Avast vs Avira

2021. NortonLifeLock and Avast merge in $8.1B deal



U.S. cybersecurity firm NortonLifeLock has recently completed the acquisition of its Czech counterpart, Avast, for a substantial sum of $8.1 billion. This strategic move aims to establish a global powerhouse in consumer security. NortonLifeLock, which emerged as an independent entity from Symantec in 2019, anticipates that the merger will result in an industry-leading consumer cyber safety business, significantly expanding its user base through Avast's impressive customer count of 435 million. With its establishment in 1988, Avast has built a strong reputation in providing cybersecurity software tailored for consumers, small businesses, and medium-sized enterprises, positioning itself as one of the largest security companies in the market. Nonetheless, it is worth noting that Avast has faced some controversy over its nearly 25-year history.


2020. Norton acquires Avira for $360M



NortonLifeLock has recently announced its acquisition of the German security firm Avira in an all-cash deal valued at approximately $360 million. NortonLifeLock emerged as an independent company just last year when Broadcom acquired Symantec's enterprise security business for nearly $11 billion. Today, NortonLifeLock is a publicly traded company with a market capitalization of around $11.5 billion. Prior to the acquisition, Avira operated as a bootstrapped tech business, primarily focusing on security software for consumers. Similar to Norton, Avira offers anti-virus software among its product portfolio. Avira boasts a substantial customer base, with millions of users and approximately 30 million secured devices, including 1.5 million paying customers. Avira's successful business model revolves around a freemium approach, which Norton intends to preserve moving forward.


2020. German security firm Avira has been acquired by Investcorp



Avira, a cybersecurity company based in Germany specializing in antivirus, identity management, and other related tools for both consumers and as a white-label solution offered by several prominent tech brands, has been acquired by Investcorp Technology Partners, the private equity division of Investcorp Bank. Investcorp aims to support Avira in its strategic plan of expanding through acquisitions as part of a broader security consolidation strategy. The objective is to facilitate the growth of Avira's product portfolio and, more importantly, its global presence. Currently, Avira operates in Asia, Europe, and to a lesser extent in the US, while Investcorp's extensive business network extends into the Middle East, providing opportunities for further geographical expansion.


2016. Avast Antivirus acquired competitor AVG



Avast, one of the most popular antivirus applications, has announced its acquisition of AVG Technologies, one of its major competitors, for a cash sum of $1.3 billion. This strategic move will provide Avast with access to a vast user base of over 400 million devices currently employing Avast or AVG's software solutions. Among these users are 250 million PC and Mac users, as well as 160 million mobile users. While the acquisition process will take a few months to complete, users can anticipate enhancements in threat detection efficiency in the near future. Avast will have the opportunity to gather more comprehensive threat data, thereby enhancing user protection across PC, Mac, mobile, and even extending its reach to Internet of Things (IoT) devices. Additionally, Avast will gain access to AVG's Zen mobile technology, which enables the protection of an entire family's devices from a single primary device. This collaboration will also enable the improvement of technical support for business users.