Avast VPN Review 2021
Many people are aware that when they use a VPN, they can “teleport” to another place. But it’s not the only reason you should use one! When you’re connected to a VPN, your computer and the company’s server are linked via a secure tunnel.
As a result, no one can see what sites you’ve visited or what shows you’ve watched recently. Your real IP address is hidden behind the server, so your identity and location are protected.
There are many VPN providers to choose from. We’ll look at this firm in greater depth in this Avast SecureLine review, focusing on its features, advantages, and disadvantages, how it compares with competitors, premium plan perks, and product data that you might find interesting.
What’s on This Page
Avast VPN
4.1/5
- Reliable streaming, download, and upload speeds
- Offers 256-bit encryption
- Backed by a leading antivirus company
What is Avast VPN?
As its name suggests, Avast SecureLine VPN provides a reliable line for you to surf the internet safely. It’s famous for good speeds and boasts of its 700 server locations across 35 countries. The company is backed by a leading antivirus company, so it does have some capacity to fight against malware. By using Avast SecureLine VPN, no one would be able to stalk your digital footprints.
Why use Avast VPN?
There are many advantages to using a VPN. Let’s think about protection for a second. You hear warnings about connecting to public network all the time, and that’s not without reason since attackers can easily capture sensitive information from a public, non-secure network. By using a VPN, your connection is encrypted, meaning people can’t track you.
And then there’s anonymization. when you connect to the internet at a certain location, you have a fixed IP address, and that’s trackable information that people can use to link it back to you. With a VPN, other people will only see the address of the VPN server, not yours.
The last perk that we’ll talk about here is a big plus for many people, especially when we’re staying at home so much these days. Think about all the TV shows you can watch, without restriction! That’s right, when you’re connected to a VPN server in another country, you gain access to content in that country. The good thing about Avast is that even when you’re connected to a VPN, streaming speeds don’t go down so you can enjoy your shows without staring at annoying buffering circles that never go away.
Avast VPN Pros and Cons
Pros
- Reliable speeds
- 700 server locations around the world
- One-click protection on public WiFi connections
- Instant access widget
- Automatically reconnects when you switch from data to WiFi
Cons
- Steep pricing
- No additional privacy tools
- Keeps connection logs
- Hasn’t gone through publicly released audits
How to use Avast VPN?
Avast SecureLine works pretty similarly to other VPN providers. First, you’ll need to create an account and turn the application on. Then, you have to grant permission to the company to configure your VPN. Once that’s done, select a country to connect to and you should be able to surf the web with a new IP address.
If you encounter any problems, feel free to contact Avast’s customer support team. They’re available 24/7 via phone and knowledge base. They don’t have a live chat yet but their phone support is pretty responsive.
Our Rating Process
To help you decide if Avast SecureLine is the right provider for you, we’re going to review Avast in regards to its speed, features, security, and server locations. We’ve assessed and scored each of the four criteria out of five points so you know how they compare against their competitors.
Speed – 4 / 5
From many speed test results we’ve read, Avast is pretty promising when it comes to speed. When connected, Avast has actually shown to decrease download speed by around 50%, which is a good number compared to its competitors. Latency time is also increased by a low percent, so Avast is ranked pretty high amongst top-performing VPNs.
Features – 4.3 / 5
We know that Avast Secureline is safe and fast, but let’s look at what you can actually do with the service. First, you can use Avast on up to 10 devices at any given time and enjoy no bandwidth limits.
If you’re planning to use a VPN to use streaming services, know that most users have not had problems with streaming on Netflix, Hulu, Amazon Prime Video, HBO Go, and BBC iPlayer. Some users have reported issues with navigating Netflix’s VPN ban, but VPN providers like Avast are constantly working to get ahead of streaming companies’ bans.
For torrenting, Avast allows it on some servers in its network. You can find these servers by looking for a P2P file marker. While torrenting, you’re also protected by an automatic kill switch, which disconnects your device from your internet connection if you ever happen to lose your VPN connection. This means that no matter your internet connection, your IP address, location, and identity will stay intact.
Security – 4.3 / 5
Generally speaking, Avast SecureLine’s security standards are quite solid. First, it provides 256-bit encryption. If this is your first time hearing this term, know that “256” refers to the encryption strength — it is basically military-grade strength. It’s the best in the business and trusted by government agencies and security professionals around the world.
Besides 256-bit encryption, Avast SecureLine also offers DNS leak protection. This protection feature makes sure your personal data stays secret and will never leak outside the VPN connection. This is a very helpful feature in keeping your physical location and browsing activity discreet. Avast’s company policy also states that they don’t store your true IP address, nor any information about what you do online — this is music to customers’ ears!
Unfortunately, we have to take some points off from the fact that Avast has monetized its users’ data, as well as provide an email address to Czech law enforcement in the past in response to legal requests.
Server location – 3.8 / 5
The number of servers and server locations matter for VPN companies because when you’re physically located near one, your speeds and connection perform better. Currently, Avast SecureLine offers 700 servers across 35 countries, with most of them in Europe. This number falls short when compared to competitors such as ExpressVPN and NordVPN, which offer more than 3,000 and 5,000 servers respectively.
That said, one thing that might have helped pull Avast back up is the countries where Avast has its servers. Most VPN companies don’t have servers in Africa and South America, but Avast does. This means their services have reached more people on different continents.
Another good thing about Avast is that the company owns all of its servers and doesn’t use virtual servers.
Package Comparison
Product Details
1 Month
1 Year
2 Years
Price per month
$8.99
$4.99
$3.99
7-day free trial
Yes
Yes
Yes
30-day money-back guarantee
Yes
Yes
Yes
One-click connection
Yes
Yes
Yes
Hide your online activity
Yes
Yes
Yes
Secures up to 10 devices
Yes
Yes
Yes
Technical / Product Details
Product Details
Specs
Supported languages
Available in 24 languages
Compatibility
Available on PC, Mac, Android, and iOS
Restricted Countries
Russia
Customer Support
Available via phone and knowledge base
Frequently Asked Questions
Go to your Applications folder, then double-click the Avast SecureLine VPN icon to open the application. You’ll see a red switch in the middle of the screen — click on it so it switches from Off to On. After that, open the Confirmation Dialog and grant Avast SecureLine VPN permission to add VPN configurations by clicking Allow. And that’s it! You can choose to connect to a different location whenever you like.
How much is Avast VPN?
Depends on how long your package is. You can get a 7-day free trial to see how you like the company. After that, their 1-month plan costs $8.99/month, 1-year plan costs $4.99/month, and 2-year plan costs $3.99/month!
How does Avast VPN work?
It works similarly to most VPNs. You create an account, turn on the VPN application, grant permission to add VPN configurations, then choose a server location that you’d like to connect to. After that, your IP address is masked and no one will be able to track your online activities.