McAfee vs Norton: what's the difference between these two brands?
Summary: McAfee vs Norton, what's the difference?
The biggest difference between McAfee and Norton is in the additional features and focus. McAfee focuses heavily on privacy and identity protection with extensive tools in their McAfee+ products. Norton, on the other hand, offers additional functionality such as Cloud backup. Both brands offer excellent security.
- McAfee's most comprehensive product: McAfee+ Advanced Family.
- Norton's most comprehensive product: Norton 360 Advanced.
- An exclusive bundle with security and PC optimisation: Norton 360 Premium + Utilities Ultimate.
When it comes to protecting your devices from viruses, malware and other online threats, McAfee and Norton are two of the most popular options. In this blog article, we compare McAfee vs Norton to see which software best suits your needs and expectations. Do you want to know more about the differences between McAfee and Norton? Then read on!
What do McAfee and Norton offer you?
Both McAfee and Norton are both brands that offer security software that goes beyond just antivirus protection. With both brands, you can count on your devices to be optimally protected, but there are some differences between them which could just be a deciding factor with making a choice. Let's take a closer look at what McAfee and Norton have to offer you.
An overview of McAfee
McAfee has been in the field of security software since 1987. The products offered by McAfee include McAfee Internet Security, McAfee Total Protection, McAfee+ Premium and McAfee+ Advanced.
McAfee Internet Security
McAfee Internet Security provides protection against online threats with real-time antivirus, anti-malware and anti-spyware features. It includes a powerful firewall to block unauthorised access, web security with McAfee WebAdvisor to identify dangerous websites and SMS security to prevent fraud. It also offers a password manager for secure password storage and management. With support for computers, laptops, smartphones and tablets, McAfee Internet Security provides a Multi-Device security solution.
McAfee Total Protection
McAfee Total Protection offers the same comprehensive security as McAfee Internet Security, but with additional features such as identity monitoring, which helps monitor and protect your personal data. It also includes a secure VPN for encrypted internet connections, providing extra privacy and security when browsing on public Wi-Fi networks. McAfee Total Protection is a comprehensive security solution that goes beyond basic protection to fully secure your digital life.
McAfee+ Premium
McAfee+ Premium focuses on privacy and identity, going beyond McAfee Total Protection in this regard. In addition to the features offered by Total Protection, McAfee+ Premium includes identity protection, Online Account Cleanup, and Social Privacy Manager, among others. Moreover, McAfee+ Premium allows you to secure an unlimited number of devices, which is ideal for families. McAfee+ Premium is available in two variants: McAfee+ Premium Individual and McAfee+ Premium Family. The only difference between these two variants is that the Family variant offers parental controls.
McAfee+ Advanced
McAfee+ Advanced offers everything McAfee+ Premium does, but what sets McAfee+ Advanced apart are its advanced features for data privacy and identity theft recovery. This package includes more comprehensive monitoring options for personal data, including bank account and credit monitoring services. Additionally, it provides faster and more extensive support for identity theft recovery, with access to specialized experts and higher insurance limits for identity restoration costs. McAfee+ Advanced is designed for users seeking maximum protection and premium service for their digital security and privacy. McAfee+ Advanced is also available in two variants: McAfee+ Advanced Individual and McAfee+ Advanced Family. Again, the difference between these versions is the parental control feature included in the Family package.
Comparison between McAfee's packages
To shed some light on the difference between McAfee's packages mentioned above, we have created a comparison table below.
| Internet Security | Total Protection | + Premium | + Advanced | |
| Number of installations | 1, 3, or 10 | 1, 3, 5, or 10 | Unlimited | Unlimited |
| Antivirus protection | ||||
| WebAdvisor browser security | ||||
| Password manager | ||||
| Scam Protection | ||||
| Identity monitoring | Up to 10 emails | Up to 60 PII (personally identifiable information) | Up to 60 PII (personally identifiable information) | |
| VPN | ||||
| Online account cleanup | ||||
| Social privacy manager | ||||
| Parental controls | Yes, in Family licence | Yes, in Family licence | ||
| Lost wallet support | ||||
| Identity recovery | ||||
An overview of Norton
Norton has also been in the security software business for a long time. The first version of Norton AntiVirus was released in 1990, and since then, Norton has further developed itself and released multiple products. The products offered by Norton include Norton Security, Norton 360, and Norton 360 with Utilities Ultimate.
Norton Security
The Norton Security product range offers comprehensive security solutions with varying levels of protection to meet different needs. Norton Security Standard provides basic protection with real-time antivirus, anti-malware, a smart firewall, and phishing protection for 1 device. Norton Security Deluxe offers everything Norton Security Standard does but expands these features to multiple devices (5 or 6).
Norton 360
Norton 360 offers optimal protection with more extensive features than Norton Security. Norton 360 Standard includes real-time antivirus, anti-malware, a smart firewall, a VPN, a password manager, and 10 GB of cloud backup. Norton 360 Deluxe extends this to 3 or 5 devices and adds parental controls and 50 GB of cloud backup. Norton 360 Premium supports 10 devices and provides 75 GB of cloud backup. Finally, Norton 360 Advanced includes all the features of Premium, including advanced protection against identity theft, recovery services, and Social Media Monitoring.
Norton 360 + Utilities Ultimate
The final product range from Norton that we will discuss is Norton 360 + Utilities Ultimate. This is an exclusive product range that offers a complete package for security and optimal performance. Norton 360 provides comprehensive protection with antivirus, VPN, password manager, and cloud backup. And Norton Utilities Ultimate enhances the performance of your computers and ensures that your device works like new. This bundle ensures a secure and smooth operation of your devices, keeping your digital life protected and efficient.
Comparison between Norton packages
We have also created a comparison table for the aforementioned packages from Norton that shows the differences more clearly.
| Norton Security | Norton 360 | Norton 360 + Utilities Ultimate | |
| Number of installations | 1, 3, or 6 | 1, 3, 5, or 10 | 5 or 10 |
| Antivirus protection | |||
| Browser security | |||
| Password manager | |||
| VPN | |||
| Parental controls | Yes, in Deluxe, Premium, and Advanced | ||
| Dark Web Monitoring | Yes, in Deluxe, Premium, and Advanced | ||
| Cloud backup | 10, 50, 75, or 200 GB | 50, 75, or 200 GB | |
| Identity recovery support | Yes, in Advanced | Yes, in Advanced | |
| Lost wallet support | Yes, in Advanced | Yes, in Advanced | |
| Social media monitoring | Yes, in Advanced | Yes, in Advanced | |
| PC optimisation | |||
Conclusion: McAfee vs Norton
In the comparison between McAfee vs Norton, the biggest difference lies in the additional features and focus. McAfee focuses strongly on privacy and identity protection with comprehensive tools in their McAfee+ products. On the other hand, Norton offers additional features such as parental controls and Cloud backup. Both brands provide excellent security. However, McAfee is ideal for users seeking strong identity protection, while Norton offers more backup options for those who desire maximum security and recovery options.
