Antivirus review · Ranked #2 of 8
Norton review 2026
The fullest feature set, with the steepest renewal. We reviewed Norton 360 Deluxe using published lab results and prices we read on Norton's site.
Reviewed by the AVSO Editorial Desk
Prices and lab results verified How we scoreEditorial policy
Our verdict on Norton
8.8/10
Editorial score
#2 of 8 suites
Norton 360 Deluxe packs the most into one subscription: a VPN, 50 GB of cloud backup, dark-web monitoring and parental controls. Lab protection is top tier (99.3% Real-World, ADVANCED+) and it barely slows a PC down. The catch is price: $49.99 for the first year, then $124.99.
Best for:Best all-in-one suite
- Protection 40%
- 9.4
- Performance 15%
- 9.5
- Value 20%
- 7.2
- Features 15%
- 9.4
- Trust & transparency 10%
- 8.0
What it does well
- 99.3% Real-World protection and ADVANCED+ (AV-Comparatives, Feb–May 2026)
- Second-lightest system impact of our eight (4.9, Sep 2026)
- VPN, 50 GB backup, dark-web monitoring and parental controls in one plan
- 60-day money-back guarantee on annual plans, the longest here alongside Malwarebytes
Where it falls short
- Renews at $124.99, 2.5× the first-year price
- 15 false positives in the September 2026 Malware Protection Test
- No free version
Norton 360 Deluxe · 5 devices
$49.99first year
Renews at $124.99/yr
60-day money-back guarantee (annual plans)
We may earn a commission through affiliate links, at no extra cost to you.
On this page
Norton in brief
Norton's lab results put it in the top group. AV-Comparatives measured 99.3% protection in the Real-World test (February–May 2026, ADVANCED+) and an impact score of 4.9 in the September 2026 performance test, the second-lightest of our eight. AV-TEST scored Norton 360 18 of 18 in August 2026. One mark against it: 15 false positives in AV-Comparatives' September Malware Protection Test, which pulled that award down to ADVANCED.
The value case is a story of two prices. Norton 360 Deluxe costs $49.99 for the first year and renews at $124.99, two and a half times as much. That is still a lot of software for the money, because it includes features others charge extra for, but you should budget for the renewal or plan to switch.
The included VPN makes Norton a reasonable one-stop subscription for a household. If the VPN matters most to you, compare it with dedicated services before you decide.
About the bundled VPN
Norton 360 plans from Standard upward include Norton Secure VPN. It covers everyday privacy; for streaming and torrenting, dedicated VPNs generally offer more.
Compare VPNs on bestvpnonline.com12 independent lab results for Norton, 2025–2026
Read on each lab's report page. Product versions are the ones the lab tested.
| Test | Result | Award | Date |
|---|---|---|---|
| AV-Comparatives2Real-World · Share of 400 live web threats blockedTested: Antivirus Plus 26.1–26.4 | 99.3%5 false positives | ADVANCED+ | 15 Jun 2026 |
| AV-Comparatives3Malware · Online protection rate against malware samplesTested: Antivirus Plus 26.8 | 99.96%95.4% offline detection, 15 false positives | ADVANCED | 15 Oct 2026 |
| AV-Comparatives4Malware · Online protection rate against malware samples | 99.97%9 false positives | ADVANCED+ | 15 Apr 2026 |
| AV-Comparatives5Performance · Impact score; lower means less slowdown | 4.9Impact score, lower is better | ADVANCED+ | 20 Oct 2026 |
