What We Like
- Excellent malware detection rates (100% in our tests)
- Comprehensive security suite with VPN, password manager, and cloud backup
- Minimal system impact during scans
- Advanced AI-powered threat detection
- Effective parental controls on higher-tier plans
- 60-day money-back guarantee (longest in the industry)
What We Don’t Like
- Higher renewal prices after first year
- Basic plan lacks some essential features
- VPN doesn’t work with some streaming services
- Frequent upsell notifications
- No free version available
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Norton 360 Key Features Overview
Norton 360 is the flagship product from NortonLifeLock, offering comprehensive protection against various digital threats. Our Norton review found it to be one of the most feature-rich security suites available, with capabilities extending far beyond basic antivirus protection.
Real-Time Threat Protection
Norton’s advanced threat protection system continuously monitors for malware, viruses, ransomware, and other online threats. The multi-layered security approach combines signature-based detection with heuristic analysis and machine learning to identify both known and emerging threats.
Smart Firewall
The Smart Firewall monitors all incoming and outgoing network traffic to prevent unauthorized access to your system. It automatically configures itself based on your network type and creates custom rules for applications, ensuring maximum protection without constant interruptions.
Secure VPN
Norton 360 includes a full-featured VPN with unlimited data (on Deluxe plans and higher). It encrypts your internet connection with bank-grade encryption, masks your IP address, and allows you to browse anonymously. The VPN includes a strict no-logs policy and servers in 30+ countries.
Password Manager
The integrated password manager securely stores your login credentials, addresses, credit cards, and notes in an encrypted vault. It auto-fills forms, generates strong passwords, and syncs across all your devices, eliminating the need for a separate password management solution.
Cloud Backup
Norton provides secure cloud storage to back up important files and protect against ransomware attacks. The amount varies by plan (2GB on AntiVirus Plus, 50GB on Deluxe, and 100GB on Premium), with options to schedule automatic backups or manually select files to protect.
Parental Controls
Available on Deluxe and Premium plans, Norton’s parental controls let you monitor and manage your children’s online activities. Features include content filtering, screen time management, location tracking, search and video supervision, and detailed activity reports.
Protect All Your Devices with Norton 360
Get comprehensive protection against viruses, malware, identity theft, and more with Norton 360.
Norton 360 Pricing & Plans Comparison
Norton offers several subscription tiers to meet different security needs and budgets. All plans include the core antivirus engine, but higher tiers add more features and device coverage. Each subscription comes with a 60-day money-back guarantee, giving you plenty of time to test the service risk-free.
Important: Norton frequently offers significant discounts on first-year subscriptions (up to 60% off). However, renewal prices are substantially higher, so factor this into your long-term budget planning.
| Features | AntiVirus Plus | Norton 360 Standard | Norton 360 Deluxe | Norton 360 Premium |
| First-year price | $29.99 | $39.99 | $49.99 | $54.99 |
| Renewal price | $59.99 | $84.99 | $104.99 | $124.99 |
| Devices protected | 1 | 1 (3 in US) | 5 | 10 |
| Platforms supported | Windows, Mac, Android, iOS | Windows, Mac, Android, iOS | Windows, Mac, Android, iOS | Windows, Mac, Android, iOS |
| Malware protection | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ |
| Smart Firewall | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ |
| Password Manager | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ |
| Secure VPN | ✗ | ✓ (limited data) | ✓ (unlimited) | ✓ (unlimited) |
| Cloud Backup | 2GB | 10GB | 50GB | 100GB |
| Parental Controls | ✗ | ✗ | ✓ | ✓ |
| Dark Web Monitoring | ✗ | ✓ (limited) | ✓ | ✓ |
| PC SafeCam | ✗ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ |
| School Time Feature | ✗ | ✗ | ✗ | ✓ |
Which Norton Plan Should You Choose?
AntiVirus Plus
- Best for single device protection
- Includes core antivirus features
- Password manager included
- Limited to 2GB cloud backup
- No VPN or parental controls
- Get AntiVirus Plus
Norton 360 Deluxe
- Best value for most users
- Protects 5 devices across platforms
- Includes unlimited VPN
- 50GB cloud backup
- Full parental controls included
- Get 360 Deluxe
Norton 360 Premium
- Best for families with many devices
- Protects up to 10 devices
- 100GB cloud backup
- Includes School Time feature
- Enhanced parental controls
- Get 360 Premium
Our Recommendation: For most users, Norton 360 Deluxe offers the best balance of features and value. It provides comprehensive protection for up to 5 devices with unlimited VPN access, robust parental controls, and sufficient cloud backup space at a reasonable price point.
