If you are working in any kind of computer-based office, whether you’re at home or in a workplace, you will need antivirus software. An antivirus, such as Avast and Norton, help to block malicious web attacks, which could result in technology malfunctioning, loss of data and other security breaches.
And when you’re looking for the best antivirus, there are various different factors you’ll want to take into account. This includes having a smart firewall, protection against identify theft of course, value for money. You should also the user interface of the software in general, as you’ll need to be able to navigate it to really use it properly.
Avast and Norton both work to protect computers from harmful viruses. But which is best for homes and offices in the UK? Let’s have a look at the specifications for each, and then we can find out which antivirus is better.
Avast vs Norton
Out of the two softwares, Avast is the best option if you’re looking to use a free antivirus. Their paid option also has a long paid trial you can take advantage of as well. Norton is pretty good too, and can be a better choice if you’re looking for a software for a group of people, like office staff.
Both of these softwares are pretty well known amongst users, so it can be hard to say which antivirus is better for your needs. Let’s look at them both in more detail.
Avast Overview
Avast is one of the most downloaded softwares by people across the UK. It works speedily and in a lightweight format, with multiple features to keep users reassured about the safety of their internet browsing.
Avast for Homes
Avast has a slight edge on Norton as it offers a free to use ‘normal’ version, making it more popularly downloaded. They quote that “they believe everyone has the right to be safe online” which is why they offer their initial package at no cost. It also has a VPN in its package, which is really useful to people who are travelling or working in less secure environments, such as coffee shops.
Of course, Avast also offers a premium software with more facilities, at a higher price. With a year’s subscription (including a free 30 day trial), users can opt for single or multi-device protections which can serve both individuals and entire households.
Some features that the premium version includes are security while shopping (checking for fake websites wanting card details) and scanning downloads to check that they are not ransomware.
For both the free and paid for versions, there is software tailored to Windows, Mac, iPhone or Android, so it can work well across all devices.
Avast for Business
For businesses, Avast offers: Standalone Antivirus Products, meaning that they can just install them onto their device one time and not have to worry about maintaining any security (like one would do at home), Managed Antivirus Products to keep data and devices safe by more advanced care, CloudCare which deals with issues on cloud platforms, and Management Consoles which keeps devices in a network safe from one managing computer.
Other features of Avast for businesses include:
- Email security – this checks that inboxes are free of spam by filtering email before it comes in
- Secure web gateway – this blocks sites that are known to be malicious and damaging
- Backup and recovery – this provides options to recover software
- Secure internet gateway – this looks at all parts of traffic, including encrypted traffic, to ensure top quality protection
- Patch manager – this fixes any issues in Windows operating systems and 3rd party applications
- Content filtering – this feature limits access to websites that are considered risky or could deliver dangerous content.
Norton Overview
Norton received a Bronze Award for Internet Security at AV-Test, potentially pushing it into a slightly higher place than Avast.
Norton has a range of packages, spanning from Norton Antivirus Basic to Norton Premium, which range in price, and offer a variety of cover. Norton Antivirus Basic provides anti-phishing, anti-spam, browser downloads and a free download of a rescue disk, and each subsequent package offers more features such as a network scanner, backup software and parental controls.
Norton for Home
Norton is praised for its parental control feature, where parents can block certain websites to keep their children safe. Avast doesn’t have this. Norton also has the chance to make user profiles, which is great for families and multi-user devices.
Norton also has a virtual keyboard which helps keep passwords safe from hackers. The software additionally offers 24/7 chat support, should any users need help with any aspects of the software. This is not available with Avast, who have a more limited support network.
Some of the great features that Norton offers are:
- Real time threat protection, which gives advanced security at that exact time.
- Password manager to create and keep passwords safe
- Cloud backup to protect documents from data loss, hard drive failures and ransomware.
- SafeCam for attempts to access and hack a webcam.
The main options that you have with Norton are the Norton 360 Premium, the Deluxe and also the simple standard package too. Depending on what you need and how many devices you want to protect, one will likely appeal to you more than another.
Norton can be used for businesses, but its largest package is for ten devices. This means that for large teams, multiple packages would need to be bought. The largest package includes 75GB of PC Cloud Backup across the ten devices.
They also have a Norton antivirus program specifically made for gamers. So if you have a Windows device and you’re looking for some extra features, this may appeal to you.
Conclusion
Both Norton and Avast are great software options – it largely depends on what you are looking for. Avast benefits from offering the free version, so is ideal for individuals looking for simple coverage. For businesses, they have great business offerings to keep different parts of the company safe and secure.
Norton, on the other hand, offers good packages for the home, especially for parents with children, due to the parental control provided. There is no free version, and limited coverage for large offices, but it’s definitely something that works well for families with multiple devices.
Both work well and protect against cyber security attacks, but which is the best cybersecurity software out of the two does depend on people’s specific situations.
