Avast Premium Security review: Strong protection focused on PC security

Reviews Avast Premium Security review: Strong protection focused on PC security While other antivirus suites focus more on identity threats, Premium Security leans heavier into safeguarding your activity on your PC. By Alaina Yee Senior Editor, PCWorld Apr 28, 2026 7:00 am PDT Image: PCWorld / Foundry At a glanceExpert's Rating Pros Top-notch antivirus protection More granular control over settings, including scan depth Streamlined, easy to navigate interface Cons Slower PCs may see a performance impact during long full scans No included VPN and password manager A couple of features are buggy Our Verdict Avast Premium Security expands the protection of the company’s already excellent free antivirus software by leaning harder into safeguarding your PC. That can be a boon for those who don’t need (or want) their security suite to focus on identity and privacy threats—especially if you’re up for choosing VPN and password manager services yourself. However, a couple of buggy features keep this suite from standing out among its rivals. Price When Reviewed This value will show the geolocated pricing text for product undefined Best Pricing Today Retailer Price PCWorld Software Store $19.99 View Deal Price comparison from over 24,000 stores worldwide Product Price Price comparison from Backmarket Price When Reviewed$51 Best Prices Today: Avast Premium Security Retailer Price PCWorld Software Store $19.99 View Deal Price comparison from over 24,000 stores worldwide Product Price Price comparison from Backmarket Avast is well-known for its free antivirus software—and with how highly rated it is, upgrading to a paid suite may seem a needless expense. After all, the internet is full of advice proclaiming that Windows’ built-in defenses are enough. Those commenters aren’t wrong per se, but a software suite like Avast Premium Security packs extra protections against online threats not found in Windows Defender. A couple aren’t even in most competing paid antivirus software. Just as important, this particular Avast suite sports an elegant, easy-to-navigate interface that streamlines the management of different features and tools. It even minimally upsells other Avast services (which shouldn’t be a positive, but this is the world we’re living in). However, this security suite lacks comprehensive coverage. No VPN or password manager is included. But as you’ll see, its performance can carry the day if it fits your style. For some folks, it will—so long as they can ignore a couple of buggy features. Further reading: The best antivirus software for Windows PCs What does Avast Premium Security include? Avast Premium Security builds on the company’s excellent free antivirus and firewall, which already provides broad protection against online threats. Malware, ransomware, network intrusions, compromised applications, shady websites and downloads—that’s just start of what gets blocked. This security suite also shields against webcam takeovers; malicious redirects for websites you visit (aka DNS hijacking); attacks through Windows’ remote desktop protocol; and unauthorized access to files with sensitive data (e.g., social security numbers). You can run programs and browse online within isolated environments, too, which keeps other apps on your computer from snooping. Avast Premium Security expands widely on the free version’s features.PCWorld Additionally, Premium Security includes a utility that lets you securely delete files from hard-disk drives. Avast…

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