Norton vs McAfee 2026: Unlimited Devices vs Better VPN?

Norton and McAfee are two of the oldest names in antivirus software, each protecting computers since the late 1980s. Both have evolved from simple virus scanners into comprehensive security suites with VPNs, identity protection, and password managers. But which one actually deserves your money in 2025?

We analyzed independent lab test results from AV-TEST and AV-Comparatives, compared pricing structures across all plan tiers, and evaluated the bundled features that justify the premium pricing. Here is our honest assessment of how these security giants stack up.

Quick Verdict: Norton Wins (Narrowly)

Norton 360 wins for: Slightly better malware detection, proven identity protection through LifeLock, and more transparent pricing with clear tier differentiation.

McAfee wins for: Unlimited device coverage, lighter system impact, and better value for large households.

Category	Winner	Why
Malware Detection	Norton	99.96% vs 99.96% (fewer false positives)
System Performance	McAfee	Impact score 2.6 vs 4.6 (lower is better)
Identity Protection	Norton	LifeLock offers up to $1M coverage vs $1M
Bundled VPN	Norton	More server locations and faster speeds
Device Limits	McAfee	Unlimited devices vs 10 maximum
Pricing Value	McAfee	Better per-device value for families
Interface	Tie	Both intuitive, McAfee slightly cleaner

Head-to-Head Comparison

Malware Protection: How Do They Actually Perform?

Both Norton and McAfee score at the very top of independent antivirus testing. The difference between them is marginal, but the details matter.

AV-TEST Results (December 2024)

Both Norton and McAfee earned perfect 6/6 scores from the German AV-TEST Institute in their most recent evaluation. This means both achieved:

• 100% detection of widespread and prevalent malware
• 99.7%+ detection of zero-day malware attacks
• Minimal false positives affecting usability

AV-Comparatives (March 2025)

The Austrian testing lab AV-Comparatives provides more granular data:

Metric	Norton	McAfee
Overall Protection Rate	99.96%	99.96%
False Positives	~10	~9
Real-Time Protection	99.9%	99.5%
Offline Detection	91.1%	89.6%

Winner: Norton (marginally)

Both products deliver essentially identical malware protection. Norton edges ahead slightly in real-time and offline detection, while McAfee produces marginally fewer false positives. For practical purposes, either will protect you from virtually all threats.

Real-World Protection Differences

Where the products differ more noticeably:

Norton uses SONAR behavioral analysis that monitors running programs for suspicious activity. This catches threats that signature-based detection misses. Norton’s cloud-based scanning also means smaller local definition files and faster updates.

McAfee emphasizes its Global Threat Intelligence network, which processes over 1.1 billion threat queries daily. McAfee’s Real Protect technology uses machine learning to identify previously unknown threats.

Both approaches work well. The technology differences are more about marketing than meaningful protection gaps.

System Performance: Which Slows Your Computer Less?

This is where McAfee pulls ahead significantly. AV-Comparatives conducts standardized performance tests that measure how much each antivirus impacts everyday computer use.

AV-Comparatives Performance Test (April 2025)

Testing was performed on a system with Intel Core i3 CPU, 8GB RAM, and SSD storage running Windows 11.

Product	Impact Score	Rating
McAfee Total Protection	2.6	ADVANCED+
Norton Antivirus Plus	4.6	ADVANCED+
Industry Average	12.3	-

Lower scores indicate less system impact. McAfee’s 2.6 impact score makes it the lightest antivirus tested, significantly outperforming the 12.3 industry average. Norton’s 4.6 is still excellent but nearly double McAfee’s impact.

What This Means in Practice

McAfee:

• Boot times affected by approximately 15-30 seconds
• Background CPU usage averages 1-2%
• Minimal impact during web browsing and file operations

Norton:

• Idle resource usage: 1-2% CPU, ~120MB RAM
• Quick scans use 25-40% CPU
• Full system scans can peak at 70-100% CPU

Both products earned the highest ADVANCED+ rating, meaning neither will noticeably slow down modern computers during normal use. However, if you’re running older hardware or resource-intensive applications, McAfee’s lighter footprint provides a meaningful advantage.

Winner: McAfee

McAfee’s 2.6 impact score is the best in the industry. For users with older computers or those running demanding applications, this difference matters.

