McAfee
Comprehensive antivirus and cybersecurity suite offering real-time malware protection, VPN, password management, and identity theft monitoring. Designed for individuals and families seeking all-in-one digital security with unlimited device coverage across Windows, Mac, Android, and iOS platforms.
Best for
- Families needing multi-device protection
- Users seeking comprehensive identity theft coverage
- Individuals wanting all-in-one security suite
- Those prioritizing malware protection performance
Not ideal for
- Expensive renewal rates after first year
- Below average phishing protection (80% block rate)
- VPN has limited features and slower speeds
- Can be resource-intensive during scans
Try McAfee Free
Free plan available · 4 plans available
Visit McAfee →McAfee Overview
McAfee vs Top Alternatives
| Software | Rating | Starting Price | Free Tier | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| MMcAfee | 4.3 ★ | $29.99/yr | Yes | |
| KKaspersky | 4.6 ★ | $21.99/yr | Yes | Compare → |
| BBitdefender | 4.4 ★ | $9.99/yr | Yes | Compare → |
| NNorton 360 | 4.3 ★ | $19.99/yr | No | Compare → |
| AAvast | 4.2 ★ | $31.20/yr | Yes | Compare → |
| EESET NOD32 | 4.2 ★ | $39.99/yr | Yes | Compare → |
McAfee Features
Pros & Cons
Pros
- Excellent malware detection rates in independent lab tests
- Unlimited device coverage on most plans
- Comprehensive identity theft protection with high coverage amounts
- Includes VPN and password manager in all plans
- 30-day free trial and money-back guarantee
Cons
- Expensive renewal rates after first year
- Below average phishing protection (80% block rate)
- VPN has limited features and slower speeds
- Can be resource-intensive during scans
Pricing Plans
Essential
- 5 devices
- Antivirus protection
- Firewall
- Password manager
- VPN
- Identity monitoring
Premium
- Unlimited devices
- Antivirus protection
- VPN
- Password manager
- Identity monitoring
- Personal data cleanup scans
Advanced
- Unlimited devices
- Identity theft coverage ($1M)
- Credit monitoring
- Full-service data cleanup
- Identity restoration
Ultimate
- Unlimited devices
- Identity theft coverage ($2M)
- 3-bureau credit monitoring
- Credit lock
- Ransomware coverage
McAfee Integrations
McAfee connects with 8 services to extend your workflow.
Who Should Use McAfee?
Home Users
McAfee targets home users who frequently use the internet and related applications, with over 600 million consumer endpoints globally. The company emphasizes 'silent' protection that operates without being visibly intrusive, which is important for users who prioritize gaming and movies.
Not idealSmall Business
Small businesses receive integrated Security-as-a-Service solutions with always up-to-date protection for desktops, servers, and networks. This allows small businesses to have full-time security expertise without hiring dedicated IT staff.
RecommendedEnterprise Customers
McAfee serves 1,500+ core enterprise customers and 50,250+ enterprise customers overall, protecting 83 million enterprise endpoints across 182 countries. 86% of Fortune 100 firms, 78% of Fortune 500 firms, and 86% of the world's largest banks use McAfee solutions.
RecommendedGovernment Agencies
Government agencies are among McAfee's customer base, benefiting from enterprise-level security solutions. The company provides scalable protection through managed service providers for government entities.
RecommendedWhen to Consider Alternatives
Users prioritizing scan speed and system performance
Full scans take 30 minutes to over an hour with CPU usage spiking to 80%, making multitasking difficult. Users report significant slowdowns, especially on older or underpowered machines.
Consider Bitdefender instead →Users needing strong phishing protection
McAfee's phishing protection blocked only 80% of attempts in testing, which is below what stronger competitors offer. It also suffers from below average browsing protection and generates many false positives.
Consider Norton 360 instead →Budget-conscious users seeking cost-effective security
McAfee's entry-level plans are more expensive than many competitors. The full-featured VPN requires auto-renewal, and if disabled, data is capped at 500MB monthly.
Consider Avast instead →macOS users needing comprehensive features
On macOS, McAfee lacks a quick scan option and doesn't include performance optimization tools, limiting its appeal to Apple users.
Consider Malwarebytes instead →Top McAfee Alternatives
Kaspersky
Comprehensive antivirus and internet security software that provides real-time protection against malware, ransomware, and cyber threats. Offers multiple protection tiers from free basic antivirus to premium security suites with VPN, password management, and parental controls.
Bitdefender
Award-winning antivirus and cybersecurity solution providing multi-layered protection against malware, ransomware, and online threats. Offers comprehensive security packages for individuals and businesses with advanced features like VPN, password manager, and identity protection.
Norton 360
Comprehensive cybersecurity suite that combines antivirus, VPN, identity protection, and cloud backup in one platform. Offers AI-powered scam protection and 100% virus protection promise for individuals and families across multiple devices.
Avast
Comprehensive antivirus and cybersecurity solution offering real-time protection against malware, ransomware, and online threats. Provides both free and premium plans with advanced features like firewall protection, webcam shielding, and VPN services for individuals and families.
ESET NOD32
Fast, lightweight antivirus protection with AI-powered threat detection that runs quietly in the background without slowing down your system. Trusted by over one billion users worldwide with 30 years of cybersecurity innovation and consistently high detection rates in independent lab tests.
Malwarebytes
Malwarebytes is a comprehensive antivirus and anti-malware solution that provides real-time protection against viruses, ransomware, and malicious websites. It offers both free and premium versions with machine learning-powered threat detection for personal and business users across multiple devices.
TotalAV
Award-winning antivirus software that provides real-time protection against malware, viruses, and online threats across Windows, Mac, iOS, and Android devices. Offers comprehensive security bundles with VPN, password manager, ad blocker, and system optimization tools at competitive prices.
Trend Micro
30+ year-old cybersecurity company offering AI-powered antivirus and security solutions for home and business users. Provides multi-device protection against malware, ransomware, phishing, and online scams with cloud-based threat detection.
Webroot
Webroot delivers cloud-powered antivirus and security for PCs, Macs, mobiles, and Chromebooks, emphasizing speed, low resource impact, and real-time threat intelligence. Plans range from basic antivirus to full suites with identity protection, VPN, and backups.