Avast Secureline VPN Review: Everything You Need to Know Before You Buy

Avast, known for its antivirus also offers Secureline VPN with a sleek interface, strong encryption, and high connection speeds.

However, it still lags behind some of the bigger names in the industry when it comes to the number of features.

In this review, let’s check if it is good enough to ensure your online privacy and security? Can you use this service for streaming and torrenting?

Impact of Secureline VPN On Speed

We ran a few tests on local and long-distance servers to see the differences in speed, with and without a VPN connection.

We started with a download speed of around 200Mbps and connected to the local London server, specified as our “Optimal Location.” The download speed decreased to around 185Mbps, which is quite impressive. After that, we connected a few other European servers, and although the rate was a bit slower, there were no drastic reductions.

Outside Europe, when we switched to a server in South America, the download speed dropped to 175Mbps, which is even more impressive given the long distance.

Finally, we tested the ping rate or latency speed after connecting to the Avast SecureLine VPN server in New York. It almost doubled from 84ms to 161ms, which is expected when connecting to long-distance servers.

The speeds we got with Avast VPN were among the fastest, and the losses were barely noticeable when browsing the net, streaming, and even torrent downloading. However, gaming might be an issue, so if you need a dedicated VPN to play online, you might want to consider NordVPN, which scored high in our speed tests.

Security and Privacy: Is Avast Safe to Use?

Encryption

Avast SecureLine uses 256-bit AES encryption, one of the best in the business. In fact, this is the encryption key that banks and military institutions use to protect their data, so you can rest assured that your information is well-guarded. 

Kill Switch

Recently, Avast added a kill switch, a handy tool that ensures your data is not exposed if the VPN connection suddenly drops. The kill switch is automatic, so you don’t have to remember to turn it on every time you use the VPN. 

DNS Leak Test

While connected to SecureLine VPN, we tested for IP, WebRTC, and DNS leaks and detected none. When we switched servers to the US, we saw that our real IP and DNS address remained hidden, as did our actual location, which is great news for Avast VPN users. 

Security Protocols

Avast SecureLine VPN only supports one protocol—OpenVPN over UDP. This open-source protocol is considered the industry standard and one of the best in the business, providing fast speed and excellent encryption.

Although we would have liked to see more options, we have no objections against OpenVPN. For comparison, Surfshark offers a wide range of security protocols to choose from. 

That said, using the same protocol across different platforms will ensure an even smoother user experience.

Data Logging

Avast claims to keep no data logs of your online activity. This means that it does not monitor your browsing history, store the information of any sites you visit, or track any of your activities. 

However, it stores certain connection logs, including timestamps of your connection, how long you were connected, and the amount of data transmitted. This data is stored for up to 30 days, but it can’t be used to identify you. 

What’s more, the company goes above and beyond to ensure customers that their data is safe, including a comprehensive privacy policy posted on its website.  

Jurisdiction

Avast is based in the Czech Republic, which is not a member of the 14 Eyes Alliance nations, but it does cooperate with the 5 Eyes agreement countries. This does not mean that Avast would share your information with US or UK intelligence agencies. However, its close collaboration on intelligence sharing with these countries makes some users nervous.

Also, since 2019 the Czech Republic is no longer as privacy-friendly as it used to be because they added a new law that requires holding activity logs.

Shared IP Address

Among the Avast VPN protection features, you can also find dynamic VPN IP addresses, also known as shared IP addresses which provide excellent privacy and anonymity. When several users share one IP, it’s very difficult for someone to find out who’s doing what. 

Compared with a dedicated VPN IP address, a shared IP helps you hide among the crowd. While using a static IP on your device, tracing any internet activity back to you becomes much easier.

Split Tunnelling 

As reported by other Avast VPN reviews, SecureLine VPN recently added this more advanced feature. 

Split tunnelling is easy to set up, but it still requires users to manually select which websites and apps to include or exclude. Even when Avast SecureLine VPN is enabled, split tunnelling ensures that certain apps never connect to the internet via the VPN.

Servers and Server Locations

Avast has about 700 servers spread across 55 locations in 34 countries worldwide. 

Even if this is not a particularly large number, the servers are strategically placed to cover your needs. The company has a strong presence in North America (it has servers in 16 locations in the US) and in Europe, where it has locations in three cities in the UK and other European countries. What’s more, Avast has dedicated servers for streaming and torrenting that let users watch, listen or enjoy content no matter where they are.

But this doesn’t change the fact that SecureLine VPN falls short of the competition on this front. For comparison, ExpressVPN has more than 3,000 servers in 94 countries, while CyberGhost has over 5,000 servers.

Smart VPN

SecureLine’s Smart VPN mode automatically connects to the fastest server at the moment. Also, it optimises your internet speed automatically and excludes the need to control your VPN connection manually.

VPN’s Primary Uses

Let’s explore whether SecureLine VPN works for some common usage types.

