Avast One Essential is the free starter product in its Avast One range, a powerful set of security suites with an excellent antivirus and an array of bonus security layers.

Avast’s strong core protection engines block access to phishing and other malicious websites, for instance. Downloads and incoming emails are scanned for threats, ransomware protection shields files in your most sensitive folders, and a firewall helps to control which processes can access the web and which can’t.

That already beats some of the competition (Avira Free Security doesn’t include full system-wide web protection), but Avast One Essential is just getting started. A free VPN may not allow you to change location, but it includes a very generous 5GB data a week (Avira’s free VPN offers 500MB a month); and there are tools to scan your network, find missing app updates, identify Windows security holes, tweak your privacy settings, and a whole lot more.

Looking for antivirus software only? Avast Free Antivirus has the same leading-edge protection engines, but far fewer extras, and may be a better choice. But if you like the sound of a free antivirus with more features than many paid security suites, Avast One Essential is well worth a closer look.

Avast One Essential: Getting started

Some companies (hi, Bitdefender) offer free security but demand you ‘create an account’ first, which involves handing over your email address and maybe other personal details. Avast and Avira are exceptions; both companies recommend that you register your email address with them, but that isn’t necessary, and you can install and use the software entirely for free.

(That’s not just a theoretical privacy point; it has practical benefits, too. Bitdefender doesn’t allow you to use its free app on more than three devices per account. As Avast doesn’t know who you are, you can install its software on as many Windows, Mac, Android or iOS devices as you need.)

It’s important to pay attention when installing Avast One on Windows. If you accept all the defaults, it also installs Avast’s secure browser and makes it your system default. That’s such a major change that we would prefer Avast to use an opt-in system, where the browser isn’t installed unless you specifically ask for it. Still, it’s clearly highlighted during setup, and as long as you read each installation screen, you’ll be able to turn down the browser with a single click.

Avast One’s installer does have one very unusual plus: you can set Avast to Passive Mode, which installs the scanner but not real-time protection. The advantage of that approach is you can run Avast One alongside another antivirus without conflicts, use the other antivirus to detect threats in real-time, but run Avast One’s scanner on a schedule or on demand for extra safety. That’s not necessary for most users, but could be a welcome extra touch if you’re looking for the maximum antivirus protection.

Avast One Essential: Interface

Once the Avast One App launched, it displayed six tiles covering its various functions. We could run a Smart antivirus scan or connect to the VPN with a click, clean our browsing history or our full hard drive, update drivers or optimize system performance. It’s a little cluttered, but we quickly found our way around.

Avast One mostly does its antivirus work in the background, without you noticing, but there’s one exception. If you run a file it’s not seen before, Avast stops it and spends up to 60 seconds scanning the file for threats. If you regularly download open source or other small tools, then this might happen a lot, and it can become very annoying. But it is good for security, and if it gets too much, you can always turn the feature off.

An Explore menu has individual options covering Avast’s various antivirus, privacy and performance features. It’s good to see these clearly highlight features which aren’t available in the free edition; there’s nothing more annoying than repeatedly choosing some exciting-looking option, only to get the same old screen saying ‘nope, sorry, can’t have that unless you pay.’

Overall, Avast One Essential looks good and is reasonably easy to use for simple tasks, but poor organization of features caught us out occasionally. Avast One has the ability to exclude items from scans, for instance, but instead of making this available from the Scan Center, Avast hides it away in a Settings menu in the Account area. If you like Avast but don’t need Avast One’s lengthy feature list, Avast Free Antivirus gives you the same protection engines in a modern, simpler and more straightforward interface.

Avast One Essential: Protection

We track the performance of all the top antivirus apps as reported by independent testing labs including AV-Comparatives, AV-Test, MRG Effitas and SE Labs. Most providers submit their full-featured paid versions for testing, but Avast sends its free edition, which shows a lot of confidence in its power.

That confidence seems fully justified, too. We keep an aggregate score of antivirus performance across nine major tests, and currently Avast is equal first with Bitdefender and McAfee. (ESET, F-Secure and Norton are equal fourth, and Avira follows in seventh place.)

Lab results are important, but we’re always keen to run further tests of our own. We began by attempting to access 50 of the latest phishing URLs, as collected by experts OpenPhish. Avast did a good job, blocking 86% immediately. Avira Security Free scored a little better in recent tests with a 90% protection rate, but that was with a browser extension only. Avast One is better overall because it has system-wide browsing protection which covers every browser and app on your device. (And even if you prefer Avira’s browser extension, there’s nothing to stop you using it alongside Avast One.)

