AVG Secure VPN Review

Since my start in 2008, I’ve covered a wide variety of topics from space missions to fax service reviews. At PCMag, much of my work has been focused on security and privacy services, as well as a video game or two. I also write the occasional security columns, focused on making information security practical for normal people. I helped organize the Ziff Davis Creators Guild union and currently serve as its Unit Chair.

AVG VPN Review

The AVG VPN boasts compatibility with Netflix and torrenting, but it has a long way to go when it comes to users’ privacy.

All of our content is written by humans, not robots. Learn More

By Aliza Vigderman , Senior Editor, Industry Analyst & Gabe Turner , Chief Editor Last Updated on Nov 03, 2022

Editors Rating:
7.9 /10

What We Like

• Kill switch: When an elbow knocked into our computer, accidentally turning off our Wi-Fi, AVG killed all of our web browsers to keep our ISP from seeing what tabs we had open.
• Torrenting: Believe it or not, not all movies and TV shows are on our favorite streaming platforms. For the rest, we torrented files using AVG to protect us.
• Netflix access: But let’s be honest: Most of what we want is on Netflix, which AVG worked with well.

What We Don’t Like

• Logs web activity and traffic: This is the biggest reason why AVG’s VPN is an abysmal pick for those using a VPN for privacy purposes.
• No split tunneling: If you want to route some of your traffic to the public network directly and some to the VPN, look outside of AVG.
• No multi-hop: Our web activity was only encrypted once as opposed to multiple times.

Bottom Line

AVG’s VPN is just as powerful as their antivirus software, with a backup kill switch in case it loses connection so your web traffic stays hidden.

Contents: Pros & Cons Details Speed Tests Pricing App Recap

While the name AVG is fairly well-known in the antivirus space, their VPN definitely flies below the radar. And that’s not shocking, as it’s pretty minimal with around 700 servers in 50 plus locations. However, for some people, AVG may provide just the coverage they need. Let’s find out more.

Features

Logs data	No
Kill switch	Yes
Split tunneling	Yes
Netflix	No
Torrenting	Yes

Editor’s Rating

Overall Rating

• Seven-day free trial
• Up to five devices covered
• Month price ranges from $3.99 to $4.99

More Security.org Recommendations

Check out more of our favorite VPNs.

Editor’s Rating:

9.7 /10

Editor’s Rating:

9.5 /10

Editor’s Rating:

9.4 /10

The Rundown

After extensive testing, here are the things we liked the most and the least about the AVG VPN.

What We Liked

• Kill switch: When an elbow knocked into our computer, accidentally turning off our Wi-Fi, AVG killed all of our web browsers to keep our ISP from seeing what tabs we had open.
• Torrenting: Believe it or not, not all movies and TV shows are on our favorite streaming platforms. For the rest, we torrented files using AVG to protect us.
• Netflix access: But let’s be honest: most of what we want is on Netflix, which AVG worked with well.
• Dynamic IP addresses: Getting a new IP address every time we connected to AVG meant that we were nearly impossible to track online.

What We Didn’t Like

• Based in the Netherlands: We’re not anti-Holland in general, but the Netherlands are a member of the surveillance alliance Five Eyes, so AVG could be forced legally to hand over our personal information.
• Logs web activity and traffic: This is the biggest reason why AVG’s VPN is an abysmal pick for those using a VPN for privacy purposes.
• No split tunneling: If you want to route some of your traffic to the public network directly and some to the VPN, look outside of AVG.
• No multi-hop: Our web activity was only encrypted once as opposed to multiple times.

More Detailed Information

If you want all the details about our testing of AVG VPN, keep on reading.

