Avira Antivirus review

Avira is one of the most popular antivirus providers thanks to its powerful free version and lightweight malware protection engine. In independent tests from labs like AV-TEST and AV-Comparatives, Avira regularly achieves near-perfect malware detection scores, often blocking 99.9% or more threats in real-world scenarios.

In this Avira Antivirus review, I tested its malware detection, performance impact, pricing, and extra features like the built-in VPN and password manager. While the free plan offers strong protection, some advanced security tools — including ransomware protection and web protection — are only available in paid tiers.

Avira antivirus review in short

Overall, Avira is one of the best antivirus software choices for users who want reliable protection without paying for a full security suite. The free version already includes real-time malware protection, a system scanner, and limited VPN access. Meanwhile, paid plans add essential tools like phishing protection, ransomware defense, and email scanning.

Compared with competitors like Bitdefender and Norton, Avira stands out for its generous free tier and lightweight cloud-based malware detection engine, although its premium plans offer fewer advanced features than some competitors.

Avira antivirus free plan

Avira Free Security is often considered one of the best free antivirus programs available, thanks to its strong malware protection and additional tools like a VPN and password manager. Here’s what you get:

• Antivirus protection. You’ll be adequately protected against malware and dangerous websites.
• VPN. The limited VPN allows encrypting your connections for added anonymity, but you’ll be restricted to 500MB/month, or 1GB/month if you register with an email address.
• Speed booster. The software will offer cleanup suggestions that can lead to device performance improvements.
• Identity protection. You can use the included password manager to create unique account credentials and store them securely.

Avira Antivirus Pro

Avira’s Pro plan removes the free plan’s limitations and unlocks a few noteworthy extras, such as:

• Improved scanning. The paid version grants more customizable and thorough scanning features to keep your devices completely clean.
• Web protection. This feature ensures you don’t encounter phishing or infected websites.
• Email protection. You won’t have to worry about dangerous links or attachments when opening your inbox.
• Avira firewall. Avira’s firewall complements your device’s default settings for improved protection.
• Ransomware protection. Avira’s advanced ransomware protection utilizes behavior-based and signature-based analysis to protect you from ransomware.
• Customer support. All paying users get access to swift customer support via email and phone.

Avira ease of use and interface

Avira Antivirus is one of the most intuitive apps I’ve tested. You can find everything you need from this program in its four main tabs: Status, Security, Privacy, and Performance. Once you click on the desired tab, everything is self-explanatory. Virus scans, the VPN, the file shredder, and all the other features are a single click away.

Setting Avira up is simple as well. Simply click on Next a few times, and you’re all done. The installation time may vary depending on your device. It took 4–5 minutes to install Avira on my computer. However, it may take less time.

Avira Antivirus mobile app

If you want to keep your smartphone secure, Avira has you covered. You can download the Avira Antivirus app from Google Play for Android or the App Store for iOS. Then, simply use the free version or log in to your Avira account if you bought an Avira suite for multiple devices.

Even though the mobile version of Avira offers similar features to the desktop one, a few mobile-only perks help it stand out.

The Anti-Theft feature tracks the location of your device and lets you wipe out its data in case of theft or loss. It also allows you to put a PIN code on applications to prevent strangers from accessing them.

Additionally, Avira mobile displays the permissions given to your phone’s applications. With the help of Avira, you can also set a password to confidential apps and scan your network for unwanted devices (like your neighbor’s laptop).

There are also two additional features – microphone protection and camera protection. They let you manage the apps that have access to your camera and microphone.

Avira features and functionality

To evaluate Avira’s features and performance, our research team tested the software on a Windows 11 system with a typical consumer setup (Intel i5 processor, 16GB RAM, SSD storage). We installed Avira using default settings and assessed real-time protection, quick and full scans, malware detection, and system performance.

A controlled set of malware samples – including trojans, malicious scripts, and potentially unwanted programs – was used in an isolated testing environment to measure detection and quarantine rates. We also recorded scan duration, CPU usage, and overall system responsiveness.

