Avast SecureLine VPN is merely one option among a variety of Avast software security products. The company claims that the VPN service provides reliable protection against numerous online threats, ensures a high level of privacy and high speed. Besides, Avast state that the app offers a large number of other advantageous features.
However, is it really as reliable and private? Let’s delve into details of our Avast SecureLine VPN review and find out whether it can be your number one VPN to meet your needs!
Pros and Cons
Pros:
- Well-trusted brand
- Highest-grade protection
- Fast speed
- Easy-to-navigate interface
- Torrenting is allowed
- Unblocks Netflix
- Various pricing packages
- 7-day free trial
Cons:
- Relatively small number of servers supporting P2P connections
- Connection logs are kept
- No kill switch
- No split tunneling function
- No live chat support
Pricing
- Basic plan (up to 5 devices) — $79.99/year ($6.7 per month)
- Basic plan (1 PC or Mac) — $59.99/year ($4.99 per month)
- Basic plan (1 Android or iOS-based gadget) — $19.99/year ($1.66 per month)
Unlike most VPN providers who offer standard pricing packages for three, six months and one year, Avast provides a bit unusual plans. They depend on the device you need to connect to the VPN network. It is probably the most cost-effective option for users who only need a VPN for their mobile gadgets. At the same time, desktop plans are fairly affordable as well.
Each of the plans comes with the same set of features, so every customer can experience all the advantages of the service regardless of the device he or she is going to use.
Before choosing the pricing package that matches your needs best, it’s reasonable to start with the free 7-day trial. This option allows you to get full access to the service. It comes without any limits, meaning that you can use all VPN features throughout the whole week.
With the 7-day trial, every user can connect to any server with unlimited bandwidth, strong 256-bit encryption, and protection against IP and DNS leaks.
Apart from that, Avast SecureLine VPN features a 30-day money back guarantee. If you’re not satisfied with the service, you’ll be able to get the refund. Make sure, though, you haven’t used more than 10GB of data or connected the VPN network more than 100 times. Otherwise, you won’t get the refund.
Privacy and Security
Avast SecureLine VPN uses two protocols — IPSec and OpenVPN with AES 256-bit encryption. Basically, it is the most reliable protection available at the moment. Security experts and state agencies throughout the world use the same type of protection.
It’s worth mentioning that Avast SecureLine doesn’t allow to select the encryption protocol as some other VPN services do. The application for Windows uses OpenVPN, while the app for Mac uses IPsec.
As you might know, the advantage of OpenVPN protocol is that it rapidly responds to new web security threats. Meanwhile, IPsec can be switched off by some routers on an automatic basis. Therefore you might need to activate the “VPN passthrough” function.
Avast SecureLine Extras
Avast SecureLine VPN can boast protection against DNS leaks. This feature ensures that your ISP won’t be able to track any of your Internet movements. Our tests confirmed that the VPN service is completely leak-free.
The downside is that the VPN service comes without a killswitch. It means the app doesn’t disconnect the device from the network when the VPN connection drops.
It also doesn’t feature the split tunneling function, so you won’t be able to select which programs and apps need to run through the VPN network and which apps don’t.
Aside from that, the service does a great job in terms of security and performance.
Avast SecureLine Logging Policy
Avast claims that the VPN service doesn’t keep any data logs of users’ online activity. With that, the provider still stores connection data logs. The logs contain info about the time when the user connects or disconnects to servers, the time span spent connected, and the amount of bandwidth used.
Avast state that they collect this info exceptionally for diagnostic purposes to prevent possible abuse of the connection.
It’s necessary to mention that Avast SecureLine VPN doesn’t keep record of your browsing activity and data transferred. Therefore, it’s impossible for third parties to access the history of your online activity.
Servers and Performance
Avast offer their users to choose among 55 servers in 34 countries all around the world. That’s not the biggest number if compared to some VPN providers. However, it’s more than enough to select the speedy and high-performing server to enjoy any of your online activities.
In some countries, Avast has more than one server location. This list includes Canada, Germany, Spain, Russia having two locations each, the United Kingdom (three locations), and the United States (sixteen locations).
Our speed tests brought encouraging results. Servers located in Europe showed the next results:
- Download speed: 68 Mbps
- Upload speed: 40 Mbps
The US servers displayed a bit slower speeds:
- Download speed: 67 Mbps
- Upload speed: 15 Mbps
The Avast SecureLine speeds are neither the fastest nor the slowest if compared with competing products. With that, these results add AvastSecureline to the list of the high-performing VPNs suitable for gaming, streaming in high definition, etc.
Customer Service
Avast customer support features the ticketing system, so you can fill out and send the application just on the company’s website. Likewise, it’s possible to contact technical support specialists by phone. The phone number is specified on the Avast website in the separate Support section.
The website contains the special knowledge base consisting of helpful articles related to all Avast products. The base comes with a text field to search any info the user may require.
It’s worth adding that Avast doesn’t provide support through a live chat; however, they have a Twitter account. Clients can interact with customer support via this social networking service.
The last but not the least is that Avast phone support is available 24/7. So, users can get answers to their question at any time.
The Bottom Line
Avast SecureLine is a highest-quality VPN service providing solid protection against a large number of threats existing on the Web. The software is continuously improved and updated to match modern high standards of security and performance.
The application can boast almost everything an average Internet user usually looks for – privacy, security, and intuitive interface. Flexible pricing plans and access to Netflix are also significant advantages of the app.
It is likely that the app has only two real downsides — the lack of kill-switch and the relatively small number of servers supporting peer-to-peer connections. In all other respects, this piece of security software can compete with the best products in the given segment.
Avast SecureLine for both PCs and portable devices is easy-to-navigate, it doesn’t require special knowledge and additional computer skills to install and use it.
Your VPN Service Recommendations
- Naturally, you need to start with the free 7-day trial. This option delivers the same set of tools as the paid packages, so you may assess whether this VPN service is your right choice.
- Clap your eyes on pricing packages provided by Avast for Android and iOs-based gadgets. For only a bit more than $1.5 per month, you can protect your gadget from any kind of online threats throughout the whole year.