Privacy

Let’s get this out of the way. When it comes to privacy, AVG is simply not a good choice for a variety of reasons. One, they’re based in the Netherlands, a Five Eyes member that may force companies to give them customers’ data. This wouldn’t be such a big deal if the company itself didn’t log customer data, but that isn’t the case with AVG. Rather, the company logs a ton of unnecessary information, such as our:

• Name
• Address
• Email
• Phone number
• Account number
• Password
• Payment information
• IP address
• Billing data
• Operating system
• Hardware
• City or country of device and network
• URLs of websites visited

Now, our own VPN usage research has told us that for four in 10 VPN-users, the biggest reason for using a VPN in the first place is for general privacy. So for 40 percent of people, AVG is a poor choice. However, that still leaves the majority of 60 percent, and if that includes you, it could be a solid option. And although AVG logs website traffic and device IP addresses, at least they encrypt it using the current standard of AES-256, with new IP addresses every time we connected.

Another glass-half-full feature of AVG VPN was its performance in our DNS and WebRTC leak tests. But first, let’s define those terms, as we know that everyone isn’t as VPN-obsessed as we are.

• DNS: To use an analogy, DNS is to IP address as name is to Social Security Number. In other words, DNS stands for Domain Name Server, and it’s what you type in to get to a website, most likely (that’s a lot easier than typing in a whole numerical IP address!). Using a website called DNSLeakTest.com, we found that our web traffic was truly encrypted when we had AVG VPN turned on.

• WebRTC: We love using Chrome as our default web browser due to its seamless interface and speed, and we aren’t afraid to say it. However, one disadvantage that Chrome has is the fact that it defaults to WebRTC when it comes to high-bandwidth activities like sharing files or video chatting. Rather than going through an intermediate server, WebRTC technology lets browsers communicate with each other directly, which means that they need the other’s private IP address. Chrome isn’t the only browser that defaults to WebRTC— Opera and Microsoft Edge do too. To see if AVG VPN was leaking our private IP address on Chrome, we used a tool on the ExpressVPN website and found no leaks.

DIY: If you want to see for yourself that AVG VPN has no DNS or WebRTC leaks, take advantage of their week-long free trial and test it out for yourself. To see exactly how we test VPNs, read our VPN guide.

So while AVG is clearly not ideal when it comes to their privacy jurisdiction and privacy policy, at the very least, they did the basic job of encrypting our online activities and device IP addresses.

Features

Again, people have various reasons for using a VPN; some people may want a VPN for Netflix, while others may want a VPN for torrenting. Whatever the reason, we’re pleased to say that AVG VPN works with both Netflix and torrenting, so you shouldn’t have any difficulties accessing entertainment.

Looking for a VPN for business? Unfortunately, AVG doesn’t have split tunneling, so you’ll have to route all of your traffic through their encrypted tunnel. So if you needed to connect to a public office network at the same time that you use your VPN, AVG is not a viable option.

Now, as we said previously, on all compatible devices (which includes Windows, macOS, Android, and iOS), AVG will shut down all of your web browsers and apps if the VPN fails. That way, although you’ll lose your encryption, there’ll be nothing to encrypt, keeping your web activity safe from your ISP.

Speed Tests

Now, many things affect how fast your internet is aside from which plan you buy from your ISP. That includes things like distance to the server, operating system, app versions, and more. 1 So we urge you to take our speed tests with a grain of salt.

Now, although some estimates say that on average, VPNs slow down browsing speeds by around five percent, 2 we do not find this to be the case with most of the VPNs we’ve tested, and that includes AVG. While we saw decent speeds for Mac, there was a ton of latency when it came to Windows, so it’s safe to say that AVG is not one of the best Windows VPNs. Here is the raw data from our speed tests.

Tests	Macbook Pro	Windows 10 Acer Aspire 5
Ping without VPN (in ms)	59	4
Ping with VPN (in ms)	44	199
Ping Difference	25%	4875%
Download Speed without VPN (in mbps)	21	33
Download Speed with VPN (in mbps)	15	29
Download Speed Difference	29%	12%
Upload Speed without VPN (in mbps)	22	34
Upload Speed with VPN (in mbps)	5	8
Upload Speed Difference	77%	76%

While the Windows download and upload speed differences were actually smaller than those on our Mac, the amount of latency on Windows makes AVG not an ideal pick for gamers. Overall, it’s a better VPN for Mac, with only 25 percent more latency with the VPN connected.

