AVG Antivirus Review 2024: How Does It Rate for Security?

AVG is one of the top-rated antiviruses around, scoring impressive results in every third-party test that's thrown at it.

Boasting a malware protection rate of 100% across operating systems, AVG antivirus is worth considering for anyone wanting serious online protection. The free version offers a well-rounded suite of basic protection features, including malware removal, virus scans, and real-time protection. 

And when you opt for AVG Ultimate, you get more comprehensive antivirus protection, including ransomware, phishing, and payment protection. It also comes with tools like a virtual private network (VPN) and a tracker blocker for a comprehensive cybersecurity suite.

With a free plan, free trials, and a 30-day money-back guarantee, there’s no risk in seeing how you like AVG. If you like it enough to pay for it, you’ll get a sweet discount your first year.

AVG antivirus overview

Price	Free–$59.88/first yr
# of devices protected	1–10
Malware and virus scans	Manual and scheduled
Real-time protection	Yes
EICAR test results	3/3
Firewall	Yes (Enhanced Firewall with paid versions)
Phishing protection	Yes
Compatibility	Windows, macOS, Android, iOS
Extras	Sensitive Data Shield, Webcam protection, AntiTrack, WiFi scanner
24/7 customer support	Only if you add Premium Tech Support
Details	Get AVG

Our AVG experience

In general, we enjoyed using AVG antivirus and liked all the different types of scans available. 

On our Windows laptop, we first ran a Smart Scan — AVG’s version of a quick scan. Then we went for the Deep Scan, which is the full scan that checks your storage drives and memory for malware.

When it comes to software with all the bells and whistles, AVG has an impressive lineup. You can even scan removable media such as external hard drives and USB drives for extra security.

Our Deep Scan found no threats and only took about 6 minutes. We had the scan run while working on other projects with multiple browser tabs open and didn’t notice a lag in productivity.

We ran the Smart Scan and expected the time it took to be much shorter. It didn’t disappoint, taking about 30 seconds to complete. 

While it didn't find any threats, it did suggest some settings changes to make our device more secure:

While it was nice to get these suggestions, we don't want to disable our notifications when our PC was locked, so it's annoying that this keeps coming up every time we scan. There should be a dismiss feature.

After the Smart Scan runs, AVG tries to upsell you to their computer tune up service. Again, this is a bit annoying to have to click through every time you run a quick scan.

We also tried the WiFi scanner, which was a cool feature that we don't see too often. Unfortunately, they also try to upsell you to their VPN service after that scan, so be prepared to click through that if you're not interested.

While the scans themselves were good, as proven by their third-party test results, we found the interface to take a bit to get used to. We somehow stumbled across the firewall settings, but then lost it for a bit, for example.

If you’re looking for an antivirus program that you can customize with lots of scheduled scans and options to check your network and external drives, AVG is platinum-level software. But some may find its ease of use lacking, especially because AVG’s online guides don’t seem to be updated quite yet.

You should know you may need to play around with the settings to figure out how to use all of the features, as we did. Because the support pages seem a bit out of date, not all of the instructions worked for us, and we had to go through the settings to make some of the features work. Still, we think this is a good antivirus for the money and all the options that come with it.

Who is AVG antivirus best for?

• Recommended for people who see the need for strong antivirus software with nearly perfect protection ratings.

With new malware invented every day, more people are seeing how critical cybersecurity is. AVG antivirus prevents new threats and can also spot existing malware on your device. Based on its third-party test scores, it also won’t disrupt your system performance

With a free trial and money-back guarantee, you can try AVG's free and paid security options to see which is best for your needs. AVG is a trusted name in antivirus because it has almost perfect protection ratings, and we think it’s an excellent choice for any antivirus buyer.

AVG antivirus cost

AVG can cost anything from free to $34.99/first yr.

The free option is a good deal when you want basic antivirus protection for one device. But when you opt for the paid AVG Internet Security or the AVG Ultimate options, you'll get more antivirus protection and extra features for your money.

AVG Internet Security comes in at $46.68/yr (first year only) for one device or $59.88/yr (first year only) for 10 devices. When you go with this plan, you get scheduled scanning, payment protection, and Wi-Fi security features that don’t come with the free plan. This isn't a high cost when you consider the number of devices you can cover. 

When you want even more coverage, you can go for the AVG Ultimate plan for $34.99/first yr. You still get the 10 devices supported, and this plan comes with AVG Secure VPN, tracker blocking with AVG AntiTrack, and device optimization features with AVG TuneUp. 

AVG plans and prices

	AVG Antivirus Free	AVG Internet Security	AVG Ultimate
Price per month	Free	$46.68/yr (first year only)	$34.99/first yr
# devices supported	1	1–10	10
Manual and auto scan
Real-time protection
Phishing protection
Ransomware protection
Wi-Fi security
Payment protection
VPN
Performance optimization tools
Tracker blocker
Details	View plan	View plan	View plan

Compared to other antivirus products, AVG is more expensive for its starting Internet Security plan. For instance, TotalAV starts at $29.00/yr (first year only) and Norton starts at $29.99/first yr.

