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.
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Norton 360 Deluxe
The everything-suite, with identity protection in its DNA.
McAfee+
One subscription, every device in the house, identity included.
Prices last checked on
| Feature | Norton 360 Deluxe | McAfee+ |
|---|---|---|
| Our score | 4.5 / 5 | 4.0 / 5 |
| Price | From $4.17/mo | n/a |
| Renews at | $124.99/yr | n/a |
| Free plan | No | No |
| Best for | Families wanting one subscription | Big households, many devices |
| Category | Complete suites | Identity protection |
| Provider | Gen Digital | McAfee |
| Visit Norton 360 Deluxe | Visit McAfee+ |
What year two costs
On the vendors’ own pages: Norton 360 Deluxe renews at $124.99 a year after a $49.99 first year (up 150%) (read September 30, 2026); McAfee+'s page could not be verified on October 6, 2026, so no amount is quoted for it. Across the 7 vendors that print a renewal price, the median increase is 33.3% and the average 42.2%; every vendor with its source is in the Renewal Price Index, and the entry prices of both sit side by side in the Price Index.
Our verdict
Norton wins on protection quality and on the depth of its suite. Better lab consistency, cloud backup, and the stronger identity story through LifeLock. McAfee has one genuinely unique card, unlimited devices on McAfee+ Premium, which can make it the better fit for a big household with six or more gadgets.
If you are protecting a family zoo of laptops and phones, consider McAfee. For everyone else Norton is the more complete product. com.
“The most complete all-rounder. Excellent lab scores, generous cloud backup, a real VPN, and the deepest identity tools of any mainstream suite. It does more in the background than Bitdefender, and the renewal jump is steep, but as a one-subscription-covers-everything deal it is hard to beat.”Editorial team, on Norton 360 Deluxe
“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+
Frequently asked questions
Norton or McAfee: which should I pick?
Norton, unless you are protecting a lot of devices. Norton is the stronger product on protection consistency and suite depth, with 50 GB of cloud backup and the LifeLock route into identity protection. McAfee holds one card Norton cannot match, unlimited devices on McAfee+ Premium, which makes it the better fit for a household with six or more gadgets.
Which costs less over two years, Norton or McAfee?
We can only price one side. Norton 360 Deluxe's first-year and renewal prices are in the table above, from the September 2026 reading. McAfee's site blocks our price checks, so there is no McAfee amount next to them, and the current one is on mcafee.com. Per device the plans differ in structure: Norton's covers five devices, while McAfee+ Premium has no device cap, which counts once you have more devices than five.
Which one is better for identity protection?
Norton, through its sister brand LifeLock. Norton 360 with LifeLock Select adds identity monitoring, insurance, and one bureau of credit monitoring; its price is on Norton's page and on the Norton product page here. McAfee builds identity into its own ladder instead. Credit monitoring and identity insurance up to $1 million arrive on McAfee+ Advanced, a tier above the Premium plan.
Is McAfee's protection as good as Norton's?
Not quite. Both were in the same AV-Comparatives rounds, with the ratings on the lab's own page linked from each product page here, and we rate Norton's lab consistency higher. McAfee's results are good rather than top-tier, and the software pushes upsells constantly. McAfee's real argument is coverage, not detection. Unlimited devices and identity monitoring in one subscription. If detection quality is what decides for you, take Norton.