We switched to our malware test, and tried to download a series of very dangerous files from 50 brand new links. Avira Free scored a 90% protection rate in its last test, but this time Avast One won out by blocking 94% of threats either at the URL level, or when the files hit our hard drive. (We didn’t test further but Avast’s full protection rate will be even higher because even if malware isn’t detected on download, Avast’s behavior monitoring detects most new threats by their actions.)

Avast One Essential: VPN

Avast One Essential includes a free edition of Avast’s free VPN. This automatically connects you to the nearest server and doesn’t allow you to change location, which means you can’t use it to unblock streaming content in other countries. It has a data limit, too, but that’s exceptionally generous at 5GB a week; for comparison, Avira’s free VPN gives you only 500MB a month.

There is one particularly disappointing restriction: Avast’s free VPN doesn’t give you access to any settings, including its kill switch. If the VPN drops while you’re using it, that means your identity and traffic may be exposed to snoopers.

Although this makes the app a poor privacy choice for really sensitive situations, it still has some value for the most basic tasks. If you just want to spend five minutes on not-especially-sensitive private browsing via public Wi-Fi, for instance, you’re safer using Avast One Essentials than no VPN at all.

Avast Free VPN speeds were a little below par at a peak of 190Mbps and average of 92Mbps (NordVPN and Surfshark typically reach 900Mbps and more.) That’s better than many free VPN’s we’ve tried, though, and more than enough for browsing, streaming and other basic tasks.

Avast One Essential: Other features

Avast One Essential has many extra features, and we’ll quickly run through those here. But if you’re looking for more detail, or you’d like to know what extra features are available in the paid products, our Avast One Gold review has an in-depth look.

Avast One Essential includes a simple firewall to control which apps can go online, but the free edition doesn’t do much more than the standard Windows firewall (there’s more power available with the paid products.)

Avast One’s Network Inspector is more interesting, with options to check your network for vulnerabilities, and run a full network scan. This can identify the devices connected to your home network, for instance, and raise an alert if a new device connects that it hasn’t seen before.

Avast’s Ransomware Protection adds an extra layer of security which prevents files in key folders from being modified by untrusted apps. This might be useful, but it’s not exactly original, and Windows Controlled Folder Access allows you to do something similar without installing any extra apps.

A clever PC Speedup tool aims to speed up your PC by ensuring background processes use less resources. This looks good in theory, but might target important apps which really do need those resources (Avast wanted to access OneDrive and our BackBlaze backup app, for instance.) We wouldn’t recommend using this unless you’ve the expertise to monitor the results and fine-tune any settings, if necessary.

The Software Updater highlights missing updates for 50 popular applications. That might be handy, but the free version only warns you about updates: it can’t install them for you. As most of these apps automatically update themselves anyway, there may not be much value here.

A Clear Browsing Data tool frees up space by wiping away your Chrome or Edge browsing history. It’s a little better than doing this from the browser because you can opt to delete only tracking cookies, while keeping the browsing cookies, ensuring you’re more likely to stay logged in when returning to your favorite sites.

Dark Web Monitoring raises the alert if your email address appears in a data breach, and the Privacy Advisor has simple guides to improving your privacy settings in top apps and social media websites. These do make it easier for beginners to enhance their online privacy, but if you’ve more web and security experience, you could find much more information with just one or two web searches.

Avast One Essential: What’s not included?

There’s a lot to like about Avast One Essential, but also plenty of reasons to upgrade.

Avast One Silver enhances many free features, giving you an unlimited VPN, scanning of web email as well as local email messages, a full-featured firewall and automatic installation of missing software updates.

New features include anti-tracking, a secure bank mode, extra protection against webcam hijacking, secure DNS to keep you safe from fake websites, automatic driver updates and assorted other speed-boosting tools.

These extras aren’t always as useful as they sound, but if you need the VPN in particular, Avast One could be very useful. Read our Avast One Gold review to find out more.

Avast One Essential: Final verdict

Avast One Essential delivers better antivirus protection than most paid products at zero cost. If you’re looking for an accurate and configurable antivirus, and can use the VPN and its many other tools, then this is a great free pick. But if you’re not interested in the extras then Avast Free Antivirus might be better. It’s less configurable but has exactly the same protection and is easier to use.

We list the best cloud antivirus.

Mind map software helps you in many ways, from determining a creative path in piece of collaborative art to formulating IT security policy. The uses of this visualization practice are almost infinite, but mind mapping has an enemy: time. Often, the spark of inspiration can extinguish before it reaches your pen, which is why mind mapping apps have become increasingly popular over the past 20 years.

