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Norton 360 Advanced Review (2026): Is it the right choice?
By Tibor Moes / Updated: November 2025
Norton 360 Advanced Review 2026
Norton 360 Advanced is the most advanced antivirus that Norton sells outside the US, replacing Norton 360 Premium as the top product. It has perfect anti-malware protection, no impact on the speed of your PC, all the security features you need, and a fair price.
Buy it if you want complete protection for up to 10 devices. You will get anti-malware, anti-phishing, a firewall, a password manager, and an unlimited VPN, which will protect your privacy online.
On top of that, Norton 360 Advanced offers identity theft protection. This includes credit reports, stolen wallet assistance, identity restoration services, and more.
- Malware protection: 100%. Norton detected and removed each of the 1,200 malware samples in our test.
- Speed impact: 100%. Norton’s anti-malware engine is lightweight and did not slow down our test PC.
- Features: 100%. Norton 360 Advanced includes anti-malware, anti-phishing, firewall, VPN, password manager, and more.
- Price: 100%. Compared to similar products at Bitdefender and McAfee, Norton 360 Advanced offers more value for money.
Thanks to the 60-day return policy, you can try it risk-free.
| Ranking | #1 of 28 🥇 |
| Anti-malware | ✅ |
| Anti-phishing | ✅ |
| Firewall | ✅ |
| Password Manager | ✅ |
| Unlimited VPN | ✅ |
| Operating systems | Windows, macOS, iOS, Android |
| 🔥 Discount | Save 60% on Norton 🔥 |
Full Review
Norton is ranked #1 of the 28 best antivirus of 2026.
Norton 360 offers a robust suite of security tools beyond basic antivirus protection. Even the entry-level plan, Norton Antivirus Plus, includes an advanced anti-malware engine, firewall, anti-phishing tools, password manager, 2 GB of cloud storage, and a 100% Virus Protection Promise, guaranteeing a refund if Norton can’t remove a virus.
Norton 360 Advanced adds valuable features like parental controls (with School Time), an unlimited VPN, dark web monitoring, webcam protection, a privacy monitor, identity theft protection, and 200 GB of cloud storage. Norton LifeLock plans, available in the US and select regions, expands the identity theft protection and increases the storage to 250 GB.
All of Norton’s plans come with a 60-day money-back guarantee.
Anti-malware
Norton’s anti-malware engine demonstrates exceptional detection accuracy and speed. In testing across nearly 1,200 diverse malware samples—including viruses, worms, trojans, ransomware, rootkits, spyware, and PUPs—it achieved a flawless 100% detection rate. This success derives from Norton’s hybrid approach that integrates a vast malware directory, heuristic analysis, and machine learning. Few competitors, such as Bitdefender, match this consistency in malware interception.
The real-time protection layer is equally strong, halting all uncompressed, zipped, and encrypted threats during downloads or decryption attempts. Full system scans are rapid, taking approximately 14 minutes on desktops and under 9 minutes on SSD-based laptops. Norton’s scanning flexibility includes Smart, Quick, Full, Targeted, Startup, and Explorer scans, along with customizable schedules and folder exclusions. Smart Scan further optimizes system health by identifying Wi-Fi, registry, and junk file issues.
Performance efficiency is a key strength: Norton completes thorough scans without perceptible slowdowns, automatically detects full-screen applications to avoid interruptions, and allows users full control over scheduling and exclusions. Combined, these traits establish Norton as one of the most responsive and effective anti-malware solutions currently available.
Anti-phishing
Norton’s Safe Web and Safe Search technologies deliver powerful defenses against phishing and unsafe websites. Safe Web integrates an Intrusion Prevention System (IPS) that safeguards financial and transactional data, while browser extensions for Chrome, Edge, and Firefox actively block malicious pages. Testing showed near-perfect detection of phishing sites, surpassing browsers like Chrome in several instances.
