AVG Antivirus Review 2026: Is the Free Version Enough?
August 26, 2026
AVG AntiVirus Free has garnered a commendable overall rating of 4.2 out of 5 stars, reflecting its strong performance in various categories. The antivirus software excels particularly in protection, scoring 4.7 stars, while its performance and features both received 4.3 stars. However, customer support lags slightly behind with a score of 3.5 stars, and the overall value is rated at 4.3 stars. This software is available for free or can be purchased starting at .88 for the first year, with pricing verified in August 2026.
AVG Antivirus Review: Ratings, Pros and Cons
This review encompasses AVG’s free tier, Internet Security, and Ultimate versions, tested on Windows 11 and the Android app on a Galaxy S26 Ultra. The results are derived from personal benchmarks unless otherwise noted.
Where AVG Wins
Achieved a remarkable 99.77% detection rate with only four false alarms.
The free tier provides real-time protection and Ransomware Protection.
The Ultimate version is priced the same as Internet Security in the first year.
Boot time is improved by just 5 seconds, making it lighter than competitors like Avast, Bitdefender, and Norton.
Features an Enhanced Firewall with a comprehensive rule editor and port scan alerts.
Offers 24/7 phone support.
Where It Falls Short
Utilizes the same engine as Avast, making it less of a distinct alternative.
Frequent upselling occurs after every Smart Scan, even for paid plans.
The Secure VPN component experiences an average speed loss of 22.5%.
Ultimate version renewal jumps to 9.99, a significant increase.
Data-sharing settings are pre-activated, which may concern privacy-focused users.
For those seeking a reliable free antivirus with a solid lab record, AVG is a worthy choice, albeit with some prompts to navigate. However, if a dependable VPN is essential or minimal data collection is a priority, exploring other options may be advisable.
What Is AVG, and Who Owns It Now?
AVG, a well-established antivirus brand originating from Brno, Czech Republic, has been in operation for over 35 years and is currently owned by Gen Digital. The name AVG, which stands for Anti-Virus Guard, has historical significance for long-time users who may remember it as Grisoft AVG.
From Grisoft to AVG: A Brief History
1991: Founded by Jan Gritzbach and Tomáš Hofer in Brno.
1992: Released Anti-Virus Guard for DOS, establishing the AVG brand.
1997-1998: Expanded into the UK, Germany, and the US, where the free edition gained traction.
February 2008: Rebranded as AVG Technologies.
Ownership Today
In July 2016, Avast acquired AVG Technologies for .3 billion, and in 2022, Avast merged with NortonLifeLock, forming Gen Digital. Consequently, AVG, Avast, Norton, and Avira now share a parent company. Both AVG and Avast utilize the same detection engine, as evidenced by identical scores in the March 2026 Malware Protection Test conducted by AV-Comparatives.
Current Offerings
AVG Technologies markets its security software across multiple platforms, including Windows, Mac, Android, and iOS. The desktop suite features File Shield, Behavior Shield, Web Shield, Email Shield, and an Enhanced Firewall, with additional privacy shields available in paid tiers. The product lineup also includes AVG TuneUp, AVG Secure VPN, AVG AntiTrack, and the free AVG Secure Browser.
AVG AntiVirus Free: What the Free Version Includes
AVG AntiVirus Free has earned its reputation through robust performance, achieving a perfect score of 6/6/6 in AV-TEST’s June 2026 evaluation, alongside a Top Product award, comparable to paid offerings from Norton and Bitdefender.
Key Features of AVG AntiVirus Free
File Shield: Real-time scanning of all files added or opened on the PC.
Behavior Shield: Alerts users to suspicious application behavior.
Web Shield: Protects against web attacks and unsafe downloads.
Email Shield: Scans emails for infected attachments.
Ransomware Protection: Secures selected folders from unauthorized access.
Multiple scanning options including Smart Scan, Deep Scan, and Boot-Time Scan.
CyberCapture: Sends unrecognized files to AVG’s Threat Labs for analysis.
This comprehensive antivirus solution effectively addresses threats such as spyware, adware, trojans, and more, maintaining real-time protection and a behavior monitor—features often omitted in free alternatives. Notably, AVG’s free version employs the same detection engine as its paid counterparts, ensuring consistent protection across devices.
Limitations of the Free Version
While AVG’s free offering is robust, certain features are exclusive to paid versions, including:
Enhanced Firewall: Offers advanced per-app rules and alerts.
Fake Website Shield: Essential for public Wi-Fi users to prevent DNS hijacking.
Phishing Protection: Free users must rely on the Web Shield and browser filters.
Webcam Protection and Sensitive Data Shield: Primarily marketing features for most users.
Remote Access Shield: Relevant only if Remote Desktop is enabled.
Is AVG Free Sufficient?
For cautious Windows 11 users, AVG Free is indeed adequate. When compared to Microsoft Defender, AVG demonstrates superior offline detection capabilities, blocking 96.3% of threats compared to Defender’s 89.2%. However, for those frequently using public Wi-Fi or requiring advanced firewall controls, investing in a paid tier may be worthwhile.
How AVG Free Generates Revenue
AVG Free maintains its no-cost structure by promoting its paid tiers within the application. Users encounter upsells during installation and after scans, often leading to offers for premium features at discounted rates. Notably, AVG does not display ads within the Windows app, focusing instead on converting free users to paid subscribers.
How to Download AVG Antivirus Safely
To ensure a secure installation of AVG, it is crucial to download the software exclusively from avg.com or official app stores. Fake download pages are prevalent and can lead to malware infections. Follow these steps for a safe download:
Type avg.com directly into your browser’s address bar.
Select AVG AntiVirus Free and click the Free download button.
Verify the installer’s digital signature to confirm it is from AVG Technologies.
Uncheck any boxes for AVG Secure Browser unless desired.
Complete the installation process, which should take less than two minutes.
Ensure the home screen confirms “You are fully protected“.
Uninstalling AVG Completely
For a thorough uninstallation, AVG Clear is the official tool designed to remove all components of AVG without leaving residual files. This ensures a clean slate for future installations or to avoid conflicts with other antivirus software.
Is AVG Antivirus Safe to Use?
Yes, AVG Antivirus is safe for installation and use, provided it is downloaded from the official site. Concerns regarding AVG’s safety stem from its aggressive upselling tactics and its data collection practices, which are outlined in its privacy notice.
What AVG Collects
AVG’s privacy notice details the data collected during usage, including:
Suspicious file samples and detection metadata retained for 36 months.
URLs and referrers of malicious pages, also kept for 36 months.
IP addresses linked to infection records for 36 months.
Installed applications and other security software for 36 months.
Device and usage events retained for up to 50 months for product improvement.
Adjusting Privacy Settings
Upon installation, AVG activates several data-sharing settings by default. Users can adjust these by navigating to Menu > Settings and unticking options related to data sharing and file submissions.
AVG Protection Test Results: What It Blocks
AVG’s virus protection leverages the same detection engine as Avast and Norton, employing a combination of signature-based detection, heuristic analysis, behavior monitoring, and cloud-based scanning. The results from independent labs affirm AVG’s effectiveness:
AV-TEST (June 2026): AVG Free scored 6/6/6, earning a Top Product award.
In personal testing, AVG demonstrated a 99.77% malware detection rate with four false alarms and successfully blocked 93% of phishing URLs without any false positives. These results indicate that AVG is competitive with other leading antivirus solutions.
Scan Types and Duration
AVG offers various scanning options, including Smart Scan, Deep Scan, Boot-Time Scan, and more. The duration of these scans varies, with Smart Scan completing in under a minute, while a full Deep Scan takes approximately 15 minutes.
System Impact
AVG operates efficiently in the background, consuming minimal resources during idle periods. However, during scans, it may exhibit higher CPU and RAM usage compared to some competitors. Overall, AVG is among the lighter antivirus options available.
AVG Plans and Pricing
Plan
Devices
Platforms
Key Additions
Year 1
Renewal
AVG AntiVirus Free
1 per install, unlimited installs
Windows, Mac, Android, iOS
Real-time engine, shields, Ransomware Protection
[cyberseo_openai model=”gpt-4o-mini” prompt=”Rewrite a news story for a business publication, in a calm style with creativity and flair based on text below, making sure it reads like human-written text in a natural way. The article shall NOT include a title, introduction and conclusion. The article shall NOT start from a title. Response language English. Generate HTML-formatted content using
AVG
scores
4.2/5
in
my
tests.
AVG
AntiVirus
Free
is
among
the
best
free
antivirus
apps
available
and
shares
Avast’s
detection
engine,
so
the
paid
tiers
need
their
extras
to
justify
the
price,
and
the
upsells
stop
only
when
you
splurge
on
AVG
Ultimate.
Overall
Rating:
4.2/5
⭐
Protection:
4.7
⭐
Performance:
4.3
⭐
Features:
4.3
⭐
Support:
3.5
⭐
Value:
4.3
⭐
Free
or
from
$59.88
for
the
first
year.
Pricing
verified
August
2026.
Table
of
Contents
AVG
Antivirus
Review:
Ratings,
Pros
and
Cons
This
AVG
antivirus
review
covers
the
free
tier,
Internet
Security,
and
Ultimate
on
Windows
11,
plus
the
Android
app
on
a
Galaxy
S26
Ultra.
Every
figure
came
from
my
own
bench
unless
a
lab
is
named.
👍
Where
AVG
Wins
99.77%
detection
on
my
sample
set,
with
only
4
false
alarms.
Free
tier
keeps
real-time
protection
and
Ransomware
Protection.
Ultimate
costs
the
same
as
Internet
Security
in
year
one.
Boot
delta
of
5
seconds.
Lighter
than
Avast,
Bitdefender,
and
Norton.
Enhanced
Firewall
has
a
full
rule
editor
with
port
scan
alerts.
24/7
phone
support
is
available.
👎
Where
It
Falls
Short
Same
engine
as
Avast,
so
it
isn’t
an
alternative
to
it.
Upsells
after
every
Smart
Scan,
even
on
a
paid
plan.
Secure
VPN
lost
22.5%
of
download
speed
on
average.
Ultimate
renews
at
$149.99,
a
150%
jump.
3
data-sharing
settings
arrive
switched
on.
Buy
it
if
you
want
a
free
antivirus
with
a
clean
lab
record
and
don’t
mind
closing
prompts.
Look
elsewhere
if
you
need
a
VPN
you’d
rely
on,
or
the
least
data
collection
possible.
See
where
it
ranks
in
my
antivirus
software
reviews.
What
Is
AVG,
and
Who
Owns
It
Now?
AVG
is
a
35-year-old
antivirus
brand
from
Brno,
in
the
Czech
Republic,
owned
by
Gen
Digital.
Where
the
name
came
from
matters
to
people
who
installed
it
20
years
ago.
Who
profits
from
it
today
changes
how
you
should
compare
AVG
with
its
rivals.
From
Grisoft
to
AVG:
The
Name
Long-Time
Users
Remember
Long-time
users
still
call
it
Grisoft
AVG.
The
lineage:
1991:
Jan
Gritzbach
and
Tomáš
Hofer
founded
Grisoft
in
Brno
1992:
Grisoft
releases
Anti-Virus
Guard
for
DOS.
AVG
stands
for
Anti-Virus
Guard,
and
the
initials
became
the
brand
1997
to
1998:
first
licenses
sold
in
the
UK
and
Germany,
then
the
US,
where
the
free
edition
built
the
reputation
February
2008:
Grisoft
renames
itself
AVG
Technologies
after
its
own
product
The
Grisoft
AVG
antivirus
of
the
2000s
continues
as
AVG
AntiVirus
Free
from
avg.com.
Who
Owns
AVG
Today
Avast
announced
its
purchase
of
AVG
Technologies
in
July
2016
and
closed
the
$1.3
billion
deal
that
September.
