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Best for affordability
Real-time protection from viruses, malware, and online threats
Blocks tracking cookies and ads, proactively monitors for data breaches, and option to schedule smart scans
100% compatible with Windows, Mac, Android, and iOS operating systems on up to 3 devices
Best for overall features
Premium antivirus, scam, and web protection, plus a VPN, identity monitoring, and secure password manager
Added peace of mind with 24/7 expert online support and McAfee’s Virus Protection Pledge
Compatible with Windows, Mac, Android, iOS, and ChromeOS on up to 5 devices
After thorough testing and looking at third-party scores, we concluded that McAfee was better than TotalAV.
McAfee is premium antivirus software that includes some features families might appreciate. Although there’s no free version, McAfee has four different paid options to fit almost any budget, starting at $39.99/yr (first yr only). That and the higher Windows test scores make it a better antivirus program than TotalAV.
Still, TotalAV is a good solution for users wanting effective malware protection but may not need unlimited device coverage. The paid plans start at $29.00/yr (first year only), making it affordable for most people who want to test the product.
Let’s dive into all the details so you can choose the best antivirus program tailored to your needs.
One of the main differences between these antivirus products is the number of devices you can cover. McAfee offers unlimited device protection, while TotalAV maxes out at eight.
Some users may think TotalAv’s cost is too high to cover only three to eight machines. You also won’t get parental controls with TotalAV, so if you’re looking for a more family-centered option, TotolAV may not be the best fit.
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| Star rating | ||
| Starting price | Starts at $29.00/yr (first year only) | Starts at $39.99/yr (first yr only) |
| Max number of protected devices | 8 | Unlimited |
| Malware scans | Manual and scheduled | Manual and scheduled |
| Real-time protection | ||
| Phishing protection | ||
| Ransomware protection | ||
| 24/7 customer support | ||
| Compatibility | Windows, Android, iOS, MacOS, Chrome, Safari, Edge, Opera, Amazon Fire | Windows, Android, macOS, iOS, ChromeOS |
| Learn more | Get TotalAV | Get McAfee |
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.
TotalAV has proven itself a reliable product, scoring well in third-party tests. It offers robust protection from various types of malware. It has optimization tools to make surfing the web smooth as well as an ad blocker.
McAfee has the advantage when it comes to devices. Depending on your plan, you can cover an unlimited amount, making it a great choice for large households. Along with reliable antivirus, you can sign up for extras like data removal and identity theft protection.
Both antivirus products offer great value, but TotalAV has slightly better pricing.
Our Pick |
| |
| Price range | $29.00–$49.00/yr (first year only) | $29.99–$249.99/yr |
| Best value plan | Total Security for $49.00/yr (first year only) | Essential plan for $39.99/yr (first yr only) |
| Money-back guarantee | Yes — 30 days | Yes — 30 days |
| Learn more | Get TotalAV | Get McAfee |
One of the first things you may notice when viewing the price table is that McAfee can be quite a bit more expensive than TotalAV. McAfee also has unlimited device protection, while TotalAV only covers up to eight devices.
If you want the McAfee Ultimate option, you’ll pay $199.99/yr (first yr only), but that is the best subscription offered. You’ll get credit monitoring, credit lock, and a host of other identity theft features with that plan.
McAfee includes only paid plans; there’s no free version. TotalAV has a free plan, which is good if all you need is a basic antivirus scanner. You need antivirus protection, so even the minimum is better than nothing.
Both antivirus products come with a 30-day money-back guarantee. That gives you time to test the software and get a full refund if you don’t like it.
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Our Pick | |
| Manual and scheduled scans | ||
| Real-time protection | ||
| Phishing protection | ||
| Ransomware protection | ||
| Firewall | ||
| Parental controls | ||
| Password manager | Yes, with the Total Security plan | |
| VPN | Yes, with Internet Security and Total Security plans | |
| Ad blocker | ||
| Device optimization tools | ||
| Learn more | Get TotalAV | Get McAfee |
While both TotalAV and McAfee offer all the standard features you’d expect from an antivirus, they start to differ when you consider what kind of extra bells and whistles you can get.