When a site is flagged, Norton presents detailed threat explanations within the app, enhancing user understanding of potential risks. The Safe Web dashboard also allows manual URL safety checks, complete with safety and community ratings, accessible even to non-subscribers. Meanwhile, Safe Search employs color-coded classifications—green, orange, and red—to signal site safety directly in search results.
While Safe Search offers relevance and social media link protection, its accuracy is occasionally inconsistent. Nonetheless, Safe Web remains the standout component, delivering highly reliable anti-phishing protection with comprehensive transparency and integration.
Firewall
Norton’s Smart Firewall provides enterprise-grade intrusion defense and fine-grained customization capabilities. It prevents ARP and DNS spoofing, detects SSL man-in-the-middle attacks, and monitors port access with precision. In independent testing, it successfully blocked every network intrusion, outperforming Windows’ native firewall.
Its operational modes—Block All, Allow All, Ask, and Smart—give users full control. Smart Mode is particularly effective, automatically analyzing app behavior to decide permissions intelligently. The firewall’s predefined rules block dozens of exploit-prone connections while allowing trusted protocols, minimizing false positives.
Advanced users can define custom traffic rules for individual applications or connection types. The firewall also tracks all network connections and adjusts its defenses depending on whether a network is public or private. Overall, Norton’s Smart Firewall delivers excellent detection accuracy, robust configurability, and comprehensive network visibility.
Password manager
Norton’s password manager provides a well-balanced combination of security, usability, and cross-platform integration. Protected with 256-bit AES encryption, it allows unlimited storage of passwords, payment data, and secure notes. Synchronization across major browsers and operating systems is seamless, and auto-fill and auto-save operations are consistently accurate.
Its vault auditing tool strengthens password hygiene by detecting weak, reused, or outdated credentials and prompting real-time remediation. Users can also generate strong, unique passwords directly from the interface. Mobile login capabilities enable unlocking via smartphone biometrics instead of a master password.
While two-factor authentication is available, it’s linked to the broader Norton account rather than the password manager itself, creating a small security dependency. Account recovery options are limited to biometric reset or recovery key use—enhancing vault security but restricting convenience. Despite this, Norton’s password manager remains the best among antivirus suites in 2026, offering reliability, synchronization, and complete functionality at no cost.
VPN
Norton’s VPN service distinguishes itself through unlimited bandwidth and strong baseline security. It supports AES-256 encryption, a kill switch (on Windows and Android), and the WireGuard protocol, ensuring encrypted and efficient communication. Additional tools include split-tunneling, tracker blocking, and Wi-Fi security monitoring.
The VPN operates 2,000+ servers across 29 countries, covering all major regions. Local server performance is stable, with minimal impact on streaming or browsing speeds. Distant servers introduce latency, but performance remains acceptable for most non-interactive tasks. Speed tests show approximately 18–22% download reduction locally, rising to 85% upload loss on remote connections.
The VPN works with Netflix, HBO Max, Prime Video, and Disney+, though not BBC iPlayer. It supports P2P on dedicated servers but lacks manual server selection, limiting flexibility. While slower than standalone VPNs like ExpressVPN, Norton’s VPN offers dependable privacy, a strict no-logs policy, and consistent global coverage, making it an excellent bundled solution.
Other security features
Norton 360 offers one of the most comprehensive feature sets in the cybersecurity industry. Its ransomware protection blocks all simulated ransomware samples, with configurable folders and file-type protections. The parental control suite, Safe Family, provides detailed content filtering, time limits, app supervision, and location tracking for up to 10 devices.
Privacy Monitor helps users remove personal data from 60+ data brokers, while Dark Web Monitoring employs live agents to search for compromised credentials and notify affected users. LifeLock identity protection extends this with credit monitoring, legal aid, and up to $3M in identity theft insurance for eligible users.
Additional modules include Cloud Backup with up to 500 GB of storage, PC SafeCam webcam protection, Genie AI scam defense, AntiTrack browser privacy, Private Browser, spam filtering, email protection, and sandboxing for isolated app execution. Utilities Ultimate enhances system performance via disk cleanup, registry repair, and RAM optimization. Together, these capabilities establish Norton as a security suite offering near-total protection across privacy, identity, and device integrity.