Avast
then
merged
with
NortonLifeLock
in
2022,
and
the
combined
company
became
Gen
Digital.
So
AVG,
Avast,
Norton
and
Avira
share
a
parent.
AVG
and
Avast
share
the
same
detection
engine.
AV-Comparatives’
March
2026
Malware
Protection
Test
posted
identical
figures
for
both
in
all
4
columns.
My
bench
reproduced
it:
99.77%
for
AVG
against
99.78%
for
Avast,
with
4
false
alarms
each.
Comparing
the
two
on
protection
tells
you
nothing.
Compare
the
UI,
free-tier
features,
prompts,
and
price
instead.
What
AVG
Actually
Does
Today
AVG
Technologies
sells
AVG
security
software
across
Windows,
Mac,
Android
and
iOS,
plus
an
AVG
Business
range.
The
desktop
suite
includes
File
Shield,
Behavior
Shield,
Web
Shield
and
Email
Shield,
with
an
Enhanced
Firewall
and
privacy
shields
on
the
paid
tiers.
Around
it
are
4
separate
products.
AVG
TuneUp,
AVG
Secure
VPN,
AVG
AntiTrack,
and
the
free
AVG
Secure
Browser.
Underneath
is
the
Gen
Digital
engine
that
powers
Avast
and
Norton.
AVG
AntiVirus
Free:
What
the
Free
Version
Includes
Most
people
reading
an
AVG
review
want
the
free
version,
and
it
earned
its
popularity.
AV-TEST’s
June
2026
Windows
11
round
gave
AVG
AntiVirus
Free
a
perfect
6/6/6
and
a
Top
Product
award,
matching
the
paid
Norton
360
and
Bitdefender
suites.
What
You
Get
in
AVG
AntiVirus
Free
AVG
free
antivirus
includes:
File
Shield:
scans
every
file
added
to
or
opened
on
the
PC
in
real
time
Behavior
Shield:
warns
when
an
application
starts
behaving
maliciously
Web
Shield:
blocks
web
attacks
and
unsafe
downloads
Email
Shield:
scans
inbound
and
outbound
mail
for
infected
attachments
Ransomware
Protection:
walls
off
chosen
folders
from
untrusted
apps,
with
the
user
folders
protected
by
default
Smart
Scan,
Deep
Scan,
File
or
Folder
Scan,
Boot-Time
Scan
and
USB/DVD
Scan
CyberCapture:
sends
unrecognized
files
to
AVG’s
Threat
Labs
That’s
a
complete
antivirus,
covering
spyware,
adware,
trojans,
rootkits,
keyloggers
and
infostealers
under
one
engine.
Real-time
protection,
a
behavior
monitor,
and
a
ransomware
layer
are
the
3
things
free
products
often
drop,
and
AVG
keeps
all.
The
scanner
uses
the
same
engine
and
definitions
as
the
paid
tiers.
So,
AVG
free
virus
protection
detects
what
AVG
Ultimate
detects.
There’s
no
device
limit
either:
1
device
per
install,
unlimited
installs.
What
the
Free
Version
Holds
Back
AVG’s
own
comparison
table
marks
6
rows
as
paid-only:
Enhanced
Firewall:
Per-app
rules,
port
scan
alerts,
and
ARP
spoofing
alerts
Fake
Website
Shield:
matters
on
public
Wi-Fi.
It
blocks
DNS
hijacking
to
lookalike
banking
sites
Phishing
site
protection:
Free
users
rely
on
Web
Shield
and
the
browser’s
own
filter
Wi-Fi
network
verification:
marginal
unless
you
move
between
networks
Webcam
Protection
and
Sensitive
Data
Shield:
marketing
rows
for
most
people
Remote
Access
Shield:
matters
only
if
Remote
Desktop
is
enabled,
which
it
isn’t
by
default
TuneUp,
Secure
VPN
and
AntiTrack
are
separate
products
on
the
Ultimate
tier.
Email
and
phone
support
is
paid-only.
Is
AVG
Free
Enough
on
Its
Own?
For
a
careful
Windows
11
user,
yes.
The
comparison
that
decides
it
is
AVG
Free
against
Microsoft
Defender,
which
you
already
own.
Defender
booted
1
second
faster
on
my
bench
and
finished
its
full
scan
sooner
(12:24
against
15:13).
AVG
blocked
more
offline:
AV-Comparatives
March
2026
has
AVG
at
96.3%
offline
detection
and
Defender
at
89.2%,
so
AVG
catches
more
when
the
cloud
lookup
fails.
Paying
makes
sense
if
you
bank
on
public
Wi-Fi
often
enough
for
Fake
Website
Shield
to
earn
its
keep,
you
want
per-app
firewall
control,
or
you’d
buy
TuneUp
or
a
VPN
anyway,
and
Ultimate
bundles
them
for
$0
extra
in
year
one.
Outside
those,
use
AVG
for
free.
For
how
Avast,
Bitdefender,
and
Avira
compared
on
the
same
bench,
see
my
free
antivirus
comparison.
How
AVG
Free
Makes
Money
AVG
Free
is
free
because
the
app
sells
the
paid
tier
from
inside
itself.
What
I
hit
on
a
fresh
install,
and
it’s
very
interesting:
Installer:
2
pre-ticked
boxes,
installing
AVG
Secure
Browser
and
making
it
the
default
First
launch:
a
3-slide
carousel
comparing
Free
with
Internet
Security
After
every
Smart
Scan:
“8
advanced
issues
found”,
rated
critical,
with
Resolve
All
opening
the
60-day
Internet
Security
trial
Persistent:
a
Go
Premium
button,
a
notification
badge,
and
a
“welcome
gift”
banner
offering
61%
off,
which
cut
the
in-app
price
from
$3.89
to
$3.29
a
month
Performance
Scan:
16
seconds,
10
issues,
and
Resolve
All
leads
to
TuneUp
No
ads
appear
inside
the
Windows
app.
On
data
handling,
AVG’s
parent
settled
with
the
FTC
in
February
2024
over
Avast’s
sale
of
browsing
data
through
its
Jumpshot
subsidiary,
paying
$16.5
million
and
accepting
an
order
that
bars
selling
browsing
data
for
advertising.
How
to
Download
AVG
Antivirus
Safely
Download
AVG
only
from
avg.com
or
the
official
app
stores.
Because
so
many
people
search
for
an
AVG
free
download,
fake
download
pages
are
a
reliable
way
to
put
a
fake
installer,
a
browser
hijacker,
or
worse
on
a
machine.
Malvertising
does
the
rest:
search
for
a
free
AVG
antivirus
download
and
ads
appear
above
the
organic
results,
not
all
of
them
AVG’s.
How
to
get
AVG
the
safe
way:
Type
avg.com
into
the
address
bar
and
check
the
spelling.
Don’t
click
a
search
ad.
Go
to
the
original
website.
Choose
AVG
AntiVirus
Free
and
use
the
Free
download
button.
The
installer
is
small
and
pulls
the
rest
during
setup.
Right-click
the
installer,
choose
Properties,
then
Digital
Signatures.
The
signer
should
read
AVG
Technologies
or
Gen
Digital.
Untick
both
AVG
Secure
Browser
boxes
unless
you
want
it.
Let
the
install
finish.
Mine
took
1
minute
12
seconds,
including
the
download,
with
no
restart.
Confirm
“You
are
fully
protected”
on
the
home
screen.
Skip
any
AVG
download
link
that
arrives
by
email,
and
any
page
offering
the
free
version
with
a
license
key
attached.
The
free
product
needs
no
key,
so
if
a
download
page
asks
for
one,
close
it.
How
to
Uninstall
AVG
Completely
with
AVG
Clear
A
standard
uninstall
through
Windows
Settings
sometimes
leaves
drivers
and
services
behind,
which
can
block
a
reinstall
or
clash
with
the
next
antivirus.
AVG
Clear
is
the
official
removal
tool.
Download
AVG
Clear
from
avg.com’s
support
pages,
sign
in
as
an
administrator,
and
close
the
AVG
app.
Open
AVG
Clear.
It
offers
Remove
only,
which
strips
the
product,
and
Reboot
to
Safe
mode,
which
restarts
Windows
and
continues
there.
Remove
only
worked
for
me
with
no
safe-mode
detour.
Use
Safe
Mode
if
the
ordinary
uninstall
failed
or
the
product
won’t
open.
Restart,
then
check
that
Windows
Security
has
re-enabled
Defender.
AVG
Clear
removes
AVG
and
nothing
else.
If
the
machine
is
infected
and
AVG
can’t
clean
it,
my
malware
removal
guide
covers
that
job.
Is
AVG
Antivirus
Safe
to
Use?
Yes,
AVG
antivirus
is
safe
to
install
and
use,
provided
the
installer
came
from
avg.com.
The
doubt
comes
from
the
product’s
habits
and
its
ownership
history.
Is
AVG
Safe?
Where
the
Doubt
Comes
From
AVG’s
reputation
comes
from
3
habits.
Smart
Scan
rates
a
clean
PC’s
“advanced
issues”
as
critical.
The
installer
pre-ticks
a
browser.
And
Network
Inspector
ended
a
scan
on
my
paid
trial
by
pitching
Secure
VPN:
“Your
connection
is
safe
but
not
private.”
Aggressive
selling
looks
like
a
threat
to
people
who
don’t
know
the
difference,
and
that’s
why
AVG
appears
on
forums
next
to
the
word
“virus”.
What
AVG
Collects
AVG’s
product
privacy
notice,
updated
August
17
2026,
lists
what
the
desktop
antivirus
processes:
Suspicious
file
samples
and
detection
metadata,
kept
for
36
months
URLs
and
referrers
of
malicious
pages,
which
may
include
search
terms,
kept
for
36
months
IP
address,
as
part
of
an
infection
record,
kept
for
36
months
Installed
applications
and
other
security
software,
36
months
Device
and
usage
events,
up
to
50
months
for
“product
and
business
improvement”
Email
Shield
detections,
including
the
sender
and
content
of
a
flagged
message,
1
month
Google
Analytics
is
the
named
third-party
tool.
The
VPN
follows
a
separate
policy:
no
originating
IP,
DNS
queries,
or
browsing
history,
but
connection
events
for
12
months
and
transfer
totals
for
18.
What
to
Switch
Off
After
Install
AVG
switches
on
4
sharing
settings
by
default.
To
turn
them
off,
open
Menu,
then
Settings:
General,
Privacy
Preferences:
untick
“Share
suspicious
file
samples“
Same
screen:
untick
“Help
improve
our
products
and
business
processes“
Same
screen:
untick
“Personalized
discounts“,
which
lets
AVG
use
data
about
you
and
your
device
to
price
offers
Basic
Protection,
Detections:
change
CyberCapture
from
“Automatically
send
files
to
Threat
Labs”
to
“Ask
me“
Detection
metadata
is
still
analyzed
with
all
4
off,
which
AVG
states
on
the
settings
screen.
If
36-month
retention
on
a
malware
scanner
is
more
than
you’ll
accept,
Bitdefender
is
the
independent
option
in
my
rankings.
AVG
Protection
Test
Results:
What
It
Blocks
AVG
virus
protection
uses
the
same
engine
as
Avast
and
Norton,
so
the
results
below
describe
all
3.
That
engine
combines
signature-based
detection,
heuristic
analysis,
behavior-based
monitoring,
and
cloud-based
scanning
through
CyberCapture,
which
is
how
it
handles
zero-day
threats.
Quarantine
is
automatic
by
default.
Independent
Lab
Scores:
AV-TEST
and
AV-Comparatives
AV-TEST,
June
2026,
Windows
11
home
user:
AVG
Free
6/6/6,
a
perfect
performance
score
alongside
protection
and
usability,
Top
Product.
Bitdefender,
Norton,
McAfee,
Kaspersky,
and
Avast
Free
also
scored
18.
