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.
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McAfee+
One subscription, every device in the house, identity included.
Webroot Essentials
Almost weightless protection for aging hardware.
Prices last checked on
| Feature | McAfee+ | Webroot Essentials |
|---|---|---|
| Our score | 4.0 / 5 | 3.9 / 5 |
| Price | From $4.17/mo | From $2.50/mo |
| Renews at | $149.99/yr | $59.99/yr |
| Free plan | No | No |
| Best for | Big households, many devices | Old or low-power PCs |
| Category | Identity protection | Specialists |
| Provider | McAfee | OpenText |
| Visit McAfee+ | Visit Webroot Essentials |
Our verdict
McAfee wins on breadth and Webroot wins on old hardware. McAfee Premium is $4.17 a month, $49.99 for the first year, scores 4.0, and covers phones, tablets and Macs alongside Windows, with identity monitoring and a VPN. Webroot Essentials is $2.50 a month, $29.99 for the first year, scores 3.9, and does one thing.
That one thing is the point. Webroot is unusually small and does most of its analysis in the cloud, so it barely touches the machine. On a PC that already struggles, that difference is felt every day, and it is the main reason to choose it.
The honest downside of Webroot is the narrow feature set: no meaningful extras, thinner independent lab coverage than the big names, and a single plan with nowhere to grow.
The honest downside of McAfee is weight and noise: it runs its own services, it asks for attention, and $49.99 is a first year rate that rises on renewal. A busy household with devices on several platforms: McAfee.
One older or low powered PC where every bit of memory counts: Webroot, and you save $20 in the first year too.
“Unlimited devices on one plan is McAfee’s trump card, and the identity pivot is real: credit monitoring and identity insurance are now the core product. The scanner is solid, but the constant upsells and a renewal price that triples make this a deal only at first-year prices.”Editorial team, on McAfee+
“The featherweight: a cloud-based scanner that installs in seconds and uses almost no disk or memory. Perfect for old laptops and minimalists. Independent labs test it less often than the big names, which keeps our score modest.”Editorial team, on Webroot Essentials
Frequently asked questions
Which is lighter on an old computer?
Webroot, and it is not close. It keeps most of its analysis in the cloud, so the installed part stays small and startup barely changes. McAfee runs its own services locally and is noticeably heavier during scans. On a low powered PC that is the deciding factor rather than the feature list.
What does McAfee include that Webroot does not?
Cover for phones, tablets and Macs under one subscription, identity monitoring and a VPN. Webroot Essentials is a single plan focused on antivirus alone at $29.99 for the first year. If you only need to protect one Windows PC, most of what McAfee adds goes unused.
How much cheaper is Webroot?
$29.99 against $49.99 for the first year, a difference of $20. Both are promotional first year prices that rise on renewal. Given the scores are almost level at 3.9 against 4.0, the $20 buys breadth rather than better protection.