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Best for a Cybersecurity Suite
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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 a Solid Antivirus Protection
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Antivirus with webcam and mic protection included
Parental and website controls
Norton antivirus plans come with plenty of extra security features like a virtual private network (VPN) and password manager. Norton also has multiple plans, starting at $29.99/first yr, to fit almost any budget.
Sophos antivirus doesn’t have as many plans and it’s not as budget friendly. There are one-year, two-year, and three-year subscriptions available, starting at $44.99/yr for the one-year plan. However, all Sophos plans cover up to 10 computers, which is more than most Norton plans.
There’s a lot more to unpack regarding these two antivirus programs, so let’s find the best one for you.
One of the main differences when comparing Norton vs. Sophos is that Norton offers so many plans to fit different needs. You can cover one to 10 devices and all of the plans come standard with antivirus protection, cloud backup, and a password manager.
Other than choosing the length of protection you want to buy, all of the Sophos plans have the same features. If you’re new to antivirus software, Sophos makes choosing a plan easy. Every Sophos Home account protects up to 10 computers, so it may be better suited for large households.
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| Starting price | Starts at $29.99/first yr | Starts at $44.99/yr |
| Free version | ||
| Max number of protected devices | 10 | 10 |
| 24/7 customer support | ||
| Compatibility | Windows, Android, macOS, iOS | Windows, Android, macOS, iOS |
| Real-time protection | ||
| Phishing protection | ||
| Ransomware protection | ||
| Learn more | Get Norton | Read Sophos Review |
Our Pick
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| Price range | $29.99–$99.48/first yr | $34.99–$44.99/yr |
| Best value plan | Norton 360 Deluxe for $49.99/first yr | Sophos Home Premium 1-year for $44.99/yr |
| Money-back guarantee | Yes, 60 days | Yes, 30 days |
| Learn more | Get Norton | Read Sophos Review |
Norton starts a bit cheaper than Sophos. It also has numerous plans to fit different needs, depending on the number of devices you want coverage for and the features that come with the plan.
The most you will pay for Norton is $99.99/first yr if you choose Norton Select + LifeLock. That plan protects up to 10 devices and has the most features offered, like dark web monitoring and identity protection.
Norton picked its Deluxe plan as the best value, and we agree. For $49.99/first yr, you’ll get protection for five devices, 50 GB of cloud backup, parental controls, a privacy monitor, and other features.
The only difference between Sophos plans is the number of years you want to be covered. With Sophos, you can get antivirus protection for one, two, or three years.
We think the best value is to buy for only one year of Sophos for $44.99/yr. Antivirus needs change, and we know many users don’t want to be tied down for multiple years to one product. The price only drops about $10 per year if you select the three-year plan.
Sophos includes a 30-day money-back guarantee to try the product risk free. Norton provides a 60-day money-back guarantee, which is plenty of time to decide if the product is right for you. The best antivirus programs give you the options you want at prices you can afford, and Norton does this exceptionally well.
| Feature | Our Pick
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| Manual and scheduled scans | ||
| Real-time protection | ||
| Phishing protection | ||
| Ransomware protection | ||
| Firewall | ||
| Parental controls | ||
| Password manager | ||
| VPN | ||
| Ad blocker | ||
| Device optimization tools | ||
| Learn more | Get Norton | Read Sophos Review |
Both Norton and Sophos offer basic antivirus features like an antivirus scan, real-time antivirus protection, as well as protection from phishing and ransomware attacks. But when it comes to extra features, these two antivirus programs differ.
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Both antivirus platforms are good for families. Sophos has parental web filtering to give parents more control over what their children can access online. Norton also has parental controls and the School Time feature, which provides online restriction times during school hours.
Sophos comes with a hefty price tag when you consider all it lacks. Although you can protect up to 10 devices, it leaves out some desirable features.
Sophos offers a free firewall, but it’ll overwrite all the data on your computer when installed. Therefore, you’ll need to install the firewall on a separate computer. You also won’t get a VPN to make your online browsing safer, or a password manager to keep your credentials more secure.
Meanwhile, Norton packs a punch, with a basic plan that starts at $29.99/first yr. It includes a password manager and 2 GB of cloud backup, along with malware protection. The other plans all come standard with advanced features like a VPN, dark web monitoring, and more.
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When it comes to malware detection and prevention, we want to be sure you’re protected. Beyond our own testing, we refer to third-party test sites to know exactly how an antivirus performs in real-world environments.
For Sophos vs. Norton, we used SE Labs’ results:
Our Pick
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| Protection accuracy | 100% | 98% |
| Legitimate accuracy | 100% | 100% |
| Total accuracy | 100% | 99% |
| Learn more | Get Norton | Read Sophos Review |
Both Norton and Sophos had excellent scores. Yet, while Norton scored 100% on its accuracy, Sophos did miss the mark a bit on a couple of points. For protection accuracy, it received 98%, which dropped its total accuracy down to 99%.
The protection accuracy score reflects how well the antivirus software scores against malware threats. The total accuracy is a combination of scores that judge the product’s effectiveness overall. Knowing this, you can see how although both Norton and Sophos scored well, Norton still beat out the competition.
Our Pick
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| Windows | ||
| macOS | ||
| Android | ||
| iOS | ||
| Browser extensions | Chrome, Firefox, Edge, Safari | Chrome, Edge, Firefox, Safari |
| 24/7 customer support | ||
| Customer support options | Chat, phone, online guides, support forums, social media | Chat, email, online guides, support forums, support videos |
| Learn more | Get Norton | Read Sophos Review |
The Norton interface was easy to use, and we had no issues with scanning, even with multiple browser tabs open. We also didn’t notice any lag with any of our running programs during scans.
The junk cleaner was a nice addition and helped to remove files we no longer needed, freeing up space on our MacBook device.
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While our overall experience with Sophos was positive, we did note that the scan function was confusing at first use. Sophos doesn’t have a quick scan button like most antivirus programs. There is a fast scan option instead, which is similar to a quick scan. The fast scan is worthy of its name, taking only around 5 minutes to complete.
The interface was simple, but you need to access the Sophos website to make changes or view a setting, which was frustrating for us during testing.
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Norton and Sophos have similar offerings for customer support, including phone, live chat, online guides, and support forums. However, Norton offers 24/7 phone support, while Sophos support hours are limited to Monday through Friday, 8 a.m. to 8 p.m. We do like that Sophos provides support videos, which could be helpful for visual learners.
Norton comes with so many features that it’s hard to beat. Yet, if you want more device optimization features, you may like TotalAV better.
Sophos antivirus is trustworthy, considering the near-perfect scores it received from SE Labs. Since the overall score was 99%, we feel confident that it is a solid antivirus for anyone who needs online security protection.
If Norton has any disadvantages, it may be that you must purchase the most expensive plan to get identity theft protection and the most cloud backup space. Norton also doesn’t come standard with an ad blocker, but you can also opt for a free one.
We don’t recommend running Windows Defender if you have Sophos, as it may cause performance issues by taking up considerable RAM. One antivirus program should be sufficient to protect your device.
First, we want to be clear that both Norton and Sophos are good antivirus programs. In our reviews and according to the third-party testing, these products offer security protection you can trust.
If we must choose one, Norton comes out on top. With so many features, like a secure VPN, cloud backup, a firewall, and so many other options, Norton is hard to pass up. It’s been a trusted name in antivirus software for many years, and that doesn’t look likely to slow down anytime soon. Everyone needs antivirus protection and with prices starting at $29.99/first yr, we suggest giving Norton a try.
As with all products, we know these two antivirus programs may not fit the bill for your particular needs. With that in mind, we have some alternatives you may like better.
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
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