Norton Antivirus & Malware Protection
At its core, Norton is an antivirus program designed to protect your devices from malware. We thoroughly tested Norton’s malware detection capabilities against various threat types to see how it performs in real-world scenarios.
Scanning Options
Norton offers several scanning options to accommodate different security needs:
- Quick Scan: Checks the most vulnerable areas of your system in just a few minutes. In our tests, quick scans completed in under 2 minutes and successfully identified active threats.
- Full System Scan: Thoroughly examines every file and folder on your device. Our full scan took approximately 45 minutes on a system with 256GB SSD and detected all test malware samples.
- Custom Scan: Allows you to select specific files, folders, or drives to scan. Useful for checking external drives or downloaded files.
- Norton Power Eraser: An aggressive scanning tool for detecting deeply embedded threats that traditional scans might miss.
Real-Time Protection
Norton’s real-time protection continuously monitors your system for suspicious activity. During our testing, we attempted to download and execute various malware samples, including viruses, trojans, ransomware, and spyware. Norton successfully blocked:
- 100% of virus samples before they could execute
- 98% of ransomware attempts in real-time
- All phishing attempts through Safe Web protection
- Suspicious behavior from potentially unwanted programs
SONAR Protection
Norton’s SONAR (Symantec Online Network for Advanced Response) technology uses artificial intelligence and behavioral analysis to identify threats based on suspicious behavior rather than just known signatures. This provides protection against zero-day exploits and emerging threats that traditional signature-based detection might miss.
“Norton’s multi-layered approach to malware detection combines traditional signature-based scanning with advanced heuristics and AI-powered behavioral analysis, resulting in exceptional protection against both known and emerging threats.”
Virus Protection Promise
Norton backs its antivirus capabilities with a Virus Protection Promise: if Norton cannot remove a virus from your protected device, you can get a refund. This guarantee demonstrates NortonLifeLock’s confidence in their product’s effectiveness. The promise requires enrollment in automatic renewal and applies only to threats that Norton is unable to remove, not to performance issues or other problems.
Get Complete Malware Protection
Norton detected 100% of malware in our tests. Protect your devices today with industry-leading antivirus technology.
Norton Privacy & Security Features
Beyond basic malware protection, Norton 360 includes several privacy and security features designed to safeguard your personal information and online activities.
Secure VPN
Norton’s Secure VPN encrypts your internet connection and masks your IP address to protect your online privacy. Available on Standard plans and above, it offers:
- Bank-grade encryption (AES-256)
- No-logs policy
- Servers in 30+ countries
- Split tunneling (Windows and Android)
- Kill switch to prevent data leaks
In our speed tests, Norton’s VPN maintained about 70-80% of our base connection speed, which is sufficient for streaming HD content and general browsing.
Password Manager
Norton’s Password Manager securely stores your login credentials, addresses, credit cards, and secure notes. Key features include:
- Zero-knowledge architecture
- Strong password generator
- Auto-fill capabilities
- Vault health checker
- Cross-device synchronization
- Browser extensions for all major browsers
While not as feature-rich as dedicated password managers like 1Password or Dashlane, Norton’s solution provides all essential functionality for most users.
Dark Web Monitoring
Norton monitors dark web forums, credit reports, and data breach databases to alert you if your personal information is compromised. It can monitor:
- Email addresses
- Phone numbers
- Physical addresses
- Credit card numbers
- Bank account details
- Driver’s license information
- Insurance numbers
Unlike many competitors, Norton employs human agents to infiltrate dark web forums, providing more comprehensive monitoring than automated systems alone.
Additional Privacy Features
SafeCam (Windows Only)
Norton’s SafeCam feature prevents unauthorized access to your webcam, alerting you when applications attempt to use it and allowing you to block or permit access. This protection helps prevent malicious spying through your device’s camera.
Privacy Monitor
Available on Deluxe and Premium plans, Privacy Monitor scans data broker sites that collect and sell personal information. It identifies where your data appears and provides guidance on requesting removal, helping reduce your digital footprint.
