Offering antivirus or security suite protection at no cost can effectively cultivate brand awareness and foster goodwill among consumers. However, the challenge remains: without a substantial number of users transitioning to paid versions, the financial sustainability of such offerings is jeopardized. Some companies adopt a strict policy, limiting free products to noncommercial use, while others entice potential customers by hinting at exclusive features available only in the premium versions. Avira Internet Security currently finds itself in a precarious position, as it does not significantly enhance the user experience compared to Avira Free Security, yet it falls short when compared to the more comprehensive Avira Prime. For those considering a paid option, the Editors’ Choice suite, Bitdefender Internet Security, stands out, boasting all essential features and consistently receiving high ratings from antivirus testing labs.
What’s the Price of Avira Internet Security?
The annual fee for a single installation of Avira Internet Security is .99. Previously, this price included three licenses, but now the current cost for a three-license subscription has risen to .99, a figure that once covered five licenses. In comparison, three licenses for competitors like Bitdefender Internet Security, ESET, or Trend Micro Internet Security are priced slightly lower, just under .
For those needing five licenses, the annual cost is .99, which is notably the highest rate for an entry-level security suite, surpassing Bitdefender’s .99 and Panda Dome Advanced’s .99. On the more affordable end, K7 Total Security offers five licenses for just . Meanwhile, McAfee+ is available at the lowest tier for 9.99, providing protection for all devices in a household, including Android, ChromeOS, iOS, macOS, and Windows.
Shared With Free Security
The interface of Avira Internet Security closely mirrors that of Avira Free Security, featuring a left-rail menu that allows users to navigate between Status, Security, Privacy, and Performance. A banner at the top displays the current security status, while large icons for Security, Privacy, and Performance dominate the dark-themed main window. A prominent button initiates Avira’s Smart scan, which assesses privacy issues, performance concerns, malware, and outdated software.
Three of the four antivirus testing labs I monitor regard Avira as significant enough to include in their evaluations, and all have awarded it commendable scores. Despite the rigorous standards set by MRG-Effitas, Avira managed to pass its latest tests alongside competitors like Bitdefender and ESET Home Security Essential. In the most recent assessments from AV-Test Institute, Avira achieved a perfect score, while in three tests conducted by AV-Comparatives, it secured the highest rating in two and the second-highest in one.
Utilizing a complex algorithm to aggregate lab scores on a 10-point scale, Avira received an impressive aggregate score of 9.7. However, it still trails behind some competitors, with McAfee scoring 9.8, ESET achieving 9.9, and Bitdefender earning a perfect 10. Among the few products evaluated by all four labs, Avast One Silver leads with a score of 9.8.
In practical malware protection tests, Avira detected 97% of the samples but allowed partial installations of several, resulting in a score of 9.3 out of 10. This performance places it behind several other antivirus applications, including Avast, AVG Internet Security, and UltraAV, which each achieved 99% detection and 9.9 points.
Avira’s free Browser Safety component, available as an extension for Chrome, Edge, Firefox, and Opera, effectively guides users away from harmful web pages. In tests using malware-hosting URLs identified by experts at MRG-Effitas, Avira successfully blocked access to 98% of these dangerous URLs, achieving a perfect protection score. Other competitors, including Bitdefender, Guardio, Sophos Home Premium, and Trend Micro, also reached 100% in their respective evaluations.
While the Browser Safety extension is included with Avira’s free suite, paying customers gain access to a separate Web protection component that serves a similar purpose. This feature will be discussed further below.
Creating a Trojan capable of stealing sensitive information while evading detection is a complex task. In contrast, establishing a phishing site to deceive unsuspecting users into divulging their passwords is relatively straightforward. Avira excelled in my phishing protection test, successfully identifying and neutralizing 100% of real-world phishing attempts. Guardio, McAfee, Surfshark One, NordVPN, and Norton Genie also achieved perfect detection rates.
As previously mentioned, most features of this suite are available for free in Avira Free Security. The Security page provides access to quarantine and various malware scanning options at no cost. Free users have basic control over the Windows Firewall, while a paid upgrade unlocks Avira Firewall. Both editions include a software updater that identifies applications needing security patches; however, paying customers can configure Avira to handle updates automatically. While real-time protection is available for free, upgrading adds Web and Ransomware protection.
In the Privacy section, both free and paid suites offer a file shredder for secure deletion, a secure browser, and an automated scan to optimize system privacy settings. Additionally, both versions include a bandwidth-limited version of Avira Phantom VPN, with the commercial edition doubling the monthly data limit to 1GB.
Web Protection Adds Little
One advantage of opting for Avira is the inclusion of Web protection. While Browser Safety functions as a browser extension and is limited to supported browsers, Web protection aims to direct any application away from hazardous URLs. However, in testing, its effectiveness did not match that of Browser Safety.
To assess this feature, I replicated my malicious URL blocking test using the latest malware-hosting URLs. I attempted to access dangerous URLs in Chrome without Browser Safety and in a custom-built, lesser-known browser.
Web protection displayed warning pages in both browsers when encountering hazardous URLs, occasionally supplementing these warnings with popup notifications. Out of approximately 100 samples, it successfully blocked 75% at the URL level. In instances where Avira did not prevent access to a dangerous URL, it often blocked the download of the malicious file, with the regular antivirus quarantining others. In total, protection at the file level accounted for an additional 22% of the remaining threats.
In summary, Web protection achieved 97% effectiveness, while Browser Safety managed a perfect 100%. Although having two components monitoring for dangerous downloads is beneficial, free users still enjoy robust protection.
