Avast Smart Scan Vs Quick Scan
Smart Scan is a comprehensive scan that detects browser threats, outdated applications, hidden viruses, and other issues at the same time. Run a Smart Scan. Open the Avast user interface and select Protection Virus Scans. Avast provides its users with different scanning options like full scan, boot time scan. Additionally, it has a Smart Scan feature. Smart Scan in Avast helps you scan and find all those cracks from where malware can enter like unsafe settings, passwords, out-dated software, and suspicious add-ons. Avast Free Antivirus Boot-Time Scan is a more effective way of removing rootkits and other sneaky malware because the scan takes place before Windows starts up and therefore rootkits and other system modifiers have less chance of hiding themselves.
Table of Contents.is one of the best antivirus products available. It has excellent protection scores, a wide range of features and a reasonable price tag to boot., while lacking in some of these areas, has such a generous free plan that may make you think twice about upgrading.In this comparison of Bitdefender and Avast, we’ll help you decide if an upgrade is worth it. While you can get a lot of free protection mileage with Avast, the extra features and protection may push you towards a subscription with Bitdefender.We’re going to provide an overview of these products in five rounds. If you want more details about either service, make sure to read our or our.
Setting Up a Fight: Bitdefender vs. AvastBitdefender and Avast appeal to different markets. Bitdefender has a modest range of plans that, while more expensive initially, top out at a lower rate. Avast, on the other hand, draws users in with a generous free plan in order to advertise a feature packed, but more expensive, security package.However, the different business models don’t explain which is right for you. Price is a consideration but only a single part of our comparison. We’re going to compare Bitdefender and Avast, using the same criteria we used in our guide.They’ll compete in features, pricing, user-friendliness, protection and support. We’ll go over what the providers offer in each section, give some thoughts on how they compare and declare a winner.
Whichever provider claims at least three of the five rounds will win the comparison.Unlike out comparison of, this one is polarizing. While there is some flexibility in our assessment, there are enough significant differences between these two providers to make the win concrete.Even so, we recommend reading through each section instead of just skimming the winners.
The things we like or don’t like about a particular provider aren’t relevant to everyone, so small differences, such as the lack of a particular feature, may not be a deal breaker for you. FeaturesFeatures are important for a modern antivirus. Even Avast’s free offering comes with features that reach beyond malware detection and removal. We’re going to look at the security suites Bitdefender and Avast have built, and evaluate the overall quality of the included extras. BitdefenderBitdefender has an excellent range of features that build up as the plans increase in price. The most expensive plan, Total Security, is a showcase for these features. Inexpensive plans, such as Antivirus Plus, have a nice range of features, too, but lack core security features like parental control and web attack prevention.Total Security is impressive.
You have access to a password manager and limited VPN. The password manager is basic. Thunderbird open password security system. It has the ability to store passwords, credit cards and identities and auto-fill them in your browser.
A dedicated password manager, such as Dashlane, has better features, though (read our ).The VPN is more of a trial than anything else. You can use up to 200MB per day before you need to upgrade. It’s similar to Kaspersky’s included VPN (read our ) which is powered by Hotspot Shield (read our ).This small amount of data can bypass the and, for non-techies, we think it’s a nice inclusion. However, you can get more data and better security for free. Windscribe, for example, has one of the most generous free VPN plans we’ve seen (read our ).The core security suite is nice, too. Bitdefender includes multi-layer ransomware protection, which includes a data protection layer and constant monitoring of your sensitive documents.
Make sure to read our guide, if you’re unfamiliar with this nasty piece of malware.Our favorite secure feature is Rescue Mode. Rescue Mode saves your machine from even the most sophisticated malware, such as rootkits. This form of malware gains deep user permissions, making it near impossible to remove. Rescue Mode allows you to boot into your machine safely and remove it.There are many other features, too, including social network protection, WiFi security advisor and webcam protection (our first recommendation in our guide on ).
Bitdefender has a robust feature set and, while the distribution is strange, there’s still a lot to like. AvastAvast has a longer, and more expensive, list of plans. Features that Bitdefender offers as a trial, though, such as the VPN, are included as full services in Avast’s top-tier plan.
