AVG Secure VPN Review 2024: Before You Buy, Is It Worth It?

Fast Speeds Across Its Servers

I was pleased to get fast speeds across all the servers that I tested. The speeds were fast enough for surfing the internet securely, streaming in HD, torrenting, and gaming.

Speed Test Results

I got an average speed of 23 Mbps which was a 35% drop from my base internet speed. I was impressed with the speeds across all the servers. My base internet speed was around 36 Mbps, and it didn’t significantly drop when I connected with most of the servers. I tested servers close to my location and those far away from me to have proper knowledge of the servers’ performance.

I was particularly surprised that I didn’t get more than a 35% drop in speed with the Tokyo server which was the farthest from my location. However, the server in London had an 83% drop in speed which was surprising since it wasn’t too far from me. But overall, I got decent streaming speeds with all the servers that I tested.

Is AVG Secure VPN Fast Enough for Gaming? Yes!

While gaming with AVG Secure VPN, I got fast speeds with all the servers I tested. With the server in Madrid, I got around 25Mbps, which was very fast. However, I still experienced a latency of 170 ms, which was detected as a high ping by the game.

Regrettably, establishing a connection between AVG and your console via Ethernet for gaming purposes is not possible. This approach is the recommended method for configuring a VPN for online gaming. Nonetheless, AVG can be utilized on a console by allowing sharing from a computer. This is the sole approach that permits you to employ AVG VPN during your gaming sessions.

Server Network — 50+ Servers in 30+ Countries

AVG has servers in 30+ countries worldwide, including 28 in Europe, 20 in North America, 7 in the Asia Pacific region, and 1 each in Africa and South America. Major city coverage includes 16 servers in the US and 3 servers in the UK, Canada, Germany, Australia, and Spain. Given AVG’s esteemed reputation in the software industry, I anticipated a more robust network.

As both AVG Secure and Avast Secureline VPN are owned by Avast Software, the server lists of these two products are nearly identical. However, AVG Secure outperformed Avast Secureline in our performance tests. The speeds were generally fast for the most part, but you’re advised to verify the speeds on your own devices. AVG also claims to own all of its servers and doesn’t use virtual servers.

Here is the full list of countries in which AVG Secure has servers:

AVG Secure VPN offers servers that are optimized for streaming in locations named Gotham City, Seattle, Miami, New York, Frankfurt, and UK Wonderland. Also, they have optimized P2P servers in France, Germany, the Netherlands, the UK, and the USA. All of these locations have been clearly labeled in client applications so you can quickly find them.

With only a handful of servers to choose from, it’s no surprise that AVG Secure VPN couldn’t unblock many popular streaming services. A larger server network minimizes the risk of server overload and maintains stable download and upload speeds. For this reason, a VPN with a large number of servers is an ideal choice. For example, Cyberghost has an extensive global server network with 11,670+ servers in 100+ countries, so you don’t need to worry about overcrowded servers.

Security — Military-Grade Protocol With Air-Tight Encryption

AVG Secure VPN is a dependable and strong VPN service that offers you a high level of security, guaranteeing the confidentiality and protection of your online activities from potential threats.

The security features provided are as follows:

• Solid encryption – AVG Secure VPN uses the AES 256-bit data encryption system. It is a top-notch encryption system that is used by governments and military agencies all over the world. Along with that, it uses Open SSL and certificate authentication to protect its users.
• Multiple protocols – AVG Secure VPN uses different security protocols depending on the operating system. Mac uses L2TP/IPSec, iOS relies on IKEv2/IPSec, while Windows and Android use Wireguard and OpenVPN over UDP. Additionally, AVG Secure VPN offers the Mimic protocol for Mac, Windows, Android, and iOS devices. However, it’s important to note that Mimic is a proprietary technology developed by Avast, the parent company. Since it hasn’t undergone third-party audits, its level of security remains uncertain.
• Split tunneling – allows you to selectively route your internet traffic. With split tunneling, you can choose which data is sent through the VPN tunnel and which data bypasses it. This enables simultaneous access to both the VPN-protected network and the local network or the internet without going through the VPN. Unfortunately, this function is only available in the Android version of the application.
• WiFi Threat Shield – this function provides protection against potential threats or vulnerabilities that may exist when connecting to public or unsecured WiFi networks. It acts as an additional layer of security by monitoring and blocking malicious activities, such as unauthorized access attempts, malware, or phishing attacks, that can exploit weaknesses in WiFi connections.
• Kill switch – AVG Secure VPN has an automatic kill switch to prevent VPN connection failures and protect your identity. Currently, this feature is available on Windows and macOS. If your connection to a VPN server is lost, the kill switch will immediately block all internet connections. The kill switch is disabled by default in the VPN app but can be activated in the network security settings.

