antivirus comparisons
Two names, one verdict. The antivirus software people most often weigh against each other, set side by side on price and features.
Compare any two
Pick the two you are weighing up. Where we have written a full verdict on that pair, the tool takes you straight to it.
| Feature | Bitdefender Total Security | Norton 360 Deluxe |
|---|---|---|
| Our score | 4.7 / 5 | 4.5 / 5 |
| Price | From $5/mo | From $4.17/mo |
| Renews at | $109.99/yr | $124.99/yr |
| Free plan | No | No |
| Plans offered | 2 | 2 |
| Best for | Most people, most devices | Families wanting one subscription |
| Category | Complete suites | Complete suites |
| Provider | Bitdefender | Gen Digital |
Head-to-head record
How often each one appears in a duel below, and how often it is our pick. These are our editorial verdicts, not lab results, and only products appearing in two or more duels are listed.
| Product | Duels | Our pick |
|---|---|---|
| Bitdefender Total Security | 6 | 5 |
| Norton 360 Deluxe | 4 | 3 |
| McAfee+ | 4 | 1 |
| Microsoft Defender | 3 | 1 |
| Avast One | 2 | 1 |
| ESET HOME Security | 2 | 0 |
| TotalAV | 2 | 0 |
What these cost to start
The cheapest paid entry is $2.50 a month and the most expensive $12. 5 of the 19 also have a free tier.
A ranked shortlist based on price and protection
Ranked on our editorial score with the first-year price next to it: 1. Bitdefender Total Security (4.7/5, $5/mo), 2. Norton 360 Deluxe (4.5/5, $4.17/mo), 3. ESET HOME Security (4.5/5, $4.17/mo). The scores are our editorial verdicts, informed by the published AV-Comparatives (March 2026) and AV-TEST (January-February 2026) rounds, not tests we ran ourselves.
| # | Product | Our score | First year | Renews at |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Bitdefender Total Security | 4.7 | $5/mo | $109.99/yr |
| 2 | Norton 360 Deluxe | 4.5 | $4.17/mo | $124.99/yr |
| 3 | ESET HOME Security | 4.5 | $4.17/mo | n/a |
| 4 | Malwarebytes Premium | 4.3 | $3.75/mo | n/a |
| 5 | Avast One | 4.3 | $4.09/mo | $77.99/yr |
| 6 | F-Secure Total | 4.3 | $7.08/mo | $84.99/yr |
| 7 | Microsoft Defender | 4.2 | Free | n/a |
| 8 | Surfshark One | 4.2 | $2.79/mo | n/a |
Prices are the US guide prices from our own data; the renewal column is what each vendor lists for year two, and that is where these products really separate. Identity services such as Aura and LifeLock are left out because this question is about antivirus protection; they meet in Aura vs LifeLock.
Every duel, and who wins it
| Comparison | Our pick |
|---|---|
| Avast One vs Bitdefender | Bitdefender Total Security |
| Microsoft Defender vs McAfee | Microsoft Defender |
| TotalAV vs Norton | Norton 360 Deluxe |
| McAfee vs Webroot | McAfee+ |
| Bitdefender vs Norton | Bitdefender Total Security |
| Microsoft Defender vs Bitdefender | Depends on use |
| Norton vs McAfee | Norton 360 Deluxe |
| Avast vs AVG | Avast One |
| Malwarebytes vs Microsoft Defender | Depends on use |
| TotalAV vs Bitdefender | Bitdefender Total Security |
| ESET vs Bitdefender | Bitdefender Total Security |
| Aura vs LifeLock | Aura |
| Kaspersky vs Bitdefender | Bitdefender Total Security |
| Surfshark One vs Norton 360 | Norton 360 Deluxe |
| F-Secure vs ESET | Depends on use |
| Trend Micro vs McAfee | Trend Micro Maximum Security |
How to use these duels
Start with the duel that matches the two suites you have in mind. Every duel page leads with its verdict, and the reasoning underneath shows where one suite gives way to the other.
We compare on price you keep paying and on real limits, not on feature lists. Most products here do the same things; what separates them is what happens at the edges.
Avast One vs Bitdefender
A free tier that is genuinely usable against the highest score on this site. The paid plans, and what each renews at, are in the table below.
Microsoft Defender vs McAfee
The antivirus already on your PC against a paid suite for the whole household. The first one is free, and that is not the weakest argument here.
TotalAV vs Norton
The most advertised first year on this site against one of the highest scores. The gap in rating is 0.7; the gap in price is in the table below, on the renewal row as much as the first.
McAfee vs Webroot
A full household suite against the lightest antivirus in this list. The right answer depends mostly on the age of your computer.
Bitdefender vs Norton
The two heavyweights of consumer security, both in the same AV-Comparatives rounds, whose ratings are on the lab's own page linked further down. The real differences are weight, extras, and what happens to the price in year two.
Microsoft Defender vs Bitdefender
The question behind every antivirus purchase in 2026: is the free protection already inside Windows enough, or is a paid suite worth it?
Norton vs McAfee
The two oldest names in the business, both reborn as identity-plus-security subscriptions. One prices per five devices, the other covers unlimited devices.
Avast vs AVG
A comparison with a twist. Since 2016 these are two brands of the same company (Gen Digital) running the same detection engine. The lab scores are near-identical, on purpose.
Malwarebytes vs Microsoft Defender
Not really rivals, whatever the forums say. One is the baseline shield built into Windows, the other is the cleanup specialist technicians reach for. Microsoft Defender is the current name for what most people still type as Windows Defender, so this is the same built-in protection either way.
TotalAV vs Bitdefender
The most advertised antivirus against the one the independent labs rate highest. Read both on the renewal row of the table below, not on the advertised price.
ESET vs Bitdefender
The enthusiast favorite against the lab-test leader. Both are excellent, but they are built for different personalities.
Aura vs LifeLock
The two biggest names in US identity protection. One includes everything in every plan. The other sells the important parts tier by tier.
Kaspersky vs Bitdefender
For years this was the closest fight in antivirus. Since the US ban on Kaspersky in September 2024, it is two different conversations depending on where you live.
Surfshark One vs Norton 360
Two bundles approaching from opposite directions. A top VPN that added antivirus versus a top antivirus that added a VPN.
F-Secure vs ESET
The European duel. Finnish calm against Slovak precision. Both are favorites of people who distrust the loud US consumer brands.
Trend Micro vs McAfee
Two veterans betting on different futures. Trend Micro on scam and web protection, McAfee on identity and unlimited devices.