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Avast SecureLine VPN Review

 Rated 0 out of 5 
No user reviews
Avast Secureline VPN app on desktop
Simon Migliano

Simon Migliano is a recognized world expert in VPNs. He's tested hundreds of VPN services and his research has featured on the BBC, The New York Times and more.

Additional Testing by David Hughes

Our Verdict

6.216.2/10
How is this calculated?

We calculate the VPN service’s Overall Rating by combining the ratings of several testing categories. Each category is weighted as follows:

  • Privacy & Logging Policy: 20%
  • Speed: 20%
  • Security & Technical Features: 15%
  • Streaming: 15%
  • Ease of Use: 10%
  • Torrenting: 5%
  • Server Locations: 5%
  • Bypassing Web Censorship: 5%
  • Customer Support: 5%

Learn more by reading our VPN testing and review methodology.

Avast SecureLine is an underwhelming VPN service, scoring only 6.2 in our overall assessment. It logs too much user data, it isn't private enough for torrenting, and it doesn't unblock US Netflix. Although it’s very fast and easy to use, there are more private and secure VPNs available for less.

Ranked #32 out of 65 VPNs

Avast SecureLine VPN Category Ratings

  • 44.0/10
  • 5.85.8/10
  • 2.62.6/10
  • 9.19.1/10
  • 7.67.6/10
  • 8.98.9/10
  • 6.56.5/10
  • 88.0/10
  • 7.57.5/10
  • 6.66.6/10

Avast SecureLine VPN Pros & Cons

  • Avast Mimic protocol offers very fast speeds
  • Unblocks Amazon Prime Video and BBC iPlayer
  • P2P-optimized servers for torrenting
  • Smart Mode split tunneling on macOS
  • AES-256 cipher and kill switch across apps
  • 24/7 live chat support

  • Intrusive logging policy
  • Company history of sharing and selling data
  • Unable to unblock Disney+, HBO Max, Hulu, Netflix
  • No OpenVPN protocol on Mac or iOS
  • Not many global servers

Why Trust Top10VPN.com?

We’re completely independent and have spent 7 years reviewing VPNs using our unbiased testing process.

Our ratings are based on our own data, and are unaffected by financial incentives.

VPN Services Tested65
Total Hours of Testing30,000+
Weekly Speed Tests3,000+
Streaming Platforms Tested97
VPN Security Tests Conducted9,500+
Money Spent on VPN Subscriptions$25,000+

Avast SecureLine is an average VPN from cybersecurity giant Avast RSO. The VPN software is consumer-friendly and easy to use, but we’ve seen far better VPNs.

In our review of Avast SecureLine VPN, we tested each application to assess the service’s ability to protect your internet privacy and security.

We also tested the VPN to see how effectively it bypasses streaming and censorship content filters.

What transpired from reviewing Avast SecureLine is that the VPN’s proprietary Avast Mimic protocol is very fast, but the VPN falls short in many key testing areas.

We were especially disappointed by how few streaming services it unblocks. Its server network is also limited compared to other popular VPN services.

More worryingly, Avast VPN keeps too many user logs and is subject to EU data retention laws, too. The company’s troubled company history is also concerning.

In short, Avast SecureLine is a fast VPN service that will reliably hide your IP address, preventing websites and third parties from tracking your activity and true location.

However, the VPN logs an unacceptable amount of user data, and it can only unblock a small selection of streaming websites. Ultimately, there are far more effective and cheaper VPNs available than Avast SecureLine.

EXPERT ADVICE: In our Private Internet Access (PIA) review we show you what a fast and no-logs VPN can do for you.

What’s more, PIA VPN unblocks US Netflix and you can try it for free using its 100% refund guarantee.

