All-in-one protection for your personal info and privacy
Excellent antivirus protection
Additional features like a file shredder and parental controls
Multiple pop-ups for text notifications can be annoying
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With 560,000 new pieces of malware detected each day, you don’t want to take chances when it comes to your antivirus software. Currently, there are over a billion malware programs in existence. Finding protection for your device is crucial, but there are so many to choose from, it’s hard to know which one is best for you.
McAfee antivirus still offers excellent security with good pricing options. AV-Comparatives named it a product of the year in 2021 after rigorous testing. In our McAfee antivirus review, we’ll take a look at how this software performs. Keep reading to find out if McAfee is the best antivirus software for your needs.
| Price | $39.99–$219.99/yr |
| Free plan | No |
| Number of devices protected | Up to unlimited |
| Malware scans | Manual and scheduled |
| Firewall | Yes |
| Phishing protection | Yes |
| Parental controls | Yes |
| Details | Get McAfee |
McAfee is a robust software that offers premium security for your device. There are several pricing tiers, so you can fine-tune your antivirus selection for your specific needs. It is a full security suite, with a firewall, parental controls, phishing protection, and more.
You know that antivirus software prevents viruses, but McAfee+ Premium does offer more than a basic software package. Opting for this suite, you’ll have access to a secure virtual private network (VPN), identity protection, browser security, and tracking removal.
The virus scanning offers a Full scan and a Custom scan. The only downside we found was that there is no obvious Quick scan feature for Macs. You’ll need to set up the Custom scanning feature to match your preferences.
McAfee+ Premium gives you automatic and manual scans. As mentioned, since we were testing the antivirus with a Macbook Air, there was no Quick scan option. You can run the Full scan and schedule scans to run for the most convenient times.
We did a full scan and were pleased that it took less than 10 minutes to scan over 400,000 files. Full scans can sometimes take 30 minutes to an hour to run, so this was a nice surprise.
The Custom scan option allows you to specify file locations and choose the items you want to scan. You can add and remove locations according to your preferences.
McAfee+ Premium also offers phishing security. The provider includes a firewall and web browsing advisors to reduce online phishing threats. It also helps verify that websites are safe when you’re accessing them online.
Your McAfee software helps protect you when you don’t realize it’s working. The antivirus inspects software while running in the background. You may not notice it while working, but as it continuously runs it gives you more phishing security from cybercriminals.
McAfee goes a step further and invites you to report suspected fraudulent emails. If you use the antivirus and think you’ve received a phishing email, send the information to spam@mcafee.com.
A firewall is great to have with your antivirus software because it filters information coming through your internet connection. Your McAfee firewall is the first line of defense for stopping malicious attackers and programs from gaining access to your device.
The firewall safeguards your network and blocks hackers from invading your system. You get a two-way firewall that filters incoming and outgoing internet traffic. Your firewall also protects you on the go, so you have more security when you’re mobile.
This firewall is included when you install McAfee+ Premium. There is nothing to set up or tweak unless you want to dive into the Advanced Settings feature. That option allows you to change traffic protocols, so it’s not needed for most individuals wanting optimal firewall protection.
Your real-time protection is always on with this antivirus. Individual files and apps are scanned when you access them. There’s also a scanner that continually monitors your device, even if you don’t set up the Scheduled or On-Demand scans. This protection makes sure whatever you access is safe. If there’s a threat, the Real-Time Scanner will block it, which stops it from spreading throughout your device.
Real-Time Scanning is automatically set up to clean malicious files when found. You can change the default options to scan mail messages, archived files, and network volumes. We had no trouble using this protection since it was turned on when we installed the software.
McAfee+ Premium blocks ransomware attacks. McAfee is designed to auto-update so users always have the latest ransomware protection.
For the Mac version, there’s no setting that strictly shows the ransomware feature, but there is the auto-update section that is turned on by default. You can also adjust the settings for more convenience. This is another automatic feature you get with McAfee that runs in the background while you’re online.
McAfee includes identity theft protection with its antivirus software. You have to give the software full access to your settings, but that was an easy task. McAfee lets you know you’re protected with a message that shows you’re 100% secure. Along with identity theft protection, you get McAfee WebAdvisor, which protects against malicious websites. You can block by category, rating, and website.
With McAfee, you get a suite of extra features included like identity features, privacy options, and security features. When you use these extra options, you can monitor your credit for breaches as well as use the VPN for more security when using your at-home network and while you’re out and about accessing public Wi-Fi.
With McAfee’s identity features, you get dark web monitoring, identity theft coverage up to $1,000,000, and lost wallet protection. If your IDs or credit cards are lost or stolen, McAfee will contact the credit companies on your behalf to cancel the cards and get them replaced with little effort on your part.
The privacy features offered by McAfee are the VPN and personal data cleanup. The personal data cleanup works by scanning high-risk data broker sites to see if any of them are collecting and selling your data. You can request the removal of your information or McAfee will contact the website broker for you.
Many antivirus programs don’t come with a file shredder or web protection, but McAfee+ Premium includes these security options. The file shredder feature makes sure your unwanted files are gone forever. It overwrites the file’s data several times before it gets deleted. Another security feature is the True Key password manager.