Relying on fast typing and keyboard shortcuts – no slow mouse input is required here – mind map software has evolved considerably, and is now increasingly embracing AI. One such example is GitMind, a Chinese mind mapping tool with desktop and cloud versions and a heavy reliance on AI.

Dividing its workspace into “planets” for online collaboration, GitMind aims to help you focus on “collective wisdom.” To find out if it does, we’ve assessed the software, looking at its price, features, ease of use, customer support, and how it measures up against competing tools.

GitMind: Plans and pricing

GitMind is available with a trio of pricing options.

First, the free trial. This affords 10 files, 1 “planet,” and 30 credits for AI. You also get access to a basic chat model, and can export images in a standard resolution.

With the annual subscription ($69, which works out at $5.75 a month), file creation is unlimited, you get 5 planets, 2000 credits, and an advanced chat model. GitMind chat plugins are also available, and image exports can be enjoyed in HD format.

A monthly subscription of $19 a month is also available. This has the same features as the annual sub, but you only get 300 credits. This works out as more over the course of the year (3600) of course, but the price is far higher.

If you find the basic subscription options aren’t enough, GitMind also offers add-ons. 

For $9 you can get 300 credits (£0.03/credit) which can be used on the AI mind map, AI summary, and GitMind chats. You can also use these credits to unlock premium themes and backgrounds for your mind maps. 1000 credits costs $25.99 (0.026/credit), while 5000 credits is $99.95 ($0.02/credit). Each of these offers a greater use of AI benefits.

Because credit transactions are complicated and differ for every usage, spend some time in the GitMind pricing page to get an idea of how credits can be used.

Note that while it might seem that credit add-ons are useful for the free plan, you can’t buy them without a subscription.

GitMind: Features

The key draw of GitMind is that it is an AI-powered mind mapping tool. Along with the cloud app, you can download GitMind to run on Windows, Mac, iPhone and iPad, and Android. Because the software is cloud-based, your planet and files can be accessed from any device that you’re signed in through. You can sign up using Google, Apple, Facebook, or your own email address.

GitMind’s AI tools include an AI chat feature, a personal assistant that is designed to get you started with your next mind map. There is the AI art generator tool, to create images from text prompts, and the one-liner mind map which lets you specify a mind map with a single line description.

You can also use GitMind to summarize any file on your PC as a mind map. This is particularly useful with text documents.

All of these features – and a few others – are intended to work together to enable connections and ideation, resulting in what GitMind calls the “metaverse of ideas.”

Beyond mind maps, GitMind also supports the development of flowcharts and whiteboards. While similar and often used in related ways, these are distinct types of diagram. Some mind mapping tools are focused purely on the core diagramming type, so it’s good to see additional options in GitMind.

GitMind: Ease of use

Most importantly, GitMind is easy to use. It relies on the established keyboard shortcuts of Tab, Enter, and Backspace to aid the easy creation of nodes on your mind map. The selection of built-in templates are stylish, and the work area itself looks good, feels modern, and is big enough to use – almost enough space to call it a planet!

The key feature of GitMind, the AI creation tool, is perhaps the most adept of all the generative AI mind map tools we’ve looked at. Not only is it fast and efficient, it also gives some good feedback for your prompt. It can create an original mind map within 10 seconds, which can of course save a lot of time.

Initial testing of GitMind was performed using a Google account. While the sign up process for this is naturally more streamlined, we found that it didn’t have any free trial AI credits. Instead, we had to use a different private email account to access free AI credits. It’s possible that GitMind is deprioritising Gmail – our chat with the AI chatbot support (see below) broached the topic of credits, and the help on offer didn’t really solve the issue.

One thing to note: the website itself, beyond the cloud app, is a bit of a mess. Items in the top menu change and switch from screen to screen, which can lead to some confusion. 

GitMind: Customer support

If you run into trouble using GitMind, a few options are open to you. A repository of help guides are available, which are pretty detailed. GitMind support can be reached via email, or you can use the live chat interface, which appears to be AI-controlled.

In attempting to contact the support team using the chat interface, we found the response slow. Further, the answer to the question (“Hello, can you tell me how long GitMind has been running?”) could not be given. 

(According to WhoIs, the URL was registered in 2017). 

It isn’t a stretch to imagine that the live chat has a heavy AI element to it, given the nature of the software. However, first impressions count, and this exposure to the live support didn’t leave a good one.

GitMind: The competition

A multitude of mind mapping apps – cloud and desktop – are currently available. How does GitMind sit in comparison?

