Norton vs. Trend Micro 2025: Norton Has the Inside Track

Norton and Trend Micro provide a robust suite of trustworthy security features, but Norton edges ahead because of its VPN and firewall.
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Best for Comprehensive Antivirus

2025 Editor’s Choice
Best Overall Antivirus
5.0
Editorial Rating
Learn More
On Norton 360 Antivirus's website

Antivirus Software
Norton 360 Antivirus
PROMOTION: Save up to 58%
  • Backed by a 100% Virus Protection Promise
  • Tested protection against hackers, viruses, malware, and ransomware
  • Includes VPN, parental controls, and more

Best for Budgets

4.7
Editorial Rating
Learn More
On Trend Micro's website

Antivirus Software
Trend Micro
  • More affordable than Norton, McAfee, Bitdefender, and more top providers
  • Aced all internal tests and recent third-party tests
  • No firewall, only boosts Microsoft Defender

Norton and Trend Micro are two of the most well-known antivirus products on the market. Norton wins this head-to-head comparison with its comprehensive security suite and features ranging from antivirus to parental controls to identity protection. On the other hand, Trend Micro is best if you need only antivirus protection.

In our comparative review of Norton vs. Trend Micro, we review pricing, third-party test results, and essential features to help you determine which antivirus software best meets your needs.

In this article
Overview
Prices
Features
Test results
Compatibility and customer support
Top alternatives
FAQs
Norton vs. Trend Micro: Which is better?

Norton vs. Trend Micro overview

Norton 360 Antivirus logo
Our Pick
Trend Micro logo
Star rating
5.0
4.7
Starting price Starts at $29.99/first yr Starts at $19.95/yr
Max number of protected devices Up to Unlimited Up to 10
Malware scans Manual and scheduled Manual and scheduled
Real-time protection
Phishing protection
Ransomware protection
24/7 customer support
Compatibility Windows, macOS, Android, iOS Windows, macOS, Android, iOS
Learn more Get Norton

Read Norton Review

Get Trend Micro

Read Trend Micro Review

How we test and rate antivirus software

We use our proprietary grading rubric in all of our testing, which considers ease-of-use, third-party testing scores, internal testing scores, price, compatibility, and features offered, among other metrics. 

This means that our testing process is designed to ensure that the product isn't too confusing, protects as it claims, and offers you a lot for a reasonable price. We download and run each program on our own computers on home networks, just like you would. Our ratings reflect the real-world performance of the antivirus product. This ensures that we can recreate a similar experience for you and give our best advice on whether or not it's worthwhile.

To learn more about how we test, check out our full antivirus testing methodology here.

Norton 360 pros and cons

Norton is one of the most recognizable names for antivirus and malware protection. It offers several plans at different price points and protects against malware, ransomware, and other cyberthreats. We like that all of its Norton 360 plans — from Standard to Deluxe — include parental controls and a firewall for advanced protection. Norton offers a comprehensive set of features, paired with its varied plans, that nearly everyone can find something that suits their needs. Its real-time protection and extra features like cloud backup and a password manager give users a pretty big safety net.

Pros
  • Protection against all malware, ransomware, and hacking
  • Cloud backup and password manager included with all plans
  • Includes parental controls
Cons
  • No free version
  • Multi-tab navigation may be overwhelming at first when using the portal

Trend Micro pros and cons

Trend Micro offers many features, but the Maximum Security plan provides the most value for your investment. It’s the most expensive option, but it comes with performance optimization, a password manager, and additional compatibility options. However, Trend Micro doesn’t offer a firewall with any plan. Trend Micro performed well in third-party testing and offers four tiers of plans, all of which include both manual and scheduled malware scans. Parental controls help parents monitor their children's internet usage, and optimization tools ensure a smooth surfing experience.

Pros
  • More affordable than Norton, McAfee, Bitdefender, and more
  • Aced all of our internal tests and recent third-party tests
  • 30-day free trial, no credit card required
Cons
  • No firewall, only boosts Microsoft Defender
  • Two lowest tiers are only available for Windows
  • 24/7 support only available with highest tier

Which antivirus is the better value?

Norton has the best value due to its vast features and multiple plans.

Norton 360 Antivirus logo
Our Pick
Trend Micro logo
Price range $29.99–$299.99/first yr $19.95–$54.95/yr
Best value plan Norton 360 Deluxe for $49.99/first yr Trend Micro Maximum Security for $49.95/yr
Money-back guarantee Yes — 60 days Yes — 30 days
Learn more Get Norton

Read Norton Review

Get Trend Micro

Read Trend Micro Review

Norton 360 plans

Norton 360 Deluxe offers the best value, supporting up to five devices, and includes features such as a VPN, dark web monitoring, parental controls, and privacy monitoring for $49.99/first yr. Its lowest-tier Antivirus Plus plan at $29.99/first yr provides only cloud backup and a password manager as extra features.

