McAfee vs Webroot

Trying to decide between McAfee and Webroot for antivirus protection and internet security software? McAfee has been around about 10 years longer than Webroot and often has the benefit of having better name recognition than many of its competitors. However, if you've made it this far, you know that there are plenty of choices when it comes to computer and smartphone security. Both McAfee and Webroot have proven themselves time and time again through third-party reviews and rating sites like PCmag.com and av-test.org. We'll take you through some of the highlights of each brand so you can make an informed decision before you spend your hard-earned cash!

Both companies offer satisfaction guarantees stating that if you are not happy with their product, you can cancel within a certain time frame and get your money back. McAfee has a standard 30-day return policy, while Webroot gives you 70 days to try them out.

Webroot tends to be "lighter" software compared to McAfee in terms of total file size that you have to download and amount of memory used during scans. The tradeoff is that Webroot may not be quite as thorough as McAfee when it comes to accessing all of the nooks and crannies in your computer where viruses can hide.

They both offer a variety of levels of protection from basic antivirus coverage for one computer to complete internet security for multiple devices. Below is a quick comparison of coverage and cost* for their more popular software products:

*Costs shown are up to date as of the publish date of this article, and some prices are only available through our exclusive affiliate links on this page.

Single Device Protection:

Webroot SecureAnyWhere AntiVirus

~ Price: $39.99 → $29.99 for one PC or Mac for one year

~ The Lowdown: This is an ultra-light antivirus software that protects you from online threats like viruses, spyware and malicious websites without slowing down your system or bringing your web browsing to a slow crawl.

~ This is a great choice for: Users with older computers that don't have the bandwidth for bigger antivirus software, but still want reliable defense against the most common types of internet threats

McAfee LiveSafe

~ Price: $89.99 → $79.99 for one PC, Mac, smartphone, or tablet

~ The Lowdown: This is a barebones version of their antivirus software that will scan and protect your PC against viruses, spyware, rootkits and other threats. It also has some limited internet security features such as detecting unsafe websites and malicious popup ads. Norton doesn't really have a comparable product to this one, as all of their software includes extras that this McAfee version has done without.

~ This is a great choice for: Limited internet users who just want to protect against basic threats and keep their PC virus-free.

McAfee Total Protection - 1 Device

~ Price: $59.99 → $54.99 for one PC, Mac, smartphone, or tablet

~ The Lowdown: In addition to the LiveSafe features, the next level of McAfee protection also gives you access to parental controls so you can set time limits for internet usage, as well as block and monitor what websites your kids are accessing. This software also includes email protection to keep spam and phishing emails out of your inbox.

~ This is a great choice for: Anyone with kids who spend time online and people who just have one laptop or desktop PC that the family shares to access the internet.

Multi- Device Protection:

Webroot SecureAnyWhere Internet Security Plus

~ Price: $59.99 → $49.99 for up to 3 PCs, Macs, smartphones and/ or tablets for one year

~ The Lowdown: The next level of Webroot protection can be used on any combination of devices, so you're covered no matter how you connect to the internet. In addition to the features offered by the AntiVirus software, this version also includes password encryption to securely manage your online accounts.

~ This is a great choice for: Individuals who want to protect all of their devices (e.g. laptop, smartphone & tablet) with one easy-to-use solution.

McAfee Total Protection - 10 Devices

~ Price: $99.99 → $44.99 for up to 10 PCs, Macs, smartphones, or tablets for one year

~ The Lowdown: This is a beefed up version of their LiveSafe software. You can use it on up to 10 devices, and it includes additional features to help prevent identity theft, stop hackers from accessing your computer from shared networks, and flag dangerous links that may appear on social networking sites.

~ This is a great choice for: Couples or families with several devices in their household that frequently use social networking sites or access the internet from coffee shops, airports, and other unsecured locations.

Webroot SecureAnyWhere Internet Security Complete

~ Price: $79.99 → $35.99 for up to 5 PCs, Macs, smartphones or tablets for one year

~ The Lowdown: This premium security software includes all of the features of the previously mentioned Webroot products, plus privacy protection to erase your online footprint, technology that securely deletes sensitive files, and cloud storage and automatic backup so you never lose important data.

~ This is a great choice for: Couples or individuals with multiple devices who want to make sure their privacy is protected as they surf the web, or people who use their personal devices for work purposes and want secure backup and file protection.