Avast SecureLine VPN Key Data

Data CapUnlimited
Download Speed97Mbps
Logging PolicySome User Logs
Data LeaksNo
JurisdictionCzech Republic (EU Member)
Servers700
IP Addresses700+
Countries with Servers34
US NetflixNo
TorrentingPartially
Simultaneous Connections10
Works In ChinaYes
Support24/7 Live Chat
Cheapest Price$3.75/mo over 3 years
Free Trial7 Days (No Payment Info Required)
Money-Back Guarantee30-day Money-Back Guarantee
Official WebsiteAvast.com

Streaming

Avast VPN Streams Prime Video, BBC iPlayer and German Netflix, but Not Much Else

44.0/10
How is this calculated?

This rating is calculated by how many different streaming services and regional content libraries the VPN can unblock, and how consistently it can access them.

We test access to Netflix, Disney+, Max, Amazon Prime Video, BBC iPlayer, and many more platforms on a weekly basis.

Avast VPN is not a great solution for your streaming needs. The service only unblocks German Netflix, Amazon Prime Video, and BBC iPlayer. It can't stream any other streaming service we tested, including other Netflix regions.

Ranked #33 out of 65 VPNs for Streaming

Here’s a list showing the popular streaming services that Avast SecureLine VPN unblocks:

Streaming PlatformWorks with Avast SecureLine VPN
Amazon Prime VideoYes
BBC iPlayerYes
Channel 4Yes
Disney+No
Hotstar IndiaNo
HuluNo
ITVXNo
MaxNo
Netflix USNo
YouTubeNo

If you want to know if Avast VPN works with a streaming service that’s not listed above, contact us at hello@top10vpn.com and we’ll test it for you.

Avast Secure Line has a number of servers optimized for video streaming, although they don’t specify which streaming sites they’re designed to unblock.

In any case, we tested all these servers with major streaming services like Netflix, HBO Max, Hulu, Amazon Prime Video, BBC iPlayer, and more.

We found Avast SecureLine works with Amazon Prime Video, BBC iPlayer, and All 4.

The UK streaming server easily bypasses Channel 4 geo-blocks and accesses BBC iPlayer. It didn’t work with UK Netflix, though.

Amazon Prime Video worked on the US Miami server, but not the Gotham City, New York, or Seattle ones.

In addition, the Germany streaming server worked with German Netflix.

avast-secure-line-streaming-german-netflix

Avast SecureLine beat German Netflix blocks easily in our tests.

Avast VPN Doesn’t Unblock US Netflix, Disney+ and HBO Max

Sadly, none of Avast’s four US streaming servers could stream US Netflix.

None of the streaming-optimized servers worked with Disney+, either. Both HBO Max and Hulu detected our Avast VPN connections and blocked them, too.

Based on our latest findings, there are far more effective streaming VPNs than Avast VPN, especially Netflix VPNs.

Speed

Impressive Local Speeds

9.19.1/10
How is this calculated?

We calculate the VPN’s speed rating using our download speeds, upload speeds, and ping (latency) measurements.

We regularly test the VPN’s local and international speeds using a dedicated 100Mbps internet connection in New York, USA.

Avast SecureLine’s local download speeds are some of the best we've recorded, with an average result of 97Mbps. However, our data reveals that its long-distance speeds are relatively slow when compared to the very best VPNs, with connection performance dropping by 21%. Based on this mixed performance, Avast scores 9.1 in our speed test evaluation.

Ranked #24 out of 65 VPNs for Speed

We tested Avast SecureLine on servers in six continents to evaluate its speed performance. Here’s a table showing the full speed results:

A short-distance speed loss of 97Mbps is an excellent outcome. For local speed test results, it’s one of the best we’ve seen.

However, it’s not all positive: Avast’s long-distance speeds are quite slow when compared to the fastest VPNs.

To see what we mean, use the bar chart below to compare Avast’s local and long-distance speed results against a few top-performing VPNs, like ExpressVPN and StrongVPN:

Bar Chart Comparison of Avast VPN With Other Leading VPNs.

As you can see, Avast’s local speeds are very fast. But it’s long-distance connections are well behind. The best VPN for international connections is Hotspot Shield, which is only 1% slower than your normal internet speed wherever you connect to.