| AV-Comparatives6Advanced Threat · Targeted attacks blocked, out of 15 | 9 of 15No false positives | ADVANCED | 10 Nov 2026 |
| AV-Comparatives7Summary 2025 · Year-end rating across the 2025 test series | Top-RatedGold: Real-World Protection. Silver: Performance, Advanced Threat Protection | Top-Rated | 14 Jan 2026 |
| AV-TEST8Windows · Protection / Performance / Usability, each out of 6Tested: Norton 360 26.6 & 26.7 | 6 / 6 / 6 | TOP PRODUCT | Jul–Aug 2026 |
| AV-TEST9Awards 2025 · Annual awards across all 2025 test rounds | Best UsabilityAlso Best macOS Security | Best Usability 2025 | 12 Mar 2026 |
| AV-TEST10macOS · Protection / Performance / Usability, each out of 6Tested: Norton 360 26.6 | 6 / 6 / 6 | Certified | Jun 2026 |
| AV-Comparatives11macOS · Mac malware protection rateTested: AntiVirus Plus for Mac 26.3 | 99.9%95% PUA protection, 0 false positives | Approved | 17 Jun 2026 |
| AV-TEST12Android · Protection / Performance / Usability, each out of 6Tested: Norton 360 26.14 | 6 / 6 / 6 | – | Sep 2026 |
| AV-Comparatives13Android · Android malware protection rateTested: Norton 360 Deluxe 26.5 | 99.6%2 false positives | Approved | 17 Jun 2026 |
What Norton costs, plan by plan
Checked on vendor site| Plan | Devices | First term | Renewal / year |
|---|---|---|---|
| AntiVirus PlusAntivirus, 2 GB cloud backup, password manager; no VPN5-device version $39.99, renews $84.99 | 1 device | $29.99 | $59.99 |
| 360 StandardAdds VPN and dark-web monitoring; 2 GB backup | 3 devices | $39.99 | $94.99 |
| 360 DeluxeRanked planVPN, 50 GB backup, Privacy Monitor, parental controls | 5 devices | $49.99 | $124.99 |
| 360 with LifeLock Select PlusAdds LifeLock identity protection, 250 GB backup | 10 devices | $99.99 | $189.99 |
USD, before tax, read on 12 Nov 20261. 60-day money-back guarantee (annual plans).
Before you pay
Norton 360 Deluxe renews at $124.99/year after the $49.99 first year. Auto-renewal is on by default; you can switch it off in your Norton account straight after buying and still keep the full year.
360 Deluxe5 devices · opens us.norton.com
Who should get Norton, and who shouldn’t
Get it if you want…
- Best all-in-one suite
- VPN included
- 50 GB cloud backup
- 60-day money-back
Look elsewhere if…
- Renews at $124.99, 2.5× the first-year price
- 15 false positives in the September 2026 Malware Protection Test
- No free version
Norton spec sheet
As published by Norton, checked 12 Nov 2026 against its official pricing page (opens in a new tab). Features are for the ranked plan.
| Editorial score | 8.8 / 10 |
|---|---|
| Our ranking | #2 of 8 |
| Ranked plan | Norton 360 Deluxe |
| Developer | Norton · Gen Digital (also owns Avast) |
| Headquarters | Tempe, Arizona, USA |
| Platforms | Windows, macOS, Android, iOS |
| Devices (ranked plan) | 5 devices |
| Money-back | 60 days (annual plans) |
| VPN | Included |
| Password manager | Included |
| Cloud backup | 50 GB (Windows) |
| Breach / dark-web monitoring | Included |
| Parental controls | Included |
| Free version | Not included |
What we couldn't verify
All figures checked. Every price and plan detail above was read on Norton's own site.
Norton alternatives
The highest-ranked alternatives, side by side. Product names open their reviews.
