Norton Antivirus
Comprehensive protection with device security including antivirus, plus a VPN, a password manager and more. All in a single solution.
About Norton Antivirus
Norton introduced its first antivirus software in 1991 under the Symantec umbrella. Symantec purchased LifeLock in 2017, and in 2019, after the company's enterprise division was sold, the name was changed to NortonLifeLock. The company is based in Tempe, Arizona.
Norton 360 with LifeLock won best antivirus for Windows because of how it has continued to build on its history of protecting Windows machines. The identity theft protection capabilities of LifeLock alone give this product an edge.
There are several versions of this product, so users can pick the features they need, but even the lowest level offers PC maintenance utilities and 2GB of cloud backup. Norton 360 Standard offers dark web monitoring, a VPN, and 10GB of cloud backup.
The amount of cloud storage increases based on the package level. The mid-range Norton 360 with LifeLock Select is $69.99 per year with licenses for up to five devices (including Mac) and 100GB of cloud storage. It also offers parental controls, school time/remote learning controls, VPNs for all devices, and webcam protections. Norton Antivirus Plus is $9.99 per year with one license.
PROS
- A well-known name in computer security
- An identity theft guarantee
- A wide range of options at different price points
CONS
- More expensive than other solutions
Norton Antivirus Overview
Norton 360 antivirus is one of our top anti-malware programs as well. It offers a wide range of security features: a smart firewall, secure cloud backup, a VPN, and a password manager. Apart from that, you can get SafeCam and Dark Web Monitoring features, as well as Parental Control and School Time options for families.
What’s really unique about this protection suite is that it also provides identity restoration support if it gets stolen and monitors your social media accounts for an extra layer of security.
Additionally, you can get Norton Crypto, which is an option to use your device to mine cryptocurrency – great when your device is idle. It's an unusual addition to the service, but certainly something many users will enjoy.
When it comes to protection, Norton antivirus shows great results from multiple independent testing labs – catches 100% of zero-day malware, has minimal impact on the speeds, and detects no false positives.
You can easily install this antivirus on Windows, macOS, Android, and iOS devices. The interface is simple and easy to navigate, yet some of the additional features open up in different tabs which can seem inconvenient for some.
In terms of pricing, Norton has four different subscription options. Its cheapest offering is the Norton AntiVirus Plus plan starting from $19.99/year for 1 device with 2 MB of cloud storage. There’s even an option to get a free 7-day trial to test the antivirus before purchasing.
Other subscriptions include the Norton 360 Standard plan ($39.99/year, 1 device, 10 MB cloud backup), Norton 360 Deluxe plan ($49.99/year, 5 devices, 50 MB cloud storage), and Norton 360 Premium ($54.99/year, 10 devices, 75 MB cloud backup).
Features & Pricing
Norton offers four antivirus packages that protect both Windows and MacOS computers, as well as bundles that include its LifeLock identity theft protection service.
Norton AntiVirus Plus: $59.99 a year for a single PC or Mac
Norton AntiVirus Plus is the entry-level antivirus software suite for one PC or Mac. It includes the following:
- Malware protection against viruses, ransomware and spyware, powered by machine learning
- Online threat protection
- Cloud backup of 2 GB to keep backups of important data
- A firewall to block suspicious traffic
- A password manager to generate and store strong credentials for important online accounts
- A money-back guarantee if malware cannot be removed
Norton 360 Standard: $84.99 for one PC, Mac, smartphone or tablet
Norton 360 Standard offers protection for a single PC, Mac, smartphone or tablet, and includes all features of AntiVirus Plus as well as a few extras:
- 10 GB of cloud storage
- A privacy monitor which checks data broker sites and can request opt-outs
- Webcam protection against hackers taking over your devices for recording
Norton 360 Deluxe: $104.99 for up to five devices
Norton 360 Deluxe delivers protection for five devices, and increases cloud storage to 50 GB. It includes everything from Norton 360 Standard and extras:
- Parental controls that enable content filtering and let you know your kids’ online activities, as well as provide GPS location monitoring for iOS and Android
- “School time” feature that allows you to pause the internet on your child’s device for remote learning
Norton 360 Premium: $124.99 for 10 devices
Norton 360 Premium includes all features of Norton 360 Deluxe for up to 10 PCs, Macs, smartphones, and tablets, and boosts the cloud storage allowance to 100GB.
Norton 360 with LifeLock Select
This upgrade includes all the Norton security features and the Norton Secure VPN for five devices along with the LifeLock identity theft protection service.
Reviews
Norton 360 is the default choice in antivirus protection. But is it the best one?
Norton Antivirus continues to be a solid choice for antivirus and internet security protection. It has a great track record for virus and malware detection and is competitively priced. But it is a bit clunky in its usability.
Norton provides great all-around protection from multiple cybersecurity threats, whether those threats are found within your device or on the internet. It's on the more expensive side of the spectrum, though, but with a premium price comes premium protections.
Ranked #2 in Best Antivirus Software of 2022
Rated purely for its antivirus software, Norton remains at or near the top of the pack with a research team that uses heuristics and machine learning to stop new threats, known as zero-days.
The veteran security brand is still a big contender
Norton's range is packed with capable features, and even the cheapest AntiVirus Plus package includes powerful extras like backup and a firewall, but we've seen marginally better anti-ransomware performance elsewhere.
The lineup of Norton 360 products offer almost everything you could ask for from antivirus software.
Norton 360 Standard, Norton 360 Deluxe and Norton 360 with LifeLock include the most complete antivirus-software and identity-protection-service combinations you’ll find today.
Norton 360 Deluxe is a comprehensive security suite which offers protection from malware, phishing attacks and identity theft, plus more besides
Norton 360 Deluxe offers top-notch security for five devices which includes a lot more than just antivirus.
Excellent protection, lots of features, but a slight performance impact
Norton 360 Deluxe is an overall excellent product, but mid-range or budget PCs might see a dip in performance.
Excellent antivirus protection with a stingy pricing scheme
Norton AntiVirus Plus gets impressive scores in independent lab tests and our own hands-on tests, and it and offers a wealth of useful features. However, it's expensive and doesn't offer deals for multiple-computer households.