Identity Protection: LifeLock vs McAfee Identity Monitoring

Both companies have invested heavily in identity protection features, recognizing that modern security extends beyond just blocking malware.

Norton LifeLock

Norton’s identity protection comes through LifeLock, which Norton acquired in 2017. LifeLock was the pioneer in identity theft protection and remains the market leader.

LifeLock Select (included with Norton 360 with LifeLock):

• Dark web monitoring for personal info
• SSN and credit monitoring
• Stolen wallet protection
• USPS address change verification
• Up to $25,000 stolen funds reimbursement
• Up to $1 million coverage for lawyers and experts

LifeLock Ultimate Plus (top tier):

• Credit monitoring at all three bureaus
• 401(k) and investment account alerts
• Home title monitoring
• Bank account and credit card transaction monitoring
• Up to $1 million stolen funds reimbursement

McAfee Identity Monitoring

McAfee’s identity protection is built into their Premium and Advanced plans:

McAfee+ Premium:

• Dark web monitoring for up to 60 types of personal info
• Personal Data Cleanup (removes your info from data broker sites)
• 24/7 monitoring and alerts
• Online account cleanup

McAfee+ Advanced:

• All Premium features
• Bank account and credit card transaction monitoring
• 401(k) and investment account monitoring
• Up to $1 million identity theft coverage
• Up to $2 million per family (family plan)

Identity Protection Comparison

Feature	Norton LifeLock	McAfee
Dark Web Monitoring	Yes	Yes
Credit Bureau Monitoring	1-3 bureaus (varies by tier)	Not included
Data Broker Removal	Premium tier only	Yes (Premium+)
Maximum Coverage	$1 million	$2 million (family)
Dedicated Specialists	Yes	Yes
SSN Monitoring	Yes	Yes

Winner: Norton (for comprehensive credit monitoring), McAfee (for data removal)

Norton’s LifeLock heritage gives it an edge in credit monitoring depth, especially at higher tiers that include all three credit bureaus. McAfee’s Personal Data Cleanup feature is unique and valuable for proactively removing your information from data broker sites. Choose based on whether you prioritize reactive monitoring (Norton) or proactive data removal (McAfee).

Bundled VPN Comparison

Both products include unlimited VPN access, but the implementations differ significantly.

Norton Secure VPN

• Included with all Norton 360 plans
• Servers in 30+ countries
• No-log policy
• Works on Windows, Mac, iOS, Android
• Adequate for streaming but not Netflix-optimized
• Connect up to 5 devices simultaneously

McAfee Safe Connect VPN

• Included with all Total Protection plans
• Servers in 50+ countries
• 500MB/day limit on basic plans (unlimited on Premium+)
• Auto-protection on unsecured Wi-Fi
• Works on Windows, Mac, iOS, Android

Winner: Norton

Norton’s VPN is fully unlimited across all plans with more consistent performance. McAfee’s data caps on lower tiers are a significant limitation. Neither VPN matches dedicated services like NordVPN or ExpressVPN for speed or streaming, but Norton’s offering is more usable out of the box.

Pricing Comparison

Both companies use aggressive first-year discounts that renew at significantly higher prices. Understanding the full cost picture is essential.

Norton 360 Pricing

Plan	First Year	Renewal	Devices
Norton Antivirus Plus	$14.99	$59.99	1
Norton 360 Standard	$39.99	$94.99	3
Norton 360 Deluxe	$49.99	$119.99	5
Norton 360 Premium	$59.99	$139.99	10
Norton 360 with LifeLock Select	$99.99	$179.99	10
Norton 360 with LifeLock Ultimate Plus	$299.88	$349.99	Unlimited

McAfee Pricing

Plan	First Year	Renewal	Devices
McAfee Total Protection Basic	$29.99	$84.99	1
McAfee Total Protection Plus	$39.99	$119.99	5
McAfee Total Protection Premium	$49.99	$149.99	Unlimited
McAfee+ Advanced	$89.99	$199.99	Unlimited

Value Analysis

Per-Device Cost (First Year at Premium Tier):

• Norton 360 Deluxe: $10/device (5 devices)
• McAfee Premium: $4.99/device or less (unlimited)

For Families: McAfee’s unlimited device coverage provides significantly better value. A household with 8+ devices saves substantially with McAfee Premium versus needing Norton 360 Premium.

