AVG is best known for its popular antivirus, but it also offers a VPN. With such a great reputation for security, you would expect this VPN to be robust and of high-quality. It certainly has top-notch encryption and protocols, but what about the rest of its features? Let’s take a look.
PROS
- Record server numbers
- 6 connections allowed
- 2 kill switches
- Specialist servers
- Some very cheap prices
CONS
- Slightly faster speeds
- 94 countries
- Record Netflix access
- Full access torrenting
- Easy-to-use app
Speed & Expectations
Speed is a crucial factor to consider before you buy a VPN, since they slow your speed down due to the extra VPN tunnel your connection has to go through.
That’s why we perform very comprehensive speed tests for every VPN we review.
We tested the three standard speed metrics:
- Download speed: The rate at which data is transferred from the server to your device. This is measured in megabytes per second (mbps) and a higher number is better.
- Upload speed: The rate at which data is transferred to the server from your device. This is also measured in megabytes per second (mbps) and a higher number is better.
- Ping (or latency): Tested by “pinging” the server, it’s the amount of time it takes for it to receive and process your request. This is measured in milliseconds (ms) and a lower number is better.
First we performed a baseline test, without the VPN, using a 100mbps internet connection in Chicago, IL.
Then we ran tests using AVG Secure VPN. We tested various server locations across the main continents, and performed each test 5 times to increase reliability.
AVG VPN Speed Test
These are the results of our baseline test:
So the average baseline score was:
- Download: 76mbps
- Upload: 11.9mbps
- Ping: 9.4ms
Next we ran our tests on a AVG United States server:
US averages of the 5 different speed tests were:
- Download: 33.3mbps (56.3% slower)
- Upload: 9.7mbps (19% slower)
- Ping: 105.4ms (1021.3% longer)
(You would expect these speeds to be the best considering we are based in the US, so server distance is the shortest).
Next we tested Europe:
Europe’s averages were:
- Download: 9.8mbps (87.1% slower)
- Upload: 5.1mbps (57.6% slower)
- Ping: 113.8ms (1110.6% longer)
Here’s Asia:
Asia’s averages were:
- Download: 23.9mbps (68.5% slower)
- Upload: 3mbps (75% slower)
- Ping: 236.8ms (2419.1% longer)
Next, South America:
South America’s averages were:
- Download: 19.3mbps (74.6% slower)
- Upload: 2.4mbps (80.3% slower)
- Ping: 344ms (3559.6% longer)
Finally, we tested Africa:
Africa’s averages were:
- Download: 24.3mbps (68.1% slower)
- Upload: 2.8mbps (76.7% slower)
- Ping: 323ms (3336.2% longer)
These numbers are overwhelming by themselves, so let’s compare these results against our speed tests for other competitor VPNs.
First up, let’s take a look at download speeds:
VPN | US | Europe | Asia | S.America | Africa |
AVG Secure VPN | -56% | -87% | -69% | -75% | -68% |
Hoxx VPN | -12% | -96% | -93% | n/a | -68% |
VPNSecure | -68% | -93% | -98% | -61% | -77% |
IPVanish | -36% | -54% | -72% | -76% | n/a |
NordVPN | -40% | -99% | -69% | -58% | -75% |
ExpressVPN | -71% | -58% | -64% | -95% | -67% |
Avast | -45% | -63% | -72% | -66% | -77% |
Windscribe | -44% | -57% | -80% | -98% | -73% |
Average | -46.5% | -75.9% | -77.1% | -75.6% | -72.1% |
Download speeds are above average for Asia, just above average for Africa, average for South America, but below average for the US and Europe.
Next, how did upload speeds compare?
VPN | US | Europe | Asia | S. America | Africa |
AVG Secure VPN | -19% | -58% | -75% | -80% | -77% |
Hoxx VPN | -5% | -90% | -24% | n/a | -51% |
VPNSecure | -9% | -19% | -92% | -26% | -56% |
IPVanish | -5% | -19% | -84% | -22% | n/a |
NordVPN | -13% | -46% | -26% | -16% | -70% |
ExpressVPN | -9% | -24% | -34% | -72% | -42% |
Avast | -13% | -42% | -78% | -70% | -77% |
Windscribe | -6% | -17% | -52% | -97% | -53% |
Average | -9.9% | -39.4% | -58.1% | -54.7% | -60.9% |
Upload speeds were unfortunately below average across the board, scoring the slowest result for the US.
And finally latency:
VPN | US | Europe | Asia | S.Am | Africa |
AVG Secure VPN | 1021% | 1111% | 2419% | 3560% | 3336% |
Hoxx VPN | 566% | 1098% | 2470% | n/a | 2794% |
VPNSecure | 281% | 1051% | 2519% | 1530% | 2917% |
IPVanish | 240% | 1038% | 4144% | 1424% | n/a |
NordVPN | 34% | 1278% | 2328% | 1560% | 2696% |
ExpressVPN | 98% | 965% | 2122% | 1545% | 2461% |
Avast | 33% | 1133% | 2465% | 1556% | 2815% |
Windscribe | 310% | 1018% | 1904% | 2042% | 2782% |
Average | 322.9% | 1086.5% | 2546.4% | 1888.1% | 2828.7% |
Latency speeds are also disappointing. They are below average for everywhere except Asia where they are just above average. AVG scores the slowest result for both the US, South America and Asia, with the US score particularly being extreme.
