Last verified:July 2026
It depends on what you mean by trust. As a piece of technology, Avast is strong — its detection engine scores at the top of independent lab tests. As a company, it carries a serious stain: until 2020 it collected and sold users’ browsing data through its Jumpshot subsidiary, and in 2024 the US Federal Trade Commission banned the practice and ordered $16.5 million in redress. The practice ended, the data was ordered deleted — whether that is enough is your call.
What actually happened with Jumpshot
Between 2014 and 2020, Avast collected browsing data from its free antivirusAn antivirus is a program that detects, blocks and removes malicious software. Modern ones combine known signatures with behavior analysis.More in the glossary → and browserA browser is the program you use to open websites and surf the internet — such as Chrome, Firefox, or Safari.More in the glossary → extensions and sold it through its subsidiary Jumpshot to more than a hundred third parties. According to the FTC’s complaint, the company amassed more than eight petabytes of browsing histories while telling users its software would reduce tracking. A joint journalistic investigation exposed the scheme in January 2020; Avast shut Jumpshot down within days.
The regulatory bill came later. In 2024 the FTC ordered Avast to pay $16.5 million for consumer redress, banned it from selling or licensing browsing data for advertising, and required it to delete the Jumpshot data and any models built from it.
Who owns Avast today
Avast is Czech in origin — founded in Prague in 1988, long before the data scandal, and a pioneer of the freemium antivirus model. In 2016 it absorbed its Czech rival AVG. In 2022 it merged with NortonLifeLock; the combined company, Gen Digital, is listed on the NASDAQ and dual-headquartered in Tempe, Arizona and Prague. Gen Digital also owns Norton, Avira and AVG.
So no — despite a persistent internet rumor, Avast is not a Chinese company, and never was. Its ownership chain runs from Czech founders to a publicly traded US-Czech corporation.
Is the product itself any good?
Yes — and this is exactly what makes the question two-sided. In recent independent test rounds Avast has ranked among the top products: high protection rates, low system impact and few false alarms, with its free version earning the same engine-level results as the paid tiers. Judged purely on how well it detects malwareGuideHow does antivirus software detect malware?Antivirus software detects malware with signatures, heuristics, behavior analysis and cloud ML. Here is how each layer works and why all are needed., Avast belongs in the upper tier of the market.
The trust question is therefore not “does it work?” but “am I comfortable with this company’s history handling my data?” Both answers are legitimate.
If the history is a dealbreaker
Reasonable people land differently here. The misconduct ended in 2020, a regulator imposed consequences, and there is no evidence of the practice continuing. Equally reasonable: an antivirus sees nearly everything on your device, and a vendor that monetized exactly that access once has used up its benefit of the doubt.
If you are in the second camp, you have options — the market is deep, and several major productsGuideWhat are the 7 examples of antivirus software?Seven examples of antivirus software — from Microsoft Defender to Bitdefender, Norton, ESET, Avira, McAfee and Malwarebytes — and what sets each apart. match Avast’s lab results without the baggage. Note one nuance: Avira and Norton share Avast’s parent company, so if your concern is Gen Digital as a whole, look toward independent vendors instead.
4.8/5Bitdefender
- ✓ Perfect malware detection in independent tests
- ✓ Minimal impact on PC performance
Prices can change — always check them on the provider’s official website before you buy.
Frequently asked questions
Is Avast antivirus a Chinese company?
No. Avast was founded in Prague, Czech Republic, in 1988 and is now part of Gen Digital, a US-listed company dual-headquartered in Arizona and Prague. There is no Chinese ownership in its history — the rumor appears to stem from general suspicion of free antivirus apps, many of which on mobile stores are of unclear origin.
Is there a better antivirus than Avast?
Several products match or beat Avast in independent tests — Bitdefender, Norton and ESET all sit in the same top group, with different strengths in pricing, extras and privacy record. “Better” depends on whether you weight protection scores, cost or corporate history most heavily.
How much does Avast cost per month?
Avast still offers a free tier, and its paid plans are sold as annual subscriptions rather than true monthly ones — typically with a discounted first year that renews at a noticeably higher price. Check the renewal price, not the intro offer, before subscribing; that pattern is common across the industry.
Did Avast delete the data it collected?
That was a core requirement of the FTC order: Avast had to delete the Jumpshot browsing data and any algorithms or models derived from it, and was banned from selling browsing data for advertising going forward. The order was finalized in June 2024.
The bottom line
Avast today is a technically excellent product from a company that broke user trust once, was sanctioned for it, and has operated under a regulator’s ban since. If you can separate the engineering from the history, it remains a capable choice — and if you cannot, equally strong alternatives are a comparison away.
Key takeaways
- Read what an antivirus vendor does with your data, not just its detection scores
- Treat free products with extra scrutiny — the business model must come from somewhere
- Check a vendor's regulatory history before subscribing
- If trust is broken for you, switch — several rivals test just as well