In one virtual machine, I ran the test on Chrome with Browser Safety installed in another, I used Internet Explorer with no browser extension, just Web Protection.īrowser Safety doesn’t do an outstanding job, blocking 78% of the malware downloads.
Knowing I’d need to compare Web Protection with Browser Safety, I ran my malicious URL blocking test on the two simultaneously. Unfortunately, this feature is simply terrible. Where the Browser Safety extension only works in supported browsers, Web Protection acts at the network level, aiming to keep all web-connected programs from hooking up with dangerous URLs. One of the few bonuses you do get with the upgrade is Web Protection. See How We Test Security Software Web Protection Not EffectiveĪs you can see, you don’t get a lot of added features by paying for the Pro antivirus.
On the negative side, the update process replaced a video driver for my virtual machine test system which resulted in shrinking the display-I didn’t ask for that. Wonder of wonders, the Update all button actually works! This is something you don’t get in the free edition.
This tool works much like the software updater, but it seeks drivers that can be updated to improve performance. The Optimizer component looks for ways to speed up your PC but won’t fully apply them unless you pay. This separate utility is positively bursting with settings and components that require an upgrade, either to System Speedup Pro or to Avira Prime. Quite a few products earn even better scores, though, with the 100% scored by F-Secure and McAfee topping the list.Īs I noted in my review of the free edition, three of the five features on Avira’s Performance page simply open the corresponding item in Avira System Speedup.
Avira earns a decent score in this test, at 91% detection, and Avira Free Antivirus for Mac scored precisely the same. Bitdefender, G Data, and Sophos come very close, with 99%.īrowser Safety also serves to fend off phishing sites, fraudulent sites that attempt to steal your passwords. Only a few products have scored lower in this test.Īt the successful end of the spectrum, McAfee AntiVirus Plus manages 100% protection in its latest test. Avira's Browser Safety component, which installs in Chrome, Edge, Firefox, and Opera (but not Internet Explorer), shows 78% detection, just about evenly split between blocking access to the URL and eliminating the malware payload. You do pay $59.99 for a year of McAfee, but that gets you protection for all the Windows, macOS, Android, and iOS device in your household.įor a different view of protection, I challenge each product with 100 recent malware-hosting URLs, noting whether it keeps the browser from accessing the URL, eliminates the malware payload during download, or totally whiffs detection. F-Secure Anti-Virus gives you three licenses for the same price. Bitdefender, Webroot, and Emsisoft are all in that price range, as are more than a dozen others.
The sweet spot for one-license antivirus subscriptions is just under $40. What Will You Pay for Avira Pro?Īvira's pricing is a tad on the high side, with a list price of $44.99 per year for one license, $57.99 for three, and $70.99 for five. The biggest reason to pay for it (and it’s not a great reason) is if you want to use Avira in a commercial setting, which isn't allowed with the free version. Avira Antivirus Pro adds several components not available to users of Avira Free Security, but they don't really add much value. Some companies allow only personal use of their free solutions, while others encourage upgrading by piling on pro-only tools and components. But these companies can't survive without a cadre of paying customers.