EXPERT ADVICE: For optimal speed, we recommend using Avast Mimic protocol to connect to distant server locations, and OpenVPN to connect locally. On macOS, which doesn’t have OpenVPN, we recommend using Avast Mimic all the time.

Privacy & Logging Policy

Avast VPN Logs Too Much Data & Has Handed It Over

2.62.6/10
How is this calculated?

We analyze and dissect the VPN service’s logging and privacy policy. A VPN should never log and store:

  • Your real IP address
  • Connection timestamps
  • DNS requests

Headquarters outside of 14 Eyes or EU jurisdictions are also preferable.

Avast SecureLine VPN logs more data than is acceptable. Worst of all, the company has a history of sharing user information. While the service doesn't record your IP address or browsing history, it does log connection timestamps and the amount of data transferred for up to 35 days.

Ranked #50 out of 65 VPNs for Privacy & Logging Policy

Here’s a table summarizing the information that Avast SecureLine logs:

Data TypeLogged by Avast SecureLine VPN
Account InformationYes
Browsing ActivityNo
Date of Last ConnectionNo
Device InformationYes
DNS QueriesNo
Individual Bandwidth UsageYes
Individual Connection TimestampsYes
ISPNo
Number of Simultaneous ConnectionsNo
Originating IP AddressNo
VPN Server IPNo
VPN Server LocationNo

Avast’s VPN privacy policy is clearly written and transparent, but the service logs more data than we’re comfortable with.

Avast’s servers store your connection data for 35 days, and any client data (account information) for up to two years. There’s no real justification for this practice.

At least Avast SecureLine doesn’t store your original IP address, DNS queries, or browsing history. This is the most sensitive information that no VPN should keep.

Moreover, Avast has a privacy policy for its VPN specifically (and another for its browser extension), and not a vaguely worded policy for all Avast products, like other antivirus companies have.

The problem is the content of the privacy policy. Sadly, Avast makes it abundantly clear it will hand over your data to government agencies. This is a serious cause for concern.

Avast VPN Operates Under EU Jurisdiction

Avast RSO is a Czech cybersecurity company founded in 1988. It’s best known for its antivirus software, but now sells a range of cybersecurity products. It also owns the HideMyAss! (HMA) and AVG VPN services.

Avast is still headquartered in Prague, Czechia, and is therefore subject to invasive EU data retention laws and intelligence agreements with privacy-unfriendly nations like the United States.

In its own transparency report, Avast admitted to providing data to law enforcement in response to legal requests.

In 2017, Avast handed over information concerning 41 of its users – 31% of all legal requests that year.

Its co-operation with law enforcement has since dropped to 0% for 2021 (that could be due to an exodus of trusting users, however).

But it shows that Avast has data to hand over in the first place, and that its legal jurisdiction is inappropriate for a VPN.

Warrant Canary

Avast introduced a tri-monthly warrant canary to warn users of gag orders. Right now it shows that Avast has not received any gag orders and that it has not been compromised.

However, we’ve noticed that Avast isn’t always on time updating its warrant canary, which makes it look like it has received a gag order. Avast should keep on top of this.

Avast Has a Privacy-Unfriendly History

Not only does Avast VPN log too much connection data, and is based in a privacy-unfriendly nation, but the company has also been caught harvesting user browsing data.

In December 2019, Mozilla removed Avast’s antivirus browser extensions for breaking its privacy rules.

The antivirus extension had been in fact harvesting and sending data back to Avast. This data included websites visited, search terms, videos watched, links clicked, and unique device IDs.

In January 2020, it was reported that personal data harvested by free Avast add-ons was being monetized and sold to tech companies like Google.

While Avast has abandoned this practice, which doesn’t apply to the VPN, service, no privacy company should engage in such activity in the first place.

Torrenting

Fast Torrent Speeds, but Avast’s Logging Policy Is a Concern

5.85.8/10
How is this calculated?

This rating is determined by the VPN’s torrenting speeds, the percentage of servers that allow P2P file sharing, the service’s privacy and trustworthiness, and useful settings like port forwarding.

