Norton Antivirus Plus assessment: Incredible safety for digital minimalists

Greatest Costs At present: Norton Antivirus Plus

Antivirus makers stuff a ton of options into their most touted-plans, however not everybody wants these additional bells and whistles. Perhaps all you search is the fundamentals for on-line safety in a single software program package deal—and for only one machine.

Norton Antivirus Plus is one slimmed down possibility that hits these notes precisely, with malware safety and a password supervisor because the standout options. As an reasonably priced entry-level suite, you possibly can skip the extraneous items of dearer plans with out sacrificing what you actually need. The one caveat: You may acclimate to Norton’s quirks, together with an app with two totally different interfaces.

What does Norton Antivirus Plus embrace?

Although its title lacks the reference, Norton Antivirus Plus is a part of Norton’s 360 lineup—albeit as probably the most stripped down model, each in options and variety of gadgets supported. Its main focus is on direct threats to your on-line safety, with the antivirus engine defending you towards malware and the firewall blocking community threats. The app screens for harmful hyperlinks and attachments as effectively.

This subscription additionally gives 2GB of cloud backup storage, entry to Norton’s password supervisor, and PC utilities that embrace the flexibility to clear short-term information and monitor for outdated software program.

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How a lot does Norton Antivirus Plus price?

When you purchase via Norton, the Norton Antivirus Plus plan prices $30 for the primary 12 months, after which will increase to $60 thereafter. You may attempt the software program for 30 days earlier than committing, although you’ll should put down a bank card. Subscriptions additionally include a 60-day money-back assure. Bear in mind that Norton robotically enrolls you into auto-renewal at sign-up.

Norton Antivirus Plus (1 machine)

• $30 for the primary 12 months
• $60 per 12 months thereafter

Norton Antivirus Plus helps PC, macOS, Android, and iOS, however this plan limits you to only one machine.

It can save you much more on Norton Antivirus Plus if you buy your license via third-party retailers like Amazon and even PCWorld’s personal software program retailer—typically the worth hovers round 75 p.c off the conventional value, and generally with additional bonus months.

Key options of Norton Antivirus Plus

Set up and consumer interface

After buying a subscription to Norton Antivirus Plus, you’ll get entry to the set up file, which robotically downloads.

After set up, the My Norton window will probably be the very first thing you see—it’s considered one of two interfaces you’ll work together with. It has a up to date look and serves as a springboard to crucial options. You can begin scans, replace the app and its virus definitions, leap over to the password supervisor, handle your cloud backups, and fireplace up the safe browser. You can even run the software program updater, in addition to dig into a number of program settings. (Tip: Flip off notifications for “Particular gives” within the settings whereas rooting round.)

Usually, this view is straightforward and simple, with one exception. You get no again button whereas navigating via submenus (like in settings).

For a deeper dive into this system, you have to swap to the Basic view by clicking on the Open button inside the Gadget Safety a part of My Norton. A second window with a extra outdated vibe will seem. Choosing any 4 of the tiles (Safety, Web Safety, Backup, and Efficiency) reveals the complete lineup of options associated to that subject. The fifth tile takes you again to the My Norton view.

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Additionally inside the Basic view are the function settings (like habits of antivirus scans). You may modify how antivirus scans, the firewall, and backups behave, in addition to the protections for electronic mail and apps, and a a number of app settings.

This twin interface setup could be complicated initially—but it surely turns into much less of an issue the extra you employ this system.

Virus, malware, and risk safety

Actual-time safety

Norton Antivirus Plus protects your PC in actual time by scanning new or modified information, expecting uncommon app habits, and screening for malicious scripts, attachments, and hyperlinks in downloads and native electronic mail. Extra defenses (like protected folders, in case you have a selected concern about ransomware) are solely out there on greater plans—although nowadays, ransomware is much less of a priority for most people.

To keep away from phishing websites and different malicious pages (together with ones that trigger your PC to robotically obtain sketchy information) whereas searching, you have to first set up the Norton Secure Net extension. It blocks harmful websites and gives visible indicators for the way reliable a hyperlink is.

Scheduled and guide scans

By default, Norton Antivirus Plus will run a full scan of your PC as soon as per 30 days. Scheduling could be very exact—if you wish to run one each 13 hours, it’s potential. You can even set a schedule for the opposite default scan sorts (Fast Scan, Drive Scan, Folder Scan, File Scan), in addition to for any customized scans you’ve created.

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For guide scans, you possibly can select Scan Choices from the Gadget Safety dropdown menu within the My Norton view, or click on on Scans within the Basic view. Norton contains the choice to scan for hard-to-find threats, in addition to get diagnostic experiences and suggestions on which of your information must be examined.