TotalAV comes with a device optimization tool and ad blocker with all plans, while McAfee doesn’t offer those features at all. That said, TotalAV’s password manager and VPN are limited to the more premium tiers, but come standard in most McAfee plans.
The major thing that McAfee has that TotalAV doesn’t is parental controls, which can be a huge benefit to families. As a parent, antivirus protects you from malware, but it won’t protect your children from online predators. McAfee’s parental controls give you a way to monitor their online activity and include features that let you manage content and screen time.
Finally, important features that McAfee has that aren’t listed above are identity theft and data removal services. These only come with Advanced and Ultimate plans (which start at Offer Pricing Tier 1 Cost), but they’re a huge part of your overall online security.
We rely on third-party testing when reviewing antivirus products because it gives us a clear picture of how the software will perform in real-world environments.
For this comparison, we used AV-TEST scores, which is an independent and comparative test that antivirus software can pay to have done to their software. This measures the program’s ability to detect malware as well as its impact on performance.
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Our Pick | |
| AV-TEST Windows score | 17/18 | 18/18 |
| AV-TEST macOS score | 18/18 | N/A |
| AV-TEST Android score | 18/18 | 18/18 |
| Learn more | Get TotalAV | Get McAfee |
Total AV: Windows Jan-Feb 2024/macOS March 2022/Android March 2024
McAfee: Windows Jan-Feb 2024/Android March 2024
While McAfee wasn’t included in the last rounds of macOS testing, its scores in the Windows and Android tests are impressive.
TotalAV scored lower for Windows than McAfee, which may be due to the protection tests for zero-day malware attacks. The industry average is 99.9 percent, but TotalAV scored only 98.2 percent in January. In February, however, it scored 100 percent.
McAfee outperformed TotalAV, receiving 100 percent in both January and February. Still, TotalAV shows good antivirus protection in real-world scenarios, receiving perfect scores in performance and usability.
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Our Pick | |
| Windows | ||
| macOS | ||
| Android | ||
| iOS | ||
| Browser extensions | Chrome, Edge, Safari, Opera | Chrome, Edge, Safari, Firefox |
| 24/7 customer support | ||
| Customer support options | Online guides, email, phone, chat | Online guides, chat, phone, forums |
| Learn more | Get TotalAV | Get McAfee |
TotalAV has an interface that’s simple and easy to use. Features are intuitive, and we only found a few downsides while testing the product, the worst of which was it would crash a few times when we tested the password vault.
When testing McAfee, we found that the scanning was seamless, with no device performance interruptions noted. The only hiccup we noticed was being unable to access some of the identity features. We placed a call to customer support, and they told us to switch browsers, which had us working with all the identity features in no time.
Both products offer 24/7 customer support, but McAfee even has social media avenues to receive assistance, which is a bonus. You can also only access the TotalAV customer service chat by scouring their Terms of Service, while McAfee encourages you to contact them with a much more streamlined support section.
Both of these products offer good antivirus coverage. We think McAfee is better if you want identity protection and parental control features, since TotalAV doesn’t have those.
McAfee is hard to beat with all the features it includes. A better software may depend on what you need. If you want a free version, McAfee does not offer that, but TotalAV, AVG, and Avast all have free plans.
McAfee is a bit better than TotalAV. It has higher third-party test scores and includes several features that TotalAV does not offer.
After thorough testing, reviewing the features of both products, and seeing the third-party test scores, McAfee is the better overall antivirus.
In full transparency, we believe TotalAV and McAfee both offer excellent security protection. TotalAV may be better if you want budget-friendly options or a simple interface without as many frills and don’t need parental control features.
Alternatively, if you want a security suite that includes identity protection and theft coverage, better customer service, and parental controls, McAfee could be your antivirus program one-stop-shop.
We have some alternatives you might want to consider if neither of these products works for you. All of them offer trustworthy security protection:
Premium antivirus, scam, and web protection, plus a VPN, identity monitoring, and secure password manager
Added peace of mind with 24/7 expert online support and McAfee’s Virus Protection Pledge
Compatible with Windows, Mac, Android, iOS, and ChromeOS on up to 5 devices