Pricing

While our AVG VPN pricing page goes over their subscription options in more detail, it’s definitely something we consider in our testing, as well.

Length of Contract	Maximum Number of Devices	Cost Per Month	Total Billed Amount
1 Week	1	$0.00	$0.00
1 Year	5	$4.99	$59.88
2 Years	5	$3.99	$95.76
3 Years	5	$3.99	$143.64

As you can see, AVG is not a completely free VPN, but instead a VPN with a free trial for a week, which counts for something. And beyond that free trial, AVG’s prices are pretty good, although certainly it’s not the cheapest VPN we’ve ever seen. To get the lowest price, sign up for two or three years, which oddly have the same monthly cost of $3.99. Of course, there are also bundles with AVG antivirus software available, so check out our AVG antivirus pricing page to learn about your options in greater detail.

Now, in terms of what an individual subscription to AVG VPN actually includes, we were able to use five devices at the same time and overall. That’s a bit of a disappointment, as we have many more than five devices and the average household in the U.S has over 10 IoT devices alone. 3

FYI: Want to use AVG VPN on more than five devices? Buy the bundle AVG Ultimate, which covers up to 10 devices.

In sum, if you want to use a VPN on its own for five devices or under, AVG remains a decent option.

Mobile Application

Interestingly enough, for 31 percent of VPN-users, the biggest reason to use a VPN was to be able to connect to public Wi-Fi, risk-free. If that’s the case, then there’s a good chance that they’re using a mobile VPN, most likely connecting to see the score of the game as they wait in line to return a package (one of the seventh circles of hell, in our opinion). For AVG, that means downloading:

• iOS: AVG Secure VPN & Proxy Server app, 4.7 out of five stars.
• Android: AVG Secure VPN– Unlimited VPN & Proxy Server, 4.4 out of five stars.

These are nearly perfect ratings, and we agreed that AVG’ mobile apps were really easy to use. Of course, they also have apps for Windows and MacOS that we did the speed tests on, but it’s nice to know that we’re covered on mobile, as well.

Recap

The bottom line is that, unless you’re very concerned about privacy, AVG VPN will work for most people, Mac-users in particular. With relatively fast speeds and reasonable pricing, it definitely performed the basic functions of a VPN and is worth the money.

Buy AVG if you want…

• Netflix and torrenting access
• A week to try out their VPN for free
• Compatibility with iOS, Android, Windows and macOS devices

But opt for another VPN if you want…

• VPN company based in a non-member country to Five Eyes
• No logging of websites visited or IP addresses
• More expansive server network than 700 servers in about 50 locations
• Split tunneling or multi-hop.

If AVG VPN isn’t for you, that’s okay; we’ve tested out dozens more, so you’re bound to find one option that works. Not sure where to start? Read our guide of the year’s best VPN service.

AVG VPN Frequently Asked Questions

We’re not done yet! Our readers have a ton of questions about the VPN from AVG, and we’re here to help.

The AVG VPN is good for someone that wants to use a VPN for Netflix and torrenting. However, if privacy is a concern of yours, AVG is not the best choice, as it’s based in a Five Eyes member country and logs a ton of user information like their IP addresses, websites visited, and more web activity data.

AVG offers its VPN for free for seven days. However, after that trial ends, it will cost anywhere from $3.99 to $4.99 a month.

Like all VPNs, AVG VPN slowed down our internet speed on both a Macbook Pro as well as a PC. On our Mac, we saw 25 percent more latency with slowdowns of 29 percent in download speed and 77 percent in upload speed. On our PC, we saw 4,875 percent more latency and decreases of 13 percent for download speed and 76 percent for upload speed.

Because it’s based in the Netherlands, a member of the Five Eyes international surveillance alliances, and because it logs customers’ IP addresses and URLs visited, AVG VPN cannot be trusted if you are looking for privacy. However, if you’re just looking to access another country’s streaming service or torrent non-copyrighted material, then you can trust AVG VPN.

