Avira vs. Norton – Comparison review

Avira and Norton are products from global software leader NortonLifeLock (formerly Symantec Corporation) with 80 million users from 150 countries. The company’s deep knowledge of digital devices’ cybercrime protection is based on thousands of patents that block over 900 million threats every 100 days.

Avira Antivirus is produced in Germany, and its first release happened in 1988. Avira is a solid and secure antivirus that includes fundamental features such as real-time protection from many online threats including Trojans, worms, malware, ransomware, adware, and some innovative ones. It is a lightweight cloud-based antivirus, and most users consider its interface user-friendly, especially for non-professional users.

Furthermore, it consumes insignificant memory compared to other antiviruses (even Norton) and has a built-in system optimizer that speeds up the PC performance. Also, it has a battery saver feature to make your laptop battery last longer. The users also chose Avira because of privacy settings optimization, file recovery, a safe shopping app, free VPN, and a password manager.

Avira has home and business solutions. Moreover, you can download for free Avira Phantom VPN, system speedup, software updater, and a password manager. Business packages are provided for Windows and Mac and Windows Servers.

Norton Antivirus is on top of antivirus and malware solutions in all cyber reviews, promising 100% protection. Since 2014 this antivirus has received a lot of rewards and top ratings among user’s reviews. It has real-time protection from malware, ransomware, Trojans, and other threats, a smart firewall, VPN, and a password manager.

This firewall monitors both sent and received traffic to stop the outside attack on your computer via an Internet connection. The user will receive warnings and recommendations for further actions in case of any suspicious situation.

Norton has several unique features that Avira does not have. A feature of dark web monitoring is not limited to email addresses but also monitors sensitive information (credit card information). Another unique future is available with the Deluxe plan and higher – a parental control to restrict access to the websites for kids of different ages – the access is provided through a separate web window. And the last one is safe files back up in the cloud storage on Norton servers (available only for Windows users). Norton has business proposals for small businesses with up to 20 devices for Windows, Mac, iOS, and Android.

Norton has business proposals for small businesses with up to 20 devices for Windows, Mac, iOS, and Android.

Avira proposes three system scans for viruses: full for the whole system, quick for the vulnerable system areas, and customized for dedicated areas scan with a specific timetable. The time required for full and other scans depends on the frequency of their starting. For example, a malware scan can be scheduled to be performed daily or twice daily.

Norton offers several types of scans: quick scan for key areas, full system scan for the entire computer, and custom scan for suspicious flagged areas. A full disc scan takes, on average, about forty minutes. But your computer may experience some slowing down during a full scan. All scans can be scheduled daily, weekly, or monthly.

Avira has cloud-based real-time protection that allows checking all the time, which means that all downloaded, copied, or interacted in other ways files are constantly checked for infections. For example, if you try to download an unsafe file from the Internet, Avira will block it; correspondingly, the download itself will take longer as Avira checks the content.

Complete real-time protection by default consists of real-time protection, web protection, email protection, and ransom protection; all chosen ones could be disabled from 10 minutes to 24 hours. If Avira considers the file a threat, it puts it in quarantine to limit potential damage. After that, you can restore the file from there or delete it.

For malware protection, it uses its technology – NightVision, to detect the most complex cybersecurity threats.

Web protection is not so promising, but the availability of Avira safe browser extension (for Google Chrome, Opera, Microsoft Edge, and Firefox) helps to surf the Internet securely. In addition, the Avira browser has an anti-tracking function for any online activities.

As a top antivirus, Norton has real-time protection using Artificial Intelligence (AI) machine technology to monitor all threats. Norton can protect from all known online threats including viruses, malware, worms, spyware, rootkits, malvertising, phishing, banking Trojans, coin-miner, unwanted browser extensions, script-based attacks, keyloggers, tech support scams, and many more.

Norton prevents downloading any additional malicious software and uninstalls apps or browser extensions if the threat is known. For Norton users, a safe web browser extension for Chrome, Microsoft Edge, Safari, and Firefox is available. The real-time protection includes analysis of online threats before they enter your device by intrusion prevention system, the deletion of malware based on the emulation, and exploits protection.

The protection is executed also based on reputation insight information and risky behavior. Norton Antivirus has a unique tool for removing all threats, including the difficult-to-detect – Norton Power Eraser. For complicated cases, you can contact Technical support. All Norton Antivirus packages have a 7-day free trial to try excellent tools.

