Review of Avast Free Antivirus for Mac. Avast is one of the most popular free antivirus programs, and they have a version for Mac OS X. Avast Free Antivirus for Mac offers most of the same features, is free to download, doesn’t include advertisements, and is generally unobtrusive. AVG AntiVirus for Android guards your mobile phone against malware attacks and threats to your privacy. We give you on-the-go protection against unsafe apps, anti-theft locker & tracker, and plenty more security and performance features. Avast Free Antivirus – Avast Web Browser 2018. Type: Antivirus. Developer: Avast Software. Operating system: Windows, Mac, Android. So the program’s headline feature works well– however it doesn’t finish there. The Web Shield together with the Mail Shield will check the vast majority of incoming data from the Internet. Free Antivirus for Mac is also equipped with a File Shield, which scans all programs stored and executed from your hard drive. The antivirus will scan your Mac on three levels: the hard drive, the email client (all IMAP and POP3 clients are supported), and the web browser thanks to the extension for Firefox and Chrome telling you if web pages are safe to visit and who’s tracking you. You’ll be able to block trackers and unsafe search results.
(Last updated on July 9th, 2019)
Does the standalone version of Avast Browser Cleanup work differently from the one in Avast Antivirus? While the functionality is essentially the same for the standalone version of Avast Browser Cleanup, the user interface is slightly different from the Bad browser add-ons feature of Smart Scan in.
Norton (also called Symantec) or Avast, which antivirus software is a better choice in 2019?
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Overall, Bitdefender is our #1 antivirus software for 2019 (and beyond), because of its excellent, flawless performance in all independent lab evaluations, particularly those conducted by AV-Test and AV-Comparatives.
Right now, we think that Bitdefender Total Security 2019 (currently at 50% off) is the best antivirus package available in the market. Apart from providing excellent anti-malware protection, it offers all the advanced premium features and utilities that must be there in a high-end package -- and best of all, it offers excellent value for money. You can protect up to five devices (PCs, Macs, or smartphones) with just one license.
If you need protection for more than five devices, we highly recommend Bitdefender Family Pack 2019. It will cover all the internet-capable devices in your household with the Total Security suite, so your family is protected no matter what goes wrong.
In this ultimate guide, we’ll compare Norton and Avast in a head-to-head and show you which of the two is a better pick.
In a rush? Take a look at the rundown below to find out which software wins in each category.
A Quick Rundown of Winners in Each Category
1. Features
Winner: Norton. Both Avast and Norton offer impressive feature-sets as part of their security suites, but Norton has an edge in this category.
2. Malware Protection
Winner: Winner. Norton performed slightly better than Avast in recent independent anti-malware tests.
3. System Performance
Winner: Tie. Both companies performed equally well when it came to the impact they put on computer performance; both software received perfect scores in two different performance evaluations.
4. User-Friendliness
Winner: Tie. Both software’s interfaces are user-friendly and intuitive.
5. Pricing
Winner: Norton. You can get more licenses for less money through Norton.
6. Customer Satisfaction
Winner: Tie. Both software have comparable customer satisfaction ratings.
Short Verdict
Norton is a better choice as it offers more security-related features and extra utilities in its security suites than Avast. Independent tests prove that both software are excellent in terms of the impact on system performance, but Norton offers better anti-malware security than Avast.
We have reviewed and rated most (if not all) antivirus software packages out there, and we think that Bitdefender Total Security 2019 (currently at 50% off) is the best antivirus package you can buy right now. You can protect up to five devices (PCs, Macs, or smartphones) with a single license of this suite.
If you have more than five devices, Bitdefender Family Pack 2019 is the best option for you.
If you're just looking for Mac-specific protection, we recommend Bitdefender Antivirus for Mac 2019 for complete peace of mind.
1. Features
The best antivirus suites come with all advanced features and utilities that not only bolster your digital security but also promote extra value.
First, let’s see what features Norton offer in its security suites.
Norton AntiVirus Plus is the entry-level suite offered by the company. This software provides excellent protection against all sorts of malware, plus there’s a smart firewall that protects your computer against unauthorized access and monitors your network against intrusions.
A full-blown password manager is also jammed into the suite; this allows you to store and organize your passwords, credit card details, and securely store other confidential information.
This suite allows you to protect 1 device (either a PC or a Mac), but you can add more devices.
Next up is Norton 360 Standard. It’s the company’s flagship product and offers one universal license that can be used to protect 1 PC and 1 Mac or mobile or tablet.
The 360 Standard suite offers everything that comes with the previous suite, along with 10 gigabytes of cloud data storage and the SecureVPN tool that protects your sensitive information when you are on public or shared WiFi networks. The SafeCam utility is also jammed into the suite; this utility blocks unauthorized webcam access and prevents hackers from spying on you.
Dark web monitoring features are included in the suite as well; these module monitors your personal information and alerts you if it is being used by someone else.
