Avast vs. Norton 2026: A Detailed Guide to the Better Antivirus

While Norton and Avast are both top-tier antivirus programs, Norton offers a complete security suite at a better price. Along with antivirus protection, you can receive a VPN, parental controls, and dark web monitoring for as low as $39.99/first yr. 

But unlike Norton, Avast offers a free antivirus program with malware protection, online scam detection, and ransomware security. With its user-friendly interface, Avast is best for new antivirus users who are looking to try an antivirus before they buy. 

Norton and Avast are two of the best antivirus software we've tested. But let’s compare these two popular products and see which is the best antivirus software for you.

Avast vs. Norton compared

• Avast: Best for budget protection
• Norton: Best for a cybersecurity suite

		Our Pick
Star rating	4.8 AllAboutCookies writers and editors score products based on a number of objective features as well as our expert editorial assessment. Our partners do not influence how we rate products.	5.0 AllAboutCookies writers and editors score products based on a number of objective features as well as our expert editorial assessment. Our partners do not influence how we rate products.
Starting price	Free or $35.88/first yr	Starts at $29.99/first yr
Best value
Best features
Best test results
Best compatibility & customer support
Learn more	Get Avast Read Avast Review	Get Norton Read Norton Antivirus Review

Avast pros and cons

Avast offers a free version of the antivirus, which Norton doesn’t offer at this time. It covers one device and includes malware protection, online scam detection, and ransomware security. 

A significant difference between these two is that Avast antivirus software doesn't include an ad blocker or parental controls. But you can download the free Avast browser, which is designed to block adware. On the other hand, Norton includes an ad blocker and parental controls depending on the plan. 

Norton pros and cons

One of the main differences between Norton vs. Avast is the pricing inequity. Norton is cheaper than Avast, even for the top-tier plan. That can be enough to draw many users to Norton (at least until the renewal price hike). 

However, Avast has a free antivirus plan to consider. Norton offers antivirus extras like its password manager and VPN. It has a variety of plans, each geared toward different budgets.

Avast vs. Norton: value

		Our Pick
Price range	$49.08-$69.48/first yr	$29.99–$299.88/first yr
Best value plan	Avast Premium Security for $49.08/first yr	Norton 360 Deluxe for $49.99/first yr
Money-back guarantee	Yes — 30 days	Yes — 60 days
Learn more	Get Avast Read Avast Review	Get Norton Read Norton Antivirus Review

Norton doesn't have a free tier, but it offers the lowest pricing plan at $29.99/first yr. If you want the best value plan, you’ll still only pay $49.99/first yr. 

Avast starts at $35.88/first yr for the cheapest plan. We chose the Premium Security plan as Avast’s best value pick simply because it includes basic antivirus protection plus SecureLine VPN, CleanUp Premium, and AntiTrack.

The Norton 360 Deluxe plan, which covers five devices, is still priced fairly at $49.99/first yr. You’ll get a password manager, dark web monitoring, and SafeCam for securing your webcam. 

Alternatively, if you only need antivirus security for one device, Norton Antivirus Plus only costs $29.99/first yr, and you still get the Smart Firewall, real-time threat protection, and 2GB cloud backup.

Fortunately, both antivirus programs understand a user’s need to try before committing. Avast has a 30-day money-back guarantee. But Norton goes even further with a 60-day money-back guarantee, so you can kick the tech tires longer.

Avast vs. Norton: features

Feature		Our Pick
Manual and scheduled scans
Phishing protection
Ransomware protection
Firewall
Device optimization tools
Parental controls
Password manager
VPN
Ad blocker
Extras	Webcam protection, breach monitoring	ID theft monitoring, dark web monitoring, cloud backup, software updater, and more
Learn more	Get Avast Read Avast Review	Get Norton Read Norton Antivirus Review

Norton offers a lot to appreciate if you're looking for a feature-rich environment. You get the usual antivirus offerings like ransomware and phishing protection. You also reap the benefits of Norton Secure VPN for even more security when on the go or using your home network. 

Norton Family offers parental controls that enable you to monitor your child’s online activities and customize them to your liking. You won’t need to pay extra for a password manager, either, because Norton has that, too.

