Avast subscriptions are confusing and misleading by design?

Avast Account / Subscriptions
1

Why does Avast make it so difficult to manage subscriptions?
It starts with the fact that they removed the button to cancel auto-renewal and replaced it with an “unsubscribe” button, which, as explained in a modal, only cancels the entire subscription, not just the auto-renewal.

On top of that, auto-renewal charges the payment more than a month in advance, so the new subscription starts over a month before the previous one actually expires.

They also make it harder to understand when your subscription actually ends. They removed the subscription end date and only show the next scheduled payment date.

Doesn’t this border on being a scam?

I’ve been trying to reach support via chat, but I’ve been left waiting there for almost two hours now.

2

First, I’m an Avast user and not an Avast Team member and I only use Avast Antivirus Free, so I don’t have personal experience of this.

This is just cancelling your payment mandate and your current subscription should still be valid until the end date.

1 Like
3

I checked the link you provided, and according to Avast’s own documentation, auto-renewal must be cancelled up to 35 days before the subscription expires.

20260209_Avast
20260209_Avast500×260 13.4 KB

If I look at my account page, the next payment date is shown as December 31, 1969 (as shown in the screenshot). There is no real or valid expiration date displayed anymore, only a “next payment date” that clearly makes no sense.

Following this article:https://support.avast.com/en-ww/article/account-unsubscribe/

The examples shown there clearly state that “you will be able to continue using your products until the expiration date”.

image
image653×618 59.2 KB

That information is no longer shown anywhere in the current interface,

image
image493×479 31.4 KB
image
image491×523 79 KB

Instead of explaining what will happen to the subscription or confirming the remaining validity period, the dialog now focuses on listing the benefits of staying subscribed.mAt the final step, before confirming anything, instead of a clear explanation of the consequences, the UI simply redirects the user to contact support.

So the issue is not that cancelling is impossible, but that:

  • The subscription end date is no longer clearly displayed

  • The next payment date shown is invalid (1969)

  • The UI no longer explains what happens after unsubscribing

  • Critical information has been replaced with marketing messages and support redirects

This makes it unnecessarily confusing to understand the real status of the subscription and how auto-renewal actually works. These changes give the impression that information is being deliberately obscured. The design choices appear intentional and focused on retention rather than transparency.

Again, I appreciate the information you shared and the time you took to respond. My concern is not with your explanation, but with how Avast has been changing the way subscriptions are handled, making the process less transparent.

1 Like
4

You’re welcome.

I’m only sorry that it didn’t bear fruit. I will try and draw some Avast team attention to it.