AVG Secure VPN Review: Is This Simple VPN Good Enough?

From a brand best known for its cybersecurity lineup, AVG Secure VPN checks the usual boxes on paper. It encrypts your internet traffic to secure your online activities, especially over unsecured networks. But the real question is whether it holds up in everyday use. That's what I intend to find out in this AVG Secure VPN review.

AVG Secure VPN Review: Quick Summary

AVG has been making security software since 1991. In 2016, Avast acquired AVG Technologies and added it to its security portfolio. Later in 2022, both brands became part of Gen Digital.

Available on Windows, Mac, iOS, and Android, AVG Secure VPN focuses on simplicity rather than overwhelming you with hundreds of settings and features. It has strong encryption along with multi-protocol options. For convenience, it also includes a browser extension with an ad blocker, which makes switching servers easier. You can also access region-restricted content using AVG Secure VPN's 100+ server locations.

Setting Up AVG Secure VPN

Before installing AVG Secure VPN, check the minimum system requirements.

Minimum System Requirements

OS: Windows 7 SP1 with Convenience Rollup Update or later
Processor: Intel Pentium 4 / AMD Athlon 64 or above with SSE3 support. For ARM-based Windows devices, confirm compatibility with AVG before buying.
RAM: 1 GB or above
Disk Space: AVG lists 2 GB of free hard disk space as the minimum requirement. On my test device, Secure VPN occupied around 280 MB after installation.

Note: The system requirements mentioned above only apply to Windows; for requirements on other operating systems, refer to AVG's official system requirements.

Download and Installation

• Simply download the setup file from the official AVG website.
• Launch the installation file.
• Follow the on-screen instructions, and the program will be installed in a few minutes.

Connection Preferences

After installation, Secure VPN offers three connection options: Always connect my VPN, Smart mode, and Connect manually each time. You can change these settings later from the app's Settings menu.

Once the overall setup is complete, AVG takes you to its main dashboard.

Pricing Plans

AVG Secure VPN offers three Multi-Device subscription options for up to 10 devices. Here are the regular reference prices listed on AVG's US Store, in US dollars:

1-Year Plan: $99.99
2-Year Plan: $194.99
3-Year Plan: $294.99

First-term discounts may lower these prices. AVG's US Store currently lists renewal at $99.99 per year; check the price and renewal terms before purchasing.

You can also try AVG Secure VPN with a 60-day free trial. However, this offer requires payment details and converts to a paid subscription unless you cancel before the trial ends. If you are looking for a better deal, check out our latest AVG Secure VPN discounts before purchasing.

AVG Secure VPN is also included with AVG Ultimate. So, if you are planning to use other AVG products, the AVG Ultimate bundle may offer better value.

AVG Secure VPN: Interface Review

A good VPN should make building a secure connection easy, and AVG Secure VPN does a good job here.

Main Dashboard

The dashboard shows your connection status and a server-location menu. Below them are four quick-access cards.

1) Favorites section: Here, you can add your favorite online activity cards, including anonymous browsing, streaming, shopping, and sports. Selecting a card opens a short guide with the relevant connection options. According to AVG, Smart Mode manages automatic connection based on network settings, with an option to exclude private networks.

Selecting an activity card did not automatically connect the VPN. Anonymous browsing presented a Connect VPN button, while Streaming asked for a location before connecting.

2) Settings: Opens the Settings menu.
3) Browser Extension: From here, you can install the Secure VPN browser extension for different browsers, including Chrome, Firefox, or Edge.
4) Devices: This is where you add and manage additional devices.

Settings

If you want to go beyond the basics, then the Settings menu provides a few useful customization options.

• General: It covers the usual preferences, including language, launching the program at startup, notifications, and privacy preferences.
• VPN Mode: From here, you choose to turn on the VPN automatically when you connect to the internet, get a prompt to turn on the VPN when connected to an untrusted network, and exclude private networks.
• Advanced Settings: It is where you get a little more control over the VPN. Here, you can configure the kill switch, enable local device access, enable multiple active VPNs, and switch between different protocols.

