Is Norton Good? Is Norton 360 Worth It in 2026?
Yes, Norton is good at protection: Norton 360 scored 6/6 for protection in AV-TEST's August 2026 Windows 11 test, and Norton Antivirus Plus blocked 99.3% of attacks in AV-Comparatives' February–May 2026 Real-World test. Norton 360 is only worth it if you'll use its extras, though: Deluxe costs $49.99 for 5 devices in year one and renews at $124.99 (prices checked October 24, 2026 on norton.com).
- Protection: good, 6/6 at AV-TEST on Windows (July–August 2026), 6/6 on macOS (June 2026) and 6/6 on Android (July 2026)
- Worth it if: you want a VPN, password manager, cloud backup and parental controls on one bill
- Skip it if: you have one Windows PC and only need antivirus; Microsoft Defender is built in and scored the same 6/6
- Watch for: automatic renewal at more than double the first-year price, billed up to 35 days early
Our verdictNorton
Norton protects as well as any antivirus in AV-TEST's latest Windows round and Norton Antivirus Plus ranks near the top at AV-Comparatives. The catch is the renewal price, which more than doubles after year one.
- Best for
- Households that want antivirus, a VPN, a password manager, cloud backup and parental controls in one app
- Skip it if
- You have one Windows PC and only need antivirus; Microsoft Defender is built in
| Norton at a glance | |
|---|---|
| Owner | Gen Digital (formerly NortonLifeLock), whose brands include Norton, Avast and LifeLock |
| Main consumer plans | AntiVirus Plus (1 device); Norton 360 Standard (3), Deluxe (5), with LifeLock Select Plus (10) |
| Platforms | Windows, macOS, Android, iOS |
What it does well
- Top protection score at AV-TEST on Windows, macOS and Android in its latest 2026 rounds
- Norton Antivirus Plus Real-World protection rate of 99.3%, ahead of McAfee and Microsoft Defender in February–May 2026
- 60-day refund window on annual plans, twice McAfee's 30
Where it falls short
- Norton 360 Deluxe renews at more than double its first-year price
- Free Microsoft Defender scores the same AV-TEST protection on Windows
- 9 false alarms in AV-Comparatives' March 2026 malware test, against 3 for Defender
How well does Norton protect?
Norton protects very well: Norton 360 scored 6/6 for protection, 6/6 for performance and 6/6 for usability in AV-TEST’s July–August 2026 Windows 11 round.
| Lab and test | Period tested | Norton’s result |
|---|---|---|
| AV-TEST Windows 11, protection / performance / usability | Jul–Aug 2026 | 6/6 · 6/6 · 6/6 |
| AV-TEST macOS, protection | Jun 2026 | 6/6 |
| AV-TEST Android, protection | Jul 2026 | 6/6 |
| AV-Comparatives Real-World protection rate (false alarms), Norton Antivirus Plus | Feb–May 2026 | 99.3% (5) |
| AV-Comparatives Malware Protection, online protection rate, Norton Antivirus Plus | Mar 2026 | 99.97% |
| AV-Comparatives Performance, impact score (lower is better), Norton Antivirus Plus | Sep 2026 | 4.9 |
| AV-Comparatives Mac Security, Mac malware protection, Norton AntiVirus Plus for Mac | 2026 | 99.9% |
AV-Comparatives tested Norton Antivirus Plus against 400 live attacks from February to May 2026. Norton’s 99.3% beat Microsoft Defender (99%) and McAfee (98.5%) in the same test. Norton’s one weak spot is false alarms in AV-Comparatives’ March 2026 malware test: 9, where Defender had 3.
How much does Norton cost per year?
Norton costs $29.99 for the first year of AntiVirus Plus on one device, and more for Norton 360’s multi-device plans. Every plan renews automatically at a higher price.
| Plan | Devices | Year one | Renews at |
|---|---|---|---|
| AntiVirus Plus | 1 | $29.99 | $59.99 |
| Norton 360 Standard | 3 | $39.99 | $94.99 |
| Norton 360 Deluxe | 5 | $49.99 | $124.99 |
| Norton 360 with LifeLock Select Plus | 10 | $99.99 | $189.99 |
The Deluxe renewal is $75 more than the first year (our sums of published prices). Norton’s fine print says annual renewals are billed up to 35 days before the term ends, after an email with the renewal price.
What Norton 360 includes beyond antivirus
Norton 360 adds privacy, backup and family tools on top of antivirus, and those extras are what the higher price buys.
- AntiVirus Plus: antivirus, Scam Protection, a password manager and 2 GB of cloud backup for one device. No VPN is listed.
- Norton 360 Standard: adds a VPN and dark web monitoring, for 3 devices.
- Norton 360 Deluxe: 5 devices, 50 GB of cloud backup, Privacy Monitor and Parental Control.
- Norton 360 with LifeLock Select Plus: 10 devices, 250 GB of backup, LifeLock identity theft protection with one-bureau credit monitoring.
Norton’s Virus Protection Promise, a virus-removal refund, applies only while you keep an automatically renewing subscription, per its fine print.
What is Norton LifeLock?
LifeLock is Gen Digital’s identity theft protection brand, and Norton is its antivirus brand; the company was called NortonLifeLock before it became Gen Digital. You can buy them separately or together.