Straight comparisons with tools without AI are unfair. Consequently, I have selected a pair of mind mapping tools with AI enhancements included as an option to weigh up against GitMind.

A strong competitor in this regard is EdrawMind, from Edrawsoft. This is a cross-platform app with a one-line AI mind map suggestion tool. EdrawMind is cheaper than GitMind, and doesn’t require you to buy credits if your subscription “runs out” of AI uses – it simply doesn’t run out.

Meanwhile, Xmind is one of the best mind mapping tools around, but while it has an AI feature, our evaluation of that tool determined that it wasn’t as good as EdrawMind’s, or GitMind’s.

GitMind: Final verdict

GitMind is easy to use, and offers all of the features you would expect from a modern mind mapping tool. The generative AI feature is great for saving time, and can both help you get started with ideation or just produce the mind map for you. 

Price-wise, GitMind is competitive, but the customer service response could be better. The AI tool is good, but if you run out of credits things can get expensive, and this isn’t a problem with competing AI-equipped mind maps like Edrawmind.

We've listed the best mockup software.

Zetexa is a relatively new eSIM provider founded in 2022 by Krishna Murthy, who has 38 years of experience in telecommunications. In spite of being new, Zetexa has caught the eye of travelers with its value-packed unlimited data plans in 170 countries and 5 regions.

We like that it offers various plans for various durations for each destination – 1, 5, 7, 12, 15, 30, 90, and 180 days. This is, in fact, a lot more than some of the more popular names in the industry. The eSIM is pretty easy to install, too – just scan a QR code and follow the prompts.

However, there aren’t many troubleshooting guides or FAQs on the website yet, but we can absolutely expect that to change very soon. Plus, there's only an online form to connect with the customer support team, meaning you may not find any quick resolution in case you run into a technical problem.

Zetexa: Plans and pricing

Zetexa offers some of the best unlimited data plans around with 4G and  5G connectivity for various validities: 1, 7, 15 days, and so on. Needless to say, the prices depend on the location, with the cheapest destinations being the Americas and Europe. 

A real highlight of the service is that for each destination, you get around 15-18 plan options to choose from – one of the highest in the entire eSIM industry. 

We also found plans for 5, 12, and 15 days, which you don’t get with other providers. Plus, there are a lot of options for 30- and 90-day plans as well. Let’s look at some popular Zetexa plans.

What's more, Zetexa also offers a 1-day 100 MB trial pack for all of its regional plans. So, let’s say you’re in Europe and are looking for an eSIM provider; you can get Zetexa’s trial plan for just $1.20 (this price depends on your location) to test out its speed and connectivity. 

If you're satisfied with the service, you can go ahead and purchase one of its many longer-term Europe plans. Other eSIM providers usually do not provide this option, meaning you may end up wasting your money if their connection speed and service aren’t up to the mark.

However, no provider is perfect, and Zetexa’s downside is that it only offers 5 regional plans – plus there are no global plans as yet, either, which may be a serious letdown for some travelers.

These are the best eSIM for international travel in 2024.

Zetexa: Features

Let’s now look at some of the best features you get with Zetexa. 

Unlimited plans

No surprises for the number one spot here, as one of the best things about Zetexa is its unlimited plans. Even better, these plans are flexible and are available for various durations (1, 5, 7, 10, 12, and 15 days) and geographical regions (Asia, Europe, etc.), as well as for specific countries. 

The prices depend on your location. For example, a 7-day Europe unlimited plan costs $21.30, whereas a 7-day USA plan costs just $12.10. This makes Zetexa ideal for short international trips, where you do not want to be constantly worried about how much data you've got left. 

With modern 4G and 5G speeds, you can end up using your limited data (1 GB, for example) in a span of just 1-2 days. However, with unlimited plans, you’ll always have an active internet connection to assist you while you're out and about.

It's also worth noting that Zetexa’s fair usage policy (FUP) applies to all its plans with unlimited data. So, you get 1 GB of data per day at your network’s speed after which the speed is throttled to 32 kbps. The speed is admittedly not too impressive, but it's still a win-win situation since you’d rather prefer having internet at slower speeds than not having internet at all in a foreign country. 

No eKYC Required

You don't need KYC (Know Your Customer) verification to activate and use a Zetexa eSIM. This means that you can get your account up and running within just minutes after you’ve purchased your data plan. 

However, there are a few exceptions to this rule. For example, Indian citizens need to provide their password and VISA details. Also, if you’re traveling to the UAE, Israel, Maldives, Poland, or South Korea, you will need to do eKYC.

