Perhaps you have heard about Avast and AVG technologies, and you are wondering what exactly is the difference between the two companies. Well, they are both in the antivirus software industry and are owned by the same company. However, unlike the antivirus software which AVG is known for, its VPN is lesser known because it is not as competitive as the best VPNs in the market. Before we go on with the AVG VPN reviews, here’s a quick history of the two companies.
AVG VPN Reviews: History of Avast and AVG Technologies
Avast has been the parent company of AVG technologies since 2016. Both companies were founded in the Czech Republic in the late 80s by Pavel Baudiš and Eduard Kučera as a cooperative but went global in the early 90s. Since 2010, it has been a private company and had its IPO in May 2018. However, in July 2016, Avast acquired its rival, AVG Technologies, for $1.3 billion.
Currently, AVG is one of the largest security brands in the world and is in charge of the AVG VPN. The parent company, Avast, operates two other VPN products—HMA and Avast Secureline.
AVG VPN Reviews: Shortcomings
Oftentimes, in selecting the type of VPN to use, people often prefer that drawbacks, weaknesses, and limitations don’t outweigh the pros. After analyzing the AVG VPN via the AVG secure VPN review, here are the limitations and weaknesses of the VPN.
- Privacy practices are not as tight as expected and need to be worked on.
- The VPN service has an inflexible pricing plan when compared to others. The minimum subscription is one year, whereas other VPNs have monthly plans.
- Another limitation is that the VPN has fewer server locations, unlike other VPNs like ExpressVPN with a wide range of locations. The privacy tools are also limited.
- Also, there are no public audits by the AVG VPN authorities.
Comparisons/alternatives
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AVG VPN Reviews: Plans and Prices
AVG VPN looks expensive compared to the level of quality it offers. It has three price plans, although you cannot pay for a single month. There’s little to no difference in the product features of each subscription length.
What is the cost of AVG VPN? The minimum subscription of AVG VPN is $4.99 per month. A price reduction is seen in the two-year plan with AVG VPN costs $3.99 per month. The same price goes for the three-year plan. For each subscription plan, you will have to pay an upfront fee.
Unlike other notable VPNs like ExpressVPN, AVG does not have a monthly plan. However, it has a 7-day free trial plan you make use of before deciding if you will be opting for any of the yearly plans. Based on research and AVG secure VPN reviews, it is often advised to opt for the year or two-year plan as there’s no further discount to benefit from by going for the three-year plan.
The AVG VPN also has a special plan called the ‘AVG Ultimate’ subscription. This plan includes the AVG antivirus and PC optimization software. You can get it for $79.99 per year.
AVG VPN Reviews: Payment Options and Refund
According to the AVG secure VPN reviews carried out, it was discovered that you could only get AVG VPN via credit card or PayPal. This limitation in payment is an edge for competitors regarding payment options. There are no other options like payment through cryptocurrencies or international options.
AVG VPN Reviews: 30 Day Refund Guarantee
AVG VPN also offers a 30-day money-back guarantee. However, there are some terms and conditions attached to that. For you to be eligible for a refund, you must have used less than 10GB of data during the 30 days, and you must have connected the VPN less than 100 times. If you meet these requirements, you can contact support.
AVG VPN Reviews: 7 days Free Trial
Normally, AVG VPN isn’t free, but you can access the free trial package for 7 days without paying a dime. While accessing this offer, you do not need any personal or payment information. All you have to do is to download the VPN on your device and do the needful. You should note that for the free trial plan, you can only use the VPN on a single device.
Summary sheet
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AVG VPN Reviews: Using AVG VPN
AVG VPN Reviews: Streaming Netflix
From the latest AVG secure VPN reviews, it has been observed that AVG VPN has dedicated servers used in streaming Netflix and other sites like the BBC iPlayer. The UK server worked perfectly when it was tested. However, other streaming services like Prime Video and HBO Max weren’t working.
The latest AVG secure VPN reviews showed that AVG VPN is less reliable at streaming US Netflix. However, it was still able to access the site more often than not. On the other hand, AVG VPN is an excellent option for streaming BBC iPlayer from outside the UK. The VPN worked until the time it was tested.
Here’s a quick pro-tip for accessing US Netflix. To access it, connect to the ‘Gotham City’ server, while for BBC iPlayer, connect to ‘Wonderland’ Server. Although AVG VPN works for these two sites, it is not able to offer other streaming services. It is unable to stream Amazon Prime Video, Hulu, HBO Max, or Peacock.
AVG VPN Reviews: Torrenting
Is AVG VPN good for torrenting? With the latest AVG secure VPN reviews, AVG VPN is not a good option for torrenting. It has a slow bit rate and poor overall performance. One questionable feature of the VPN is that it logs data too much and, as such, cannot be trusted with sensitive information. Suppose you are the type that torrent files quite often, then you should consider using other VPNs like ExpressVPN. AVG VPN allows P2P activity on servers of six countries which can be found on the torrenting section of the server list. Torrenting servers of AVG VPN are located in the following regions; France, Germany, Netherlands, UK, US, and Czech Republic.
AVG VPN Reviews: AVG VPN in China
AVG VPN doesn’t work in China, UAE, Turkey, or any other country with high censorship for VPN. The app doesn’t have stealth protocols or obfuscation tools. It has only the Open VPN protocol, which makes it easy to detect the VPN. In all cases that AVG VPN was used to access China, it was denied. This doesn’t come as a surprise as AVG itself openly admitted that the VPN won’t work for China due to Chinese government regulations and policies.