However, we think AVG has one of the best free antivirus plans available. We also think its AVG Ultimate bundle is priced similarly to its competitor bundles. TotalAV's Total Security package costs $49.00/yr (first year only) for only six devices, while Norton 360 Deluxe costs $49.99/first yr for only five devices.

AVG features

One of the first things we noticed about AVG antivirus is how easy it was to install. You can start with its free antivirus software if you’d like to test it out, but we chose to try the paid Internet Security plan.

Our plan included lots of security features, including Wi-Fi network protection, an advanced firewall, and payment protection. We thought those features were worth the investment if you only need coverage for one device.

Malware and antivirus scan

AVG has a variety of scanning options to choose from. You can use the Smart Scan, Deep Scan, File or Folder Scan, Boot-Time Scan, USB/DVD Scan, and Performance Scan. All of these have different functions and though we think that’s pretty cool, it can also be a bit overwhelming.

Here are more details on the scanning options: 

• Smart Scan: A robust scan that detects malware, outdated software, browser extensions with bad reps, network threats, and performance issues
• Deep Scan: An in-depth full system scan that checks your storage drives and memory for malware
• File or Folder Scan: Allows you to select the files and folders you wish to scan
• Boot-Time Scan: Can scan your device during the next system startup in an attempt to detect and remove malware before a cyberattack
• USB/DVD Scan: Scans all removable media, like USB drives and DVDs, that's attached to your device
• Performance Scan: Scans your system for issues that might affect the speed and security of your device

AVG does give you manual and automatic scan options, but we found the instructions from the support page to be a little lacking, maybe even out of date. The instructions show you should click on three dots beside the Run Smart Scan button, but on our AVG interface, we didn’t have that option.

On our version of AVG, you can either run a Smart Scan or click on Run Other Scans, which will show a dropdown list of the other scan types. You can also click on Scheduled scans and create your custom scan.

Phishing protection

AVG’s phishing and email protection checks for deceptive attachments that could be dangerous. Some phishing campaigns come from fake websites or even pop-ups, so AVG also checks for an authentic security certificate. That helps prevent you from browsing phony websites that some hacker created to fool you.

AVG’s phishing protection also blocks links that may try to steal your data. If the program detects malware or a phishing scam, it’ll block the websites. We like the security that comes with that knowledge and that we didn’t have to do anything special to enforce it.

The File Shield, Web Shield, and Email Shield checkboxes are selected by default, so unless you want to make changes, you’re good to go.

Enhanced firewall

The firewall feature is actually quite useful on PC. (Mac users don't get access to the firewall, unfortunately.) Within AVG’s firewall, there are four categories: Apps, Networks, Logs, and Premium. Each category has different protection options:

Apps

This category tracks active and inactive apps. If the app is active, AVG tells you how much bandwidth the app uses. You can choose to block or remove any of these apps from your device.

Networks

You can decide whether to trust or not trust whatever internet networks you’re connected to through this feature.

Trusting your home network allows you to become discoverable by printers, mobile devices, or anything else you want to sync to your computer. 

Not trusting a network is great if you’re on a shared Wi-Fi connection with people you don’t know. When you connect to an untrusted network, the firewall will block all incoming communication and enhance security.

Logs

Logs are a running record of everything that happens on your computer. This feature allows you to see what logs are running or have run so you can identify possible malware and block it.

Premium

This firewall category only comes with the paid plan. Each of the toggled options in the premium feature are meant to increase security.

• Leak Protection increases security by preventing data leaks of your personal data.
• Port Scan Alerts warn you of remote desktop protocol (RDP) attacks.
• ARP Spoofing Alerts warn you of address resolution protocol (ARP) attacks like a man-in-the-middle attack.

Real-time protection

Real-time protection shields you from malware or a data breach. AVG’s real-time protection does this through the use of AI to discover new threats.

With the benefit of real-time protection, you don’t have to scan every single file you open. We had no issues with this feature, as it ran while we were browsing the internet and using our device to work. Just note, this isn’t how antivirus software works for every system, as you may have to turn on the real-time protection feature in other programs.

Ransomware protection

AVG comes with the Ransomware Protection feature that’s enabled by default. In the Ransomware Protection settings, you get a list of protected file types that you can choose to protect, including archives, audio, documents, photos, and videos.

You can also choose which apps are allowed to change or delete files in your protected folders. Trusted apps are also allowed by default. Those are apps such as Microsoft Word and Adobe Photoshop.

If you want to remove a folder from the protected file type list, you can deselect it by clicking on the checkmark next to the file type. You can also add other file types by entering the file type under Additional file types to protoect.