Smart Firewall
Norton’s Smart Firewall goes beyond the built-in Windows firewall by monitoring both incoming and outgoing network traffic. It automatically creates rules for applications and adapts its security based on your network type (home, work, or public).
Safe Web Browser Extension
Norton’s browser extension blocks malicious websites, identifies unsafe search results, and protects against phishing attempts. In our tests, it successfully blocked 95% of phishing sites, outperforming the built-in protection in Chrome and Firefox.
Protect Your Privacy Online
Norton 360’s comprehensive privacy features keep your personal information secure from hackers, data brokers, and other online threats.
Norton Performance & System Impact
A common concern with security software is its impact on system performance. We tested Norton 360 on various devices to measure its resource usage during different operations.
System Impact Tests
We measured Norton’s impact on system performance using standardized benchmarks and real-world usage tests on a Windows 11 laptop with an Intel i5 processor, 16GB RAM, and 512GB SSD.
| Operation | System Impact | Resource Usage |
| Idle (background) | Minimal (2-3%) | 50-80MB RAM |
| Quick Scan | Low (5-8%) | 150-200MB RAM |
| Full System Scan | Moderate (10-15%) | 250-350MB RAM |
| Real-time Protection | Low (3-5%) | 100-150MB RAM |
| VPN Active | Low (4-7%) | 120-180MB RAM |
Performance Optimization
Norton includes several tools to optimize system performance:
- Disk Optimizer: Defragments hard drives to improve access speed
- File Cleanup: Removes temporary files that consume disk space
- Startup Manager: Controls which applications launch at startup
- Game Optimizer: Allocates resources for better gaming performance
These tools helped improve overall system responsiveness in our tests, particularly on older hardware with limited resources.
Performance Across Devices
We tested Norton 360 on multiple platforms to assess its performance impact across different devices:
Windows Performance
On Windows systems, Norton showed excellent optimization with minimal impact during normal usage. Full system scans caused a noticeable but not disruptive increase in resource usage. The software’s intelligent scheduling ensured that intensive operations occurred during idle periods.
Mac Performance
On macOS, Norton maintained a light footprint with slightly higher resource usage than on Windows. The Mac version includes fewer optimization tools but still delivered solid performance with minimal system slowdown during scans.
Mobile Performance
On Android and iOS devices, Norton’s impact was negligible. The mobile apps are well-optimized and consumed minimal battery life. Background scans completed quickly without noticeable performance degradation.
“Norton 360 achieves an impressive balance between comprehensive protection and system performance. Even during full system scans, the impact on day-to-day tasks remains minimal, making it suitable for both newer and older hardware.”
Norton User Experience & Interface
Norton 360’s interface has evolved significantly over the years, becoming more streamlined and user-friendly. We evaluated the software’s ease of use across different platforms and user experience levels.
Desktop Interface
Norton’s Windows and Mac interfaces share a similar design philosophy, with a dashboard-style home screen that displays your security status and provides quick access to key features.
Windows Interface
The Windows version offers two interface modes:
- Modern View: A tile-based interface with large, touch-friendly buttons organized by security category
- Classic View: A more detailed interface with advanced options and granular controls
Navigation is intuitive, with clear categories for Security, Internet Security, Backup, and Performance. Each section expands to reveal relevant tools and settings.
Mobile Apps
Norton offers dedicated mobile apps for Android and iOS devices, though the Android version provides more comprehensive protection due to platform limitations on iOS.
Android App
The Android app includes:
- Malware scanning and real-time protection
- App advisor to identify risky applications
- Wi-Fi security assessment
- Web protection
- Anti-theft features
- System advisor for performance optimization
iOS App
The iOS app offers more limited functionality due to platform restrictions:
- Web protection
- VPN
- Dark web monitoring
- Wi-Fi security
- Password manager
Ease of Setup and Configuration
Norton’s installation process is straightforward on all platforms. The initial setup guides users through creating an account, selecting protection options, and performing an initial scan. Most features work with default settings, making Norton accessible to novice users.
Advanced users will appreciate the depth of customization available in settings menus. Nearly every aspect of Norton’s protection can be configured, from scan schedules to firewall rules and notification preferences.
Tip: After installing Norton, we recommend running a full system scan and setting up the password manager and cloud backup features. These steps will ensure comprehensive protection from the start.