Zetexa: Installation

Installing a Zetexa eSIM is very straightforward and the steps are more or less the same for both iOS and Android. Once you purchase a data plan from the website, you’ll receive a QR code. Next, follow these steps to install the eSIM on your device: 

Make sure to assign calls and SMS to the primary SIM on your device – because Zetexa is a data-only eSIM provider. 

Zetexa: Support

Although Zetexa on its website claims to offer 24/7 customer support, we only found an online form you can fill out to connect to their team. You’ll then have to wait for the support agents to email you back with solutions, which can be a time-consuming process. Plus, in case the conversation stretches to a handful of emails, it's going to take a fair while before you finally find a viable solution. 

Now, other eSIM providers like Ubigi and KnowRoaming also offer only an online form for support. However, they also have extensive knowledgebases, with in-depth troubleshooting guides and FAQs on their websites, which solve most customer queries. 

However, all that we found on Zetexa’s knowledgebase was an installation guide. The only positive explanation to this is that the platform is still new, so we can surely expect more helpful guides in the near future.

Zetexa: Final verdict

The bottom line is that Zetexa is a good eSIM, especially if you’re looking for unlimited data plans. It offers data plans in 170+ destinations and 5 regions. Plus, there are a lot of subscription options to choose from – from 1-day to 180-day plans. 

The prices are pretty affordable, too, especially in the US and Europe. One of the highlights is that you get a 1-day trial plan for every single region, so you can test Zetexa’s speed and connection before you commit to a long-term plan. The eSIM installs easily with just a QR code, which is what we've come to expect from the best of the lot.

However, you don’t get any global plans with Zetexa. Plus, there are no troubleshooting guides or knowledge documents on the website, either, and you can reach out to the support agents only through an online form.

Zetexa: FAQs

KnowRoaming has been a well-known name in the telecom industry since 2013 when it launched the groundbreaking Global SIM Sticker. With its eSIM, KnowRoaming offers cost-effective and reliable connections in more than 200 places around the world. 

You get excellent shorter duration plans, and its 7- and 15-day plans offer fantastic value for money. Plus, there are some good regional plans, top, covering destinations like Asia, Europe, East Africa, Oceania, Latin America, etc. The eSIM itself is pretty easy to install and use, and all you’ve to do is scan a QR code and follow the prompts. 

However, the lack of voice calling and SMS, as well as more expensive 30-day plans than competitors like Ubigi, mean that KnowRoaming isn't perfect. Keep reading this in-depth KnowRoaming review to find out everything about its cost, coverage, setup process, and customer support so that you can ultimately decide if it's the right choice for your next international trip.

KnowRoaming: Plans and pricing

KnowRoaming offers several value-for-money one-time plans starting at just $4. You can choose from plans with various validities – 7, 10, 15, 30, 60, or 180 days, depending on your destination. Here’s a quick look at some of the best KnowRoaming eSIM deals. 

While the plans do seem affordable as far as the short duration is concerned, they quickly turn expensive as you increase the number of days. For example, a 30-day USA plan with 10 GB of data will cost you $25.50. With Airhub, however, you can get 15 GB of data for just $11.90. 

Plus, we didn’t find any monthly or annual plans with KnowRoaming. So, if you travel frequently or are a digital nomad, KnowRoaming is undoubtedly an expensive pick. What's more, there are no 1-day plans, either.

However, a positive feature that stood out for me is its  25% discount on all purchases for Visa cardholders. Even better, this offer can be used six times per cardholder per year. 

Plus, you’ll also get a complimentary KnowRoaming 3GB global package valid in over 150 countries. The plan will be activated when you first use it outside your home country and will remain active for a continuous period of 21 days thereon.

These are the best eSIM for international travel in 2024.

KnowRoaming: Features

KnowRoaming boasts a short-but-likeable list of eSIM features that cover all the important bases.

Regional plans

KnowRoaming offers some really good regional plans costing as low as $4.50. For instance, I was delighted to find plans for regions like East Africa, West Africa, Latin America, and Oceania – popular regions that not many eSIMs cover. 

These plans come in handy when you’re visiting more than one country in a short span (say, 15 or 30 days). However, it’s always advisable to check the countries included in a regional pack before purchasing it.

Tethering

You can use the KnowRoaming eSIM to share data with your travel partner if your device supports a hotspot. This way, only one of you will need to install the eSIM when you're out and about. At the same time, though, it's worth noting that data may run out quickly if several users use it simultaneously.

KnowRoaming: Installation

KnowRoaming can be installed on iOS, Android, and Pixel phones – that's comprehensive coverage and includes just about every mobile device. There are well-detailed PDF documents on the website’s Support page that'll guide you through a step-by-step installation process. 