Next up is Norton 360 Deluxe. This suite has everything that comes with the previous suites, plus you get 50 gigabytes of cloud storage and protection for up to 5 PCs, Mac, and smartphones with a single license. There’s also a parental control module that could be very useful if you have children. It’s a good product if you want to get protection for all your family devices.
Finally, there’s Norton 360 Deluxe with LifeLock Select – the company’s top-tier antivirus suite. This package includes all the advanced features and utilities we discussed above, plus you get a full suite of identity & theft protection tools. These include dark web monitoring features, a finance protection scanner, a credit monitoring suite, and the LifeLock Identity Alert System.
These features will tell you if your personal information is being used in ways or patterns that don’t match up with your previous actions; this is a great way to know if you’re information is potentially being stolen by an identity thief. The credit monitoring tool keeps track of your credit score and lets you know if it suddenly drops, as this is a common sign of identity theft.
As part of this suite, you also get the Million Dollar Protection Package from Norton; if you become a victim of identity theft, you will be covered for the expenses you incur and money stolen as a result of the crime, but only up to a specific limit.
If you’re interested in Norton’s business-specific security products, click here for more details.
Now, let’s see how Avast compares to Norton in terms of features.
Unlike Norton, Avast offers separate products for Windows and macOS. First, we’ll cover the Windows-only products.
Avast Free Antivirus is the first security software that you can get from the company. You don’t have to pay anything to use it, of course, but it doesn’t offer much value in terms of advanced features and utilities; all advanced features and options are locked in the software. But the freeware does offer protection against different types of digital threats.
Next up is Avast Internet Security, another Windows-only suite. This suite offers excellent protection against all sorts of malware, along with a bunch of advanced features and tools that make it worthwhile. These include a smart firewall, the Anti-Spam utility, and the WiFi Inspector utility (protects your network against hackers and intruders).
The Sandbox mode feature allows you to run potentially dangerous files in a secure environment, without having to risk the rest of your computer to a malware infection.
The Real Site utility that guards against DNS hijacking and rerouting is also part of the software, along with a password manager and an email filter.
Another level up is Avast Premier. This suite offers all the features and utilities that come with the previous suites, plus some extra perks. These perks include a webcam shield that prevents hackers from spying on you, the Data Shredder utility that permanently shreds any sensitive files that you don’t want to be recovered after deletion, and the Software Updater tool (automatically updates all the software and makes you less vulnerable to attacks).
Finally, there’s Avast Ultimate — the top-tier package offered by Avast. It comes with everything that comes with the Premier suite, plus you get the useful SecureLine VPN tool that lets you surf the internet anonymously and access restricted content. Avast Cleanup utility, which is a great tool that will significantly improve the performance of your PC, is also part of the Ultimate suite.
For Macs, there’s Avast Security for Mac. It comes in two versions, Free and Premium. The freeware only offers essential malware protection, while the Premium version has several advanced features and utilities that make it a worthwhile option, such as the WiFi Inspector and multi-layered ransomware protection.
Winner: Norton. Both Norton and Avast offer a comprehensive lineup of features as part of their security suites, but Norton’s offerings are more useful in today’s day and age.
2. Malware Protection
Let’s take a look at how Norton and Avast compare when it comes to protecting your computer against malware infections. To determine which is superior in this regard, let’s look at the recent unbiased lab tests from AV-Test and AV-Comparatives — two highly regarded independent organizations that regularly test and rank different antivirus software.
AV-Test’s recent evaluations were conducted in April 2019. All participating security software were tested on three different levels: Protection, Performance, and Usability.
During the Protection test, Norton scored a perfect 6 out of 6, showcasing its excellent malware detection capabilities.
Avast scored a slightly lower 5.5 out of 6 rating, which is a good score but not a perfect one.
AV-Comparatives is another well-known independent security software testing organization from Austria. They regularly conduct several exhaustive tests to evaluate the performance of various antivirus brands, but their main examination is the Real-World Protection test. In their recent report, both Symantec and Avast received the second-best ADVANCED award, which represents good defenses against all sorts of malware.
Winner: Norton. It’s a close call, but Norton takes this round due to better overall performance in recent independent anti-malware tests.
3. System Performance
There’s no doubt that anti-malware capabilities are important, but we can’t neglect system performance. Most top-tier antivirus programs out there put a negligible impact on system performance.
Let’s examine both software’s performance in this category.
In the Performance category of AV-Test evaluations, Norton scored a perfect 6 out of 6, which is an excellent score.
Avast also got a 6 out of 6 in this test, matching Norton.
AV-Comparatives’ performance test was conducted in April 2019. Both Norton and Avast took home the highest ADVANCED+ award in this evaluation.
Winner: Tie. Both companies performed equally well in two recent independent performance evaluations; neither software will slow down your system operations.