I have noticed that Avira includes the main features needed to secure your device from malware. As expected, the free version is a bit limited, so if you wish to get the complete feature package, you’ll have to invest in a paid subscription. In any case, here are the essentials you gain with either subscription plan:

• Virus scanner – custom scan options to find malware threats in your device
• Real-time protection – enabled by default and continuously scans your device for threats
• Quarantine – secure holding location of any infected files
• Software updater – scans your device for outdated and risky apps
• Firewall – meant for managing Windows firewall through the Avira app

Antivirus scanner

You can choose from three scan options: full, quick, and smart scans.

Here’s how each scan type performed in our testing:

• Quick scan – this scan checks the most vulnerable areas of your device. Just like with other top-rated antiviruses, this isn’t the most efficient scan option to catch malware threats. During our tests, the scan took less than a minute on average but failed to detect any of our malware samples.
• Full scan – this scan checks your entire device and is the most reliable scanning option to catch malware. During our scan, it took around 6 minutes to scan around 200k files. It caught 95% of malware samples. However, it was quite heavy on the device – it took from around 54% to 92% of the CPU.
• Smart scan – this variant checks for privacy issues, performance issues, malware, outdated apps, and network threats. When we tested this feature, it took 2min 13s. And while it failed to find any malware, it found 4 outdated apps, 20 privacy settings to fix, 15 browser cookies, and around 1GB of unnecessary files for cleanup.

There’s also the Manage scans section, where you can track previous scans. In addition, this tab allows you to schedule custom scans. Simply select the folders you want to check, and set the scan to take place daily, weekly, or monthly.

Overall, Avira Antivirus works best when you utilize all scanning options once in a while. Naturally, I recommend performing the full scan as often as possible since it is the most effective and doesn’t take long. However, the smart scan is also a worthwhile feature for cleaning up less severe device issues.

Real-time protection

All Avira Antivirus versions offer real-time protection against malware.

This feature monitors and scans all the files you access, copy, or otherwise interact with, letting you know if they are safe to use. In case of danger, Avira Antivirus won’t let the suspicious file make changes to your device and will notify you.

Crucially, premium Avira Antivirus subscribers gain a few advanced features under the Security tab. Here’s a brief rundown of those extra perks:

• Web protection blocks phishing attempts, spam, and browser hijackers
• Email protection checks your inbox for malware-laden attachments and suspicious links
• Ransomware protection employs behavior-based and signature-based analysis to protect you from all ransomware

Quarantine

If Avira recognizes a dangerous file, it encrypts it and sends it to the quarantine folder. This way, the potentially infected file can’t do any more damage to your device.

To remove a file from this folder and your device entirely, you have to delete it manually. Otherwise, Avira Antivirus will store it indefinitely.

However, if you are 100% sure that the file is safe (as Avira is known to occasionally find false positives), you can restore it to its original location. To ensure that Avira won’t target it again, you should set it as an exception to exclude it from the following scan.

Software updater

The software updater will scan your system for outdated software and suggest updates. Besides apps, the feature will also ensure your operating system is up to date. Remember that it will inform you about risky programs even if you only use Avira Free Security Suite. However, the free version of Avira’s software updater won’t upgrade old applications – you have to buy one of the premium packages to receive updates.

This feature is another reason to purchase a paid version of Avira Antivirus. Keeping your programs up to date minimizes the risk of infection and security breaches.

Firewall

All premium Avira Antivirus versions offer the firewall feature. Previously, the feature wasn’t an additional firewall but merely a way to manage the system’s default firewall through the app. However, now it appears as an additional security measure besides what’s included with your OS.

The feature is simple and acts as another security layer if the default system firewall accidentally lets something slip. However, customization is pretty lackluster. Additionally, its simplicity does not mean it’s easy to use. I found the feature pretty unintuitive, which might make it daunting for inexperienced users.