- LifeLock alone: Core, Advanced and Total identity plans from $124.99 a year, with no antivirus. See our breakdown of every LifeLock plan, or is LifeLock worth it.
- Norton 360 with LifeLock: Norton’s device security plus LifeLock. Norton 360 with LifeLock Select costs $99.99 in year one and renews at $159.99; Ultimate Plus costs $299.99, then $364.99.
Gen Digital also owns Avast. In June 2024 the FTC finalized an order banning Avast from selling browsing data for advertising; the order names Avast, not Norton.
What are the cons of Norton?
Norton’s biggest downside is the renewal: every plan costs roughly double or more from year two.
- Renewal jump: Norton 360 Standard goes from $39.99 to $94.99.
- Perks tied to auto-renewal: the Virus Protection Promise needs an automatically renewing plan.
- Upsells: the plan line runs from one device to bundles with identity insurance, and the cheapest plan has no VPN.
- False alarms: more than Defender in AV-Comparatives’ March 2026 malware test (see the lab table above).
Is Norton better than free Microsoft Defender?
Norton is not better than Microsoft Defender at AV-TEST, where both scored 6/6 for protection in August 2026, but Norton Antivirus Plus blocked more attacks at AV-Comparatives and slowed PCs less.
| Norton (AV-TEST: Norton 360; AV-Comparatives: Antivirus Plus) | Microsoft Defender | |
|---|---|---|
| AV-TEST protection / performance (Jul–Aug 2026) | 6/6 / 6/6 | 6/6 / 5.5/6 |
| AV-Comparatives protection rate (Feb–May 2026) | 99.3% | 99% |
| AV-Comparatives impact score (Sep 2026, lower is better) | 4.9 | 13.5 |
| Price | Paid plans (see the price table above) | Included with Windows 10 and 11 |
| VPN, cloud backup, parental controls | Yes (Norton 360) | No |
Microsoft says running two real-time antivirus products can slow your PC, so pick one. Our verdict on Windows Defender covers when the free option is enough.
Is Norton better than McAfee?
Norton and McAfee tie on AV-TEST protection, but Norton Antivirus Plus scored higher in AV-Comparatives’ Real-World test, and Norton is cheaper for one device; McAfee is cheaper for 5 or more devices. Norton’s refund window is also twice as long. Our Norton vs McAfee price comparison lines up every device count, and our take on McAfee’s lab scores and renewal price covers McAfee on its own. For another paid option, see Malwarebytes’ lab results and pricing.
How to cancel Norton 360 or turn off auto-renewal
Norton lets you turn off automatic renewal in your account at my.norton.com; that stops the next charge, and your protection runs to the end of the paid term.
- Sign in to my.norton.com (type the address yourself) and turn off automatic renewal for your subscription.
- Do it at least 35 days before your term ends, since Norton may bill that early.
- For a refund, ask within 60 days of an annual payment, or within 14 days of buying a monthly plan.
On an iPhone, Norton Mobile Security is a separate app with its own App Store billing; see our antivirus options for iPhone.
Frequently asked questions
Is Norton security worth having?
Norton is worth having if you'll use the VPN, password manager, cloud backup or parental controls in Norton 360. For antivirus alone on Windows, Microsoft Defender is free and scored the same 6/6 for protection in AV-TEST's August 2026 test.
Is Norton completely safe?
No antivirus is completely safe, and Norton says so itself: "No one can prevent all cybercrime or identity theft." Norton 360 still scored 6/6 for protection in AV-TEST's August 2026 test.
What is Norton 360?
Norton 360 is Norton's paid security suite: antivirus plus a VPN, password manager, cloud backup and dark web monitoring. Standard covers 3 devices, Deluxe 5, and Norton 360 with LifeLock Select Plus 10 with identity theft protection added.
Do I need Norton if I have Windows Defender?
Not for malware protection alone: Defender and Norton both scored 6/6 for protection at AV-TEST in August 2026. Norton Antivirus Plus is lighter on your PC in AV-Comparatives' September 2026 performance test and adds extras Defender lacks.
Is Norton better than McAfee?
Norton and McAfee tie on AV-TEST protection. Norton is cheaper for one device, and Norton Antivirus Plus scored higher in AV-Comparatives' Real-World test (99.3% vs 98.5%); McAfee is cheaper for 5 or more devices.
Sources
- AV-TEST, Home user Windows test, August 2026 (Windows 11), checked
- AV-TEST, macOS test, June 2026, checked
- AV-TEST, Android test, July 2026, checked
- AV-Comparatives, Real-World Protection Test February–May 2026, checked
- AV-Comparatives, Malware Protection Test March 2026, checked
- AV-Comparatives, Performance Test September 2026, checked
- AV-Comparatives, Mac Security Test and Review 2026, checked
- Norton products, plan prices and subscription terms (checked in a browser), checked
- Norton AntiVirus Plus, plan price (checked in a browser), checked
- LifeLock plans: Norton 360 with LifeLock bundles, checked
- Gen Digital, company description and brands, checked
- FTC, order against Avast over the sale of browsing data (June 27, 2024), checked
- Microsoft Support, Antivirus and antimalware software FAQ, checked