For speed specifically, we calculate the VPN’s average download bitrate using our bespoke torrenting setup.

Avast VPN recorded fast torrenting speeds on its P2P-optimized servers. However, because of SecureLine's intrusive logging policy, we don't recommend using this VPN for safe torrenting.

Ranked #34 out of 65 VPNs for Torrenting

Here’s a quick summary of showing how Avast VPN performed in our torrenting tests:

Torrenting Attribute Result
Average Download Bitrate 9.29MiB/s
No. of P2P Servers 700
Logging Policy Some User Logs
Kill Switch Yes
Port Forwarding No

Avast lists eight servers that are optimized for P2P activity. These are:

  • Czech Republic
  • France
  • Frankfurt, Germany
  • London, UK
  • Miami, US
  • Netherlands
  • New York, US
  • Seattle, US

Testing torrent speeds on these P2P servers, we recorded an average download bitrate of 9.3 MiB/s. This is up there with the best torrent VPNs.

The VPN possesses a kill switch, too, ensuring there aren’t accidental data leaks or exposures while you torrent files.

But Avast’s timestamp logs, data harvesting scandal, and cooperation with government agencies are all red flags. Basically, Avast SecureLine is not safe for torrenting.

The VPN offers no extra features for torrenters either, like a SOCKS5 proxy, or port forwarding.

Security & Technical Features

Avast VPN Is Sufficiently Secure, but Basic

6.56.5/10
How is this calculated?

A secure VPN must offer OpenVPN or WireGuard protocols, AES-256 encryption, and a working kill switch.

To calculate this rating, we also factor in additional security settings and features.

Avast SecureLine can be trusted to hide your IP address and encrypt your data with AES-256 encryption. We didn’t detect any IP or DNS leaks in our testing, but those seeking the highest levels of internet privacy could benefit from more sophisticated VPN services.

Ranked #38 out of 65 VPNs for Security & Technical Features

ProtocolsAvailable in Avast SecureLine VPN
IKEv2/IPSecNo
L2TP/IPSecYes
OpenVPN (TCP/UDP)Yes
ProprietaryYes
WireGuardYes
EncryptionAvailable in Avast SecureLine VPN
AES-128No
AES-192No
AES-256Yes
BlowfishNo
ChaCha20Yes
SecurityAvailable in Avast SecureLine VPN
DNS Leak BlockingNo
First-party DNSNo
IPv6 Leak BlockingNo
Supports TCP Port 443No
VPN Kill SwitchYes
WebRTC Leak BlockingNo
Advanced FeaturesAvailable in Avast SecureLine VPN
Ad BlockerNo
Dedicated IPNo
Double VPNNo
Smart DNSNo
SOCKSNo
Split TunnelingYes
Static IPNo
Tor over VPN ServerNo
Tracker BlockerNo

Avast Uses an Experimental Protocol

Avast has an in-house proprietary protocol called Avast Mimic, which it describes as “experimental.” This doesn’t inspire much confidence; when it comes to VPNs, you want data protection to be reliable, not experimental.

When we asked Avast how Mimic works, we were told:

Mimic employs military grade security and can connect to the internet up to 4x faster…it mimics/duplicates the connection to all websites you are visiting during your browsing session, providing fake information about who you are and where you’re coming from, making it impossible for anyone to identify you, track you or monitor you.

The protocol certainly delivers fast speeds, but we’d like a clear and transparent explanation of how the protocol protects your data.

OpenVPN is available as an alternative protocol on Windows and Android, but not on macOS, or iOS. We’d like to see it included across all apps, and WireGuard too.

You cannot change protocol on mobile devices (the default is OpenVPN). While the only alternative to Avast Mimic on Mac is the IPSec protocol. IPSec is not an unsafe protocol, but it’s not as powerful as OpenVPN or WireGuard, which are the leading industry-standard.

Safe Practices, but Too Basic

Avast SecureLine uses the best encryption cipher, AES-256, and it has a kill switch across all of its applications (this is off by default, so don’t forget to turn it on). This shows that it has a solid grasp of VPN security.

