Head-to-head · Canada

Avast vs Avira

Two free-first antivirus brands under the same parent company. What each free tier gives you, and when paying makes sense.

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The short version

Avast and Avira both belong to Gen Digital and both start free. Avast is the better-known name for free antivirus, with paid tiers adding scam protection, a VPN and clean-up tools. Avira's free suite goes further than most: according to Avira's site it adds a VPN capped at 500 MB a month on desktop, a password manager, a browser extension that blocks phishing and trackers, and a software updater. If you want the most in a free tier, Avira fits; if you want a familiar all-rounder and expect to upgrade, Avast does.

Side-by-side

Feature	Avast	Avira
Best for	Familiar all-rounder	Starting free, with extras
Signature angle	Recognized brand, broad suite	Free VPN, password manager + updater
Platforms	Windows, macOS, Android, iOS	Windows, macOS, Android, iOS
Core antivirus	Yes	Yes
Bundled extras (Canada)	Scam text and call blocking in Premium Security; VPN in Ultimate	Capped VPN and password manager even when free; unlimited VPN in Prime
Skip it if	You dislike upsell prompts	You'd lean on a VPN every day
Price in Canadian dollars (CAD)	See official site	See official site
Renewal price	See official site	See official site

Avast

Best for: Familiar all-rounder
Signature angle: Recognized brand, broad suite
Platforms: Windows, macOS, Android, iOS
Core antivirus: Yes
Bundled extras (Canada): Scam text and call blocking in Premium Security; VPN in Ultimate
Skip it if: You dislike upsell prompts
Price in Canadian dollars (CAD): See official site
Renewal price: See official site

Avira

Best for: Starting free, with extras
Signature angle: Free VPN, password manager + updater
Platforms: Windows, macOS, Android, iOS
Core antivirus: Yes
Bundled extras (Canada): Capped VPN and password manager even when free; unlimited VPN in Prime
Skip it if: You'd lean on a VPN every day
Price in Canadian dollars (CAD): See official site
Renewal price: See official site

How to choose between them

List what you'd use for free. Avira's free tier bundles a capped VPN and a password manager; with Avast's free tier you'd typically pay for those extras.
Expect upgrade messages from both. Free tiers are funded by upgrades. Avira's support pages say its in-product offers can't be switched off in the free version.
Check what runs on your platforms. Several Avira features — firewall, web and email protection, Software Updater — are Windows-only. Confirm what your Mac or phone gets.
Compare renewal prices. If you upgrade, both discount the first term; the renewal is the real ongoing cost.
Know what's different in Canada. Avast — Scam SMS and call blocking; no identity product in Canada. Avira — Dark web monitoring is Germany-only.

Want the detail? Read the full Avast review and Avira review, or see how all five suites line up in our Canada picks.

Who should pick which

Frequently asked questions

Avast or Avira — which is better?

For a free tier with extras, Avira gives you more out of the box: a capped VPN, a password manager and a software updater. Avast suits people who want a familiar all-rounder and plan to use its paid extras.

Are Avast and Avira the same company?

Both brands belong to Gen Digital (as does Norton), but they're separate products with their own apps, tiers and settings.

Is Avira's free VPN enough?

Avira's site lists 500 MB a month on desktop for the free VPN — enough for occasional public Wi-Fi, not for streaming or daily use. Unlimited VPN data comes with paid plans such as Avira Prime.