AVG Secure VPN Review

Since my start in 2008, I’ve covered a wide variety of topics from space missions to fax service reviews. At PCMag, much of my work has been focused on security and privacy services, as well as a video game or two. I also write the occasional security columns, focused on making information security practical for normal people. I helped organize the Ziff Davis Creators Guild union and currently serve as its Unit Chair.

Updated October 21, 2022
https://www.pcmag.com/reviews/avg-secure-vpn

The Bottom Line

AVG Secure VPN lets you use up to 10 devices with a single account, making it a good choice for families, and it boasts a thorough transparency policy. But it lacks competitors’ privacy features and requires an expensive subscription.

Per Year, Starts at $98.99
$54.60 for 1st Year – 39% Off Until Jan. 3rd at AVG

PCMag editors select and review products independently. If you buy through affiliate links, we may earn commissions, which help support our testing.

Pros

• 10 simultaneous connections
• Excellent transparency policies
• Simple interface

Cons

• Few servers locations and privacy tools
• No public audit
• Inflexible long-term subscriptions

AVG Secure VPN Specs

AVG Secure VPN protects your internet traffic from snoopers keen to see your online activities. A single account can cover up to 10 devices, which makes it a good value for device-heavy homes, and its simple interface is easily understood. That’s tempered by a hefty up-front cost, few additional privacy tools compared to the best VPNs, and the lack of a third-party audit.

Before we go any further here’s a quick primer. When you switch on a VPN, it creates an encrypted tunnel between your computer and a server controlled by the VPN company. Your ISP won’t be able to see what you’re up to and it’s harder for advertisers and snoops to track your movements online. You can also use a VPN to spoof your location by selecting a far-off server.

How a VPN Works

How Much Does AVG Secure VPN Cost?

Most VPN companies offer monthly subscription plans, with longer-term subscriptions at a discounted rate but a higher up-front cost. AVG doesn’t go that way with Secure VPN. Its shortest subscription is one year, which costs $98.99. A two-year plan costs $191.99 and a three-year plan will set you back $288.99, but both will renew as annual plans. Note that these plans often have additional discounts applied.

Our Experts Have Tested 17 Products in the VPN Category This Year

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Among the products we’ve evaluated, the average monthly cost of a VPN comes out to $9.83, while the annual cost is around $66.07. While the discounts currently applied to AVG Secure VPN bring its cost below that average, it’s a pricey product at face value, which is the price we consider in our evaluations. It’s also slightly more expensive than it was the last time we reviewed it.

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$359.64 Save $239.64

CyberGhost VPN

ExpressVPN

Private Internet Access VPN

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Mullvad VPN

IVPN

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Many excellent VPNs manage to come in under the industry average. Some even offer more features than AVG, such as Mullvad, which boasts a bevy of privacy tools and an excellent system for protecting user privacy. That service costs just 5 euro per month ($5.06 at time of writing).

Nothing is cheaper than free, and there are a few free VPNs worth your consideration. Proton VPN offers one of the best free subscriptions because it places no restriction on the amount of data its free subscribers can use.

(Screenshot: PCMag)

You can purchase an AVG Secure VPN subscription with any major credit card or with PayPal. The company does not accept crypto payments. Some VPNs go further with privacy protections baked into purchases. Editors Choice winners IVPN and Mullvad VPN both allow you to make payments in cash sent to their respective HQs. Mullvad VPN even did away with recurring subscription payments in order to store as little information about its customers as possible.

What Do You Get For Your Money?

A subscription with AVG Secure VPN will let you use up to 10 devices simultaneously, which is double the average we’ve seen across the industry. One subscription can easily cover even device-heavy households. Some VPN services have done away with this limitation altogether. Avira Phantom VPN, IPVanish VPN, Surfshark VPN, and Windscribe VPN place no limit on the number of devices you can use simultaneously.