We found using the ransomware feature easy and straightforward. Navigating to the protected file types list was simple, and there weren’t many steps involved.

AVG VPN

AVG VPN is a good option if you want to have secure Wi-Fi anywhere you go. You may visit coffee shops and other places where you can access free public Wi-Fi. If that’s the case, having AVG Secure VPN will let you browse online while staying hidden and protected.

You also don’t have to love to travel to need a secure VPN. If you use online banking or shop online, a virtual private network can help keep your data safe.

The AVG VPN gives you an encrypted connection that keeps your online activity private from others. That means hackers and even your internet service provider (ISP) won’t get access to what you do online.

You can even choose a different country’s server and surf or stream the web as if you were there. AVG Ultimate comes with AVG Secure VPN, but you can also buy it separately to pair with your preferred antivirus. 

AVG Secure VPN cost

Subscription plan	1-Year Plan	2-Year Plan	3-Year Plan
Price per month	$4.49/mo (billed annually) for the first year	$4.39/mo (billed annually) for the first two years	$4.39/mo (billed annually) for the first three years
Details	Learn More	Learn More	Learn More

Bonus features

AVG has a few bonus features that you can use to make your experience better. Some of these only work with specific operating systems or are for use with certain devices.

AVG Secure Browser

AVG offers free downloads of its Secure Browser. While there are a lot of customization options and it’s aesthetically pleasing, the browser itself isn’t very useful.

Our testing with AdBlock Tester and Cover Your Tracks found that the browser still allowed most ads and trackers to follow you around online. While there is a VPN feature built into the address bar of the browser, it’s only accessible through a paid subscription. Overall, this browser was lackluster and we’re going to stick with Chrome and Safari for our personal needs.

AVG Secure Browser test results

Test	AVG Secure Browser score
AdBlock Tester	39/100
Cover Your Tracks	0/3

Sensitive Data Shield

The Sensitive Data Shield is an additional security option for paid plans that scans your computer for documents containing banking info, passwords, IDs, your Social Security number, pay stubs, and anything else that might allow someone to steal your identity. This feature protects your data by monitoring what and who has access to these files.

Webcam protection

Webcam protection is a simple off-and-on toggle that locks down your webcam. Basically, it requires you to authorize every attempt to access your webcam. This means if a program tries to access your camera without your knowledge, you’ll be alerted.

AntiTrack

AVG AntiTrack is available with AVG Ultimate. Its meant to be a tool that prevents tracking and fingerprinting. Fingerprinting is when trackers can build a unique profile of you. The more unique your fingerprint, the easier it is to identify you.

AVG antivirus mobile app

AVG has both paid and free plans for iPhone and Android, but there are significantly fewer features on the free version of the app.

If you’re looking to block viruses and protect against malware, the free app is good. If you’d like more features like securing your network connection or performance improvements, you’ll need to upgrade to a paid plan.

AVG antivirus test results

We put all products to the test by combining our own in-house testing and also researching the most trusted third-party test results available. We were happy to see AVG perform very impressively across all tests.

Scan speed

• Result: Fast

We tested two of AVG's main scan types and were very impressed with the scan types of both. Anything under 10 minutes for a full scan is an A+ in our books, so we were happy to see AVG almost half that time.

Scan type	Time spent
Smart scan	30 seconds
Deep scan	5 minutes and 50 seconds

Though we liked the speed, we would like to see a better results screen. What we get right now is very sparse, and we couldn't find where to find details on past results either.

EICAR test results

• Result: 3/3

EICAR, which stands for the European Institute for Antivirus Research, files allow us to test how well a program can detect malware and phishing attempts without infecting our device with actual malware.

We were pleased to find that AVG blocked or quarantined all the malware and PUA test files, plus blocked the phishing site — but the latter was only when we had the AVG Online Security browser extension installed.

Test	AVG score
Malware detection	Pass
Drive-by malware downloads	Pass
Phishing pages detection	Pass

Test results as of 08/09/2024.

The first two tests are different ways a site may try to download a malicious file to your device, which AVG was able to catch both times.

The third test is a page that's designed to act like a fake page trying to phish information out of you. The AVG Online Security browser extension easily caught on and blocked our access.

AV-TEST results

• Result: Perfect scores across the board

AV-TEST is a third-party tester for antivirus programs, which bases its scores on real-world scenarios. It uses the most current versions of products to ensure validity and balanced testing scores. 

The three test types are protection against malware infections, influence on computer performance, and impact on the usability of the computer, which evaluates the appearance of false positives. 

