Only the Avast Free Edition checks for updates to your programs. If one of them is out-dated, Avast Software Updater notifies you that it’s out-dated and it needs an update. Once you click on the software that is out-dated, Avast Software Updater sends you to the publisher website so you can download the up-to-date software.

In the Premier version of Avast it does the opposite of Free Edition. It automatically updates your software if it’s out-dated, you don’t need to do anything!

I don’t see why that’s worse?