What impresses us most is Avast’s free offering.The free version of Avast provides core protection against malware in real-time, along with a WiFi security advisor and password manager. The features earned it a spot in our guide to the. However, it’s missing advanced protection measures to keep you safe from things like.Once you start paying, the features get more robust. Internet Security includes an extra layer of ransomware protection, phishing production, an advanced firewall, malicious website protection and, our favorite feature, Sandbox Mode.Avast Sandbox allows you to run suspicious applications in a secure environment and see how they behave.
If you’re downloading a questionable torrent (read our ), for example, you could open the file in Sandbox without risk of affecting your local machine.At the the top of the line is Avast Ultimate which includes $130 in extras. You can use Avast SecureLine VPN, Avast Cleanup Premium and Avast Passwords Premium. The VPN isn’t great on its own, but it’s decent as a free inclusion.
You can read about it in our.Passwords Premium doesn’t offer much when compared to the. It’s main features are one-touch login on mobile devices and Password Guardian, a monitoring service that will alert you if an account has been breached. As an inclusion in Ultimate, it’s fine, but not worth the $19.99 per year a la carte asking price.Cleanup Premium, alone, is worth the upgrade. This feature will scan your machine for any extraneous files and remove them, including broken or redundant registry entries, old cache files and more. It will also analyze background applications and services so you can speed up your machine.Avast has a longer list of features with a higher the price tag to match. The extra services included in Ultimate set it apart from Bitdefender.
However, ignoring this top-tier plan, the features are similar, just distributed differently. Round One ThoughtsThere’s a lot to like about Avast, especially on the top-end. Sandbox, Cleanup and SecureLine are all attractive features.
However, simple additions such as Bitdefender Photon, which analyzes your hardware and software configuration to optimize scans, are missing.Even as inclusions, the VPN and password manager from Avast are subpar at best, and it seems those features were pushed to the forefront in sacrifice of simple, but powerful, features. Bitdefender has a better range of protection features at a cheaper price, and you can shop for cleanup services, a password manager and VPN a la carte.
PricingWith many free and inexpensive antiviruses running around, it’s hard to justify a high price tag. We’re going to look at the lineup of plans Avast and Bitdefender offer, and compare the features in context with the cost.
BitdefenderBitdefender has a simple, three plan lineup that include extra features as the price increases. While the two inexpensive plans, Antivirus Plus and Internet Security, are Windows only, the top of the line Total Security can protect up to 10 devices on Windows, macOS, iOS and Android (winning it the winning spot in our selection; Avast scored fifth). $44.99 billed every yearAntivirus Plus, which can cover one to 10 PCs, is inexpensive on the initial term. Strangely, Bitdefender only offers promotion pricing on plans with three PCs.
If you want to purchase it for one, five or 10 machines, you’ll have to pay the full rate.That’s offset by long-term plans. You can purchase up to three years upfront at the promotional rate. While the price annually is the same, it gives you more time before the renewal rate kicks in.Internet Security works the same way.
You can purchase protection from one to 10 Windows computers for up to three years. Like Antivirus Plus, the promotional rate only applies when purchasing protection for three devices.It’s only $5 more, though, and easily earns that bread. Internet Security adds features such as parental control, webcam protection and the WiFi security advisor. It also includes Safe Files which adds another layer of ransomware protection.The most attractive plan is Total Security, not only for its ability to protect multiple operating systems, but also for its excellent promotional pricing. It can protect five or 10 devices for up to three years at a time.
No matter how many devices you’re using or for how many years, you’ll get a discounted initial price.Features like parental control look more attractive in the context of a multi-device plan. If you’re protecting 10 devices, it’s likely those devices span at least two different operating systems, and Total Security gives you the power to protect and monitor everything.The promotional rates are excellent across the board. The renewal rates aren’t bad, either, about on par with other antiviruses on the market. Bitdefender’s support for multiple devices and long list of features make it an excellent value, even upon renewal. AvastAvast can protect the same OSes as Bitdefender but not on a single plan. There’s a segregation between features and supported operating systems that mean you’ll be spending more for features that Bitdefender includes for free.