(Editors’ Note: IPVanish is owned by Ziff Davis, PCMag’s parent company.)

Several VPN services offer additional privacy features that go beyond basic VPN protection. Split tunneling lets you decide which apps send traffic through the VPN connection, letting you prioritize high-bandwidth low-risk activities such as gaming and streaming videos, not sending them through the VPN. AVG Secure VPN only supports split tunneling on Android devices.

The best VPNs offer multi-hop connections that route your web traffic through a second VPN server. This provides additional protection and assurance that your traffic has not been tampered with. AVG does not include multi-hop connections.

A very few VPNs allow you to connect to the Tor anonymization network via VPN. Tor bounces your internet traffic through several volunteer nodes, making it much harder to trace online activities back to you. Also, you can only access hidden Dark Web sites through Tor. Tor is a free service and does not require a VPN to use, although it is convenient. AVG does not support access to Tor via VPN.

The best VPNs include some or all of these features. NordVPN and Proton VPN are among the very few to have all three.

(Screenshot: PCMag)

A new trend among VPNs is to include antivirus features to compliment that privacy protection of a VPN. NordVPN recently launched Threat Protection and Surfshark VPN offers Surfshark One. Neither did particularly well in our hands-on antivirus testing, and in general we recommend that readers stick with standalone antivirus. Fortunately, AVG is an antivirus company first and VPN provider second. We were impressed with AVG’s malware-blocking abilities and named it among the best free antivirus products.

AVG Secure VPN is a bit different because in this case, the VPN is more of a sweetener for a larger collection of antivirus and other PC utilities. The AVG Ultimate bundle includes AVG Internet Security antivirus, the AVG TuneUp utility, AVG AntiTrack, and AVG Secure VPN for $127.99 per year, although that is currently marked down to $79.99 for the first year. Provided you actually use the other services, that pricing compares very well with other standalone VPN services.

A few VPN services offer extra-cost add-ons, like additional simultaneous connections, or static IP addresses. AVG doesn’t offer any such upsells, but it’s no real loss. TorGuard VPN has an extensive, albeit confusing, collection of add-ons and bundles.

VPNs are powerful tools, but they don’t protect against every ill. We still recommend using antivirus software on your computer, creating and saving unique and complex passwords with a password manager, and enabling multi-factor authentication wherever it’s available.

VPN Protocols

To create its VPN connection, AVG Secure VPN uses the OpenVPN protocol with its Windows and Android apps. On macOS and iOS, it uses the IKEv2 and IPSec protocols. We prefer OpenVPN because it’s open-source, and therefore has been picked over for any potential vulnerabilities.

OpenVPN’s heir apparent is WireGuard, another open-source VPN protocol that uses newer technology and promises better performance. AVG announced support for WireGuard in October, and we look forward to testing it soon.

(Screensho: PCMag)

Along with the usual VPN protocols, AVG provides Mimic, a proprietary protocol. The company says that Mimic is intended to slip past efforts to block VPN traffic by mimicking HTTPS traffic. Other companies have similar features with different names, but AVG is keen to point out that Mimic is unique. The company uses standard encryption technologies, which we’re happy to see, but we generally prefer open-source to proprietary solutions.

Servers and Server Locations

AVG Secure VPN provides servers in 56 locations across 37 countries. That’s a far cry from ExpressVPN and Editors’ Choice winner Surfshark VPN, both of which provide servers in nearly 100 countries and with some of the best geographic diversity among VPNs we’ve tested. While AVG may not have the sheer numbers, it does provide a good selection of servers, covering regions like Africa—an entire continent that is often ignored by other VPN providers.

When a server is configured to appear as if it is somewhere other than where it is physically located, we call it a virtual location. That’s not necessarily a bad thing, but we prefer it when VPN services make it clear which locations are virtual and which are not. AVG says that it owns its entire network of over 500 servers, and that none of its servers use virtual locations.

