Question 1

Do McAfee and Norton do the same thing?

Accepted Answer

By and large, yes – both McAfee and Norton are security software programs that can protect your computer against malware, viruses, ransomware, trojans and other common security threats. Additionally, both offer features such as scheduled full scans, quick scans, parental controls and email spam filtering, depending on the tier you go for.

Question 2

Do I need both Norton and McAfee?

Accepted Answer

No, definitely not. In fact, it’s a very bad idea to run more than one security software program on the same device, as this tends to lead to conflicts. The two can see each other as a threat, constantly push you to uninstall or deactivate the other program, or cause slowdown with both trying to run processes. Generally, if you try to install antivirus software, one of the first things it will do is detect other security software running on your computer, and request to deactivate it.

Question 3

Is McAfee or Norton better for Windows?

Accepted Answer

In our opinion, Norton is the better choice for Windows users than McAfee, though the margins are very fine. They’re both excellent antivirus tools, and some of this may come down to personal preference of the user interface and day to day usability. Norton is the better value of the two, particularly at its cheapest tier.

Question 4

Is McAfee or Norton better for Mac?

Accepted Answer

We think that Norton is the better choice security tool, compared to McAfee, though both are excellent and highly recommended. Mac users need to consider additionally just what they want from a security program - while viruses are rare for Macs, Apple users may still value the additional phishing protection, anti-ransomware and parental control features of Norton or McAfee.

McAfee vs Norton: Which is the Best Antivirus?