Avira has a phantom VPN. VPN is another tool to protect your privacy by encrypting the traffic and changing your IP address with geolocation. VPN is available even with a free package and is connected via Avira app with one button; the user can choose the server’s location.

Norton has a fast VPN, too, for additional privacy and security on the Internet. You can also buy this VPN separately (29.99 $ for the first year / 1 device). You can select the region and see your public IP address, or it will be assigned automatically. It will automatically secure the connection using public Wi-Fi and securely connect you to your favorite website or mailbox in anonymous mode. Encrypted tunnel masks all personal information, and the kill switch function automatically disconnects the Internet during its abruption (Windows and Android only). Norton does not store logs or its users’ online activity for further use. No tracking is possible with Norton VPN.

Not all Antiviruses include in their standard packages a system optimizer, but Avira has it. It can remove unnecessary and junk files from the PC to obtain additional space, increase speed, decrease start-up time by closing unnecessary background programs, find duplicate files and get rid of them, clean cookies, and fix registry data. But what is most interesting is that Avira has a real-time optimizer that automatically allocates the PC resources to help better run the programs you use the most and closes the unused, unnecessary ones taking too much CPU and system memory.

Norton also includes standard device optimization tools, but you can purchase Utilities Ultimate to receive upgraded ones.

The standard tools include disk optimization with defragmentation, deletion of temporary files from HDD and Browsers, and closure of unnecessary programs during startup.

Hackers can easily access any data from your device via downloading programs if the user does not have the correct privacy settings. Avira privacy setting tool can optimize more than 200 privacy settings in one click.

Norton has a privacy monitor to check in more than 25 databases for the presence of your personal information on the Internet. With this info, you can delete your data where it is required.

Password managers are an excellent way to safely store your account’s passwords, payment details, cards, usernames, and other personal data.
Avira password manager is secured with 256-bit AES encryption and two-factor authentication; it has a password generator with a secure account monitor (in the pro version only) and an auto-login option. But unfortunately, it does not have features that standalone managers offer – dark web monitoring, automatic password update, and secure file storage.

Norton password manager helps to create complex passwords that are difficult to hack. It also stores all your login details for all accounts. Access to the manager is performed through two-factor authentication. In addition, Norton has dark web monitoring, which is available through a separate web page. It scans personal data on the dark web: bank accounts, phones, credit cards, addresses, driver’s licenses, and insurance.

Avira has a top-rated mobile antivirus application for smartphone protection. It is available for download for Android and iOS users.

Moreover, it has additional mobile features: anti theft protection with traction location of smartphone; microphone and camera protection from Third Party access; call blocker for unwanted and robocalls; identity protection with checking your email address for breaches; and a privacy manager with keeping your Siri searches private.

And for sure, the standard Avira features are available: antivirus, web protection, lock confidential app, optimizer, VPN.

Norton has a perfect mobile antivirus application as well. Android app has more features than iOS. The available features for mobile versions users are Wi-Fi secure to notify regarding unsafe public networks and protect your device within it; internet security including safe browsing to protect the mobile phone from malware, ransomware, adware, trojans during your work in a browser, mailbox, social networks; notification of the latest updates; SMS security to filter phishing attacks.

Android users also receive a privacy advisor informing about privacy risks, an adware advisor informing about suspicious apps to be downloaded from Google Play, and a privacy report interactive map.

Avira has several pricing plans for home users, including a free version. They differ per included tools for PC protection. Even the free version includes not just Antivirus but also VPN (500 MB/month), a password manager, and an update scanner. The Pro version has only antivirus protection, an Internet Security version, a software updater pro, and a password manager pro. In contrast, the Prime version has all available tools – PC speed and tune-up (PC optimizer) and unlimited VPN. Also, Prime users get VIP customs support.

Avira Prime is also available for 25 devices. You could start with the Pro or Free plan and upgrade it later if you require advanced features. The annual subscription gives an additional 60% off compared to monthly payments.

Norton does not provide a free version for all types of users. Instead, the user is proposed several tariff plans based on the number of protected devices and the size of backup cloud storage. All plans include spyware, malware, ransomware protection, antivirus, real-time protection, cloud backup storage (different space available), smart firewall, password manager, parental control, and schooling time (pausing the internet while the kid is at school).

The Norton Standard includes additionally secure VPN, PC safe cam (to protect PC camera from Third Parties), and dark web monitoring. The Norton Deluxe includes all from Standard plus privacy monitoring. Finally, the Norton Select includes everything from Deluxe plus Lifelock identity system, stolen wallet protection, ID verification, and credit monitoring.