All About Cookies is an independent, advertising-supported website. Some of the offers that appear on this site are from third-party advertisers from which All About Cookies receives compensation. This compensation may impact how and where products appear on this site (including, for example, the order in which they appear).
All About Cookies does not include all financial or credit offers that might be available to consumers nor do we include all companies or all available products. Information is accurate as of the publishing date and has not been provided or endorsed by the advertiser.
The All About Cookies editorial team strives to provide accurate, in-depth information and reviews to help you, our reader, make online privacy decisions with confidence. Here's what you can expect from us:
- All About Cookies makes money when you click the links on our site to some of the products and offers that we mention. These partnerships do not influence our opinions or recommendations. Read more about how we make money.
- Partners are not able to review or request changes to our content except for compliance reasons.
- We aim to make sure everything on our site is up-to-date and accurate as of the publishing date, but we cannot guarantee we haven't missed something. It's your responsibility to double-check all information before making any decision. If you spot something that looks wrong, please let us know.
We know you want to use the best antivirus software to keep your data secure. TotalAV is a reliable product for device security, but it may not be the software you need. From our research, we found that the best TotalAV alternatives are Bitdefender, Avast, McAfee, AVG, and Norton.
McAfee is best for families wanting superior parental control features. AVG gives you premium security options, like real-time threat scans and ransomware protection. With Bitdefender, you get identity and credit monitoring in case of a data breach. For those on a budget, Avast offers a robust free plan. Of course, Norton is an antivirus suite with a password manager and a secure VPN included.
We’ll cover the pros and cons of these five antivirus products so you can make an informed decision when choosing the best TotalAV alternative.
Top 5 alternatives compared
The top 5 antivirus alternatives
Best free alternatives
How to cancel a TotalAV subscription
TotalAV alternatives FAQs
Bottom line
What is TotalAV?
TotalAV is an antivirus product that offers affordable features with a user-friendly interface. There is a free version for those who want to test it out before committing to one of their three paid subscriptions. You get real-time protection and a VPN for extra security.
- User-friendly interface
- Real-time threat scans for safer browsing
- Anti-adware features included
- No firewall
- A maximum of six devices covered
- Some function glitches were noted during the setup
Top 5 alternatives compared
Antivirus | ![]() |
![]() |
![]() |
![]() |
![]() |
Starting price | $29.99/yr (first year only) | $35.88/yr (first year only) | $39.99/yr (first yr only) | $46.68/yr (first year only) | $29.99/yr (first year only) |
Free version | |||||
Firewall | |||||
Phishing protection | |||||
Ransomware protection | |||||
Parental controls | |||||
Learn more | Get Bitdefender | Get Avast | Get McAfee | Get AVG | Get Norton |
The top 5 antivirus alternatives
Although TotalAV is good antivirus software, it’s not right for everyone. If you want a firewall or need to cover more than eight devices, TotalAV isn’t the product for you. Whatever your reasons, we found the top five TotalAV alternatives.
Bitdefender
Bitdefender is the best antivirus for Windows and Android users who want premium features with their antivirus software. It works with macOS, but some functions aren’t available. If you’re looking for online banking tools, Bitdefender includes those and also has a VPN for encrypted web traffic. You can try the free version or choose from one of the three subscription plans. If you opt for Bitdefender Total Security, you’ll have coverage for five devices. The Antivirus Plus and Internet Security options work only with Windows.
What we liked
The Bitdefender features are easy to use. The interface is organized, and malware scans are fast, with no noticeable system interruptions. A full scan took less than 40 minutes with numerous browser tabs open and videos streaming.
What we didn’t like
It’s a bit annoying that Bitdefender is divided into two parts when setting up the software. You have the Bitdefender Central browser hub and the antivirus application. To set up parental controls, you must log into Bitdefender Central to install the feature, but that’s a small hurdle to overcome.