Speed (Summary)
AVG Secure VPN unfortunately showed below average speeds overallin our testing. Download speeds were average, but both upload and latency were below average, particularly for the US.
Performance & Features
Is AVG heavy on its features? In this section we look at the standard features VPNs offer and see how AVG measures up.
Number of servers: 56.
How many active servers are available to connect to across all countries, regardless of their physical location.
This is a very low number of servers. Most quality VPNs tend to have at least 500, if not thousands to reduce server loads, such as PIA’s 3000.
There’s just one server per country available for most countries, aside from the US which has a massive 16 servers.
Number of countries: numbers: 35.
How many countries the total number of servers cover, regardless of how many are located in a single country.
Again this is pretty low and covers only the most ‘popular’ countries VPN-wise. For example there’s only 1 African country and 2 South American countries covered.
If you need more, PureVPN holds the record with 140 countries.
Number of connections allowed: 1-5
How many devices can be connected to a server (or number of servers) based on a single VPN account or subscription.
5 is the average number offered by VPNs, enough to cover most people’s devices.
However there’s a big caveat here: you have to download the free trial on a desktop computer first. If you purchase straight off the website, you only get 1 device.
If you purchase outside a desktop, you get 5 connections but only for similar Android or iOS devices, which is pretty useless for most people.
This is very confusing and unfair, particularly as they don’t explain this anywhere on their website.
Torrenting allowed: A few servers.
Whether you can download and share files on a peer-to-peer or P2P network as opposed to a single server.
AVG does allow torrenting, and it has specialist P2P servers. However, there are only 8 of them, 3 US and 5 European servers. This could mean slow speeds and connection issues, especially in peak periods.
Heavy torrentors might want to look elsewhere, such as ExpressVPN.
Kill switch available: No.
Whether the VPN software can disable your connection to the network in the event you disconnect from the VPN server. This prevents your IP address from being exposed.
AVG doesn’t have any kill switch capabilities, which is a shame.
Performance and Features (Summary)
AVG Secure VPN definitely comes in below-average on features, with a very low number of servers. Torrenting is allowed but only on a few servers, and there’s no kill switches available. It does allow 5 connections though, but only if you download the trial via desktop.
Privacy & Security
If privacy is the main reason you buy a VPN, you want to make sure your VPN’s security is watertight in all areas. This doesn’t just mean it’s encryption, but also things like legal concerns.
First let’s test AVG’s technical security:
Protocols/Encryption:AES-256 encryption with OpenVPN/IPsec protocols
AVG uses top-strength AES-256 encryption, which is the same as used by the US government. It uses OpenVPN UDP protocols for Windows and IPsec for Mac.
OpenVPN is again industry-standard and extremely secure. It’s just a shame they don’t offer more flexibility to suit different users needs. A lot of VPNs let users choose their protocol.
Leaks
Next we tested AVG for any leaks or viruses. A leak means your real IP address isn’t being hidden by the VPN at all times as it should be.
DNS leaks: None found.
IP leaks: None found.
WebRTC leaks: None.
Viruses/Malware: None found.
Fortunately we didn’t find any leaks, viruses or malware in our testing.
Legal issues
Jurisdiction: Czech Republic.AVG Secure VPN is located in the Czech Republic. This is outside the Five Eyes Alliance, but it’s part of the EU, which has stringent data-retention laws that seem to be only getting stricter. They’ve also cooperated with Five Eyes countries in the past.
AVG is now also owned by Avast, and Avast’s transparency report doesn’t make comforting reading. It shows they’ve handed over user data before, including for another VPN product of theirs, HideMyAss.
Logging policy: Records some logs.
A logging policy is what the VPN itself records of you and your online activities. Normally VPNs claim that they have a ‘no-logs’ policy, where they do not log any individual user data.
However, AVG’s logging policy definitely isn’t a no-logs policy, as it clearly states in its privacy policy that it record some logs.
AVG state that they collect the following info:
- Username
- a time stamp when you connect and disconnect to our VPN service;
- the amount data transmitted (upload and download) during your session;
- the IP address used by you to connect to our VPN; and
- the IP address of the individual VPN server used by you.
They store this data for 30 days except in exceptional circumstances.
They clearly state they don’t record the websites you connect to, or any of the data sent or received over their network.
But basically it records timestamps, bandwidth and your real IP address. This is definitely ‘identifiable’ data and not ideal for VPN users. It would make it fairly easy for authorities to track you down if necessary.
Privacy and Security Summary
AVG Secure VPN performs well technically, with robust security and no leaks. But it does record some data on you, and to make matters worse it’s based in the EU and owned by Avast, which has a history of reporting data to the authorities. Not great.
Usability
We’ve covered speed, features and security, but how usable is the VPN?
This section looks at the following usability aspects:
- Streaming/Geo-spoofing
- Compatibility
- Overall UI/UX
Streaming/Geo-spoofing
Many people purchase a VPN purely for streaming purposes, since services like Netflix show content specific to your location.
Unfortunately, Netflix has got very good at detecting VPN usage and many VPNs have no or very little streaming access nowadays.
We tested all major streaming services using AVG across the US, Europe, Asia, Africa and South America.
