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Detection tested against a live malware set, renewal pricing modelled over 3 years. Ranking order is set by score alone; partner links are labelled and never move a brand up the list.
Advertiser disclosure. We may earn a commission if you buy through the “Visit Site” buttons on this page. It does not affect our scores or this ranking order. Prices were verified on 3 September 2026 and may change.
Side by side
| Brand | Score | Starting price | Billing basis | Best for |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| #1 Aura | 9.5/10 | From $22/mo | Couple plan billed annually | Identity protection first, antivirus included |
| #2 Norton | 9.4/10 | $39.99 first year | Norton 360 Standard; renews $94.99 | Best-known suite with the deepest feature bundle |
| #3 Bitdefender | 9.2/10 | $59.99/yr | Total Security Individual | Consistently top-tier malware detection |
| #4 TotalAV | Not yet scored | Not yet listed | Pending verification | Draft entry |
| #5 McAfee | Not yet scored | Not yet listed | Pending verification | Draft entry |
| #6 Avast | Not yet scored | Not yet listed | Pending verification | Draft entry |
| #7 Guardio | Not yet scored | Not yet listed | Pending verification | Draft entry |
Sources: Aura pricing · Norton pricing · Bitdefender pricing
Detection tested against a live malware set, renewal pricing modelled over 3 years. We start every category the same way: build a shortlist from the brands buyers actually consider, price each one on the plan a typical buyer would choose, then score against the published rubric rather than a feature checklist supplied by the vendor.
Identity protection first, antivirus included
Watch the second term. Antivirus alone is cheaper elsewhere, since you pay for identity cover. Where a brand advertises a promotional rate, the renewal figure is shown in the comparison table above and repeated on the brand’s review page.
Each brand is scored against the same weighted rubric: performance 30%, features 25%, value 25%, support and trust 20%. Scores are set before any commercial team sees the article, and commission rates are never visible to the editorial desk.
Not automatically. Antivirus alone is cheaper elsewhere, since you pay for identity cover
Pricing and plan details are re-verified at least every 90 days. This page was last verified on 3 September 2026.
Scores are produced by the Selectopicks test desk against our published methodology. Entries marked as draft are visible here for transparency but carry no score and no pricing claim until verification is complete.