I am having the same problem with the November avast version. I used Soda PDF since 2019 with no issues until then. I submitted a "support package" to document akk the work I did to "allow", "except", and "restore". But since this new version of avast considers Soda PDF "adware" it blocks it.
AS others have indicated, the Soda PDF program has ads, just as many as avast, and just as many as Adobe.
But avast does not block Adobe as "adware"...................................