- Netflix: Partially detected. AVG has 4 Streaming servers, but 2 of these were blocked. However, all normal servers worked fine except for Asia and South America. This is outstanding compared to most VPNs.
- Hulu: Undetected. Hulu also worked on US servers. Another great result.
- YouTube: Undetected. YouTube worked on all servers, but this is the easiest to unblock.
- Kodi: Detected. Unfortunately, Kodi didn’t pass the test and was blocked at all locations.
AVG VPN Compatibility
You get 5 connections with AVG, but are all your devices supported by it?
We tested everything from Tor, iOS devices, Android devices, Smart TV’s, Amazon Firestick, Mac, Windows, to routers:
- Tor browser: Supported. We were able to use Tor just fine in conjunction with AVG Secure VPN.
- iOS (iPad, iPhone): Supported. AVG supports Apple devices running iOS, including the latest versions of iPad and iPhone.
- Android: Supported. AVG also works with Google’s Android operating system which covers everything from smartphones, tablets, laptops, and even TV media sticks.
- Smart TV’s: Not Supported. Unfortunately AVG doesn’t offer any support for Smart TVs, but this is not that common.
- Amazon Firestick: Not Supported. Firesticks aren’t supported either, but this is even less common.
- Windows: Supported.
- Mac: Supported.
- Routers: Not Supported. Sadly AVG doesn’t offer any kind of router support either, which is disappointing.
Overall UX/UI
Finally, what’s the interface like and what is AVG like to use? We looked at both Windows and Android.
AVG’s desktop version has a very simple interface with the welcome panel only showing an on-off button.
If you turn the VPN on, it will automatically connect to what it deems the best server.
If you want to change your location, you have to click the blue ‘Change location’ text. This takes you to a second screen showing all servers.
To me this two-screen UI isn’t very efficient, because every time you want to change or just check out servers you have to click through to another screen. It becomes quite tiresome after a while. A lot of VPNs have all their servers listed on the main screen.
The server screen is again very minimalistic. The server list is small since there aren’t many servers, but there’s also a sidebar categorising them by continent for easy navigation. The flag icons help too.
The special P2P and Streaming servers are also listed in a separate category, as well as in the main list with a P2P or video icon label.
There’s no Search bar or option to favorite servers. But with so few servers and easy navigation this isn’t a big deal.
Settings can be accessed on the main screen in the top right-hand corner, but they are pretty much a non-entity.
All you can do is change the language, start-up options and exclude some trusted networks if you want to.
No kill switch, split tunnelling, protocol options, etc. You can’t even auto-connect to a specific server.
Overall this is a very simplistic VPN that is very easy to use for beginners. However I feel like because of this the interface is unnecessarily huge. They could easily make it a lot smaller.
Next, we looked at the app.
The app (we tested Android) works in exactly the same way as the desktop version with a similar sleek look.
There’s only a few small differences. Instead of a sidebar, servers are listed in continent order, which makes the most of the decreased space.
Strangely the specialist servers, P2P and Streaming, are just listed as normal servers. They don’t even have an icon label to identify them. This was a very poor UI decision, as app-only users won’t have a clue which servers to use.
Settings are even more minimal with no language option available.
Usability (Summary)
AVG Secure VPN is ideal for streamers, with excellent Netflix everywhere except Asia and South America. Hulu works too. AVG is compatible with all standard devices and Tor but not Smart TVs, Firesticks, or any router support whatsoever. The interface is simple and sleek but the two-screen approach is tiresome and there’s no advanced settings available.
AVG VPN Pricing & Refunds
AVG Secure VPN has a crazy pricing system in that there are two separate prices available depending on how and where you purchase it.
If you buy the software outright, it costs $6.66 a month, which is an above average price. You also don’t get the multi-device 5 connections.
But if you get the trial on the desktop version first, it drops to $3.99 max and you get the 5 connections.
That’s a very large price difference, not to mention that you pay more for less connections.
This is extremely sneaky and unfair of AVG, penalizing those who trust the brand enough not to use the trial first.
So the bottom line is: download the trial version on your desktop first to get the best deal.
AVG also demands a 1-year commitment minimum. This is harsh, as almost all other VPNs offer a 1-month option, and a lot offer 3-month and 6-month options as well.
This is going to put a lot of people off.
Having said that, there is also a 30-day money-back guarantee, so if you change your mind or get screwed over on price, you can always back out.
The 1 year price is definitely cheap. However, the discounts offered for the 2 and 3 year options actually aren’t as deep as a lot of other VPNs, so they are closer to average.
The refund period is 30 days, which seems long but is actually standard for a lot of VPNs.
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Payment options are sparse, offering just credit card or Paypal.
A lot of other VPNs offer a much wider variety of options such as Alipay and particularly cryptocurrency, to keep your VPN subscription anonymous.
As mentioned, AVG has a 7-day free trial for both desktop and mobile versions. There are no payment details required on the Windows version, but these are required for the mobile apps.
The trial is full access which is great. The only difference is you can only use it on 1 device at a time, which is fair enough.
Pricing (Summary)
AVG Secure VPN has a sneaky pricing strategy, and you have to download the trial on a desktop first to get the best deal. But these prices are cheap, with a 30-day money-back guarantee if you change your mind.