Microsoft
Defender
scored
6/5.5/6.
The
9
false
alarms
are
the
weak
spot
compared
to
Bitdefender’s
4.
So
is
AVG
antivirus
good?
On
the
lab
evidence,
as
good
as
anything
in
the
round,
with
more
false
alarms
than
the
best.
Malware
and
Phishing
Results
on
My
Bench
I
tested
AVG
on
the
same
Windows
11
Pro
machine
as
every
other
antivirus
here:
a
Ryzen
7
5800X,
32
GB
of
DDR4-2666,
and
2
M.2
SSDs.
Same
sample
set,
same
URL
list,
real-time
protection
active.
The
EICAR
test
file
only
confirms
a
scanner
is
switched
on,
so
it
isn’t
part
of
the
set.
On
the
same
rig,
Avast
scored
99.78%
with
4
false
alarms
and
93%
on
phishing;
Bitdefender
99.8%
with
5
and
89%;
Norton
99.8%
with
3
and
95%.
AVG’s
4
false
alarms
on
my
bench
are
fewer
than
its
9
in
the
lab,
and
my
sample
set
is
smaller,
so
the
lab
figure
takes
precedence.
Is
AVG
good
in
practice?
It
matched
Avast
to
within
a
hundredth
of
a
point,
and
it
blocked
a
potentially
unwanted
app
(PUA)
on
the
same
sensitivity
setting
Avast
uses.
Scan
Types
and
How
Long
They
Take
The
Run
Other
Scans
menu
lists
Deep
Scan,
File
or
Folder
Scan,
Boot-Time
Scan,
USB/DVD
Scan,
and
Performance
Scan.
Smart
Scan
is
the
home-screen
button.
Measured
on
the
rig
above:
File
or
Folder
Scan
and
USB/DVD
Scan
depend
on
what
you
point
them
at,
so
I
didn’t
time
them.
Smart
Scan’s
malware
and
operating
system
checks
are
genuine
and
finished
with
Looking
good.
Its
third
stage,
“advanced
issues”,
is
the
upsell:
browser-stored
passwords
and
unprotected
documents
counted
as
issues,
rated
critical,
with
the
paid
trial
offered
as
the
fix.
System
Impact:
Light
in
the
Background,
Heavier
During
Scans
AVG
was
among
the
lighter
suites
I
measured
at
idle
and
among
the
slower
ones
at
full
scan.
CPU
usage,
RAM
usage,
boot
time,
and
scan
duration
on
the
same
rig,
from
a
clean
18-second
boot
with
Defender
disabled:
Idle:
161
MB
of
RAM,
0%
CPU,
0.2
MB/s
disk
Deep
Scan
peak:
15%
CPU,
220
MB
RAM,
110
MB/s
disk
Avast
on
the
same
rig
added
9
seconds
to
boot
and
peaked
at
12%
CPU
and
about
200
MB
during
its
14:38
full
scan.
So
AVG
boots
faster,
scans
slower,
and
draws
slightly
more
during
the
scan,
despite
the
identical
engine.
Bitdefender
stayed
the
lightest
suite
I
tested
during
scans,
at
11%
CPU
and
183
MB.
Background
scanning
between
scheduled
scans
never
registered.
AVG
Plans
and
Pricing:
Free,
Internet
Security
and
Ultimate
Plan
Devices
Platforms
Key
additions
Year
1
Renewal
AVG
AntiVirus
Free
1
per
install,
unlimited
installs
Windows,
Mac,
Android,
iOS
Real-time
engine,
shields,
Ransomware
Protection
$0
$0
AVG
Internet
Security
10
Windows,
Mac,
Android,
iOS
Enhanced
Firewall,
Fake
Website
Shield,
Webcam
Protection,
Remote
Access
Shield,
Sensitive
Data
Shield,
support
$59.88
($4.99/mo)
$99.99
AVG
Ultimate
10
Windows,
Mac,
Android,
iOS
Internet
Security
plus
TuneUp,
Secure
VPN
and
AntiTrack
$59.88
($4.99/mo)
$149.99
A
60-day
trial
of
Internet
Security
is
available
inside
the
app.
I
signed
up,
pasted
the
activation
code,
and
it
activated
at
once.
AVG
Internet
Security
AVG
Internet
Security
is
the
mid-tier.
It
adds
Enhanced
Firewall,
Fake
Website
Shield,
Webcam
Protection,
Sensitive
Data
Shield,
Remote
Access
Shield,
Browser
Defense,
Hack
Alerts,
and
phishing-site
protection
across
10
devices.
Does
the
difference
over
Free
justify
$59.88?
For
a
single
Windows
PC,
no.
The
firewall
and
Fake
Website
Shield
change
your
protection
and
matter
most
on
public
networks.
For
a
household
with
10
devices,
the
per-device
cost
is
$5.99
for
a
year
of
AVG
Internet
Security
antivirus
with
support,
cheap
by
suite
standards.
The
renewal
at
$99.99
is
a
67%
increase.
AVG
Ultimate
AVG
Ultimate
is
the
bundle:
everything
in
Internet
Security
plus
AVG
TuneUp,
AVG
Secure
VPN,
and
AVG
AntiTrack,
on
10
devices
across
4
platforms.
In
year
one,
it
costs
$59.88,
identical
to
Internet
Security,
because
AVG
discounts
it
60%
from
a
$149.99
list
price
vs
40%
off
a
$99.99
list
price.
So
the
first
year
of
AVG
Ultimate
adds
3
products
for
$0.
Does
the
bundle
beat
buying
the
parts?
Yes,
in
both
years:
Parts,
year
one:
Internet
Security
$59.88
+
TuneUp
$34.68
+
Secure
VPN
$54.99
+
AntiTrack
$54.99
=
$204.54
Does
AVG
Ultimate
beat
a
rival
suite?
On
price,
yes:
Norton
360
Deluxe
covers
5
devices
for
$49.99,
then
$124.99,
and
Bitdefender
Total
Security
covers
5
for
$59.99,
then
$109.99.
On
the
quality
of
the
extras,
no.
The
VPN
inside
AVG
Ultimate
lost
22.5%
of
download
speed
in
my
tests
and
has
no
no-logs
audit.
Pick
AVG
Ultimate
for
TuneUp
and
a
bundled
VPN
for
occasional
use.
Which
AVG
Plan
Is
Worth
Buying
One
Windows
PC,
careful
user:
stay
on
AVG
AntiVirus
Free.
Same
engine,
same
lab
score
as
the
premium
version.
Laptop
that
travels
and
connects
to
hotel
and
café
Wi-Fi:
Internet
Security,
for
the
firewall
and
Fake
Website
Shield.
Household
with
5
to
10
devices:
Ultimate
in
year
one,
since
it
costs
the
same
as
Internet
Security.
Decide
at
renewal
whether
TuneUp
and
the
VPN
justify
the
extra
$50
a
year.
Anyone
whose
main
want
is
a
VPN:
neither.
Get
AVG
Free
and
install
a
separate
VPN.
I
recommend
NordVPN.
What
AVG
Costs
After
the
First
Year
Internet
Security
renews
at
$99.99,
up
from
$59.88.
Ultimate
renews
at
$149.99,
up
150%
from
the
same
$59.88.
Across
2
years,
Ultimate
is
$209.87
for
10
devices.
AVG
prices
auto-renew
by
default.
To
stop,
sign
in
at
avg.com,
open
Subscriptions,
and
switch
off
auto-renewal;
it
keeps
working
until
the
term
ends.
Refunds
fall
under
a
30-day
money-back
guarantee,
and
inside
that
refund
window
the
process
is:
open
Order
History,
click
Request
a
Refund,
and
confirm
once.
Everything
Bundled
With
AVG,
Rated
Tool
by
Tool
AVG
Ultimate
is
4
products
in
one
license.
Each
one
below
ends
with
a
verdict.
Where
my
Internet
Security
trial
excluded
a
tool,
I
say
so.
AVG
Secure
VPN
This
AVG
VPN
review
is
short
because
AVG
Secure
VPN
is
Avast
SecureLine
with
a
different
logo:
same
103
countries,
same
protocols,
same
settings.
On
my
190.36
Mbps
connection
in
Serbia,
it
returned
186.68
Mbps
to
the
UK
at
47
ms,
157.30
Mbps
to
the
US
at
120
ms,
and
98.74
Mbps
to
Japan
at
282
ms.
That’s
a
22.5%
average
download
loss.
NordVPN
lost
7.8%
on
the
same
tests.
It
opened
Netflix,
BBC
iPlayer,
and
Prime
Video,
and
has
P2P
servers,
a
kill
switch,
and
a
post-quantum
toggle.
Standalone,
it
costs
$54.99
for
the
first
year
and
renews
at
$99.99.
The
policy
logs
no
originating
IP,
browsing
history,
or
DNS
queries,
but
keeps
connection
events
for
12
months,
and
no
no-logs
audit
exists.
My
Avast
VPN
review
has
the
speed,
streaming,
and
P2P
results,
and
they
apply
here.
✅
Verdict:
fine
as
a
bundled
extra
for
hotel
Wi-Fi.
It
can’t
replace
a
standalone
VPN
for
speed
or
audited
privacy.
If
you
need
a
good
VPN
that
you
can
pair
with
AVG,
choose
NordVPN,
my
#1
in
the
overall
VPN
ranking.
AVG
TuneUp
TuneUp
is
AVG’s
cleaner.
On
my
PC,
a
scan
found
13.9
GB
of
system
junk,
1.1
GB
of
browser
clutter,
336
broken
registry
items,
435
broken
shortcuts,
and
20
programs
to
put
to
sleep,
in
16
seconds.
Every
Resolve
button
leads
to
TuneUp,
which
I
eventually
tried
and
used
to
clean all
of
the
“junk”
on
my
computer.TuneUp
includes
a
Software
Updater
and
a
Sleep
Mode
that
suspends
background
apps.
I
tested
its
Software
Updater,
and
it’s
basically
the
same
as
Avast’s
equivalent.
✅
Verdict:
recommended
if
you
want
to
keep
your
device
clean
of
clutter.
It
works
really
well,
but
I’d
think
twice
before
taking
it
due
to
its
higher
price.
AVG
Secure
Browser
and
Web
Shield
Web
Shield,
inside
the
antivirus,
blocked
malicious
URLs
with
no
false
alarms,
and
it’s
free.
AVG
Secure
Browser
is
a
separate
free
Chromium
browser,
the
same
build
as
Avast
Secure
Browser.
It
sets
Bing
as
the
default
search
engine,
with
Google
and
DuckDuckGo
selectable.
Bank
Mode
opens
banking
sites
in
a
separate
virtual
desktop
and
blocks
screen
capture.
✅
Verdict:
keep
Web
Shield
on.
Install
the
browser
only
for
Bank
Mode.
AVG
AntiTrack
AntiTrack
randomizes
your
browser
fingerprint
on
a
schedule,
blocks
tracking
scripts,
and
clears
cookies
automatically,
with
an
allowlist
for
sites
that
should
keep
you
signed
in.
It’s
$54.99
a
year
standalone,
or
included
in
Ultimate.
Firefox
and
Brave
already
block
fingerprinting
for
free,
so
AntiTrack’s
case
rests
on
doing
the
same
in
Chrome
and
Edge.
✅
Verdict:
works
as
advertised,
but
in
my
opinion,
not
worth
the
price,
as
some
browsers
already
block
the
same
threats
for
free
(Brave,
for
example).
Enhanced
Firewall
and
Email
Shield
The
Enhanced
Firewall
is
the
best
of
the
paid
extras.
Its
rule
editor
has
Basic,
Network
and
Application
tabs:
per-app
Smart
Mode,
Allow,
Block
or
Ask,
plus
direction,
protocol
and
port.
The
Premium
tab
adds
Leak
Protection,
Port
Scan
Alerts
and
ARP
Spoofing
Alerts,
all
on
by
default.
