Norton is well known as one of the top antivirus brands available, with a wide range of products and services to suit differing needs and budgets. In this article, we’ll go over the many features of Norton’s entry-level antivirus package, Norton AntiVirus Plus, including what devices it can be used on.
We’ll also look at how Norton AntiVirus Plus compares to the company's other internet security suites to help you decide which security solution is right for you.
What is Norton AntiVirus Plus?
Norton AntiVirus Plus is the most basic of Norton’s antivirus offerings. The Norton 360 suite comes with more bells and whistles, such as access to a VPN, dark web monitoring and the ability to block unauthorized webcam access on a PC. Norton 360 Deluxe enables users to protect up to five devices, while Norton 360 with LifeLock Select adds increased identity theft protection, such as credit monitoring.
As the most basic Norton security option, Norton AntiVirus Plus is also the most affordable - about half the cost of Norton 360 Deluxe.
Our dedicated guide on Norton plans will help you choose between the three.
What devices can I use Norton AntiVirus Plus on?
Norton Antivirus Plus can be used on a Mac or PC, but it only provides support to one computer. If you’re looking to protect multiple computers in a household, you’ll need to purchase a Norton AntiVirus Plus license for each individually or, much more sensibly, upgrade to Norton 360 Deluxe.
Norton AntiVirus Plus is not compatible with smartphones or tablets.
Norton AntiVirus Plus: what features does it have?
Norton AntiVirus Plus comes with the standard features of an entry-level antivirus package, as well as quite a few extras:
Antivirus scanning
Norton AntiVirus Plus enables you to scan your computer for malware, spyware, ransomware, and viruses. It offers a Quick Scan option or a comprehensive Full System Scan, as well as the ability to scan custom locations to find and remove threats.
Online protection
Norton AntiVirus Plus detects and blocks malicious URLs, keeping you secure when browsing online. While Norton’s Safe Web browser extension is available for free, Norton AntiVirus Plus will also protect you from malicious links system-wide, such as in PDFs.
Smart firewall
Norton AntiVirus Plus’s Smart Firewall feature helps prevent unwanted access to your files by alerting you whenever a suspicious program is attempting to connect to the internet.
Password manager
Re-using the same weak passwords can pose a huge security risk. Norton AntiVirus Plus offers a password manager that enables you to create unique, strong passwords for each of your accounts without having to remember them all.
Cloud backup
Norton AntiVirus Plus comes with 2GB of cloud storage to back up important files in case of a ransomware attack. You can schedule backups to the cloud to run automatically, or you can manually run a backup whenever you please. You can also choose the files and folders that are backed up. 2GB isn’t much storage, but the feature also enables you to back up files to a local drive.
Virus protection promise
If your device does become infected with a virus while running Norton AntiVirus Plus, you may be eligible for a refund.
How good is Norton AntiVirus Plus?
Norton AntiVirus Plus is a solid choice for anyone looking to secure their computer and easily earns its place among our top rated Windows 10 antivirus programmes.
Even though Norton AntiVirus Plus is the least advanced of Norton’s offerings, it comes with plenty of extra features, like the Smart Firewall and the ability to back up files to the cloud or a local drive. And as the cheapest Norton plan, it’s good value.
However, all those features make the Norton AntiVirus Plus interface a bit confusing to navigate. It might take some adjustment before you are able to easily find the features you’re looking for.
In our Norton AntiVirus Plus review testing, it successfully blocked most of our simulated malware early and before it could infect our hard drive. However one ransomware test had mixed results: the threat was successfully caught, but it had already encrypted some files.
Still, it’s a positive sign that Norton AntiVirus Plus was able to block the threat. Overall, Norton AntiVirus Plus is a quality security suite at an affordable price.
- Read more: How to choose the best antivirus for you
- Our definitive list of today's best antivirus software
- More protection for not much more money - grab the best cheap VPN
