Fixing computer and just wondering which to install. So is Avira or Avast better. I would be downloading the free edition for both so only review the free edition, I don’t want to pay for anything.
Chosen Answer:
As with Soccer Dave, I also use and recommend Avast.
Although Avira has the best detection rates of the free AV’s, it is known for update issues, and it doesn’t scan email.
Avast’s detection rates aren’t far behind Avira’s, it has antispyware and rootkit scanning, scans email, can be scheduled to run a boot-time scan, and unlike Avira, Avast updates without fail.
Edit @ grafitti… (who likes to answer questions two days after they are asked):
AVG has the fanboys here, not Avast.
As I’ve said before and I will back it up (check out their forum), the free version of Avira is notorious for auto-update failures. And an antivirus that can’t be trusted to auto-update, well, can’t be trusted. If after checking your Avira logs if you can say for sure that your Avira completes *ALL* of its auto-updates, then yes, it is good.
But those detection rates are m00t if the program is out of date.
Oh, and I agree that the Avast GUI is funky… but it can *easily* be changed to a conventional face, not like the Avira nag screen fix which you had to search to find… if the nag screen fix was *easy* to find, it wouldn’t be the item of contention that it is, even with Avira fans.
by: heebus_jeebus
on: 1st May 09