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Best for Comprehensive Antivirus
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.
Prices
Features
Test results
Compatibility and customer support
Top alternatives
FAQs
Norton vs. Trend Micro: Which is better?
Norton vs. Trend Micro overview
- Norton: Best for a comprehensive antivirus program
- Trend Micro: Best for budgets
![]() Our Pick
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Star rating | ||
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 | Get Trend Micro |
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.
- Protection against all malware, ransomware, and hacking
- Cloud backup and password manager included with all plans
- Includes parental controls
- 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.
- 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
- 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.
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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 | Get Trend Micro |
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.
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.
Norton vs. Trend Micro: features
Feature |
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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 | Get Trend Micro |
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 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.
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.
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 |
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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 | Get Trend Micro |
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.
Norton vs. Trend Micro: compatibility and customer support
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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 | Get Trend Micro |
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.
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 | |||
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.
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.
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