Malwarebytes vs. McAfee 2025: Is McAfee Simply the Best?

With numerous products available for data security, it can be challenging to distinguish the best antivirus programs from the rest. Malwarebytes offers a free version, allowing you to test the program and determine if you need a premium plan. Malwarebytes’ features won’t blow you away, but you might love the ad blocker that comes with it. 

McAfee does not offer a free plan; however, with your purchase, you’ll receive a range of features, including unlimited device coverage, a firewall, and additional security options, making McAfee our top pick. McAfee starts at $39.99/first yr for individual plans. We think that’s a great deal for an antivirus product that provides a security-focused environment. 

Let’s look deeper at some of the main features of these antivirus programs and see our test results.

Malwarebytes vs. McAfee overview

• Malwarebytes: Best for beginners and casual users
• McAfee: Best for powerful security features

		Our Pick
Starting price	$44.99–$232.49/yr	$29.99–$249.99/yr
Max number of protected devices	Up to 20	Up to Unlimited
24/7 customer support
Compatibility	Windows, macOS, Android, iOS	Windows, macOS, Android, iOS
Free version
Phishing protection
Ransomware protection
Ad blocker
Learn more	Get Malwarebytes Read Malwarebytes Review	Get McAfee Read McAfee Review

Malwarebytes pros and cons

If you’re more budget-conscious, you could go with Malwarebytes’ free version, but you won’t get any features with that. Malwarebytes’ cheapest paid plan is the Premium plan, which covers one device for $44.99/yr. It gets you real-time protection and the Browser Guard feature. Malwarebytes’ Browser Guard works as an ad blocker, which is one option McAfee doesn’t include in its antivirus package.

McAfee pros and cons

One of the biggest differences between Malwarebytes and McAfee is the device support. Malwarebytes covers up to only five devices, but with McAfee, you can choose the Advanced or Premium plan and get protection for unlimited devices. 

McAfee offers multiple plan options packed with a range of features. All plans include manual and scheduled malware scans, as well as real-time protection. You'll need to upgrade if you want to protect more devices or want parental controls.  We also like that every plan includes a firewall and phishing protection. Other premium perks include a file shredder and identity monitoring, which watches up to 10 email addresses for breaches. 

Prices

		Our Pick
Price range	$44.99–$232.49/yr	$29.99–$249.99/yr
Best value plan	Malwarebytes Standard for $44.99/yr	McAfee Premium for $49.99/first yr
Money-back guarantee	Yes, 60 days	Yes, 30 days
Learn more	Get Malwarebytes Read Malwarebytes Review	Get McAfee Read McAfee Review

Malwarebytes plans

The two providers’ pricing looks similar at a glance, but what you get for your money varies. With Malwarebytes, you’ll need to upgrade to the Premium + Privacy VPN plan if you want the VPN. You’ll also pay more to protect up to five devices, instead of three. 

Malwarebytes offers a longer money-back guarantee than McAfee, which we appreciate, as it provides extra time to test the software thoroughly. The guarantee is only offered when you purchase a plan directly from the Malwarebytes website. If you purchase the plan through Google Play or the Apple App Store, additional restrictions may apply.

McAfee plans

In contrast, McAfee includes its VPN in all its plans; its most affordable plan covers five devices, while the premium plans protect an unlimited number of devices.

McAfee offers a 30-day money-back guarantee. Still, for the prices offered, you won’t be unhappy with the features you receive. The lowest-priced plan includes a file shredder, a firewall, and a VPN. McAfee considers the McAfee+ Advanced to be its best value plan. It offers tons of features for unlimited devices at a price that won’t break your budget.

Features

McAfee outshines Malwarebytes with the inclusion of more advanced security features.

		Our Pick
Manual and scheduled scans
Phishing protection
Ransomware protection
Firewall
Device optimization tools
Parental controls
Password manager
VPN
Ad blocker
Extras	Identity theft protection	Identity theft protection, data removal services
Learn more	Get Malwarebytes Read Malwarebytes Review	Get McAfee Read McAfee Review

When comparing the features of these two antivirus products, we see a significant difference in options. While Malwarebytes may offer some expected features like manual and scheduled scanning, phishing protection, and ransomware security, you don’t get much more.

Malwarebytes’ Browser Guard is an excellent addition because it serves as an ad blocker, which could make many users happy. Receiving tons of pop-up ads while browsing the internet is no fun for anyone.