Performance features

The Avira Prime plan unlocks PC speed and tune-up tools that will improve its overall performance by removing various inefficiencies. The main performance tab is split into these self-explanatory categories:

• Optimizer declutters your device by deleting any unnecessary files
• Battery saver employs various strategies (shuts down background apps, reduces screen brightness, etc.) to improve your device’s battery life
• Driver updater scans your device to ensure all apps are up to date and free from potential vulnerabilities
• Duplicate finder removes duplicate files to save some hard drive space
• Advanced tools help optimize your device’s startup time

Avira bonus features

If you’re still wondering whether Avira is good enough for you, take a look at its extra security features listed below. Note that many of these features come with limitations on the free or cheapest Pro plan and require purchasing Internet Security or Prime to experience the whole package:

• VPN – encrypts your data for secure and anonymous browsing
• Password manager – secure vault for all your credential information
• Safe Shopping – browser extension to block trackers and malicious ads
• File Shredder – a secure way to remove files forever
• Privacy settings – customized settings to prevent Microsoft from collecting your data
• Secure Browser – Avira includes a proprietary web browser for improved web protection

VPN

The VPN feature is included in all Avira Antivirus tiers, including the free one. It is fast and easy to use, connecting you to the nearest server with a single click.

Unfortunately, it is limited to a mere 500MB per month or 1GB/month if you register with your email address. Sure, it will help you in an emergency situation, but the data won’t last long – for daily use, you will have to consider upgrading to Avira Prime, the only plan that includes an unlimited VPN.

Password manager

A password manager is a great help if you’re tired of keeping up with the login credentials for all your accounts. All you need to do is remember a single master password, and Avira will fill out everything else.

The free and Pro plans include a limited extension that auto-generates strong, reliable passwords for your new accounts and syncs your credentials across all your devices. There’s also the possibility to enable two-factor authentication. Conversely, upgrading to Prime or Internet Security unlocks encrypted storage, automatic logins, online account protection, and more.

Safe Shopping

Avira Safe Shopping can come in handy if you like shopping online, as it will help you avoid scam sites and trackers. Safety aside, it’s a great tool for price comparison, as it will display the best current deals for the product you want to buy.

Unfortunately, this extension is only compatible with Google Chrome, Edge, Firefox, and Opera at the moment. Let’s hope Avira releases Safe Shopping for all the other browsers.

File shredder

This feature is integrated into all Avira versions, including the free one. It ensures that sensitive files are completely deleted and become unrecoverable.

Simply drag and drop the file you want to erase forever, and the shredder will take care of the rest. Just don’t forget that this action is permanent – you will never be able to recover the deleted file.

Privacy settings

Here, you can apply recommended or custom privacy settings to your device. In short, this will prevent Microsoft from collecting and using your personal information.

The recommended settings block ad tracking, disable location tracking, and make your activity private. You can apply or turn off these settings anytime you want.

You can also customize your privacy settings. This will give you an even wider range of information you can hide (including your search history).

Is Avira Antivirus safe?

Yes, Avira is considered a safe and reputable antivirus provider. Independent security labs consistently rank it among the most effective malware protection tools available. In the latest real-world protection testing from AV-Comparatives, Avira achieved a 99.9% protection rate against malware attacks, placing it among the top antivirus engines in the industry.

Avira uses a combination of signature-based detection, behavioral monitoring, and cloud-based threat intelligence to block both known malware and emerging zero-day threats.

First, let’s evaluate some independent antivirus lab test results to see whether Avira Antivirus performs well when scrutinized by professionals.

The latest November–December 2025 tests from AV-TEST confirm that Avira is a top protection product. The software garnered 6/6 points in all three categories (protection, performance, and usability), thus confirming its overall effectiveness. It’s worth noting that the service accumulated similar results in previous testing periods, too.

Avira also achieved high detection rates in the tests conducted by AV-Comparatives in September 2025. However, it had a very high number of false alarms, which is why AV-Comparatives downgraded its award from the Advanced it previously received to simply Tested.

Overall, according to independent testing results, Avira truly is secure anti-malware software that can protect your device and data from zero-day and known malware threats. However, we also had to test this software for ourselves.

During our tests, we challenged Avira with 10 malicious files to see how many would be caught and removed. Interestingly, our in-house results didn’t align with the findings from the previously mentioned independent lab tests. During our January 2024 antivirus evaluations, Avira garnered a 70% success rate against our malware samples. Still, these imperfect results are an outlier and shouldn’t discourage potential buyers from trying this service.

Avira plans and pricing

Avira offers four main plans: Free Security, Antivirus Pro ($22.99/year), Internet Security ($34.99/year), and Avira Prime ($59.99/year). The free version is one of the best free antivirus tools available, while Avira Prime is the most complete package with unlimited VPN access, advanced system optimization tools, and mobile protection.