Norton Customer Support & Resources
Quality customer support is essential for security software, especially when dealing with potential threats. We evaluated Norton’s support options across multiple channels.
Support Channels
- 24/7 Live Chat: Available directly from the Norton website or product interface
- Phone Support: Toll-free numbers available in multiple languages
- Email Support: Typically responds within 24 hours
- Community Forums: Active user community with Norton staff participation
- Social Media: Support available through Twitter and Facebook
In our tests, live chat representatives responded within 2-3 minutes and successfully resolved our technical issues.
Self-Help Resources
- Knowledge Base: Extensive articles covering common issues and solutions
- Video Tutorials: Step-by-step guides for key features
- FAQs: Answers to common questions by product and category
- User Guides: Comprehensive documentation for all Norton products
- Norton Support Diagnostic Tool: Automated troubleshooting for Windows
The knowledge base is well-organized and searchable, making it easy to find solutions to common problems without contacting support.
Support Quality
We tested Norton’s support with several scenarios:
- Technical Issue: Representatives were knowledgeable and offered effective solutions
- Account/Billing: Quick resolution of subscription and payment questions
- Product Guidance: Clear explanations of features and setup procedures
- Malware Removal: Step-by-step assistance with removing persistent threats
Overall, Norton’s support team demonstrated excellent product knowledge and communication skills, with minimal wait times across all channels.
“Norton’s customer support stands out in the cybersecurity industry for its accessibility, technical expertise, and responsiveness. The combination of 24/7 live assistance and comprehensive self-help resources ensures users can quickly resolve issues regardless of technical skill level.”
Norton vs Competitors: How Does It Compare?
To provide context for our Norton review, we compared it with other leading antivirus solutions across key performance metrics and features.
| Feature | Norton 360 Deluxe | McAfee Total Protection | Bitdefender Total Security | Kaspersky Total Security |
| Malware Detection Rate | 99.9% | 99.5% | 99.9% | 99.8% |
| System Impact | Low | Moderate | Very Low | Low |
| VPN Included | Yes (Unlimited) | Yes (Unlimited) | Yes (200MB/day) | Yes (300MB/day) |
| Password Manager | Full-featured | Basic | Full-featured | Full-featured |
| Parental Controls | Excellent | Good | Excellent | Excellent |
| Cloud Backup | 50GB | None | None | None |
| Identity Protection | Dark Web Monitoring | Identity Monitoring | Identity Monitoring | Basic |
| First-Year Price | $49.99 | $44.99 | $39.99 | $49.99 |
| Devices Protected | 5 | 5 | 5 | 5 |
Norton vs McAfee
Norton and McAfee are long-standing competitors in the antivirus market. Both offer comprehensive security suites with similar core features, but there are notable differences:
- Malware Protection: Norton achieved slightly higher detection rates in our tests
- Performance Impact: Norton has a lighter system footprint during scans
- Extra Features: Norton includes cloud backup, which McAfee lacks
- VPN Quality: Both include unlimited VPNs, but Norton’s offers better speeds
- User Interface: McAfee’s interface is simpler, while Norton offers more customization
Verdict: Norton edges out McAfee with better malware protection, cloud backup, and a more feature-rich password manager.
Norton vs Bitdefender
Bitdefender and Norton are both top-tier security solutions with excellent detection rates:
- Malware Detection: Both achieved near-perfect scores in our tests
- System Impact: Bitdefender has a slightly lower impact on system performance
- VPN: Norton offers unlimited data, while Bitdefender limits free VPN usage
- Cloud Backup: Norton includes 50GB cloud storage; Bitdefender has none
- Pricing: Bitdefender is typically less expensive, especially for renewal
Verdict: Norton offers better value with unlimited VPN and cloud backup, while Bitdefender has a slightly lighter system impact.
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Norton Antivirus FAQs
Is Norton a good antivirus?
Yes, Norton is consistently rated among the top antivirus solutions available. In our testing, Norton achieved a 99.9% malware detection rate, offers comprehensive features beyond basic antivirus protection, and maintains a relatively low system impact. Independent testing labs like AV-Test and AV-Comparatives regularly award Norton top scores for protection, performance, and usability.
Does Norton slow down your computer?
