Avast vs McAfee
We give Avast a 3.0 GPA and McAfee a 2.8, out of 4.0. Avast grades higher on the free plan. McAfee grades higher on ease of use. They get the same grade on value for money, features and platforms.
Price, platforms and features side by side. The table says where each price was read and when.
Avast
Free antivirus for PC, Mac and phones, with paid Premium and Ultimate
Free plan
McAfee
Antivirus, VPN and identity monitoring for PCs, Macs and phones
Free plan
How we grade them
| 3.0GPAAvastVery good | 2.8GPAMcAfeeGood | |
|---|---|---|
| Value for money | CNo prices on record: avast.com turned our reader away, so there's no two-year figure for a household, and C is the grade for no stated price. Note that Premium Security leaves out the VPN and Cleanup Premium, which cost extra unless you buy Ultimate. | CNo plan prices on record: mcafee.com turned our reader away, so there's no two-year figure for a household, and C is the grade for no stated price. The only price we have is McAfee+ Advanced in the iPhone app, $199.99 a year or $19.99 a month. |
| Free plan and trial | AAvast Free Antivirus gives real-time file, behavior and web shields, ransomware protection, a firewall and network scans, and there are free apps for Mac, Android and iPhone too. Most people won't hit a wall. | CThe free McAfee Security app covers one device with a Wi-Fi scan, an identity scan and a system scan. That's a look, not protection: safe browsing, the VPN and scam detection all need a paid plan. |
| Features | BReal-time shields, ransomware protection and a firewall even when free, then Bank Mode, Email Guard, Deepfake Guard, a sandbox and webcam blocking on Premium. Nothing in the listing shows a gap in the core protection. | BScam Detector for texts and emails, safe browsing, a VPN from the Basic plan up, breach alerts for up to 10 emails and cards, and on McAfee+ data broker cleanup and $1M identity theft cover. McAfee notes not every feature is on every device. |
| Ease of use | BNo store rating on record. You install it and the shields start working, and everything sits in the one Avast One app. | A4.72 from about 239,000 App Store ratings, the highest score from the biggest crowd in this category. |
| Platforms and integrations | BWindows, Mac, Android, iPhone and a browser extension, with Multi-Device covering up to 10. No web app or API on record, so it stops at B. | BWindows, Mac, Android and iPhone. No web app, integration list or API on record, so it stops at B. |
| Best for | real-time antivirus without paying | scam checks and identity monitoring across devices |
The GPA is the average of the five grades: an A is 4 points, an F is none. The full reasons are on each tool's page: Avast and McAfee. How we grade
Where they differ
- Only Avast lists a browser extension.
In commonFree planWindowsmacOSAndroidiOSVPNMalware protection
At a glance
| Avast | McAfee | |
|---|---|---|
| Pricing | Free plan | Free plan |
| Starts at | Not published | Not published |
| Free plan | Avast Free Antivirus: real-time file, behavior and web shields, ransomware protection, network scans, a firewall and Smart Scan. Free apps exist for Mac, Android and iOS. | The free McAfee Security mobile app covers one device with a Wi-Fi scan, an identity scan and a system scan. |
| Free trial | None listed | None listed |
| macOS | ||
| Windows | ||
| iOS | ||
| Android | ||
| Browser extension | ||
| Made by | Gen Digital Inc. | McAfee, LLC |
| Price read from | Not confirmed | Not confirmed |
| Checked | Oct 17, 2026 | Oct 17, 2026 |
Who each one suits
Avast
- Windows users who want real-time antivirus without paying
- Households protecting up to 10 devices on mixed platforms
- People who want antivirus, VPN and PC cleanup from one vendor
McAfee
- Households that want one subscription across PCs, Macs and phones
- People who want scam text and email checks alongside antivirus
- Buyers who want identity monitoring and data broker cleanup in the same plan
Worth knowing
Avast
- Avast's website refused automated reads on 2026-10-17, so its plan prices are not listed here; check avast.com before buying.
- Premium Security does not include the VPN or Cleanup Premium; each needs its own subscription unless you buy Avast Ultimate.
- Premium Security is sold for one device or as Multi-Device for up to 10 across Windows, Mac, Android and iOS.
- Paid subscriptions renew automatically, and some trials ask for a payment method before they start.
McAfee
- McAfee's website refused automated reads on 2026-10-17, so its plan prices are not listed here; check mcafee.com before buying.
- In the iPhone app, McAfee+ Advanced is sold as an in-app subscription at $199.99 a year or $19.99 a month.
- The free app only scans; safe browsing, the VPN and scam detection need a paid plan.
- McAfee notes that not every feature is available on every device, location or plan.
Key features
Avast
- Core Shields
- File, Behavior and Web shields scan files, watch running programs and block harmful sites in real time, on the free version as well as the paid one.
- Ransomware Shield and firewall
- The free antivirus includes a Ransomware Shield, a firewall, Network Inspector for home network checks, and Hack Alerts when your logins leak online.
- Bank Mode and Real Site
- Premium Security opens banking and payment sites in an isolated virtual desktop and guards against DNS hijacking that swaps a real site for a fake one.
- Email Guard and Deepfake Guard
- Premium Security scans web-based email for phishing and uses AI to flag synthetic voices and videos used in scams.
- Sandbox and webcam protection
- Premium Security can run suspicious programs in a sandbox, blocks apps from using the webcam, and shreds files beyond recovery.
- Avast Ultimate bundle
- Ultimate unlocks Premium Security together with Avast VPN, Cleanup Premium and AntiTrack. Bought alone, the VPN and Cleanup need their own subscriptions.
McAfee
- Scam Detector
- Flags risky texts and emails, explains what is wrong with them, and blocks harmful sites even after an accidental click.
- Secure VPN
- Encrypts traffic on public Wi-Fi and lets you connect through other countries. Included from the Basic Protection plan up.
- Safe browsing and device scans
- Blocks malicious websites automatically, scans the device and Wi-Fi networks for risks, and guides you through fixing what it finds.
- Identity and credit monitoring
- Watches for up to 10 email addresses, ID numbers, passport numbers and bank cards in breaches; McAfee+ adds transaction and credit monitoring.
- Personal data and account cleanup
- McAfee+ Advanced finds sites selling your information and old online accounts, and can ask for removal or delete them for you.
- Identity theft coverage
- Higher plans include $1M identity theft coverage, restoration help from a licensed professional, and security freeze and credit lock tools.
Plans
Avast
Pricing could not be confirmed. See avast.com.
McAfee
Pricing could not be confirmed. See mcafee.com.
