Avast vs ZoneAlarm (2026): which should you pick?
As of Nov 13, 2026, we pick Avast: it is first in our ranking of antivirus apps, and it grades higher too, 3.0 against 2.6.
Checked Oct 17, 2026 and Nov 12, 2026 · graded Oct 17, 2026 and Nov 12, 2026 by ToolGPA
Avast grades higher on the free plan and features. They get the same grade on value for money, ease of use and platforms.
Price, platforms and features side by side. The table says where each price was read and when.
Avast
Free antivirus for PC, Mac and phones, with paid Premium and Ultimate
ZoneAlarm
Firewall, antivirus and anti-ransomware for home PCs and phones
Which one is for you
Pick Avast if
- Fits if you want real-time antivirus on a Windows PC and don't want to pay
- Works for families mixing Windows, Mac and phones, up to 10 devices
Look elsewhere if
- Skip it if you want one price for everything, as the VPN and Cleanup are separate subscriptions
- Not for you if auto-renewal bothers you, as paid plans renew by themselves and some trials want a card
- Pricey if you keep it past year one: 10 devices go from $69.48 to $99.99, and one computer from $49.08 to $77.99
- Watch out: first-year prices are for new customers only, and Ultimate renews at $109.99 for one computer
- Tight if you want Bank Mode, Email Guard or webcam blocking free, as they're Premium only; there's no web app
Pick ZoneAlarm if
- Fits if you want a free firewall or antivirus on a PC
- Works for someone who wants one paid suite across PC and phones
Look elsewhere if
- Skip it if you want to compare prices first, as none could be read
- Tight if you stay on the free downloads, which cover PCs only
- Watch out: threat emulation and mobile protection are only on Extreme Security
- Watch out: products other than Extreme Security list fewer platforms
How we grade them
| 3.0GPAAvastVery good | 2.6GPAZoneAlarmGood | |
|---|---|---|
| Value for money | CFive devices means the 10-device plan, $69.48 the first year and $99.99 after, so two years cost $169.47, about $7.06 a month. That's above the dearer quarter of antivirus but short of the dearest tenth. One computer is $49.08, then $77.99. | CNo plan prices are recorded, so it sits in the middle of antivirus where no price is published. |
| Free plan and trial | AAvast Free Antivirus gives real-time file, behavior and web shields, ransomware protection, a firewall and network scans, and there are free apps for Mac, Android and iPhone too. Bank Mode, Email Guard and webcam blocking need Premium. | BFree Antivirus and Free Firewall downloads are offered for PCs, with no time limit. One person could live on them. |
| Features | BReal-time shields, ransomware protection and a firewall even when free, then Bank Mode, Email Guard, Deepfake Guard, a sandbox and webcam blocking on Premium. Nothing in the listing shows a gap in the core protection. | CTwo-way firewall, antivirus, anti-phishing and anti-ransomware, but threat emulation and the mobile protections are listed only for Extreme Security NextGen. |
| Ease of use | BNo store rating on record. You install it and the shields start, and everything sits in the one Avast One app. | BNo store rating on record. It is installed software with nothing to configure to start. |
| Platforms and integrations | BWindows, Mac, Android, iPhone and a browser extension, with Multi-Device covering up to 10. No web app or API on record, so it stops at B. | BExtreme Security NextGen lists Windows, macOS, Android and iOS. The other products list fewer platforms. No integrations listed. |
| Best for | real-time antivirus without paying | a free firewall for a Windows PC |
The GPA is the average of the five grades: an A is 4 points, an F is none. The full reasons are on each tool's page: Avast and ZoneAlarm. How we grade
Where they differ
- Avast also covers vPN.
At a glance
| Avast | ZoneAlarm | |
|---|---|---|
| Pricing | Free plan | Free plan |
| Starts at | $77.99 per year at renewal (Premium Security, 1 computer), after a first year at $49.08 | Not published |
| Free plan | Avast Free Antivirus: real-time file, behavior and web shields, ransomware protection, network scans, a firewall and Smart Scan. Free apps exist for Mac, Android and iOS. | Free Antivirus and Free Firewall downloads are offered for PCs. |
| Free trial | Premium Security free for 30 days on Windows with no credit card, or for 60 days on Mac | None listed |
| macOS | ||
| Windows | ||
| iOS | ||
| Android | ||
| Browser extension | ||
| Made by | Gen Digital Inc. | Check Point Software Technologies |
| Price read from | avast.com | Not confirmed |
| Checked | Oct 17, 2026 | Nov 12, 2026 |
Worth knowing
Avast
- First-year prices are for new customers; from the second year Premium Security is $77.99 for one computer or $99.99 for 10 devices.
