Battle Norton AntiVirus Plus vs McAfee AntiVirus Plus 2025: Which entry-level antivirus should you choose?

Which entry-level paid antivirus do you prefer in 2025?

  • Norton AntiVirus Plus

    Votes: 7 19.4%
  • McAfee AntiVirus Plus

    Votes: 17 47.2%
  • Other / None

    Votes: 12 33.3%

  • Total voters
    36
Compare list
Norton AntiVirus Plus
McAfee AntiVirus Plus
Platform(s)
  1. Any platform
Is that just for website ratings, will it also scan downloads?
Here as example, that should make it easier understandable,

1st: WebAdvisor Browser Extension blocks that malicious link (but me hit anyway to go further testing...)

1.2.png

2nd: WebAdvisor as installation for Windows does scanning your downloads and the user has the choice to block the download or...

2.2.png


Note: here in VM is no McAfee AV installed, rather only MD, that means you can use McAfee WebAdvisor (for Windows + Browser Extension) as additional web protection
for Microsoft Defender or even for some other (free) AVs without included web protection.
 
Here as example, that should make it easier understandable,

1st: WebAdvisor Browser Extension blocks that malicious link (but me hit anyway to go further testing...)

View attachment 289845

2nd: WebAdvisor as installation for Windows does scanning your downloads and the user has the choice to block the download or...

View attachment 289846


Note: here in VM is no McAfee AV installed, rather only MD, that means you can use McAfee WebAdvisor (for Windows + Browser Extension) as additional web protection
for Microsoft Defender or even for some other (free) AVs without included web protection.
Thank you for taking the time to do that for me (and others who read it) silversurfer, I appreciate it :) For me, also seeing an image or two can make a difference, explaining it more visually :)
 
Note: here in VM is no McAfee AV installed, rather only MD, that means you can use McAfee WebAdvisor (for Windows + Browser Extension) as additional web protection
for Microsoft Defender or even for some other (free) AVs without included web protection.
You killed the snake and showed the stick, literally, of course @silversurfer. That's what members needed to understand: the differences between the extension and McAfee WebAdvisor as an installation. You cleared up all the members' doubts about McAfee WebAdvisor once and for all. @Parkinsond, now stop complaining. You have a state-of-the-art extension, and with your AVG or MD, it will be almost impossible for you to infect your machine. :)
 
As I understand the Web Advisor executable is just a way to install the extension in all browsers in the system, there is no system wide protection, you need the AV version with its IPS Firewall module to do this kind of protection.
 
Are you lamenting the end of the free K version in another K.free post? Was it @Jack or was it me?
I feel bad for the poor users attached to free K; for me, as I have declared before, I can manage with MD; even without MD, rarely downloading executables, and all the time from the official sources.
And mark me, K will show some decline in the far future if K free is completey deprecated; it is far worse than US ban.
 
As I understand the Web Advisor executable is just a way to install the extension in all browsers in the system, there is no system wide protection, you need the AV version with its IPS Firewall module to do this kind of protection.
According to the previous explanations, the exe is more than system-wide extension; it is some sort of local scanner, using hash check.
 
I guess I'm the only one whose McAfee WebAdvisor extension is not work correctly with firefox, and gee I temporarily made waterfox my default browser and the AV didn't even push its extension into waterfox... But the extension works aok in Edge where it automatically installed without even asking me. Otherwise, McAfee behaving very well.