Avira Free Antivirus Review

Screenshot of Avira Free Antivirus 2015 in Windows 7
Avira Free Antivirus 2015. © Avira Operations
by
Stacy Fisher
Updated August 02, 2018

Avira Free Antivirus is one of best free antivirus software programs out there for various reasons, the least of which is just because it's free.

My favorite feature of Avira Free Antivirus is the wide range of malware threats that it protects you from. I also like how simple the interface is.

Important: Avira Free Antivirus provides free on-access or resident protection, meaning it's keeping an eye on things all the time. Because of this fact, Avira Free Antivirus can completely replace any antivirus software that you might be paying for, like popular products from McAfee and Norton. Some of those programs might be offering you other services but as far as malware/virus protection is concerned, Avira Free Antivirus does the same job... for free.

Pros

  • Protects from many types of malware, not just traditional viruses
  • Contains advanced heuristic tools
  • Works on Windows 10, 8, 7, Vista, and XP
  • Supports the Mac operating system
  • Virus definition updates are automatic

Cons

  • Only home use allowed
  • Configuration wizard could be intimidating
  • The download portion of the installation process took longer than with other programs
  • Installation program makes browser changes unless unselected
  • Asks to install a toolbar during setup

Description

  • Avira Free Antivirus protects you from viruses, adware, spyware, back-door programs, dialers, fraudulent software, phishing, and more
  • An ability to choose when to start the antivirus program during the boot process is a valuable addition that I haven't seen elsewhere
  • Avira Free Antivirus has an advanced heuristic engine (detects malware that it's not already aware of) which is a feature not always seen in free antivirus tools
  • Windows 10, Windows 8, Windows 7, Windows Vista, and Windows XP are all supported operating systems
  • Automatic updates keeps Avira Free Antivirus updated with the latest threat information

My Thoughts on Avira Free Antivirus 

Avira Free Antivirus is an excellent free antivirus choice. While not my favorite (I prefer AVG or avast!), it certainly has its pluses.

As I mentioned above, the best thing about Avira Free Antivirus is the range of protection - everything from old fashioned modem dialers that used to rack up the phone bill to the most advanced Trojans.

While this might seem odd to mention, the configuration wizard, which I listed as a con, is actually quite handy as long as you know what you're selecting. For example, one option allows you to choose whether to start Avira Free Antivirus early in the Windows boot process, giving you greater protection, or later in the process, providing a bit less protection but speeding up your boot. Options are always good, right?

Tip: You're asked to register after the Avira Free Antivirus installation, but it's optional. Also, if you'd like to prevent browser toolbar and settings changes, choose the Custom Installation option and unselect those options.