$119.99 billed every yearAll Avast plans, with the exception of Ultimate, can protect one to 10 PCs, but there’s no multi-device plan available. You’ll need to purchase protection for Android separately if you want to protect your mobile device. While you can install the VPN and password manager on iOS devices, there’s no iOS antivirus (which is why it hasn’t made our list for the ).Avast offers free plans for macOS and Android, which can simulate a multi-device plan. However, like Avast Free on Windows, there’s constant solicitation to upgrade.
Avast Smart Scan Failed
It’s also hard justifying a simulation when Bitdefender offers true multi-device protection.Our favorite plan, Ultimate, can only secure a single device, too. While all other plans can support one, three, five or 10 machines, Ultimate can only support one. Ultimate is just Avast Premier with extras, so its inability to protect multiple machines doesn’t make sense.All prices are for a single device, too.
Internet Security, for example, requires over $100 in addition to the base price to protect 10 devices. Unlike other multi-device plans, the price per device actually increases as you add more to your plan.If you’re a Windows-only user, then the rates aren’t horrible. The pricing is modest for a single device, and there’s an impressive list of features. Any other scenario makes Avast’s business model look silly when compared to Bitdefender. Round Two ThoughtsAvast’s limited range and a la carte business model may work for you. However, the need for protection on mobile devices under a single plan cannot be ignored. Bitdefender has a more logical antivirus lineup that will appeal to a wider range of users.
User-FriendlinessAntiviruses are more complex than they used to be, so making sense of all the features is important. We’re going to look at the interfaces Bitdefender and Avast offer, as well as security settings, such as scan modes. BitdefenderBitdefender is very easy to use, largely because of its “quick actions” feature and performance profiles. It has a good amount of power, too, which, thankfully, doesn’t get in the way of usability.Installation takes a while, though.
Bitdefender’s executable is half a gigabyte in size, and it took us over 10 minutes to install during testing. It is the antithesis of Webroot’s efficient installation (read our ).Once the install is finished, things look up.
Bitdefender’s best feature is “quick actions.” The main screen of the UI has five tiles that you customize with different features for easy access. If you’re using the free trial, one of the tiles is allocated for an advertisement to upgrade.Our configuration used the other four tiles for quick scan, the VPN, full system scan and SafePay, a secure banking mode.Quick actions work so well because they allow you to carry out actions from the main screen of the UI. You don’t need to go into settings to run a scan, for example.
Everything you want is there when you open the application.Above your actions, you’ll find Bitdefender Autopilot. Autopilot is a security recommendation system that will use what’s on your machine to recognize potential vulnerabilities. It will also give you the correct action to take to patch these vulnerabilities.Bitdefender includes performance profiles that can optimize the system impact of using an antivirus. Profiles focus resources in some areas while suppressing them in others, depending on what you’re doing. For example, the “work” profile will increase email protection and the “movie” profile will suppress notifications.If your plan supports more than one device, then Bitdefender Central will be useful.
It’s a web-based interface for monitoring all of the devices that you can access on any machine. Central will show you the overall protection, as well as any notifications, for each of your devices.Bitdefender’s interface is easy to use out of the box, but the experience is made better with quick actions and profiles. There’s a lot of power to unpack, too. We couldn’t think of a better way to use an antivirus. AvastUnlike previous rounds, Avast puts up a good fight here.
While it’s missing quick actions and profiles, it still has one of the best antivirus interfaces available. However, if you’re using an inexpensive or free plan, the client has far too many upgrade solicitations.Avast will gray out some features in the UI and display a lock next to them. These are locked features that aren’t included with your plan.
Similar to Bitdefender’s solicitation to upgrade, we don’t mind the locked features showing up in the UI as a subtle nudge to upgrade.Not all features are like that. Some, such as the VPN, show up as any other feature would. After clicking on it, though, you’re brought to a checkout page to purchase it. This backhanded advertising turns us off Avast’s interface.Acting as if a feature is included when it isn’t is not only disingenuous, but confusing.As long as you learn what is and isn’t included, the interface isn’t bad. Avast includes four scans modes. You have targeted, full and boot scans, as well as Smart Scans, which are our favorite. Smart Scans run a normal antivirus sweep, but also check for network threats, suspicious browser extensions, vulnerable software and performance issues.If you have Avast Ultimate, you can resolve all of these issues.
