Every week it seems there is another report about personal data being stolen online. From bank account information to privacy issues, the threats are real and active. With so much of our day-to-day activities being online, how much are you at risk and what can you do to protect your identity?
About 36 percent of Americans reported some type of data breach in 2018. More than half experienced more than one incident. You may wonder how it happens so that you can protect your information.
In fact, what causes these repetitive data breaches are cyberhackers accessing public Wi-Fi spots and stealing your passcodes, personal login information and more. Think about all the times you access free Wi-Fi, from the coffee shop to the hotel, anywhere there’s a free Wi-Fi point, you’re at risk.
Moreover, how do you know that the free Wi-Fi you’re signing into is the actual Wi-Fi offered by the hotel or coffee shop? Many scammers are setting up similar Wi-Fi hotspots that appear to be legitimate, with the hopes of an unsuspecting person signing into their server. Once that happens, a whole slew of bad things can happen to you, your data and your privacy.
Why Use a VPN?
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More and more people are opting to use a VPN, or Virtual Private Network, to access the internet and protect their identities. Which begs the question, what is a VPN and are there ones more trusted than others?
The answer is yes. There are different VPNs available, and each offers varying degrees of security. To better understand what a VPN does, think about it as a private, personal internet connection. The more direct your device
The worry is that with so many hackers and viruses online if you’re accessing the internet, whether it’s for online purchases and banking, cloud storage, and data backups, chances are your information is being exposed. Store your information in a safe, secure location with choosing a good VPN and get peace of mind.
Like any vital service or purchase, finding the right one takes a little time, education, and research. However, who has hours dedicated to looking at all the various VPN options that are out there, and how can you trust everything written about them?
We’ve done all the research for you, so that you have the assurance that you’re getting a reputable, safe, and secure VPN for all your data. So, let our Avast VPN review help you cut through the clutter of wrong information that’s out there and be confident in your purchasing decision.
Our review will detail the benefits of the Avast VPN, and it’s pricing, and comparison shop with some of the other brands so that you can make the best-educated decision for your online privacy needs.
What Is Avast VPN and How Does It Work? - Avast VPN Review
Any time you access the internet, what occurs is you send data from your device through a server to your intended destination. Think about when you use Facebook. You log in to your account, send data from, and to, your device through a server.
Most of the time your data transmission is being bounced around from various servers and computers all over the globe without you even knowing it. There are many mumbo-jumbo reasons for why your data may bounce between multiple servers, but what’s important to remember is that every server exposes your data to being accessed and hacked.
However, with a VPN, you get a secure, encrypted connection between your computer and the server, and is the easiest way to think about what a VPN does. When connected via a VPN like the one provided by Avast, all your data travels only through this direct link between your device and one the server, without any additional interference or the ability to see your data.
This encrypted process means that your personal information only goes directly from your device to its destination, without any additional computers and servers able to access your data.
Think about your protecting your information like driving your car. As you pull out of your driveway, anyone can follow you, or even look into your vehicle, and there’s not much you can do about it. A VPN is like having a personal tunnel that only you can drive, getting you from your house to the destination without anyone able to follow you or spy on you.
The way that Avast VPN works are that it serves to encrypt your data transmissions remembers trusted networks and websites for secure logins and protects from site “cookies.”
“Cookies” in this case are small files that a website uses to remember the computer and user that accesses the website. These “cookies” are stored on your devices hard-drives and include many personal data points to help the computer and website recognize tendencies and commonly searched items.
Typically, these files are shared with third-party advertisers to track and follow your tendencies and usage online, which could lead to privacy concerns as well. Most often, you aren’t even aware that the site is using your personal information and computer data, and some also don’t even list a disclaimer that they use “cookies” for these purposes at all!
Additionally, these “cookies” can be used by hackers to access your private data to help install malware or other malicious code onto your devices. By using a VPN like the Avast VPN, you’re only allowing these “cookies” access when you want to, in other words, and it helps sequester those websites from using their “cookies” to track your actions online.
What Makes Avast VPN Unique - Avast VPN review
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The standard pricing format for the Avast VPN is an ala-cart style menu. You can choose between a single device or operating system (also known as OS), multiple devices and OS, and options for desktop or mobile devices.
For Windows and Mac users, the price plan begins at 59 dollars for unlimited GB during a year, which breaks down to only $5.99 per month for a PC. Avast also offers price breaks for multiple year options. For example, a two-year commitment is $109 with unlimited GB, and you can save even more money on the three-year, $159, unlimited GB plan as well.
