AVG AntiVirus Free vs Malwarebytes Premium Security Comparison

• AntiVirus Free: Free; the Android app shows third-party ads
• Internet Security for 1 PC, renewal: $79.99 a year, the price the store calls the renewal price
• Internet Security for 1 PC, first year: Intro: $39.99 for the first year
• Internet Security for 10 devices, renewal: $109.99 a year, the price the store calls the renewal price
• Internet Security for 10 devices, first year: Intro: $59.88 for the first year on the store page, $59.99 on the product page
• Ultimate for 10 devices, renewal: $149.99 a year, the price the store calls the renewal price; $59.88 for the first year

• Standard for 3 devices, 1 year: $59.99 a year; the store cart lists the same amount for the next billing
• Standard for 1 device, 1 year: $44.99 a year
• Plus for 3 devices, 1 year: $79.98 a year
• Total for 1 adult and 3 devices, first year: Intro: $89.99 for the first year, a 50% discount
• Total for 1 adult and 3 devices, renewal: $179.99 a year after the first year; the page says the discount is first year only

The product privacy notice (updated 26 August 2026) says the desktop app, which covers AVG AntiVirus Free and Internet Security, sends samples of suspicious files and detection metadata to AVG's servers through CommunityIQ, and that AVG may 'directly analyze suspicious files in our safe environment'. For the desktop app it also lists 'URLs and referrers (malicious URL information may also include search terms or cookie information associated with the malware)', kept for 36 months, the IP address, installed applications and security software, and product usage events. On Android, the notice lists the URLs of websites visited, 'malicious and non-malicious', for 36 months. The support article on privacy settings lets you untick sharing of threat data and of app-usage data; the 'Offers' setting cannot be switched off in the free version.

The privacy policy lists, among the data its software collects, 'artifacts detected as malware, PUPs, or suspicious files' and, for blocked exploits, the exploit payload files and possibly a copy of the exploit executable. It says the content analysis of files, photos and messages runs on the device and the company does not receive the content, 'unless we describe otherwise for a specific feature'; one such feature is text message protection on mobile, which sends the sender and the body of texts from senders not in your contacts and keeps the malicious ones for analysis. It does not say whether the upload of detected files can be switched off separately; the opt-out covers 'threat statistics', which include detection samples.

The Gen Digital general privacy notice says 'We do not sell your personal data to third parties' and also 'Where permitted by applicable law, we may share personal data with third parties for advertising purposes'. The product notice says the free Android app 'serves relevant third-party advertisements' through partners it lists (Google AdMob, Amazon, Facebook Audience Network, InMobi, AppLovin, Unity Technologies, IronSource and Liftoff Mobile), and that the advertising ID is processed for IronSource. The consent policy says consent is asked at installation and an equivalent paid version has no ads. The desktop app uses Google Analytics; the phone apps use Google Firebase, AppsFlyer and Singular. In the free version, the 'Offers' setting based on app-usage data cannot be disabled. The support article says 'When you use most AVG applications, you share anonymous data with AVG and other third parties' and that you can opt out at any time.

The privacy policy says Malwarebytes does not sell personal data for money, but that it may share limited information with advertising partners such as Meta to measure ads: a hashed email address, online identifiers, ad click identifiers and IP address. Meta and Malwarebytes are joint controllers for data sent through Meta's business tools. The policy offers an opt-out through 'Your Privacy Choices' on the website or Global Privacy Control. It also says the product collects usage and threat statistics, a machine identifier created at install, and IP-based location, but that it does not store the IP address of client requests.

AVG is part of Gen Digital Inc., whose privacy team is in Tempe, Arizona; the group says it has dual headquarters in Prague and Tempe. For users in the European Economic Area the controller of personal data for AVG products is a Czech company in Prague, so EU data protection law applies to it. The group notice says personal data may be disclosed to public authorities and in legal proceedings.

Malwarebytes is based in Santa Clara, California, and its privacy policy gives that address and says Malwarebytes Inc. takes part in the EU–US, UK and Swiss data privacy frameworks. The policy says the company may disclose personal data to government agencies in response to lawful requests, including subpoenas and warrants.

AVG says it has made security software since 1991. In 2016 a larger antivirus company bought a majority of AVG Technologies N.V., then listed on the New York Stock Exchange; that buyer was itself acquired in 2022 by the company now called Gen Digital, listed on NASDAQ, and AVG's site and notices now carry Gen Digital's name.

Founded in 2008; co-founder Marcin Kleczynski is still chief executive. In December 2022 the private equity firm Vector Capital closed a $100 million minority investment and two of its managing directors joined the board.