Certo AntiSpy vs Norton 360 (2026): which should you pick?
As of Nov 13, 2026, we pick Norton 360: it is third in our ranking of antivirus apps, and it grades higher too, 2.8 against 2.2.
Checked Oct 17, 2026 and Nov 13, 2026 · graded Oct 17, 2026 and Nov 13, 2026 by ToolGPA
Norton 360 grades higher on features, ease of use and platforms. They get the same grade on value for money and the free plan.
Price, platforms and features side by side. The table says where each price was read and when.
Certo AntiSpy
Spyware scanning and privacy checks for iPhone and Android
Norton 360
Antivirus suite with VPN, password manager and PC cloud backup
Which one is for you
Pick Certo AntiSpy if
- Fits if you suspect a stalkerware app on your phone
- Works for people who want a check done on iPhone or Android only
Look elsewhere if
- Pricey if you want Premium Plus with the VPN, at $84.99 a year
- Skip it if you want protection for a computer, as it covers phones only
- Watch out: the deep spyware scan on iPhone needs a computer
- Watch out: Android prices differ from the App Store figures recorded
- Tight if you stay on the free tier, which does less on iPhone than on Android
Pick Norton 360 if
- Fits if you want your PC's files backed up by the same app that guards it
- Works for US buyers who want identity theft cover with their antivirus, on the LifeLock plans
Look elsewhere if
- Pricey if you renew, as Deluxe goes from $39.99 to $104.99 a year for 5 devices, and Standard from $34.99 to $84.99
- Not for you if you're on a Mac and want the cloud backup or Norton Family parental controls
- Skip it if you want something free, as there's no free version and the iPhone app's trial is 7 days
- Watch out: Norton's order pages show different first-year prices in different sections, and its main site refused our reader
- Tight if you're outside the US and want LifeLock, as it relies on US credit bureaus and an identity check first
How we grade them
| 2.2GPACerto AntiSpyFair | 2.8GPANorton 360Good | |
|---|---|---|
| Value for money | CPremium is $59.99 a year, or $8.99 a month, on the App Store, between the middle and the dearer quarter of this category. Premium Plus is $84.99. | 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 | CA free tier with a vulnerability scan and health check on iPhone, and spyware detection on Android, plus a 7-day trial of the paid plans. | 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 | CSpyware detection and privacy checks. It does that one job on phones and covers no computers; the deep iPhone scan needs a computer. | 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, but it is an app you install and run with little setup. | A4.7 from about 183,000 App Store ratings, which meets the line for an A: 4.7 or better from at least 1,000 ratings. |
| Platforms and integrations | CiPhone, iPad and Android only. No Windows or Mac apps. | 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 | checking an iPhone or Android phone for spyware | 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: Certo AntiSpy and Norton 360. How we grade
Price against what you get
Certo AntiSpy starts at $5 a month when paid by the year and scores 2.3 out of 4 on features, ease of use and platforms. Norton 360 starts at $7.08 a month when paid by the year and scores 3.3.
Norton 360 scores higher, and starts $2.08 a month higher: the question is whether the extra is worth that to you. Of the other antivirus apps on the chart, 12 score higher than Certo AntiSpy for less, and none scores higher than Norton 360 for less.
Features, ease of use and platforms, averaged
What paid plans start at, a month (each step along is roughly double) →
- The best score at each price
- Has a free plan
- No free plan
Where they differ
- Norton 360 also covers password manager and ad and tracker blocking.
At a glance
| Certo AntiSpy | Norton 360 | |
|---|---|---|
| Pricing | Free plan | Free trial |
| Starts at | $8.99 per month, or $59.99 per year (Premium, App Store prices) | $84.99 per year at renewal (Standard, 1 device), after a first year from $34.99 |
| Free plan | AntiSpy free tier: vulnerability scan, security health check and WiFi protection on iPhone; spyware detection, threat removal and privacy audit on Android. | None |
| Free trial | 7-day free trial for new users on the App Store subscriptions. | 30-day trial on Norton's US order pages; the iPhone app offers 7 days with an annual plan |
| macOS | ||
| Windows | ||
| iOS | ||
| Android | ||
| Made by | Certo Software | Gen Digital Inc. |
| Price read from | apps.apple.com | buy-static.norton.com |
| Checked | Nov 13, 2026 | Oct 17, 2026 |
Worth knowing
Certo AntiSpy
- Mobile only: the product pages cover iPhone (and iPad) and Android, not Windows or Mac.
- The deep spyware scan on iPhone needs a computer.
- The App Store prices are the ones recorded; Google Play shows a range of $4.99 to $49.99 per item, so Android prices differ.
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
Certo AntiSpy
- Threat scanner
- A security health check that flags risks and vulnerabilities and gives steps to fix them.
- Deep spyware scan
- Premium's deeper iPhone scan needs a computer, according to the site's footnote.
- Intruder detection
- Sounds an alarm or takes a photo when someone tries to unlock the phone.
- Breach check
- Checks whether passwords and personal details appear in a data breach or on the dark web.
- VPN
- Included with Premium Plus; the App Store listing says it also blocks ads and trackers.
- Security and privacy checklist
- Tips for locking down the device and Apple account, with a checklist to track progress.
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
Certo AntiSpy
AntiSpy$0
Free tier with vulnerability scan, security health check and WiFi protection on iPhone.
Premium$59.99
per year, billed yearly ($8.99 billed monthly), App Store prices
Adds deep spyware scan (needs a computer), intruder detection and breach check; 7-day free trial for new users.
Premium Plus$84.99
per year, billed yearly ($12.99 billed monthly), App Store prices
Everything in Premium plus Certo Secure VPN; 7-day free trial for new users.
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
Certo AntiSpy
- Annual discount
Save with yearly billing
The Certo plan page says yearly billing saves 44% on iPhone and 58% on Android compared with monthly.
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.
Common questions
Which is cheaper, Certo AntiSpy or Norton 360?
As of Nov 13, 2026, Certo AntiSpy is cheaper to start with: $5 a month when paid by the year, against $7.08 a month when paid by the year for Norton 360. Certo AntiSpy starts at $8.99 per month, or $59.99 per year (Premium, App Store prices), and Norton 360 starts at $84.99 per year at renewal (Standard, 1 device), after a first year from $34.99.
Which has a free plan, Certo AntiSpy or Norton 360?
As of Nov 13, 2026, only Certo AntiSpy has a free plan. Norton 360 does not, though it has a free trial.
Which platforms do Certo AntiSpy and Norton 360 run on?
As of Nov 13, 2026, only Norton 360 lists macOS and Windows apps. Both list iOS and Android apps. A platform missing from a listing is one its maker's pages did not mention.
More comparisons
How this page was made
- The verdict at the top follows a fixed rule. When both tools are in the same category and either is in our top three for it, the verdict follows that ranking: the higher-placed tool is our pick. The top three weigh who each tool suits as well as its grades, so a pick can go against the GPA. Otherwise the page does not pick one and says which grades higher: the higher GPA first; on a tie, the one with a free plan, then the one that starts cheaper in dollars a month, counted the same way for both; if they are still level, what the choice depends on.
- The grades are our own, from each tool’s review or report card. The GPA is their average.
- Prices, plans and platforms come from each tool’s listing. The table above says where each price was read and when.
- The differences and the answers to the questions are worked out from those listings.