If not, there’s yet more solicitation to upgrade. You can resolve some, but things like performance issues will continue to nag at you.All plans comes with Avast Secure Browser, though, which is also available for free separately. Secure Browser is a Chromium-based browser that has extensions such as adblock and real-time monitoring built-in. It’s a familiar layout but lacks the Google integration of Chrome.It’s a shame that Avast bombards users with advertisements. The interface is excellent, with a logical layout and plenty of power.
However, the constant use of backhanded advertising practices cause it to lose its luster. Round Three ThoughtsAvast has a great interface, and if you can deal with the advertisements, it’s a worthy contender to Bitdefender. However, Bitdefender not only has fewer advertisements but also features like quick actions and performance profiles that make it a more attractive option, overall. ProtectionThe most important aspect of an antivirus is how safe it keeps you. We’re going to compare the most recent results from AV-Test, AV-Comparatives and MRG-Effitas to see if Bitdefender or Avast is more secure. We’ll also look at performance numbers to gauge how system hungry both are.
BitdefenderBitdefender has some of the most impressive results we’ve seen from any antivirus. It was our first choice for the. It has a light touch on system resources, too, though it is heavier than some other providers. Even so, the addition of performance profiles and hardware optimization circumvent this issue.AV-Test awarded it in its August 2018 testing. Bitdefender was 100 percent effective against widespread and zero-day malware. AV-Test used just shy of 20,000 samples, in total. The industry average for this timeframe was 100 percent, so, in light of that Bitdefender looks less impressive.Bitdefender’s flawless protection results are the rule, not the exception, though.
In April, when the industry average was 99.5 percent, AV-Test still effective against widespread and zero-day malware.The performance results aren’t great. While AV-Test awarded Bitdefender a perfect score in performance, it eats more system resources than the average antivirus. Bitdefender slowed the machine by 25 percent while launching popular websites, a test where the industry average was only 15 percent.Bitdefender is on par or better in all other performance categories, though.AV-Comparatives. During the August 2018 testing, Bitdefender blocked 100 percent of threats with no false positives. Out of the 17 other providers tested, Kaspersky was the only other antivirus to boast these results.The most recent performance data from AV-Comparatives is from April 2018.
Bitdefender was awarded an advanced+ rating, the highest possible tier, for performance. It has maintained this rating since October 2012 when it received the advanced rating.MRG-Effitas awarded it a Level 2 certification in its. This certification means that it blocked at 98 percent of malware across all tests. Looking through the results, Bitdefender had perfect scores is all categories except blocking of adware, where it missed five of the 20 samples used.In the, MRG-Effitas awarded it a Level 1 certification, though, meaning it blocked all threats immediately or via behavior monitoring. AvastUnsurprisingly, AV-Test also found Avast against zero-day and widespread malware in August 2018, as the industry average was 100 percent during that time.
Going back a month to July, AV-Test found it only 99.2 percent effective against zero-day malware and 99.9 percent against widespread malware.The are worse. Avast maintained 99.9 percent protection against known malware but dropped to 98.9 percent against zero-day attacks.It has less than ideal performance results, too.
While Bitdefender also struggled when launching popular websites, AV-Test found Avast four percent slower while performing this same task. It was also slower when copying files but by a smaller margin.AV-Comparatives but not on the level of Bitdefender. During the testing of 193 pieces of live malware in August 2018, Avast was 99.5 percent effective. It had three false positives–the same as AVG (which uses the same security infrastructure as you can read about in our ).Performance results from AV-Comparatives are excellent, though.
