- Quick specs
- Price: Free
- Operating system: Windows Vista, Windows 7, Windows XP, Windows 2000
- Date added: November 11, 2009
- Total Downloads: 232,713,612
- Downloads last week: 2,765,821
- See full specifications
- CNET editors' rating: stars
- Average user rating: stars out of 19753 votes
See all user reviews
CNET editors' review
Reviewed by: Seth Rosenblatt on October 15, 2009
AVG Free provides the bare necessities when it comes to security, but that should be enough for savvy Windows users. You'll get a combined antivirus and antimalware engine, LinkScanner, and e-mail scanning. AVG Free 9 introduces a few new features, with improvements focused on performance, including claims of faster scan and boot times. One new feature is the Identity Theft Recovery Unit. Only for users in the United States, ITRU is a business partnership with Identity Guard which provides "consumer identity theft solutions," accessible only from the AVG toolbar in Firefox and Internet Explorer.
The interface is nearly unchanged from the last version, and generally it's easy to use. From the main window, though, you must double-click to get further information on any feature, whether virus scanning, LinkScanner settings, or updating. Streamlining this to one click would be helpful. A scheduling utility automates both scans and updates, while the upgrade ad at the screen's bottom can be easily hidden using the Hide Notification button. When starting a scan, a slider makes it easy to jump between Slow, Automatic, and Fast scans: the faster the scan, the less comprehensive it is, so users should take advantage of the scan optimization that is recommended during installation to speed up that first scan. A progress meter for regular scans would've been useful, though. Should a virus create serious problems, AVG creates a rescue disk to scan your computer in MS-DOS mode.
The LinkScanner feature protects you from third-party code exploits before they load in your browser and for ranking search results. Annoyingly, when you install its optional toolbar, it commandeers your new-tab page, decidedly inappropriate behavior. The program doesn't obviously tax your system when scanning or when running in the background, although CNET Labs determined that it will significantly slow down your system's boot time, and slightly delay shutting down. AVG also detected some image files as threats, when two other scans decided they weren't--we decided these were false positives. AVG might not be the fastest or the most effective free security option, but it still gets the job done and you're better off with it.
Watch the CNET video review of AVG Anti-Virus Free Edition:
Publisher's description
From AVG Technologies USA :AVG Anti-Virus Free Edition is an anti-virus protection tool available free of charge to home users. Rapid virus database updates are available for the lifetime of the product, thereby providing the high level of detection capability.
The new 9.0 edition is faster, safer and easier to use. AVG Anti-Virus Free Edition gives you free rock solid protection for your basic security needs. The combined anti-virus/anti-spyware scanner in AVG Anti-Virus Free Edition runs up to 50% faster than earlier versions and doesn't get in your way. AVG Anti-Virus Free Edition also delivers new anti-phishing detection techniques, which can quickly and accurately determine whether or not a web page is hosting a phishing attack. Additionally, version 9.0 comes with basic anti-rootkit protection to ensure protection against sophisticated hidden threats.
CNET Editor's Note:
The Download Now link will download a small installer file to your desktop. Remain online and double-click the installer to proceed with the actual download.
To learn more about AVG products and to ask questions and receive answers from AVG company representatives, please visit CNET's dedicated AVG Forum.
What's new in this version:
Version 9.0 runs and installs faster, delivers new anti-phishing detection techniques and introduces the AVG LinkScanner to proactively screen the Web pages you haven't even visited yet. For added peace of mind, you also get safety ratings for your Google, Yahoo! and Bing/MSN search results.
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User reviews
- Average user rating: 4.0 stars out of 19753 votes
- My rating: 0 stars Write review
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Showing 5 of 5 user reviewsSee all 5 user reviews
This software version | All versions -
Version: AVG Anti-Virus Free Edition 9.0.704
Pros: according to the expert reviews for free anti virus software it usually came in 3rd
Cons: it slowed my computer down too much
Summary: there are a few other free choices out there that you might like better if it didn't slow my computer down so much it would be ok
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Version: AVG Anti-Virus Free Edition 9.0.704
"Completely satisfied with all editions."
Pros: It sets in the background where I Never have to worry about anything.
Cons: Nothing to report
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Version: AVG Anti-Virus Free Edition 9.0.704
Pros: easy to use
Cons: nonthing wrong with this update
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Version: AVG Anti-Virus Free Edition 9.0.704
Pros: I've used AVG for years and always trusted it's ability to catch viruses or trojans before they infected my machine. It's been very reliable and always catches things for me.
Cons: I didn't like the e-mail scanner because it slowed down my computer every time I checked for new messages. My new machine with a powerful processor would drag as AVG ran its check through the new messages. I disabled that aspect and like it better.
Summary: It's a great product for a free download. It does what it's supposed to do. Its new bells and whistles eat up the performance on your machine, so don't be afraid to disable some of them. Of course that means you'll have to be careful before you open... read more >>
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Version: AVG Anti-Virus Free Edition 9.0.704
"nice antivirus but horrable popups"
Pros: works great
Cons: constant popups wanting you to buy it. use Microsoft security essential, no pop ups with that and its fee ;-)
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