1. Norton 360 Deluxe
Pros
- Excellent malware protection
- ID protection
- Unlimited-use VPN
Cons
- Backup only for Windows
- Limited features on iOS and macOS
Norton 360 Deluxe is so called because it really does offer all-round security that can protect your key devices as well as alert you if your logins are ever found for sale on the dark web, giving you an early heads-up of potential trouble and the opportunity to change your passwords.
Available for Windows, Mac, iOS and Android, some highlights include top-notch antivirus performance, phishing protection, and warnings of dangerous websites, a no-limits VPN service and a password manager, plus cloud backup storage and performance tools to help speed up your computer.
However, not all of those features are available on all devices. You won’t find parental controls for macOS, for example, and cloud backup is only for Windows. As usual, there aren’t a lot of features for iPhones.
The good news is that the core malware protection is superb. In AV-Test’s most recent report, Norton 360 scored top marks for protection, performance and usability.
The price of this protection is £34.99 for the first year, which is £6.99 per device. As with almost all antivirus software, that’s a discounted rate for the first year: upon renewal it will cost you £89.99 (£18 per device), which is a little higher than some of its rivals.
In the US, Norton 360 Deluxe is $49.99 for the first year ($9.99 per device) and $104.99 thereafter. See the deal here.
Read our full Norton 360 Deluxe review
2. McAfee Total Protection
Pros
Very user-friendly
Unlimited-use VPN
ID protection service
Cons
Ineffective parental controls
No kill switch in VPN
Best Prices Today: ₹1199 at McAfee
McAfee Total Protection has an airy, easy-to-understand user interface and an integrated VPN service which offers 50 locations and unlimited data. Many security suites have a VPN which limits you to just a few hundred MB per day.
McAfee’s malware protection is among the best, and it’s easy to know when you need to do something to protect your PC (such as updating apps) thanks to useful, comforting alerts.
With UK subscribers now benefitting from ID protection, and subscription options covering all your devices, Total Protection can be great value if you have that many to protect. The price above is for five devices, but the extra cost to protect more is very reasonable.
Get McAfee Total Protection here If you’re in the US, get Total Protection here.
Read our full McAfee Total Protection review
3. Bitdefender Total Security
Pros
Excellent malware protection
Management portal
Cons
VPN limited to 200 MB per day
No identity protection
Bitdefender’s Total Security is an excellent product. Like most rivals, Bitdefender charges a lot less than the standard price for the first 12 months, bringing it down to £34.99/$39.99 and this covers up to five devices.
In AV-Test’s latest report, Bitdefender’s Internet Security managed to catch 100% of the 0-day malware attacks thrown at it, and also scored top marks for overall protection and performance.
Several features have been removed in this latest version, but Bitdefender says this was because users simply weren’t using them, so you’re unlikely to miss them. You get a cross-platform password manager, but parental controls are basic, there are no ID protection features and the VPN is really only a trial version that lets you have 200 MB of data per day.
You’d need to upgrade to the full version if you want unlimited data (but there are better choices in our VPN roundup if you’re prepared to pay for one).
But if you simply want top-notch malware protection, this is a great choice.
Get Bitdefender Total Security here.
Read our full Bitdefender Total Security 2021 review
4. Bull Guard, Premium Protection
Pros
ID protection now included
Top-notch malware protection
Cons
No VPN
Bull Guard, Premium Protection, is the flagship security suite from the company. It includes dynamic machine learning technology to block all types of malware, and there’s anti-ransomware along with a secure web browser which offers extra protection when banking or buying online.
The latest additions include improved identity protection which monitors the dark web for your details, and international phone numbers and bank accounts are now supported. Game Booster has been updated to support platforms with anti-cheat engines.
It usually costs £69.96 / $99.95 for 10 devices, but you’ll find it heavily discounted for the first year. Indeed, with this deal you’ll get 60% off, making it £28 / $39.99, or £2.80 / $3.99 per device.
And in terms of protection, it achieved perfect scores in AV-Test’s latest test, managing full marks for protection, performance and usability.
Get Bull Guard, Premium Protection here.
Read our full Bull Guard, Premium Protection review
5. ESET Smart Security Premium
Pros
Solid malware protection
Lots of settings for power users
Cons
No ID protection
No VPN
On the surface, ESET Smart Security has a simple interface that hides an impressive (but also hugely complex) raft of features.
Of these, only the poor parental controls and in-need-of-an-overhaul firewall configuration let the side down. And it’s worth noting that there’s no provision for identity monitoring / protection, nor a VPN.
Fortunately, the core malware protection – which includes anti-ransomware – is absolutely solid and while there is a bit of a negative impact on performance, the worst is when installing apps – something you won’t do all that often.
You can get ESET Smart Security Premium for £49.99 here for one device and one year. If you’re in the US, it’s $59.99 from here. It’s inexpensive to add licenses for extra devices, so it’s considerably better value if you need to protect, l more than one computer. If you don’t need a password manager or the ability to encrypt files, folders and USB drives, then opt for ESET Internet Security, which is cheaper.
Read our full ESET Smart Security, Premium 2021 review
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