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Avast! Home Edition

Version: 4.8

Downloads Count: 293,948

License Type: Free

Price: Free

Date Added: Aug 4, 2009

Operating Systems: Windows XP, Windows 98, Windows 2000, Windows Me, Windows Vista

Requirements: 32-bit or 64-bit OS, 100 MB free hard drive space

File Size: 32025 KB

Author: ALWIL Software

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Avg. User Rating 4

Editorial Review of Avast! Home Edition

Developed in the Czech Republic, Avast Antivirus Home Edition offers capable malware detection and faster-than-average scan speed, both of which helped propel the app to the number two spot in our rankings of free antivirus software. Its clunky interface badly needs updating, however.

In AV-Test.org malware-detection tests, the program blocked a respectable 98.2 percent of samples out of a malware "zoo" consisting of about a half-million files. That wasn't enough for Avast to top the best performers, Avira AntiVir Personal and the unranked Panda Cloud Antivirus, but it's still a good showing. Avast didn't do quite as well in proactive-detection tests, which simulate how well a program would fare against new and unknown malware: Its catch rates of 46.1 percent (two-week-old signatures) and 41 percent (four-week-old signatures) put it in fourth place.

The app was relatively nimble at on-demand scans (which you start manually) and on-access scans (which occur automatically when you save or use a file), placing second in each test (behind Avira in both cases). It issued just one false positive (labeling harmless software as malicious).

In disinfection, Avast nearly matched the top performers (Avira and Microsoft Security Essentials), detecting and disabling 90 percent of the rootkits used in our tests. All three apps, however, also left behind Registry entries and failed to reverse all of the changes that the malware had made.

While Avast does well as a malware blocker and remover, it fares poorly as a program that people have to interact with. Its outdated interface has sections that look entirely different depending on whether you're running a scan, checking status, or changing settings. The scanning interface mimics a music player, but you probably won't be singing its praises. Be sure to read the how-to guide that pops up the first time you use the program, unless you enjoy scratching your head and growling at your monitor.

The Avast product is the only free antivirus software in our test group that requires you to register within 60 days to receive a free license key. It's also the only app that scans Web traffic for malware (AVG 8.5 Free's LinkScanner scans Web traffic for the attacks that can presage malware, but not for the malware itself), and it scans e-mail traffic as well.

Avast Antivirus does a decent job protecting a PC from malware, but if you're willing to put up with a less-than-perfect interface (and some ads), you're better off going with Avira's top-notch blocking.

--Erik Larkin

Description of Avast! Home Edition

avast! antivirus Home Edition is FREE to use but it is necessary to register before the end of the initial 60 day trial period. Following the registration you will receive by e-mail a license key valid for a period of 1 year. After you have downloaded and installed the program, the license key must be inserted into it within 60 days. The registration process is very easy, and it will take you only a couple of minutes.

Not a member? Register Now.

Add Your Review

Most recent User Reviews for Avast! Home Edition

Reviewed by: Skyline1866

11-09-2009

Duration of ownership: 1 Days

Strengths: It removed a virus or spyware for me that no other software was able to do (freewater or freedwater?)!

Weaknesses: None

Overall Evaluation: Excellent/superior!!! I am not pc savvy and this was very easy to operate! Thanks so much to PC World for reviewing it and thanks to the other user reviews. They helped me make the decision to download and try it! Thank you so much!!!
Reviewed by: expat53

10-13-2009

Duration of ownership: 5 Months

Strengths: It gives me a little extra peace of mind. To remain free, I need to delete and reinstall every three months or so.

Weaknesses: Missed a Trojan infection.

Overall Evaluation: I use Avast as a compliment to AVG Free, Ad-Aware, CAYahoo, Secunia, and Comodo
Reviewed by: ahlbruce

08-10-2009

Duration of ownership: 2 Years

Strengths: Boots up fast. Does not slow down my computer on the internet.

Weaknesses: None.

Overall Evaluation: I paid for Norton and then McAfee for a year each. They can not beat Avast. Norton slowed down my computer and McAfee found viruses but could not remove them. I would pay for Avast but it's free!
Reviewed by: RealNeil

08-03-2009

Duration of ownership: 6 Years

Strengths: Free, Great protection that's better than the paid services, timely automatic updates, did I say Free? I DID say BETTER and that's true!

Weaknesses: It doesn't wax my car, or do laundry.

Overall Evaluation: it's good to have a free option with 6 computers in the house. AV software USED to cost me dearly every year, but not any more,...AVAST Rocks!
Reviewed by: sephira01

07-10-2009

Duration of ownership: 3 Months

Strengths: Light, just like AVG free, but stronger then it. Fast in scanning, speedy update either in program or virus definition.'

Weaknesses: none except its media-player-like display'

Overall Evaluation: very well, suggested to everyone, especially to a slow PC or Notebook'
Reviewed by: PennsyNut

06-22-2009

Duration of ownership: 2 Years

Strengths: simplicity, keeps running and updates daily.

Weaknesses: none

Overall Evaluation: Other than "why so large a file", it's terrific.

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Avast! Home Edition

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Most recent User Reviews for Avast! Home Edition

Reviewed by: Skyline1866

Reviewed by: expat53

Reviewed by: ahlbruce

Reviewed by: RealNeil

Reviewed by: sephira01

Reviewed by: PennsyNut

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Avast! Home Edition

Editorial Review of Avast! Home Edition

Description of Avast! Home Edition

Add Your Review

Submit your Review

Most recent User Reviews for Avast! Home Edition

Reviewed by: Skyline1866

Reviewed by: expat53

Reviewed by: ahlbruce

Reviewed by: RealNeil

Reviewed by: sephira01

Reviewed by: PennsyNut

See more user reviews »

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