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AVG Protection (2016)

Neil J. Rubenking
 & Neil J. Rubenking Principal Writer, Security

Our team tests, rates, and reviews more than 1,500 products each year to help you make better buying decisions and get more from technology.

Our Expert
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65 EXPERTS
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The latest version of AVG Protection can extend security to all of your Windows, Mac OS, and Android devices, but it just doesn't measure up to the best cross-platform security services for multiple devices. - AVG Protection (2016)
3.0 Average

The Bottom Line

The latest version of AVG Protection can extend security to all of your Windows, Mac OS, and Android devices, but it just doesn't measure up to the best cross-platform security services for multiple devices.

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Pros & Cons

    • Security and remote management for unlimited Windows, Mac OS, and Android devices.
    • Social media privacy tool.
    • PC product gets good test scores.
    • Antispam and antiphishing proved inaccurate in testing.
    • Limited Mac protection.
    • Lacks features found in competing services.
    • PrivacyFix add-on rejected by Firefox.

AVG Protection (2016) Specs

OS Compatibility: Android
OS Compatibility: Mac OS
OS Compatibility: Windows 10
OS Compatibility: Windows 7
OS Compatibility: Windows 8
OS Compatibility: Windows Vista
OS Compatibility: Windows XP
Tech Support: FAQs
Tech Support: forums
Tech Support: online help ticket
Tech Support: remote remediation
Type: Personal
Type: Professional
All Specs

Which would you rather do, identify and install the best security suite for each of your devices, or purchase a single subscription that lets you protect (and remotely manage) them all? Yeah, the second way sounds pretty good. For $59.99 per year, AVG Protection lets you install AVG's security software on every single one of your Windows, Mac OS, and Android devices (but not iOS devices). However, it faces some stiff competition from other services that protect all of your devices, or at least many devices.

As a cross-platform security suite for multiple devices, AVG Protection's job is to supervise all of your security installations and ease the process of extending protection to additional devices. It does that management job well, but the protective software installed on each device just doesn't come up to the best of the competition. 

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Final Thoughts

The latest version of AVG Protection can extend security to all of your Windows, Mac OS, and Android devices, but it just doesn't measure up to the best cross-platform security services for multiple devices. - AVG Protection (2016)

AVG Protection (2016)

3.0 Average

The latest version of AVG Protection can extend security to all of your Windows, Mac OS, and Android devices, but it just doesn't measure up to the best cross-platform security services for multiple devices.

Get It Now

Buy It Now

About Our Expert

Neil J. Rubenking

Neil J. Rubenking

Principal Writer, Security

My Experience

When the IBM PC was new, I served as the president of the San Francisco PC User Group for three years. That’s how I met PCMag’s editorial team, who brought me on board in 1986. In the years since that fateful meeting, I’ve become PCMag’s expert on security, privacy, and identity protection, putting antivirus tools, security suites, and all kinds of security software through their paces.

Before my current security gig, I supplied PCMag readers with tips and solutions on using popular applications, operating systems, and programming languages in my "User to User" and "Ask Neil" columns, which began in 1990 and ran for almost 20 years. Along the way, I wrote more than 40 utility articles, as well as Delphi Programming for Dummies and six other books covering DOS, Windows, and programming. I also reviewed thousands of products of all kinds, ranging from early Sierra Online adventure games to AOL’s precursor Q-Link.

In the early 2000s, I turned my focus to security and the growing antivirus industry. After years of working with antivirus, I’m known throughout the security industry as an expert on evaluating antivirus tools. I serve as an advisory board member for the Anti-Malware Testing Standards Organization (AMTSO), an international nonprofit group dedicated to coordinating and improving testing of anti-malware solutions.

The Technology I Use

Much of the testing I do, particularly testing with real-world ransomware, is just plain dangerous. To perform such tests safely, I sequester them inside virtual machines managed by VMWare Workstation. For cross-platform testing, I use a MacBook Air, a Google Pixel 4, and a 6th-generation iPad.

I rely on my Delphi coding skills to create and maintain small applications. These include programs to check whether an antivirus correctly handled the malware it detected, launch dangerous URLs and record the security program’s reaction, and analyze the malware that I collect for use in testing. I also wrote a tiny browser and text editor for use in testing security apps that have predefined reactions for known products.

I do my writing and research on a Dell OptiPlex desktop, relying on Microsoft Word (my fingers know all the shortcuts). Many of my articles include charts and analysis; Excel is my go-to for those. When work hours end, though, I escape the bounds of Microsoft and Windows. There’s an iPhone in my pocket, I relax with my oversized iPad, and my Kindle Oasis is always loaded with the best science fiction and fantasy.

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