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Best for Comprehensive Cybersecurity
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4 plans available, all including antivirus, malware, ransomware, and hacking protection, Cloud backup, and a secure password manager
Option to add VPN connection, dark web monitoring, privacy monitoring, and more
Available for up to 10 devices depending on plan
Best for Free Basic Coverage
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Award-winning antivirus, malware, and ransomware protection for up to 10 devices
Includes webcam protection, safe browsing and email, automatic updates, and 24/7 protection
Suite of protection benefits including a secure VPN, anti-tracking capabilities, safeguards against phishing sites, and more
If you’re on the fence about whether you should use antivirus, the answer is a resounding “yes.” What it really comes down to is what kind of coverage you need and how much you’re willing to spend. Norton 360 offers robust security features and has a plan to fit just about any budget. With AVG Ultimate, you get advanced features like a VPN and anti-tracking tools.
While many users may opt for AVG Antivirus Free, which offers basic protection at no cost, you may want to consider trying out Norton 360 risk-free with its 60-day money-back guarantee offered on annual subscriptions. To help you decide, we’ve positioned these trusted brands in a head-to-head antivirus showdown, looking at their prices, features, third-party test results, compatibility, and customer support.
Norton 360 doesn’t offer a free plan. While that can be a bummer for those of us who like a good free product, it does offer numerous plans to fit your budgetary constraints. Right now, you can nab Norton Antivirus Plus for one device to the tune of $29.99/first yr. That plan includes a smart firewall, a password manager, and 2 GB of cloud backup. You also have options for extra features like parental controls, webcam protection, and dark web monitoring with the other subscriptions.
AVG antivirus offers a free version that includes spyware and ransomware protection, though you'll have to upgrade for enhanced firewall protection. You will get spyware and ransomware protection, though. AVG has only two different paid plans, so that will make the decision process faster: Internet Security and the Ultimate plan. We’ll cover more of the key features you get with Norton 360 and AVG below.
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| Starting price | $29.99/first yr | $46.68/first yr for 1 device |
| Free version | ||
| Max number of protected devices | 10 | 10 |
| 24/7 customer support | Yes, if you add expert care | |
| Compatibility | Windows, Android, macOS, iOS | Windows, Android, macOS, iOS |
| Real-time protection | ||
| Phishing protection | ||
| Ransomware protection | ||
| Learn more | Get Norton 360 | Get AVG |
Best Value |
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| Price range | $29.99–$99.48/first yr | $24.99–$59.88/first yr |
| Best value plan | $49.99/first yr | $46.68/first yr for 1 device |
| Money-back guarantee | Yes, 60 days for the annual plan | Yes, 30 days |
| Learn more | Get Norton 360 | Get AVG |
By viewing the table above, you can see the prices are quite different between Norton 360 and AVG antivirus. Norton offers a midway plan for the best value, and we agree with that option. With Norton 360 Deluxe, you get coverage for three devices with 50 GB of cloud backup. The plan also comes with parental controls and the SafeCam feature. For $49.99/first yr, we think you get plenty of bang for your buck. It comes with a 60-day money-back guarantee, so you have adequate time to kick the tires of this antivirus and be sure it’s right for your needs.
AVG antivirus has only two paid options for the antivirus software. Users can choose between the AVG Internet Security and the AVG Ultimate subscriptions. We chose the Internet Security plan as the best value, but it covers only one device. Still, there is no happy medium with this product. The next tier covers 10 devices, but it will cost you almost twice as much. You have a 30-day money-back guarantee to test the antivirus, but we would like to see more options for users who might need complete protection for more than one device at a cheaper price than the Ultimate plan offers. AVG includes the PUA scanner that helps identify unwanted programs, and you get real-time updates, which ensure better security protection to catch the latest malware.
| Feature | Our Pick
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| Manual and scheduled scans | ||
| Real-time protection | ||
| Phishing protection | ||
| Ransomware protection | ||
| Firewall | ||
| Parental controls | ||
| Password manager | ||
| VPN | Yes, with Ultimate plan | |
| Ad blocker | ||
| Device optimization tools | Yes, with Ultimate plan | |
| Learn more | Get Norton 360 | Get AVG |
Both AVG and Norton 360 offer a lot of key features. The only item you won’t get with Norton 360 is an ad blocker. You will get access to plenty of other features, like the secure VPN, firewall, and parental controls. Of course, some Norton 360 features aren’t supported for macOS, like parental controls, SafeCam, and cloud backup. Apple users are accustomed to this with antivirus software, as many products offer fewer options for macOS. The included firewall was great to have for advanced online protection. It checks for data leaks and intrusions that can harm your device.