AVG has a 7-day free trial, but after that you have to commit to at least a year. The signup process is smooth, but there’s not a lot of payment options; just credit card and Paypal.
Support
In terms of free support, only email or their Support Community is available.
The email support is accessed by the ‘Get more help’ button at the bottom of any Support page. You then fill in a form to send an email via a ticket-based system.
You get an auto-email confirming they’ve received your query. However, we found email support to be very slow to respond, around 36 hours. On the plus side, the answers were pretty thorough.
There is also a Support Community where you can post questions, and these tend to be responded to a bit quicker than emails.
Although this covers all AVG products, there’s a specific ‘AVG VPN’ category you can select to see only VPN queries.
A major advantage is that you can also see other questions people have asked and AVG’s response. This is very useful for troubleshooting, and is also a nice level of transparency.
You can also get phone support in theory, but you have to pay an extortionate amount for it.
This is a generalised service offered for all AVG products (such as their antivirus) and is way more than you pay for a year’s worth of VPN. Infact before you pay for one phone call, it would probably be cheaper to cut your losses and pay double for another VPN that offers free support.
To be fair free phone support is rare in the VPN world, but other VPNs offer quality 24/7 live chat.
What about their knowledge base?
Again this covers all AVG products, and there’s no VPN category this time so it’s all mashed together.
Avg Secure Vpn Serial
You can search their main support page with specific queries, but articles relating to some other products may come up in the search results.
They do have a specific VPN FAQ page for Windows and Macs, and another FAQ page for Android and iOS. These point you to articles including setup guides, troubleshooting guides and general questions.
The Windows and Mac FAQs are a lot more comprehensive than the Android/iOS.
However, we found some of the FAQs to be incorrect or insufficient, for example the number of connections allowed.
Support (Summary)
AVG Secure VPN support is by email or through posting on the Support Community. It’s slow but of decent quality, and the Support Community shows all previous questions asked by users.
The knowledge base is OK with some setup and troubleshooting guides, but it is a bit confusing to navigate and the information isn’t always sufficient.
What Do Other Reviewers Say?
That concludes our testing and evaluation of AVG Secure VPN, but we recognise it’s also important to get other perspectives. In this section we take a look at other reviews and sum up their opinions on the software.
Like us, all reviewers agreed the interface was extremely simple and easy to use, ideal for beginners. However, not one of them disliked the two-screen approach.
Speed test results varied massively, with reports of both fast and slow speeds. Some reported good download speeds, and fast speeds in the US and Europe but slow elsewhere. Most agreed it had a steady, reliable performance.
Most were not impressed with the customer support. Some called it average and some called it poor. Most said the email support was slow, but one said responses were non-existent. One also mentioned that the knowledge base was basic.
However one praised the Support, stating that the Community Support page responds in 1-2 hours, and that sometimes you can also access live chat by first going through their Technical Support live chat.
Opinions also differed on price. Some like us said it was cheap, whilst others thought it was expensive especially for the lack of features on offer. However, these tended to quote the higher $6.66 price rather than the trial price.
Most agreed that the basic security was there, with good encryption and no leaks. However they also bemoaned the low number of server locations and lack of advanced features available, especially the lack of kill switch and other protocols, as well as custom dns settings and ad-blocking/malware protection.
Some praised the specialist P2P servers, whilst some noted the lack of options available.
Most didn’t report the same wide Netflix access that we found: some reported US only, and one reported US and Japan. Most were still impressed by this, however, as Netflix access is hard to come by. They also reported that the UK streaming server worked with BBC iPlayer.
One review stated that the logging policy doesn’t log any of its users activities, but most agreed that the logging policy was worrying or suspicious. One even called it the worst policy they’ve ever seen. However they also stated that AVG routinely stores data for 3 months, and this has been recently reduced to 30 days.
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One said it was good that AVG was based in the Czech Republic as this isn’t part of 14-eyes, but most noted that the Czech Republic is in the EU and has cooperated with 14-eyes in the past.
What Do Other Reviewers Say (Summary)
Reviewers were impressed with the usability, basic security and streaming access of AVG, but most weren’t so impressed with the lack of advanced features, support and their logging policy. Most reported less Netflix access than we found in our testing. Speed results varied, and there were mixed conclusions on whether AVG was worth it for the price.
Our Verdict
AVG Secure VPN is definitely a budget VPN. It’s cheap and it’s interface is extremely simple and easy to use, which is ideal for beginners.
All basic security is covered with industry-standard encryption and protocols, and no leaks were found in our testing. Tor and some torrenting access is available.
Support is slow but of decent quality and the Support Community is nice. At the end of the day you can’t expect too much for the price.
And one major bonus is the Netflix and Hulu access, which beats a lot of top, more expensive VPNs. This makes it ideal for VPN newbies who are just looking stream at a cheap price.
On the downside though, it’s got below average speeds. Speeds were still high enough for streaming in the US and Europe, but not elsewhere.
It’s also got very low server numbers, with just 56 available.
There’s literally no advanced features here, the biggest one of which is there’s no kill switch.
We also really weren’t impressed with its sneaky and complex pricing, based on how you purchase the VPN. On the flip side, it does have a trial and a generous 30-day money-back guarantee.