Here’s a quick overview of how you can install the KnowRoaming eSIM on your device:

• First, you’ll need to purchase a data plan from the website. Next, you’ll receive a QR code on your email.
• Scan the QR code and follow the prompts that pop up on your screen until the setup is complete.
• Upon reaching your destination, alter your device's mobile data settings so that it's using the eSIM and activate data roaming on your device. Once this is done, you’re all set to use your new eSIM.

We recommend that you install the eSIM before your departure since you’ll need a stable internet connection for it. You can then turn off your eSIM until you reach your destination. In case you're wondering, your subscription will only be activated when you use your eSIM in the destination country.

If you’re installing the eSIM on an Android device, head over to your Access Point Names (APN) settings and see to it that the option that says APN: globaldata (i.e., no capital letters or spaces) is selected. If not, you can add the APN manually.

KnowRoaming: Support

If you face any issues while using a KnowRoaming eSIM, you can fill out the online form on its website to reach out to its customer support. If you do not get a satisfactory resolution, there’s even a WhatsApp number you can send your query to.

Besides this, we found a lot of FAQs on the website’s Support page with answers on installation, troubleshooting, and general queries. However, the knowledgebase isn’t as extensive as some other providers, such as Ubigi. 

There might be some questions that aren’t answered in the FAQs and your only solution then would be filling out the form, as mentioned above, which is admittedly a slow process – an email ticketing system, phone support, or live chat would have been so much better.

KnowRoaming: Final verdict

Overall, KnowRoaming is undoubtedly a good eSIM, especially if you like traveling for shorter durations (7 or 15 days). There are several affordable plans to choose from, plus you get an excellent selection of regional plans, too, that cover a handful of not-so-popular tourist destinations, like East Africa, West Africa, and Oceania. Put together, KnowRoaming offers eSIM connections in over 200 destinations, meaning it can easily support most people’s travel plans.

However, a significant downside to KnowRoaming is that its plans for longer durations (30 days or more) are more expensive than competitors like Ubigi and Airhub – and it doesn't offer any monthly plans, either. 

Customer support is quite decent, and your options include an online contact form and a WhatsApp number. However, there’s no email or phone support, and the FAQ section isn’t as comprehensive as some of the others.

KnowRoaming: FAQs

If you’re looking for an effective malware-hunting companion, Avast Free Antivirus might not sound very promising. It’s the most basic product in the Avast range, a cut-down version of its free Avast One Essential security suite with most of the privacy tools stripped out; you’ll surely need more than that, won’t you?

Well, maybe not. AV-Comparatives is an independent lab that regularly runs in-depth tests of all the best antivirus software. Most vendors submit their full-featured paid security suites to be sure they get good results, but Avast sends this edition, Avast Free Antivirus. That shows huge confidence, but it’s easy to see why: this app, its most basic free version, regularly wipes the floor with almost all the paid competition.

Protection rates aren’t the only factor in choosing an antivirus, but they’re a very good start. Keep reading and we’ll dig into the detail, run our own tests, and find out more about whether Avast Free Antivirus could be the right malware hunter for you.

Avast Free Antivirus: Features

Avast Free Antivirus can’t quite match the likes of Avira Free Security in the length of its feature list, but there’s a very good reason for that: it’s focused almost entirely on core antivirus functionality, and doesn’t waste your time with bonus extras you may never use.

Avast Free doesn’t have a VPN or a password manager, for instance, unlike Avira Free Security. But Avira’s free VPN is horribly limited, with a 500MB data limit a month and no ability to change location, and although its password works, it’s extremely basic and no match for market leaders like Dashlane.

Avast Free does have a few bonus tools. The Network Inspector checks your network for vulnerabilities and finds all its connected devices; the Software Updater looks out for missing security patches, and Avast's Ransomware Shield prevents untrusted apps from modifying files. 

Where Avast Free wins out, though, is with its core protection engines. It has full system-wide web protection to block phishing and other malicious websites, for instance; Avira doesn’t include full web protection in the free edition (the best you can do is install extensions for specific browsers.)

Avast Free Antivirus: Getting Started

If you’re the type of person who runs an app installer and accepts every default setting, then Avast Free Antivirus could cause you a problem. It also installs Avast Secure Browser and sets it as your default browser unless you notice the warning (in suspiciously tiny print) and clear the checkboxes. We’ve no problem with a provider offering extras like this, but they shouldn’t be installed unless you specifically select them.

