Avast is a legitimate antivirus product, but “safe” has two different meanings here: whether the software can help protect a device, and whether you are comfortable with the company's privacy history and current data practices. Those questions should not be collapsed into one detection score.
This review does not claim a hands-on malware benchmark. Independent lab results and Avast's own current documentation can change, so use the dated links below and review the settings on the exact product and device you install.
The short answer
Avast may be a reasonable fit if you want a familiar free antivirus and are willing to review its privacy, notification, and upgrade settings. It is a weaker fit if a clean privacy track record is your top requirement, if you need predictable low-interruption software, or if your organization cannot accept the vendor's data-processing terms.
The most important distinction is this:
- Security protection: Avast's current product documentation describes antivirus protection for Windows and macOS, with additional features varying by product and plan.
- Privacy trust: The Federal Trade Commission finalized a 2024 order over Avast's handling and sale of browsing data through Jumpshot, including a $16.5 million payment and a ban on selling or licensing browsing data for advertising purposes.
The FTC action is not proof that today's product is malware, but it is material evidence for a privacy decision and should not be hidden behind a generic “old controversy” sentence.
What happened with Jumpshot?
The FTC alleged that Avast and its subsidiaries collected detailed browsing information through antivirus software and browser extensions, stored it, and sold it to third parties through Jumpshot without adequate notice or consent. The final order required Avast to stop selling, disclosing, or licensing browsing data for advertising, delete covered data and derived products, provide notice to affected consumers, and pay $16.5 million.
The FTC later announced a refund-claims process for eligible consumers. That does not tell us every detail of Avast's current products, but it does mean a privacy-conscious buyer should read the present notices and settings rather than assuming the issue was irrelevant or fully resolved by a product rebrand.
FTC refund-claims announcement
What data does Avast say it processes now?
Avast publishes a product privacy notice and a general privacy notice. The product notice describes service and device data that may be processed to provide antivirus features, support, security analysis, billing, and related services. The exact data and purposes depend on the product, platform, account state, and settings.
Before installing, open the privacy controls inside the application, disable optional marketing or analytics settings you do not need, and record what you changed. Do not assume that a privacy feature advertised by a browser extension automatically describes the data practices of the full antivirus product.
Is Avast safe for banking and personal files?
Antivirus can reduce malware risk, but it cannot make online banking safe by itself. Use a supported, updated browser; enable multifactor authentication at the bank; avoid entering credentials from unsolicited links; and keep an offline or separately protected backup of important files.
Avast's product and plan pages should be checked for the exact banking, ransomware, web, and firewall features included in your version. “Included in Avast” is not the same as “included in the free plan,” and names and defaults can change.
For current independent evidence, compare the dated Windows and macOS reports from organizations such as AV-TEST and AV-Comparatives. Look at protection, false positives, performance, and usability together; do not turn one test cycle into a permanent winner.
Free Avast versus paid Avast
The free product can be useful for baseline antivirus protection, but paid tiers may add features such as ransomware-specific controls, firewall or webcam protections, privacy tools, or broader support. The exact boundary changes, so compare the current feature matrix before subscribing.
Also check the non-security costs of a free product:
- Upgrade prompts and notifications can interrupt the workflow.
- Optional browser extensions may collect data under separate notices.
- A trial or discounted first year may renew at a different price.
- A feature shown in the interface may be a prompt for a paid module rather than an active protection.
Avast versus alternatives
- Choose Avast if its current protection, device support, and price fit you and you are comfortable reviewing its privacy controls and history.
- Choose Microsoft Defender if you use a current Windows device and want built-in baseline protection with fewer third-party components. See our Windows Defender versus paid antivirus comparison.
- Choose Bitdefender or another provider if current independent results, feature scope, and privacy documentation better match your priorities. Compare the actual plan and renewal terms rather than relying on brand reputation.
- Choose a business-managed product only after reviewing its data-processing terms, administration controls, logging, and compliance requirements with the responsible IT person.
A sensible Avast safety checklist
- Download from Avast's official site or a trusted app store, not a bundled installer.
- Confirm the exact product name, platform, and free-versus-paid feature boundary.
- Read the current product privacy notice and adjust optional analytics, marketing, and browser-extension settings.
- Check the trial end date, renewal price, cancellation method, and refund policy before entering payment details.
- Review current AV-TEST or AV-Comparatives results for your operating system.
- Keep the operating system, browser, router, and applications patched; antivirus is one layer, not the whole security plan.
- Create a separate backup before enabling ransomware or controlled-folder features that may block legitimate programs.
Frequently asked questions
Does Avast still sell users' browsing data?
The FTC's final order bans Avast and its subsidiaries from selling, disclosing, or licensing browsing data for advertising purposes and required deletion and privacy-program measures. That is the authoritative answer about the enforcement action. For current product behavior, read the present privacy notices and inspect the settings for the exact product you use.
Is Avast Free Antivirus automatically safe for online banking?
No antivirus can make banking automatically safe. Avast may be one layer of protection, but secure browser habits, multifactor authentication, updates, and account alerts remain necessary.
Is Avast the best antivirus?
There is no permanent winner supported by the evidence in this article. Compare dated independent tests, current feature scope, privacy terms, interruption level, price, and renewal conditions for your own device and priorities.
Bottom line
Avast is not an illegitimate antivirus, but its privacy history is a legitimate reason to scrutinize it more closely. The 2024 FTC order and $16.5 million payment should be stated plainly. If you accept that history after reviewing the current product notices and controls, Avast may be adequate for your use case. If privacy trust or low-interruption operation matters more than a familiar free brand, compare built-in protection and other vendors before installing it.