The most recent test in April 2018 awarded it three out of three stars and an advanced+ rating. It has maintained this rating since AV-Comparatives has tested the product, minus a small blip in October 2014 where it dropped to an advanced rating.MRG-Effitas gave it a Level 1 certification in its Q2 2018 full spectrum analysis, meaning Avast blocked all threats immediately or via behavior protection. During this same test, ESET Internet Security was awarded a Level 1 certification, too (read our ).Bitdefender and Avast switch positions in the Q1 testing, though, Bitdefender jumping from Level 2 to Level 1, and Avast dropping in the opposite direction. It joined Panda Internet Security in the second tier (read our ). Round Four ThoughtsDepending on the lab you reference, Bitdefender and Avast are close in protection results. The scores from AV-Test show a softness towards zero-day malware on Avast’s end, which is an important factor to consider.It should be noted that AV-Test evaluated Avast Free while it tested a paid version of Bitdefender.
Theoretically, the free version of Avast should provide you with the same protection, at least against malware. While we have our reservations on the legitimacy of that, we’ll have to abide by that logic for this round and award it to Bitdefender. SupportSupport isn’t as big of a concern as protection, as an antivirus is meant to live on your machine as a silent defender. Even so, as the security packages become more complex, there’s a need for solid support system. BitdefenderBitdefender has some of the best support we’ve seen from an antivirus. There are contact options over live chat, email and phone, as well as a deep knowledgebase, how-to videos and community forum.The knowledgebase broken up between home and business products and then further by the individual products in those ranges. Bitdefender maintains articles as far as back as 2015, so you can find support on dated pieces of software.Most articles have detailed instruction and screenshots, but some come with an accompanying video tutorial.
The topics are basic, such as installing Bitdefender or getting around Central, but they’re still a nice addition.Direct support is excellent, too. Bitdefender responded to our email inquiry in less than six hours. If you need more immediate support, you can call Bitdefender around the clock. 24/7 phone support is offered in 16 countries and, if you fall outside those locations, you can use the worldwide English support line.Live chat is AI controlled, meaning it will attempt to answer your question by pointing to articles in the knowledgebase. It’s optional, though.
At any time during the chat, you can request to be transferred to a live agent. AvastAvast has mediocre support. The focus is on DIY options with a confusing and restrictive contact system. The knowledgebase is strong, though, and the forums are active, even though dated.The knowledgebase is broken up by product, each offering around 20 entries.
There are so few because Avast covers a lot of ground in each article. A single topic will get into the specifics on different operating systems, for example, each section including step-by-step instruction and screenshots.Forums are active, but dated. The design is familiar and covers every product Avast offers. There’s over one million active users, which makes this an ugly but invaluable support resource.Contact options are severely lacking. Phone support is available for any pre-sales questions, but billing and technical support are reserved for email.
Avast Free users don’t have access to either form of contact.The contact restrictions look like a money grab for Avast Total Care, a support service that will run you $199 annually. An Avast agent will remotely access your machine, sweep it for problems and attempt to implement any solutions. At nearly four times the cost of a basic plan, it doesn’t seem worth it. Round Five ThoughtsBitdefender’s support system is excellent while Avast’s is decent at best. The biggest draw to Avast is its excellent knowledgebase, but Bitdefender isn’t lacking that department. Pile on top of that an abundance of contact options and a modern forum, the winner for this round is clear. Final ThoughtsBitdefender made easy work of Avast, claiming a victory in every round.
It’s our first choice in antivirus software, not against just Avast, but against the rest of the antivirus field, too. It covers all of the bases an antivirus should while maintaining a reasonable price point.Winner:That doesn’t mean Avast lacks merit.
While the distribution of products seems money hungry, the is very generous. If you’re looking for a free antivirus, Avast is one of the best choices available.If you’re looking for something different, then make sure to read our other.
Do you like Avast or Bitdefender more? Let us know in the comments and, as always, thanks for reading. I started with the free Avast a very long time ago.
They bombarded me with ads and I finally bought some of the individual parts. But the ads continued. I got confused and ended up with overlapping coverage.Then I had a problem and called their tech support. They convinced me I needed to do an indepth scan and that there were critical problems. They suggested that i buy their tech support package and they would fix this critical problem free. Then I found that I could either get no answers or every time they went in they messed up my settings and changed things so that I was tied up in knots.