You also get the WebAdvisor installed for security. This feature gives you a safer online experience by blocking unsecured websites. WebAdvisor provides phishing and malware protection without affecting the device’s performance. With this browser extension, you control how the websites are blocked and which ones are blocked.
AV-TEST gives consumers reports on various internet security products. This is effective when choosing which antivirus program you want to buy because you can see how it ranks. AV-TEST uses cutting-edge methodologies to test security products, and you also get the most recent updated testing scores. The tests used are run with real threats found in targets that are popular today.
McAfee scored 100% on its protection tests from January and February 2023, and it had only one false positive in January.[1] Though AV-TEST scored the antivirus lower for performance due to its tendency to cause a slight slowdown when launching popular websites or installing apps.
| Test type | Windows 10 Pro score | macOS Monterey score | Android 11 score |
| Protection | 6.0/6.0 | Not tested | 6.0/6.0 |
| Performance | 5.5/6.0 | Not tested | 6.0/6.0 |
| Usability | 6.0/6.0 | Not tested | 6.0/6.0 |
It's also worth noting that McAfee wasn't tested for Mac. While this is disappointing, it doesn't necessarily point to McAfee being a bad antivirus for macOS. Security brands are required to pay for evaluations by AV-TEST, and many tend to focus on Windows and Android.
Overall our experience with McAfee was a good one. We liked how fast the full scan ran and enjoyed the firewall feature that makes online browsing more secure. We did notice that when testing this antivirus on our Macbook Air using Big Sur 11.3, we weren’t able to access some of the identity features without switching web browsers, which was the instruction we received from tech support.
The outstanding features we liked best were:
When you open the McAfee Internet Security Console, you have the security check mark that shows your device is protected. You can also add more devices like your smartphone or tablet. It’s also nice that you get a message that shows there’s nothing else needed on your part and your device is 100% secure. That gives you peace of mind as a user while browsing the internet.
You want to check compatibility when shopping for an antivirus program. When you are defending your device against the latest malware, you need to know the antivirus you choose can stay on top of your privacy needs. McAfee+ Premium is compatible with the following operating systems, mobile devices, and browsers:
When checking out the McAfee customer support service, we found different categories you can click on to help tailor assistance options. There are also videos to help with installation and download issues. McAfee also offers 24/7 phone support. We emailed support with a question and are waiting for a reply.
When we called support, we were connected with a knowledgeable and courteous rep within three to five minutes. The representative was able to help us look into the issue and gave us the information to move forward.
McAfee offers different pricing tiers so that you can choose the subscription that works for your budget and software needs. You can also get discounted pricing for the first year and then auto-renew after that.
The discounted pricing is competitive with other antivirus products, but once it renews you may be able to find some cheaper options out there. Still, with features included like privacy protection, VPN, and a firewall, we think McAfee is worth the cost of computer virus protection, especially considering the AV-TEST scores. If you want to try it out, McAfee offers a 30-day, free trial guarantee on all their products.
| Plus | McAfee+ Premium | McAfee+ Advanced | McAfee+ Ultimate | |
| Price for first year | $39.99/first yr | $49.99/first yr | $89.99/first yr | $199.99/first yr |
| # devices supported | 1 | 5 | Unlimited | Unlimited |
| Compatible with | Windows, macOS, Android, iOS | Windows, macOS, Android, iOS | Windows, macOS, Android, iOS | Windows, macOS, Android, iOS |
| Manual and auto scan | ||||
| Phishing protection | ||||
| Firewall | ||||
| Real-time protection | ||||
| Ransomware protection | ||||
| Parental controls | ||||
| Performance optimization tools | ||||
| VPN | ||||
| Details | Learn more | Learn more | Learn more | Learn more |
The main disadvantage of McAfee is that the renewal pricing may be more than you want to pay if you don’t need the extra features it offers. For example, you can get a one-year basic McAfee subscription for about $30 for the first year. After that, the price goes up to about $90 per year.
There may be antivirus programs that suit your needs or budget better, but with its high AV-TEST scores, you’ll be hard-pressed to find a better antivirus program than McAfee.
There is a possibility that McAfee could slow down your device. That can be due to excess junk files, outdated McAfee versions, and limited disk space. Fortunately, there are steps you can take to fix slow performance issues after installing McAfee.
The cost of McAfee depends on the version you get. For the first year, prices range from about $30 to $90.
Is McAfee+ Premium a good antivirus program? Yes. The truth is this is stellar software that offers you a ton of bang for your buck.
With all these features and high scores from AV-TEST, we have no issues recommending McAfee+ Premium for your next antivirus install. If you want lots of cybersecurity features you won’t get with other programs, like a firewall, VPN, and privacy controls, this may be the best software you can buy.
If McAfee doesn’t seem right for you, we recommend looking at our list of the best antivirus software for alternatives.
All-in-one protection for your personal info and privacy
Excellent antivirus protection
Additional features like a file shredder and parental controls
Multiple pop-ups for text notifications can be annoying
