Avast vs Norton 360
We give Avast a 3.0 GPA and Norton 360 a 2.8, out of 4.0. Avast grades higher on the free plan. Norton 360 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
Norton 360
Antivirus suite with VPN, password manager and PC cloud backup
Free trial · from $84.99/yr
How we grade them
| 3.0GPAAvastVery good | 2.8GPANorton 360Good | |
|---|---|---|
| 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. | CDeluxe covers 5 devices for $39.99 the first year and $104.99 the next, so $144.98 over two years, about $6 a month. That's above the middle of antivirus apps but short of the dearest tenth. |
| 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. | CA 30-day trial on Norton's US order pages, and the listing doesn't say whether it wants a card. The iPhone app gives 7 days with an annual plan. There's no free version. |
| 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. | BReal-time protection on four platforms, a VPN for every device on the plan, a password manager, PC cloud backup and parental controls, plus a refund if its experts can't remove a virus. The gaps are on Mac, which gets no backup and no Norton Family. |
| 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. | A4.7 from about 183,000 App Store ratings. That's a huge crowd, and a happy one. |
| 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. Cloud backup is for Windows PCs only, and there's no API or integration list on record, so it stops at B. |
| Best for | real-time antivirus without paying | antivirus, a VPN and PC backup in one |
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 Norton 360. How we grade
Where they differ
- Avast has a free plan. Norton 360 does not, though it has a free trial.
- Only Avast lists a browser extension.
- Norton 360 also covers password manager and ad and tracker blocking.
In commonWindowsmacOSAndroidiOSVPNMalware protection
At a glance
| Avast | Norton 360 | |
|---|---|---|
| Pricing | Free plan | Free trial |
| Starts at | Not published | $84.99 per year at renewal (Standard, 1 device), after a first year from $34.99 |
| 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. | None |
| Free trial | None listed | 30-day trial on Norton's US order pages; the iPhone app offers 7 days with an annual plan |
| macOS | ||
| Windows | ||
| iOS | ||
| Android | ||
| Browser extension | ||
| Made by | Gen Digital Inc. | Gen Digital Inc. |
| Price read from | Not confirmed | buy-static.norton.com |
| 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
Norton 360
- Households that want antivirus, a VPN and a password manager in one subscription
- Windows users who want their files backed up to the cloud by their security app
- US buyers who want identity theft cover alongside device protection
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.
Norton 360
- Prices come from one of Norton's US order pages, where first-year prices vary between sections; the main site refused automated reads on 2026-10-17.
- Norton's order pages say plans are priced for an introductory term and then renew automatically at a higher renewal price.
- Cloud backup is for Windows PCs, and Norton Family parental controls do not work on Mac.
- LifeLock identity features rely on US credit bureaus such as Equifax and need your identity verified first.
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.
Norton 360
- Real-time device protection
- Protects against ransomware, viruses, spyware and other malware on Windows, Mac, Android and iOS, with Norton's Virus Protection Promise of a refund if its experts cannot remove a virus.
- Secure VPN and ad-tracker blocker
- Norton 360 plans include a VPN for as many devices as the plan covers, plus anonymous browsing and blocking of advertising trackers.
- PC cloud backup
- Plans include cloud storage for backing up files from a Windows PC, from 2 GB on the smallest plans up to 500 GB on Ultimate Plus.
- Password manager and parental controls
- A password manager is included, and Deluxe and higher plans add Norton Family parental controls, which are not supported on Mac.
- Scam protection on phones
- The mobile apps check web pages, text messages and email for scams, and the iPhone app blocks scam and junk calls. Norton Genie answers safety questions.
- LifeLock identity protection
- Norton 360 with LifeLock plans add SSN and credit alerts, credit monitoring from one or three bureaus, and stolen funds reimbursement of up to $25,000 to $1 million.
Plans
Avast
Pricing could not be confirmed. See avast.com.
Norton 360
Norton 360 Standard$84.99
per year for 1 device at renewal, after a first year
Antivirus, VPN and password manager for one device. Norton's US order page shows the first year from $34.99, then $84.99 a year.
Norton 360 Deluxe$104.99
per year for up to 5 devices at renewal, after a first year
The same protection on up to 5 devices, with cloud backup and parental controls. First year from $39.99 on Norton's US order page.
Ways to pay less
Avast
No public discounts listed.
Norton 360
- Other savings
Cheaper first year
Norton's US order page shows Norton 360 Standard from $34.99 and Deluxe from $39.99 for the first year, before renewing at $84.99 and $104.99.