The Avast Free Antivirus app looks great. The screens are a subdued gray and white, but they’re brought to life with eye-catching splashes of green and orange. Icons are large, and you’re never left wondering what they mean because they all have a text caption. And with animations everywhere - panels moving in from the left, highlights fading up and down as you move the mouse cursor over them - the app feels more like a polished modern website than the usual dull static Windows app.

There are neat usability touches everywhere. Many free apps don’t highlight which functions you can use and which you can’t, so you’re regularly choosing an option and getting a ‘CAN’T DO THAT UNLESS YOU PAY!!’ screen. Avast makes it instantly clear with an icon at the top right of each button: a padlock means you can’t use it, a down arrow means you can use it but there’s something to install first, and no icon means it’s all yours. 

When you click any option for the first time, Avast displays a help page quickly and clearly explaining what the feature does and how to use it. It’s another neat touch which avoids confusion and helps you feel at home right away.

Avast Free Antivirus: Protection

We track the performance of all the top antivirus apps as reported by independent testing labs including AV-Comparatives, AV-Test, MRG Effitas and SE Labs. Most providers submit their full-featured paid versions for testing, but Avast sends its free edition, which shows a lot of confidence in its power.

That confidence seems fully justified, too. We keep an aggregate score of antivirus performance across nine major tests, and currently Avast Free Antivirus is equal first with Bitdefender and McAfee. (ESET, F-Secure and Norton are equal fourth, and Avira follows in seventh place.)

Lab results are important, but we’re always keen to run further tests of our own. We began by attempting to access 50 of the latest phishing URLs, as collected by experts at OpenPhish. Avast did a good job, blocking 86% immediately. Bitdefender Antivirus Free was relatively disappointing at 64%. Avira Security Free scored a little better in recent tests with a 90% protection rate, but that was with a browser extension only. Avast Free wins overall because it has system-wide browsing protection which protects every browser and app on your device.

We switched to our malware test, and tried to download some very dangerous files from 50 brand new links. Avast Free did an excellent job, blocking 94% of threats either at the URL level, or when the files hit our hard drive. That couldn’t match Bitdefender Antivirus Free, which blocked 100% of our test threats, but was just ahead of Avira Free’s 90%.

These results can vary significantly depending on the files and links we use, but, on balance, we think they match the independent lab reports: Avast and Bitdefender Free are too closely matched to call, and Avira is just a fraction behind.

Avast Free Antivirus: Comprehensive Antivirus

Avast Free Antivirus automatically monitors your device to detect malicious files as they appear, but if you want to run a manual check, it has more scan types than anyone else, even paid products.

The Smart Scan runs a quick antivirus scan in under a minute, for instance, and also looks for poorly configured system settings which might compromise your security. Bitdefender’s Vulnerability Scan tries to do something similar, but we found Avast spotted more relevant issues and gave better advice.

The catch? Smart Scan also checks for a bunch of performance and other issues which can’t be fixed with the free version, and repeatedly prompts you to upgrade to fix them all (it took us an extra four clicks to get rid of the upselling attempts and return to the dashboard.) It’s a little annoying, and more pushy than most of the competition, but no surprise: you’re getting leading-edge antivirus for free, of course Avast is going to try to sell you an upgrade. 

If you’re looking for something more thorough, the Full System Scan checks your entire device for threats. This can take a very time, perhaps hours, but Avast Scans are faster the second time around.

That’s good, but it’s only the beginning. Avast Free can also run custom scans of whatever files, folders or drives you need, either from the app or the Explorer right-click menu. A Boot-Time scan can remove stealthy threats by checking your system before Windows loads. If that doesn’t work, Avast Free can even create a bootable USB key to scan your device without Windows running, helping catch stealthy threats that you couldn’t remove otherwise. Bitdefender Antivirus Free isn’t nearly as generous, leaving its own Rescue Environment and all but the most essential scan types for paying customers only.

While everyone likes free extras, we much prefer the Avast Free focus on its core antivirus protection. You probably don’t need a horribly limited VPN, but we’ll bet you do need comprehensive malware protection, and that’s where Avast Free Antivirus excels.

Avast Free antivirus: Final verdict

Most top free antivirus apps leave out at least some key features to try and persuade you to upgrade (Avira Free leaves out web protection, Bitdefender Free drops most of its advanced scap types), but not Avast Free Antivirus. It has all the real-time and web filtering technologies you need, and they block more malware than just about anyone else.

If you’re looking for more functionality, though, don’t rule out Avast One Essential. It has the same excellent protection, and includes extras like a free VPN. (Sure, it’s a very limited VPN - no kill switch, can’t change location - but with 5GB of free data a week, it might work for basic browsing.)

