McAfee vs Scanguard (2026): which should you pick?
As of Nov 13, 2026, McAfee grades higher than Scanguard: 2.8 against 2.0 out of 4.0.
Checked Oct 17, 2026 and Nov 13, 2026 · graded Oct 17, 2026 and Nov 13, 2026 by ToolGPA
McAfee grades higher on the free plan, features and ease of use. They get the same grade on value for money and platforms.
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
Scanguard
Antivirus and cleanup suite for Windows, Mac and iPhone
Which one is for you
Pick McAfee if
- Fits if scam texts and phishing emails worry you more than viruses
- Works for households covering PCs, Macs and phones on one 5-device subscription
Look elsewhere if
- Skip it if you want real protection for free, as the free app only scans one device
- Pricey if you renew, as Essential goes from $39.99 to $119.99 a year
- Pricey if you go for McAfee+ Advanced, at $199.99 a year after an $89.99 first year, or $19.99 a month in the iPhone app
- Watch out: every plan renews by itself at full price, and first-year prices are for new customers only
- Watch out: McAfee says not every feature is available on every device, location or plan
Pick Scanguard if
- Fits if you want one plan covering Windows, Mac and iPhone
- Works for people who like a cleanup tool bundled with an antivirus
Look elsewhere if
- Pricey if you compare $99 a year with the $4.50 middle of this category
- Skip it if you use Android, as no app is listed
- Not for you if you want to try before you buy: no free plan or trial is on record
- Watch out: plans renew at the then-regular rate and introductory pricing may apply
- Watch out: refunds need the subscription fully terminated, 30 days on annual plans
How we grade them
| 2.8GPAMcAfeeGood | 2.0GPAScanguardFair | |
|---|---|---|
| Value for money | CEssential covers 5 devices for $39.99 the first year, then $119.99, so two years cost $159.98, about $6.67 a month. That's right at the dearer quarter of antivirus, short of the dearest tenth. The renewal is three times the first year. | C$99 a year, about $8.25 a month, near the dearest tenth of this category, which starts at $8.99, for one plan with no cheaper step. |
| 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. | FNothing free on record: no free plan and no trial, and a demo request is not a trial. A refund window is not a trial. |
| 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. | CReal-time antivirus, scheduled scans, WebShield, junk cleanup, an email breach scanner and gaming mode. The listing shows one plan only. |
| Ease of use | A4.72 from about 239,000 App Store ratings, the highest score from the biggest crowd in this category. | BNo store rating on record, but it is a consumer antivirus you install and run. |
| Platforms and integrations | BWindows, Mac, Android and iPhone. No web app, integration list or API on record, so it stops at B. | BWindows, Mac and iPhone, with no Android and no integrations. |
| Best for | scam checks and identity monitoring across devices | Windows, Mac and iPhone antivirus with a cleanup suite |
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 Scanguard. How we grade
Price against what you get
McAfee starts at $10 a month when paid by the year and scores 3.3 out of 4 on features, ease of use and platforms. Scanguard starts at $8.25 a month when paid by the year and scores 2.7.
McAfee scores higher, and starts $1.75 a month higher: the question is whether the extra is worth that to you. Of the other antivirus apps on the chart, none scores higher than McAfee for less, and 9 score higher than Scanguard 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
- McAfee also covers vPN.
- Scanguard also covers disk cleanup.
At a glance
| McAfee | Scanguard | |
|---|---|---|
| Pricing | Free plan | Paid |
| Starts at | $119.99 per year for 5 devices at renewal (Essential), after a first year at $39.99 | $99 per year |
| 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 | None listed |
| macOS | ||
| Windows | ||
| iOS | ||
| Android | ||
| Made by | McAfee, LLC | Total Security Limited |
| Price read from | mcafee.com | scanguard.com |
| Checked | Oct 17, 2026 | Nov 13, 2026 |
Worth knowing
McAfee
- First-year prices are for new customers only, and every plan renews automatically each year at its full price.
- 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.
Scanguard
- No Android app is listed; compatibility is stated as Windows 7+, macOS 10.9+ and iOS.
- Plans renew automatically at the then-regular rate, and introductory pricing may apply to first-time customers.
- Refunds require fully terminating the subscription: 30 days on annual and biannual plans, 14 days on monthly and quarterly ones.
- The pricing page shows one plan; monthly, quarterly and biannual prices were not displayed.
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.
Scanguard
- Real-time antivirus
- Scans devices continuously for malware, ransomware, spyware and phishing, plus on-demand and scheduled scans.
- WebShield
- Filters aimed at phishing and scam sites and malicious downloads, active on desktop platforms.
- Data breach monitoring
- Scans an email address and alerts you if the credentials appear in known breaches.
- Junk and speed cleanup
- Clears junk files, manages startup programs and offers a gaming mode and system boost.
- iPhone and iPad app
- The pricing page says iOS protection is included, with app-based features built for iPhone and iPad.
Plans
McAfee
Total Protection Essential$119.99
per year for 5 devices at renewal, after a first year
Core protection for five devices, with antivirus and Scam Detector. New customers pay $39.99 for the first year, then it renews at $119.99 a year.
McAfee+ Premium Individual$149.99
per year for unlimited devices at renewal, after a first year
Unlimited devices for one person, with personal info scans and 24/7 monitoring. The first year costs $49.99, then $149.99 a year.
McAfee+ Advanced Individual$199.99
per year for unlimited devices at renewal, after a first year
Adds personal info removal, bank and credit monitoring and identity restoration. The first year costs $89.99, then $199.99 a year.
Scanguard
Scanguard Premium$99
per year
Real-time antivirus, scheduled scans, WebShield, junk cleanup, email breach scanner and gaming mode.
Ways to pay less
McAfee
- Other savings
First year of Essential for $39.99
New customers pay $39.99 for the first year of Total Protection Essential, then $119.99 a year. Premium is $49.99, then $149.99, and Advanced $89.99, then $199.99.
Scanguard
No public discounts listed.
Common questions
Which is cheaper, McAfee or Scanguard?
As of Nov 13, 2026, Scanguard is cheaper to start with: $8.25 a month when paid by the year, against $10 a month when paid by the year for McAfee. McAfee starts at $119.99 per year for 5 devices at renewal (Essential), after a first year at $39.99, and Scanguard starts at $99 per year.
Which has a free plan, McAfee or Scanguard?
As of Nov 13, 2026, only McAfee has a free plan. Scanguard does not.
Which platforms do McAfee and Scanguard run on?
As of Nov 13, 2026, only McAfee lists an Android app. Both list macOS, Windows and iOS 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.