The Avira Insider’s Guide
Everything we know about Avira in one document: what it costs, its grades, getting a refund, getting help and what else to look at. Read it here, or keep a copy.
Avira
The Insider’s Guide
Free antivirus suite with a VPN, PC cleaner and password manager
Every plan, grade, refund rule and rival among antivirus apps, read from Avira’s own pages.
Made by Avira Operations GmbH & Co. KG · checked Oct 17, 2026 · toolgpa.com
Contents
- 01WelcomeWhat it is, who it suits, its grades and the ten things to know first
- 02What it costsEvery plan, the free plan, ways to pay less and how prices have moved
- 03What it doesIts main features, where it runs, what it works with and who makes it
- 04Where it standsIts grades against its category, and whether to keep it or make your own
- 05The alternativesThe tools it is most often weighed against, side by side
- 06Quick answersThe questions people ask about it, each answered in a line or two
- 07About ToolGPAWho made this guide, what else is on the site, and how to cite it
ToolGPA put this guide together from Avira’s own pages, its app-store listings and our grades. Every fact in it is on Avira’s page too, where it is kept up to date. Checked Oct 17, 2026.
Part 01 · Overview
Welcome
What it is, who it suits, its grades and the ten things to know first
2.4
GPA, above 4 of the 14 other antivirus apps we grade
Avira is a German security brand whose Avira Free Security for Windows bundles real-time antivirus with an ad and tracker blocker, a VPN capped at 500 MB a month, a software updater, PC cleanup tools and a password manager. Paid Pro versions and the Avira Prime bundle lift the VPN limit and add more tools. Mobile apps cover Android and iOS.
To get you started, here are 8 things to know about Avira, taken from its own pages and our grades.
- 1
Best for a free Windows suite with a VPN taster
Its phone apps are thinner, there's no Mac app on our record, and we have no prices because Avira's site turned our reader away.
- 2
There is a 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.
- 3
It runs on 3 platforms
Windows, Android and iOS.
- 4
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.
- 5
Ad and tracker blocking
The browser protection blocks dangerous and phishing sites as well as infected ads and trackers.
- 6
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.
- 7
A 2.4 GPA, above 4 of 14
That is against the other antivirus apps we grade, on value, the free plan, features, ease of use and platforms.
- 8
Keep it
To replace Avira you would be making an engine that recognises new malware as it appears. That is not a weekend's work, with an AI app builder or without one.
Avira at a glance
- Pricing
- Free plan
- Free plan
- Yes
- Free trial
- None stated
- Runs on
- Windows, iOS, Android
- Made by
- Avira Operations GmbH & Co. KG
- Category
- Antivirus & Malware Protection
- Our grade
- 2.4 GPA, fair
- Store rating
- 4.3 on the App Store, 4,665 ratings
The report card
Best for a free Windows suite with a VPN taster
Avira Free Security packs a lot into Windows for nothing: real-time antivirus, ad and tracker blocking, a password manager, PC cleanup and 500 MB of VPN a month. Its phone apps are thinner, there's no Mac app on our record, and we have no prices because Avira's site turned our reader away.
| Subject | Grade | Comment |
|---|---|---|
| Value for money | C | No 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. |
| Free plan and trial | B | Avira 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. |
| Features | C | Antivirus, 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. |
| Ease of use | C | 4.26 from about 4,700 App Store ratings, middling for this category. |
| Platforms and integrations | B | Windows, 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. |
An A is worth 4 points, a B 3, a C 2, a D 1 and an F nothing. The GPA is the average of the five.
Who Avira is for
- Great if you want antivirus, a cleaner and a password manager on Windows for free
- Handy when you need a little VPN data now and then without paying
- Good for Android users who want a free scanner with app locking
Who it is not for
- 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
- Not for you if you want web protection on Android for free, as that's a Pro feature
Good to know
Good for
- Windows users who want free antivirus plus cleanup and update tools
- People who need a small amount of VPN data without paying
- Android users wanting a free scanner with app locking
Worth knowing
- 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.
Part 02 · Pricing
What it costs
Every plan, the free plan, ways to pay less and how prices have moved
Avira's current pricing could not be confirmed from its own site.
What paying mostly buys is an unlimited VPN and automatic updating, through the Pro versions and Avira Prime.
