Our VPN evaluations aim to guide you in making informed choices before selecting a service provider. We meticulously assess top VPN services to determine the superior option. For those seeking online protection, our exhaustive list details VPN offerings, evaluating pricing, performance, security, privacy, support, and features.
In this review, we take a look at AVG Secure VPN Having previously relied on AVG's free antivirus with great success, we anticipated impressive outcomes from this software release. Continue reading to see how AVG fares against its competitors.
AVG VPN
Before Microsoft's Security Essentials gained traction, AVG antivirus was the leading free internet security tool. Everyone turned to AVG in the early internet days, and it remains prevalent today.
With dwindling demand for its antivirus solutions compared to industry leaders, AVG management seems determined to branch out into other security-related products.
Consequently, AVG unveiled their VPN, aiming to safeguard your online endeavors.
We were eager to try this software, but after installation and feature review, we felt somewhat let down. Performance assessments didn't bode well for AVG.
Let's deconstruct AVG Secure VPN, examining it aspect by aspect.
AVG Secure VPN Pricing
Let's discuss pricing. While the free AVG antivirus came without cost or constraints, AVG Secure VPN is pricier. The company believes its market reputation justifies a premium entry point.
AVG employs a distinct pricing model compared to other VPN services. All features are available to customers regardless of their selected subscription. They offer only annual plans, with discounts for 2-year or 3-year commitments.
Opting for the annual plan costs about $6.66 monthly, dropping to $6.11 monthly for a 3-year plan. We appreciate their no-obligation 30-day trial and the assurance of a money-back guarantee.
The free trial is notable as it requests no personal details; simply click download, run, and enjoy. If you decline subscription after the trial, AVG discontinues the service.
Take heed of data usage during the trial, which caps at 10GB. Excessive use will forfeit the money-back guarantee.
Exceeding 100 logins with the VPN also nullifies the refund guarantee, a tactic we find sly, diverging from norms seen in other providers' accounts of 'no questions asked' policies.
Here's AVG Secure VPN's pricing breakdown;
- 3-Years US$6.11 per month.
- 2-Years US$6.24 per month.
- 1-year US$6.66 per month.
A point of interest—AVG demands upfront payment for the entire subscription. This approach can be off-putting when compared to other premium services like NordVPN or Private Internet Access. We hope performance justifies the expense.
Payment Options
Once you decide to purchase AVG Secure VPN, complications arise. Payment options are limited to credit cards or PayPal, excluding alternatives like WorldPay, AliPay, or Cryptocurrency, potentially displeasing international users.
Contacting a friend in Africa revealed unavailable PayPal transactions, leaving only credit card payments.
Introducing more payment gateways could increase consumer confidence, indicating a global server reach and smooth worldwide service.
Cryptocurrency, a favored payment among security-conscious users, is notably absent from AVG's accepted methods.
AVG Secure VPN Refund Policy
Typically, VPN providers offer either a trial or a money-back guarantee with purchase. AVG provides both.
Adhering to refund rules (under 10GB downloads, fewer than 100 session logins) qualifies buyers for a refund within the 30-day window.
Claiming refunds proved hassle-free; an email to support sufficed to initiate the process.
Without customer retention attempts, the refund was processed the same day, returning to our account 8 business days later.
Located in the Czech Republic—an ideal sanctuary for data privacy.
The '14-Eyes' signifies a coalition of nations including the U.S., Australia, New Zealand, the U.K., and Europe, dedicated to monitoring internet data. Using a VPN under this jurisdiction risks government scrutiny of online activities.
Selecting a VPN within the '14-Eyes' jurisdiction compromises its protective purpose. For true anonymity, a provider beyond this coalition's reach is imperative.
Fortunately, AVG Secure VPN's base in the Czech Republic offers distance from '14-Eyes' oversight, empowering AVG to resist government data requests.
Privacy Policy and Data Collection
AVG maintains a 'no-logs' policy, pledging to not track your online activities through their VPN, a critical user trust factor.