Norton 360 Standard, priced at $39.99/first yr, offers similar benefits to 360 Deluxe, but lacks parental controls and privacy monitoring. If you don’t need parental controls, you may want to consider the Norton 360 Standard plan to save money. Norton 360 offers a 7-day free trial and a 60-day money-back guarantee for annual plans. 

Norton 360 deluxe dashboard

Trend Micro plans

Trend Micro offers four plans. Although the Maximum Security plan is priced higher, we believe it offers the best value for your money.

The Maximum Security plan protects up to five devices and is compatible with Windows, iOS, macOS, Android, and Chromebook. It comes with all essential antivirus protections, as well as performance optimization, mobile device security, and dark web monitoring.

Trend Micro’s basic plan costs $19.95/yr, secures one device, and is only Windows compatible. It comes with basic antivirus protection. Trend Micro offers a 30-day risk-free trial and a 30-day money-back guarantee. Trend Micro doesn’t require a credit card for the free trial, so you can test it without worrying about canceling.

Trend Micro setup complete page

Winner: Norton wins for overall value. Norton 360 Deluxe will protect your devices with enhanced security features, including a firewall, VPN, 50 GB of cloud storage, and more.

Norton vs. Trend Micro: features

Feature Norton 360 Antivirus logo
Our Pick
Trend Micro logo
Manual and scheduled scans
Real-time protection
Phishing protection
Ransomware protection
Firewall
Device optimization tools
Parental controls
Password manager
VPN
Ad blocker
Extras Dark web monitoring, cloud backup, software updater, and more Identity theft protection
Learn more Get Norton

Read Norton Review

Get Trend Micro

Read Trend Micro Review

Norton and Trend Micro offer many of the same security and protection features, such as ransomware and malware protection, phishing protection, a password manager, parental controls, and more. However, while they offer similar benefits, there are a few key differences to note.

Norton 360 app menu showing list of security and scam protection

Norton embeds firewall protection in its software, a key differentiator between the two products. Trend Micro has a firewall booster to enhance Windows’ firewall functionality. If Trend Micro isn't running, you must enable the Windows firewall for the booster to function.

Norton 360 Smart Firewall tab

Unfortunately, Trend Micro doesn’t come with a VPN; it’s offered at an additional cost. Norton 360 Standard, Deluxe, and Select with LifeLock all come with Norton Secure VPN. But Trend Micro does provide advanced phishing protection.

Trend Micro Toolbar extension

Winner: Norton edges out Trend Micro. Norton’s enhanced VPN and firewall features are important for added security protection.

Norton vs. Trend Micro: test results

Third-party testing is a rigorous and reliable tool for evaluating the performance of antivirus software. It pushes the software to its maximum limits to validate the product's claims.

We use AV-TEST as an independent, unbiased third-party review site. AV-TEST assigns scores from 0 to 6 in three categories — protection, performance, and usability. The maximum number of total points a product can receive is 18. At 10 points or higher, the product gets the AV-TEST approval seal, a sign of certified security.

We also consider other independent labs, such as AV-Comparatives and SE Labs, to assess how well the antivirus software provides malware protection.

Norton vs. Trend Micro malware protection scores

Feature Norton 360 Antivirus logo
Our Pick
Trend Micro logo
AV-TEST Windows score 18/18 18/18
AV-TEST macOS score 18/18 18/18
AV-TEST Android score 17/18 17/18
AV-Comparatives malware protection score 99.96% 98.07%
SE Labs anti-malware protection score 100% 95%
Learn more Get Norton

Read Norton Review

Get Trend Micro

Read Trend Micro Review

Norton and Trend Micro both received perfect scores on their AV-TESTs for Windows and macOS, but were dinged for a lesser performance on Android. 

Both offer strong malware protection in third-party testing, but Norton scored higher in both AV-Comparatives and SE Labs tests, demonstrating superior protection.

Winner: Norton. Although both offer strong protection for Windows, macOS, and Android, Norton provides better protection against malware in multiple third-party tests. 

Norton vs. Trend Micro: compatibility and customer support

Norton 360 Antivirus logo Trend Micro logo
Windows
macOS
Android
iOS
Browser extensions Yes — Google Chrome, Mozilla Firefox, Microsoft Edge, Safari Yes — Google Chrome, Microsoft Edge, Mozilla Firefox, Safari
24/7 customer support
Customer support options Live chat, phone, online guides, forums, social media Live chat, phone, email, online guides
Learn more Get Norton

Read Norton Review

Get Trend Micro

Read Trend Micro Review

When testing Norton, we didn’t have difficulty using or navigating any of the features. There were no scanning issues or lags with running programs during scans.

