Avast One builds upon the company’s free security suite, offering enhanced defenses against online threats and additional valuable features. Beyond excellent antivirus protection, you gain tools to protect your identity and privacy (including a VPN with unlimited bandwidth) and optimize your PC’s performance. While it lacks a password manager and parental controls, Avast One’s comprehensive features and polished interface make it a compelling choice for users already covered in those areas.
A Comprehensive Security Solution
While Windows Defender offers basic protection, independent antivirus software like Avast One excels at detecting viruses and malware, boasting a user-friendly experience. Avast offers two paid product lines, both utilizing the same powerful antivirus engine and sharing similar interfaces. However, Avast One focuses on identity and privacy protection, making it a more suitable option for most users. With our lives increasingly online, staying safe goes beyond simply blocking malware; it requires safeguarding against phishing schemes and data breaches that compromise personal information. Avast One effectively addresses these ever-present modern threats with a refined and polished approach.
Features of Avast One
Avast One enhances the already robust online threat protection offered by the free Essentials plan. It upgrades existing defenses and introduces new ones, including top-tier antivirus and firewall protection against malware, ransomware, malicious websites, downloads, and network intrusions. The suite also monitors for vulnerable networks, compromised applications, unauthorized access attempts to saved browser passwords, and the appearance of your data on the dark web. PC optimization tools like a system optimizer and software updater are also included.
Avast One comparison chart
Upgrading to Avast One unlocks further safeguards against webcam takeovers, malicious webmail messages, shady apps seeking sensitive data (like social security numbers), and malicious website redirects (DNS hijacking). Identity and privacy protections are also strengthened with continuous dark web monitoring, an unrestricted VPN, and online tracker blocking. A “Private Mode” integrates these features for incognito browsing, automatically activating a secure VPN connection and tracking prevention. Additional PC utilities include a disk cleaner, driver updater, and duplicate file finder. However, Avast One does not include a password manager or parental controls, requiring users to seek these services elsewhere.
Pricing and Availability
Purchasing directly from Avast offers a discounted first-year rate, followed by the standard price. Avast’s plans include a 30-day money-back guarantee and automatic renewal. The Individual plan (5 devices) costs $51 for the first year and $110 annually thereafter. The Family plan (30 devices) costs $70 for the first year and $150 annually thereafter. Savings are available through special offers for PCWorld readers, reducing the first-year cost to $33 for 5 devices and $53 for 30 devices. Avast One is compatible with PC, Android, macOS, and iOS devices. The Family plan includes Family Sharing, allowing users with separate accounts to share the device limit. Compared to Avast’s Premium Security plan, Avast One offers lower first-year pricing but becomes more expensive in subsequent years.
Avast One special pricing for PCWorld readers
Key Features in Detail
User Interface and Installation
Avast One’s installation is straightforward. After downloading and installing, the app prompts an initial PC scan. The interface is light and user-friendly, featuring a simple navigation bar for easy access to the dashboard, features, notifications, and settings. The dashboard allows quick access to scans, the VPN, and various utilities. The Explore tab houses all features, including various scan options and custom scan creation. While feature descriptions are clear, the list format might require some scrolling. Upselling for premium plans is discreet.
Avast One dashboard
Robust Threat Protection
Avast One offers continuous real-time protection, scanning web pages, monitoring network traffic, and checking downloaded files for threats. It also monitors webmail for phishing and malware, scans files opened or added to your PC, and restricts access to sensitive folders to prevent ransomware attacks. The software includes continuous dark web monitoring to alert you if your email addresses appear in data breaches.
Avast One dark web monitoring screen
Avast One offers various scan options, including smart scans, deep scans, targeted scans, and boot-time scans. Custom scans can be created and scheduled. The built-in firewall effectively manages network traffic, providing a user-friendly interface for controlling app access. Ransomware Shield protects sensitive folders by limiting access to untrusted applications.
Avast One Ransomware Protection screen
Additional Features and Utilities
Avast One offers browser extensions to enhance online security and privacy, blocking malicious websites, trackers, and unwanted cookies. Network Inspector helps identify potential network vulnerabilities. PC utilities like Disk Cleaner, Driver Updater, and Duplicate File Finder help optimize system performance. Sensitive Data Shield scans for and protects sensitive files containing private information. A VPN with servers in 37 countries provides secure and private internet access.
Avast One VPN Secure Connection settings screen
Performance and Support
Avast consistently performs well in independent security tests, demonstrating high detection rates for malware and zero-day attacks. The software has minimal impact on system resources during typical tasks, but full scans can affect performance, particularly when using Microsoft Office applications. Avast offers customer support through its website, forums, and via phone, email, and chat. Updates are automatic by default, ensuring continuous protection.
Conclusion
Avast One offers comprehensive online security and privacy protection with a user-friendly interface and a powerful antivirus engine. While lacking a password manager and parental controls, its robust features and performance make it a strong contender in the security software market. Its polished design and ease of use make it an excellent choice for users seeking comprehensive online protection.