Test type	Windows 11 score	macOS Monterey score	Android 11 score
Protection	6/6	6/6	6/6
Performance	6/6	6/6	6/6
Usability	6/6	6/6	6/6
Date	October 2024	September 2024	September 2024
Link to test	Link	Link	Link

AVG received perfect scores for its Windows, macOS, and Android programs. It achieved 100% protection against malware attacks on all three programs and had lower influence on computers while running programs and launching websites. 

There was only one false positive with the Windows program, which concerned actions carried out while installing and using legitimate software. Otherwise, AVG was perfect.  

AV-Comparatives test results

• Result: Solid scores, with room for improvement in the malware protection and performance impact categories. 

AV-Comparatives is another highly trusted third-party antivirus test. And just like with AV-TEST, AVG got some good scores here.

Test type	Mobile security	Real-world protection	Malware protection	Performance impact (Lower is better)
Score	99.96%	100%	99.92%	7.5
Platform	Android	Windows	Windows	Windows
Date	May 2024	July-October 2024	September 2024	September-October 2024
Link	Link	Link	Link	Link

When it comes to its last mobile security test on Android, AVG tied for first along with Avast, Bitdefender, and Kaspersky. All four of the antivirus software had the same rate and flagged zero false positives.

In the real-world protection test, AVG tied for second place with Avast, Bitdefender, and G DATA. First place programs all had a 99.8% protection rate, so AVG wasn't far behind. 

For malware protection, AVG came in 12th place, which is the last spot in the green category. We hope to see AVG rise to the top again during the next round of tests.

Performance impact was the main test that we would've liked to see a slightly better showing, though it still came in fifth place. The first place only had a 2.6 impact score, so AVG has some room to make up here.

SE Labs results

• Result: 99%

Finally, SE Labs is a U.K.-based antivirus testing lab that releases quarterly results for both consumer and software products.

Again, AVG was able to deliver some impressive results here, tying for second place along with Avast. The first place products that beat it out were Kaspersky, McAfee, and Norton 360.

Test type	Home Anti-Malware Protection
Total accuracy rating	100%
Date	2022 Q2
Link	Link

It's been a few years since the last time SE Labs included AVG in their tests, though, so we're hoping to see some updated results soon.

AVG compatibility

If you use the following platforms, AVG has an available version:

• Windows 7, 8, 10, and 11
• macOS 10.11 or higher
• Android 5.0 or above
• iOS 10.0 or above (iPhone and iPad)

It even comes in different languages for Windows, iOS, and Android devices. Currently, Mac only supports English.

AVG customer support

Unfortunately, we cannot talk about a stellar customer support experience. We did place a call to support to ask some questions about the Enhanced Firewall feature location, and when the representative tried to tell us where to go under the menu settings, we didn’t have that option. The support person seemed at a loss, as were we. She was very kind, but it didn’t seem she knew how to help us.

The other thing we tried was to ask a question on the support page, but again to no avail. When we tried to select the options for the “paid subscription,” the page kept freezing. After several attempts, we were able to send an email to support. Before blaming the page freezing on AVG’s site, we checked that our other browser tabs were working without issue.

As far as options, AVG does list a few ways to reach out or search for answers:

• The help option inside the user interface
• Email support
• AVG support phone number: 1-865-666-0475
• AVG Facebook
• AVG YouTube

Top alternatives

AVG isn't for everyone and that's alright. There are plenty of antivirus programs that may be better suited to your cybersecurity needs. Here's some of the best antivirus software on the market that you can consider instead: 

Antivirus
Price	$29.00–$49.00/yr (first year only)	$2.49-$20.65/mo	$29.99–$99.99/first yr
# of devices protected	4 - 8	1 - 5	1 - 10
Malware scans	Manual and scheduled	Manual and scheduled	Manual and scheduled
Real-time protection
EICAR test results	2/3	2/3	3/3
Firewall
Phishing protection
Compatibility	Windows, macOS, Android, iOS, Chrome, Edge, Opera, Safari	Windows, macOS, iOS, Android, Linux, Chrome, Firefox, Edge	Windows, macOS, Android, iOS
Extras	Password manager, ad blocker, VPN	VPN, ad blocker, identity theft protection, data removal	Password manager, VPN, dark web monitoring, parental controls, privacy monitor, identity theft protection, cloud backup
24/7 customer support
Learn more	Get TotalAV	Get Surfshark One	Get Norton 360

AVG antivirus FAQs

Bottom line: Is AVG antivirus good?

AVG is an incredible antivirus with excellent protection scores. It comes with tons of features, such as Wi-Fi network protection and multi-device coverage. You also get protection from phishing, ransomware, and fake websites.

If you want a supreme antivirus with several features you can customize, AVG is the product for you. If you’re the type of person who wants a no-frills program that’s easy to navigate from the beginning, you may want to look at alternatives on our best antivirus software list.

If you want to see some deep dive comparisons against other antivirus software, check these out:

• Norton 360 vs. AVG
• Avast vs. AVG
• TotalAV vs. AVG