For multiple devices, the pricing plan is per device. Say you want to run your laptop and mobile phone through the Avast VPN. For that to work, you’d first need to sign up for the one year plan at $59, and then pay an additional $19.99 for the second, mobile device, raising the price to $79.99 for the year.
If you had multiple devices such as a Mac and PC because it’s different operating systems, you’d be in a higher priced tier payment, and your starting price point is $99.98. Adding additional mobile or tablets would cost the extra $19.99 per unit, per year.
Finally, for Windows users, the Avast VPN price structure has an added security feature. Priced at $119.00 per year for the Ultimate package are a bundle that offers the VPN access, ransomware protection, antivirus protection, firewall, and a whole slew of other security protocols to choose.
Avast VPN offers a free seven-day trial for you to explore all the options with an easy opt-in or opt-out at the end of the test. If you’re unsatisfied with the services, they have an additional 30-day money-back guarantee for you to explore.
Pricing Of Avast - Avast VPN Review
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The standard pricing format for the Avast VPN is an ala-cart style menu. You can choose between a single device or operating system (also known as OS), multiple devices and OS, and options for desktop or mobile devices.
For Windows and Mac users, the price plan begins at 59 dollars for unlimited GB during a year, which breaks down to only $5.99 per month for a PC. Avast also offers price breaks for multiple year options. For example, a two-year commitment is $109 with unlimited GB, and you can save even more money on the three-year, $159, unlimited GB plan as well.
For multiple devices, the pricing plan is per device. Say you want to run your laptop and mobile phone through the Avast VPN. For that to work, you’d first need to sign up for the one year plan at $59, and then pay an additional $19.99 for the second, mobile device, raising the price to $79.99 for the year.
If you had multiple devices such as a Mac and PC because it’s different operating systems, you’d be in a higher priced tier payment, and your starting price point is $99.98. Adding additional mobile or tablets would cost the extra $19.99 per unit, per year.
Finally, for Windows users, the Avast VPN price structure has an added security feature. Priced at $119.00 per year for the Ultimate package are a bundle that offers the VPN access, ransomware protection, antivirus protection, firewall, and a whole slew of other security protocols to choose.
Avast VPN offers a free seven-day trial for you to explore all the options with an easy opt-in or opt-out at the end of the test. If you’re unsatisfied with the services, they have an additional 30-day money-back guarantee for you to explore.
Public Perception of Other Services
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The Avast VPN is one of the easier implemented VPNs on the market right now. Its price point is on the cheaper end of the spectrum unless you upgrade to some of the higher options. The simple to use kill-switch and flagging of secure websites are some of the most significant features offered.
Like the Avast VPN, most other Virtual Private Networks offer access to streaming sites like Netflix. Those include NordVPN, ExpressVPN, and VyprVPN, each with unlimited bandwidth. Others such as CyberGhost and PIA may connect with Netflix, but have limited bandwidth, which could lead to issues with trying to stream content.
The complaints we’ve found relate to the price plan for the Avast VPN are with people claiming it can be more complicated than necessary for the price plans offered for multiple devices and multiple operating systems.
As opposed to some of the other Virtual Private Networks we’ve found, the ease to use and limited features that Avast includes in the standard options package makes it one of the better deals around. It doesn’t matter how secure or safe your data is if the system you use to protect it is complicated and confusing.
How It Compares
The Avast VPN is the best option available for simple to use, quick set-up, and simple opt-out functions. The price plans are reasonable for the services and only become complicated with multiple devices over multiple operating systems. Too many other options create unnecessary confusion either in set-up or in usage.
Moreover, the unlimited GB of data and speed of the servers makes the Avast VPN an excellent option for anyone that spends a good deal of time online, especially when using a public, or open-sourced Wi-Fi. Also, with built-in website recognition, the safety functions and firewall options are great add-ons for increased security.
From our research of other VPNs and their reviews has us conclude that the Avast system is an excellent option for anyone looking to add personal identity protection at a reasonable price. The services are equal, or greater than most similar services and for a lower price, so for that reason, our recommendation is for the Avast VPN over the competitors.
Coupons and Deals
There are a couple deals and coupons to consider with the Avast Virtual Private Network. Just download and install the Avast VPN onto any Mac or PC and give it a try for seven days for free. At the conclusion of seven days, you’re satisfied, you agree to the terms of service for continued service. It’s that simple.
Another great option is that because Avast believes in its Virtual Private Network and anti-virus software so much that they offer a 30-day money back guarantee. Try it for the full 30-days, and if not satisfied, Avast will refund your payment.