However, the VPN would benefit from advanced and customizable protection measures like a malware and ad blocker, DNS leak protection, double VPN (multi-hop), and Onion over VPN.

Avast is basic compared to many leading VPNs, which are moving to RAM-only servers, open source apps, and invisibility on LAN.

One neat feature is that Avast VPN allows you to use a free password leak detector, to check whether passwords associated with your email have been exposed by data leaks or hacks. All you have to do is insert an email.

avast-secureline-password-leak-detector

Avast SecureLine has a free password leak detector.

Smart Mode Is a Useful Split Tunneling Tool

Avast SecureLine has a feature called Smart Mode, which is essentially an automatic split tunneling feature that selects which websites and apps are encrypted through the VPN tunnel and which are not.

Avast says that its Smart Mode can “tell when you’re connecting to a sensitive site,” closing the VPN session after you leave. This is usually for banking websites and torrent sites. It also knows whether you’re using public WiFi.

avast-secureline-smart-mode

Smart VPN Mode is a split tunneling feature that can work automatically or manually.

You can also customize this feature, choosing which websites you want to encrypt or not. In this way it’s like a regular manual split tunneling tool.

Credit to Avast that this is available on Mac; it’s rare to find a functioning split tunneling feature on Apple devices. Even top VPNs like ExpressVPN and NordVPN don’t have one.

Security Tests: Is Avast Safe?

We used our leak test tool to test whether Avast SecureLine won’t accidentally expose your data. We recorded no leaks of any kind — Avast SecureLine is free of IPv4/IPv6, DNS, WebRTC, and geolocation leaks.

We also ran the Avast SecureLine software through a virus and malware scanner to ensure it’s safe to put onto your device.

The results showed that Avast is clean of any malicious content and is safe to install.

avast-secureline-software-security-test

No viruses or malware were detected on Avast SecureLine software.

We inspected the Android app for unwarranted permissions or trackers, too. We discovered that it has quite a number of trackers and permissions.

Avast SecureLine’s Android app has five trackers and 19 permissions built in.

This includes access to your exact location and the ability to find accounts on your device. Both of these are considered ‘dangerous’ according to Google’s protection levels. Trackers include Facebook Analytics and Google Firebase Analytics.

Considering this is supposed to be privacy technology, we think there should be very few trackers or permissions. For context, Astrill VPN and Hide.me have zero – which is the gold standard.

We’d like to see Avast respect the privacy of its users more by cutting down the number of Android permissions and trackers.

Bypassing Web Censorship

Avast SecureLine Works in China

8.98.9/10
How is this calculated?

We routinely test if the VPN can bypass strict internet restrictions in China using our remote-access server in Shanghai.

Other important factors we consider include obfuscation technologies and the availability of servers in neighboring countries (for faster connections).

Avast SecureLine is currently working to get around the Great Firewall of China. This is great, but we can't be certain how long this success will last. As it stands, Avast is a good anti-censorship VPN.

Ranked #12 out of 65 VPNs for Bypassing Web Censorship

Does Avast work in China? Yes it does.

Considering Avast SecureLine has no anti-censorship tools to speak of, we were surprised to learn that it gets around the Great Firewall of China.

This isn’t speculation: we tested it from our own servers in Shanghai. Using Avast’s auto-connect option we established a secure connection to South Korea, fooling the Firewall.

How long this success will last in the absence of obfuscation is not clear. Also, if Avast becomes better-known as an anti-censorship VPN, it can alert the authorities and initiate a harsher crackdown.

The Avast website and all of its products are blocked in China. Because of that, you’ll have to download the VPN before going into the country, or while using another VPN that works within the country.

Avast will also work against censorship in countries like Russia and Turkey, which have less robust crackdown methods than China.

For China specifically, we still wouldn’t recommend Avast SecureLine over an anti-censorship VPN like Astrill. But, if you’re already an Avast user, it’s useful to know it works within China.