On
a
network
AVG
can’t
identify,
it
sets
the
profile
to
Trusted,
allowing
all
incoming
connections
from
other
devices.
Email
Shield
scans
inbound
and
outbound
mail
and
tags
infected
subjects.
It
has
“Add
a
signature
to
the
end
of
sent
emails”
ticked
by
default,
though
a
test
message
I
sent
arrived
without
one.
✅
Verdict:
keep
both
on.
They’re
not
resource-intensive
and
are
very
useful,
especially
the
firewall
that
offers
deep
customization.
Webcam
Protection
and
Sensitive
Data
Shield
Webcam
Protection
works
as
advertised,
and
when
I
plugged
in
my
old
webcam,
it
detected
it
and
applied
protection
immediately. Sensitive
Data
Shield
scanned
my
drives
in
about
3
minutes
and
automatically
protected
a
handful
of
invoices
and
documents,
restricting
which
apps
can
open
them.
Remote
Access
Shield
blocks
RDP
brute-force
attempts,
malicious
IPs,
and
BlueKeep-style
exploits,
and
logged
no
connection
attempts
during
the
review.
✅
Verdict:
Remote
Access
Shield
is
useful
if
RDP
is
on.
Webcam
protection
is
useful
only
if
you
actually
use
one,
and
if
your
main
device
is
a
laptop.
AVG
on
Windows,
Mac,
Android
and
iPhone
The
Windows
build
is
the
full
product;
the
rest
are
cut-down.
Windows
Everything
here
was
tested
on
Windows
11.
Windows
10,
8.1,
8,
and
7
are
still
listed
as
supported.
Windows-only
features:
the
Enhanced
Firewall
rule
editor,
Remote
Access
Shield,
Sensitive
Data
Shield,
Boot-Time
Scan,
Performance
Scan,
and
Driver
Updater.
The
AVG
PC
build
is
the
reference
point
for
the
other
platforms.
Android
AVG
antivirus
for
Android
was
quick
and
unobtrusive
on
my
Galaxy
S26
Ultra.
Setup
asked
for
a
battery
optimization
exemption,
display
over
other
apps,
Accessibility,
and
notifications,
each
skippable.
Smart
Scan
took
15
seconds
and
found
nothing,
then
showed
6
recommendations
to
set
up
Call
Guard,
SMS
Guard,
and
Wi-Fi
alerts.
Battery
share
over
my
sampled
period
was
3%.
The
AVG
antivirus
app
showed
no
ads
during
my
session,
though
the
privacy
notice
names
8
ad
partners
for
the
free
version.
Photo
Vault,
App
Lock,
App
Insights,
and
Hack
Alerts
are
included;
anti-theft
isn’t
a
separate
module.
VPN
and
Cleaner
are
separate
installs
from
the
Play
Store,
and
AVG
Cleaner
is
ad-supported,
with
hidden
caches
and
browser
data
locked
behind
a
paid
upgrade.
Call
Guard
and
SMS
Guard
need
call
and
SMS
permissions.
AV-TEST’s
May
2026
mobile
round
scored
AVG
AntiVirus
Free
6/6/6,
and
AV-Comparatives’
June
2026
test
recorded
99.6%
protection
with
2
FP.
Google
Play
Protect
scored
5.5
on
protection
in
the
same
AV-TEST
round,
so
AVG
antivirus
software
for
Android
earns
its
install.
My
Android
antivirus
tests
put
it
against
Bitdefender,
Norton
and
McAfee
on
the
same
handset.
macOS
and
iOS
AV-Comparatives’
June
2026
Mac
test
recorded
99.9%
Mac
malware
protection
and
95%
PUA
protection,
and
AV-TEST’s
March
2026
macOS
round
scored
AVG
6/6/6.
The
Mac
app
has
the
scanner,
Web
Shield,
and
Email
Shield;
the
firewall
rule
editor,
Remote
Access
Shield,
and
Boot-Time
Scan
are
Windows-only.
For
the
products
I
tested
on
Mac,
see
my
Mac
antivirus
roundup.
On
iPhone,
AVG
Mobile
Security
can’t
scan
for
malware
because
iOS
sandboxes
every
app.
Instead,
the
AVG
mobile
app
offers
Web
Shield
for
malicious
links,
Photo
Vault,
Hack
Alerts,
and
a
VPN
on
the
paid
tier.
AVG
Customer
Support
Put
to
the
Test
Support
starts
from
the
AVG
account.
Choosing
support
opens
a
4-step
form:
pick
1
of
5
issue
categories,
read
the
suggested
articles,
then
Contact
options,
then
Connect
with
us.
For
simple
issues,
the
flow
ends
at
the
articles
with
no
way
to
contact
anyone.
For
harder
ones,
it
offers
phone
and
email.
I
chose
email
and
asked
about
my
free
trial.
A
reply
arrived
in
1
hour
and
18
minutes
from
a
person.
Phone
support
is
listed
as
24/7,
with
the
number
shown
after
a
short
form.
I
didn’t
call.
For
scale,
Avast’s
email
support
on
the
same
parent
took
about
6
hours.
AVG’s
turnaround
is
respectable;
the
mandatory
article
detour
is
the
frustration.
Cancellation
and
refund
were
painless:
Order
History,
Request
a
Refund,
one
confirmation.
Free
users
get
a
knowledge
base
and
forum
only.
AVG
Compared
With
the
Main
Alternatives
🆚
AVG
vs
Avast:
The
Same
Engine,
Two
Badges
Same
owner,
same
engine,
same
lab
rows,
same
99.8%
on
my
bench.
AVG
boots
lighter
(5
seconds
vs
Avast’s
9)
and
installs
faster
(1:12
against
2:35).
Avast’s
full
scan
finished
faster
(14:38
against
15:13)
with
lower
CPU.
Avast
One’s
free
tier
adds
Wi-Fi
scanning
and
a
scam-detection
assistant.
Avast
charges
$49.99
for
1
PC
plus
1
mobile,
or
$69.99
for
10
devices,
so
AVG
Ultimate
at
$59.88
for
10
is
cheaper.
✅
Decision:
AVG
for
households
paying
for
10
devices,
Avast
for
the
richer
free
tier.
My
Avast
One
review
has
the
full
figures
if
you’re
interested.
Try
Avast
Here
🆚
AVG
vs
Bitdefender
Bitdefender
is
the
step
up.
It
scored
99.8%
on
my
bench
with
the
lightest
scan
I
measured
(11%
CPU,
183
MB),
and
AV-Comparatives
gave
it
4
false
alarms
vs
AVG’s
9.
AVG’s
free
tier
covers
4
platforms.
Bitdefender
Free
is
Windows-only,
and
AVG’s
$59.88
for
10
devices
undercuts
Bitdefender
Total
Security’s
$59.99
for
5.
✅
Decision:
Bitdefender
if
you’re
paying
and
want
the
fewest
false
positives.
AVG
if
you
want
free,
or
10
devices.
Details
in
my
Bitdefender
review.
Try
Bitdefender
Here
🆚
AVG
vs
Norton
Same
parent
company,
different
products.
Norton
posted
the
same
lab
row
as
AVG,
but
it’s
a
suite:
cloud
backup,
a
password
manager,
dark
web
monitoring,
and
24/7
chat,
with
Deluxe
at
$49.99,
then
$124.99
for
5
devices.
AVG
has
the
free
tier
and
a
lighter
boot
(+5
seconds
against
Norton’s
+12).
✅
Decision:
Norton
if
you
want
the
extras
and
fast
support,
AVG
if
you
want
the
engine
without
the
suite.
My
Norton
360
review
covers
where
each
tier
fits.
Try
Norton
Here
🆚
AVG
vs
Microsoft
Defender
Defender
is
the
comparison
most
people
need,
since
it’s
already
installed.
Its
full
scan
peaked
at
31%
CPU
on
my
bench
against
AVG’s
15%,
and
AV-Comparatives
had
it
at
89.2%
offline
detection
versus
AVG’s
96.3%.
✅
Decision:
Stay
on
Defender
if
you
never
leave
your
home
network
and
don’t
want
prompts.
Switch
to
AVG
Free
for
stronger
offline
detection,
a
configurable
ransomware
folder
list,
and
an
email
attachment
scanner.
Alternatives
Worth
Considering
Instead
of
AVG
Bitdefender,
for
those
who
reject
AVG
on
privacy
grounds:
independent
ownership
and
the
lowest
false-alarm
count
in
the
March
2026
lab
round.
Avira
Free
Security,
for
the
cleanest
installer
I’ve
seen
and
a
free
VPN
allowance,
though
it’s
also
Gen
Digital.
See
my
Avira
review.
Malwarebytes,
as
a
second-opinion
scanner
alongside
AVG
Free.
See
my
Malwarebytes
review.
Who
is
AVG
For
and
Who
Should
Look
Elsewhere
🏆
AVG
is
best
for:
Windows
users
who
want
a
strong
free
antivirus
Households
covering
10
devices
on
a
budget
Buyers
who’d
pay
for
TuneUp
anyway
❌
AVG
isn’t
good
for:
Users
who
need
the
bundled
VPN
as
their
main
VPN
Privacy-first
users,
given
the
36-month
retention
Users
who
want
the
fewest
false
positives
Users
annoyed
by
frequent
upsells
Mac-first
users,
due
to
many
Windows-only
features
My
tier
recommendation:
stay
on
AVG
AntiVirus
Free.
It
has
the
same
engine,
the
same
definitions,
and
the
same
AV-TEST
score
as
the
paid
tiers.
Upgrade
to
Ultimate
only
if
you’d
use
TuneUp
or
the
firewall
across
several
devices.
Both
paid
tiers
can
be
refunded
within
30
days,
long
enough
to
compare
the
firewall
against
Windows
Firewall
on
your
own
network.
Common
Questions
About
AVG
Antivirus
🛡️
Is
AVG
Antivirus
Safe
to
Install?
Yes,
when
the
installer
comes
from
avg.com
or
an
official
app
store.
AVG
has
been
an
antivirus
vendor
since
1992
and
is
owned
by
Gen
Digital,
the
company
behind
Norton
and
Avast.
The
risk
is
fake
download
pages
that
bundle
malware
with
a
copied
installer,
so
check
the
domain
and
the
file’s
digital
signature.
💎
Is
AVG
Antivirus
Good?
Yes.
AV-TEST
gave
AVG
AntiVirus
Free
18/18
and
a
Top
Product
award
in
June
2026,
and
AV-Comparatives
recorded
a
99.97%
online
protection
rate
in
March
2026.
The
weak
spots
are
9
false
alarms
in
that
lab
round.
🎁
Is
AVG
Free
Good
Enough
on
Its
Own?
Yes,
for
a
single
Windows
PC
used
carefully.
The
free
tier
keeps
real-time
protection,
a
behavior
monitor,
and
Ransomware
Protection,
and
uses
the
same
engine
as
the
paid
tiers.
Internet
Security
is
worth
paying
for
on
machines
that
use
public
Wi-Fi
regularly
or
have
Remote
Desktop
enabled.
❓
What
Is
AVG
Antivirus?
A
security
suite
from
Gen
Digital,
sold
as
a
free
tier
and
2
paid
tiers
for
Windows,
macOS,
Android,
and
iOS.
The
name
stands
for
Anti-Virus
Guard,
the
first
product
of
Grisoft,
the
Czech
company
that
later
renamed
itself
AVG
Technologies.
The
paid
tiers
add
a
firewall,
privacy
shields,
a
VPN,
and
a
cleaner.
💼
Who
Owns
AVG
Now?
Gen
Digital.
The
brand
began
as
Grisoft
in
Brno
in
1991,
became
AVG
Technologies
in
2008,
was
bought
by
Avast
in
2016
for
$1.3
billion,
and
joined
Gen
Digital
when
Avast
merged
with
NortonLifeLock
in
2022.