I fought bitterly with them for a refund but all they would do was extend my coverage so I got stuck with them for almost 3 more years.I am not saying they are not a good antivirus company and I like the smart scan and cleanup features.But the other day they sent an ad for clean up at 29.99. Mine was due to run out in 53 days so I called and asked if they could merge what I had or tack on the new on at the end. They told me that was possible, we got cut off and I decided to just buy it and install it. But after I installed it I asked again for them to extend it the 53 days I had left. They refusedsaid it was impossible.So that was the last straw.Based on your reviews I am going with Bit Defender before the Avast runs outBottom line their support staff are difficult to contact, are not helpful and try to suck you into buying more stuff.
So you’ve installed Avast! Free AntiVirus based on our recommendation ( and if you haven’t, you MUST!), and you’re ready to get setup and start utilizing it to protect your PC.
Follow this guide to make sure you’ve registered your software (free), set up automated scans, etc.We’ll cover these in 4 Easy Sections.NEW!! Quick update! Looking for a complete video guide for Avast Antivirus 2016? Look no further, 2. Setup Scheduled ScansSo you’ve installed Avast! Anti-Virus, and now your reach to learn how to schedule an Avast auto scan. We can help!After you have registered the product, you’ll want to setup the program to automatically scan your PC on a periodic basis.
I would recommend a daily scan (or at the very minimum, weekly). You can set it to automatically fix issues that are found as well. Below, we’ll walk you through setting up your scheduled/automated scans.First, from the Settings menu, choose the Scan and then Scan for viruses option on the menu.Then locate the Create Custom Scan option at the bottom right corner of the screen and click on it.Now, let’s begin filling out the details. In the Scan Name box, enter a name to identify this scan as. Since I’m going to do a Daily scan, I’m going to name it accordingly. Then enter a comment if you’d like, as I did in the example below. Then locate the Scan All Files checkbox, and select it.Next, click on the Actions menu item on the left of the screen.
This will allow us to set up the scan to automatically attempt to fix the viruses it may find. Make sure the Automatically apply actions during scan option is selected, and then choose the Virus tab.
Under that tab, select the first dropdown box and choose Fix Automatically. Locate the Options section below, and make sure the box labeled If necessary, perform the selected action at the next system restart, and make sure it is selected.Now, choose the Scheduling tab on the left menu. This will allow us to tell the system how often we want this to run. Since we’re doing a daily scan in this example, we will make sure the Schedule this scan box is enabled, and next to the Schedule Type box we will select Daily from the drop down list.
Avast Smart Scan Vs Quick Scan Driver
I also suggest (if using a laptop) you choose the Do not start the scan if running on batteries and Pause the scan if batteries mode begins options. As a scan will drain your battery faster. Do make sure you always choose Wake up the system to start the scan (if in sleep mode) option is always enabled. Then, select a time of day your computer is normally ON, as well as when you might be using it least, and enter that in the Launch Time field using a 24hr/Military time format. Once complete, choose the OK button located at the bottom of the screen to save all the settings.Now you should see the Daily Scan showing on the Scan page, as shown below. If you need to modify anything, choose the Settings option to the right of the Daily Scan.If you’d like to run the scan now, make sure Daily Scan is selected in the drop-down box next to the Start button, and then click on Start. Note: If you do this, you can skip the Step 3: High Level Scan for Viruses section below, as you just started a high level scan.Wait!
Your PC isn’t safe with JUST an AntiVirus Program!Make sure to get a Malware program as well. Tired of that slow computer?Here are the found anywhere on the internet to speed up your PC!Feel free to leave comments or questions below!Interested in purchasing the full verison of Avast Antivirus? I highly recommend so!Click my affiliate link below topurchase and save $5!! Some of the proceeds aregiven back to me to help run this website!
My name is Albert, but most people call me 'Hey can you fix my computer?' I am a 15+ year veteran to the computer world. A Senior Level Technical Support consultant in Windows, Software and Mobile Devices. I am the creator of The Tech Coach Website and owner of AlbertD Photography and I am here to help my friends and followers gain more knowledge with the software and tech devices they use on a daily basis. Learn how to use various applications and gadgets to help save time, money and most of all, getting frustrated.