AVG Antivirus review: is it worth getting in 2026?
Effective core protection at one of the lowest price points in the category.
AVG (now part of the same parent company as Avast) delivers reliable core malware protection, a genuinely useful firewall, and webcam protection, all at a price that undercuts most of this list.
What it's like to use
AVG shares detection technology with Avast under their shared parent company, and the core engine performs well in independent testing — strong detection of known malware with reasonable behavioral protection against newer threats.
The firewall is a standout at this price: it actively blocks unauthorized inbound connections rather than just logging them, and the webcam-protection module prompts before any application accesses your camera.
AVG's system-optimization tools (junk file cleanup, startup manager) are useful extras but not the reason to buy — the core value here is dependable protection without paying for a premium brand name.
Strengths
- Low price relative to protection quality
- Active firewall, not just passive logging
- Webcam access alerts
- Unlimited device coverage on some plans
Trade-offs
- Fewer advanced extras than premium suites
- Some upsell prompts within the app
- Customer support response times can lag
AVG Antivirus FAQ
Is AVG the same company as Avast?
They share a parent company and detection technology, but ship as separate branded products with different interfaces and pricing.
Does AVG have a free version?
Yes — AVG AntiVirus Free covers core scanning; paid tiers add firewall, ransomware protection, and webcam alerts.