- Premium Security does not include the VPN or Cleanup Premium; each needs its own subscription unless you buy Avast Ultimate.
- Premium Security is sold for one device or as Multi-Device for up to 10 across Windows, Mac, Android and iOS.
- Paid subscriptions renew automatically, and some trials ask for a payment method before they start.
ZoneAlarm
- Plan prices are not recorded: the product and pricing pages answered with a bot check, so nothing could be read.
- The home page lists Extreme Security NextGen for Windows, macOS, Android and iOS; the other products list fewer platforms.
- Threat emulation and the mobile protections are listed only for Extreme Security.
Key features
Avast
- Core Shields
- File, Behavior and Web shields scan files, watch running programs and block harmful sites in real time, on the free version as well as the paid one.
- Ransomware Shield and firewall
- The free antivirus includes a Ransomware Shield, a firewall, Network Inspector for home network checks, and Hack Alerts when your logins leak online.
- Bank Mode and Real Site
- Premium Security opens banking and payment sites in an isolated virtual desktop and guards against DNS hijacking that swaps a real site for a fake one.
- Email Guard and Deepfake Guard
- Premium Security scans web-based email for phishing and uses AI to flag synthetic voices and videos used in scams.
- Sandbox and webcam protection
- Premium Security can run suspicious programs in a sandbox, blocks apps from using the webcam, and shreds files beyond recovery.
- Avast Ultimate bundle
- Ultimate unlocks Premium Security together with Avast VPN, Cleanup Premium and AntiTrack. Bought alone, the VPN and Cleanup need their own subscriptions.
ZoneAlarm
- Two-way firewall
- Blocks inbound attacks and outbound connections from a PC; a free firewall edition is offered.
- Real-time antivirus
- Scans against a cloud database of signatures for viruses, spyware, Trojans and worms.
- Anti-phishing
- Checks fields that ask for personal details before they are filled in.
- Anti-ransomware
- Uses Check Point technology to detect ransomware and restore files; also sold as a separate product.
- Threat emulation
- Inspects documents and email attachments in a cloud sandbox. Listed for Extreme Security.
Plans
Avast
Premium Security, 1 computer$77.99
per year for 1 computer at renewal, after a first year
One Windows PC or Mac, plus one phone free. The first year costs $49.08, then it renews at $77.99 a year. No VPN or Cleanup Premium.
Premium Security, 10 devices$99.99
per year for 10 devices at renewal, after a first year
Up to 10 devices across Windows, Mac, Android and iOS. The first year costs $69.48, then it renews at $99.99 a year.
Ultimate, 1 computer$109.99
per year for 1 computer at renewal, after a first year
Premium Security plus the VPN, Cleanup Premium and AntiTrack, for one computer and one phone. $49.08 the first year, then $109.99 a year.
Ultimate, 10 devices$139.99
per year for 10 devices at renewal, after a first year
The Ultimate bundle on up to 10 devices. The first year costs $69.48, then it renews at $139.99 a year.
ZoneAlarm
Pricing could not be confirmed. See zonealarm.com.
Ways to pay less
Avast
- Other savings
First year of Premium Security for $49.08
New customers pay $49.08 for a first year on one computer, renewing at $77.99, or $69.48 for 10 devices, renewing at $99.99. Ultimate starts at the same prices, then $109.99 or $139.99.
ZoneAlarm
No public discounts listed.
Common questions
Which is cheaper, Avast or ZoneAlarm?
As of Nov 12, 2026, Avast starts at $77.99 per year at renewal (Premium Security, 1 computer), after a first year at $49.08, and ZoneAlarm has no price we could confirm.
Which has a free plan, Avast or ZoneAlarm?
As of Nov 12, 2026, both Avast and ZoneAlarm have a free plan.
Which platforms do Avast and ZoneAlarm run on?
As of Nov 12, 2026, only Avast lists a browser extension. Both list macOS, Windows, iOS and Android apps. A platform missing from a listing is one its maker's pages did not mention.
More comparisons
How this page was made
- The verdict at the top follows a fixed rule. When both tools are in the same category and either is in our top three for it, the verdict follows that ranking: the higher-placed tool is our pick. The top three weigh who each tool suits as well as its grades, so a pick can go against the GPA. Otherwise the page does not pick one and says which grades higher: the higher GPA first; on a tie, the one with a free plan, then the one that starts cheaper in dollars a month, counted the same way for both; if they are still level, what the choice depends on.
- The grades are our own, from each tool’s review or report card. The GPA is their average.
- Prices, plans and platforms come from each tool’s listing. The table above says where each price was read and when.
- The differences and the answers to the questions are worked out from those listings.