Avast vs AVG: which antivirus is better?

When looking for a good antivirus for our computer, two well-known names immediately come up: Avast vs. AVG. Which to choose? When Avast Antivirus acquired AVG in 2016, it seemed that the issue was resolved. However, contrary to what everyone expected, both products continued to be offered independently.

So as of today, and ruling out other less solid options, the comparison between the two antiviruses is still valid. A fratricidal duel. The truth is that both products have some differences, each with its strengths and weaknesses. The choice is not so simple. In this article we are going to do a comparison to make the final decision clearer.

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Go ahead that both one and the other are very effective antiviruses and that provide more than acceptable levels of security for most users. In the past, AVG had a reputation for some bugs, although this only happened in early versions.

Next, we compare the two antiviruses from different points of view:

Free and paid versions

Today, both Avast and AVG offer free versions of your antivirus. These versions are logically limited, but they work perfectly as a protection barrier against malware. There are no big differences between one and the other.

If we want to have more features, it is necessary to get the paid versions. And this is where some differences begin to be noticed.

• AVG offers two paid versions: AVG Internet Security y AVG Ultimate.
• Avast Antivirus has two other versions: Avast PremiumSecurity y Avast Ultimate.

These premium versions allow extend your protection on up to 10 different devices. However, when looking at each antivirus' feature set in detail, Avast comes out on top as it incorporates certain features like DNS web protection and Sandbox mode, which are not available in AVG.

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Features

If we compare the functions available in both the paid versions of each of the antiviruses, the balance is once again on the side of Avast.

In the free version, which anyone can download and install on their computer, Avast includes the malware scanner and a tool monitoring for WiFi vulnerabilities, And a password manageryes and a shield of ransomware. In the case of AVG these functions are limited to a simple virus scan.

The gap between both antiviruses in their paid versions in terms of functions is even greater. While Avast provides DNS configuration protection and the aforementioned sandbox mode to run applications in an isolated and safe way, AVG's proposal is limited to two rather weak products: Avast Cleanup Premium y Avast SecureLine VPN.

Apart from this, Avast also includes advanced firewall, webcam shield and practice “data shredder” option which we can use to delete files permanently without trace. Similar options are available in AVG Ultimate.

Interface

One of the most important aspects when choosing an antivirus is ease of use. It is convenient to understand it well and know its ins and outs in order to get all the juice out of it. The easier it is to install and use, the simpler and more intuitive its interface, the better it will work.

Install Avast on our PC it is extremely easy, as long as we do not get into complicated customization options. Once installed, it takes care of carrying out a series of tasks automatically (antivirus scanning, updates, etc.) without us having to program or execute anything directly.

To make life easier for the user, the Avast interface uses a nice color palette and synthesizes all the functions in four large tabs. Before selecting the options for each of them, when you move the cursor over each option, an explanatory text appears to help us in our task. Very easy.

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Unlike Avast, AVG offers two installation modes: quick (the most recommended) and custom. The process is also very simple and does not require too much time. In addition, the software occupies only 1 MB of the memory of our device.

Perhaps in this section AVG is a step above Avast. It also uses useful descriptions of each of the functions, with the advantage of offering six scan levels, from the simplest to the deepest and most exhaustive analysis of possible malware installed on our computer (as shown in the image above). And all with a very diaphanous and easy-to-understand visual proposal.

Support

The customer support issue is pretty much the same at both Avast and AVG. Roughly, it can be said that in the free versions it leaves a lot to be desired (either directly or exists), but it is quite good in the paid ones.

In addition to the information base and consultation of its website, Avast offers various support methods:

• direct support, with a helpline 24 hours a day and 7 days a week.
• User Forum, where customers from all over the world share their experiences and solutions through more of a million posts. This forum is organized by language and by product.
• Avast TotalCare, the last bullet. For the most complex problems.

As well AVG It has a good range of user support tools:

• FAQ Section on its official website.
• Support forum, organized similarly to Avast.
• Live Chat.
• Customer service telephone lines, in operation 24 hours a day every day of the week.

Price

Although this is not a minor issue, the differences are not so great as to be significant. The paid version of Avast Premium Security has an annual cost of 69,99 euros. For its part, AVG offers two options: AVG Internet Security, whose features are comparable to those of Avast Premium Security, costs 59,99 euros, and AVG Ultimate, for 79,99 euros per year.

In any case, you have to pay attention to the official web pages, because many times they offer interesting Offers and discounts:

• Avast download link.
• AVG download link.

Conclusion

If you have carefully reviewed everything that is exposed in this article, you will have reached the conclusion that, put one in front of the other, the antivirus of Avast is slightly superior. Clearly in the free version and somewhat more subtly in the paid one.

Still, it's fair to say that some users have complained that Avast collects customer data without permission to use it for commercial purposes. It is not a secret: this is how they explain it themselves in terms of use and transparency. However, that may not be to everyone's liking.