Avira vs ClamAV (2026): which should you pick?
As of Nov 12, 2026, Avira and ClamAV share a 2.4 GPA, both have a free plan and their prices can't be set side by side, so the choice depends on whether you care more about features, ease of use and platforms, where Avira grades higher, or value for money and the free plan, where ClamAV does.
Checked Oct 17, 2026 and Nov 12, 2026 · graded Oct 17, 2026 and Nov 12, 2026 by ToolGPA
Price, platforms and features side by side. The table says where each price was read and when.
Which one is for you
Pick Avira if
- Fits if you want antivirus, a cleaner and a password manager on a Windows PC for free
- Works for Android users who want a free scanner with app locking
Look elsewhere if
- Skip it if you use a Mac, as there's no Mac app on our record
- Tight if you stream over the free VPN, which stops at 500 MB a month on Windows and 100 MB a day on Android
- Not for you if you want web protection or camera and mic blocking free on Android, as they're Pro features
- Watch out: the iPhone app's listing mentions no virus scans, only a VPN, web protection, breach checks and call blocking
- Watch out: we have no prices on record, as Avira's site refused our reader, so check avira.com before buying
Pick ClamAV if
- Fits if you run Linux or a mail server and want a free scanner
- Works for a sysadmin who's comfortable on the command line
Look elsewhere if
- Not for you if you want a desktop antivirus with a window, because there's no graphical app
- Skip it if you want real-time protection on Windows or Mac, as on-access scanning is documented for Linux only
- Too light for your only protection, since the docs say it isn't a traditional antivirus or endpoint suite
- Watch out: it wants about 3 GiB of RAM and 5 GiB of free disk with the standard database
How we grade them
| 2.4GPAAviraFair | 2.4GPAClamAVFair | |
|---|---|---|
| Value for money | CNo prices on record: avira.com turned our reader away, so there's no two-year figure for a household, and C is the grade for no stated price. What paying mostly buys is an unlimited VPN and automatic updating, through the Pro versions and Avira Prime. | AFree and open source under the GPL v2, with signature updates from Cisco. Anyone can download and run it. |
| Free plan and trial | BAvira Free Security gives a Windows PC real-time antivirus, web and ad blocking, a password manager, a software updater and a cleaner. One person could live on that. The VPN stops at 500 MB a month, and Android gets 100 MB a day. | AFree outright, with no plan limits on record. The docs suggest 3 GiB of RAM and 5 GiB of disk for the standard database. |
| Features | CAntivirus, ad and tracker blocking, a driver and software updater, more than 30 cleanup tools and a password manager on Windows. The phones have gaps the listing names: the iPhone app mentions no virus scans, and Android web protection is Pro. | DCommand-line and daemon scanning, archive support, signed databases and mail gateway focus. The docs point to Cisco Secure Endpoint for a full antivirus. |
| Ease of use | C4.26 from about 4,700 App Store ratings, middling for this category. | DNo store rating on record, and you work through a command line and config files. |
| Platforms and integrations | BWindows, Android and iPhone, and the password manager syncs between them. There's no Mac app on our record and no API, so it stops at B. | CWindows, Mac and Linux, but computers only: no phone app and no graphical interface. |
| Best for | a free Windows suite with a VPN taster | free command-line malware scanning |
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: Avira and ClamAV. How we grade
Where they differ
- ClamAV is open source, according to its own site.
- Avira also covers password manager, vPN and ad and tracker blocking.
In commonFree planWindowsMalware protection
At a glance
| Avira | ClamAV | |
|---|---|---|
| Pricing | Free plan | Free |
| Starts at | Not published | Free |
| Free plan | Avira Free Security for Windows: real-time antivirus, web and ad blocking, a VPN with 500 MB a month, a software updater, PC cleaner and password manager. | Free and open source under the GNU General Public License v2, with signature updates published by Cisco. |
| Free trial | None listed | None listed |
| macOS | ||
| Windows | ||
| Linux | ||
| iOS | ||
| Android | ||
| Made by | Avira Operations GmbH & Co. KG | Cisco |
| Price read from | Not confirmed | docs.clamav.net |
| Checked | Oct 17, 2026 | Nov 12, 2026 |
Worth knowing
Avira
- Avira's website and help center refused automated reads on 2026-10-17, so its plan prices are not listed here; check avira.com before buying.
- The free VPN stops at 500 MB a month on Windows and 100 MB a day on Android; unlimited VPN needs a paid plan.
- The iPhone app offers a VPN, web protection, email breach checks and call blocking; its listing does not mention virus scans.
- On Android, web protection and microphone and camera blocking are Pro features; the scanner, VPN allowance and app lock are free.
ClamAV
- ClamAV's own docs say it is not a traditional antivirus or endpoint security suite and point to Cisco Secure Endpoint for that.
- Real-time on-access scanning is documented for Linux only.
- The downloads page offers installers and source packages; it does not offer a desktop app with a graphical interface or a mobile app.
- The docs recommend at least 3 GiB of RAM and 5 GiB of free disk space for the scanner with the standard signature database.
Key features
Avira
- Real-time virus protection
- A cloud-backed scan engine detects and blocks malware and potentially unwanted apps bundled with other software, and repair tools help fix damaged files.
- Ad and tracker blocking
- The browser protection blocks dangerous and phishing sites as well as infected ads and trackers.
- VPN with a free allowance
- The free Windows app includes a no-logs VPN with 500 MB a month and servers in 33 countries; the Android app gives 100 MB a day. Avira Prime removes the limit.
- Software and driver updater
- Finds outdated apps and drivers, including third-party ones, and fetches updates from their official sources. Automatic updating is a paid feature.
- PC cleaner and tune-up tools
- Over 30 tools for clearing junk and registry leftovers, finding duplicate files, speeding up startup, boosting games and wiping disks.
- Password manager
- Generates and stores passwords, fills logins, syncs across devices, keeps card details and notes, and produces two-factor codes.
ClamAV
- Command-line and daemon scanning
- Includes a command-line scanner for on-demand file scans and a multi-threaded scanner daemon, with an automatic signature updater.
- Mail gateway focus
- The docs describe it as designed especially for e-mail scanning on mail gateways, and the About page lists a milter interface for sendmail.
- Archive and file format support
- Scans inside archives such as Zip, RAR, 7Zip, Tar and ISO, and reads PE, ELF and Mach-O executables, Office files, PDF and HTML.
- On-access scanning on Linux
- The ClamOnAcc client for the ClamD daemon scans files as they are accessed on modern Linux, and can block access until a file has been scanned.
- Signed signature databases
- Signature databases are signed, so the scanner only executes trusted definitions, and the databases are updated several times a day.
Plans
Avira
Pricing could not be confirmed. See avira.com.
ClamAV
ClamAV$0
Open-source engine, scanner daemon and updater. You install and run it yourself, with no paid edition.
Common questions
Which is cheaper, Avira or ClamAV?
As of Nov 12, 2026, Avira has no price we could confirm, and ClamAV is free.
Which has a free plan, Avira or ClamAV?
As of Nov 12, 2026, both Avira and ClamAV have a free plan.
Which platforms do Avira and ClamAV run on?
As of Nov 12, 2026, only Avira lists iOS and Android apps and only ClamAV lists macOS and Linux apps. Both list a Windows app. 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.