AVG,
Avast,
Norton,
and
Avira
share
that
parent.
⚖️
Is
AVG
the
Same
as
Avast?
No,
but
they
share
an
owner
and
a
detection
engine,
and
posted
identical
results
in
the
March
2026
AV-Comparatives
Malware
Protection
Test.
Interface,
free-tier
features,
pricing,
and
post-scan
prompts
differ.
Choosing
between
them
on
protection
makes
no
difference.
⌛
Does
AVG
Slow
Down
Your
Computer?
Yes,
but
not
enough
to
notice
on
a
modern
PC.
In
testing,
it
used
about
160
MB
of
memory
and
no
measurable
CPU
at
idle,
and
added
around
5
seconds
to
startup.
A
full
scan
is
the
exception:
it
took
over
15
minutes,
longer
than
most
rivals,
though
the
machine
stayed
responsive.
Older
or
low-memory
laptops
will
feel
that
scan
more,
so
schedule
scans
overnight.
📱
Is
AVG
Good
for
Android?
Yes.
AV-TEST
scored
AVG
AntiVirus
Free
for
Android
6/6/6
in
May
2026,
and
AV-Comparatives
recorded
99.6%
protection
with
2
false
positives,
against
98.9%
for
Google
Play
Protect.
⚔️
Is
AVG
Better
Than
Microsoft
Defender?
Yes,
on
detection.
AV-Comparatives
measured
AVG
at
96.3%
offline
detection
against
Defender’s
89.2%
in
March
2026,
so
AVG
catches
more
when
the
cloud
lookup
fails.
Defender
scans
faster,
needs
no
installation,
and
shows
no
upgrade
prompts
since
it’s
entirely
free
for
Windows
users.” temperature=”0.3″ top_p=”1.0″ best_of=”1″ presence_penalty=”0.1″ ]
[cyberseo_openai model=”gpt-4o-mini” prompt=”Rewrite a news story for a business publication, in a calm style with creativity and flair based on text below, making sure it reads like human-written text in a natural way. The article shall NOT include a title, introduction and conclusion. The article shall NOT start from a title. Response language English. Generate HTML-formatted content using
AVG
scores
4.2/5
in
my
tests.
AVG
AntiVirus
Free
is
among
the
best
free
antivirus
apps
available
and
shares
Avast’s
detection
engine,
so
the
paid
tiers
need
their
extras
to
justify
the
price,
and
the
upsells
stop
only
when
you
splurge
on
AVG
Ultimate.
Overall
Rating:
4.2/5
⭐
Protection:
4.7
⭐
Performance:
4.3
⭐
Features:
4.3
⭐
Support:
3.5
⭐
Value:
4.3
⭐
Free
or
from
$59.88
for
the
first
year.
Pricing
verified
August
2026.
Table
of
Contents
AVG
Antivirus
Review:
Ratings,
Pros
and
Cons
This
AVG
antivirus
review
covers
the
free
tier,
Internet
Security,
and
Ultimate
on
Windows
11,
plus
the
Android
app
on
a
Galaxy
S26
Ultra.
Every
figure
came
from
my
own
bench
unless
a
lab
is
named.
👍
Where
AVG
Wins
99.77%
detection
on
my
sample
set,
with
only
4
false
alarms.
Free
tier
keeps
real-time
protection
and
Ransomware
Protection.
Ultimate
costs
the
same
as
Internet
Security
in
year
one.
Boot
delta
of
5
seconds.
Lighter
than
Avast,
Bitdefender,
and
Norton.
Enhanced
Firewall
has
a
full
rule
editor
with
port
scan
alerts.
24/7
phone
support
is
available.
👎
Where
It
Falls
Short
Same
engine
as
Avast,
so
it
isn’t
an
alternative
to
it.
Upsells
after
every
Smart
Scan,
even
on
a
paid
plan.
Secure
VPN
lost
22.5%
of
download
speed
on
average.
Ultimate
renews
at
$149.99,
a
150%
jump.
3
data-sharing
settings
arrive
switched
on.
Buy
it
if
you
want
a
free
antivirus
with
a
clean
lab
record
and
don’t
mind
closing
prompts.
Look
elsewhere
if
you
need
a
VPN
you’d
rely
on,
or
the
least
data
collection
possible.
See
where
it
ranks
in
my
antivirus
software
reviews.
What
Is
AVG,
and
Who
Owns
It
Now?
AVG
is
a
35-year-old
antivirus
brand
from
Brno,
in
the
Czech
Republic,
owned
by
Gen
Digital.
Where
the
name
came
from
matters
to
people
who
installed
it
20
years
ago.
Who
profits
from
it
today
changes
how
you
should
compare
AVG
with
its
rivals.
From
Grisoft
to
AVG:
The
Name
Long-Time
Users
Remember
Long-time
users
still
call
it
Grisoft
AVG.
The
lineage:
1991:
Jan
Gritzbach
and
Tomáš
Hofer
founded
Grisoft
in
Brno
1992:
Grisoft
releases
Anti-Virus
Guard
for
DOS.
AVG
stands
for
Anti-Virus
Guard,
and
the
initials
became
the
brand
1997
to
1998:
first
licenses
sold
in
the
UK
and
Germany,
then
the
US,
where
the
free
edition
built
the
reputation
February
2008:
Grisoft
renames
itself
AVG
Technologies
after
its
own
product
The
Grisoft
AVG
antivirus
of
the
2000s
continues
as
AVG
AntiVirus
Free
from
avg.com.
Who
Owns
AVG
Today
Avast
announced
its
purchase
of
AVG
Technologies
in
July
2016
and
closed
the
$1.3
billion
deal
that
September.
Avast
then
merged
with
NortonLifeLock
in
2022,
and
the
combined
company
became
Gen
Digital.
So
AVG,
Avast,
Norton
and
Avira
share
a
parent.
AVG
and
Avast
share
the
same
detection
engine.
AV-Comparatives’
March
2026
Malware
Protection
Test
posted
identical
figures
for
both
in
all
4
columns.
My
bench
reproduced
it:
99.77%
for
AVG
against
99.78%
for
Avast,
with
4
false
alarms
each.
Comparing
the
two
on
protection
tells
you
nothing.
Compare
the
UI,
free-tier
features,
prompts,
and
price
instead.
What
AVG
Actually
Does
Today
AVG
Technologies
sells
AVG
security
software
across
Windows,
Mac,
Android
and
iOS,
plus
an
AVG
Business
range.
The
desktop
suite
includes
File
Shield,
Behavior
Shield,
Web
Shield
and
Email
Shield,
with
an
Enhanced
Firewall
and
privacy
shields
on
the
paid
tiers.
Around
it
are
4
separate
products.
AVG
TuneUp,
AVG
Secure
VPN,
AVG
AntiTrack,
and
the
free
AVG
Secure
Browser.
Underneath
is
the
Gen
Digital
engine
that
powers
Avast
and
Norton.
AVG
AntiVirus
Free:
What
the
Free
Version
Includes
Most
people
reading
an
AVG
review
want
the
free
version,
and
it
earned
its
popularity.
AV-TEST’s
June
2026
Windows
11
round
gave
AVG
AntiVirus
Free
a
perfect
6/6/6
and
a
Top
Product
award,
matching
the
paid
Norton
360
and
Bitdefender
suites.
What
You
Get
in
AVG
AntiVirus
Free
AVG
free
antivirus
includes:
File
Shield:
scans
every
file
added
to
or
opened
on
the
PC
in
real
time
Behavior
Shield:
warns
when
an
application
starts
behaving
maliciously
Web
Shield:
blocks
web
attacks
and
unsafe
downloads
Email
Shield:
scans
inbound
and
outbound
mail
for
infected
attachments
Ransomware
Protection:
walls
off
chosen
folders
from
untrusted
apps,
with
the
user
folders
protected
by
default
Smart
Scan,
Deep
Scan,
File
or
Folder
Scan,
Boot-Time
Scan
and
USB/DVD
Scan
CyberCapture:
sends
unrecognized
files
to
AVG’s
Threat
Labs
That’s
a
complete
antivirus,
covering
spyware,
adware,
trojans,
rootkits,
keyloggers
and
infostealers
under
one
engine.
Real-time
protection,
a
behavior
monitor,
and
a
ransomware
layer
are
the
3
things
free
products
often
drop,
and
AVG
keeps
all.
The
scanner
uses
the
same
engine
and
definitions
as
the
paid
tiers.
So,
AVG
free
virus
protection
detects
what
AVG
Ultimate
detects.
There’s
no
device
limit
either:
1
device
per
install,
unlimited
installs.
What
the
Free
Version
Holds
Back
AVG’s
own
comparison
table
marks
6
rows
as
paid-only:
Enhanced
Firewall:
Per-app
rules,
port
scan
alerts,
and
ARP
spoofing
alerts
Fake
Website
Shield:
matters
on
public
Wi-Fi.
It
blocks
DNS
hijacking
to
lookalike
banking
sites
Phishing
site
protection:
Free
users
rely
on
Web
Shield
and
the
browser’s
own
filter
Wi-Fi
network
verification:
marginal
unless
you
move
between
networks
Webcam
Protection
and
Sensitive
Data
Shield:
marketing
rows
for
most
people
Remote
Access
Shield:
matters
only
if
Remote
Desktop
is
enabled,
which
it
isn’t
by
default
TuneUp,
Secure
VPN
and
AntiTrack
are
separate
products
on
the
Ultimate
tier.
Email
and
phone
support
is
paid-only.
Is
AVG
Free
Enough
on
Its
Own?
For
a
careful
Windows
11
user,
yes.
The
comparison
that
decides
it
is
AVG
Free
against
Microsoft
Defender,
which
you
already
own.
Defender
booted
1
second
faster
on
my
bench
and
finished
its
full
scan
sooner
(12:24
against
15:13).
AVG
blocked
more
offline:
AV-Comparatives
March
2026
has
AVG
at
96.3%
offline
detection
and
Defender
at
89.2%,
so
AVG
catches
more
when
the
cloud
lookup
fails.
Paying
makes
sense
if
you
bank
on
public
Wi-Fi
often
enough
for
Fake
Website
Shield
to
earn
its
keep,
you
want
per-app
firewall
control,
or
you’d
buy
TuneUp
or
a
VPN
anyway,
and
Ultimate
bundles
them
for
$0
extra
in
year
one.
Outside
those,
use
AVG
for
free.
For
how
Avast,
Bitdefender,
and
Avira
compared
on
the
same
bench,
see
my
free
antivirus
comparison.
How
AVG
Free
Makes
Money
AVG
Free
is
free
because
the
app
sells
the
paid
tier
from
inside
itself.
What
I
hit
on
a
fresh
install,
and
it’s
very
interesting:
Installer:
2
pre-ticked
boxes,
installing
AVG
Secure
Browser
and
making
it
the
default
First
launch:
a
3-slide
carousel
comparing
Free
with
Internet
Security
After
every
Smart
Scan:
“8
advanced
issues
found”,
rated
critical,
with
Resolve
All
opening
the
60-day
Internet
Security
trial
Persistent:
a
Go
Premium
button,
a
notification
badge,
and
a
“welcome
gift”
banner
offering
61%
off,
which
cut
the
in-app
price
from
$3.89
to
$3.29
a
month
Performance
Scan:
16
seconds,
10
issues,
and
Resolve
All
leads
to
TuneUp
No
ads
appear
inside
the
Windows
app.
On
data
handling,
AVG’s
parent
settled
with
the
FTC
in
February
2024
over
Avast’s
sale
of
browsing
data
through
its
Jumpshot
subsidiary,
paying
$16.5
million
and
accepting
an
order
that
bars
selling
browsing
data
for
advertising.
How
to
Download
AVG
Antivirus
Safely
Download
AVG
only
from
avg.com
or
the
official
app
stores.
