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Cybersecurity · head to head

Avast One vs Visual Studio

Avast One logo

Avast One

Cybersecurity

All-in-one protection for your digital life

From
Free
Free plan
Yes
Full reviewWebsite
Visual Studio logo

Visual Studio

Developer Tools

IDE for .NET and C++ development on Windows

From
Free
Free plan
Yes
Full reviewWebsite

The short version

  • Each has a real cost: Avast One ransomware and Wi-Fi vulnerability protection only on paid plans; Visual Studio community edition is free only for individual developers, classroom use, academic research and open-source contribution, not general commercial use
  • Prices and features above were last checked on 30 August 2026.

Where they differ

Only the attributes on which Avast One and Visual Studio actually diverge.

Attributes where Avast One and Visual Studio differ
AttributeAvast OneVisual Studio
Pricing modelUnknownfreemium
PlatformsWindows, macOS, iOS, AndroidWeb
CategoryCybersecurityDeveloper Tools
Founded1988Unknown

Identical on both: starting price (Free), free tier (Yes), user rating (Not yet rated).

What each one covers

Drawn from each product's published feature list. An absence here means we hold no record of it - not that the product lacks it.

Only in Avast One

  • Antivirus
  • Firewall
  • VPN
  • Data breach monitoring
  • Email Guardian
  • Webcam Shield
  • Ransomware Shield
  • Performance optimization

Only in Visual Studio

Nothing recorded that Avast One does not also cover.

What people use each for

The jobs each tool is most often brought in to do.

Avast One

  • Antivirusnot Visual Studio
  • Internet Securitynot Visual Studio
  • Privacy Toolsnot Visual Studio

Visual Studio

  • Managing complex, large-scale projects across multiple platformsnot Avast One
  • Commercial development in small businessesnot Avast One
  • DevOps and automated deployment workflowsnot Avast One
  • Windows/SQL Server developer and tester rolesnot Avast One
  • Short-term or month-to-month IDE access needsnot Avast One

Where each one falls short

Documented limitations, not opinions. Every one is a constraint you would hit in normal use.

Avast One

  • Ransomware and Wi-Fi vulnerability protection only on paid plans
  • Free plan VPN is limited, no data breakthrough monitoring
  • Rebuilt app in May 2026 may have stability issues

Visual Studio

  • Community edition is free only for individual developers, classroom use, academic research and open-source contribution, not general commercial use
  • Monthly subscriptions are $45 per user per month for Professional and $250 per user per month for Enterprise, and do not include perpetual use rights the way annual Standard subscriptions do
  • A standalone perpetually licensed Visual Studio Professional 2022 costs $499 as a one-time purchase, separate from the subscription tiers

Pricing, plan by plan

Avast One

Free
  • FreeFree
    • Antivirus
    • Limited VPN
    • Privacy tools
  • Silver$2.99/month
    • Enhanced antivirus
    • VPN
    • Device cleanup
  • Premium$4.19/month
    • Full antivirus
    • VPN with 55 servers
    • Password manager
  • Premium Plus$11.67/month
    • All Premium features
    • 30 devices covered

Visual Studio

Free

No published plan breakdown. See the Visual Studio review.

Which should you pick?

Choose Avast One if

  • You need antivirus.
  • You want to start without paying.
  • You work on Windows, macOS, iOS, Android.
  • You also want firewall.
Avast One review

Choose Visual Studio if

  • You want to start without paying.
Visual Studio review

Questions people ask

Is Avast One or Visual Studio better?
Neither clearly leads. Avast One starts at Free and Visual Studio at Free, and user ratings are close enough to be indistinguishable. Choose on capability and platform support.
Which is cheaper, Avast One or Visual Studio?
Avast One starts at Free and Visual Studio at Free.
Does Avast One or Visual Studio run on more platforms?
Avast One runs on Windows, macOS, iOS, Android. Visual Studio runs on Web.
Can I use Avast One for free?
Both have a free tier, so you can try either at no cost before committing.
What is Avast One best used for?
Avast One is most often used for antivirus, internet security, privacy tools. Of those, antivirus and internet security are not what Visual Studio is typically brought in for.
What can Avast One do that Visual Studio cannot?
Avast One covers Antivirus, Firewall, VPN, Data breach monitoring.

Answered from the vendors’ own pages

Avast One: Is Avast One free?

Yes. Avast One offers a free tier with antivirus, VPN (limited), and privacy tools. Paid plans start at $2.99/month for Silver and $4.19/month for Premium covering up to 5 devices.

Source
Visual Studio: What are the pricing differences between subscription types?

Standard subscriptions include access to more benefits, such as Azure dev/test pricing, monthly Azure individual credit, software and download access, services, training, and support. Monthly subscriptions offer flexibility but fewer benefits.

Source
Avast One: What does Avast One include?

Avast One provides antivirus, VPN, password manager, device cleanup, Wi-Fi security, data breach monitoring, and protection against AI-generated scams and deepfakes.

Source
Visual Studio: Are discounts available for startups?

There aren't any discounts available to start-ups, however an unlimited number of users within an organization can use Visual Studio Community for specific scenarios like open source work.

Source
Avast One: Does Avast One have ransomware protection?

Ransomware protection is available only on paid plans, not the free tier. Free users get antivirus and basic protection only.

Source
Visual Studio: Who can use Visual Studio Community for free?

In non-enterprise organizations, up to five users can use it. Enterprise organizations (greater than 250 PCs or greater than $1M annual revenue) cannot use it beyond academic/open-source scenarios.

Source
Visual Studio: What's the renewal pricing structure?

Enterprise standard renews at $214.09/month (after initial $499.92); Professional at $66.59/month (after $99.99).

Source
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