Norton 360 Deluxe Alternatives 2026: 5 Options, 4 Free
Norton 360 Deluxe alternatives: Microsoft Defender Antivirus, Avast Free Antivirus, Malwarebytes and 2 more. Prices and licenses checked October 25, 2026.
•3 min read•Security Software & Testing
Verdict:Norton's price is the main reason people leave. A Gizmodo review checked in August 2026 listed Norton 360 Deluxe at $49.99 in year one and $124.99 after, while other listings show $104.99 for the first year. Because first-year promotions differ so much, check your own renewal amount before deciding. Microsoft Defender is built into Windows and costs nothing, so it is the first replacement to try on a single PC. Avast Free Antivirus extends free coverage to Mac and phones, with some features locked behind paid plans. Malwarebytes is useful as an extra scanner, but its free scanner has no real-time protection. ClamAV is for servers and mail scanning, not desktop users. Bitdefender is the like-for-like paid suite, at $59.99 for the first year. The trade-off is bundle against cost. Norton adds backup, monitoring and family tools that free products do not, and you must replace each piece if you go free. Stay if you use those extras. Leave if you only wanted a virus scanner and keep getting bills.
Quick comparison
| Tool | Price | Platforms | Best for | Tested |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Microsoft Defender Antivirus | Free (built into Windows) | Windows | Windows users avoiding renewals | Docs only |
| Avast Free Antivirus | Free (Free antivirus for PC, Mac and mobile; some features need a paid plan) | Windows, macOS, Android, iOS | Free multi-device antivirus | Docs only |
| Malwarebytes | Free (Free malware scanner; per a TechRadar review the free edition has no real-time protection) | Windows, macOS, Android, iOS | On-demand malware scans | Docs only |
| ClamAV | Free | Linux, Windows, macOS | Open source scanning | Docs only |
| Bitdefender Total Security | Paid from $59.99 per year, first-year price (Individual, 5 devices; $79.99 Family, 25 devices) | Windows, macOS, Android, iOS | Another paid suite | Docs only |
| McAfee | See pricing page | Windows, macOS, Android, iOS | Antivirus | Docs only |
Independent comparison. Paid placements are labelled separately; editorial links earn no affiliate commissions. Learn more.
Good fit if
- You use one Windows PC and want to stop paying (Microsoft Defender Antivirus is the pick)
- You need free coverage on Mac and phone (Avast Free Antivirus is the pick)
- You want a second scanner beside your main antivirus (Malwarebytes is the pick)
- You want another paid suite to compare (Bitdefender Total Security is the pick)
Not ideal if
- You rely on Norton 360 Deluxe features or integrations that these tools do not replicate
Norton 360 Deluxe today: Paid from $119.99 per year, first-year price (Norton 360 Deluxe, 5 devices) (Norton 360 Deluxe pricing, checked 2026-10-25).
Why people look for Norton 360 Deluxe alternatives
Norton 360 Deluxe, covering 5 devices, is shown at $49.99 for the first year against a $124.99 renewal price, so the second year costs two and a half times as much. Subscriptions renew automatically unless cancelled before billing, and Norton says renewal prices may be higher than the initial price and are subject to change. Annual plans are refundable within 60 days of payment.
Microsoft Defender Antivirus
Compared with Norton 360 Deluxe: Defender is included with Windows at no cost. You lose Norton's bundled extras such as a password manager and cloud backup, and gain protection with no renewal bill.
Price: Free (built into Windows) (Microsoft Defender Antivirus pricing, checked 2026-10-22).
Platforms and license: Windows. Proprietary.
Best for: Windows users avoiding renewals.
Worth knowing: Windows only; central management needs a paid Microsoft product.
Avast Free Antivirus
Compared with Norton 360 Deluxe: Avast Free Antivirus covers PC, Mac and mobile at no charge. Some features need a paid plan, and it replaces only Norton's antivirus layer, not its backup or monitoring extras.
Price: Free (Free antivirus for PC, Mac and mobile; some features need a paid plan) (Avast Free Antivirus pricing, checked 2026-10-23).
Platforms and license: Windows, macOS, Android, iOS. Proprietary.
Best for: Free multi-device antivirus.
Malwarebytes
Compared with Norton 360 Deluxe: Malwarebytes has a free scanner with no real-time protection per TechRadar. It works as a second scan next to another product, rather than as a full replacement for Norton.
Price: Free (Free malware scanner; per a TechRadar review the free edition has no real-time protection) (Malwarebytes pricing, checked 2026-10-23).
Platforms and license: Windows, macOS, Android, iOS. Proprietary.
Best for: On-demand malware scans.
ClamAV
Compared with Norton 360 Deluxe: ClamAV is a free scanner with no console or behavioural engine. It suits scanning files and servers, and replaces little of Norton's consumer features.
Price: Free (ClamAV pricing, checked 2026-10-22).
Platforms and license: Linux, Windows, macOS. GPL-2.0 (open source).
Project activity: 7.5k GitHub stars · latest release clamav-1.5.4 (Aug 7, 2026) · last commit Oct 22, 2026
Best for: Open source scanning.
Worth knowing: Scanner and signature updates only; no central console or behavioural EDR.
Bitdefender Total Security
Compared with Norton 360 Deluxe: Bitdefender Total Security is $59.99 for the first year for up to five devices, with a 30-day trial. It is paid like Norton, so compare the renewal price rather than expecting a free plan.
Price: Paid from $59.99 per year, first-year price (Individual, 5 devices; $79.99 Family, 25 devices) (Bitdefender Total Security pricing, checked 2026-10-23).
Platforms and license: Windows, macOS, Android, iOS. Proprietary.
Best for: Another paid suite.
Other popular options (paid)
McAfee
Compared with Norton 360 Deluxe: Paid-only with no free plan; the pricing page shows a placeholder price, so compare current first-year and renewal figures before buying. Bitdefender's first-year price is $59.99 for 5 devices.
Price: See pricing page (McAfee pricing, checked 2026-10-23).
Which one to pick
- You use one Windows PC and want to stop paying: Microsoft Defender Antivirus
- You need free coverage on Mac and phone: Avast Free Antivirus
- You want a second scanner beside your main antivirus: Malwarebytes
- You want another paid suite to compare: Bitdefender Total Security
Limits of this review
Docs-only for Microsoft Defender Antivirus, Avast Free Antivirus, Malwarebytes, ClamAV, Bitdefender Total Security: we did not install or run them, so feature claims come from vendor pages and we did not test import from Norton 360 Deluxe. Vendor prices and free limits change; confirm on the linked pricing page before you buy or migrate.
Related guides
More in Security Software & Testing
- McAfee alternatives
- Bitdefender Total Security alternatives
- Kaspersky alternatives
- Malwarebytes alternatives
Sources
Kevin Fan
Kevin Fan is a SaaS founder. He runs Free Instead Of, which tracks free and open-source alternatives to paid software and checks each price and free-plan limit against the vendor's own pages.
Methodology
Based on official pricing and product pages checked between 2026-10-22 and 2026-10-25: Norton 360 Deluxe, Microsoft Defender Antivirus, Avast Free Antivirus, Malwarebytes, ClamAV, Bitdefender Total Security, McAfee. Prices, free limits and licenses are the figures shown on those pages on those dates. No tool on this page was installed or run. No accounts were created.