Avast offers a decent plan with phishing and ransomware protection. The antivirus works to keep scams from your inbox by flagging suspicious incoming emails before they reach it. 

Avast SecureLine VPN is a nice addition, but Avast’s Ransomware Shield is one of Avast's most impressive features. You can select the protected file types you want to be monitored. If you have few photos and are more concerned about unauthorized document use, you can configure the protected file types to meet those requirements.

Avast vs. Norton: test results

Third-party testing gives users an objective view of how an antivirus performs under real-world stressors. We rely on third-party testing of performance, usability, and protection to show how an antivirus stands up to rigorous scenarios that could happen to users.

For our review of Norton vs. Avast, we used the latest AV-TEST, AV-Comparatives, and SE Labs scores to scrutinize these two products. We also included our own test, where we manually tested the software with fake virus files provided by the European Institute for Computer Antivirus Research (EICAR).

		Our Pick
AV-TEST Windows score	17.5/18	18/18
AV-TEST macOS score	18/18	18/18
AV-TEST Android score	18/18	18/18
AV-Comparatives malware protection score	99.98%	99.98%
SE Labs score	99%	100%
EICAR score	3/3	3/3
Learn more	Get Avast Read Avast Review	Get Norton Read Norton Antivirus Review

AV-TEST tests antivirus software for protection, performance, and usability against industry standards. Historically, Norton and Avast both received perfect scores from AV-TEST for all three categories. Most recently, Avast's Windows program was docked points in the performance, while Norton received a perfect score. 

AV-Comparatives uses real-world testing to measure malware protection, real-time protection, performance impact, and more. Avast and Norton tied in their malware protection score, bested only by antivirus programs that received a perfect 100%. 

SE Labs grades products on total accuracy, which reflects how well they block threats without false positives. Norton received a perfect score, while Avast was just one percent behind. 

Finally, both Avast and Norton have passed all of our in-house EICAR testing, which focus on malware protection and phishing detection. 

Avast vs. Norton: compatibility and customer support

Feature		Our Pick
Windows
macOS
Android
iOS
Browser extensions	Chrome, Edge, Firefox, Safari, Opera	Chrome, Edge, Firefox
24/7 support
Customer support options	Live chat, phone, email, online guides	Live chat, email, phone, online guides, social media
Learn more	Get Avast Read Avast Review	Get Norton Read Norton Antivirus Review

We had no trouble navigating Avast’s user-friendly interface. It was clean and worked without any issues. While you might see slower website response times on Windows, we experienced none of that using our Mac. 

We tested the product using both the Smart Scan and the Deep Scan, and neither showed signs of slowing our system down, even with numerous browser tabs opened. 

Similarly, after installing Norton on our MacBook, everything that’s available for Apple users worked well.

As far as customer support, both antivirus programs give you multiple ways to get help if you need it. Norton even gives you the option to message support through Facebook or Twitter. That’s a feature that we don’t often see with other software products.

Avast also has impressive customer support. Users can call a toll-free number for assistance, 24/7, even for issues that aren’t Avast-related. You have access to the knowledge base if you want to try some troubleshooting on your own. The contact page will forward your request to an agent who can help with further issues.

Norton offers the same extensive support, but also adds social media via Facebook and X (formerly Twitter).

Avast vs. Norton alternatives

Avast and Norton are two of the best antivirus programs we've tested. We recommend Avast for beginners who want reliable protection without a ton of extras. Conversely, we recommend Norton as our #1 pick for antivirus provider due to its trustworthy, complete security suite. 

But if you want a budget antivirus or unlimited device coverage, we recommend TotalAV or McAfee. Here's how Norton compares:

FAQs

Avast vs. Norton: Which is better?

When it comes to which is the better antivirus overall, we choose Norton for its comprehensive suite of security features that provide the best overall security. When you combine a VPN, password manager, firewall, and everything else Norton offers, it’s simply hard to beat. There’s a reason Norton has been in the antivirus game so long, and it seems to keep getting better.

Plus, if you’re a parent of a preteen and need a way to monitor online activities, Norton puts the control in your hands. Alternatively, you may not care about parental controls and prefer a straightforward antivirus like Avast, which offers a simple interface with user-friendly features.