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PC Matic and Norton are two prominent players in the realm of consumer and small business security, each offering essential device and web protection services, including antivirus and antimalware solutions. For families needing to secure multiple devices, PC Matic stands out as an excellent option. Conversely, Norton’s extensive array of security features makes it particularly suitable for home offices, especially for entrepreneurs. A thorough evaluation of both PC Matic and Norton, focusing on their pricing, features, and support options, can guide you in selecting the most appropriate solution for your needs.
- PC Matic: Known for its user-friendly interface and straightforward administration, starting at annually for five devices.
- Norton Antivirus: Offers a more comprehensive security suite ideal for home security and small startups, beginning at .99 annually for five devices.
PC Matic vs Norton at a Glance
The following table highlights the key similarities and differences between PC Matic and Norton, covering aspects such as pricing, device support, and notable features.
| Price (Billed Annually) | • Starter: for 5 devices • Personal: 0 for all personal devices • Family: 9 starting at 15 devices |
• Norton Antivirus Plus: .99 (1 device) • Norton 360 Standard: .99 (1 device) • Norton 360 Deluxe: .99 for 5 devices • Norton 360 with LifeLock: .99 for 10 devices |
| Supported Operating Systems | Windows, Mac, Android, iOS | Windows, Mac, Android, iOS |
| Number of Devices Supported | 5-15 (depending on plan) | 1-10 (depending on plan) |
| Automated Updates | Yes | Yes |
| VPN Feature or Add-On | Yes | Yes |
| Firewall | No | Yes |
| Visit PC Matic | Visit Norton |
Upon evaluation, Norton emerges as the superior antivirus product, boasting a wealth of features, multiple support channels, and competitive pricing plans. However, PC Matic remains a commendable choice, particularly for families and home offices. For a deeper dive into the comparison, continue reading or skip ahead to see how both products were assessed.
PC Matic Overview
Better for Ease of Use and Administration
Overall Rating: 3.7/5
- Pricing: 3.5/5
- Core features: 3.9/5
- Advanced features and integrations: 3.5/5
- Usability and administration: 4.2/5
- Customer support: 3.3/5
PC Matic specializes in endpoint and application security, providing basic antivirus and device protection. Key features include VPN security for Wi-Fi, ad blocking, and endpoint scans. With support for Windows, Mac, Android, and iOS devices, PC Matic is particularly beneficial for teams that prioritize administrative capabilities.
Pros & Cons
| Pros | Cons |
|---|---|
| Option of free antivirus plan | No native firewall or add-on |
| Paid support offers phone, email, and chat | No support forum or customer community |
| VPN available | No Linux support |
- Anti-malware: PC Matic’s team rapidly identifies and categorizes malware.
- Ad blocker: Effectively blocks unwanted advertisements.
- Script blocking: Identifies and prevents malicious scripts from executing.
- Whitelisting: Maintains a whitelist of approved programs.
- Cloud backup: Offers 25 gigabytes of cloud backup for sensitive files.
Norton Overview
Better for Basic Home Security and Security Startups
Overall Rating: 4.2/5
- Pricing: 4/5
- Core features: 4/5
- Advanced features and integrations: 5/5
- Usability and administration: 4/5
- Customer support: 4.3/5
Norton provides a robust suite of antivirus and security solutions tailored for both consumers and small businesses. Its features encompass a password manager, anti-malware protection, automated updates, and privacy monitoring, making it a solid choice for individuals and families seeking comprehensive cybersecurity.
Pros & Cons
| Pros | Cons |
|---|---|
| VPN and firewall integrations available | No plan for large families |
| Responsive support via phone, email, and live chat | No native ad blocking in AV product |
| Affordable pricing for antivirus | No Linux support |
Key Features
- Password manager: Generate and manage passwords securely.
- Dark web monitoring: Alerts users if their information appears on the dark web.
- Privacy monitor: Helps users opt out of data broker listings.
- Identity theft protection: Monitors for stolen identities and sensitive information.
- Intrusion prevention: Analyzes network traffic to thwart potential threats.
Better for Pricing: Norton
| Lowest Pricing Tier (Billed Annually) | PC Matic Security: for 5 devices | Norton Antivirus Plus: .99 (1 device; current sale price) |
| Mid-Range Pricing Tier (Billed Annually) | Personal: 0 for all your personal devices | Norton 360 Deluxe: .99 for 5 devices; current sale price |
| Highest Pricing Tier (Billed Annually) | Family: 9 for 15 devices | Norton 360 with LifeLock: .99 for 10 devices; current sale price |
| Free Trial | Length unclear | 7 days |
| Visit PC Matic | Visit Norton |
Winner: Norton offers a range of pricing plans that are generally more affordable than those of PC Matic.
PC Matic features three pricing plans tailored to different user needs. The PC Matic Security plan is ideal for individual users with a few devices, while the Personal plan covers all devices and includes additional features like VPN and identity protection. The Family plan is designed for families managing multiple devices.
Norton’s offerings include basic plans like Norton Antivirus Plus, which supports a single device, and the more comprehensive Norton 360 Deluxe, which accommodates five devices and includes features like ransomware protection. The Norton 360 with LifeLock plan is the most extensive, catering to entrepreneurs and small startups with up to ten devices.
Better for Core Features: Norton
| Endpoint Scans | Yes | Yes |
| Antimalware | Yes | Yes |
| Web Browsing Protection | Limited | Yes |
| Ad Blocking | Yes | Only through other product |
| Threat Remediation | Some | Through free Norton tool |
| Automated Updates | Yes | Yes |
| Visit PC Matic | Visit Norton |
Winner: Norton edges out PC Matic with superior web browsing functionality, although both provide valuable security features.