Unfortunately, AVG also has one big red flag: its logging policy. Alien vs predator pc game download. It doesn’t log the websites you visit, but it does log everything else. And being owned by Avast and based in the Czech Republic adds to the risk factor.
To sum up, it could be a potential budget VPN for streamers, but be wary of it’s logging policy. We give AVG Secure VPN an overall rating of 3.5 out of 5 and recommend it only if you meet its specific best-use cases.
To sum up, it could be a potential budget VPN for streamers, but be wary of it’s logging policy. We give AVG Secure VPN an overall rating of 3.5 out of 5 and recommend it only if you meet its specific best-use cases.
Latest Reviews
Learn More About VPNs
- How do VPNs work?
AVG Secure VPN provides your PC with a secure and private internet connection without any restrictions. By using the app you can protect your internet connection by encrypting it, so no one can spy on your online activities. As a result, you can enjoy secure and private access to any site on the anywhere, at anytime. Without a VPN service, you could be vulnerable to cybercriminals, hackers, advertisers and even your internet service provider.
Key Features include:
- True Privacy AVG Secure VPN encrypts the connection, so no one can track your online activities.
- High SecurityAVG Secure VPN applies military grade encryption to keep your data secure and protected on any device, using a private or public Wi-Fi network.
- Unrestricted Access This prevents users from content blocking, no matter where users are located. So you can watch your favourite shows, and subscription sites anytime, anywhere without any restrictions.
AVG Secure VPN also has a client available for the Mac platform, and mobile users will not be disappointed either, with apps for iOS and Android available via the Apple App Store, and the Google Play Store respectively.
Overall, AVG Secure VPN provides you with uncensored access to your favourite sites, shows, and subscription services. The interface is easy on the eyes and has a clean, simple design.
AVG Secure VPN has always been a handy tool for staying safe and private on a public Wi-Fi network. In that regard, it is an excellent pick and can compare with the leaders of the industry. Performance-wise, it lags behind the competition; but, it’s good enough to provide a semi-decent experience for the fans of streaming. The VPN supports multiple platforms and can work both on the desktop and mobile devices.
You’ve probably heard of AVG the antivirus – one of the biggest names in the business. In many ways, Secure VPN is being positioned as an addition to the antivirus. In practice, that means slower connection speeds, fewer protocols to pick from, and occasional problems with streaming platforms. Let us talk about each aspect in details to see what this Virtual Private Network has to offer.
Features
$6.11
5
IPSec, UDP, OpenVPN
30 days
7 minutes
55 locations in 38 countries
5000
Paypal, Visa/Mastercard, American Express
decent
Privacy
Windows, Mac, Android, IOS
- 55 locations in 38 countries
- Dedicated P2P servers
- 30-day money-back guarantee
- Out of the 14-Eyes jurisdiction
General Overview
AVG’s HQ is located in the Czech Republic, a country outside of the 14-Eyes jurisdiction. The company was accused several times of collecting personal data, but no real facts were ever provided. Besides, thanks to the HQ’s location, no government agencies have the right to request user data from the provider. Sadly, the number of servers isn’t this product’s strongest suit.
While you do have access to 55 locations (in 36 countries), the number of servers is minimal. Compared to NordVPN and its ~5000 servers, this is a very modest line-up. The dedicated apps are very user-friendly, easy to navigate, and fast, on par with ExpressVPN and CyberGhost. In many ways, it is similar to the interface of the AVG antivirus – equally easy-to-use and eye-grabbing.
With the AVG VPN, you can protect up to 5 devices at the same time. Installation is speedy and straightforward – even a newbie will be able to go through with it. The interface is one of the reasons to consider this provider. There aren’t many settings available, but that’s a pro, not a con. The average users don’t need much: just an On/Off button and the ability to quickly switch between servers.
- Relatively Secure
- No DNS Leaks; Kill Switch
- Very User-Friendly And Straightforward
- Customer Support Is Well Above Average
- The HQ Is Located In The Czech Republic
- Capable Of Unblocking Netflix And BBC iPlayer
- Below-Average Connection Speeds
- Limited Torrenting Capabilities
- Not The Best Choice For Streaming Services
- Only Two Protocols To Pick From
- The Server Line-Up Is Very Limited
- Very Few Features
Available Server Locations
We already mentioned that with this VPN, the users only get to choose between 55 locations around the globe. Even with the feature that automatically picks the most optimized server, there aren’t enough to sustain a flawless experience. It’s a bit unusual for a big company like AVG not to supply at least ~1000 servers for their service.
This lack of flexibility means constant drops in speed (we’ll talk about that in more details later). Furthermore, because of the little number of servers, stability will be below average. The good news is – 55+ locations are quite decent, and that will allow you to access content on many restricted platforms. The list includes London, New York, Miami, Paris, Prague, Amsterdam, Sao Paolo, and more.
$7.99/mth
$6.66/mth
$6.24/mth
$6.11/mth
Is It True That AVG VPN Collects Personal Data?
It’s not rare for VPN providers to be accused of stealing the private data of their users. The same happened with AVG, but no third party was ever able to provide any real proof. At the same time, the company does log user data, and there’s no telling what they’re doing with it next. They keep these logs for up to three months, while most services tend to only keep them for one.
Plus, recently, AVG was bought by Avast, another big name in the world of antiviruses. They were also involved in some controversial stories, like handing out user data to the authorities. But, it’s important to stress out that none of the accusations towards AVG have ever been proved. And, legally speaking, it’s nothing but gossip at this moment.
