Windows Defender Vs. AVG - The Ultimate Comparison

Selecting the right antivirus software can be a stressful, confusing process.  In our highly digitized world, making the right choice to secure your data is of the utmost importance. To make it easier for you to choose, we’ve compared programs from two of the leading antivirus developers, Windows Defender vs AVG.

Overall Comparison

Related Links

Windows Defender Vs Webroot

AVG Vs Avast

Both Windows Defender and AVG offer excellent base-level protection from all types of malware. Suppose you want a free antivirus that integrates well with the rest of the software on your computer, Windows Defender has a couple of advantages: it’s already on your computer, and it integrates well with other software from Microsoft. 

If you’re looking for more features and are willing to pay for your software, AVG’s top-tier version is the way to go. Its user-friendly interface also gives its software a leg up on the competition.

Key Features

Let’s have a look at the features included in each of these antivirus software options;

Key Features Compared

If you look at the table above, it’s clear that AVG offers more features than Windows Defender. It is also worth noting that this comparison is pitting AVG’s full-feature, paid version against the completely free Windows Defender.

Both options offer good basic protection from malware, and AVG has some nice add-ons for those who want to pay for more functions. If you’re happy with the basic protection features that come with a free antivirus, Windows Defender is perfect.

AVG is a complete piece of software in terms of a sheer number of attributes. It’s up to you to figure out whether or not you need the added protection that comes with a paid antivirus software. 

It all comes down to evaluating your wants and needs before deciding whether either of these options is the right one for you. 

Windows Defender Features;

AVG Features;

Malware Protection

Both software providers created software that offers excellent protection against malware. AV-test.org, an independent software tester, tested both of these antivirus solutions, and according to them, they are pretty equal.

Let's take a look at the results; 

Windows Defender;

AVG;

Both scored a perfect 6.0 / 6.0, so we have no choice but to declare a tie in this category. What that means for you is that you can feel secure choosing either of these options. 

System Performance

AV-test.org also runs performance tests that can help you pick the right one. Again, both of these developers have made a piece of software that performs well. 

Let's take a look at the results

Windows Defender Results;

Since Windows Defender is included in every Microsoft Windows license, it does not impact a Microsoft Windows computer in a significant way. 

AVG Results;

AVG had a little more impact on the system performance but still not that much.

Pricing

Windows Defender doesn’t have a pricing plan; it’s a free type of software that’s included with every Microsoft Windows license. This is a bit of a double-edged sword because it means you can’t upgrade to a full-featured version if you like it but want a couple of premium features that you can get with another program. 

AVG, on the other hand, has a few different pricing options;

AVG Ultimate is a full-featured version that has one thing that really places it above the competition, and that’s the VPN. It is available for $9.99 per month. That’s a great deal considering all the great features it includes for 10 devices. 

AVG also offers a mid-tier option for $7.50 per month for 10 devices or $5.83 per month for a single computer. This version has a 30-day free trial that doesn’t require you to provide any payment information. 

Ease Of Use and User-Friendliness

Windows Defender looks like it’s part of the operating system it comes with, and it’s not always user-friendly. It lacks some functionality that would provide a better user experience; for example, you can’t schedule scans to happen at a later time. You have to manually perform your virus scans rather than just have them happen automatically every once in a while.

AVG looks nicer in terms of graphic design, with a dark background and green and white highlights. AVG Ultimate has all the operability you could want from antivirus software with a lot more customization options than Windows Defender, which makes it more appealing to the user. There’s no question that AVG is the winner in the user-friendliness category.

Customer Support

As Windows Defender is part of Microsoft, you get the benefit of its customer support system and the assistance you need to resolve any issues with this factory-installed software. Microsoft does, however, wash its hands of any responsibility in the case that your computer becomes infected by malware. 

AVG, on the other hand, offers 24/7 live chat and phone support to its paying customers. It’s unclear what kind of customer service is available to users of the free version of their software so we call this one a tie since neither provider seems to have a perfect customer support system.

Conclusion

Both of these software options are good antivirus choices. When you look at two of the most important categories—malware protection and system performance—they’re top-rated programs that will get the job done. 

If you want added features and functionality, go with AVG; if you want free software that integrates well with the existing applications on your computer, maybe Windows Defender is right for you.

There’s no right or wrong answer, but based on the fact that AVG Ultimate has just about everything you could ask for, it stands out to us as the winner between these two.

Which antivirus do you think is for you? Choose Now!

You might also be Interested in