Because
so
many
people
search
for
an
AVG
free
download,
fake
download
pages
are
a
reliable
way
to
put
a
fake
installer,
a
browser
hijacker,
or
worse
on
a
machine.
Malvertising
does
the
rest:
search
for
a
free
AVG
antivirus
download
and
ads
appear
above
the
organic
results,
not
all
of
them
AVG’s.
How
to
get
AVG
the
safe
way:
Type
avg.com
into
the
address
bar
and
check
the
spelling.
Don’t
click
a
search
ad.
Go
to
the
original
website.
Choose
AVG
AntiVirus
Free
and
use
the
Free
download
button.
The
installer
is
small
and
pulls
the
rest
during
setup.
Right-click
the
installer,
choose
Properties,
then
Digital
Signatures.
The
signer
should
read
AVG
Technologies
or
Gen
Digital.
Untick
both
AVG
Secure
Browser
boxes
unless
you
want
it.
Let
the
install
finish.
Mine
took
1
minute
12
seconds,
including
the
download,
with
no
restart.
Confirm
“You
are
fully
protected”
on
the
home
screen.
Skip
any
AVG
download
link
that
arrives
by
email,
and
any
page
offering
the
free
version
with
a
license
key
attached.
The
free
product
needs
no
key,
so
if
a
download
page
asks
for
one,
close
it.
How
to
Uninstall
AVG
Completely
with
AVG
Clear
A
standard
uninstall
through
Windows
Settings
sometimes
leaves
drivers
and
services
behind,
which
can
block
a
reinstall
or
clash
with
the
next
antivirus.
AVG
Clear
is
the
official
removal
tool.
Download
AVG
Clear
from
avg.com’s
support
pages,
sign
in
as
an
administrator,
and
close
the
AVG
app.
Open
AVG
Clear.
It
offers
Remove
only,
which
strips
the
product,
and
Reboot
to
Safe
mode,
which
restarts
Windows
and
continues
there.
Remove
only
worked
for
me
with
no
safe-mode
detour.
Use
Safe
Mode
if
the
ordinary
uninstall
failed
or
the
product
won’t
open.
Restart,
then
check
that
Windows
Security
has
re-enabled
Defender.
AVG
Clear
removes
AVG
and
nothing
else.
If
the
machine
is
infected
and
AVG
can’t
clean
it,
my
malware
removal
guide
covers
that
job.
Is
AVG
Antivirus
Safe
to
Use?
Yes,
AVG
antivirus
is
safe
to
install
and
use,
provided
the
installer
came
from
avg.com.
The
doubt
comes
from
the
product’s
habits
and
its
ownership
history.
Is
AVG
Safe?
Where
the
Doubt
Comes
From
AVG’s
reputation
comes
from
3
habits.
Smart
Scan
rates
a
clean
PC’s
“advanced
issues”
as
critical.
The
installer
pre-ticks
a
browser.
And
Network
Inspector
ended
a
scan
on
my
paid
trial
by
pitching
Secure
VPN:
“Your
connection
is
safe
but
not
private.”
Aggressive
selling
looks
like
a
threat
to
people
who
don’t
know
the
difference,
and
that’s
why
AVG
appears
on
forums
next
to
the
word
“virus”.
What
AVG
Collects
AVG’s
product
privacy
notice,
updated
August
17
2026,
lists
what
the
desktop
antivirus
processes:
Suspicious
file
samples
and
detection
metadata,
kept
for
36
months
URLs
and
referrers
of
malicious
pages,
which
may
include
search
terms,
kept
for
36
months
IP
address,
as
part
of
an
infection
record,
kept
for
36
months
Installed
applications
and
other
security
software,
36
months
Device
and
usage
events,
up
to
50
months
for
“product
and
business
improvement”
Email
Shield
detections,
including
the
sender
and
content
of
a
flagged
message,
1
month
Google
Analytics
is
the
named
third-party
tool.
The
VPN
follows
a
separate
policy:
no
originating
IP,
DNS
queries,
or
browsing
history,
but
connection
events
for
12
months
and
transfer
totals
for
18.
What
to
Switch
Off
After
Install
AVG
switches
on
4
sharing
settings
by
default.
To
turn
them
off,
open
Menu,
then
Settings:
General,
Privacy
Preferences:
untick
“Share
suspicious
file
samples“
Same
screen:
untick
“Help
improve
our
products
and
business
processes“
Same
screen:
untick
“Personalized
discounts“,
which
lets
AVG
use
data
about
you
and
your
device
to
price
offers
Basic
Protection,
Detections:
change
CyberCapture
from
“Automatically
send
files
to
Threat
Labs”
to
“Ask
me“
Detection
metadata
is
still
analyzed
with
all
4
off,
which
AVG
states
on
the
settings
screen.
If
36-month
retention
on
a
malware
scanner
is
more
than
you’ll
accept,
Bitdefender
is
the
independent
option
in
my
rankings.
AVG
Protection
Test
Results:
What
It
Blocks
AVG
virus
protection
uses
the
same
engine
as
Avast
and
Norton,
so
the
results
below
describe
all
3.
That
engine
combines
signature-based
detection,
heuristic
analysis,
behavior-based
monitoring,
and
cloud-based
scanning
through
CyberCapture,
which
is
how
it
handles
zero-day
threats.
Quarantine
is
automatic
by
default.
Independent
Lab
Scores:
AV-TEST
and
AV-Comparatives
AV-TEST,
June
2026,
Windows
11
home
user:
AVG
Free
6/6/6,
a
perfect
performance
score
alongside
protection
and
usability,
Top
Product.
Bitdefender,
Norton,
McAfee,
Kaspersky,
and
Avast
Free
also
scored
18.
Microsoft
Defender
scored
6/5.5/6.
The
9
false
alarms
are
the
weak
spot
compared
to
Bitdefender’s
4.
So
is
AVG
antivirus
good?
On
the
lab
evidence,
as
good
as
anything
in
the
round,
with
more
false
alarms
than
the
best.
Malware
and
Phishing
Results
on
My
Bench
I
tested
AVG
on
the
same
Windows
11
Pro
machine
as
every
other
antivirus
here:
a
Ryzen
7
5800X,
32
GB
of
DDR4-2666,
and
2
M.2
SSDs.
Same
sample
set,
same
URL
list,
real-time
protection
active.
The
EICAR
test
file
only
confirms
a
scanner
is
switched
on,
so
it
isn’t
part
of
the
set.
On
the
same
rig,
Avast
scored
99.78%
with
4
false
alarms
and
93%
on
phishing;
Bitdefender
99.8%
with
5
and
89%;
Norton
99.8%
with
3
and
95%.
AVG’s
4
false
alarms
on
my
bench
are
fewer
than
its
9
in
the
lab,
and
my
sample
set
is
smaller,
so
the
lab
figure
takes
precedence.
Is
AVG
good
in
practice?
It
matched
Avast
to
within
a
hundredth
of
a
point,
and
it
blocked
a
potentially
unwanted
app
(PUA)
on
the
same
sensitivity
setting
Avast
uses.
Scan
Types
and
How
Long
They
Take
The
Run
Other
Scans
menu
lists
Deep
Scan,
File
or
Folder
Scan,
Boot-Time
Scan,
USB/DVD
Scan,
and
Performance
Scan.
Smart
Scan
is
the
home-screen
button.
Measured
on
the
rig
above:
File
or
Folder
Scan
and
USB/DVD
Scan
depend
on
what
you
point
them
at,
so
I
didn’t
time
them.
Smart
Scan’s
malware
and
operating
system
checks
are
genuine
and
finished
with
Looking
good.
Its
third
stage,
“advanced
issues”,
is
the
upsell:
browser-stored
passwords
and
unprotected
documents
counted
as
issues,
rated
critical,
with
the
paid
trial
offered
as
the
fix.
System
Impact:
Light
in
the
Background,
Heavier
During
Scans
AVG
was
among
the
lighter
suites
I
measured
at
idle
and
among
the
slower
ones
at
full
scan.
CPU
usage,
RAM
usage,
boot
time,
and
scan
duration
on
the
same
rig,
from
a
clean
18-second
boot
with
Defender
disabled:
Idle:
161
MB
of
RAM,
0%
CPU,
0.2
MB/s
disk
Deep
Scan
peak:
15%
CPU,
220
MB
RAM,
110
MB/s
disk
Avast
on
the
same
rig
added
9
seconds
to
boot
and
peaked
at
12%
CPU
and
about
200
MB
during
its
14:38
full
scan.
So
AVG
boots
faster,
scans
slower,
and
draws
slightly
more
during
the
scan,
despite
the
identical
engine.
Bitdefender
stayed
the
lightest
suite
I
tested
during
scans,
at
11%
CPU
and
183
MB.
Background
scanning
between
scheduled
scans
never
registered.
AVG
Plans
and
Pricing:
Free,
Internet
Security
and
Ultimate
Plan
Devices
Platforms
Key
additions
Year
1
Renewal
AVG
AntiVirus
Free
1
per
install,
unlimited
installs
Windows,
Mac,
Android,
iOS
Real-time
engine,
shields,
Ransomware
Protection
$0
$0
AVG
Internet
Security
10
Windows,
Mac,
Android,
iOS
Enhanced
Firewall,
Fake
Website
Shield,
Webcam
Protection,
Remote
Access
Shield,
Sensitive
Data
Shield,
support
$59.88
($4.99/mo)
$99.99
AVG
Ultimate
10
Windows,
Mac,
Android,
iOS
Internet
Security
plus
TuneUp,
Secure
VPN
and
AntiTrack
$59.88
($4.99/mo)
$149.99
A
60-day
trial
of
Internet
Security
is
available
inside
the
app.
I
signed
up,
pasted
the
activation
code,
and
it
activated
at
once.
AVG
Internet
Security
AVG
Internet
Security
is
the
mid-tier.
It
adds
Enhanced
Firewall,
Fake
Website
Shield,
Webcam
Protection,
Sensitive
Data
Shield,
Remote
Access
Shield,
Browser
Defense,
Hack
Alerts,
and
phishing-site
protection
across
10
devices.
Does
the
difference
over
Free
justify
$59.88?
For
a
single
Windows
PC,
no.
The
firewall
and
Fake
Website
Shield
change
your
protection
and
matter
most
on
public
networks.
For
a
household
with
10
devices,
the
per-device
cost
is
$5.99
for
a
year
of
AVG
Internet
Security
antivirus
with
support,
cheap
by
suite
standards.
The
renewal
at
$99.99
is
a
67%
increase.
AVG
Ultimate
AVG
Ultimate
is
the
bundle:
everything
in
Internet
Security
plus
AVG
TuneUp,
AVG
Secure
VPN,
and
AVG
AntiTrack,
on
10
devices
across
4
platforms.
In
year
one,
it
costs
$59.88,
identical
to
Internet
Security,
because
AVG
discounts
it
60%
from
a
$149.99
list
price
vs
40%
off
a
$99.99
list
price.
So
the
first
year
of
AVG
Ultimate
adds
3
products
for
$0.
Does
the
bundle
beat
buying
the
parts?
Yes,
in
both
years:
Parts,
year
one:
Internet
Security
$59.88
+
TuneUp
$34.68
+
Secure
VPN
$54.99
+
AntiTrack
$54.99
=
$204.54
Does
AVG
Ultimate
beat
a
rival
suite?
On
price,
yes:
Norton
360
Deluxe
covers
5
devices
for
$49.99,
then
$124.99,
and
Bitdefender
Total
Security
covers
5
for
$59.99,
then
$109.99.
On
the
quality
of
the
extras,
no.
The
VPN
inside
AVG
Ultimate
lost
22.5%
of
download
speed
in
my
tests
and
has
no
no-logs
audit.
Pick
AVG
Ultimate
for
TuneUp
and
a
bundled
VPN
for
occasional
use.