Even though AVG VPN does not work in China, it still works for some high censorship countries like Russia and Turkey that have less strict VPN bans like China. While the Chinese web filters and blocks a large number of VPNs, there are still some VPNs that can override the great firewall. An example of such is ExpressVPN.
AVG VPN Reviews: AVG VPN for Video Games
Based on the recent AVG secure VPN reviews, it has been established that even though the download speed of AVG VPN is okay, the video games were not downloading, not to talk of playing. On the 7 days free trial, download was impossible, but for other packages, download was possible, but the video was still not playing. In general, AVG VPN is not a preferred option for online video games.
AVG VPN Reviews: AVG Features
The Interface: AVG Secure VPN Reviews
AVG Secure VPN has one of the most friendly user interfaces. The download and the installation of the application are straightforward. The download and installation only take a couple of minutes for both Windows and iOS applications. After installation, you can get the 7 days free trial. The beauty of the application is that once you install it, it automatically selects the best server, and you can manually connect to any server. You can use the on/off switch button on the interface to connect and disconnect the VPN. Also, you can have access to all available locations by clicking on the change location button. Another thing is that it displays streaming and P2P locations separately, making selection easy.
AVG Secure VPN Reviews: Settings
From the recent AVG secure VPN reviews, it has been established that settings on the app are easy. From the settings, there’s an option where you can activate the kill switch and can enable or disable the auto connect feature. Based on the app’s overall features, the AVG VPN is easy to use, and it is user-friendly.
AVG Secure VPN Reviews: Other Applications
AVG VPN is one of the notable VPNs that has dedicated applications for many of the devices available. Based on the current AVG secure VPN reviews, it supports four operating systems which are Windows, iOS devices, Android, and macOS. Unfortunately, it does not support Linux devices and cannot be used in routers. So, if you are the type that uses Linux platforms, this may be a limitation for you. The best bet for you is to look for alternatives.
AVG VPN Reviews: Test Results
AVG Secure VPN Reviews: Speed
While considering the type of VPN to use, speed is one of the most important factors. From the test carried out, it was observed that the speed of AVG VPN is slow when compared to the average speed of other VPNs like ExpressVPN. The download speed of the optimized streaming and P2P servers of the AVG VPN is very low. One of the factors responsible for the slow speed of AVG VPN is the limited number of servers which is an important factor that helps increase VPN speed. So, if you are the type that is after speed in selecting the type of VPN to use, a better option for you is ExpressVPN.
AVG Secure VPN: Reviews: DNS Leaks and Torrenting
Based on our AVG secure VPN reviews, the AVG VPN passes the DNS leak test. Thanks to the robust encryption, there were no IP, DNS, and WebRTC leaks detected. The 256-AES encryption used by AVG VPN is enough to keep you safe. However, it would be best if you kept in mind that while switching between servers, there is a tendency for your connection to drop and to avoid data leak, ensure you activate the kill switch button in order to keep yourself safe until your VPN reconnects. Even though the AVG VPN is safe, other VPNs are safer. An example of such is ExpressVPN. It has a Multihop feature that passes your data through two or more VPN servers, thereby increasing your security. AVG VPN lacks this feature.
AVG Secure VPN Reviews: Customer Service
Based on recent AVG secure VPN reviews and tests, it can be concluded that AVG VPN doesn’t have one of the best customer support. The issue with this VPN is that there is no direct way to contact support. You will have to pass through several steps to have access to technical support. To contact technical support, you have to log in to the AVG account and navigate your way to the support page.
Once you get there, you will have to select your VPN product and operating system. After this, you will be directed to a page where you have the option of selecting ‘get more help.’ Once you click on this, you have the opportunity to fill a form to lodge your complaint. Unlike other VPNs like ExpressVPN, where you can easily contact their customer service, contacting AVG VPN is a bit awkward based on the AVG VPN reviews.
AVG VPN Reviews: FAQ
Q: Is AVG VPN any good?
A: The AVG VPN is good for an individual that is interested in Netflix and torrenting. However, if you are the type that is concerned about privacy, AVG VPN is not the best choice because it is based in a Five Eyes member country. It logs user information like IP addresses, website visits, and other web activity.
Q: Is AVG VPN free?
A: AVG VPN offers a free 7-day trial. However, after the expiration of that trial, it will cost between $3.99 to $4.99 per month if you want to keep using it.
Q: Can AVG VPN be trusted or Is AVG VPN safe?
A: AVG VPN is not entirely safe. Because it is situated in the Netherlands, which is a member of the Five Eyes international surveillance alliances, and because it logs users’ IP addresses and websites visited, it cannot be trusted. Although if you are interested in accessing another country’s streaming services and torrenting non copyrighted material, then you can trust AVG VPN services.
AVG VPN Reviews: Wrap Up
So, based on AVG secure VPN reviews, can we recommend this VPN? Well, the answer is no. Despite the reputation of AVG, its VPN lacks important features that make a VPN a reputable one. Features like speed, wide server coverage, excellent customer support, and a better no-logging policy. If you are the type that is after the features named above in deciding the type of VPN to use, then it will be better to go for other VPNs like ExpressVPN, which offers better speed and security.