Plans and pricing
In the table below are the core products with their features and prices.
The prices shown are from the USA. However, most brands have different prices (and currencies) in other regions. So visit the brand’s website to see the price in our country.
Plan description
The basic plan, priced at $19.99 / year, covers one device and includes real-time malware protection, a smart firewall, password manager, and 2GB cloud storage. It lacks features like VPN and dark web monitoring.
For $39.99 / year, you get a bit more, covering one device (or 3 in the US). It includes everything from the basic plan plus VPN, webcam protection, and dark web monitoring. It’s a decent plan for single-device users.
Our top pick for most users, costing $49.99 / year. Covers up to 5 devices and adds parental controls, privacy monitor, and boosts cloud storage to 50GB. Unfortunately, it doesn’t allow for adding just one or two extra devices; you’d have to upgrade to the next plan.
Priced like the Deluxe plan, it focuses on gaming with a game booster feature. It covers 3 devices and is perfect for gamers looking to optimize their systems.
Norton 360 Premium & Advanced
These are enhanced plans with more device coverage (up to 10) and greater cloud storage (100GB or 200GB). Priced at $59.99 / year, they’re good for larger households with more devices.
Norton 360 with LifeLock Select (US Only)
Starting at $99.99 / year, it’s an identity-protection focused plan with credit monitoring, $25,000 identity theft insurance, and many other features. It’s not cheap but provides peace of mind.
Norton 360 with LifeLock Advantage (US Only)
This is a pricier version of LifeLock Select, costing $191.88 / year. It has all of LifeLock Select’s features but with enhanced identity protections like $100,000 identity theft insurance and more.
Norton 360 with LifeLock Ultimate Plus (US Only)
The most expensive plan at $299.88 / year, it covers unlimited devices and has the most extensive identity protection features, including $1M identity theft reimbursement.
To summarize, Norton offers a wide range of plans to fit varying needs and budgets, from basic antivirus protection to extensive identity theft coverage. Choose based on your specific requirements.
Test score comparison
We conduct in-house anti-malware tests and review the results from AV-Test, a German lab renowned for its objective evaluations. Below is the average of the last 10 AV-Test results for Windows. Their scoring criteria are:
- Protection (1-6): Effectiveness in blocking malware.
- Performance (1-6): Impact on system speed.
- Usability (1-6): Frequency of errors like false alarms.
We calculate a final score using this formula:
Final Score = 60% Protection + 20% Performance + 20% Usability.
While these results influence our choice of the best antivirus for Windows 11, other factors like privacy and identity protection also play a key role. For a similar analysis for Android or macOS, visit our other comparisons:
Note: Brands not listed in the table either do not participate in AV-Test trials or are tested too infrequently, such as Surfshark Antivirus.
Source: AV-Test (Last updated: November 2025).
Price comparison
We’ve compared the prices of the top antivirus products for Windows. To make it a fair comparison, we looked at what it would cost us, to protect a single Windows PC with the most essential features:
- Anti-malware
- Anti-phishing (web protection)
- Firewall
- Password manager
- Unlimited VPN (no data limit)
A few notes:
- Some brands are missing features, lowering their value for money.
- Prices are second-year prices in the USA, without first-year discounts.
- Prices are rounded up for readability (e.g., $99.99 becomes $100).
Brands have different prices outside the USA. See those on their website.
User reviews
We’ve compared the user reviews of all antivirus brands. We’ve used the scores and review count of TrustPilot, a leading user review platform.
We consider scores above 4.0 very good. Lower scores indicate that the brand might have a poor product or customer service. McAfee’s scores, for instance, are worrying.
Source: TrustPilot. Last Update: November 2025.
Company Profile
Norton is part of the Gen Digital family (NASDAQ: GEN), a global leader in Cyber Safety with a mission to make the digital world safer and more private for everyone.