For most users, Avira Internet Security offers the best balance between price and features, adding ransomware protection, enhanced password management, and web protection without the higher cost of Avira Prime.

	Avira Antivirus Free	Avira Antivirus Pro	Avira Internet Security	Avira Prime
Price	$0.00/year	From $26.99/year	From $34.99/year	From $59.99/year
Devices	1	1	1	5
Platforms	Windows, macOS	Windows, macOS	Windows, macOS	Windows, macOS, Android, iOS
Virus scans	✅ Yes	✅ Yes	✅ Yes	✅ Yes
Real-time protection	✅ Yes (no web or email protection)	✅ Yes	✅ Yes	✅ Yes
VPN	✅ Yes, free version (limited)	✅ Yes, free version (limited)	✅ Yes, free version (limited)	✅ Yes, premium version (unlimited data)
Safe Shopping	✅ Yes	✅ Yes	✅ Yes	✅ Yes
Customer support (email and phone)	❌ No	✅ Yes	✅ Yes	✅ Yes
Password manager	❌ No	❌ No	✅ Yes	✅ Yes
Software and driver update	❌ No	❌ No	✅ Yes	✅ Yes
File shredder	❌ No	❌ No	❌ No	✅ Yes
Device optimization	❌ No	❌ No	❌ No	✅ Yes

Visit Avira

If you want features like unlimited VPN usage, web protection, ransomware protection, and premium mobile apps, consider buying one of the complete subscription packages.

In addition, the only plan that offers mobile security is Avira Prime. This is the most feature-rich plan and the most expensive one. Especially when compared to other top-rated antivirus software like TotalAV or Bitdefender.

Most importantly, all paid subscription plans have a 60-day money-back guarantee.

Avira customer support

Customer support can be an essential consideration when choosing an antivirus provider, as it dictates your potential assistance options in uncertain times. For example, you may run into software issues or need help when dealing with malware.

24/7 live chat	❌ No
Email	✅ Yes (paid subscription only)
Phone line	✅ Yes (paid subscription only)
Guides or articles	✅ Yes

Firstly, you should know that Avira Free doesn’t offer any tech support, so you’ll have to dig through Avira’s knowledge base or use Google if you encounter any problems.

Luckily, all Avira’s paid versions include customer support. You can either send an email or call them. Calling the support team can be the preferred option, as you might need to wait a few days until you get an email reply from an agent.

Note that users of Avira Prime (the most expensive plan) get the privilege of a toll-free number, which is a nice bonus.

Video review

Visit our YouTube channel to get various insights into the world of cybersecurity. You can start with our in-depth Avira Antivirus review to see how the software looks in action.

Avira Antivirus alternatives

If Avira doesn’t quite meet your security needs, top alternatives like Norton 360 and TotalAV deliver excellent protection with broader feature sets and stronger performance. Here’s how these antivirus providers compare in malware detection, system impact, and extra tools so you can choose the best fit for your device and budget.

Norton 360

Norton 360 is a better pick than Avira if you want more complete protection in one place. It scores higher in malware tests and comes with extra tools like a stronger firewall, a VPN, a password manager, and cloud backup. It’s also easy to use and gives you better support if something goes wrong.

TotalAV

TotalAV stands out compared to Avira by offering an easy-to-use interface with strong malware protection and helpful extra tools like a built-in VPN and performance cleanup features. It’s great for users who want solid security without a lot of complexity, and its affordable plans make it a good value overall.

Avira vs competitors

Here is a quick comparison of Avira vs Bitdefender vs Norton:

Antivirus	Malware protection	VPN	Price
Avira	Excellent	Unlimited with the Prime plan	From $26.99
Bitdefender	Excellent	Unlimited VPN with the Bitdefender Premium Security plan	From $12.99
Norton	Excellent	Unlimited with Norton 360 Standard and up	From $29.99

Final thoughts

Overall, Avira remains one of the best antivirus options for users who want strong protection with minimal system impact. Its malware detection performance rivals top competitors like Bitdefender and Norton, while its free plan remains one of the most feature-rich on the market.

However, some advanced features – including unlimited VPN access and full identity protection – are locked behind the premium Avira Prime plan, which may feel expensive compared with other antivirus suites.

Visit Avira

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