Updated September 28, 2026 · ShieldCue Editorial Team
Avira vs Proton
Avira vs Proton: the differences
| Compare |  Avira |  Proton |
|---|---|---|
| Devices | 5 | 10Higher |
| Server countries | 36 | 140Higher |
| Money-back period | 60 daysHigher | 30 days |
| Jurisdiction | DE | CH |
| Streaming services | Streaming services (vendor claim: unblocks access to geo restricted services) | Netflix, Amazon Prime Video, Disney+, Hulu |
| Platforms | Windows, Mac, Android, iOS | Windows, MacOS, Linux, Android, iOS, Web app, Command line interface, Chrome, Safari, Firefox, Edge, Brave |
| Owner | Gen Digital Inc. | Proton Foundation |
| Longest plan (months) | 12 months | 24 monthsHigher |
| Monthly price | €5.95 | Not confirmed |
| Long-term plan price | €4.00 | Not confirmed |
| Renewal price | €87.95 | Not confirmed |
| Protocols | Not confirmed | WireGuard, OpenVPN |
Same on both: Features (Kill switch).
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Key differences
- Proton scores higher overall: 9.3 vs 9.2.
- Devices is higher at Proton: 10 vs 5.
- Server countries is higher at Proton: 140 vs 36.
- Streaming services: only Avira offers Streaming services (vendor claim: unblocks access to geo restricted services).
- Streaming services: only Proton offers Netflix, Amazon Prime Video, Disney+.
- Platforms: only Avira offers Mac.
- Platforms: only Proton offers MacOS, Linux, Web app.
- Longest plan (months) is higher at Proton: 24 months vs 12 months.
- Support channels: only Proton offers Email, Chat.
- Money-back period is higher at Avira: 60 days vs 30 days.
Our verdict on each
Avira
Avira suits readers who want antivirus, a VPN and a password manager under one subscription, and who keep paying after the first year. The annual antivirus plan opens at €47.95 and renews at €87.95, so the renewal figure is the one to plan around.
Proton
Proton bundles a password manager, VPN and encrypted storage in one account, with Pass starting at $4.99 and a free tier. It suits readers who want passwords, private files and a VPN in a single subscription, and who can live with free plan limits that leave out an authenticator, password sharing and file attachments.
Score breakdown
| Area | Avira | Proton |
|---|---|---|
| Cost | 9.1Monthly billing sits at €5.95, and renewal at €87.95 outweighs the lower entry price. | 9.2HigherEntry at $4.99 sits under the site median of €6.84, with storage at $95.88 per TB per year and a free plan. |
| Offer | 9.0Extras add vpn and password manager, a 30 day trial and a 60 day money-back window. | 9.5Higher |
| Privacy | 9.8Higher | 9.1 |
The numbers side by side
| Fact | Avira | Proton |
|---|---|---|
| Devices | 5 | 10 |
| Server countries | 36 | 140 |
| Money-back period | 60 days | 30 days |
| Longest plan (months) | 12 months | 24 months |
Availability and regulation
| Country | Avira | Proton |
|---|---|---|
| Headquarters | Germany | Switzerland |
Sources behind this comparison
Avira
- avira.com: 12 facts, checked September 26, 2026
- e-shop.avira.com: 5 facts, checked September 26, 2026
- en.wikipedia.org: 1 fact, checked September 26, 2026
Proton
- proton.me: 17 facts, checked September 26, 2026
How they place
| Ranking | Avira | Proton |
|---|---|---|
| VPNs | 27 of 232 | 13 of 232 |
| Password managers | 18 of 69 | 8 of 69 |
| Privacy tools | 25 of 280 | 10 of 280 |
| Free VPNs | 23 of 189 | 9 of 189 |
| Authenticator apps | 15 of 55 | 6 of 55 |
Every fact side by side
| Fact | Avira | Proton |
|---|---|---|
| Features | No logs, Streaming, Travel | No logs, Streaming, Travel |
| Audience | Not confirmed | Business |
| Pricing model | Free | Free |
| Legal entity | Avira Operations GmbH | Proton AG |
| Headquarters | Germany | Switzerland |
| Founded | 1986Lower | 2014 |
| Support channels | Help centre, Community | Email, Chat, Help centre, CommunityCovers more |
Privacy tools
| Fact | Avira | Proton |
|---|---|---|
| Price from | Not confirmed | $4.99 |
| Free plan | Yes | Yes |
| Free plan limits | 500 MB/month data (Phantom VPN free) | Unlimited logins, notes, credit cards and devices; 10 hide-my-email aliases; passkeys and password health alerts; no 2FA authenticator, secure sharing, file attachments or dark web monitoring |
| Logging policy | Strict no-logs policy; browsing activity not tracked and data not sold to third parties | No permanent IP logs by default; temporary IP logs kept to combat abuse and fraud; authentication logging off by default; Proton states it has no technical means to access encrypted passwords or notes |
| Open source | No | YesHas it |
| Privacy tool type | Ad blocker, Browser | Not confirmed |
Password managers
| Fact | Avira | Proton |
|---|---|---|
| Family plan | Not confirmed | Pass Family: up to 6 users, includes 6 Pass Plus accounts and an admin panel |
| Passkeys | Not confirmed | Yes |
| Security audit | AV-TEST and AV-Comparatives test certifications, antivirus products only (2020) | Independently audited by third-party experts (Cure53 audit published July 2023), open source under GPLv3, public bug bounty |
| Encryption | 256-bit encryption, bank-grade | End-to-end encryption; 256-bit AES-GCM encrypted vaults; OpenPGP with ECC (Curve25519) for vault keys |
| Zero-knowledge encryption | Not confirmed | Yes |
Identity protection
| Fact | Avira | Proton |
|---|---|---|
| Free trial length | 30 days | Not confirmed |
Secure email
| Fact | Avira | Proton |
|---|---|---|
| End-to-end encryption | Not confirmed | All fields end-to-end encrypted: passwords, usernames, web addresses, credit cards, note contents and metadata; 256-bit AES-GCM vaults; only the user can decrypt, Proton cannot |
| Custom domains | Not confirmed | Yes |
Encrypted storage
| Fact | Avira | Proton |
|---|---|---|
| Free storage | Not confirmed | 5 |
| Price per TB per year | Not confirmed | $95.88 |
| Compliance certifications | Not confirmed | ISO 27001, SOC 2 Type II |
Where each stands against the rest
| Fact | Avira | Proton | Median |
|---|---|---|---|
| Monthly price | €5.95below the median | Not confirmed | €7.99 |
| Long-term plan price | €4.00above the median | Not confirmed | €3.99 |
| Devices | 5below the median | 10at the median | 10 |
| Server countries | 36below the median | 140highest quarter | 62 |
| Renewal price | €87.95above the median | Not confirmed | €69.99 |
| Money-back period | 60 dayshighest quarter | 30 daysat the median | 30 days |
Median across 132 listed providers.