AVG VPN boasts protection against IP and DNS leaks, which is a significant feature they emphasize. To verify this claim, I extensively tested the VPN by running its servers on various leak-detection websites. I am pleased to report that no leaks in terms of IP, DNS, or WebRTC were detected during these tests.

Despite not employing RAM-only servers like ExpressVPN, AVG has implemented a range of server security measures, such as boot verification, isolating certificate authority private keys on signing infrastructure, and employing full-disk encryption on all machines.

Moreover, AVG owns all its servers and doesn’t use any virtual servers. This means a third party (the server provider) cannot install a backdoor on the servers to leak users’ information. Sadly, the VPN lacks a split tunneling feature on the desktop client that allows you to select which apps the internet traffic is excluded from the VPN tunnel.

Privacy — Too Much Sensitive Data Is Logged

AVG Secure VPN promises a mostly anonymous experience for its customers, but its privacy policy is complex and confusing. According to its privacy statement, it keeps track of connection timestamps, bandwidth usage, IP addresses of servers connected to, and partial IP addresses of subnets. Furthermore, AVG Secure VPN retains the server’s service data for 35 days and the client’s service data for 2 years, deeming this information vital for the proper functioning of certain applications.

While I appreciate AVG’s transparent privacy policy, I find it somewhat intrusive. Although the company claims that the stored data cannot be traced back to the user, I believe they could do without collecting that data altogether.

It is also worth noting that AVG, a Czech Republic-based company, operates under the jurisdiction of EU data retention laws and data-sharing agreements. Its policy allows for sharing information with other members of the Avast group, with the assurance of maintaining users’ privacy. However, in specific circumstances, AVG may also share data with third parties if compelled by subpoenas, government requests, or court orders.

If you’re a privacy-minded VPN user like myself looking for a VPN that doesn’t keep sensitive information, I recommend you check out ExpressVPN. It is located in the British Virgin Islands and has built trust among privacy-minded VPN users. With its 30-day money-back guarantee, you can try it out for yourself, knowing that you’re buying in confidence.

Torrenting — Supports P2P Sharing on 8 Servers

I was pleased to learn that AVG Secure VPN supports torrenting. In addition to dedicated servers for streaming platforms, the VPN also supports all the major torrenting clients on the market. You’ll find up to 8 different (P2P) servers dedicated to torrenting in the AVG VPN network – 5 in Europe (Frankfurt, Paris, Amsterdam, Prague, and London), and 3 in the US (Miami, New York, and Seattle). However, I couldn’t get fast speeds when I connected with the P2P server in Germany.

Torrenting isn’t illegal in many countries, but downloading illegal titles is against the laws of many nations. My team and I wouldn’t encourage our readers to break the laws of any country. So make sure to check in your country to avoid breaking any rules.

Does AVG Secure VPN Work in China? Yes!

I was pleasantly surprised to discover that AVG Secure VPN works in China. What’s even more impressive is that the service extends its capabilities to countries with strict censorship policies, such as the UAE, Russia, Saudi Arabia, Turkey, and Iran.

Since I don’t reside in China myself, I had to rely on contacting AVG’s support team to gather information about its performance in the country. Fortunately, a helpful customer service representative confirmed that AVG Secure VPN indeed works in China.

To delve deeper into user experiences, I explored the AVG forum website and came across comments from users based in China. However, it’s worth noting that while some users expressed satisfaction, there were also complaints indicating that the VPN may not function optimally in all regions of the country.

The fact that AVG Secure VPN doesn’t work in all parts of China is understandable. This is because the Great Firewall of China applies different rules across China and may prevent most VPNs from working there or in some parts of the country. However, one of the few VPNs that work for users all over China is ExpressVPN. You can try ExpressVPN yourself for safe browsing in China. It comes with a 30-day money-back guarantee so you can buy confidently.

AVG has made it incredibly easy to reach its support team through various channels, although it’s worth noting that all AVG products share the same support system. With options like 24/7 live chat and phone support, getting assistance is both convenient and hassle-free. Moreover, they offer premium tech support as well, with dedicated toll-free phone numbers for the UK, Australia, and the US, ensuring prompt and efficient help whenever needed.

In addition, AVG offers a range of valuable resources to help you. Its Help Center and FAQs are particularly useful, as they contain a wealth of articles and answers to common questions. So, whether you’re looking for specific troubleshooting steps or seeking general information, you can rely on AVG’s extensive knowledge base to find the answers you need.

To stay updated with AVG Secure VPN’s latest developments, follow them on Twitter, Facebook, LinkedIn, and YouTube. The AVG Support Community is a helpful platform for resolving issues, where you may receive responses from the support team or other users. I received a response from the AVG team within 24 hours of my inquiry.