(Screenshot: PCMag)

In some configurations, a single hardware machine plays host to multiple, virtual servers. Representatives from AVG tell us that Secure VPN runs on “bare metal” machines and does not share space with other companies within data centers. The company owns some servers but, like most VPNs, also rents space on corporate data centers.

An unusual wrinkle with AVG Secure VPN is that it and Avast SecureLine are owned by the same company and share the same infrastructure. HMA VPN, which is also owned by the same company, uses its own systems and servers.

Your Privacy With AVG Secure VPN

A VPN’s encrypted tunnel is only half of how it protects your privacy. The other half is the company’s policies on what it collects and how it stores data about you.

AVG and Avast share the same privacy policy for their VPNs. It’s easy to read and very clear about the company’s practices when it comes to your data. Notably, the company does not store your true IP address or DNS queries, nor does it monitor your browsing history or traffic contents. A company representative tells me it only makes money through the sale of subscriptions, not user data. That’s what we want to hear.

AVG does gather some information, however. It stores a timestamp of your connection and logs the amount of data you use, as well as the IP address of the VPN server you use. The company also gathers a portion of your true IP address in order to track geographic usage trends. The company says it is not enough to identify individual customers and is not associated with user accounts. This data is deleted on a rolling 35-day schedule. Some events—such as connection attempts, errors, etc.—are stored for two years but are not associated with an account.

The company provides reasonable explanations for all of these activities, such as preventing fraud and managing their network. This is adequate, but the company should provide a more granular explanation and timeframe for removal given the scope of the information. More importantly, many VPNs have set the bar much higher, storing as little information as possible for as short a time as possible. Mullvad VPN and IVPN, for example, have an account system that’s divorced entirely from personal information. We’d like to see AVG do better.

Avast SRO, the company behind AVG Secure VPN, is headquartered in the Czech Republic, and operates under Czech law. A company representative tells us it has revealed partial information as required by law enforcement in the past, which isn’t unusual but we believe AVG and Avast should strive to do better.

We’re happy to see that the company’s transparency report has been updated and contains significantly more information than before. All VPN companies should try to have this level of transparency and detail. We’re especially happy to see that the company has only disclosed user information 11 times in the last six years and not at all since 2020. The company does maintain a live warrant canary, which notably includes assurances that the company has not built a backdoor into its system that would grant access to encrypted information. Other companies should follow this example.

Some VPN companies have released the results of third-party audits of their products in order to establish their security bona fides. TunnelBear, for instance, has followed through on its promise to provide annual audits of its service. AVG Secure VPN has not undergone such an evaluation. The company should release meaningful third party audits for all its VPN services.

Some VPNs, like ExpressVPN and NordVPN, have moved to RAM-only servers, which are rendered useless if someone attempts to seize the machines. AVG does not use this technique with its infrastructure, but did outline other steps the company has taken to secure its servers. The company says it uses boot verification, stores its certificate authority private keys on isolated signing infrastructure, and uses full-disk encryption on all its machines.

In early 2020, a PCMag investigation revealed that Avast was harvesting data from its browser plugin, anonymizing it, and selling it. The Avast SecureLine VPN, AVG Secure VPN, and HMA VPN were not involved. The company has since ceased this practice. Trust is the single most important thing that security software requires, and if you do not feel you can trust a VPN service for any reason there are plenty others to choose from.

Hands On With AVG Secure VPN

We had no trouble installing AVG Secure VPN on an Intel NUC 11 (NUC11PHKi7C, ‘Phantom Canyon’) desktop running the latest version of Windows 11. We also found the app to be straightforward and easy to use: A big toggle in the middle of the screen will connect you to the VPN. Once toggled, the entire interface shifts from red to green, indicating that the VPN is running. It’s very accessible.

(Screenshot: VPN)

That said, we would not call the app well-designed. Its large single window cannot be resized or customized, like Private Internet Access VPN. It also lacks the charm of TunnelBear VPN. That service is likewise easy to use, but its bright yellow color scheme and trademark bears make it something you’d actually want to use. AVG is just fine, but it’s just. there. Notably, it’s almost identical to Avast Secureline VPN in its appearance, showing that these sibling services share more than just infrastructure.