Server Locations

Small Server Network Only Covers 34 Countries

7.67.6/10
How is this calculated?

The key factor for calculating this rating is the global spread and coverage of the VPN’s server network.

We also consider the total number of servers, the number of city-level servers, and the number of IP addresses available.

Avast SecureLine has 700 servers across 34 countries. This is a very limiting selection of countries, and it focuses mostly on Europe and North America.

Ranked #26 out of 65 VPNs for Server Locations

Globe with a blue flag
34 Countries
Image of a city landscape
54 Cities
Image of a pink marker
700+ IP Addresses

Avast SecureLine VPN runs 700 servers across 34 countries. This is a disappointing range of server locations.

We expect top VPN networks to cover many more countries, like ExpressVPN’s 106 countries, or a CyberGhost’s 9,769 nations.

Moreover, Avast’s server network is largely concentrated in Europe and the US. There aren’t many servers covering Asia, Africa, and the Middle East.

avast-secureline-server-list

Avast VPN’s server list.

City-specific selection is also limited with Avast VPN. You can currently select different city servers in the following countries:

  • Australia
  • Canada
  • Germany
  • Russia
  • Spain
  • UK
  • US

That’s not a lot of choice, but at least there are city-level options in large countries like the US, Canada, and Australia.

Avast’s Server Network Is Part-Owned Part-Rented

When asked, Avast stated they both own and rent VPN servers. The company refused to disclose any more information for “security reasons.”

We don’t know which servers are owned by Avast and which are rented.

While it’s not uncommon for a VPN service to rent servers for greater coverage, it does increase the risk of your data being mishandled by third-parties.

This isn’t an issue if the VPN is diligent when choosing who to work with. Having said that, a few trustworthy VPNs have fallen victim to poor third-party server management, including NordVPN and Windscribe.

For security reasons, some VPNs choose to operate an entirely self-owned infrastructure, such as IPVanish’s server network.

Price & Value

There Are Better & Cheaper VPNs Than Avast VPN

6.66.6/10
How is this calculated?

While we do assign a ‘Price & Value’ rating, it doesn’t contribute to the Overall Rating. We believe the reader should decide what is or isn’t a reasonable price.

A good rating isn’t just based on how cheap the VPN is, but for the overall value it offers.

At $3.75 per month, Avast SecureLine isn’t an expensive VPN. But it’s far from being the cheapest, either. Top VPNs can be as cheap as $2.00 per month, so Avast VPN isn't particularly great value for your money.

Ranked #25 out of 65 VPNs for Price & Value

The cheapest monthly price you can get Avast SecureLine VPN for is $3.75. You’ll have to commit for three years, though, and pay as $135.00 upfront.

Currently, there is no pay-monthly subscription plan available, which is a shame.

At least, Avast has simplified its pricing plans, which used to be based on device allowance and platform-specific requirements. It was far too complicated.

  1. 12 Month(s)

    $4.60/mo

    Billed $55.20 the first year, $89.99 thereafter
    Save 39%
  2. 2 Year(s)

    $4.20/mo

    Billed $100.80 the first 2 years, $179.99 thereafter
    Save 44%
  3. 3 Year(s)

    $3.75/mo

    Billed $135.00 the first 3 years, $269.99 thereafter
    Save 50%

All the above pricing plans let you use the VPN on up to 10 devices at once.

Payment & Refund Options

You can pay for Avast VPN with PayPal, American Express, VISA and Mastercard.

  1. American Express
  2. Mastercard
  3. PayPal
  4. Visa

We would like to see more privacy-friendly payment methods included, such as cryptocurrency and cash payments. When reviewing Mullvad, we found it’s the only service to offer cash payments to its customers.

Avast VPN’s 30-Day Money-Back Guarantee

All of Avast SecureLine’s subscription plans come with a 30-day money back guarantee.

To claim a refund within 30 days of purchase, you will have to give a reason so it’s not strictly ‘no questions asked’ like most top VPN services.