While Norton is compatible with macOS, some security features aren’t available for Macs. This includes the Power Eraser and Proactive Exploit Protection (PEP).

Trend Micro’s interface is easy to use. Some initial scans took longer because they checked for malware, but the following scan was faster. You can also customize the files and drives you want scanned.

Norton and Trend Micro provide 24/7 customer support. Norton is available 24/7 via phone and live chat, while Trend Micro is available 24/7 via phone (premium plans only). Norton has a help center and a community forum. You can message its team on Facebook or Twitter with questions, and the chatbot and phone support are available 24/7.

We were impressed by Trend Micro’s help center. The dashboard is intuitive and easy to navigate, with a complete library of information. You can also connect with its support team via phone, email, chatbot, and Messenger.

Winner: This is a draw. Norton and Trend Micro have intuitive interfaces and superior customer support. Trend Micro may have better compatibility with macOS, but both Norton and Trend Micro received high scores in all categories for compatibility.

Norton vs. Trend Micro alternatives

Norton offers a robust security suite, but its price point may not be ideal for everyone. Here's how Norton 360 compares to other top antivirus programs we've tested:

Antivirus
TotalAV

McAfee

Norton 360
Star rating
4.7
4.9
5.0
Price $19.00–$49.00/first yr $29.99–$249.99/yr $29.99–$299.99/first yr
# of devices protected 4 - 8 Unlimited 1 - 10
Real-time protection
Malware scans Manual and scheduled Manual and scheduled Manual and scheduled
Firewall
EICAR test results 2/3 3/3 3/3
Phishing protection
Compatibility Windows, macOS, Android, iOS, Chrome, Edge, Opera Windows, macOS, Android, iOS Windows, macOS, Android, iOS
Extras Password manager, ad blocker, VPN Parental controls, performance optimization tools, VPN Password manager, VPN, dark web monitoring, parental controls, privacy monitor, identity theft protection, cloud backup
Learn more Get TotalAV Get McAfee Get Norton 360

FAQs

Is there better virus protection than Norton?

We listed Norton as one of the best antivirus programs for its bundled services. However, there are other trusted and tested antivirus products that may be more economical or have higher AV-TEST scores, like Trend Micro.

What are Norton Antivirus’ disadvantages?

Norton makes highly regarded antivirus software. The primary disadvantage to using Norton is that if you’re a dedicated Apple user, some of the security tools aren’t available for macOS. It also costs a lot to get unlimited device coverage, whereas a top competitor like McAfee offers more affordable unlimited protection. 

Can I trust Trend Micro?

Yes, you can trust Trend Micro. The independent AV-TEST results prove that Trend Micro is safe and trustworthy and protects against malware.

Does Trend Micro slow down your computer?

According to previous AV-TEST results, Trend Micro’s Windows app occasionally slowed down computer speeds, particularly when launching popular sites. However, we didn't experience any performance issues during our in-house testing, and more recent AV-TEST results indicate that Trend Micro offers perfect protection, usability, and performance for Windows and macOS. 

Norton vs. Trend Micro: Which is better?

It’s a close call between the two, but Norton is our preferred pick. Both Norton and Trend Micro are reliable antivirus programs, but Norton’s features, such as a secure VPN, a firewall, and dark web monitoring, make it stand out from the competition.

5.0
2025 Editor’s Choice
Best Overall Antivirus
Antivirus Software
Norton 360 Antivirus
  • Backed by a 100% Virus Protection Promise
  • Tested protection against hackers, viruses, malware, and ransomware
  • Includes VPN, parental controls, and more
Learn More

Although Trend Micro has improved its third-party testing and reviews, Norton is an OG in the antivirus software market and continues to adapt to the ever-changing security threats.

Protect Every Aspect of Your Digital Life — Even Your Time
4.7
Editorial Rating
Learn More
On TotalAV's website
2025 Editor’s Choice
Best Antivirus With Web Protection
Antivirus Software
TotalAV
  • Real-time protection from viruses, malware, and malicious websites
  • Includes the #1 ad blocker and also monitors for data breaches
  • Comes with a full suite of performance optimization tools to keep your device fast

Author Details
Callander Turner is a seasoned writer with more than a decade of writing experience. Holding a B.A. in English from the College of William and Mary, she began her career in tech policy and specializes in topics such as hacking, antivirus software, and password managers.
Kate is an Editor at All About Cookies. She has a decade of digital publishing experience and a background in EdTech. As a digital security expert, she leverages her passion for helping people to create authentic, well-researched content on a wide-range of digital privacy and security topics.