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No. McAfee and AVG are separate security brands under different ownership. AVG belongs to Gen Digital, the company formed after Avast merged with NortonLifeLock; McAfee was acquired separately by an investor group led by Advent International and Permira in 2022. AVG and Avast share a parent company, but that does not establish that their apps are identical.
Who owns AVG and McAfee?
AVG is part of Gen Digital. McAfee is a separate company, not a parent or sister brand in the AVG–Avast–Gen chain documented by the companies’ announcements and filings.
| Brand | Ownership relationship | What the record establishes |
|---|---|---|
| AVG | Gen Digital | Avast acquired AVG in 2016; Avast later merged with NortonLifeLock, and the resulting company became Gen Digital. Avast’s 2016 announcement and Gen’s SEC filing document those steps. |
| Avast | Gen Digital | Avast and AVG remain distinct consumer brands within the Gen group, as described in Avast’s company history. |
| McAfee | Separate from Gen Digital | An investor group led by Advent International and Permira completed its acquisition of McAfee in 2022, in a separate transaction. See McAfee’s acquisition announcement. |
How the companies’ paths diverged
AVG joined Avast in 2016
Avast said the two companies would operate as one company from October 3, 2016, while continuing to offer and support products under both the AVG and Avast names. That describes a corporate combination and continued branding; it does not say every product was the same.
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Gen’s SEC filing says its merger with Avast closed on September 12, 2022, and that the company’s name became Gen Digital Inc. Avast’s current company overview lists AVG among the brands in the group.
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McAfee had a separate 2022 acquisition
McAfee’s 2022 acquisition by an investor group was not part of the transaction that formed Gen Digital. McAfee describes its consumer-security business on its company page.
Does AVG belong to McAfee?
No. The documented corporate chain is AVG to Avast to Gen Digital. McAfee’s ownership transaction was separate. The available company announcements and filings therefore support treating McAfee and AVG as separate companies and brands, not as products from the same parent company.
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- THREAT DETECTION – Stay one step ahead. Suspicious links, risky sites, viruses, and scams, caught automatically before they reach you.
- PERSONAL INFO PROTECTION – Keep your personal info safer. Identity monitoring watches for your exposed info and tells you what to do about it.
- SECURE CONNECTIONS – Just a few clicks, and your info stays protected on public Wi-Fi every time you connect.
- PERSONAL DATA SCANS – Take your info off the market. We’ll find your personal information on sites selling it, then guide you on how to remove it.
- SOCIAL PRIVACY MANAGER – Decide what you share. McAfee finds the privacy settings buried in your social accounts and fixes them.
Are AVG and Avast the same antivirus?
They share a parent company, but common ownership alone does not prove that the AVG and Avast applications have identical code, features, prices, or independent test results. Avast’s 2016 announcement explicitly said both brands would continue, and AVG’s product privacy notice, updated August 26, 2026, lists AVG Antivirus Free and AVG Internet Security as official product names: AVG product privacy notice.
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For current legal documentation, AVG and Avast privacy pages point to Gen group privacy documentation. Both identify Avast Software s.r.o. as the controller for their products in the European Economic Area unless otherwise stipulated by contract. This wording describes the stated EEA context; it should not be generalized to every country or agreement. See the AVG privacy page and Avast privacy policy.
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- ONGOING PROTECTION Install protection for up to 3 PCs, Macs, iOS & Android devices - A card with product key code will be mailed to you (select ‘Download’ option for instant activation code)
- TOP-PERFORMING VPN Faster speeds, more server locations, and greater connection control to protect your privacy across all your devices, including Smart TVs.
- ADVANCED SCAM PROTECTION Help spot hidden scams online. With the built-in Genie AI assistant, you’ll never wonder if a message or email is suspicious again.
- REAL-TIME PROTECTION Advanced security protects against existing and emerging malware threats, including ransomware and viruses, and it won’t slow down your device performance.
- DARK WEB MONITORING Identity thieves can buy or sell your information on websites and forums. We search the dark web and notify you should your information be found.
What to compare if you are choosing antivirus software
Ownership answers who is behind a brand, not which product is the better fit. Compare the exact products and terms available to you rather than inferring performance or value from company structure.
- Features: Check what the specific plan includes; brand-level assumptions can miss differences between tiers.
- Compatibility and limits: Confirm supported operating systems and how many devices the plan covers.
- Cost and renewal: Check the price and renewal terms for your country, not just an introductory offer shown elsewhere.
- Independent testing: Look for recent results that identify the exact product and version tested. The company and ownership sources cited here do not establish comparative malware-protection performance for AVG versus McAfee.
- Privacy: Read the applicable privacy notice for the product and jurisdiction you use.
McAfee announced a connected security experience on September 29, 2026, describing it as available in the United States across platforms and devices. That is a vendor-reported, U.S.-specific product announcement, not a comparison with AVG: McAfee’s announcement.
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- SECURE YOUR ACCOUNTS — generate and store complex passwords with a password manager
- AWARD-WINNING ANTIVIRUS — rest easy knowing McAfee will notify you of risky websites and protect you from the latest threats
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Product prices and availability are accurate as of the date/time indicated and are subject to change. Any price and availability information displayed on Amazon at the time of purchase will apply.
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