVG’s structure may cause confusion regarding accessible tools and the absence of a dedicated virus scan sub-menu.

Despite minor drawbacks, we find AVG’s interface user-friendly, with features just a few clicks away.

Mobile app

AVG delivers mobile apps for Android and iOS users. Yet, one must install multiple apps to enjoy all features. The apps function effectively and provide unique features not present in the desktop version, such as app lock and photo vault.

The most notable feature is the Android-only anti-theft capability, which permits remote tracking, locking, and wiping of devices. Nevertheless, AVG lacks comprehensive parental controls, and the iOS app has fewer features compared to the Android version.

Customer support

AVG presents various customer support options, including email, knowledge base, community forum, live chat, and phone support. The staff are amiable and helpful, but users must complete a form before receiving help, which can be inconvenient.

AVG offers phone support for English-speaking countries but falls short in providing non-English language support. The knowledge base and community forums are valuable resources, and AVG respects user privacy by allowing the option to avoid recording phone conversations.

Conclusion

In our opinion, AVG is a suitable choice for malware protection in 2023, as it presents efficient security tools, user-friendly design, and reasonable prices. Its deep scan identified all malware samples, although its ransomware protection was not as robust as competitors like Norton.

We find AVG’s firewall and device optimization tools to be impressive, while its secure browser and dark web monitor are less noteworthy. Overall, we consider AVG a reliable internet security suite, offering a 30-day free trial and a 30-day money-back guarantee.

Click the links to compare the prices of the best antivirus software:

🥇 Norton Antivirus - The best of 2023
🥈 Bitdefender Antivirus
🥉 McAfee Antivirus

Or read our complete comparison of the best antivirus of 2023.

How do we test antivirus software?

The best antivirus software offer virus protection, identity theft protection, and privacy protection for Windows, macOS, and Android. Some also offer security features for iOS and Linus.

To evaluate which providers are worth your money, we run 11 tests:

> Test 1: Anti-malware protection test

We analyze antivirus software’s capability to detect and eliminate known and unknown malware, using heuristic analysis for behavior monitoring.

We conduct in-house tests and analyze those from labs like AV-Test, SE Labs, and AV-Comparatives to determine the best malware protection.

Malware includes adware, keyloggers, ransomware, rootkits, spyware, trojans, viruses, worms, and more. Other cyber threats, usually not classified as malware, are (zero-day) exploits, hacks, identity theft, phishing attacks, scams, and social engineering.

> Test 2: False positives test

False positives occur when antivirus software misidentifies legitimate software, files, or websites as malicious. We rely on AV-Test’s large-scale analysis of false positives in its usability test to guide our evaluations.

> Test 3: System performance test

We measure the CPU load during antivirus software system scans and consider AV-Test’s performance results on the slowdown caused by antivirus software when opening websites and handling software.

> Test 4: Firewall test

We evaluate two-way firewalls that filter incoming and outgoing data and allow users to set rules to regulate data streams. We use the ShieldsUP! test to determine if the antivirus software blocks all ports.

> Test 5: Password manager test

We assess password managers’ ability to create, store, and autofill secure passwords, as well as additional features like two-factor authentication and biometric login.

> Test 6: Virtual Private Network (VPN) test

We evaluate built-in VPNs on their security, privacy, speed, compatibility with streaming services, unlimited data access, and support for peer-to-peer networks and torrent clients.

> Test 7: Parental control test

We examine parental control features, such as screen time rules, website/app blocking, and real-world location tracking. We test these features on a device and attempt to circumvent them, checking if the activity is accurately reported in the parental control admin.

> Test 8: Anti-phishing protection test

We evaluate antivirus browser extensions that block phishing sites by installing them and attempting to visit dangerous URLs.

> Test 9: Ransomware protection test

We assess security suites’ ability to prevent data encryption through exploit prevention and behavioral detection during ransomware attacks.

> Test 10: Bonus features test

We test any additional cybersecurity tools such as:

• Ad Blocker
• Anti-theft
• Dark web monitoring (identity protection)
• Email protection
• File encryption
• File shredder
• Gaming mode
• Microphone protection
• PC maintenance features
• Secure browser (hardened browser to protect your online banking)
• Secure cloud storage (cloud backup)
• Spam filter
• Startup optimizer
• Tune up tools
• Virtual keyboard
• Webcam protection

> Test 11: Operating system and multiple devices test

Operating system and multiple devices: We test antivirus software on Windows, macOS, Android, and iOS devices and award bonus points for unlimited device protection.

> Test 12: Ownership and reputation test

We analyze the trustworthiness of antivirus companies, especially concerning customer data. We read press releases, news articles, and privacy policies to determine their reputation.

Sources and tools

Below are the sources and tools we’ve used to test the antivirus software:

• Apple Platform Security
• AV-Comparatives Consumer
• AV-Test Android
• AV-Test macOS
• AV-Test Windows
• GRC Firewall Test
• Microsoft Defender
• SpeedTest VPN
• Trustpilot Security Software

Click the links to compare the prices of the best antivirus software:

🥇 Norton Antivirus - The best of 2023
🥈 Bitdefender Antivirus
🥉 McAfee Antivirus

Or read our complete comparison of the best antivirus of 2023.

Frequently Asked Questions

Below are the most frequently asked questions.