Which
AVG
Plan
Is
Worth
Buying
One
Windows
PC,
careful
user:
stay
on
AVG
AntiVirus
Free.
Same
engine,
same
lab
score
as
the
premium
version.
Laptop
that
travels
and
connects
to
hotel
and
café
Wi-Fi:
Internet
Security,
for
the
firewall
and
Fake
Website
Shield.
Household
with
5
to
10
devices:
Ultimate
in
year
one,
since
it
costs
the
same
as
Internet
Security.
Decide
at
renewal
whether
TuneUp
and
the
VPN
justify
the
extra
$50
a
year.
Anyone
whose
main
want
is
a
VPN:
neither.
Get
AVG
Free
and
install
a
separate
VPN.
I
recommend
NordVPN.
What
AVG
Costs
After
the
First
Year
Internet
Security
renews
at
$99.99,
up
from
$59.88.
Ultimate
renews
at
$149.99,
up
150%
from
the
same
$59.88.
Across
2
years,
Ultimate
is
$209.87
for
10
devices.
AVG
prices
auto-renew
by
default.
To
stop,
sign
in
at
avg.com,
open
Subscriptions,
and
switch
off
auto-renewal;
it
keeps
working
until
the
term
ends.
Refunds
fall
under
a
30-day
money-back
guarantee,
and
inside
that
refund
window
the
process
is:
open
Order
History,
click
Request
a
Refund,
and
confirm
once.
Everything
Bundled
With
AVG,
Rated
Tool
by
Tool
AVG
Ultimate
is
4
products
in
one
license.
Each
one
below
ends
with
a
verdict.
Where
my
Internet
Security
trial
excluded
a
tool,
I
say
so.
AVG
Secure
VPN
This
AVG
VPN
review
is
short
because
AVG
Secure
VPN
is
Avast
SecureLine
with
a
different
logo:
same
103
countries,
same
protocols,
same
settings.
On
my
190.36
Mbps
connection
in
Serbia,
it
returned
186.68
Mbps
to
the
UK
at
47
ms,
157.30
Mbps
to
the
US
at
120
ms,
and
98.74
Mbps
to
Japan
at
282
ms.
That’s
a
22.5%
average
download
loss.
NordVPN
lost
7.8%
on
the
same
tests.
It
opened
Netflix,
BBC
iPlayer,
and
Prime
Video,
and
has
P2P
servers,
a
kill
switch,
and
a
post-quantum
toggle.
Standalone,
it
costs
$54.99
for
the
first
year
and
renews
at
$99.99.
The
policy
logs
no
originating
IP,
browsing
history,
or
DNS
queries,
but
keeps
connection
events
for
12
months,
and
no
no-logs
audit
exists.
My
Avast
VPN
review
has
the
speed,
streaming,
and
P2P
results,
and
they
apply
here.
✅
Verdict:
fine
as
a
bundled
extra
for
hotel
Wi-Fi.
It
can’t
replace
a
standalone
VPN
for
speed
or
audited
privacy.
If
you
need
a
good
VPN
that
you
can
pair
with
AVG,
choose
NordVPN,
my
#1
in
the
overall
VPN
ranking.
AVG
TuneUp
TuneUp
is
AVG’s
cleaner.
On
my
PC,
a
scan
found
13.9
GB
of
system
junk,
1.1
GB
of
browser
clutter,
336
broken
registry
items,
435
broken
shortcuts,
and
20
programs
to
put
to
sleep,
in
16
seconds.
Every
Resolve
button
leads
to
TuneUp,
which
I
eventually
tried
and
used
to
clean all
of
the
“junk”
on
my
computer.TuneUp
includes
a
Software
Updater
and
a
Sleep
Mode
that
suspends
background
apps.
I
tested
its
Software
Updater,
and
it’s
basically
the
same
as
Avast’s
equivalent.
✅
Verdict:
recommended
if
you
want
to
keep
your
device
clean
of
clutter.
It
works
really
well,
but
I’d
think
twice
before
taking
it
due
to
its
higher
price.
AVG
Secure
Browser
and
Web
Shield
Web
Shield,
inside
the
antivirus,
blocked
malicious
URLs
with
no
false
alarms,
and
it’s
free.
AVG
Secure
Browser
is
a
separate
free
Chromium
browser,
the
same
build
as
Avast
Secure
Browser.
It
sets
Bing
as
the
default
search
engine,
with
Google
and
DuckDuckGo
selectable.
Bank
Mode
opens
banking
sites
in
a
separate
virtual
desktop
and
blocks
screen
capture.
✅
Verdict:
keep
Web
Shield
on.
Install
the
browser
only
for
Bank
Mode.
AVG
AntiTrack
AntiTrack
randomizes
your
browser
fingerprint
on
a
schedule,
blocks
tracking
scripts,
and
clears
cookies
automatically,
with
an
allowlist
for
sites
that
should
keep
you
signed
in.
It’s
$54.99
a
year
standalone,
or
included
in
Ultimate.
Firefox
and
Brave
already
block
fingerprinting
for
free,
so
AntiTrack’s
case
rests
on
doing
the
same
in
Chrome
and
Edge.
✅
Verdict:
works
as
advertised,
but
in
my
opinion,
not
worth
the
price,
as
some
browsers
already
block
the
same
threats
for
free
(Brave,
for
example).
Enhanced
Firewall
and
Email
Shield
The
Enhanced
Firewall
is
the
best
of
the
paid
extras.
Its
rule
editor
has
Basic,
Network
and
Application
tabs:
per-app
Smart
Mode,
Allow,
Block
or
Ask,
plus
direction,
protocol
and
port.
The
Premium
tab
adds
Leak
Protection,
Port
Scan
Alerts
and
ARP
Spoofing
Alerts,
all
on
by
default.
On
a
network
AVG
can’t
identify,
it
sets
the
profile
to
Trusted,
allowing
all
incoming
connections
from
other
devices.
Email
Shield
scans
inbound
and
outbound
mail
and
tags
infected
subjects.
It
has
“Add
a
signature
to
the
end
of
sent
emails”
ticked
by
default,
though
a
test
message
I
sent
arrived
without
one.
✅
Verdict:
keep
both
on.
They’re
not
resource-intensive
and
are
very
useful,
especially
the
firewall
that
offers
deep
customization.
Webcam
Protection
and
Sensitive
Data
Shield
Webcam
Protection
works
as
advertised,
and
when
I
plugged
in
my
old
webcam,
it
detected
it
and
applied
protection
immediately. Sensitive
Data
Shield
scanned
my
drives
in
about
3
minutes
and
automatically
protected
a
handful
of
invoices
and
documents,
restricting
which
apps
can
open
them.
Remote
Access
Shield
blocks
RDP
brute-force
attempts,
malicious
IPs,
and
BlueKeep-style
exploits,
and
logged
no
connection
attempts
during
the
review.
✅
Verdict:
Remote
Access
Shield
is
useful
if
RDP
is
on.
Webcam
protection
is
useful
only
if
you
actually
use
one,
and
if
your
main
device
is
a
laptop.
AVG
on
Windows,
Mac,
Android
and
iPhone
The
Windows
build
is
the
full
product;
the
rest
are
cut-down.
Windows
Everything
here
was
tested
on
Windows
11.
Windows
10,
8.1,
8,
and
7
are
still
listed
as
supported.
Windows-only
features:
the
Enhanced
Firewall
rule
editor,
Remote
Access
Shield,
Sensitive
Data
Shield,
Boot-Time
Scan,
Performance
Scan,
and
Driver
Updater.
The
AVG
PC
build
is
the
reference
point
for
the
other
platforms.
Android
AVG
antivirus
for
Android
was
quick
and
unobtrusive
on
my
Galaxy
S26
Ultra.
Setup
asked
for
a
battery
optimization
exemption,
display
over
other
apps,
Accessibility,
and
notifications,
each
skippable.
Smart
Scan
took
15
seconds
and
found
nothing,
then
showed
6
recommendations
to
set
up
Call
Guard,
SMS
Guard,
and
Wi-Fi
alerts.
Battery
share
over
my
sampled
period
was
3%.
The
AVG
antivirus
app
showed
no
ads
during
my
session,
though
the
privacy
notice
names
8
ad
partners
for
the
free
version.
Photo
Vault,
App
Lock,
App
Insights,
and
Hack
Alerts
are
included;
anti-theft
isn’t
a
separate
module.
VPN
and
Cleaner
are
separate
installs
from
the
Play
Store,
and
AVG
Cleaner
is
ad-supported,
with
hidden
caches
and
browser
data
locked
behind
a
paid
upgrade.
Call
Guard
and
SMS
Guard
need
call
and
SMS
permissions.
AV-TEST’s
May
2026
mobile
round
scored
AVG
AntiVirus
Free
6/6/6,
and
AV-Comparatives’
June
2026
test
recorded
99.6%
protection
with
2
FP.
Google
Play
Protect
scored
5.5
on
protection
in
the
same
AV-TEST
round,
so
AVG
antivirus
software
for
Android
earns
its
install.
My
Android
antivirus
tests
put
it
against
Bitdefender,
Norton
and
McAfee
on
the
same
handset.
macOS
and
iOS
AV-Comparatives’
June
2026
Mac
test
recorded
99.9%
Mac
malware
protection
and
95%
PUA
protection,
and
AV-TEST’s
March
2026
macOS
round
scored
AVG
6/6/6.
The
Mac
app
has
the
scanner,
Web
Shield,
and
Email
Shield;
the
firewall
rule
editor,
Remote
Access
Shield,
and
Boot-Time
Scan
are
Windows-only.
For
the
products
I
tested
on
Mac,
see
my
Mac
antivirus
roundup.
On
iPhone,
AVG
Mobile
Security
can’t
scan
for
malware
because
iOS
sandboxes
every
app.
Instead,
the
AVG
mobile
app
offers
Web
Shield
for
malicious
links,
Photo
Vault,
Hack
Alerts,
and
a
VPN
on
the
paid
tier.
AVG
Customer
Support
Put
to
the
Test
Support
starts
from
the
AVG
account.
Choosing
support
opens
a
4-step
form:
pick
1
of
5
issue
categories,
read
the
suggested
articles,
then
Contact
options,
then
Connect
with
us.
For
simple
issues,
the
flow
ends
at
the
articles
with
no
way
to
contact
anyone.
For
harder
ones,
it
offers
phone
and
email.
I
chose
email
and
asked
about
my
free
trial.
A
reply
arrived
in
1
hour
and
18
minutes
from
a
person.
Phone
support
is
listed
as
24/7,
with
the
number
shown
after
a
short
form.
I
didn’t
call.
For
scale,
Avast’s
email
support
on
the
same
parent
took
about
6
hours.
AVG’s
turnaround
is
respectable;
the
mandatory
article
detour
is
the
frustration.
Cancellation
and
refund
were
painless:
Order
History,
Request
a
Refund,
one
confirmation.
Free
users
get
a
knowledge
base
and
forum
only.
AVG
Compared
With
the
Main
Alternatives
🆚
AVG
vs
Avast:
The
Same
Engine,
Two
Badges
Same
owner,
same
engine,
same
lab
rows,
same
99.8%
on
my
bench.
AVG
boots
lighter
(5
seconds
vs
Avast’s
9)
and
installs
faster
(1:12
against
2:35).
Avast’s
full
scan
finished
faster
(14:38
against
15:13)
with
lower
CPU.
Avast
One’s
free
tier
adds
Wi-Fi
scanning
and
a
scam-detection
assistant.
Avast
charges
$49.99
for
1
PC
plus
1
mobile,
or
$69.99
for
10
devices,
so
AVG
Ultimate
at
$59.88
for
10
is
cheaper.
✅
Decision:
AVG
for
households
paying
for
10
devices,
Avast
for
the
richer
free
tier.
My
Avast
One
review
has
the
full
figures
if
you’re
interested.