| Compare4 picks | NortonThis review | |||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Editorial score | Editorial score 8.8 out of 10 | Editorial score 9.0 out of 10 | Editorial score 8.6 out of 10 | Editorial score 8.5 out of 10 |
| First year | $49.99first yearLowest | $59.99first year | $59.99first year | $69.48first year |
| Renewal / year | $124.99 | Not stated | Not stated | $99.99 |
| Real-World protection | 99.3%ADVANCED+ | 99.5%ADVANCED+Highest | 98.5%ADVANCED | 99.3%ADVANCED+ |
| False positives | 5 | 5 | 2 | 5 |
| Performance impact | 4.9 | 8.7 | 9.5 | 5.2 |
| VPN | 200 MB/day | |||
| iOS app | ||||
| Get it |
Bitdefender reviewThe most consistent lab record of 2026Editorial score 9.0 out of 10
ESET reviewLight, precise and honestly pricedEditorial score 8.6 out of 10
Avast reviewThe best free engine, with a privacy history to know aboutEditorial score 8.5 out of 10- Bitdefender vs NortonHead-to-head comparison
- Norton vs McAfeeHead-to-head comparison
- TotalAV vs NortonHead-to-head comparison
- Norton vs AvastHead-to-head comparison
- Best antivirus for WindowsBuying guide
- Best antivirus for MacBuying guide
- Best antivirus for AndroidBuying guide
- Best security app for iPhoneBuying guide
- Best antivirus for familiesBuying guide
- Best antivirus for gamersBuying guide
- Best antivirus for small businessBuying guide
Norton: common questions
How much does Norton 360 Deluxe cost after the first year?
Norton's US product page listed $49.99 for the first year and $124.99 per year on renewal when we checked on 12 Nov 2026.
Is Norton owned by the same company as Avast?
Yes. Norton and Avast are both owned by Gen Digital, which formed when NortonLifeLock merged with Avast in 2022. The products are still sold and tested separately.
Does Norton 360 slow down your computer?
Less than most. AV-Comparatives' September 2026 performance test gave Norton an impact score of 4.9 (ADVANCED+), second only to McAfee among the products we cover, and AV-TEST gave it 6 of 6 for performance in August 2026.
#2 overall · Our verdict
Norton 360 Deluxe: our verdict
The fullest feature set, with the steepest renewal. 360 Deluxe: $49.99 first year · 60-day money-back guarantee (annual plans).
We may earn a commission through affiliate links, at no extra cost to you.
Sources
All accessed
- 1.Gen Digital pricing page. us.norton.com/products (opens in a new tab)
- 2.AV-Comparatives Real-World Protection Test, February–May 2026. av-comparatives.org/tests/real-world-protection-test-february-may-2026/ (opens in a new tab)
- 3.AV-Comparatives Malware Protection Test, September 2026. av-comparatives.org/tests/malware-protection-test-september-2026/ (opens in a new tab)
- 4.AV-Comparatives Malware Protection Test, March 2026. av-comparatives.org/tests/malware-protection-test-march-2026/ (opens in a new tab)
- 5.AV-Comparatives Performance Test, September 2026. av-comparatives.org/tests/performance-test-september-2026/ (opens in a new tab)
- 6.AV-Comparatives Advanced Threat Protection Test 2026 (Consumer). av-comparatives.org/tests/advanced-threat-protection-test-2026-consumer/ (opens in a new tab)
- 7.AV-Comparatives Consumer Summary Report 2025. av-comparatives.org/tests/summary-report-2025/ (opens in a new tab)
- 8.AV-TEST Windows 11 home-user test, August 2026. av-test.org/en/antivirus/home-windows/windows-11/august-2026/ (opens in a new tab)
- 9.AV-TEST Awards 2025 (consumer). av-test.org/en/news/av-test-awards-2025-celebrating-the-very-best-of-it-security-products/ (opens in a new tab)
- 10.AV-TEST macOS Tahoe test, June 2026. av-test.org/en/antivirus/home-macos/macos-tahoe/june-2026/ (opens in a new tab)
- 11.AV-Comparatives Mac Security Test & Review 2026. av-comparatives.org/tests/mac-security-test-review-2026/ (opens in a new tab)
- 12.AV-TEST Android test, September 2026. av-test.org/en/antivirus/mobile-devices/android/september-2026/ (opens in a new tab)
- 13.AV-Comparatives Mobile Security Review 2026 (Android). av-comparatives.org/tests/mobile-security-review-2026/ (opens in a new tab)