4. User-Friendliness
The user interface of an antivirus program should be intuitive and easy-to-use for everyone, including people who aren’t proficient in computer use.
First, let’s examine Norton’s user interface.
Norton’s user interface is sleek and simplistic; it’s also universal in nature, so there isn’t much difference between the desktop and mobile views. On the main view, there’s a big green check mark that lets you know if everything is okay. The checkmark will turn into a warning sign if there’s an issue and your attention is required.
The Quick Scan button on the main window allows you to initiate a scan with just one click. The time and date of your last scan is also there on the screen, as well as information regarding licenses and software updates.
At the bottom, there’re five rectangular tiles that can be used to access all the advanced features and options of the software. The links to Settings and Help pages are placed in the top bar.
Now, let’s see what Avast’s interface looks like in comparison.
Avast’s dark, modern-styled interface is intuitive and straightforward. If everything is okay, there will be a green checkmark in the center of the main. The checkmark will change to warning sign if there’s something wrong with your security. There’s also a button that lets you run a smart scan.
On the left side, there are four main categories that contain all the features and tools of the software. You can access all the major features and functions with just a few clicks.
Winner: Tie. Both user interfaces are intuitive and user-friendly.
5. Pricing
Another important consideration is pricing. After all, if something is not affordable, it’s likely that you won’t buy it.
Norton Antivirus Plus, the company’s entry-level premium suite, costs $39.99 per year for 1 device.
Norton 360 Standard lets you protect 2 devices for $49.99 per year. Norton 360 Deluxe can be used to protect up to 5 devices for $59.99 per year. Finally, Norton 360 Deluxe with LifeLock Select costs $99.99 per year for up to 5 devices.
| Norton Security Products | Prices |
|---|---|
| Norton Antivirus Basic | Check Price |
| Norton Security Standard | Check Price |
| Norton Security Deluxe | Check Price |
| Norton Security Premium | Check Price |
| Norton Small Business Security | Check Price |
Now, let’s see how much Avast charges for its protection.
Avast Internet Security, the first paid option from the company, costs $59.99 per year for 1 PC. Avast Premium costs $69.99 per year for 1 PC.
Avast Ultimate, the highest offering from Avast, costs $119.99 per year and gives you a license for 1 PC.
Avast Security for Mac, the company’s flagship product for macOS platform, comes at $59.99 per year for 1 Mac device.
| Avast Security Products | Prices |
|---|---|
| Avast Pro Antivirus | Check Price |
| Avast Internet Security | Check Price |
| Avast Premier | Check Price |
| Avast Ultimate | Check Price |
| Avast Security for Mac | Check Price |
| Avast Business Products | Check Prices |
Winner: Norton. Norton has a better pricing structure and gives you more licenses for less money, providing great value for money.
6. Customer Satisfaction
One final aspect we will consider is customer satisfaction.
Consumeraffairs.org is a great resource to see what the actual customers of both companies think of their products and services. The site collects genuine user reviews and averages them out into a 1 to 5-star score. Norton has a 1-star rating from this resource, indicating low levels of user satisfaction and poor customer service. Avast has a 3-star rating, which is an average score.
Let’s also check out the Better Business Bureau (BBB), which is another well-known review collection site. Both Norton and Avast have an A+ rating on the BBB, which is an excellent score.
Winner: Tie. Both Avast and Norton have comparable scores in this category.
Final Thoughts
Plus, it comes with premium customer support and a 30-day money-back guarantee.
If you have more than five devices, Bitdefender Family Pack 2019 is the best option for you.
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Avast SafeZone (sometimes also misspelled as Safe Zone) is a free browser from Avast based on Opera and running on Chromium engine. It comes as a component (not a standalone application) with all Avast antivirus versions (Free Antivirus, Pro Antivirus, Internet Security and Premier) available on Windows computers. According to Avast, it’s the most secure browser on the market.
SafeZone browser is basically replacing old SafeZone feature within the Avast paid products and is available completely for free to anyone. The main benefit of using the SafeZone browser is the Pay Mode for private online transactions (banking and shopping). It also includes useful built-in plugins like Passwords, Ad Blocker, Video Downloader or Do-Not-Track. Unfortunately, you are not able to install any other plugins or add-ons, due to security risks.
Below is the main page of Avast SafeZone browser. The design is very clean and modern, yet nothing surprising.
Avast SafeZone Browser – Shortcuts (Starting) Page
The full list of key features contains:
- Top notch security provided by integrated anti-malware shield and anti-phishing scan
- Pay Mode for doing online transactions (banking) in a safe virtual environment (sandbox)
- Integrated AdBlocker plugin for browsing without intrusive advertisements
- Integrated Video Downloader for downloading videos from YouTube, Vimeo etc.