Be aware, though, that the 30-day refund promise doesn’t apply if you bought the VPN via a retail store, a reseller, or the App Store. App Store purchases are in fact subject to Apple’s terms and conditions.

Avast VPN’s 7-Day Free Trial

Avast also offers a genuine seven-day free VPN trial. You don’t have to submit any payment details to access the free trial, and there are no restrictions on data and server usage.

However, while this is good way to test Avast VPN for free, the deficiencies of the VPN service mean there are better VPN free trials for you.

Device & OS Compatibility

Apps for the Most Popular Devices Only

How is this rated?

A high-quality VPN should maintain functional, fully-featured applications and browser extensions for as many platforms and devices as possible.

Our ‘Device & OS Compatibility’ assessment contributes to the Ease of Use rating.

Avast VPN is available on Windows, Android, Mac, iOS, and Android TV. The native apps are simple to install and allow up to 10 simultaneous connections, which is above the industry standard of five. Disappointingly, Avast VPN doesn’t cater to Linux and Fire TV Stick.

Apps

Avast Secure Line is available on the following platforms:

  1. Windows
  2. Mac
  3. iOS
  4. Android

Outside of the major platforms listed above, Avast VPN offers very little device compatibility.

There are no native applications for Fire TV Stick or Android TV, no router configuration, and no Smart DNS functionality. In other words, using the VPN on your TV is practically impossible.

So much so that Avast directs users to its partner VPN, HideMyAss. This is simply unacceptable for existing Avast subscribers. Instead, Avast needs to improve its device support.

If you purchase an Avast SecureLine Multi-Device subscription, you can use Avast VPN on up to 10 devices at the same time. This is a very generous amount, although some VPNs like Surfshark allow an unlimited number of connections at once.

Browser Extensions

  1. Chrome
  2. Firefox

Avast SecureLine VPN provides proxy browser extensions for Google Chrome and Mozilla Firefox. Both browser add-ons are easy to set up and use.

The Avast VPN browser extension

The Avast VPN browser extension.

But, both extensions are proxies, and won’t fully encrypted your web traffic like VPN software does. Additionally, they won’t change your IP address on your entire device, just on your web browser.

Ease of Use

Avast VPN Is Useful for Beginners

88.0/10
How is this calculated?

This rating mainly consists of the user-friendliness and intuitiveness of setting up and regularly using the VPN.

We also factor in customization settings, as well as device and OS compatibility (see section above).

Avast's apps are extremely simple to use. This is great for new VPN users. But we'd like to see a better integration of advanced features and the apps streamlined.

Ranked #26 out of 65 VPNs for Ease of Use

How to Install & Set Up Avast SecureLine VPN

Avast SecureLine is very simple to understand and use. The apps consist of very little. There is a home screen with a large connect button and a limited selection of settings and advanced options.

The apps are almost completely the same across devices, which is quite rare. Avast SecureLine is certainly user-friendly and so a viable option for VPN newcomers.

Avast VPN’s Desktop Apps: Windows & macOS

Avast SecureLine is identical on Windows and macOS. Both have easy-to-navigate interfaces. Avast’s Smart Mode is available on both, which is noteworthy as split tunneling is rarely available on Mac.

Avast SecureLine's Smart Mode on desktop

Smart VPN Mode is a split tunneling feature that can work automatically or manually.

However, Windows has OpenVPN protocol whereas Mac does not. Mac is automatically set to IPSec and you can change to Avast Mimic only. This is done by using the burger menu and heading to Preferences > Experimental.

Avast VPN’s Mobile Apps: Android & iOS

Avast SeucreLine’s Android app comes with a kill switch, split tunneling, and an auto connect feature. It uses the OpenVPN protocol as default.

You can toggle off an automatic sharing of app-usage data that goes to third parties. It shouldn’t be there in the first place, really. At least, it should be an opt-in option.

The iOS app, on the other hand, barely comes with anything. None of its servers are listed as P2P servers and it has no customizable settings at all – not even an auto-connect feature.

Avast SecureLine VPN's mobile applications

Avast SecureLine VPN’s mobile applications.