However, AVG reserves the right to investigate abuse allegations and prohibits exploiting the service for pirated content, a common clause, though often less explicit among competitors.
While dissecting AVG's privacy terms, encompassing all products, VPN included, revelations arose.
It's evident that AVG collects substantial user data, storing details like email addresses, phone numbers, SIM details, location data, and IP addresses, all identifying online information.
Moreover, AVG discloses potential data sharing with third parties, including law enforcement upon request.
These service terms are unacceptable, especially when AVG markets its product without transparent communication regarding these practices, posing minimal security assurances.
AVG, part of the Avast Group, headquartered in Amsterdam, and steered by U.S. executives, doesn't convincingly evade '14-Eyes' demands.
User-Interface
We favor applications boasting streamlined interfaces—cluttered dashboards are a major drawback, raising appreciation for clean layouts. Yet claiming AVG Secure VPN's C-panel is tidy feels understated.
The AVG Secure VPN interface is rudimentary, displaying server location and connection status alone. We desire additional insights like IP address and connection speed.
Despite its simplicity, the main screen occupies substantial desktop space. Access server locations via the 'change location' button unveiling server lists separately.
We favorably regard the visually appealing server listings, sorted by continent, easing optimal selection though lacking favorite server bookmarking.
The settings menu, accessed through an upper-right gear icon, offers basic options for automatic startup and Wi-Fi security, lacking advanced configurations.
Connection and Speed
According to AVG, connection speeds improved with server network expansion. Local U.S. server tests yielded speeds of 45 to 50-Mbps, accommodating seamless streaming and speedy downloads.
Connecting to the United States servers from the U.K. took a bit of a hit in terms of speed, clocking in at 40 Mbps, which is not the fastest but gets the job done. When we moved deeper into the heart of Europe, speeds started to tail off. Meanwhile, our connection to Australia was surprisingly quicker than the norm, averaging 30 Mbps, beating several rivals.
Upon testing, we discovered that upload speeds weren't as reliable as downloads, which is something you typically expect from most VPNs out there. This inconsistency, however, might be off-putting for those who heavily use peer-to-peer services.
Although the speed quality was top-notch, we hit a snag with latency, which was disappointingly high. Even when connecting to servers just a stone's throw away, we recorded a dismal ping time of 16 ms, a clear sign of underperformance.
This high latency spells trouble, especially for gamers who rely on smooth real-time experiences; they might want to explore alternative VPN services. Our assessment of other VPN providers shows more favorable latency figures, averaging around 2 ms for local connections, putting AVG far from the top performers.
Security and Encryption
Upon evaluating AVG Secure VPN's security and encryption, we noticed a few shortcomings. The Wi-Fi protection does a decent job against public hacks in open spots, but privacy-minded users should look elsewhere if they frequently tap into public networks.
In our tests on both Windows and Android, we observed the use of the OpenVPN protocol with no means to switch in the settings, a surprise not disclosed upfront by AVG, forcing us to reach out to support for clarification.
The encryption employs the robust 256-bit standard, synonymous with military-grade security, ensuring top-level user protection. Our biggest bone to pick with AVG Secure VPN? The lack of an internet kill switch.
If your connection drops unexpectedly, the software exposes your real IP address, a critical omission, especially given the premium pricing of their subscription.
On the bright side, our DNS leak tests went off without a hitch, and we enjoyed stable connections throughout most of our testing, with no unexpected disconnections.
Netflix Blocked for Most Locations
One cherished benefit of using a VPN is bypassing geographic restrictions that block certain online content. Routing your connection through a VPN lets you access services like the American version of Netflix.
While numerous VPNs boast servers dedicated to Netflix, AVG appears lukewarm on incorporating this feature. Our attempts to access U.S. Netflix fell short with over half of the servers failing to connect.
We eventually forged a connection through North American servers, yet found their so-called dedicated streaming servers fell flat during our trials.
Restricted Torrenting and P2P Zones.