How to Download and Install Avast SafeZone Browser for Free
IMPORTANT NOTE Avast SafeZone Browser has been discontinued and replaced with the brand new Avast Secure Browser in April 2018. You can download it using the button below or read our full review/test.The only way to download and install Avast SafeZone is together with the Avast antivirus (including the free version). Technically it’s only a component of Avast, therefore it’s not available for separate download or usage. You can only use it together with Avast.
To download and install SafeZone browser follow these steps:
- Download latest version of Avast antivirus
- Run Avast installer (avast_free_antivirus_setup_online.exe)
- Select ‘Customize’ to make sure ‘SafeZone Browser‘ component is selected and confirm by clicking on ‘Install‘
Once the installation process is finished you can open the SafeZone browser from the desktop (orange circle icon with rudder) or from Avast user interface under ‘Tools‘ » ‘SafeZone Browser‘.
SafeZone Installer Unfortunately there is no standalone installer for Avast SafeZone Browser which you could upload on a USB stick for example. Therefore if you want to install on it on a different computer, you need to use the Avast Offline Installer.Performance Test – Avast SafeZone Browser vs. Google Chrome vs. Mozilla Firefox vs. Internet Explorer
Besides the security element, one of the most important browser qualities is performance and speed. We have compared SafeZone browser against the market – Google Chrome, Mozilla Firefox and Internet Explorer. And surprisingly Avast SafeZone is really fast, almost as Chrome!
Using various available tools for browser performance testing we found out following. Chrome (green bar) is still the fastest browser on the market, scoring high scores in all tests. While SafeZone (orange bar) is the second fastest browser nowadays. Firefox is somehow behind them and Internet Explorer is by far the slowest one.
Browser Performance Test Results – Avast SafeZone vs. Google Chrome vs. Mozilla Firefox vs. Internet Explorer
Final performance test results are highlighted on the chart above. The higher the score is, the faster the browser is. You can find more details about how we tested in the ‘Additional Notes’ section at the end of the article.
Avast SafeZone Browser Features in Detail
Let’s take a look on the key SafeZone features in detail.
Ad Blocker – No More Advertisements While Browsing
One of the pre-installed built-in plugins is Ad Blocker. Recently it raised some controversy whether it’s fair to use it and some sites even restricted content to users who are using any form of ad blocking. On the image below you can see Ad Blocker blocked 12 different ads on Huffington Post site.
Avast SafeZone Browser – Ad Blocker Plugin in Action on Huffington Post
Ad Blocker in Avast SafeZone runs fully automatic and there is no need to set it up. Just browse the web as usual and all ads are blocked. To see the number of ads blocked click on the red icon ‘AD’ in the navigation panel. You can also disable Ad Block for a specific domain or block any other specific ad (element) on the page.
Pay Mode – Do Your Banking & Shopping in Total Privacy
The most interesting and unique feature of the SafeZone browser is Pay Mode. It basically opens any page in a virtual environment (sandbox) which is completely isolated from your system. That means any keylogger or hacker cannot see what you are doing or what is your password. Also, your system can’t be infected if you visit some ‘shady’ site.
Avast SafeZone Browser – Pay Mode Tab Activated
Pay Mode is automatically triggered for a majority of the online banking sites. In case your bank is not on the list you can always enter Pay Mode by clicking the credit card icon next to the navigation panel (top-right corner). You can tell the page is opened in Pay Mode if the tab has green credit card icon and font.
Video Downloader – Download Videos From YouTube With Single Click
Last but not least is the Video Downloader, again a pre-installed built-in plugin. It makes it super easy to download videos to your computer from popular servers like YouTube or Vimeo. Mostly in the MP4 format.
Avast SafeZone Browser – Downloading Video From YouTube via Video Downloader
Web Browser For Mac Os 9
To download video simple hover over it and the orange download icon will appear (see the screenshot above). Simply click on it and video will start downloading on your computer so you can play it anytime later, even when you are offline.
Avast SafeZone Browser Review & Test Conclusion
We definitely find Avast SafeZone browser powerful, fast and secure. Pay Mode is the biggest advantage and technically it makes the browser really the most secure one on the market. It lacks some customization like custom plugins, but that makes it even more secured. It’s a perfect choice for common Internet users. And if you like Opera, you will definitely love SafeZone.
Additional Notes
Avast Free Antivirus For Mac
For measuring the browser performance we have used following tests: Peacekeeper, Browsermark, Octane 2.0 and Dromaeo. All of them are testing browser performance and speed using various methods like re-sizing 2D/3D objects using CSS, executing JavaScripts, GPU and DOM tests. All tests were performed on the same computer running on Windows 7 Professional x64 with CPU Intel Core i7 @ 2.70GHz and 8 GB RAM.
Chrome Web Browser For Mac
Trying to get rid of SafeZone Browser? Check out our guide ‘How to Uninstall/Remove Avast SafeZone Browser‘.