McAfee+ Ultimate offers a comprehensive suite of antivirus solutions tailored for various devices, including PCs, Macs, and mobile platforms. Users can explore its offerings with a 30-day free trial, allowing them to experience the protection firsthand before committing financially.
McAfee+ Ultimate review: Costs and what’s covered
Over the past year, McAfee has revamped its product lineup, introducing new names while maintaining five distinct levels of protection. The entry-level Basic plan, priced at for a single device, is available for as low as for the first year. This plan includes essential features such as antivirus scanning, a firewall, a password manager, a file shredder, and a single license for the company’s VPN, making it competitive against other entry-level offerings that are often limited to Windows.
Stepping up, the McAfee+ plan enhances malware scanning and allows VPN usage for up to five devices, with pricing starting at for the first year. Each paid product essentially offers an unlimited license for users residing in the same household, a unique advantage for larger families.
The McAfee+ Premium plan distinguishes between individual and family subscriptions, with the family plan accommodating two adults and up to four children. The Premium family plan, priced at 0, includes unlimited installations and features such as web scanning for personal information and parental controls, available for in the first year. Conversely, the Individual plan, lacking parental controls, is available for 0 but can be found for .
For those particularly concerned about identity theft, the McAfee+ Advanced plan offers single bureau credit monitoring and million in identity theft insurance, with prices starting at for individuals and 0 for families. The top-tier Ultimate plan, which we reviewed, parallels the Premium plan but includes enhanced identity protection features, such as three bureau credit monitoring and million in ID insurance, along with ,000 in ransomware recovery assistance. The Ultimate plan is priced at 0 for individuals but can be purchased for 0, while family plans are available for 5, with discounts bringing the price down to 0 on McAfee’s website.
Additionally, McAfee has introduced Privacy & Identity Guard, which assesses overall protection and monitors personal identifiers online. Many of its features are included in the McAfee+ family, though it can also be purchased separately for 0.
McAfee’s Virus Protection Pledge offers reassurance, promising a refund if the system becomes infected and cannot be cleaned, provided the user is enrolled in the auto-renewal program. Fortunately, unlimited VPN traffic is now available without requiring auto-renewal.
Unlike competitors that often limit entry-level programs to Windows, McAfee’s offerings are fully multi-platform, supporting Windows (versions 10 and 11), Mac (macOS 10.15), Android (version 8 or higher), and iOS (iOS 13 or newer). Chromebook users with ChromeOS 102 or higher are also covered.
McAfee+ Ultimate review: Antivirus protection
All five McAfee antivirus products leverage the same cloud-based infrastructure, which has evolved to emphasize machine learning for early detection of potential threats. The system scans for known malware while also identifying new and emerging threats before they can cause harm. To keep its database current, the malware scanner sends new potential threats to McAfee servers for analysis, ensuring user privacy by not collecting personal browsing data.
While some antivirus brands allow users to opt out of data collection, McAfee does not. The information gathered contributes to the company’s online malware lab, which analyzes threats and develops signatures for updates sent to the 600 million systems under its protection, with updates occurring multiple times daily.
McAfee’s Next Gen Threat Protection, currently available only for Windows, utilizes cloud-based machine learning for enhanced defense, covering downloads and employing fuzzy matching techniques for threat detection. The Ransom Guard feature monitors for suspicious file changes, creating backups of targeted files during potential ransomware attacks. If malware does manage to infiltrate, McAfee offers remote cleaning services, typically priced at but included with auto-renewal.
Users receive detailed insights through McAfee’s Security Report, which provides weekly, monthly, or annual summaries of the program’s activities, including threats encountered and the number of files scanned.
McAfee+ Ultimate review: Antivirus performance
Despite its new appearance, McAfee’s scanning technology and online analysis are continuously updated to address emerging threats. Its protection capabilities are commendable, though some tests indicate minor vulnerabilities compared to flawless competitors like Kaspersky. Recent testing by AV-Test in June 2023 revealed a perfect score of 100% for both existing malware and new zero-day exploits, placing it alongside top brands like Bitdefender and Norton.
However, McAfee did experience a single false positive during testing, while competitors like Kaspersky and Norton reported none. In contrast, AV Comparatives’ May 2023 test yielded a score of 99.6%, slightly trailing behind Bitdefender and Kaspersky’s perfect capture rates. Notably, McAfee recorded 13 false positives, which can detract from user trust in the software.
In SE Labs testing, McAfee achieved a 99% score, matching Norton but falling short of ESET’s perfect score. While the results are solid, the presence of false positives can be frustrating for users.
McAfee+ Ultimate review: Security and privacy features
All McAfee security programs emphasize protection against phishing scams and safeguarding personal information. Browser extensions for Chrome, Edge, and Firefox help block mistyped URLs and known malware sites. The newly introduced AI Scam Protection feature employs machine learning to counteract sophisticated phishing attempts, detecting and neutralizing realistic-looking emails and fake websites in real time.
McAfee’s Social Privacy Manager continues to protect personal information across various platforms, while the firewall has been enhanced to work alongside Windows Defender, focusing on outbound data traffic. The Advanced Firewall utilizes AI for filtering, improving overall security.
While the True Key password manager is included, it requires separate installation and setup. It integrates with major browsers and costs if purchased independently.
McAfee+ Ultimate review: Performance and system impact
To assess the impact of McAfee+ Ultimate on system performance, a benchmark test was conducted using a Lenovo ThinkPad T470. The system’s performance declined slightly after installation, with a full scan resulting in a 63% loss in performance potential. This performance drop is more significant compared to competitors, but subsequent scans improved efficiency, demonstrating the software’s ability to learn and adapt.
Quick scans proved to be a balanced option, taking approximately 1 minute and 37 seconds while examining over 27,500 files, making it a practical choice for users seeking a thorough yet time-efficient solution.
McAfee+ Ultimate review: Interface
The interface of McAfee’s security software has been designed for simplicity, occupying half of an HD desktop screen. The layout is bright and user-friendly, featuring colorful illustrations that guide users through various choices and cyber safety measures. Key features are easily accessible through six boxes at the bottom of the interface, allowing users to check their Protection Score, initiate scans, and manage VPN settings.
Major categories are listed on the left side, providing quick access to essential tasks such as scheduling scans and reviewing quarantined items. While the design is functional, it may require some scrolling to reach certain features, such as the Security Report.
McAfee+ Ultimate review: Installation and support
The installation process for McAfee+ has been streamlined, beginning with a straightforward selection and payment process on the company’s website. After agreeing to auto-renewal, users activate their license and download the installer. The installation is efficient, typically completed in under five minutes.
McAfee offers 24/7 support through various channels, including chat, phone, and social media, although email support is not available. The support site is rich with resources to assist users in installation and configuration, and McAfee guarantees a refund if the software fails to clean an infected system, contingent upon enrollment in the auto-renewal program.