Overall, the interface is neatly organized, so finding your way around the app and establishing a secure connection feel straightforward.

AVG Secure VPN: Features

AVG Secure VPN Review: Usability

Encryption and Protocols

To secure your connection, AVG Secure VPN uses strong encryption. This encryption scrambles your internet traffic and makes it extremely difficult for hackers to read your data, helping explain how a VPN works.

The cipher depends on the protocol. AVG advertises AES-256 encryption, while WireGuard uses ChaCha20-Poly1305.

Besides strong encryption, AVG Secure VPN also includes three protocols and an automatic selection mode:

• WireGuard offers a balance between speed and security.
• Mimic helps bypass VPN restrictions.
• OpenVPN provides strong security but can be slower than WireGuard.
• Automatic mode lets AVG select the protocol for your connection.

These are alternative ways to create a secure connection to keep your online activity private.

No Logs Policy

A no-logs policy doesn't mean a VPN collects no data. I checked what AVG's policy covers.

According to AVG's privacy policy, it does not send your browsing history, DNS queries while connected, transferred content (email, media files, etc.), or originating IP address to its servers. However, it does collect service and account data, including total data volume, connection events, application events, and subscription information, with different retention periods.

Browser Extension and Ad Blocker

AVG's browser extension supports Chrome, Edge, and Firefox and lets you control the VPN without switching apps. It also includes an Ad Blocker. However, my experience with its ad blocker was somewhat underwhelming.

The extension installed without any issues on Chrome. In a Windows 11 follow-up check, it also installed on Edge and could connect, disconnect, and change the desktop VPN's location. It requires the AVG desktop app and an active VPN subscription.

The ad blocker blocked some common banner ads, but YouTube preroll ads still appeared during testing with it enabled.

VPN Connection Options

Besides manually selecting from 100+ server locations, AVG Secure VPN lets you establish a connection based on your needs. It has a Fastest location option and separately labelled P2P-optimized regions. This makes it easier to choose a location for a quick connection or file sharing.

Streaming and Torrenting

I also tested AVG Secure VPN's ability to bypass geo-restrictions, and it did well in this regard.

Using the Thailand server, I was able to access and stream region-specific Netflix content. With the UK server, I smoothly accessed BBC iPlayer.

I also tested torrenting on a P2P-optimized server. The downloads remained stable, and the speed was decent during my test.

Speed Test and Performance

For this AVG Secure VPN review, I tested its speed on different servers.

During my test, I streamed content across multiple platforms, including Dailymotion, YouTube, and Netflix. The VPN maintained decent speeds throughout. However, I also faced slight buffering at times.

Before connecting to AVG Secure VPN, my baseline connection download speed was 67.26 Mbps and upload speed was 7.49 Mbps, using a Singapore Speedtest endpoint. Since several factors can affect VPN speed, the results can vary depending on your connection and the server you choose.

I tested servers across four regions: Chicago, North York, ON (Toronto), London, and Melbourne.

Here's how download speeds dropped across the four tests:

Speed Retention

Note: The AVG VPN average is calculated from the speeds recorded across the four tested server locations: Chicago, North York, ON (Toronto), London, and Melbourne.

How Secure is AVG Secure VPN?

Connecting to a secure, encrypted server is only half the job; it is also worth checking for IP and DNS leaks.

I used ipx.ac and ipleak.net to check which public IP address was visible while connected.

The result was reassuring; both sites displayed a VPN IP address.

A Windows 11 follow-up check also showed the VPN's public IPv4 and a matching DNS resolver, without the addresses recorded before connecting. IPv6 was unavailable, and the WebRTC result was inconclusive, so these checks do not establish protection against every type of leak.

Support

AVG offers articles, FAQs, guides, and a monitored community, plus live chat and phone support for paid products. I used live chat and received helpful replies. However, when looking through the knowledge-base resources, I found some information to be outdated, with details that did not match the current version of the app.

