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 June 2026.
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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