For Individuals: Norton Antivirus Plus at $14.99/first year offers excellent protection for single-device users at a lower entry point.

For Identity Protection: Norton’s LifeLock tiers provide more comprehensive credit monitoring, but at premium prices. McAfee+ Advanced includes similar protection for less.

Winner: McAfee (for families), Norton (for individuals)

Norton Pros and Cons

McAfee Pros and Cons

Who Should Choose Norton?

Choose Norton if you:

• Need comprehensive identity theft protection with credit monitoring
• Want cloud backup to protect against ransomware
• Have 5 or fewer devices to protect
• Prioritize the longest money-back guarantee (60 days)
• Value the LifeLock brand reputation in identity protection
• Don’t mind slightly higher system resource usage

Who Should Choose McAfee?

Choose McAfee if you:

• Have many devices (8+) in your household
• Use an older computer or performance-sensitive applications
• Want proactive data removal from broker sites
• Prefer the cleanest, lowest-impact security solution
• Need family coverage at the best per-device value
• Don’t need cloud backup functionality

Frequently Asked Questions

Is Norton or McAfee better for gaming?

McAfee is better for gaming due to its significantly lower system impact (2.6 vs 4.6 performance score). Both products include game modes that pause notifications and scans during full-screen applications, but McAfee’s lighter baseline footprint means less impact on frame rates and load times.

Do I really need antivirus if I have Windows Defender?

Windows Defender has improved substantially but still scores lower in independent testing (5.5/6 vs 6/6 for both Norton and McAfee). More importantly, paid solutions include VPN access, identity monitoring, password managers, and cross-platform protection for phones and tablets that Defender lacks entirely.

Can I use Norton and McAfee together?

No. Running two antivirus programs simultaneously causes conflicts, performance issues, and can actually decrease your protection. Both products monitor the same system processes and will interfere with each other. Choose one.

Which has better customer support?

Both offer 24/7 phone and chat support. In our experience, Norton’s support was slightly more knowledgeable about technical issues, while McAfee’s support was faster to respond. Both will help with installation, billing, and basic troubleshooting. Neither excels at advanced technical support.

How do I avoid the high renewal prices?

Several strategies work for both products:

1. Set a reminder 30 days before renewal and cancel
2. Call customer retention and ask for a loyalty discount
3. Watch for promotional emails offering renewal discounts
4. Re-subscribe as a new customer at promotional rates
5. Consider annual rather than monthly billing for lower effective rates

Is the identity protection worth the extra cost?

For users concerned about identity theft, yes. Both products’ identity monitoring features provide value that would cost $15-25/month from standalone services like LifeLock or IdentityForce. Bundling them with antivirus at $50-100/year total represents genuine savings if you’d purchase identity protection separately.

Do Norton or McAfee work on Mac?

Yes, both offer full macOS support with real-time protection, VPN, and password manager features. Mac-specific threats are less common than Windows threats, but both products protect against cross-platform malware, phishing, and web threats that affect all operating systems.

Which is easier to uninstall?

Both can be stubborn to fully remove. Norton offers the Norton Remove and Reinstall Tool specifically designed for clean uninstallation. McAfee provides the MCPR (McAfee Consumer Product Removal) tool. Using these dedicated tools is recommended over Windows’ built-in uninstaller for either product.

Final Verdict

Norton and McAfee both deliver excellent malware protection verified by independent testing labs. The practical difference in security between them is negligible. Your choice should come down to secondary features and household needs.

Choose Norton 360 if identity protection is your priority. LifeLock’s credit monitoring across all three bureaus, combined with cloud backup and a 60-day money-back guarantee, makes Norton the more comprehensive security solution for individuals focused on identity theft prevention.

Choose McAfee Total Protection if you have a large household or prioritize system performance. Unlimited device coverage at competitive prices, combined with the industry’s lightest system impact, makes McAfee the practical choice for families and users running older hardware.

Our recommendation: For most users, McAfee Total Protection Premium offers better value. Unlimited devices, lighter performance impact, and comparable protection at similar pricing make it the more practical choice for modern households with multiple devices. However, users specifically concerned about identity theft should consider Norton’s LifeLock integration worth the premium.

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Last updated: December 2025. We review antivirus products quarterly using the latest independent lab results. Pricing and features may change. Visit each provider’s website for current offers.