Compatibility
Along with privacy, security, and server network, compatibility is a critical aspect. These days, it’s not enough for a VPN to fully support Windows and Mac. Mobile platforms are just as important, as more and more people are starting to use VPNs to protect their Smartphones. And what about routers, you might ask – is this antivirus compatible with at least a handful of models?
What OS Are Supported?
The list of supported platforms includes Windows, Mac, iOS, and Android. Linux isn’t officially supported, and there aren’t any workarounds to make it work. But, at least, the four major platforms come with excellent clients/apps. As mentioned earlier, you can protect up to 5 devices simultaneously, which puts AVG on the same level as most rivals.
There are no browser extensions for Google or Mozilla. This means you won’t be able to choose between protecting the entire device and only the browser. The download-installation procedure is very easy and straightforward. Just download the free trial from the official website, and enter your credentials to activate a purchased license at any moment.
Is It Compatible with TOR, Routers?
The benefits of installing one single Virtual Private Network on the router are apparent. First of all, you don’t have to enter the password/login on every single device you own. Secondly, a license for one connection will be enough to cover all of the desktop/mobile computers connected to the same network. That is a cheap, fast, and reliable “shortcut” that many advanced users take advantage of.
Sadly, this product is not (and never has been) compatible with routers. So, you can forget about protecting your PlayStation 4 or unblocking Netflix on the TV. The same is true for TOR: the highly secure browser is also not supported by AVG Secure.
Performance
It is hardly arguable that a VPN is as good as its performance stats. In that regard, Secure VPN doesn’t have anything to brag about. It would’ve been a good alternative for the commercial VPNs if AVG made it free. However, the price-tags aren’t any cheaper than those of the rivals. The lack of servers and constant drops in connection quality are the two major concerns our team had.
We ran a series of tests to see how this VPN performs in real life. The results weren’t at all impressive; even some 100% free products on the market have better averages. Let us take a closer look at the results of the speed tests we ran. The list includes servers located in the United States and Europe.
AVG VPN Speed
We tested five servers located around the world to get the most objective results. It’s important to say that all testing was done from our HQ in Europe. And, the Internet connection had a ping of 27, an upload speed of 50mbps, and a download speed of 52mpbs.
When we connected to the nearby server, the averages dropped significantly: ping 67, upload 26, and download 20. That’s a 50% difference, while in most decent VPN the negative effect is never over 30%. Next, we tested all the rest of the available servers to come up with averages for the US and the EU. Here are the results:
EU Server:
- Ping: 300ms
- Upload: 1.5mbps (96% slower)
- Download: 5.5mbps (90% slower)
US Server:
- Ping: 310ms
- Upload: 3mbps (93% slower)
- Download: 6.4mbs (86% slower)
Torrenting and Streaming
These days, a VPN is not only a protection tool but also a “key” to unlocking geo-restricted content. Netflix, BBC iPlayer, and other streaming services have strict laws, but with the help of a decent provider, it’s easy to get access. Torrenting is another highly popular application for VPNs. Many ISPs tend to use throttling whenever the user is torrenting.
But, they won’t be able to detect P2P activity if you’ve got a decent Virtual Private Network installed on your device. The question is – can AVG’s VPN be used for outsmarting the popular streaming platforms? And can it be used to hide your torrenting activity and avoid any problems with the law? Let’s find out.
Is Torrenting Allowed?
Yes, it is allowed by the provider: there are dedicated P2P servers for optimized torrenting. At the same time, you have minimal options when using this VPN to download torrents. Because of the low count of servers, you’ll continuously get below-average download speeds. And, at this moment, P2P connections are only available in 8 locations.
All the other servers can’t be used for sharing P2P traffic, which is a significant downside. The good news is – there are no bandwidth limits when torrenting. Furthermore, the provider won’t try to prevent those looking to torrent from doing that. Support isn’t official, of course, but, again, you won’t get constant throttling like with some other VPNs.
What About Streaming Services
Recently, Netflix improved its “defense” against VPNs, meaning it’s much harder to get access to blocked content. Right now, only a very limited number of providers can unblock platforms like Netflix. The best picks for this are CyberGhost, ExpressVPN, and IPVanish, to name a few. During our AVG VPN review, we managed to access Netflix using most of the server locations in the US.
Sadly, the majority of server locations outside of the country failed at the same task. You might still get lucky with a server around the globe, but it will take a lot of tries and errors. The bottom line is – while it is possible to watch your favorite shows on Netflix, it won’t be easy at times.
As for FireStick and Fire TV, AVG Secure doesn’t support either one of the Amazon devices. The same is true for Kodi and Popcorn Time, the most popular online media players.
How Much Does AVG VPN Cost?
With the Secure VPN, there aren’t many subscription plans to pick from. And, there are no significant discounts for long-term subscriptions, which is a big disappointment. Here is the full list of the available packages:
- 1-Month: $7.99 (only available for one device)
- 12-Months: $79.99 (26% cheaper)
- 24-Months: $149.9 (6% cheaper)
- 36-Months: $219.99 (8% cheaper)
There’s a 30-day free trial that offers full protection for one single device. Once the trial is up, the user won’t be automatically subscribed to a plan. Besides, there’s a 30-day Money-Back Guarantee.