Norton has a minimal impact on system performance during normal use. In our tests, we observed a 2-3% performance impact when idle and 10-15% during full system scans. Modern versions of Norton are significantly more optimized than older versions, and the software includes performance management features that schedule intensive tasks during idle periods to minimize disruption.
Which Norton plan is best?
For most users, Norton 360 Deluxe offers the best balance of features and value. It protects up to 5 devices, includes unlimited VPN access, 50GB cloud backup, and comprehensive security features. Families with many devices should consider Norton 360 Premium for its 10-device coverage and enhanced parental controls. Single-device users can save with Norton AntiVirus Plus, but it lacks several valuable features like the VPN and parental controls.
Is Norton better than Windows Defender?
While Windows Defender has improved significantly in recent years, Norton offers superior protection and additional features. In our comparative testing, Norton detected more zero-day threats and provided better ransomware protection than Windows Defender. Norton also includes valuable extras like VPN, password manager, cloud backup, and dark web monitoring that Windows Defender lacks entirely.
Does Norton offer a free version?
No, Norton does not offer a completely free version of its antivirus software. However, all Norton products come with a 60-day money-back guarantee, which is essentially a risk-free trial period. Norton occasionally offers 7-day or 30-day free trials for new users, but these are promotional and not always available.
How much does Norton cost after the first year?
Norton’s renewal prices are significantly higher than introductory rates. After the first year, Norton AntiVirus Plus increases from .99 to .99, Norton 360 Standard from .99 to .99, Norton 360 Deluxe from .99 to 4.99, and Norton 360 Premium from .99 to 4.99. To mitigate this increase, look for renewal discounts or consider canceling and subscribing again with a new account to get first-year pricing.
Can Norton remove existing viruses?
Yes, Norton can detect and remove existing malware infections. For heavily infected systems, Norton offers a specialized tool called Norton Power Eraser that can remove deeply embedded threats. Norton also backs its virus removal capabilities with a Virus Protection Promise: if Norton cannot remove a virus from your protected device, you can request a refund (requires enrollment in automatic renewal).
Is Norton’s VPN good for streaming?
Norton’s Secure VPN works with major streaming services like Netflix, Amazon Prime Video, and Disney+, but it doesn’t unblock all regional libraries consistently. In our tests, it successfully accessed US Netflix but struggled with BBC iPlayer and some international Netflix libraries. For serious streaming, dedicated VPN services like ExpressVPN or NordVPN offer better performance and more reliable access to geo-restricted content.
Norton Review: Final Verdict
After thoroughly testing Norton 360 across multiple devices and comparing it with leading competitors, we can confidently recommend it as one of the best antivirus solutions available in 2024. Norton combines excellent malware protection with a comprehensive set of security and privacy features that justify its premium positioning.
What We Like
- Outstanding malware detection and removal capabilities
- Comprehensive feature set including VPN, password manager, and cloud backup
- Minimal performance impact during normal use
- Excellent parental controls on higher-tier plans
- Intuitive user interface suitable for all experience levels
- Responsive customer support across multiple channels
- 60-day money-back guarantee (industry-leading)
What We Don’t Like
- Significant price increase after first-year discount
- Frequent upsell notifications for additional services
- VPN lacks some advanced features and streaming capabilities
- No free version available for basic protection
- Some features only available on Windows
“Norton 360 delivers exceptional protection against all types of malware while offering valuable additional features that enhance your overall digital security. Despite some limitations and higher renewal pricing, it remains one of the most comprehensive and effective security solutions available for consumers in 2024.”
Who Should Choose Norton?
Ideal For
- Users seeking comprehensive digital protection
- Families needing parental controls
- Those wanting integrated VPN and password management
- Users requiring cloud backup for important files
- People concerned about identity theft
Consider Alternatives If
- You’re on a tight budget
- You need protection for more than 10 devices
- You primarily use Linux systems
- You want a free basic antivirus option
- You need advanced VPN features
Best Value Plan
For most users, Norton 360 Deluxe offers the best balance of features and value:
- Protects 5 devices
- Includes unlimited VPN
- 50GB cloud backup
- Full parental controls
- Currently 60% off first year
Get Complete Protection with Norton 360
Protect your devices against viruses, ransomware, identity theft and more with industry-leading security technology. Try risk-free with a 60-day money-back guarantee.