Bitdefender specs
Price | $29.99/yr (first year only) |
Free version | Yes |
Firewall | Yes |
Phishing protection | Yes |
Ransomware protection | Yes |
Webcam protection | Yes |
Network protection | Yes |
Parental controls | Yes |
Extras | Password manager, VPN, and identity theft protection |
Learn more | Get Bitdefender |
Avast
Avast can cover up to 30 devices, with a firewall included for Windows. If you don’t need parental controls but want solid protection for online shopping and browsing, Avast is a good investment.
There are four plans to choose from, and one is free. All plans include phishing and real-time protection. Avast One and Avast One Platinum include unlimited VPN security. If you’re looking for a product that’s easy to use, Avast offers some of the best virus protection for Mac.
What we liked
Avast is easy to navigate and showed no lag time when performing malware scans. The Network Inspector and Ransomware Shield are on by default, so there’s no complicated setup. It’s also impressive that the Personal Privacy section allows users to choose how and if they want their data shared.
What we didn’t like
Avast comes with a Stay Safe Virus Guarantee that refunds your money if your device gets infected with a virus that Avast cannot remove. The catch is that you must enroll in the subscription’s auto-renew feature, which some users may not like. It’s also has the most expensive starting price of our top five choices.
Avast specs
Price range | $35.88/yr (first year only) |
Free version | Yes |
Firewall | Yes |
Phishing protection | Yes |
Ransomware protection | Yes |
Webcam protection | Yes |
Network protection | Yes |
Parental controls | No |
Extras | Malicious site and web tracker alerts |
Learn more | Get Avast |
McAfee
McAfee offers an all-inclusive antivirus package with features like a firewall, a VPN, identity monitoring, and a secure password manager. You also have 24/7 expert customer support and can choose from four subscription plans, with coverage ranging from one machine to unlimited devices.
What we liked
We liked how many features come standard with McAfee. It also has real-time scanning that runs in the background, so you have more peace of mind while on the internet. Scanning is quick, and the firewall makes online browsing more secure.
What we didn’t like
Since we tested McAfee on a MacBook, we did have to change to a different web browser to access some of the identity features. It took some time to figure this out, but customer support gave us the solution, and after using a different browser, everything worked.
McAfee specs
Starting price | $39.99/yr (first yr only) |
Free version | Yes |
Firewall | Yes |
Phishing protection | Yes |
Ransomware protection | Yes |
Webcam protection | Yes |
Network protection | No |
Parental controls | Yes |
Extras | Password manager, VPN, and identity theft protection |
Learn more | Get McAfee |
AVG
AVG is one of the best free antivirus software products available. It works on any device and includes real-time protection and a firewall. With AVG, you get webcam protection, a secure VPN, and anti-tracking features, depending on the plan. There are two paid options, which are Internet Security and Ultimate. If you want the VPN, tracker blocker, and optimization tools, you’ll need the Ultimate plan.
What we liked
With its enhanced firewall, AVG alerts you to suspicious activity. The scanning speed is impressive, checking over 300 files in one second. You can also use the Scheduled Scans feature to set up routine malware checks.
What we didn’t like
Some of the features may require some navigation. While testing, we had to investigate and adjust the settings to learn how the features worked. The support pages were out of date, so they weren’t much help.
AVG specs
Starting price | Free |
Free version | Yes |
Firewall | Yes |
Phishing protection | Yes |
Ransomware protection | Yes |
Webcam protection | Yes |
Network protection | Yes |
Parental controls | No |
Extras | VPN, Wi-Fi security, and website security |
Learn more | Get AVG |
Norton
Norton 360 has four main plans. They all include ransomware protection, cloud backup, and a secure password manager. Depending on the subscription you choose, you can cover up to 10 devices, get more backup space, as well as dark web monitoring protection.
What we liked
We liked Norton’s fast scanning: It ran through over 600,000 files in under 10 minutes. Many antivirus plans don’t come with cloud backup, so we felt that was a bonus with Norton. We also loved the secure VPN to hide our internet data from unauthorized users.
What we didn’t like
There’s not much to dislike about this antivirus suite. If we must be picky, some users may not enjoy the multi-tab navigation when using the portal for the first time. To us, it means more features to explore.