Ransomware Protection Probably Works
Transitioning from free to a paid Avira product expands protection options to some degree. Free users receive real-time protection, while paying customers gain access to Web protection and Ransomware protection. My preferred method for testing ransomware-specific antivirus features involves disabling other protective layers; however, turning off Avira’s real-time protection also disables the ransomware feature.
Upon opening a folder containing my ransomware samples, Avira eliminated all but one. In a second folder with modified versions of the same samples, it successfully wiped out all but two. Even when I created a new set of hand-modified ransomware files, Avira still managed to eliminate all but two. This left me with only a few ransomware samples for testing.
When I executed the original and modified samples that Avira did not delete immediately, the regular antivirus detected and quarantined them based on their behavior. Although the real-time antivirus identified one as ransomware, the ransomware-specific protection layer did not have the opportunity to engage. Thus, while ransomware protection likely functions effectively, I could not definitively prove its efficacy.
Skipping the Pro Antivirus
In my review of Avira Free Security, I noted the availability of Avira Free Antivirus. However, since both options are free, there is little reason to opt for the less feature-rich standalone antivirus. Similarly, a Pro edition of the free standalone antivirus is available, offering most of the minimal upgrades previously discussed. These include Ransomware protection, whose effectiveness remains unmeasured, and Web protection, which does not significantly enhance the free Browser Safety. The lack of compelling reasons to invest in these upgrades has led me to discontinue coverage of Avira Antivirus Pro.
Software Updater Pro
Avira’s website highlights that this suite includes Antivirus Pro, Software Updater Pro, and Password Manager Pro. Purchasing these three components separately would total 9.97 annually, with prices set at .99, .99, and .99, respectively. The suite’s price of .99 is slightly over half that amount. However, this perceived bargain hinges on the value of each component when sold individually.
Both the free suite and the paid antivirus feature a software updater component that performs nearly all functions of the standalone version. It scans the system and reports applications lacking critical security patches. However, manual intervention is required to update those applications.
In both the free suite and paid antivirus, clicking the Update All button redirects users to an upsell page promoting one of the commercial suite products, as does attempting to enable Auto-update. Clicking the Update button for individual applications also triggers an upsell attempt, although some instances may include a link for manual updates.
With Avira Internet Security, the Update All feature becomes accessible. Users can simply click it and let it operate in the background. During testing, it identified two necessary Windows updates and an update for VMware Tools. It promptly installed one Windows update but stalled indefinitely on the other. After a reboot, it attempted again but reported failure in updating VMware Tools.
Users can view applications that do not require updates, and enabling Auto-update allows Avira to check for and apply updates autonomously. While this service is convenient, the notion of paying .99 annually for it as a standalone offering raises questions, particularly given its inability to install all identified updates.
Password Manager Pro
Numerous password manager utilities provide free editions, albeit with significant limitations. For instance, RoboForm, Keeper, or NordPass allow free usage only on a single device, with no cross-device syncing. Others impose restrictions on the number of passwords that can be managed, often limiting users to a minimal count. However, Avira Password Manager operates differently. Free users can sync an unlimited number of passwords across all their Windows, macOS, Android, and iOS devices. At the free level, Avira covers all essential password management functions and even offers two-factor authentication. However, advanced features such as secure sharing and digital inheritance are notably absent. For a comprehensive overview, refer to our review of the standalone password manager.
The primary enhancement offered in the Pro edition is a full-powered password security status report. While updating weak and duplicate passwords is crucial, the question remains: is it worth .99 annually? Users could save money by manually reviewing and updating any weak or reused passwords.
Simple Firewall
Recently added to Avira Internet Security, the simple firewall provides essential network protection. Similar to the built-in Windows Firewall, it permits all outgoing network connections while blocking unsolicited incoming ones. Additionally, it manages network access for applications running on the device.
Avira refers to its network-level firewall component as Intruder Protection. Unlike many competing products that overwhelm users with detailed configurations, Avira opts for simplicity. The default rules are not displayed, and if the firewall interferes with connections from a legitimate IP address, users can create a rule to allow that connection. Conversely, blocking a known bad IP address is also straightforward. I confirmed its functionality by temporarily blocking access to the network gateway. Although configuring firewall rules is easy, I suspect many users may not take advantage of this feature.
Avira automatically configures its App Rules feature to allow all access for recognized and trusted applications. In my testing, it set permissions for browsers like Chrome, Edge, Firefox, and Opera, along with essential Windows processes. When an unknown program attempts to access the internet or network, the user is prompted to decide the course of action.
Unlike many competing firewalls that present users with a plethora of confusing options, Avira simplifies the process. Users are left with just two choices: allow or block the connection. Regardless of the decision, a rule is created, eliminating the need for repeated responses. If a mistake occurs, users can easily navigate to the App rules list to rectify it.
The firewall protection provided by Avira effectively covers the basics, safeguarding against attacks from both the network and internet while managing which applications can access the network. Its straightforward approach is commendable.
Verdict: Stick With the Free Suite
With the introduction of a built-in firewall, Avira Internet Security aligns more closely with the expected features of a comprehensive suite. However, it still lacks common functionalities such as spam filtering, parental controls, or backup options, and its system speedup features remain behind a paywall. Upgrading from the free version grants access to somewhat redundant Web protection and a Ransomware protection feature that remains untested. The Pro editions of the software updater and password manager offer little beyond their free counterparts. Most of the valuable features are readily available at no cost in the free edition. For those seeking a robust entry-level security suite, it is advisable to consider the Editors’ Choice winner, Bitdefender Internet Security, which consistently achieves perfect scores in lab tests, includes all expected suite features, and offers a wealth of additional benefits beyond the standard offerings.