We could not confirm Avira’s current prices from its own site, so this guide lists no plans. avira.com has them.
Part 03 · Features
What it does
Its main features, where it runs, what it works with and who makes it
3
Places it runs: Windows, iOS and Android
Free antivirus suite with a VPN, PC cleaner and password manager. Here is what it does, as its own site describes it, and what it covers: password manager, vPN, ad and tracker blocking, malware protection.
The phones have gaps the listing names: the iPhone app mentions no virus scans, and Android web protection is Pro.
- 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.
Where it runs
- Windows
- iOS
- Android
What it works with
Its own pages name no integrations.
Avira is made by Avira Operations GmbH & Co. KG.
Part 04 · Standing
Where it stands
Its grades against its category, and whether to keep it or make your own
4/14
Other antivirus apps it is graded above
Avira's GPA of 2.4 is higher than 4 of the 14 other antivirus apps we grade, and level with 2.
It stands best on free plan and trial (B, above 11 of 14) and worst on features (C, above 0).
Each grade against the category
Every bar is all 15 antivirus apps we grade, cut by the letter each got. Avira’s own letter is outlined.
- CValue for moneyAbove 3 of 14
- BFree plan and trialAbove 11 of 14
- CFeaturesAbove 0 of 14
- CEase of useAbove 0 of 14
- BPlatforms and integrationsAbove 0 of 14
Keep it, or make your own?
Whether this is something you could build for yourself with an AI app builder, and what you would give up.
Keep it
To replace Avira you would be making an engine that recognises new malware as it appears. That is not a weekend's work, with an AI app builder or without one.
That makes this kind of software worth paying for, not this one in particular: 8 of the 14 other antivirus apps grade higher.
What you could make
- Ad and tracker blocking: an app builder makes this well.
What you could not
- An engine that recognises new malware as it appears.
- Servers in dozens of countries, kept fast and private.
- A password vault, the last thing anyone should make for themselves.
- Apps for Windows, iOS and Android that stay in step with each other.
What this rests on. Avira’s listing: what it does, where it runs, what it plugs into and what it costs. It is a judgement about the kind of software this is. We have not built a replacement for it, and making your own means looking after it too. How we decide, and every tool’s verdict.
Part 05 · Alternatives
The alternatives
The tools it is most often weighed against, side by side
Avast, AVG, Bitdefender, Malwarebytes and TotalAV
The 5 tools Avira is most often weighed against, with where each one differs from it.
- 3.0GPA
Avast
Free plan
Free antivirus for PC, Mac and phones, with paid Premium and Ultimate.
- Only Avast lists a macOS app.
- Only Avast lists a browser extension.
- Avira also covers password manager and ad and tracker blocking.
- 2.8GPA
AVG
Free plan
Free antivirus for Windows, with paid Internet Security and Ultimate.
- Only AVG lists a macOS app.
- Only AVG lists a browser extension.
- Avira also covers password manager and ad and tracker blocking.
- 2.8GPA
Bitdefender
Free plan · from $49.99/yr
Antivirus suites for computers and phones, with a free Windows tier.
- Only Bitdefender lists a macOS app.
- Avira also covers ad and tracker blocking.
- 2.2GPA
Malwarebytes
Free plan · from $59.99/yr
Malware scanner and real-time protection, with VPN and ID plans.
- Only Malwarebytes lists a macOS app.
- Only Malwarebytes lists a browser extension.
- Avira also covers password manager.
- 2.0GPA
TotalAV
From $99/yr
Antivirus with tune-up tools, plus VPN and ad blocking on higher plans.
- Avira has a free plan. TotalAV does not.
- Only TotalAV lists a macOS app.
- Only TotalAV lists a browser extension.
Part 06 · Questions
Quick answers
The questions people ask about it, each answered in a line or two
10
Questions, each answered in a line or two
The short version of everything above, for when you only need the answer. Each one is told in full in its part of the guide.
Is Avira free?
Avira has a 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.
What platforms does Avira work on?
Avira is available on Windows, Android and iOS.
How is Avira rated?
Avira's iPhone and iPad app averages 4.3 out of 5 from 4,665 ratings on the App Store in the United States, as read on Oct 17, 2026.
Does Avira have a macOS app?
No macOS app was listed when its pages were read on Oct 17, 2026. Avira is listed for Windows, Android and iOS.
Does Avira have a Linux app?
