Which is better Webroot or McAfee

 Compare WebRoot vs. McAfee. See pros and cons of WebRoot vs. McAfee and easily decide which antivirus software is right for you.

When it comes to online security and virus protection, there are several options out there that you can try. However, a truly good option is one that constantly adapts to the changing security landscape. In other words, you need a program that can go the extra mile.

There are two such antivirus programs that currently dominate the scene. One’s WebRoot and the other is McAfee. As you guessed it, we’re going to be comparing the two in another one of our antivirus vs. antivirus blogs.

Which is better Webroot or McAfee

So, let’s get started with WebRoot vs. McAfee.

But, before all that, a small introduction…

Both antivirus brands have been associated with effective protection. In fact, they even offer a satisfaction guarantee, where you can return the program if you aren’t satisfied. Of course, this must be done within a certain timeframe. For McAfee, its 30 days and for WebRoot, it’s 70 days. You can say that WebRoot already wins one of the smaller WebRoot vs. McAfee rounds.

But, we really can’t give you a proper verdict without further analysis. So, let’s get to that bit.

WebRoot Vs. McAfee Antivirus Software Comparison

Pricing

Pricing varies according to the exact product offered by either brand. To make things easier, we’re going to categorize the variants under two categories – Single Device Protection and Multi-Device Protection.

Under the former category, WebRoot offers the Webroot SecureAnyWhere AntiVirus. This program costs anywhere from $29.99 to $39.99 for a single device (Windows or Mac). You get a license that’s valid for one year. The program can be described as being a lightweight offering that offers robust protection from spyware, viruses, and malicious websites.

Since it’s lightweight, you won’t have to deal with a system slowdown while it’s operational. You can work while the program scans things in the background.

McAfee’s answer to this is the McAfee LiveSafe, which costs anywhere from $54.99 to $59.99. It can be installed on your Mac, your PC, and even your smartphone/tablet. But, you are limited to only one device.

As an antivirus program, it’s quite basic. It scans for viruses, malware, spyware, and rootkits. Security features for internet browsing are limited. Other than that, it can detect malicious sites and popups.

Another option from McAfee under this category is the McAfee Total Protection. It can set you back by $89.99 and is compatible with smart devices, PC, and Mac. This is, as the name indicates, the total package. It comes with everything that LiveSafe offers and more. For instance, you have Parental Control, which allows you to set time limits for internet usage, block certain websites, and even monitor activity. You also have email protection. On the whole, it’s a great offering.

However, WebRoot wins the WebRoot vs. McAfee battle under this category because, as you might have noticed, it’s significantly cheaper. It may not offer those little extras, but you’re paying only $39.99 for a decent amount of protection. The same level of protection with McAfee sets you back by $59.99.

Under the Multi-Device protection category, WebRoot offers the SecureAnyWhere Internet Security Plus. It’s a program that costs $59.99 and works on anything from PC to smartphones. It’s a robust program that offers excellent protection. Plus, you have a few extras as well such as password encryption. Also, you can install it on up to 3 devices.

There’s also the $79 Webroot SecureAnyWhere Internet Security Complete, which can be installed on up to 5 devices. The key difference with this version is that it comes with a few advanced features such as privacy protection, cloud storage, and automatic backup etc.

McAfee offers the McAfee Total Protection which can be installed on up to 10 devices. However, it can set you back by almost a $100. You do get top-notch protection for that money. There are specific features to prevent issues such as identity theft, hacking, and anything that remotely resembles a threat.

So, who wins under this category? We still think its WebRoot. For more or less the same level of protection and add-ons, WebRoot charges $20 less than McAfee’s fully-loaded equivalent.

Support

Both programs offer support through multiple channels. This includes FAQs, Knowledge Bases, Phone, Email, and Online Resources.

WebRoot even provides a social media option through which customers can tweet about their concerns or doubts on Twitter and have the customer support teams respond to them. Other than that, there are walkthrough videos on the WebRoot website that provide some guidance.

However, McAfee edges past Webroot in this department because it offers one extra thing that can really make a difference – live online chat. You can interact with a “McAfee Virtual Technician”, which is basically a chatbot that guides you through fixes and solutions. Since it’s live, you have the opportunity to save some time and receive immediate attention.

So, thanks to this one extra channel, McAfee wins this round of WebRoot vs. McAfee.

Protection

In our tests, we found that Webroot SecureAnywhere Antivirus was able to fix around 83% of malware infections while McAfee managed only 42%.

Other than that, we also looked at how both the programs were able to offer protection in terms of keeping virus definitions and databases updated. Our findings determined that McAfee Antivirus Plus wasn’t up to expectations. Scoring only around 58%, it did not come anywhere near Webroot’s score of 80%.

To put it simply, WebRoot is far better at staying updated than McAfee. So, once again, WebRoot wins another round of WebRoot vs. McAfee.

Verdict

Now, it’s not a myth that McAfee and WebRoot are some of the biggest names in the business of online protection. Both of them offer the best of what they can. But, as you can clearly see, there are a few things that give WebRoot an advantage over McAfee.

To begin with, it’s definitely the more affordable of the two. Pricing is very important, especially if you’re an individual buyer. You don’t want to spend too much when you can have the same amount of protection for half the price. WebRoot understands this sentiment and has cleverly positioned its products.

Then, of course, you can’t ignore the fact that WebRoot offers significantly better protection.

So, needless to say, there no debate here – WebRoot wins the bigger WebRoot vs. McAfee battle.