Norton specs
Starting price | $29.99/yr (first year only) |
Free version | No |
Firewall | Yes |
Phishing protection | Yes |
Ransomware protection | Yes |
Webcam protection | Yes |
Network protection | Yes |
Parental controls | Yes |
Extras | Password manager, VPN, and identity theft protection |
Learn more | Get Norton |
Best free alternatives
If you’re not sure you want to pay for antivirus software, there are some free alternatives out there. Whether you want to save money or would rather test some products first, free antivirus software may be the way to go. These programs have a variety of benefits. Here are our recommendations:
- Avast: Avast includes many features in its free plan, like phishing, ransomware, and real-time protection, making it the best overall value.
- AVG: Avast acquired AVG in 2016, so you’ll get some of the same features here. Users enjoy real-time protection against malware threats, infected emails, and scam websites.
- Avira: Avira offers a few perks that come only with their paid versions. If you need cleanup tools, real-time protection, and secure internet browsing, the free plan has these features.
How to cancel a TotalAV subscription
If you’ve decided to switch providers, it’s easy to cancel your TotalAV subscription. The steps may be slightly different depending on your payment method.
If you used PayPal or a card, you’ll need to log in to your account and go to the My Services section. From there, you can manage your account, including the option to cancel. If you used Apple’s App Store or the Google Play store, you can cancel from your Settings app under the Subscriptions tab.
TotalAV alternatives FAQs
Do I need a paid antivirus subscription?
If you need basic antivirus coverage, a free subscription may work for you. Alternatively, if you need extra features, like dark web monitoring and parental controls, or have numerous devices, you may need a paid antivirus subscription.
Does Windows have native antivirus?
Windows has Windows Security, which includes the Microsoft Defender antivirus. Some users feel they need more protection and opt for other software.
Can my iPhone get hacked?
Although rare, your iPhone can get hacked if you use third-party apps that give hackers access to your device. They can install malware or use the link to steal your data.
Bottom line
If you’ve used TotalAV and are ready to switch to a different paid antivirus program or only need the features that come with a free antivirus, these software options are the best alternatives we’ve found.
Some of them offer free and paid subscriptions. Others, like Norton and McAfee, only have paid plans, but you’ll get plenty of bang for your buck. The best antivirus software doesn’t have to cost a fortune, but it will keep your data out of unauthorized hands.
![A blue background with images of locks and shields with the text "Best Antivirus Software" and the All About Cookies logo.](https://cdn.allaboutcookies.org/315x315/filters:quality(75)/images/2023/01/26/best-antivirus-software.png)
![A blue background with images of locks and shields with the text "Antivirus Review Guardio Review" and the All About Cookies logo.](https://cdn.allaboutcookies.org/315x315/filters:quality(75)/images/2023/06/15/guardio_review.jpg)
![A mom and daughter sit together using a laptop.](https://cdn.allaboutcookies.org/315x315/filters:quality(75)/images/2024/08/06/is_roblox_safe_featured_image.png)
![Person using a laptop computer with cybersecurity.](https://cdn.allaboutcookies.org/315x315/filters:quality(75)/images/2024/06/26/is_kaspersky_safe.jpg)
![A blue background with images of locks and shields and the text "Norton Alternatives"](https://cdn.allaboutcookies.org/315x315/filters:quality(75)/images/2024/06/19/norton_alternatives.jpg)
![A blue background with images of locks and shields with the text “Best Antivirus Free Trial Downloads” and the All About Cookies logo.](https://cdn.allaboutcookies.org/315x315/filters:quality(75)/images/2024/06/05/best_antivirus_free_trial_downloads_featured_image.png)
![Woman holds phone while scrolling on her laptop.](https://cdn.allaboutcookies.org/315x315/filters:quality(75)/images/2024/05/31/norton-deals-discounts-promotions.png)
![A man in an office stares down at his laptop.](https://cdn.allaboutcookies.org/315x315/filters:quality(75)/images/2024/05/16/norton-360-prices.png)