No Linux app was listed when its pages were read on Oct 17, 2026. Avira is listed for Windows, Android and iOS.
Is Avira open source?
Avira is not described as open source on its own site, as read on Oct 17, 2026.
Who makes Avira?
Avira is made by Avira Operations GmbH & Co. KG.
What are the alternatives to Avira?
The closest alternatives to Avira in our directory are Avast, AVG, Bitdefender, Malwarebytes and TotalAV.
How does Avira compare with other antivirus apps?
Avira's GPA of 2.4 is higher than 4 of the 14 other antivirus apps we grade, and level with 2.
Could I make my own version of Avira?
To replace Avira you would be making an engine that recognises new malware as it appears.
Where this guide comes from
The prices, plans, platforms and features were read from Avira’s own pages on Oct 17, 2026, and the grades were given on Oct 17, 2026. Graded from this listing, whose facts were read from Avira's Microsoft Store, App Store and Google Play listings on 17 October 2026, and its App Store rating. avira.com turned our reader away again when we went back to check it. Not based on using the product, and shorter than our full reviews.
Every tool we list gets five grades, A to F, each with its reason, and a GPA that averages them. How each is decided is at toolgpa.com/grades. This guide is ToolGPA’s own work; it is not made, paid for or approved by Avira Operations GmbH & Co. KG. Prices change, so check avira.com before you buy.
Part 07 · About
About ToolGPA
Who made this guide, what else is on the site, and how to cite it
1,880
Tools graded, in 47 categories
ToolGPA grades software the way a school report grades a pupil: five subjects, a letter for each with the reason written beside it, and a GPA that averages them. Prices, plans and platforms are read from each maker’s own pages and dated, so you always know how fresh a figure is.
ToolGPA is free to read. It may earn a commission from affiliate links and it works with sponsors, but anything paid for is labelled and no one can pay for a grade. Every tool on the site has a guide like this one, free to download and pass on. It all lives at toolgpa.com.
1,880
tools graded
47
categories
426
price changes on record
579
apps priced in 12 countries
What else is on toolgpa.com
- Avira, kept up to dateEverything in this guide, with prices and grades as they are todaytoolgpa.com/tools/avira
- How grades are givenThe rules behind every letter and every GPAtoolgpa.com/grades
- Value chartsWhat each tool costs against what it scores, for every categorytoolgpa.com/charts
- CompareAny two tools side by side, plan by plantoolgpa.com/compare
- Price changesEvery price rise and cut on record, each with its sourcetoolgpa.com/price-changes
- Prices by countryWhat apps cost on the App Store in 12 countriestoolgpa.com/prices-by-country
- Pay lessEvery public discount: yearly billing, students, nonprofitstoolgpa.com/save
- Keep or makeWhich tools are worth paying for, and which you could build yourselftoolgpa.com/keep-or-make
Scan for the live page
Prices and grades as they are today
Quoting this guide?
Please name ToolGPA and link to the live page, so readers can check the figures for themselves:
ToolGPA, "Avira: The Insider's Guide", checked Oct 17, 2026. https://toolgpa.com/tools/avira
Know someone choosing between antivirus apps?
Send them this guide: toolgpa.com/tools/avira/guide
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See our other guides
The best-graded antivirus apps after Avira, each with an Insider's Guide of its own.
- Antivirus & Malware Protection Insider's GuideEvery one of the 15 antivirus apps we grade, compared
- Avast Insider's GuideFree antivirus for PC, Mac and phones, with paid Premium and Ultimate3.0 GPA
- AVG Insider's GuideFree antivirus for Windows, with paid Internet Security and Ultimate2.8 GPA
- Bitdefender Insider's GuideAntivirus suites for computers and phones, with a free Windows tier2.8 GPA
Choosing software? Every tool graded, every price dated.
Compare tools at toolgpa.com ›Everything in this guide is ToolGPA’s own summary of what Avira’s pages, its app-store listings and public reviews said on the dates shown. Grades are our judgement under the rules at toolgpa.com/grades. ToolGPA uses affiliate links and may earn a commission from them, and it works with sponsors; anything paid for is labelled, and no one can pay for a grade. Avira is a trademark of its owner, and this guide is not made, paid for or approved by Avira Operations GmbH & Co. KG. Prices and plans change: check avira.com before you buy.