How can AVG antivirus be so good and be Free?

[delmaryoder]

I have always had my doubts about it and just recently installed on my wifes computer and it works soo smooth and is great.

How can it still be FREE?

Or better yet how do they stay in business with having a free product on the market?

[PCC-Jon]

It is free because they pester you with ads for their paid version, and enough people bite. We eventually had to stop offering that product because the ads were so aggressive (and they started using fear tactics, saying "You may not be fully protected!").

We've since moved our offering to Microsoft Security Essentials, which is also a very good product. Funded by Microsoft, there are zero ads or nags. Their goal is simply to give you a better experience with your operating system.

To be clear, I think AVG does a great job, and I have no reservations about you enjoying it! Those ads were just a turn off for me on an otherwise excellent software.

[shondabean]

This is because they accept donations. They do not charge for the service but in turn if you like their product and can even just spare a couple of bucks for their maintenance and upkeep they accept your donation. It's rather ingenious actually. Tons of people donating adds up quick. Especially when the software is so good.

[Preston]

I have used AVG and I really disliked being bugged to buy upgrades, especially when there are things on the paid versions that I do not need. Also, the 'full' versions of a lot of the programs are very heavy users of system resources.

I use MS Security Essentials and the built-in Windows Firewall. I find this is all I need, and so I agree with Jon on this one. I also agree that AVG is a well written program and does the job for those who like the free version, despite the ads.

--Preston

[kevanesh]

This is because they accept donations. They do not charge for the service but in turn if you like their product and can even just spare a couple of bucks for their maintenance and upkeep they accept your donation. It's rather ingenious actually. Tons of people donating adds up quick. Especially when the software is so good.

You must be thinking of Spybot Search and Destroy. I use AVG free and there's no solicitation for donations.

[Preston]

You must be thinking of Spybot Search and Destroy. I use AVG free and there's no solicitation for donations.

This is true. AVG has their freeware version and the paid license. It is not donation-supported software.

--Preston

[demon]

I have some doubts regarding this. I had it in my PC. I sucked me a lot. Now i am using avast. It is doing well....

[franciszen]

All antivirus like Avg, Avast, Kaspersky, Avira, Comodo has a common basic antivirus protection .

[Alexjones284]

Really people you got to understand that you can get many software pirated and free versions but when it comes to security issues I never dare to use free services. After all it's about my system security.

Try Norton 360 -- best

[_Pax_]

It is free because they pester you with ads for their paid version, and enough people bite. We eventually had to stop offering that product because the ads were so aggressive (and they started using fear tactics, saying "You may not be fully protected!").

I really wish you still offered it as a courtesy install, because installing AVG to the computer you fine folks are about to ship to me, will be my first order of business after booting the system up for the first time. (I use the full, paid version - and have, for the past three years.) It'd be really nice if all I had to do was put in my license#, click a button or two, and poof, done.

What about offering only the paid version for courtesy install? That one doesn't bug you with ads (until you're within 60 or so days of your renewal date, and those I don't mind anyway).