Superior customers could discover scan settings too simplified—for instance, the complete scan solely permits you to change if it seems inside compressed information, scans community drives, removes contaminated folders robotically, and wipes low danger and monitoring cookie information. The opposite default scans have even fewer settings. You can also’t select to verify over all information, even when unchanged.

Browser extensions

Uncommon is the PC that isn’t constantly linked to the web. Since internet browser use is a each day prevalence for many everybody, Norton contains a number of browser extensions to spice up on-line security: Norton Dwelling Web page, Norton Secure Search, and Norton Secure Net.

Norton Dwelling Web page switches your default to Norton’s personal begin web page, whereas Norton Secure Search modifications your default to Norton’s search engine. In the meantime, Norton Secure Net scans hyperlinks outcomes for malicious content material and likewise provides a visible badge to Google and Bing outcomes exhibiting if it’s secure to click on (inexperienced is nice, crimson is harmful). Of this set, Norton Secure Net is probably the most helpful—most individuals have already got their very own most popular dwelling web page and search engine.

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A fourth browser extension, Norton Password Supervisor, allows you to handle your passwords. Whereas not strictly crucial (you possibly can entry the service via the web site), it’s probably the most polished of all out there extensions and simple to make use of.

Cloud backup

Having backups of your most vital information is a sensible transfer—even in the event you’re not afraid of ransomware locking you out, untimely storage drive demise or a misplaced machine all the time loom as risks. Norton makes an attempt to assist on this entrance by permitting you to save lots of copies of your paperwork to its servers.

By default, cloud backups will add all however electronic mail and video information in your Home windows doc folders (i.e., Paperwork, Photos, Music, and many others). You may add or exclude file sorts, in addition to particular information and folders. Norton additionally permits the creation of various backup guidelines (referred to as a “Backup Set”), which is useful since you possibly can solely save to at least one location per backup set.

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Word that for the Norton Antivirus Plus plan, you don’t get a lot included storage—simply 2GB. That received’t be sufficient to again up music or a even a reasonable picture assortment, however ought to adequately cowl your vital text-based paperwork.

You can even create backups that save to an area drive—however in my expertise, this feature is buggy. On a couple of pc, Norton would declare it had saved information to an exterior drive, however the information wouldn’t really seem. You’re higher off organising your individual system for native backups.

Password supervisor

Although easy, Norton’s password supervisor is nice—a nice distinction to companies that really feel too stripped down. Setup is easy, with Norton prompting you to create a separate vault password, then to obtain a restoration key. (When you neglect your vault password, you’ll want this key to get better the account.)

This double login system (as soon as together with your normal Norton credentials, then your vault password) would usually be a ache, however utilizing passwordless authentication via the Norton Password Supervisor cell app nips that within the bud. It’s seamless, if fractionally gradual with authentication approval requests. You may entry your vault via the web site, a browser extension, or the cell app.

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Word that for the browser extension, you possibly can’t set the clipboard to robotically clear a copied password after a sure time. That’s a function often supplied by rival password managers.

PC utilities

Norton features a handful of PC instruments in its antivirus suite, which replicate current Home windows options, generally in a extra restricted manner.

Optimize Disk is one such instance. It’s Norton’s model of the Home windows Optimize Drives utility, however extra restricted—it solely defragments onerous disk drives. Home windows’ native instrument is the higher name, because it handles each HDDs and SSDs with the suitable protocols. (Strong-state drives don’t profit from conventional defragmentation.)

File Cleanup wipes short-term information in Home windows, together with any undesirable Web Explorer information. (If the latter is relevant to you, it’s time to improve your working system.) Once more, you’re higher off utilizing the native Home windows utility for this job.

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Startup Supervisor controls which apps launch robotically when Home windows begins up—however you possibly can simply handle this in Home windows by typing startup apps in Home windows search.

Graphs is the one fascinating one of many lot, exhibiting a historical past of system use (installations, downloads, optimization, virus detections, fast scans, and alerts). When you wish to know precisely what your system is doing within the background, this overview makes these particulars simply accessible.

For these 4 instruments, you have to dig into Norton’s Basic view to search out them. A further instrument lives within the My Norton view—Software program Updater retains monitor of old-fashioned apps and allows you to replace them instantly from the interface. (Our advice: Use the utility as a notification system, after which manually replace your self, to keep away from potential software program points down the street.) General, Norton’s inclusion of those options is a pleasant thought, however not what sells the suite.

Safe browser

When you’re cautious of Chrome, Norton Antivirus Plus contains another referred to as Norton Safe Browser. It’s additionally primarily based on the identical Chromium code as Google’s browser, however with a extra curated expertise.