Pros and cons
Avira
Pros
- A free version and a free password manager plan sit alongside the paid tiers
- A single subscription covers 5 devices across Windows, Mac and Android
- The bundle adds vpn and password manager to the antivirus plan
Cons
- Renewal runs at €87.95 against a first year of €47.95
- Support runs on help centre and community only
- Free usage is capped at 500 MB/month data (Phantom VPN free)
Proton
Pros
- A single account covers a password manager, a VPN and end-to-end encrypted storage, with a free plan to start.
- Passkeys, custom domains and a Family plan with an admin panel suit single-user and shared use.
- Vaults use AES-GCM encryption with OpenPGP and ECC keys, and only the account holder can decrypt.
Cons
- Support runs on email, chat and help centre with no phone line.
- Free plan limits leave out the authenticator app, password sharing, attachments and dark web monitoring.
- Extra storage costs $95.88 per TB per year beyond 5 GB free.
Who each suits
Avira
Who it suits
- Readers who want antivirus, a VPN and a password manager from a single subscription.
- Small households that fit within 5 devices and want a free version to fall back on.
- People who want coverage on Windows, Mac and Android without managing separate vendors.
Who should look elsewhere
- Readers who need wider device coverage: Comodo (Xcitium) lists 50 devices.
- Readers shopping in Brazil, where ESET Brasil prices its first year at BRL 64.22.
- Readers already inside the Apple ecosystem, where iOS, iPadOS and macOS are covered.
Proton
Who it suits
- Readers who want a password manager, a VPN and private files under a single subscription rather than separate products.
- Households and small teams that need shared accounts, since the Family plan bundles several Pass Plus accounts and an admin panel.
- Buyers who care about open source under a copyleft licence, outside security audits and a public bug bounty.
Who should look elsewhere
- Apple Hide My Email at $0.99 if email aliasing is the whole job, since Proton adds a VPN, storage and a password manager.
- Apple Inc. at $0.99 when aliasing is the priority; Proton's $4.99 entry brings a VPN, storage and password manager in the same account.
- EasyOptOuts at $19.99 for a single higher priced subscription, against Proton's $4.99 entry and a free plan.
Current offers
Avira
Current offer
Free trial
Not ready to commit? Get FREE 30-day access to all our Premium products: 30 days free
No credit card required; email address required; homepage legal text states that for trials a payment method is required at sign-up and is charged at the end of the trial unless cancelled first
Source, checked September 26, 2026
First period offer
Big savings. Strong online security: 45% off Avira Prime: 45% off the first year of Avira Prime (up to 5 devices)
Applies to the first annual period; subscription automatically renews at the renewal price unless the renewal is cancelled
Source, checked September 26, 2026
Proton
Current offer
Discount code
40% off Pass Plus: 40% off
Shown on the Proton Pass pricing page alongside a 30-day money-back guarantee; applies to the Pass Plus paid plan
Source, checked September 26, 2026
Questions about each
Avira
What does Avira cost in the first year, and what happens at renewal?+
The annual antivirus plan is €47.95 for the first year and renews at €87.95. Monthly VPN billing is €5.95, and the long-term VPN plan runs €4.00. The step up at renewal is the part worth budgeting for if you stay subscribed.
Is there a free Avira version?+
Yes. Avira offers a free version of the antivirus, and the password manager has a free plan as well. The free VPN is capped at 500 MB/month data (Phantom VPN free), so it suits light use rather than everyday browsing. The free tiers give you a way to sample the products before paying.
Proton
How much is Proton Pass at the entry price?+
Proton Pass starts at $4.99, and there is a free plan beside it. The paid tiers widen the set of features, so the entry price only pays off if you want more hide my email aliases, passkeys and password health alerts.
What does the free plan leave out?+
The free plan covers as many logins, notes, cards and devices as you like, but it leaves out the authenticator app, sharing with other people, file attachments and dark web monitoring. Those sit on paid Pass plans, where entry starts at $4.99.
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