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AVG gives users plenty to write home about, but some features are available only with the Ultimate plan. You won’t have the TuneUP, Secure VPN, or AntiTrack features if you choose the Internet Security subscription. AVG also doesn’t offer parental controls or a password manager with any plan. That’s the biggest difference between the two. But AVG's free plan includes limited firewall protection, while premium plans offer an enhanced firewall.
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So if you need family protection with controls you can customize, AVG may not be for you. Likewise, if you want password protection without paying more for a separate product, Norton 360 includes a password manager with all plans.
We rely on third-party tests to give our readers an objective view of how different antivirus products perform. We know that the best antivirus software will keep your device secure from malware and various online threats. That’s why we test these antivirus products and use scores from third-party vendors to give clear results on how the software stacks up against the competition. For this comparison, we used AV-TEST.
Here’s a look at how Norton 360 and AVG scored:
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Our Pick
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| Windows | 17.5/18 | 18 |
| macOS | 18 | 18 |
| Android | 18 | 18 |
| Learn more | Get Norton 360 | Get AVG |
Neither antivirus scored poorly, but Norton didn’t do as well as AVG when testing it on Windows. Norton 360 received 5.5 out of 6.0 in the Performance section. This measures the extent the product affects the system. In July of 2023, Norton slowed the installation of frequently used applications by 24%, as opposed to the industry average of 14%. Then, in August, it slowed down the applications by 18%. Also, it slowed down when launching popular websites in July at 31%. The industry average is 28%. These hits could be why Norton 360 scored lower than AVG for performance. Norton had only one false blockage while installing and using legitimate software, and that wasn’t a concern because it meets the industry average.
When looking at AVG’s scores, we saw the antivirus slowed down when launching popular websites, too. The industry average is 28%, and AVG had a score of 34% in July and 32% in August. It did not have any false blockages.
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| Windows | ||
| macOS | ||
| Android | ||
| iOS | ||
| Browser extensions | Chrome, Firefox, Microsoft Edge | Chrome, Firefox, Microsoft Edge, Safari, Internet Explorer |
| 24/7 customer support | Yes, if you add expert care | |
| Customer support options | Phone, chat, community, social media | Phone, email, Facebook, YouTube |
| Learn more | Get Norton 360 | Get AVG |
AVG’s Scan Central makes it easy to choose which type of system can you want to run. You have three options: Deep Scan, Targeted Scan, and External Storage Scan.
We tested AVG on a MacBook Air running Big Sur OS, then tested it again using Windows 10. When we ran the tests on our MacBook, the Deep Scan flew through over one million files in under 14 minutes. Similarly, when testing AVG on the Windows PC, we noticed no lag in system performance, and the scans were fast. The only issue we had with the interface was that since you can customize it with scheduled scans and other options, the ease of use may be lacking for some users.
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We put Norton to a thorough test running a Quick scan and Full scan to see what it could do. Note that Norton also offers Smart scan and Custom scan options. There were no system performance problems, even when we opened numerous browser tabs. The Full Scan checked over 600,000 files on our MacBook Air in under 10 minutes. The interface was easy to navigate and user-friendly. We took advantage of the junk file cleaner that removed unneeded files to clear up some real estate on our device.
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AVG is not owned by Norton. It is owned by Avast and was purchased in 2016. Both AVG and Avast offer top freemium antivirus software.
From the reports in AV-TEST, both of these have the potential to slow down the launching of websites. When we tested them on multiple devices, we didn’t notice either causing a system performance issue.
There isn’t much of a comparison between AVG Free and Norton’s paid plans. You get much more with Norton’s plans, like a password manager, file shredder, parental controls, cloud backup, and a firewall, to name a few.
Both Norton 360 and AVG are good antivirus options with solid protection ratings, but we’d recommend Norton 360. Norton offers more advanced security features like firewall protection and parental controls for the starting price point.
If you have a family and you want parental controls, dark web monitoring, and options that center around family protection, Norton 360 is better than AVG. On the other hand, if you simply want a free product or something customizable that may take some getting used to, AVG allows you to tweak the interface to your liking. And you can’t totally beat free.
But when it comes down to it, Norton offers a whopping 60-day money-back guarantee period on annual subscriptions, so you can test out which features work best for you risk-free.
If you’re looking for antivirus protection with a comparable price point to Norton but with more robust security features than AVG, consider these alternatives.
Inclusive antivirus, scam, and web protection with the added privacy of a VPN, identity monitoring, and secure password manager
Get a real-time Protection Score that measures your online safety and offers guidance to improve security
Added peace of mind with 24/7 expert online support and McAfee’s Virus Protection Pledge
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