McAfee vs Norton 360
We give McAfee and Norton 360 the same GPA: 2.8 out of 4.0. They get the same grade on all five counts.
Price, platforms and features side by side. The table says where each price was read and when.
McAfee
Antivirus, VPN and identity monitoring for PCs, Macs and phones
Free plan
Norton 360
Antivirus suite with VPN, password manager and PC cloud backup
Free trial · from $84.99/yr
How we grade them
| 2.8GPAMcAfeeGood | 2.8GPANorton 360Good | |
|---|---|---|
| Value for money | 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. | 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 | 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. | 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 | 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. | 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 | A4.72 from about 239,000 App Store ratings, the highest score from the biggest crowd in this category. | A4.7 from about 183,000 App Store ratings. That's a huge crowd, and a happy one. |
| Platforms and integrations | BWindows, Mac, Android and iPhone. No web app, integration list 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 | scam checks and identity monitoring across devices | 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: McAfee and Norton 360. How we grade
Where they differ
- McAfee has a free plan. Norton 360 does not, though it has a free trial.
- Norton 360 also covers password manager and ad and tracker blocking.
In commonWindowsmacOSAndroidiOSVPNMalware protection
At a glance
| McAfee | 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 | The free McAfee Security mobile app covers one device with a Wi-Fi scan, an identity scan and a system scan. | 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 | ||
| Made by | McAfee, LLC | Gen Digital Inc. |
| Price read from | Not confirmed | buy-static.norton.com |
| Checked | Oct 17, 2026 | Oct 17, 2026 |
Who each one suits
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
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
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.
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
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.
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
McAfee
Pricing could not be confirmed. See mcafee.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
McAfee
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.
