Last updated: 19 May 2026. Maintained by: Neil Brown, cybersecurity advocate.
Antivirus comparisons
These comparisons help you choose between real options. They look at protection, ease of use, family coverage, extra tools, renewal cautions, support, and who should avoid each choice.
For the full scoring approach, read How I Test Antivirus Software.
McAfee vs Norton
This is the main paid-suite comparison for everyday users. It explains why Norton is the safer default for most homes, and when McAfee can still fit better.
Windows Security vs paid antivirus
This route starts with a simpler question. Do you need to pay at all, or is the built-in Windows baseline enough?
Planned comparisons
Norton vs Bitdefender and McAfee vs Bitdefender are useful future comparisons, but they are not live yet. This page does not link to unfinished reviews as if they are complete.