Torrent file downloads rank high among reasons for using a VPN, but once again, AVG doesn't shine here. Testing their P2P servers, results were decidedly mixed.
At this time, AVG allows torrenting via these specialized servers.
- London.
- Paris.
- Prague.
- Frankfurt.
- Amsterdam.
- Brazil.
- Seattle.
- Miami.
- New York.
However, despite listing Brazil as an active P2P server on the Windows client, this option is absent on the Android app, leaving users looking for consistency stumped.
A restricted server list might dissuade those who need faster upload speeds for P2P activities. On a good note, AVG doesn't throttle bandwidth on these servers, so you're free from file size or session bandwidth limits.
User-Friendly App
We downloaded the Android app to gauge its mobile utility, and it's worth noting it's also available for iOS. Like the desktop version, it offers a 30-day free trial matching the PC client's terms.
Upon launching the app, we were greeted with a streamlined, user-friendly control panel, though clearly lacking in features. It mirrors the desktop client's minimalist approach.
The app auto-selects the server with the best speeds, a familiar feature among VPN apps, yet nothing to write home about.
Tapping the 'change location' button lets you browse the server list and make your pick manually, even on the mobile app. Its simplicity is a double-edged sword: it's easy to handle but doesn't offer much in the way of features.
Navigating through the settings is straightforward, although personal configuration options are limited to non-existent.
AVG Secure VPN Server Locations
Despite AVG's touted extensive server network, reality paints a different picture. Server locations are scant, especially outside the U.S., hosting servers in 29 cities across 21 countries.
Seven of the locations are spread across the U.S, covering cities like New York, Chicago, Miami, Dallas, Salt Lake City, San Francisco, and Seattle. Canadian servers are tucked into Montreal and Toronto.
Europe follows with the next-largest concentration of servers in places like London, Frankfurt, Madrid, Helsinki, Paris, Milan, Stockholm, Amsterdam, Russia, Warsaw, and the Czech Republic.
Globally, they include servers in places such as Johannesburg, Australia, Tokyo, Singapore, and Turkey, while South America has sites in Mexico City and Sao Paulo.
The list lacks impact, and outside the US, Canada, and Europe, speeds falter compared to other VPN services.
Customer Support
Our dealings with AVG left much to be desired in customer service. Their site offers scant product details, and email responses dragged on for 48 hours over a simple issue.
Most other VPNs have a live chat service, the first line of support we seek if problems arise. AVG's omission of this feature is notably disappointing.
Other VPN Providers
Here are some other providers we've reviewed before on Blockonomi:
Wrapping Up – The Verdict
If you're set on purchasing an overpriced VPN that potentially tracks your online activities, AVG might be up your alley. However, for those seriously worried about privacy, gamers, or P2P enthusiasts, it falls short.
When considering its price tag and limited functionality, AVG's offering leaves us wanting more. While functional on the surface, the value for money just isn't there, and we suggest exploring alternatives like ExpressVPN or NordVPN .
Taking stock of this software's strengths and weaknesses reveals;
Pros
- Comfortable, clean user interface.
- US and UK servers provide reasonable streaming speeds.
- 30-day trial.
- 30-day money-back guarantee.
Cons
- Deceptive refund terms.
- Limited features and lack of configuration options.
- Restricted server performance and scarce locations.
- Shady data and logging policies.
- Average customer support levels.
- Poor pricing for what’s on offer.
Arguably scraping the bottom in terms of VPNs, AVG's legacy had us hopeful. Yet after spending time with it, glaring feature gaps and middling performance doused those hopes, compounded by a flimsy privacy and no-log policy.
What's the takeaway? Look for other options.
AVG VPN
Pros
- Comfortable, clean user interface
- US and UK servers provide reasonable streaming speeds.
- 30-day trial
- 30-day money-back guarantee
Cons
- Deceptive refund terms
- Minimal features and lack of configuration options.
- Limited server performance and scarce locations.
- Shady data and logging policies
- Poor Pricing for Offer
