A whole family
Kids' phones, a shared laptop, a parent's tablet — one unprotected device can be the way in.
Our match
McAfee
- Unlimited devices on Premium, Advanced and Ultimate
- Scam Detector alerts in every plan
Antivirus & online safety, reviewed for the UK
Scammers don't care which device you use. Protect all of them.
Fake parcel texts, HMRC look-alikes and phishing pages target phones and tablets, not just PCs. We compared Norton, McAfee, Avast, TotalAV and Avira on what they actually protect — so you can pick the right one in about a minute.
| Suite | Best for | Stand-out | Skip it if | Ad |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Editors' choice Norton | All-in-one bundle seekers | Bundled VPN + cloud backup | You won't use the extras | |
| TotalAV | Simple, all-in-one setup | Ease of use + tune-up tools | You want deep configuration | |
| McAfee | Mixed-OS families, many devices | Breadth + family-scale management | You only protect one device | |
| Avast | Familiar all-rounder | Recognised brand, broad suite | You dislike upsell prompts | |
| Avira | Starting free, with extras | Free VPN, password manager + updater | You'd lean on a VPN every day |
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Why it matters
£1.28 billion
stolen through payment fraud in the UK in 2025, up four per cent — including £576.4 million lost to scams that trick people into sending the money themselves.
Source: UK Finance — Annual Fraud Report 2026 (15 June 2026). Figures reported by UK Finance members.
It starts with a message
A parcel 'fee', a tax refund, a payment you don't recognise. The NCSC had received more than 58 million scam reports as of July 2026.
Source: NCSC — Phishing: report scamsMost of it starts online
66 per cent of the authorised push payment fraud cases UK Finance recorded in 2025 started online.
Source: UK Finance — Annual Fraud Report 2026 (15 June 2026)On every device
Phones and tablets carry the same logins as the family PC. Good protection covers the devices people actually use.
Find your match
Start from your situation — we'll tell you which suite fits
Each pick is matched to a real need, with the reasons it fits. Ranked by fit, never by commission.
Everything in one plan
Antivirus, a VPN and backup bought separately add up — and three apps mean three renewals to track.
Our match
Norton
- VPN and password manager from Norton 360 Standard up
- Advanced adds UK credit report and identity support
Keep it simple
When security software is confusing, people switch it off — or click straight through the warnings that matter.
Our match
TotalAV
- One uncluttered app on every platform
- Tune-up tools in every plan; VPN from Internet Security up
Start free
Not ready to pay yet? Free protection beats none — as long as it comes from a vendor you can trust.
Our match
Avast
- Best known for its free antivirus
- Premium Security blocks scam texts and calls
I use a Mac
Macs block a lot on their own — but fake installers and phishing pages target the person, not the machine.
Our match
Norton
- A Mac app inside a plan that also covers PCs and phones
- Bundled extras if you'll use them
Not sure which one you are?
See all five suites side by side — who each fits, what's bundled in the UK and what to check before you pay.
Compare all fiveProtected in three steps
- 1
Pick your situation
Family, Mac, all-in-one, simple or free — start from what you actually need to protect.
- 2
See your match
One suite per situation, with the reasons it fits and the trade-offs we'd want to know.
- 3
Check the price on the official site
Compare the renewal price in pounds (GBP), not just the introductory offer — then set it up on each device you want covered.
Do you even need antivirus?
Straight answers for each device — including when the built-in protection is enough.
Guides
All guides →
Scams & Fraud
Scam texts in the UK: how to spot fake parcel, HMRC and bank messages
A missed parcel, a tax refund, a payment you don't recognise — scam texts copy real messages closely. What the genuine ones look like, how to check safely and where to report a fake.
PrivacyTechReview Editorial Team Reviewed 13 Oct 2026 6 min read
Online Privacy
The Avast UK settlement email: is it real, and should you accept the free upgrade?
Avast is offering eligible UK users a free two-year Premium Security upgrade to settle a claim over browsing data sold through its former Jumpshot business. Here's what the offer is, what you give up by accepting it, and how to tell a genuine email from a phishing copy.
PrivacyTechReview Editorial Team Reviewed 13 Oct 2026 5 min read
Antivirus
How to choose antivirus software: a practical buyer's framework
Ignore the marketing superlatives. Five criteria that actually separate good consumer security suites from forgettable ones — and the trade-offs nobody puts on the box.
PrivacyTechReview Editorial Team Reviewed 13 Oct 2026 8 min read
Antivirus
Is Windows Defender enough? When built-in protection is fine — and when it isn't
For one well-maintained Windows PC, the security built into Windows is a genuine baseline. The case for a paid suite starts when your household, your devices or your needs grow beyond that one machine.
PrivacyTechReview Editorial Team Reviewed 13 Oct 2026 7 min read
VPN & Privacy
What a VPN protects — and the things people wrongly expect it to
A VPN is a useful privacy tool with a specific, narrow job. The marketing has stretched it into a security cure-all. Here is where the line really sits.
PrivacyTechReview Editorial Team Reviewed 13 Oct 2026 6 min read
Password Managers
Password managers: the single highest-leverage security habit
If you only change one thing this year, make it this. What a password manager fixes, how to adopt one without the overwhelm, and the honest risks.
PrivacyTechReview Editorial Team Reviewed 13 Oct 2026 6 min read
Don't leave the next click to chance
Pick the protection that fits your devices today. It takes a minute to choose — and the right plan can cover the whole household once it's set up.