You might expect that a company would offer basic protection for free, but reserve advanced bonus features for the paid edition. However, in the real world, many of the most popular free antivirus tools pack full-scale protection along with a ton of extra features. Avast Free Antivirus gives you more than many competing commercial products. On top of excellent antivirus protection, it adds a network security scanner, a password manager, browser protection, and more. It's an amazing collection of security features, considering that this product is free. This product is only free for personal use.

Help with nox app player for mac. In the past, those wishing to use Avast in a business setting had to upgrade to. Currently, Avast is de-emphasizing the Pro product; it didn't get an upgrade with the rest of the product line. When you try to use a Pro-only feature in the free antivirus, the product advises that you upgrade to the Avast Internet Security suite. During installation, Avast offers to install Google Chrome and to install the Google Toolbar in your other browsers. Unless you opt out, the toolbar makes Google your default search engine, but it doesn't take over your home page. The installer also presents a full page devoted to explaining how Avast uses your nonpersonal data, and how you can opt out if you wish.

To that end, in 2017, Avast blocked more than 250 million malware threats for Mac users. According to Avast data, Mac users are encountering various malware-related threats, including but not limited to: Trojans, adware, blacklisted websites, potentially unwanted programs (PUPs) and ransomware.

The biggest part of Avast's main window is a slate-gray rectangle with a bit of texture, decorated with a status icon and a big button titled Run Smart Scan. A left-rail menu lets you switch from the main Status page to Protection, Privacy, or Performance.

Across the bottom, you find a banner offering you a welcome gift. Unwrapping the virtual gift reveals a discounted upgrade to. If you reject the upgrade, it offers a 60-day trial. Avast really wants you to experience the suite! One of this product's features needs special mention, because it's virtually invisible. If you install another antivirus with Avast already on the system, it automatically goes into Passive Mode.

To avoid conflicts, it disables all real-time scanning and other active protection. Endnote word plugin. You can still launch scans manually. There's precedent for this behavior— does something similar. Lab Scores High and Plentiful It may seem counterintuitive, but antivirus makers typically pay for the privilege of having products included in testing by the independent labs.

The companies do benefit from testing, in two ways. A high score gives the company bragging rights, while if the score is poor, the lab helps the company improve by reporting what went wrong. When the antivirus doesn't bring in any income, a company might be tempted to skip the expense of testing. I follow four independent testing labs that regularly release reports on their results; all four of them include both Avast and AVG.

The analysts at perform a variety of security tests, of which I follow four. Products that do well enough to pass the test receive a Standard rating, while those that show advanced features and capabilities can rate Advanced or Advanced+. Out of the four tests, AVG and Avast both earned three Advanced+ ratings and one Advanced.

That's quite good, though took Advanced+ in all four tests. Reports on antivirus capabilities in three areas: protection, performance, and usability. With six points possible in each category, the maximum score is 18 points.