Streaming

Five of SecureLine VPN’s servers are specially optimised for streaming. There are three locations in the US, one in the UK, and one in Germany. These configured servers tend to load and stream content faster than the other regular servers.

When we decided to test and see if we could watch geo-blocked content on some of the most popular platforms using Avast VPN Netflix was on top of our list. Logging through the New York server, there was no issue streaming shows. But when we switched to other servers which are not optimised for streaming, Netflix detected the VPN and terminated the connection. 

Our second choice of streaming platforms to test was Amazon Prime. We tried with the same locations as Netflix, but we could not connect to either of the servers we attempted.

Next, we tried BBC iPlayer from the Wonderland UK server, and it was a success, but on the other two locations in the UK, it was a no-go.

Overall, Avast VPN is a good choice for streaming, particularly when it comes to Netflix, but it may not be the best. If access to multiple libraries is a priority when selecting a VPN, you might want to look at other providers, such as Hotspot Shield.

Torrenting

Just like with streaming, Avast SecureLine has a portion of its servers dedicated to torrenting. This service supports peer-to-peer connections, allowing you to securely share files with other users without losing speed. Also, it’s easy to find which server to connect to because those that support P2P file sharing are clearly marked on the selection screen in the app.

Gaming

When it comes to gaming, we wouldn’t recommend Avast VPN. As mentioned in the performance section of this Avast Secureline VPN review, this provider increases latency, which is barely noticeable for streaming or torrenting but is unacceptable in gaming. 

Supported Platforms

Avast SecureLine VPN has dedicated apps for Windows, Mac, Android, and iOS. 

Desktop Apps

The Windows client is among the easiest to use, clearly designed with beginners in mind. The seven-day Avast SecureLine free trial is easily accessible (no personal or payment details required), while the user interface is sleek and polished. A single click is all it takes to connect to one of Avast’s servers and hide your IP address.

Avast VPN also works great on Mac, with download speeds barely decreasing with the VPN on. 

Mobile Apps

Users can get Avast for mobile devices and tablets too.

Mobile apps perform pretty much like the desktop versions. Their accessibility is just as simple and straightforward as using the service on a PC or Mac, plus there’s the option of split tunnelling.

Browser Extension

As with most VPNs, you can also install Avast VPN as a browser extension for Chrome and Firefox. But keep in mind that these are not standalone applications. Instead, they pair with the desktop app and allow you to manage your VPN from your browser.

As of recently, SecureLine VPN lets you stream content on Android TV, Nvidia Shield TV, and Mi Box.

As for Tor, Avast VPN is not compatible with it at the time being. If Tor compatibility is important for you, check out options such as ProtonVPN.

Avast SecureLine VPN multi-device feature supports up to ten simultaneous device connections per account. 

Pricing

Avast has taken a different approach than most other VPNs by selling the software only as an annual subscription, depending on the number of devices you use it with.

You can see the Avast prices in the UK in the table below. All packages come with up to ten simultaneous connections.

The Avast packages don’t include a monthly subscription, but you can activate the Avast SecureLine free trial for seven days without a credit card. And if a week isn’t enough time for you to judge this service efficiency, Avast also offers a 30-day money-back guarantee. 

Also, SecureLine is part of the Avast Ultimate suite, which includes the Avast Premium package, the VPN, and other cleanup and tuneup tools. 

The Avast VPN cost is in line with other highly rated VPNs. SecureLine offers decent performance for a fair price, but NordVPN, for instance, might provide a bit more for £3.64/month with the annual subscription.

Customer Support

Avast VPN giving you problems? The first place where you should look for help is the knowledge base. Full of support pages, help articles, and forums, the knowledge base is easy to access and lets you search by using simple keywords.

The company also has an extensive FAQ section, which is rich in valuable tips. However, this is as far as Avast VPN free trial users can get in terms of support. Only paying clients have access to 24/7 phone and email support.

The email customer service are fast and reliable—reps usually respond within a day to email requests. On top of that, phone support has the benefit of human interaction, which is better than talking to a chatbot, especially when it comes to the resolution of more complicated issues. Overall, Avast customer support is prompt, reliable, and helpful, as confirmed by numerous Avast VPN reviews from satisfied customers. 

Want to Consider Other Options?

Avast is an excellent choice if you’re looking for the essentials of VPN protection. But if you want additional security and privacy tools, there are other options you can look into.

Bottom Line: Is Avast VPN Good?

Avast VPN is easy to use with its polished interface and simple connection options. Its encryption and security are top-grade, plus it’s based in a relatively privacy-friendly country, thus providing users an added layer of protection. 

What’s more, it offers solid speeds and dedicated servers that allow you to stream or download without any issues. It’s also compatible with almost all devices and operating systems.

The biggest disadvantage is that it doesn’t have any significant edge over other VPNs in this highly competitive market. Although not a deal-breaker, this could discourage some users. 

Overall, Avast SecureLine offers excellent value and will definitely provide you with the essentials for surfing the net anonymously and securely.