Avira

Avira is a German security company — one of the industry's longest-established names — whose software protects PCs, Macs and phones against viruses, ransomware, phishing and malicious websites. Its claim to fame is the free tier: Avira Free Security includes genuine real-time antivirus permanently, not a crippled trial. The paid side centres on Avira Prime, the plan in our comparison, which covers five devices and unlocks the unlimited VPN and the premium optimisation tools. In practice, people use Avira in two ways: as one of the best genuinely free protections available, or as Prime — an EU-based all-in-one for households that want antivirus, VPN and tune-up under one roof.

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Very safe to rely on: Avira scores well in independent detection tests, blocks malware, phishing and dangerous websites effectively, and operates under German and EU privacy law — about as strict a regime as security vendors answer to. It's one of the most dependable free options on the market, with the paid tiers adding scope rather than fixing gaps. The universal caveat applies here too: no antivirus makes risky clicking safe, so keep systems updated and treat unexpected links with scepticism regardless of the software installed.

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As a free product, close to unbeatable: complete real-time protection at no cost with very good detection — the main reason it earns a place in rankings at all. The honest limits: the free apps prompt you regularly to upgrade to Pro, the free VPN is capped at 500 MB per month (enough for occasional banking on public Wi-Fi, nothing more), and its performance impact measures slightly heavier than the very lightest engines like ESET or Bitdefender. As a paid product, Prime is a fair all-in-one but faces stiffer competition. Summary: best-in-class free tier; solid rather than leading once money changes hands.

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The full modern spread: classic viruses, trojans, worms, ransomware, spyware and adware, plus blocking of phishing and scam sites before they load — the layer that matters most in practice, given that link-based scams rather than classic viruses drive most Australian losses. The engine scans files and downloads in real time rather than waiting for a manual scan, and — Avira's standout trait — that real-time layer is included even in the free version.

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The free experience carries persistent upgrade prompts — the price of free — and its VPN allowance is a token 500 MB per month; unlimited VPN requires the paid Prime tier. Performance impact, while acceptable, measures slightly heavier than the category's lightest (ESET, Bitdefender). And on the paid side, Prime's first-year price (US$59.99/yr) climbs to US$104.99/yr at renewal — a steep step worth a calendar reminder. None of this undermines the core protection, which tests well; they're the trade-offs around it. If the prompts grate and you're willing to pay, Bitdefender delivers a stronger suite for comparable money.

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Yes — genuinely. Avira Free Security is permanently free and includes real-time antivirus, not just an on-demand scanner, with no expiry date. The business model is transparent: free users see regular prompts to upgrade, and advanced features — the unlimited VPN, the firewall and priority support — sit in the paid plans. The top paid tier, Avira Prime, runs US$59.99/yr for the first year for five devices, renewing at US$104.99/yr. If your question is 'can I get real protection for nothing?', Avira remains one of the few credible yes answers.

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Yes — Avira is a long-established German company with a solid, scandal-free record in security, strong marks from the independent testing labs, and EU privacy law governing its data handling. It's among the most widely recommended free antivirus brands for exactly that combination. The commercial pressure you'll notice — upgrade prompts inside the free apps — is a business-model annoyance, not a trust problem.

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