Norton Safe Browser drops onto your PC preconfigured with the Norton Privateness Guard (which blocks trackers and a few adverts, however not sponsored search outcomes), Norton Password Supervisor, and Coupons add-ons already put in. You may solely uninstall the Password Supervisor and Coupon extensions.

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If you wish to add extra add-ons, Norton gives a pared-down storefront—however you will get extra by scrolling all the best way to the underside for a hyperlink to the Chrome Net Retailer (or simply hop on Google or Bing search). That’ll mean you can set up stronger ad-blocking add-ons like uBlock Origin, if you would like extra complete screening.

Buyer help

Assist with Norton Antivirus Plus is accessible inside the app, each from the My Norton and Basic views. Of the 2, the Basic view is simpler to navigate, however the My Norton view places the solutions to generally requested issues proper upfront.

You can even search for data on Norton’s help pages and group boards, and get technical help via chat, social media, and cellphone help. The in-app assist and help pages are a great place to start out, whereas the boards and firm help are higher choices for troubleshooting.

Updates and upkeep

Norton robotically updates the virus definitions and app model, however the LiveUpdate function inside the app additionally allows you to manually verify for pending updates. It seems for any modifications to the antivirus safety, Norton app, and course of safety.

If you have to discover the model of your Norton app, you possibly can entry it via Assist > About within the Basic view.

Efficiency

Norton typically performs effectively in exams carried out by main safety analysis institutes—for on-line safety, at the very least. It caught one hundred pc of the threats in AV-Check’s zero-day assault and malware exams for March and April 2025 (probably the most present outcomes launched), blocking all 459 zero-day assault samples. For lately widespread and prevalent malware, it detected one hundred pc of the 18,722 samples.

In AV-Comparatives’ real-world safety take a look at for February via Might 2025, Norton noticed 99.5 p.c of the 423 take a look at circumstances, with 9 false positives. (Rival ESET had simply three false positives, for comparability.) The samples had been a mixture of exploits (like drive-by downloads), malicious internet addresses, and URLs linking on to malware. Successfully, Norton will shield towards harmful web sites, however its sensitivity can find yourself blocking official web sites or downloads.

AV-Comparatives

When dealing with AV-Comparatives’ March 2025 malware safety take a look at and its 10,030 samples, Norton scored a 97.7 p.c offline detection price, 99.3 p.c on-line detection price, and a 99.96 p.c on-line safety price, with 10 false positives. Of those outcomes, the web safety rating issues most, because it represents how effectively antivirus software program stops threats that reside in your PC—and Norton’s is among the many high on the chart.

In AV-Comparatives’ June 2025 anti-phishing certification take a look at, Norton detected 95 p.c of the 228 phishing URLs thrown at it.

Norton didn’t take part in AV-Comparatives’ October 2024 Superior Menace Safety Check, which evaluates a safety suite’s resistance to extra subtle, focused assault strategies like malicious scripts and fileless assaults.

AV-Comparatives

As for PC efficiency, Norton Antivirus Plus can have a notable impact on widespread duties—if operating full scans whilst you’re lively on the pc. The impression is softer throughout on a regular basis actions, as proven by our PCMark 10 take a look at. This benchmark simulates internet searching, video chatting, gaming, and file modifying in open-souce packages like GIMP and LibreOffice. When idle within the background, expecting real-time threats, Norton Antivirus Plus had just about no impression on PCMark 10’s take a look at scores. However when a full scan ran concurrently all through the benchmark, the outcomes decreased by about 6 p.c.

That efficiency drop elevated throughout our UL Procyon benchmark, which simulates doc modifying in Microsoft Workplace apps like Excel, Phrase, and PowerPoint. Benchmark outcomes fell about 6 p.c at idle, and nearly 10 p.c throughout a full scan. That distinction swelled for our Handbrake encoding take a look at, with a 11 p.c lower on idle and a large 22 p.c tumble throughout a full scan.

Nevertheless, these numbers don’t replicate how Norton usually handles full scans. After an preliminary full scan, subsequent ones solely study new or modified, which hurries up the scan time and reduces the hit to system sources. And by default, full scans are scheduled for off-hours.

Nonetheless, in the event you’re usually copying to or altering information in your PC, Norton’s have an effect on on system efficiency is one thing to think about—particularly in the event you use a mid-range or finances pc.

Must you purchase Norton Antivirus Plus?

As an entry-level software program suite, Norton Antivirus Plus is an reasonably priced, dependable possibility for individuals who don’t thoughts its twin set of interfaces. Its one-device limitation could be tight in an period the place most individuals personal at the very least a pc and a smartphone, but it surely’s cheaper than related rival plans whereas providing extra options. When you don’t want additional gadgets or options — smartphones are very safe even with out third-party antivirus safety nowadays — this may be a perfect antivirus answer.