Try
Avast
Here
🆚
AVG
vs
Bitdefender
Bitdefender
is
the
step
up.
It
scored
99.8%
on
my
bench
with
the
lightest
scan
I
measured
(11%
CPU,
183
MB),
and
AV-Comparatives
gave
it
4
false
alarms
vs
AVG’s
9.
AVG’s
free
tier
covers
4
platforms.
Bitdefender
Free
is
Windows-only,
and
AVG’s
$59.88
for
10
devices
undercuts
Bitdefender
Total
Security’s
$59.99
for
5.
✅
Decision:
Bitdefender
if
you’re
paying
and
want
the
fewest
false
positives.
AVG
if
you
want
free,
or
10
devices.
Details
in
my
Bitdefender
review.
Try
Bitdefender
Here
🆚
AVG
vs
Norton
Same
parent
company,
different
products.
Norton
posted
the
same
lab
row
as
AVG,
but
it’s
a
suite:
cloud
backup,
a
password
manager,
dark
web
monitoring,
and
24/7
chat,
with
Deluxe
at
$49.99,
then
$124.99
for
5
devices.
AVG
has
the
free
tier
and
a
lighter
boot
(+5
seconds
against
Norton’s
+12).
✅
Decision:
Norton
if
you
want
the
extras
and
fast
support,
AVG
if
you
want
the
engine
without
the
suite.
My
Norton
360
review
covers
where
each
tier
fits.
Try
Norton
Here
🆚
AVG
vs
Microsoft
Defender
Defender
is
the
comparison
most
people
need,
since
it’s
already
installed.
Its
full
scan
peaked
at
31%
CPU
on
my
bench
against
AVG’s
15%,
and
AV-Comparatives
had
it
at
89.2%
offline
detection
versus
AVG’s
96.3%.
✅
Decision:
Stay
on
Defender
if
you
never
leave
your
home
network
and
don’t
want
prompts.
Switch
to
AVG
Free
for
stronger
offline
detection,
a
configurable
ransomware
folder
list,
and
an
email
attachment
scanner.
Alternatives
Worth
Considering
Instead
of
AVG
Bitdefender,
for
those
who
reject
AVG
on
privacy
grounds:
independent
ownership
and
the
lowest
false-alarm
count
in
the
March
2026
lab
round.
Avira
Free
Security,
for
the
cleanest
installer
I’ve
seen
and
a
free
VPN
allowance,
though
it’s
also
Gen
Digital.
See
my
Avira
review.
Malwarebytes,
as
a
second-opinion
scanner
alongside
AVG
Free.
See
my
Malwarebytes
review.
Who
is
AVG
For
and
Who
Should
Look
Elsewhere
🏆
AVG
is
best
for:
Windows
users
who
want
a
strong
free
antivirus
Households
covering
10
devices
on
a
budget
Buyers
who’d
pay
for
TuneUp
anyway
❌
AVG
isn’t
good
for:
Users
who
need
the
bundled
VPN
as
their
main
VPN
Privacy-first
users,
given
the
36-month
retention
Users
who
want
the
fewest
false
positives
Users
annoyed
by
frequent
upsells
Mac-first
users,
due
to
many
Windows-only
features
My
tier
recommendation:
stay
on
AVG
AntiVirus
Free.
It
has
the
same
engine,
the
same
definitions,
and
the
same
AV-TEST
score
as
the
paid
tiers.
Upgrade
to
Ultimate
only
if
you’d
use
TuneUp
or
the
firewall
across
several
devices.
Both
paid
tiers
can
be
refunded
within
30
days,
long
enough
to
compare
the
firewall
against
Windows
Firewall
on
your
own
network.
Common
Questions
About
AVG
Antivirus
🛡️
Is
AVG
Antivirus
Safe
to
Install?
Yes,
when
the
installer
comes
from
avg.com
or
an
official
app
store.
AVG
has
been
an
antivirus
vendor
since
1992
and
is
owned
by
Gen
Digital,
the
company
behind
Norton
and
Avast.
The
risk
is
fake
download
pages
that
bundle
malware
with
a
copied
installer,
so
check
the
domain
and
the
file’s
digital
signature.
💎
Is
AVG
Antivirus
Good?
Yes.
AV-TEST
gave
AVG
AntiVirus
Free
18/18
and
a
Top
Product
award
in
June
2026,
and
AV-Comparatives
recorded
a
99.97%
online
protection
rate
in
March
2026.
The
weak
spots
are
9
false
alarms
in
that
lab
round.
🎁
Is
AVG
Free
Good
Enough
on
Its
Own?
Yes,
for
a
single
Windows
PC
used
carefully.
The
free
tier
keeps
real-time
protection,
a
behavior
monitor,
and
Ransomware
Protection,
and
uses
the
same
engine
as
the
paid
tiers.
Internet
Security
is
worth
paying
for
on
machines
that
use
public
Wi-Fi
regularly
or
have
Remote
Desktop
enabled.
❓
What
Is
AVG
Antivirus?
A
security
suite
from
Gen
Digital,
sold
as
a
free
tier
and
2
paid
tiers
for
Windows,
macOS,
Android,
and
iOS.
The
name
stands
for
Anti-Virus
Guard,
the
first
product
of
Grisoft,
the
Czech
company
that
later
renamed
itself
AVG
Technologies.
The
paid
tiers
add
a
firewall,
privacy
shields,
a
VPN,
and
a
cleaner.
💼
Who
Owns
AVG
Now?
Gen
Digital.
The
brand
began
as
Grisoft
in
Brno
in
1991,
became
AVG
Technologies
in
2008,
was
bought
by
Avast
in
2016
for
$1.3
billion,
and
joined
Gen
Digital
when
Avast
merged
with
NortonLifeLock
in
2022.
AVG,
Avast,
Norton,
and
Avira
share
that
parent.
⚖️
Is
AVG
the
Same
as
Avast?
No,
but
they
share
an
owner
and
a
detection
engine,
and
posted
identical
results
in
the
March
2026
AV-Comparatives
Malware
Protection
Test.
Interface,
free-tier
features,
pricing,
and
post-scan
prompts
differ.
Choosing
between
them
on
protection
makes
no
difference.
⌛
Does
AVG
Slow
Down
Your
Computer?
Yes,
but
not
enough
to
notice
on
a
modern
PC.
In
testing,
it
used
about
160
MB
of
memory
and
no
measurable
CPU
at
idle,
and
added
around
5
seconds
to
startup.
A
full
scan
is
the
exception:
it
took
over
15
minutes,
longer
than
most
rivals,
though
the
machine
stayed
responsive.
Older
or
low-memory
laptops
will
feel
that
scan
more,
so
schedule
scans
overnight.
📱
Is
AVG
Good
for
Android?
Yes.
AV-TEST
scored
AVG
AntiVirus
Free
for
Android
6/6/6
in
May
2026,
and
AV-Comparatives
recorded
99.6%
protection
with
2
false
positives,
against
98.9%
for
Google
Play
Protect.
⚔️
Is
AVG
Better
Than
Microsoft
Defender?
Yes,
on
detection.
AV-Comparatives
measured
AVG
at
96.3%
offline
detection
against
Defender’s
89.2%
in
March
2026,
so
AVG
catches
more
when
the
cloud
lookup
fails.
Defender
scans
faster,
needs
no
installation,
and
shows
no
upgrade
prompts
since
it’s
entirely
free
for
Windows
users.” temperature=”0.3″ top_p=”1.0″ best_of=”1″ presence_penalty=”0.1″ ]
Internet Security plus TuneUp, Secure VPN, AntiTrack
.88 (.99/mo)
9.99
A 60-day trial of Internet Security is available within the app, allowing users to explore its features before committing to a purchase.
Which AVG Plan is Worth Buying?
Single Windows PC, careful user: Stick with AVG AntiVirus Free for the same protection as paid tiers.
Laptop user on public Wi-Fi: Consider Internet Security for enhanced firewall and website protection.
Households with multiple devices: Choose Ultimate in the first year, as it offers additional products at no extra cost.
VPN seekers: Explore other options, as AVG’s bundled VPN may not meet all needs.
What AVG Costs After the First Year
The renewal rates for AVG products can be steep, with Internet Security increasing to .99 and Ultimate to 9.99. Users should be aware of these costs when considering long-term use.
Everything Bundled with AVG, Rated Tool by Tool
AVG Ultimate combines four products under one license. Each component has been evaluated for its effectiveness and value.
AVG Secure VPN
The AVG Secure VPN mirrors Avast SecureLine, offering similar features but with a notable average download speed loss of 22.5%. While it functions adequately for casual use, it may not suffice as a primary VPN solution.
AVG TuneUp
TuneUp is AVG’s system optimization tool, effectively cleaning unnecessary files and improving performance. While it is beneficial, its standalone price may deter some users.
AVG Secure Browser and Web Shield
Web Shield effectively blocks malicious URLs, while AVG Secure Browser provides a safe browsing environment, particularly for banking activities. Users may find value in utilizing both tools.
AVG AntiTrack
AntiTrack offers privacy features by randomizing browser fingerprints and blocking tracking scripts. However, its necessity may be diminished for users of privacy-focused browsers.
Enhanced Firewall and Email Shield
The Enhanced Firewall is a standout feature, providing extensive customization options. Email Shield effectively scans emails for threats, making both tools valuable additions to AVG’s offerings.
Webcam Protection and Sensitive Data Shield
Webcam Protection is useful for users with webcams, while Sensitive Data Shield helps secure important documents. Both features enhance AVG’s overall security posture.
AVG on Windows, Mac, Android, and iPhone
The Windows version of AVG is the most comprehensive, while the Mac and mobile versions offer essential protection without some advanced features found in the desktop version.
Customer Support
AVG provides customer support through its account portal, with options for email and phone assistance. The response time is reasonable, though users may find the initial navigation frustrating.
AVG Compared with the Main Alternatives
AVG vs Avast
Both AVG and Avast share ownership and detection engines, with AVG being the more economical option for households needing coverage for multiple devices. Avast offers additional features in its free tier.
AVG vs Bitdefender
Bitdefender outperforms AVG in terms of detection accuracy and resource efficiency. However, AVG remains a strong contender for users seeking a free solution or coverage across multiple devices.
AVG vs Norton
Norton provides a more comprehensive suite with additional features, making it a better choice for users who require extensive support and services. AVG is ideal for those seeking a straightforward antivirus solution.
AVG vs Microsoft Defender
AVG surpasses Microsoft Defender in detection capabilities, particularly in offline scenarios. However, Defender’s seamless integration and lack of upselling may appeal to users who prefer a straightforward experience.
Common Questions About AVG Antivirus
Is AVG Antivirus Safe to Install?
Yes, AVG is safe when downloaded from the official site or app stores. Users should be cautious of fake download pages that may contain malware.
Is AVG Antivirus Good?
AVG has proven its effectiveness in independent tests, earning high scores and recognition for its performance in malware detection.
Is AVG Free Good Enough on Its Own?
For careful users, AVG Free provides sufficient protection. However, those frequently using public networks may benefit from the additional features offered in paid tiers.
What Is AVG Antivirus?
AVG is a security suite from Gen Digital, available in free and paid versions across multiple platforms. It includes various features aimed at protecting users from online threats.
Who Owns AVG Now?
AVG is owned by Gen Digital, which also oversees brands like Avast and Norton.
Is AVG the Same as Avast?
While AVG and Avast share ownership and detection technology, they differ in user interface and feature offerings.
Does AVG Slow Down Your Computer?
AVG may slightly impact system performance, particularly during scans, but it remains efficient for most modern PCs.
Is AVG Good for Android?
Yes, AVG for Android has received high marks for its effectiveness in malware protection.
Is AVG Better Than Microsoft Defender?
AVG offers superior detection capabilities compared to Microsoft Defender, particularly in offline scenarios.
