How can AVG & Avast be free?

[bellgamin]

I use AVG and like it . But it puzzles me that such a well-designed program can be FREE? I mean -- how do they make ends meet?

It's especially puzzling from the standpoint that AVG is an anti-virus porogram. Ergo, doesn't their bank account bleed because of the on-going expenses of upgrading their program & developing new virus defns?

I can understand how it works with Zone Alarm. Their free version has made them a household name, resulting [I think] in high sales volume for their non-free stuff.

But I just don't see a similar situation with AVG. That not only puzzles me, but it troubles me as well. I mean, I would hate for them to go belly-up. Is there something I'm missing here?

Aloha from Hawaii,
Bellgamin

[spy1]

Welcome to the forum, bellgamin!

If you'll go to the main page of AVG's site: http://www.grisoft.com/html/us_index.htm?session=7976c85811b0dfb77d31777d530dcd6e , and click on "Products" , you'll see that not only is there also a "pay" version of AVG, but that they also have many 'enterprise' (business) products and other services.

That's how they pay the bills. HTH Pete

[Technodrome]

-{ Quote: " quoting: bellgamin link=board=24;threadid=2769;start=0#18698 date=1028270446]
I can understand how it works with Zone Alarm. Their free version has made them a household name, resulting [I think] in high sales volume for their non-free stuff.

" }-

You said it yourself! It's a part of marketing strategy! To make people familiar with the name of brand.


Technodrome

[Tinribs]

AVG does have a good looking interface,but to spur me into buying their product it would need to be alot more effective in detection first.

[bellgamin]

Yes, I was aware of AVG's pay version. However...

1) I couldn't discern any overriding benefit that is present in AVG's pay version, as contrasted with their free version. Are there any?

2) In the case of Zone Alarm, free versus paid versions, they made the advantages of the paid version VERY evident.

3) Another difference is this: ZA's free version has earned them a good reputation, thereby motivating people to want to buy. AVG's free version, on the other hand, has had the opposite effect -- as witness the comment by tinribs.

[I for one feel that AVG's poor reputation is unfair. I have used AVG for quite a while. It has repulsed numerous attempts at the crotch regions of my cyber-person. I have NEVER been infected.]

Aloha from Hawaii,
Bellgamin

[Detox]

Well mate I do believe the main thing that the pay version of AVG (I am also a user, and indeed a believer!) is that it can be used by a for-profit company, etc, is it not?

So if you have AVG at home and you love it, then when your company (whether you own it or have some input in decisions) is looking for one you are likely to come up with the name. Heck, even if AVG was no good whatsoever and it's the onyl one YOU happen to know, it's the name that'll come up.

I don't think AVG is one of the better AV proggies btw, but I think it is the best of the free ones.