In complete contrast, McAfee has a suite of features including:

• Ransomware protection
• Phishing protection
• Firewall
• Password manager
• Safe Connect VPN
• Parental controls
• File shredder
• WebAdvisor
• Identity theft protection

Not only does McAfee give you what you’d expect from any antivirus software, like ransomware protection, but you get a host of bonus security features that keep you safer across the web.

McAfee also includes parental controls for users who want software that helps secure their family. If you have young children, you know it’s essential to monitor their online habits to keep them safe. Parental controls will allow you to customize what your children can do online.

McAfee’s file shredder tool will permanently delete unwanted files. That is a good resource because you may delete a file and not realize that remnants are still lingering in other areas of your device. A file shredder can delete files from every location, so you can delete them once and be done.

If you’re hungry for a comprehensive security suite, McAfee+ Ultimate is a new plan that provides users with a combination of privacy, identity, and device protection for $69.99/first yr. It is an all-inclusive offer, but it’s still an extravagant price for most users.

Test results

We use third-party tests to evaluate an antivirus's performance in rigorous real-world scenarios. When you choose an antivirus, it’s crucial to know how it stacks up against other software to prevent malware infections. For this review, we chose AV-TEST for both products.

Malwarebytes vs. McAfee: AV-TEST scores

		Our Pick
Windows Score	17/18	18/18
macOS score	N/A	N/A
Android score	14/18	18/18
Learn more	Get Malwarebytes Read Malwarebytes Review	Get McAfee Read McAfee Review

AV-TEST evaluates antivirus software based on three categories: Performance, protection, and usability. McAfee outperformed Malwarebytes on Windows and Android operating systems. 

Neither Malwarebytes nor McAfee submitted to macOS testing. This is not an indication that the software isn’t good. Antivirus companies must pay for these tests, so sometimes they opt not to have them done.

Compatibility and customer support

McAfee isn't always the most user-friendly, but it offers good cross-device compatibility and features more immediate support options. 

		Our Pick
Windows
macOS
Android
iOS
Browser extensions	Chrome, Firefox, Edge, Safari	Chrome, Firefox, Edge, Safari
24/7 customer support
Customer support options	Email, online guides	24/7 live chat, phone, online guides, forums
Learn more	Get Malwarebytes Read Malwarebytes Review	Get McAfee Read McAfee Review

Compatibility experience

Malwarebytes has an intuitive interface, which is one of the reasons it’s popular among many users. However, you can’t use the full-scan option if you aren’t on a Windows-based device. That’s disappointing for macOS users who are left with no option but to use the quick scan. Otherwise, the experience was seamless, and scanning was a breeze.

McAfee was also easy to navigate, and we encountered no issues during our testing of the product. The interface offers a wide range of choices, but we didn’t feel overwhelmed by the options. It may take some time to adjust to all the features, but there’s no significant learning curve.

We noticed outstanding scanning times for both short and full scans, with no performance lag when in use. The real-time scanning, which operates quietly in the background, is also beneficial for security. The first item you’ll notice when you open your McAfee console is the large green checkmark, indicating that your device is secure. That’s not a terrible way to start the day, knowing your computer is clear of malware.

Customer support experience

You won’t find stellar customer service options with Malwarebytes. There is a chat feature, but it’s an automated system with a chatbot, not a live agent to help you with problems. You can also log a support ticket and wait for a response via email. Otherwise, Malwarebytes doesn’t offer much support for the antivirus product.

McAfee is entirely different. You will not have email support, but this antivirus puts every other customer service feature at your fingertips: The chat option gives you a live person to reach out to for issue assistance, and the phone support is also available 24/7, so if you have a problem at odd hours, you can still call support. There are forums where you may find answers from other community members and online guides if you need a quick answer or want to do some troubleshooting before placing a call. If none of those options work for you, McAfee also allows connection for customer service via social media, so you can reach support that way as well.

Malwarebytes vs. McAfee alternatives

McAfee is one of the best antivirus software programs we've tested, and we love that it offers coverage for unlimited devices. Here's how McAfee compares to other top antivirus providers:

FAQs

Malwarebytes vs. McAfee: Which is better?

McAfee is the better option when you want more for your money. It offers robust features, including parental controls, a firewall, a VPN, and optimization tools, at a price most users can afford.

McAfee won’t give you an ad blocker, so if you need this option, Malwarebytes might be your best bet, especially if a straightforward antivirus is all you need. Remember that if you’re a Mac user, you won’t get the advantage of full scanning with Malwarebytes, so you’ll need to be okay running quick scans.

As we often mention, you will want to choose the best antivirus for your needs at a price you're willing to pay. McAfee does a fantastic job of providing both, which is why we recommend it as the better overall antivirus in this comparison.