By default, the app will connect you to the VPN server it thinks is the best, which usually means the closest to your actual location. You change the location by clicking Change Location at the bottom of the screen. Now you’re presented with a list of the available servers. A search bar sits at the top, and geographic filters go down the side. The last two options, P2P and Streaming, pick out the servers that best do those things.

Note that you cannot drill down to see specific servers. That’s fine for most people, but does mean you’re very reliant on AVG to find a server that will work for you. Proton VPN and NordVPN let you browse all the available servers, and can save them for future use. AVG Secure VPN also doesn’t offer a map view for its servers. Although that sounds like a silly thing to pick on, maps deftly show servers’ location relative to each other. That way, you can pick out a nearby location without a good grasp of geography.

The Settings menu has little to offer. Some notable tools include a Kill Switch, which shuts down your internet connection should your VPN connection drop. Also useful are Network Profiles, which let you make your computer discoverable on trusted networks.

When you use a VPN, you expect it to actually change your IP and not leak your DNS information. Using the Leak Test Tool, we confirmed that AVG Secure VPN did change our public IP address and did not leak DNS information. Note that we only tested one of AVG’s servers. Other servers may not be properly configured.

(Screenshot: PCMag)

Netflix actively works to block access from VPN users, likely to protect its region-specific streaming agreements. In our testing, we found we were only able to access a small subset of Netflix content while connected to a US server. What we could access streamed normally.

The problem persisted even when connected to AVG Secure VPN’s servers earmarked for streaming. With one such server we were able to see content that was normally restricted, but we were blocked from actually streaming it. Bear in mind that this could change at a moment’s notice. There’s no guarantee that a server, or even a VPN service, that works with Netflix today will work tomorrow.

Speed and Performance

When you use a VPN, you will almost certainly lose some speed in the process. To get a sense of the impact each VPN makes on internet performance, we compare speed test results from Ookla with and without the VPN active, and find a percent change. See the aptly named How We Test VPNs for more on VPN testing, and its limitations.

(Editors’ Note: Speedtest by Ookla is owned by Ziff Davis, PCMag’s parent company.)

In our testing, we found that AVG Secure VPN reduces upload and download Speedtest results by 27.8% and 41.1%, respectively. That’s almost exactly the median we’ve seen across the industry. AVG Secure VPN appears to increase Speedtest latency by 11.3%, which is a very good result. Keep in mind that these results are from before AVG released support for the WireGuard protocol. We’ll be testing it again to see if the new protocol has changed AVG Secure VPN’s performance.

You can see how AVG Secure VPN compares with all the other services we tested in the chart below. We now update our reviews with new testing and new products throughout the year, so this chart will always be up-to-date.

We caution readers against choosing a VPN solely on speed, however. My results will almost certainly not reflect yours, and could change in an instant. Instead, it’s better to focus on value and privacy protections.

AVG Secure VPN on Other Platforms

AVG offers VPN apps for Android, iOS, macOS, and Windows. There does not appear to be support for Linux, although it may be possible to configure your computer to connect without an app. We don’t recommend this approach, however, because it’s difficult to maintain and you won’t get access to all the features you’re paying for.

We look forward to reviewing AVG Secure VPN on other platforms soon.

No Frills, No Fuss

AVG Secure VPN may not have the brand recognition of Avast, but it’s effectively the same product under a thin coat of paint. It’s easy to use, and a single account will cover up to 10 devices, making it a good value to a device heavy home. It will serve you just fine, particularly if you find you already have a subscription thanks to a larger AVG purchase.

That said, its upfront cost requires more commitment than we are comfortable with, and it doesn’t offer many privacy tools in addition to standard VPN protection. We’d like to see AVG release a third-party audit of Secure VPN’s infrastructure and policies.

Our Editors’ Choice winners in this crowded field remain Proton VPN, IVPN, Mullvad VPN, NordVPN, and TunnelBear VPN.