There are two significant differences between the MBG and the free trial. First of all, with the MBG, you can purchase protection for five devices. Secondly, there’s a 100GB cap, and when you go over that bandwidth, a refund won’t be possible anymore.
Customer Service
Customer support is one of the strongest sides of the AVG antivirus. Lucky for us, the same can be said about the AVG Secure as well. The support agents are very quick to respond, and they mostly have simple, down-to-Earth answers. Live Chat is available, but it’s not in the bottom right corner of the website as in most cases.
Instead, you’ll need to go to “Contact Us,” and then hit Sales Support. Next, the system will ask you to provide an email address and your full name (first name and last name). Once all that is done, live chat will be ready to receive your questions. The agents are excellent at answering frequently asked questions.
At the same time, if your question is too technical, you’ll have to wait for 5-6 minutes. A technical specialist will join the chat and take over. Or, the agents might re-direct you to the FAQ section. There’s also a community support page that takes much longer to respond (up to 2-3 hours on a busy day).
Bottom Line
Summing up, we can recommend this product to users who need a VPN for secure web-browsing and have nothing to hide from the VPN service. AVG VPN is a secure and reliable service compatible with all the major platforms, but due to some downsides it is not the best choice for torrenting or streaming.
As the company keeps logs on the users for three months, and the speeds are rather low, it will do for safe browsing, but not for binge-watching. True, the service can get you into Neflix, but you’ll probably have to deal with buffering. Lack of compatibility with streaming devices may also be disappointing for some users.
User-friendly interface and excellent customer service are AVG’s strongest points. Pricing is quite affordable, but it is not the cheapest option available in the market. If you are ready to commit and purchase a 1-year or 2-year plan, we highly recommend taking a closer look at NordVPN or CyberGhost as you will get much more at a comparable price.
Alternatives for AVG Secure VPN
$29.99/mth
$35.99/mth
$6.66/mth
$3.49/mth
Cons
- Limited security features
- Requires a separate licence for each platform
- Only one connection per licence at a time
- More expensive than many rivals
Key Specifications
- Review Price: £49.99
- $59.99 (£49.99) per year (1 Windows PC)
- Connect one device per licence
- Windows client supports OpenVPN
- Requires separate subscriptions for Windows, macOS, Android and iOS clients
What is AVG Secure VPN?
AVG Secure VPN uses the same backend infrastructure as Avast SecureLine, but has its own client, features and pricing scheme. Its desktop client can also be integrated with AVG’s other products if you use them.
Related: Best VPN 2019
AVG Secure VPN – Features and usability
By default, AVG connects you to the best endpoint location for performance, which will typically be in the country you’re connecting from. The client’s home screen shows you your location and a large, friendly button to enable and disable the VPN.
Below the listed location, a small ‘Change location’ link brings up a list of endpoints, which can be sorted alphabetically or by continent. It doesn’t have quite as many endpoint locations as Avast SecureLine, despite using the same VPN server infrastructure, with just 20 countries to choose from, to Avast’s 34.
The client provides a few extra settings, including the option to automatically have the VPN connect when you join an unsecured Wi-Fi network, start AVG Secure VPN on boot, automatically connect when the app starts and show notification area pop-ups when the VPN is enabled or disabled.
Notably, there’s no kill switch to automatically suspend internet traffic if the VPN does down unexpectedly, which is a major issue for users who need solid privacy.
It uses OpenVPN, but clients are only available for Windows, macOS, Android and iOS, with no alternative configuration instructions for other operating systems or hardware such as routers.
AVG Secure VPN – Performance
Performance generally good in our European speed tests, with a throughput of around 6.5MB/s (52Mbit/s) in FTP and HTTP downloads via UK endpoints, a very quick 9.83MB/s (78.64Mbit/s) from the Netherlands and useable, but below-average US download speeds of 2.7MB/s (21.6Mbit/s) via FTP and 2.6MB/s (20.8Mbit/s) via HTTP.
AVG Secure VPN was also helpful when it came to virtually shifting to a different region for the purposes of watching streaming content. US Netflix worked perfectly via the VPN, although we weren’t able to use BBC iPlayer when connected to a UK endpoint.
Related: What is a VPN?
Why buy AVG Secure VPN
Since AVG was bought out by Avast, its legal and logging position is the same as that of its new parent company: upon connection, the service collects your username, your connecting and endpoint IP addresses, the duration of your session, and the amount of data transmitted, all of which is stored for 30 days in monthly blocks.
While this may not be a consideration for many users, those who are particularly privacy-conscious may wish to look at no-logging services such as Private Internet Access an alternative.
It’s also rather expensive, at £49.99 per year for a single-device, single-operating system account, and even Android and iOS apps have to be bought separately. This puts it among the most expensive services we’ve reviewed.
However, an unusual 30-day free trial, which doesn’t require you to even create an account, means that you’ll have plenty of time to assess whether it meets your needs.
Verdict
AVG Secure VPN does what it needs to, but its price, single device licence, limited platform support, lack of a kill switch and logging policy all count against it. If privacy isn’t a major concern, we’d recommend using Kaspersky Secure Connection instead for value and sheer speed, while Windscribe is best for streaming and Private Internet Access has robust security.
