Avast, today's largest vendor of security software, has acquired Piriform, a UK-based company that is behind many successful desktop and mobile apps, such as CCleaner, Recuva, Speccy, and Defraggler.
The acquisition was announced today in a press release and on the blogs of both companies, but no financial details are currently available.
Piriform is a privately held company based in London, UK, founded back in 2004. The company's claim to fame is its CCleaner application, a very popular OS optimization utility with versions for Windows, Mac, and Android.
According to Piriform, CCleaner has over 130 million users on desktop and over 15 million users on mobile. In November 2016, Piriform announced that CCleaner had surpassed two billion downloads, making it one of the most popular pieces of software worldwide, with over 23 million downloads each month.
Based in the Czech Republic, Avast is a cyber-security powerhouse. An OPSWAT report detailing anti-malware market share places Avast at the top of the antivirus mountain with an estimated market share of 20.48%, as of June 2017.
In July 2016, Avast announced plans to buy fellow antivirus maker AVG for $1.3 billion. At the time of the acquisition, AVG was the third-ranked anti-malware product.
In its Piriform acquisition announcement, Avast said it plans to continue to offer CCleaner as a standalone product. Avast already offers two other system optimization utilities, Avast Cleanup and AVG TuneUp.
The acquisition looks like a smart move from Avast to strengthen and consolidate its position in the tune-up utility market.
There is hope among CCleaner users that Avast might do away with the toolbars that currently come bundled with CCleaner.
Comments
inkoalawetrust - 6 years ago
I don't hate Avast (Otherwise i wouldn't be using it.) but im sure that they'll destroy CCleaner and all of the other Piriform products.
JohnC_21 - 6 years ago
I wonder how long it will be before avast wraps ccleaner and recuva into avast and kills the standalones. Avast is owned by a couple of private equity firms whose whole purpose is to make a profit. Guess I will be looking a bleachbit.
cjgiam - 6 years ago
"Strengthen & consolidate its position in the tune-up utility market"?
What a nice way to say it's in the process of creating a monopoly. 1st AVG & now Piriform.
CCleaner has been an excellent "goto" cleaner & I hope Avast doesn't destroy it. Same goes for Recuva, Speccy, and Defraggler, all of which I have used extensively. The venture capitalists who control Avast (as stated by JohnC_21) couldn't care less about the company, it's customers or the internet community. Avast has become bloatware since the AVG merger & I suspect the same destruction of CCleaner. What a shame.
malwaredpc - 6 years ago
"According to Piriform, CCleaner has over 130 million users on desktop and over 15 million users on mobile."
I don't think so... How many are then on portable PCs?
MadmanRB - 6 years ago
Prepare for the bundled in adware then!
buddy215 - 6 years ago
MadmanRB...Yep...when I saw this...my first thought is all should turn off CCleaner's access to the internet it uses to "check for updates".
Someone mentioned BleachBit....I've used it in both Windows and Linux. Works the same as CCleaner as far as removing temporary files, logs, cookies, etc. and will vacuum Firefox and Chrome. The big difference is the other tools in CCleaner. They come in handy.
kenhall5551 - 6 years ago
This takeover(merger) is just more evidence that the Internet is NOT a better place because of it. From Microsoft, to other giants like Google and now add Avast to the list, Corporate monopolies are alive and well. Great if you are a stock holder, but terrible if you are a user.
P3PP3R - 6 years ago
A couple of years ago I had the paid version of Avast on 5 computers, loved it. Then they started installing programs on my computers without my consent or knowledge. I removed it quickly with 6 months remaining.
I don't look forward to the ruination of Piriform. I love CCleaner.
Catalin you do great work everyday getting the news out quickly, thank you.
xrobwx - 6 years ago
Wise makes some pretty good tools.
WieMe - 6 years ago
I've used Piriform's tools for years professionally, so this is a sad day for me. No doubt Avast will find some obnoxious ways to aggressively monetize these tools and turn them full fubar. :-(
PatMan1971 - 5 years ago
Greetings, Professor Falken, and fellow Long Time Users of Piriform Software. I've been using the Great "Crap Cleaner" ever since Windows 98 with no problems, until the last update when it mysteriously closed after booting "My Precious!" I kept wondering "Why would it suddenly close and NOT clean my HDD, even if the OPTIONS setting, "RUN When Computer Starts is Checked?" This was giving me a headache, and was appalled at this and had seen news that Avast, another "Fine" Antivirus Company, which I prefer to AVG, whom initially, you could have included Sub-Folders in their Exlusions, and then after awhile, when software engineers "Love to Change Things," you couldn't, had bought Piriform... THANX!!
So, after a week, I left my Trusty CCleaner and went to Puran Utilities, which is also good, IMO. Then I saw something in the Registry Cleaner Options that I really never noticed. There is a tick to clean the Run at Startup. Thought to myself, maybe this is preventing CCleaner to engage upon boot, and also a nasty thought about Avast Taking Control of CCleaner. Maybe, Avast wants to know What-You've-Got-Under-the-Hood even more so!
SO, after the headache, I had told CCleaner to NOT Run at Startup in the Registry Cleaner (uncheck the tick) and Avast NOT TO SCAN CCleaner folder under Exclusions, Rebooted, and BAM! CCleaner is NOW cleaning HDD when booting. Problem Fixed B)\~ (peace pipe)
Word-Warrior - 3 years ago
I have/had used PIRIFORM products since their 2004 beginnings and Crap Cleaner & Speccy were always on every PC I ever built. Way back in the day when they/you could call CCleaner by its proper name, 'CRAP CLEANER', it was a breath of fresh air but, sadly the nothing else better to do with their lives PC brigade complained about the Crap in Cleaner.
They obviously were all too stupid to have heard of the man (a plumber from England)who improved their use of toilets 1000%. His name was Thomas Crapper, Born:September 28, 1836, Waterside, Thorne, Yorkshire, England, United Kingdom Died:January 27, 1910, Anerley, Bromley, England, United Kingdom. The name was therefore not offensive; . The offense came from the powers that be who forced the change upon the 'PIRIFORM' company and people).
I mention the above because with the AVAST acquisition the once non problematic free-flow actions of the Crap Cleaner software was crapped on. Within less than a month, or so, of takeover AVAST turned the PIRIFORM flagship product into a completely Crapper product once again...PUN INTENDED! I uninstalled all PIRIFORM software straight away upon hearing the sad news.
CATALIN said: The acquisition looks like a smart move from Avast to strengthen and consolidate its position in the tune-up utility market.
I SAY: NO its NOT! The company is well known for its dishonest practices so all its done is buy out a company with a huge client base so that they can reach and wreak havoc whilst intruding on more peoples machines. Thus the Equity based group management team and the greedy shareholders dishonestly become even richer! AVAST is a BAD company, has no scruples, promotes dishonesty etc, etc, etc!. Greedy people never do and they do NOT CARE about the little people!
CATALIN said: There is hope among CCleaner users that Avast might do away with the toolbars that currently come bundled with CCleaner.
I SAY: I think the users he is talking about are most like to be a small few of his colleagues chatting about the takeover during lunch or cocktails; and maybe a couple of industry folk at the most. The vast amount of Crap Cleaner users use it because they are knowledgeable about/of it so, I very much doubt any of them are saying, "Ooh. Wouldn't it be lovely if they removed those unpleasant toolbars...blah, blah, blah!" Its more likely that they are uninstalling the software with a sad regret (whilst cursing Avast vehemently) and are looking for a unfettered replacement.
I thank you for your report anyway Catalin but, it comes across as though you are writing with your hands tied!