That said, the support replies are not always consistent and vary by agent. In my experience, some agents were quick to understand my query and provide a solution. In contrast, others took time to grasp the context. They also offer remote sessions for issues that require direct assistance. Overall, the agents are quite patient and put in genuine effort to resolve queries.

Quick Verdict

After reviewing AVG Secure VPN, I found the program to be simple and effective. Yes, on Windows, the program lacks a few advanced features that many of its peers cover, including split tunneling and double hop. Instead, it covers the essentials well with useful additions like Fastest location, P2P servers, and a browser extension with an ad blocker. The clean and straightforward interface makes establishing a connection to any server easy, especially for first-time users.

I did face a few shortcomings, such as the extension's ad blocker not being as effective as I hoped. Aside from these, AVG Secure VPN proved to be a good VPN service, especially for users already using other AVG products.

AVG Secure VPN Review: Overall Experience

Here's my overall impression of the program.

What I Liked

Straightforward Interface

The dashboard and Settings menu have clear labels and an organized layout, making the app easy to navigate.

Access to region-restricted content

Not everyone uses a VPN just for secure browsing. For many, it's also about streaming region-restricted content. In my experience, AVG Secure VPN handled this task with ease. I was able to stream region-locked Netflix content and access BBC iPlayer without running into any issues.

The browser extension adds to convenience.

Another advantage was AVG Secure VPN's browser extension. It made switching servers easy without having to jump between apps.

What I Disliked

Ad Blocker falls short

In my tests, the ad blocker blocked some common banner ads, but YouTube preroll ads still appeared. It was useful for basic adblocking, but I wouldn't rely on it for ad-free YouTube viewing.

Upselling attempt

I dislike seeing promotions for other AVG products in paid software. AVG Secure VPN displays these banners at the bottom of its dashboard. You can turn off "Show offers for our other products" under Settings > General > Privacy Preferences. In the follow-up check, the dashboard banner disappeared after reopening AVG.

Alternatives

If you want to explore more options, here are some strong alternatives to AVG Secure VPN.

Avast SecureLine VPN

As mentioned earlier, both Avast and AVG are owned by the same parent company, Gen Digital. So you can expect a few similarities between the two VPN services, from overall interface design to their features. That said, my experience with both services had some differences. In my testing, Avast’s ad blocker performed slightly better.

Bitdefender Premium VPN

This is my go-to VPN service and a worthy alternative to AVG Secure VPN. Both have a clean interface with strong encryption to keep your online activities secure. However, Bitdefender Premium VPN does a few things better. For starters, it offers a 7-day free trial that does not require payment information, unlike AVG Secure VPN. It also advertises servers in 100+ countries and offers features like split tunneling and double VPN on Windows, to name a few.

Surfshark VPN

Surfshark is a more advanced VPN than AVG Secure VPN, offering features like Dynamic MultiHop, Bypasser, and a paid dedicated IP add-on, which AVG's Windows app lacks. It also allows unlimited device connections under a single subscription. In contrast, AVG Secure VPN offers support for up to 10 devices at a time.

FAQs

Does Secure VPN have split tunneling?

Yes, but only on Android.

Is AVG VPN available in my country?

AVG warns that its VPN may be blocked or restricted in some countries. You can check AVG's official list of countries where the VPN is either restricted or not recommended for use.

Does AVG Secure VPN have a free trial?

AVG advertises a 60-day free trial. This offer requires payment details and converts to a paid subscription unless you cancel before the trial ends.

How good is the Ad Blocker in AVG Secure VPN?

The ad blocker that comes with the AVG Secure VPN extension worked okay for some common banner ads, but YouTube preroll ads still appeared during testing.

Conclusion

AVG Secure VPN primarily focuses on getting the basics right: keeping your connection secure and private without making things complex. During my test, the VPN performed well. It maintained a stable connection during P2P torrenting, delivered decent speed while streaming region-restricted content, and displayed a VPN IP address in the IP checks.

The Ad Blocker felt limited.

If you want a simple VPN for private browsing and region-restricted content, AVG Secure VPN is worth considering, especially if you already use AVG products.