Trusted Reviews Score
Unlike other sites, we thoroughly test every product we review. We use industry standard tests in order to compare features properly. We’ll always tell you what we find. We never, ever accept money to review a product. Tell us what you think - send your emails to the Editor.
- Latest Version:AVG Secure VPN 1.8.681 LATEST
- Requirements:Windows 7 / Windows 7 64 / Windows 8 / Windows 8 64 / Windows 10 / Windows 10 64
- Author / Product:AVG Technologies / AVG Secure VPN
- Old Versions:
- Filename:avg_secure_vpn_setup.exe
- Details:AVG Secure VPN 2019 full offline installer setup for PC 32bit/64bit
AVG Secure VPN (Virtual Private Network) for Windows PC gives you a secure and private connection to unrestricted internet access. It does that by encrypting your connection so nobody can snoop on your online activity. The result? Secure and private access to any site — anywhere, anytime. That’s your favourite sites, shows and subscription services all with uncensored access.
Antivirus software protects your devices but a VPN service protects your internet connection. You might think you don’t need to download a VPN but without one you’re wide open to cyber criminals, advertisers and even your internet service provider snooping on your browsing activities. Here’s why. Download AVG Secure VPN 2019 latest today!
It use the most trusted and widely used VPN protocol available, OpenVPN for your Windows device. This protocol is open source which means you have the reassurance that no unknown proprietary codes can access your data. And to boot it use OpenSSL libraries and run the whole operation over UDP ports so you always get the best speeds when using free VPN trial.
Once you switch on AVG Secure VPN tool and connect your Windows device to the internet you’re instantly protected. How? Well, when you connect VPN software for Windows it give you one of IP address instead of your own (your IP is the unique code that identifies your device). Which means if anyone comes snooping they can only see server address. Pair that with military grade encryption levels of 256 bit AES standards and there you have it. Instant online privacy at the click of a button.
Features and Highlights
True privacy
An encrypted connection means nobody can track what you do online. Not your ISP, boss or even the government. Yes really.
High security
Online banker? Military grade encryption levels keeps your data secure on any device, even if you’re using public Wi-Fi. Just the way it should be.
Unrestricted access
A VPN means no content blocks, no matter where you're located. Meaning you can enjoy your favourite shows and subscription sites anytime, anywhere.
Stay safe on Public Wi-Fi
Browsing the web for free is great, right? Wrong. Public Wi-Fi is so insecure a child could hack it. A VPN secures your connection on free Wi-Fi so you can even transfer money safely.
Avoid censorship abroad
Abroad and can’t access your emails, social media or subscription services? Connect using a VPN and choose to appear in your home country for instant access.
Access blocked content
At work and find yourself blocked from Facebook? A VPN means workplace content blocks are a thing of the past.
Shared IP addresses
When you connect you use the same IP address as other users. Making that traffic impossible to pinpoint.
From any location
With network of global servers you can appear to be located almost anywhere in the world.
What about logging?
'We have no idea what you do online when using servers. We don’t track traffic so if we get asked? We can’t tell.'
Note: 30 days trial version.
Also Available: Download AVG Secure VPN for Mac
Antivirus software protects your devices but a VPN service protects your internet connection. You might think you don’t need to download a VPN but without one you’re wide open to cyber criminals, advertisers and even your internet service provider snooping on your browsing activities. Here’s why. Download AVG Secure VPN 2019 latest today!
It use the most trusted and widely used VPN protocol available, OpenVPN for your Windows device. This protocol is open source which means you have the reassurance that no unknown proprietary codes can access your data. And to boot it use OpenSSL libraries and run the whole operation over UDP ports so you always get the best speeds when using free VPN trial.
Once you switch on AVG Secure VPN tool and connect your Windows device to the internet you’re instantly protected. How? Well, when you connect VPN software for Windows it give you one of IP address instead of your own (your IP is the unique code that identifies your device). Which means if anyone comes snooping they can only see server address. Pair that with military grade encryption levels of 256 bit AES standards and there you have it. Instant online privacy at the click of a button.
Features and Highlights
True privacy
An encrypted connection means nobody can track what you do online. Not your ISP, boss or even the government. Yes really.
High security
Online banker? Military grade encryption levels keeps your data secure on any device, even if you’re using public Wi-Fi. Just the way it should be.
Unrestricted access
A VPN means no content blocks, no matter where you're located. Meaning you can enjoy your favourite shows and subscription sites anytime, anywhere.
Stay safe on Public Wi-Fi
Browsing the web for free is great, right? Wrong. Public Wi-Fi is so insecure a child could hack it. A VPN secures your connection on free Wi-Fi so you can even transfer money safely.
Avoid censorship abroad
Abroad and can’t access your emails, social media or subscription services? Connect using a VPN and choose to appear in your home country for instant access.
Access blocked content
At work and find yourself blocked from Facebook? A VPN means workplace content blocks are a thing of the past.
Shared IP addresses
When you connect you use the same IP address as other users. Making that traffic impossible to pinpoint.
From any location
With network of global servers you can appear to be located almost anywhere in the world.
What about logging?
'We have no idea what you do online when using servers. We don’t track traffic so if we get asked? We can’t tell.'
Note: 30 days trial version.
Also Available: Download AVG Secure VPN for Mac