Norton 360
From ~$29.99 first year (then renews higher)
McAfee
From ~$39.99 first year (then renews higher)
Norton 360 and McAfee are both comprehensive security suites bundling antivirus, VPN, and identity protection. Norton leans on strong identity tools and cloud backup; McAfee offers broad device coverage and a simple suite. Both score well on protection; the pick comes down to features and price.
Pick Norton 360 if you want strong identity-theft protection and cloud backup bundled with solid antivirus.
Pick McAfee if you want a familiar suite with broad device coverage and identity protection for a household.
Norton and McAfee are two of the most recognized consumer security brands, and both bundle antivirus with extras into all-in-one suites that score well in independent malware tests. Norton 360 is known for strong identity-theft protection (especially via LifeLock in the US), cloud backup, a password manager, and an included VPN. McAfee offers a familiar, broad suite with antivirus, a VPN, identity monitoring, and plans that cover many devices, making it popular for households.
On price, both use first-year intro pricing that renews higher — Norton 360 from around $29.99 and McAfee from around $39.99 in the first year, depending on plan and device count. The choice is mostly strong identity protection and backup (Norton) versus broad device coverage in a familiar suite (McAfee).
We compare malware protection, features, identity tools, device coverage, and price.
| Quick facts | Norton 360 | McAfee |
|---|---|---|
| First-year price | From ~$29.99 | From ~$39.99 |
| Malware protection | Best-in-class | Strong |
| Identity protection | Best-in-class (LifeLock) | Strong |
| Cloud backup | Best-in-class | Limited |
| Best for | Identity + backup | Broad device coverage |
Each row reflects the feature on each product's current public release.
| Feature | N Norton 360 | M McAfee |
|---|---|---|
| Top malware detection | Best-in-class | Strong |
| Included VPN | Yes | Yes |
| Identity-theft protection | Best-in-class (LifeLock) | Strong |
| Cloud backup | Best-in-class | Limited |
| Password manager | Yes | Yes |
| Multi-device / household plans | Strong | Best-in-class |
| System performance impact | Good | Good |
| Lower intro price | Yes | No |
Pricing and features change often. Always verify the current details on each product's official site. Last reviewed 2026-06-26.
Things neither product's marketing page leads with.
Norton is strong on identity protection and backup, but its best identity features are US-centric and renewal prices climb.
McAfee offers broad device coverage and a simple suite, but its cloud backup is lighter than Norton's.
Both rely on intro pricing that renews higher, so check the renewal cost before buying.
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