Alternatives to Avast
Big free tier with upsells
Avast ranks #2 of 9 in Antivirus software, with an Alt Score of 82. It is proprietary, freemium from $49.99/year and available on Windows, macOS, Android and iOS. 9 of 10 checklist rows are verified against a public source.
Individual consumers who want antivirus and privacy protection for their Windows, Mac, Android, or iOS devices, from casual home users to anyone browsing public Wi-Fi.
Real-time malware and virus scanning, ransomware and phishing protection, a firewall, and webcam protection. Paid tiers add a VPN (SecureLine), performance/cleanup tools, and identity monitoring. Free and paid plans (Avast One, Premium Security) scale the feature set.
You install the Avast app on each device, and it runs continuous background scanning to detect and block threats automatically, with periodic full-system scans and update checks you can also trigger manually.
Why people leave Avast
Dashed reasons are sourced facts; the rest are opinions. Vendors can dispute.
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Ranked alternatives
Ordered by Alt Score. Click any score to see the breakdown.
Feature comparison
Rows come from the Antivirus software checklist (14 rows). Human-verified cells only. ? means the value has not been verified.
| Antivirus software checklist | Avast | Bitdefender | ESET | Malwarebytes | Microsoft Defender | Norton |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Pricing model | ||||||
| Starts at | ||||||
| License | ||||||
| Platforms | ||||||
| Independent lab scores (AV-TEST) | ||||||
| Real-time protection | ||||||
| Ransomware protection | ||||||
| Performance impact | ||||||
| Free tier | ||||||
| No data selling | ||||||
| Web protection | ||||||
| Cross-platform | ||||||
| Firewall included | ||||||
| Ad-free experience |
Every fact and feature listed for Avast is verified against its own pages. Each alternative is sourced on its own page.
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Pricing model Freemium verified 2026-07-10
Start with essential protection for free, then unlock advanced device security, privacy and performance features when you're ready.
https://www.avast.com/en-us/avast-one -
Starts at $49.99/year verified 2026-07-10
$49.99
https://www.avast.com/premium-security -
License Proprietary verified 2026-07-10
The structure, organization and computer code of any Software and firmware are valuable trade secrets and proprietary confidential information of Vendor.
https://www.avast.com/en-us/eula -
Platforms Windows, macOS, Android, iOS verified 2026-07-10
Also available for PC, Mac, Android, and iOS
https://www.avast.com/free-antivirus-download -
Status active verified 2026-07-10
Any new installation of Avast One will install the new version of the app.
https://support.avast.com/en-en/article/new-one-faq -
Independent lab scores (AV-TEST) Yes verified 2026-07-10
100% real-world threat samples detected and blocked
https://www.avast.com/free-antivirus-download -
Real-time protection Yes verified 2026-07-10
Block digital threats in real-time
https://www.avast.com/premium-security -
Ransomware protection Yes verified 2026-07-10
Ransomware Shield
https://www.avast.com/free-antivirus-download -
Free tier Yes verified 2026-07-10
You can use our free antivirus for as long as you want once you activate it.
https://www.avast.com/free-antivirus-download -
No data selling Yes verified 2026-07-10
Avast does not sell consumer data and the operational provisions of the settlement are consistent with the company's current privacy and security programs.
https://support.avast.com/en-us/article/jumpshot-settlement-faqs/ -
Web protection Yes verified 2026-07-10
Web Guard - Use intelligent AI to help block hidden scam websites and phishing links in emails
https://www.avast.com/free-antivirus-download -
Cross-platform Yes verified 2026-07-10
Also available for PC, Mac, Android, and iOS
https://www.avast.com/free-antivirus-download -
Firewall included Partial verified 2026-07-10
Firewall in paid Premium Security, not the free tier.
Block hackers out with our advanced firewall
https://www.avast.com/premium-security -
Ad-free experience Partial verified 2026-07-10
Free tier shows upgrade/upsell prompts.
Share app-usage data with Avast so we may offer you upgrades or our other products.
https://support.avast.com/en-us/article/antivirus-popup-notifications/
FAQ
Yes. Bitdefender, Malwarebytes and Microsoft Defender have a free tier or are fully free. Free-tier limits in the comparison table are verified and dated.
ClamAV — every license claim links its source.