Gen is a collection of renowned cybersecurity brands that serve over 500 million users in 150 countries. Its portfolio includes Norton, Avast, LifeLock, Avira, and AVG.
Operating from dual headquarters in Tempe, Arizona, and Prague, Czech Republic, Gen brings together cutting-edge AI technology and data analytics to tackle today’s most pressing cybersecurity challenges.
By consolidating these brands, Gen combines expertise and innovation to address both current and future cybersecurity threats.
How we test antivirus software
At SoftwareLab, we provide thorough and unbiased antivirus reviews to help you make informed cybersecurity decisions. Our comprehensive testing covers all critical aspects of antivirus performance. We assess each product in six key categories, weighted by importance:
For even more details, visit our blog posts on how we test antivirus software.
Anti-Malware Protection (30%)
We evaluate how well the antivirus detects and removes various malware types like viruses, trojans, ransomware, and spyware.
In-House Testing: Using 1,200 diverse malware samples, we conduct real-time attack simulations to assess detection and neutralization of known and emerging threats through signature-based and heuristic analysis.
Independent Lab Results: We incorporate findings from respected institutes like AV-Test, SE Labs, and AV-Comparatives to validate our results.
Security and Privacy Features (30%)
We assess additional tools that enhance cybersecurity:
Web Protection: Testing the software’s ability to block phishing sites and web-based threats by accessing known malicious websites.
Firewall: Evaluating effectiveness using intrusion simulations and the ShieldsUP! test to secure network ports and monitor traffic.
Password Manager: Assessing capabilities to generate, store, and auto-fill complex passwords, plus features like two-factor authentication and biometric login.
VPN: Evaluating security protocols, encryption, speed, server locations, data limits, and support for streaming and peer-to-peer sharing while hiding IP addresses.
Parental Controls: Testing screen time management, content filtering, location tracking, and resistance to bypass attempts to protect children.
Identity Theft Protection: Assessing monitoring of personal info and responsiveness to potential identity theft alerts.
Secure Cloud Storage: Evaluating capacity, security, usability, and features like file encryption and secure sharing.
Anti-Ransomware: Simulating attacks to test detection and blocking of unauthorized encryption via behavioral detection and exploit prevention.
Dark Web Monitoring: Checking effectiveness in scanning the dark web for personal info and providing timely alerts.
System Performance Impact (10%)
We measure how the antivirus affects device performance during everyday tasks:
Resource Usage: Monitoring CPU and memory during scans and real-time protection.
Performance Tests: Evaluating impact on launching apps, downloading files, browsing websites, and copying data, aligned with AV-Test criteria.
False Positives (10%)
Accuracy is crucial to avoid interruptions:
False Positive Detection: Assessing how often legitimate applications or files are incorrectly flagged.
Usability Tests: Referencing AV-Test evaluations to gauge false positive frequency for effectiveness and user-friendliness.
Price and Value (10%)
We analyze overall value by comparing features to cost:
Cost Analysis: Considering subscription prices, device coverage, and multi-year plans.
Feature Evaluation: Assessing if included features justify the price compared to competitors.
Ownership and Reputation (10%)
Trust is essential in cybersecurity providers:
Company Background: Researching history, industry track record, mergers, or acquisitions.
Privacy Policies: Examining data handling, privacy commitment, and compliance with regulations.
Ethical Conduct: Investigating past unethical behavior, data breaches, or controversies.
Sources and tools
- Apple Platform Security
- AV-Comparatives Consumer
- AV-Test Android
- AV-Test macOS
- AV-Test Windows
- GRC Firewall Test
- Microsoft Defender
- SpeedTest VPN
- Trustpilot Security Software
Author: Tibor Moes
Founder & Chief Editor at SoftwareLab
Tibor has tested 28 antivirus programs and 25 VPN services, and holds a Cybersecurity Graduate Certificate from Stanford University.
He uses Norton to protect his devices, NordVPN for his privacy, and Proton for his passwords and email.