PC Matic’s core offerings include endpoint scans, antimalware protection, ad blocking, and automated updates. While its Essential Security plan is relatively basic, the Personal and Family plans offer more extensive features, including identity theft protection. However, PC Matic lacks reporting capabilities, such as security posture charts or email scans.
Norton’s antivirus plans encompass a wide range of protections, including malware, ransomware, and hacking defenses. Additionally, they provide cloud backup options, with the smallest plan starting at 2 GB and the most comprehensive plan offering 250 GB. Like PC Matic, Norton does not include email scans within its antivirus plans, requiring a separate purchase for Norton Safe. Reporting features are limited to Windows users, who can access logged device activity data.
Better for Advanced Features & Integrations: Norton
Winner: Norton excels in advanced capabilities and integrations.
PC Matic offers a VPN for secure browsing and integrates password management through IdentityForce. It also provides dark web monitoring to alert users if their email addresses are compromised. However, PC Matic lacks native firewall capabilities.
Norton, on the other hand, includes a VPN, password manager, and firewall in its antivirus packages, along with dark web monitoring. The password manager is available across all plans, while the VPN and dark web monitoring features are included in the Norton 360 Standard, Deluxe, and LifeLock Select plans.
Better for Usability & Administration: PC Matic
Winner: PC Matic is favored for its extensive documentation.
PC Matic’s plans support a greater number of devices, with the Family plan accommodating up to 15 devices. It is compatible with Windows, Mac, Android, and iOS, but does not support Linux. The platform offers a wealth of knowledge base articles and instructional videos for users.
Norton’s antivirus products, while effective, support fewer devices per plan, with the most expensive option covering up to ten. This is suitable for smaller families and home office setups but may fall short for larger households. Norton also supports Windows, Mac, Android, and iOS but lacks Linux compatibility. It provides numerous video tutorials for its products.
Better for Customer Support: Norton
Winner: Norton offers a more robust customer support experience.
PC Matic provides customer support through phone, email, and live chat, with 24/7 availability for its Family plan. However, it lacks a dedicated customer community. In contrast, Norton offers 24/7 support via live chat and phone, along with email responses. Norton also features a customer community, which can be an invaluable resource for users seeking assistance.
Who Shouldn’t Use PC Matic or Norton
While both PC Matic and Norton are strong contenders for home security and basic protection for startups, they may not suit everyone, particularly larger businesses or enterprises.
Who Shouldn’t Use PC Matic
- Individuals or entrepreneurs seeking a firewall: PC Matic lacks a native firewall or add-on.
- Small businesses with over ten employees: The Family plan may suffice for small startups, but it won’t cover more than 15-20 devices.
- Large enterprises: Although PC Matic offers business products, its primary focus is on home security.
Who Shouldn’t Use Norton
- Large families: The LifeLock Select plan only supports up to 10 devices, which may not accommodate larger households.
- Users seeking extensive knowledge resources: Norton has limited help articles, providing only basic how-to documentation.
- Teams larger than a few individuals: The products reviewed here are primarily designed for consumers, although Norton does offer separate business solutions.
Top 3 Alternatives to PC Matic & Norton
While PC Matic and Norton deliver solid foundational security, they may not meet the diverse needs of all users, especially small businesses. Alternatives worth considering include Bitdefender, Malwarebytes, and McAfee.
Bitdefender Total Security
Bitdefender Total Security is a comprehensive antimalware solution that provides threat detection and removal for up to 10 devices. In addition to robust virus protection, it offers 200 megabytes of daily VPN coverage per device. Pricing ranges from .99 to .99 for five devices annually, and from .99 to 9.99 for ten devices. A generous 30-day free trial is available for potential buyers.
ThreatDown (Powered by Malwarebytes)
Malwarebytes offers a free antivirus option for basic needs, while ThreatDown, its paid solution for businesses, includes features such as patch management and vulnerability assessments. For businesses with more than ten employees, Malwarebytes may be a more suitable choice. The Core plan starts at per endpoint annually, while the Ultimate plan costs 9 per endpoint annually.
McAfee
McAfee provides security and privacy solutions for individuals and families, featuring antivirus, identity monitoring, and text scam detection. Its advanced plans include multiple privacy protection features, making it a suitable choice for families focused on safeguarding their online identities. The Starter plan is priced at .99 per year for a single user and up to five devices, while the individual plan costs .99 per year for unlimited devices.
How I Compared PC Matic & Norton
To conduct a thorough analysis of PC Matic and Norton, I developed a rubric encompassing five major categories that potential buyers should consider when selecting an antivirus product. Each category received a specific weight based on its importance, and subcriteria were also weighted accordingly. The evaluation covered pricing, core features, advanced capabilities, usability and administration, and customer support options.
Pricing – 20%
I assessed the main pricing plans of both products, including device support, availability of free trials, and options for free antivirus plans.
Core Features – 30%
The evaluation included key features such as endpoint scans, antimalware protection, and ad blocking, as well as the presence of a management console and reporting capabilities.
Advanced Features & Integrations – 15%
Both PC Matic and Norton offer features beyond standard antivirus protection, so I examined capabilities like dark web monitoring, firewall and VPN functionality, and password management options.
Usability & Administration – 20%
I evaluated the supported operating systems for both desktop and mobile, the number of devices protected, and the availability of product documentation and training videos.
Customer Support – 15%
Finally, I reviewed customer support channels, including email and phone options, support hours, and the presence of customer communities or forums.