There’s a Help FAQ within both apps, but it’s pretty basic. You’ll also find a link to the Avast Forum and a contact support option.

The mobile apps have the same number of servers as the desktop, but you cannot change your protocol on either mobile version. This is a big drawback.

As it stands, Avast SecureLine is more advanced and customizable on desktop than on mobile. This is typically the case with most VPN services.

Customer Support

Good 24/7 Live Chat Support

7.57.5/10
How is this calculated?

This rating is based on our assessment of the VPN’s:

  • Live chat support
  • Email support
  • Online resources

Not every VPN offers all these support options, and they often vary in quality and response times.

Avast SecureLine's online resources are lacking and a little basic, but it has introduced a 24/7 live chat with helpful customer support agents. Should you encounter a technical problem, Avast support will offer a reasonably fast and efficient response.

Ranked #34 out of 65 VPNs for Customer Support

Customer SupportAvailable in Avast SecureLine VPN
24/7 Email SupportNo
24/7 Live Chat SupportYes
ChatbotNo
EmailYes
Email Support via Online FormYes
Online ResourcesYes
Tutorial VideosNo

Avast has upped its game when it comes to support. One time it encouraged you to call it or forced you to patiently wait for an email response. Now it has invested in a neat 24/7 live chat feature alongside traditional FAQs and email enquiries.

The FAQs in the app and on the website are all a little too basic to be truly helpful. We wanted to know how Avast Mimic protocol works, for example, but could find no information on it. This doesn’t bode well for transparency. We did get a response from the live chat agent, though.

If you choose customer support you’ll be sent to the website where you have to specify what product you need help with (Avast is a company with many). Once you do you can compose a message and send it as an email or enter a live chat.

avast-secureline-customer-support-live-chat

Avast has invested in a 24/7 live chat support system.

Customer support is good and effective. There is a live chat feature available 24/7, and it allows you to download transcripts for future reference.

Support was polite, if a little robotic. They were slow in responding, which implied they didn’t have the knowledge to hand. But the knowledge they did eventually send was helpful and informative.

You cannot access live chat instantly like you can with some VPNs, though. You have to click a few options and fill out a form beforehand.

What was impressive is that we received a follow up email the next day from support expanding on the agents answers, without us ever having to ask:

“I’ve reviewed your live chat correspondence and I see that a question was unanswered regarding our servers.”

It proceeded to offer a more comprehensive answer. This shows initiative from Avast, and a desire to please its customers.

The Bottom Line

Avast VPN Review Summary

Since we last reviewed Avast SecureLine VPN, the company has made some progress in improving its VPN software.

The VPN’s new Mimic protocol is fast, the apps are consumer-friendly, it’s added a very helpful 24/7 customer support system, and the three-tier pricing structure is much simpler.

But, SecureLine remains a mid-tier VPN that doesn’t fully protect your internet privacy and security. The VPN logs way too much data and the company has been involved in despicable data-harvesting practices.

Furthermore, the VPN service lacks the range of customizable settings and applications, like a Fire TV Stick app, high-quality VPNs offer. SecureLine doesn’t even support router configuration.

Not to mention the VPN’s small server network and the inability to unblock most major streaming platforms.

Overall, Avast VPN can be a good VPN for beginners, or those wanting to secure free public WiFi connections. Conversely, we don’t recommend the VPN service for streaming and torrenting.

Alternatives to Avast SecureLine VPN

NordVPN

NordVPN

9.359.4/10

NordVPN is better than Avast on every front, and cheaper too. It’s great at unblocking streaming services, is just as user-friendly, and it’s pushing boundaries in VPN security. Read NordVPN review

The new ExpressVPN logo

ExpressVPN

9.69.6/10

Go for ExpressVPN instead if you simply want to get the best that money can buy. It’s more expensive than Avast, but it’s far more dependable, and does almost everything you want a VPN to do. Read ExpressVPN review


User Reviews for Avast SecureLine VPN

User Reviews are shown in the original language of submission.