McAfee vs TotalAV
We give McAfee a 2.8 GPA and TotalAV a 2.0, out of 4.0. McAfee grades higher on value for money, the free plan and ease of use. They get the same grade on features 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
Free plan
TotalAV
Antivirus with tune-up tools, plus VPN and ad blocking on higher plans
From $99/yr
How we grade them
| 2.8GPAMcAfeeGood | 2.0GPATotalAVFair | |
|---|---|---|
| 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. | DFive devices means Internet Security, $129 a year for up to 6, so two years cost $258, about $10.75 a month. That's in the dearest tenth of antivirus. Plus covers 4 for $99 a year, and identity protection is a $99 add-on on top. |
| 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. | FNo free plan, and the pricing page lists no free trial. A refund within 30 days on a yearly plan doesn't count as one. |
| 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 antivirus, phishing and ransomware protection and cleanup tools on every plan, then Total VPN and Total Adblock, and a password manager on Total Security. Nothing in the listing shows a gap in the core protection. |
| Ease of use | A4.72 from about 239,000 App Store ratings, the highest score from the biggest crowd in this category. | B4.58 from about 72,000 App Store ratings, well liked but under the 4.7 an A needs. |
| 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, iPhone and a password vault extension for Chrome and Firefox. No web app, API or integration list on record, so it stops at B. |
| Best for | scam checks and identity monitoring across devices | antivirus with a VPN and ad blocker on one bill |
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 TotalAV. How we grade
Where they differ
- McAfee has a free plan. TotalAV does not.
- Only TotalAV lists a browser extension.
- TotalAV also covers password manager, disk cleanup and ad and tracker blocking.
In commonWindowsmacOSAndroidiOSVPNMalware protection
At a glance
| McAfee | TotalAV | |
|---|---|---|
| Pricing | Free plan | Paid |
| Starts at | Not published | $99 per year for up to 4 devices (Plus) |
| 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 | ||
| Browser extension | ||
| Made by | McAfee, LLC | Total Security Limited |
| Price read from | Not confirmed | totalav.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
TotalAV
- Households that want antivirus, VPN and ad blocker in one bill
- PC owners who also want junk file cleanup and tune-up tools
- Covering a few devices across Windows, Mac and phones
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.
TotalAV
- There is no free plan, and the pricing page lists no free trial.
- TotalAV says introductory prices may be offered to new customers elsewhere; plans renew automatically at the regular rates shown here.
- Refunds need a request within 30 days on annual plans and 14 days on monthly or quarterly plans, after you end the subscription.
- Add-ons are billed yearly on top: identity theft protection $99, an extra device $40 and Advanced Cloud Scanning $45.
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.
TotalAV
- Real-time antivirus
- Scans downloads, installs and programs as they are opened, with zero-day cloud scanning and blocking of potentially unwanted apps.
- Phishing and ransomware protection
- Every plan blocks phishing scam sites and guards files against ransomware.
- Tune-up and cleanup tools
- Finds and deletes junk files, uninstalls unused apps and clears browser history, cookies and cache.
- Total VPN
- Internet Security and Total Security include a VPN with AES-256 encryption, DNS and IP leak protection and a kill switch.
- Total Adblock
- Internet Security and Total Security include an ad blocker that removes ads and pop-ups while browsing.
- Total Password
- Total Security adds a password manager that generates, stores and autofills logins, with a vault extension for Chrome and Firefox.
Plans
McAfee
Pricing could not be confirmed. See mcafee.com.
TotalAV
Plus$99
per year for up to 4 devices
Real-time antivirus, phishing and ransomware protection, disk cleaner and tune-up tools. Renews at $11 a month or $59 every 6 months on those terms.
Internet Security$129
per year for up to 6 devices
Everything in Plus, with Total VPN and Total Adblock.
Total Security$149
per year for up to 8 devices
Everything in Internet Security, with the Total Password manager.