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Elecrow’s CrowView Note is a portable monitor that can turn a single-board computer, such as the Raspberry Pi 5, into a 14” laptop in just a few steps.

With its FHD IPS screen, the self-powered unit has a 5Ah LiPo battery, a touchpad, and a pair of speakers. The silver casing can be easily mistaken for premium models offered by HP or Apple, but for $169, the plastic case feels flimsy and tends to bend under keystrokes.

A KVM in disguise, the Note can connect to several display interfaces while a multifunction USB hub expands the Type-C or Type A connector to several peripherals and a spare USB Type-A socket. The 84-key keyboard has function keys for screen settings and a numeric pad shared with other keys. The supplied 48W adapter charges the battery in less than one hour and will also power devices connected through Type-C in PD mode.

Elecrow provides adapter boards that connect to popular embedded platforms such as the Raspberry Pi or the Jetson Nano.

The CrowView Note is funded through a Kickstarter campaign and will retail for $169. It is an excellent value for money, with campaign rewards for early adopters at $130.

CrowView Note: Design

The CrowView Note is thin at 20mm and lacks a fan or air vents for cooling. The grey plastic case, which can open to 180 degrees, looks solid initially. However, the drawbacks of being a plastic product become apparent once the user starts to type something on the keyboard, with each keystroke sounding hollow. The unit weighs only 1.2 kg for 334 mm x 223 mm x 20 mm and ships with a 48W 12V adapter.

The CrowView Note uses four rubber pads at the bottom to grip the work surface. Stereo speakers face downward and provide almost no bass through the plastic case. Two dual-purpose keys control the two-watt output, which should be sufficient for simple applications like watching a movie. In addition, the right side holds a 2.5 mm audio socket that allows a pair of headsets to connect to the unit.

The Note is a fancy portable screen with two display inputs: a USB-C DP supporting Alt mode and a mini HDMI connector. It also contains an innovative USB hub connecting either the Type-A host socket on the left side or the Type-C on the right. With a button press, the two can be switched between, enabling a simple KVM solution on the go. The hub drives a USB device socket, the keyboard, and the audio system.

Elecrow has used an excellent LCD panel in this product. We were impressed by the vivid color and 300 nits brightness of the 14” FHD screen. The on-screen menu requires time to get used to and will show status messages whenever a function key is pressed. A small hole beside the keypad hides a microphone. No camera is present.

CrowView Note: In use

The user has three ports on the left that provide 25W of power for an AC adapter, a mini HDMI input, and a USB device connection to the onboard peripherals. The right side offers two sockets, one for USB devices such as a USB key and a Type-C supporting 15W through PD that can connect to a smartphone. ElecCrow offers multiple PCBs that bridge the Note to embedded platforms such as the Raspberry Pi or the Jetson Nano.

The device turns on with a short press on the power button, while a long press turns it off. Charging with the 12V adapter takes about one hour, with a red LED indicating it is in progress. The unit's built-in battery offers about one hour of use with a Raspberry Pi 5. The Raspian OS does not currently read the battery level, meaning the unit will shut down without warning when the battery is depleted.

The CrowView Note's best use case is as a Keyboard-Video-Mouse adapter for two hosts. For example, an embedded platform used for development connects to the left of the display, while a smartphone used for entertainment connects to the right. In this setup, the Note performs exceptionally well, switching between the two setups by pressing the F1 key. Power isn’t lost for the two setups, even while using the battery, and a seamless USB switchover occurs.

The CrowView Note isn’t the most energy-efficient display around. While the system is off, consumption hovers around one to two Watts. When turned on, the display consumes around eight Watts. The dual-purpose function keys, which also act as system keys, take some time to get used to. Finally, no battery level is present while the Note is charging.

CrowView Note: The competition

The Dopesplay portable monitor with keyboard looks strikingly similar to the CrowView Note but only offers one USB port to connect to the host device. The lack of a second connection prevents the Dopesplay monitor from becoming a KVM. The Note is a universal platform for embedded devices and achieves this with two adapter boards, something lacking with the solution offered by Dopesplay. Finally, with an MSRP of $399, the Dopesplay unit is more than twice the price of the CrowView Note.

CrowView Note: Final verdict

The CrowView Note is one of those gadgets that becomes essential once you start using it. It packs a crisp FHD display, stereo speakers, a LiPo battery, and, above all, two USB host sockets, allowing it to become a true KVM. As a secondary display, it is light and offers a large viewing area. The multi-touch trackpad complements the compact keyboard well, while the build and material quality could be better. For $169, it will pay for itself with increased productivity away from the desk.

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