Norton 360 Alternatives — norton 360 free alternative
Popular antivirus and security suite for Windows and Mac
Norton 360 Pricing
Antivirus Plus: $49.99/year (1 device); 360 Standard: $79.99/year (3 devices); 360 Deluxe: $99.99/year (5 devices); 360 Premium: $149.99/year (10 devices)
Norton 360 is a popular antivirus and security suite by Gen Digital (formerly Symantec). It includes antivirus, VPN, password manager, and cloud backup. Pricing starts at $49.99/year for 1 device. While comprehensive, it's expensive and free alternatives exist.
5
Free Alternatives
1
Open Source
0
Self-Hostable
$588
Est. Yearly Cost
Why Consider Norton 360 Alternatives?
Use free built-in antivirus (Windows Defender, macOS XProtect)
Use free third-party antivirus like Avast Free or AVG Free
Use free VPN alternatives (Proton VPN Free, etc.) instead of paying for Norton's VPN
Use free password managers (Bitwarden Free, etc.) instead of paying for Norton's password manager
Common Norton 360 Pain Points
These are the top reasons users look for alternatives
Expensive ($49.99/year for 1 device)
Impact: Users pay significant ongoing cost for security software
Many features are available in free tools
Impact: Users pay for features they can get for free (VPN, password manager)
Subscription model (yearly fee)
Impact: Ongoing cost that adds up over time
Can slow down system performance
Impact: Users experience slower PC/Mac due to background scanning
Top-Rated Alternatives
Our highest-recommended free alternatives to Norton 360
Windows Defender is the built-in antivirus for Windows. It's completely free, good enough for most users, and doesn't slow down system performance as much as third-party antivirus.
Why it's a good alternative: Built-in antivirus for Windows — completely free, good enough for most users
BEST FOR
Windows users who want free, built-in antivirus that's good enough for most use cases
KEY FEATURES
PROS
- Completely free (built into Windows)
- Good enough for most users
- Lightweight (doesn't slow down system)
- No subscription or license cost
CONS
- Less feature-rich than Norton 360
- No VPN, password manager, or cloud backup
- Windows-only (no Mac version)
XProtect is the built-in antivirus for macOS. It's completely free, good enough for most Mac users, and doesn't slow down system performance. Macs are also less targeted by malware than Windows.
Why it's a good alternative: Built-in antivirus for macOS — completely free, good enough for most Mac users
BEST FOR
Mac users who want free, built-in antivirus that's good enough for most use cases
KEY FEATURES
PROS
- Completely free (built into macOS)
- Good enough for most Mac users
- Lightweight (doesn't slow down system)
- No subscription or license cost
CONS
- Less feature-rich than Norton 360
- No VPN, password manager, or cloud backup
- Mac-only (no Windows version)
Bitwarden is a free, open-source password manager. The free tier includes unlimited passwords, sync across devices, and basic features. Much better than Norton's password manager (which is basic and part of the paid suite).
Why it's a good alternative: Free password manager — much better than Norton's password manager
BEST FOR
Users who want a free, open-source password manager (instead of Norton's password manager)
KEY FEATURES
PROS
- Free and open-source
- Unlimited passwords (free)
- Sync across devices (free)
- Much better than Norton's password manager
CONS
- No VPN (unlike Norton 360)
- No cloud backup (unlike Norton 360)
- Less feature-rich suite than Norton 360 (but better password manager)
All Norton 360 Alternatives (5)
Compare features, pricing, and migration difficulty
Avast Free Antivirus is a free antivirus tool with good protection. It's more feature-rich than built-in tools (Windows Defender, macOS XProtect) and includes basic web protection and Wi-Fi security scanning.
Why it's a good alternative: Free antivirus with good protection — more feature-rich than built-in tools
BEST FOR
Users who want a free antivirus that's more feature-rich than built-in tools
KEY FEATURES
PROS
- Free
- More feature-rich than built-in tools
- Cross-platform (Windows, Mac)
- Good protection
CONS
- Free version has ads for paid version
- Less feature-rich than Norton 360
- Can slow down system performance slightly
AVG Free Antivirus is a free antivirus tool with good protection. It's similar to Avast Free (same parent company). Includes basic web protection and email protection.
Why it's a good alternative: Free antivirus with good protection — similar to Avast Free
BEST FOR
Users who want a free antivirus that's similar to Avast Free
KEY FEATURES
PROS
- Free
- Good protection
- Cross-platform (Windows, Mac)
- Similar to Avast Free
CONS
- Free version has ads for paid version
- Less feature-rich than Norton 360
- Can slow down system performance slightly
Norton 360 vs Free Alternatives — Detailed Comparison
| Tool | Price | Open Source | Self-Hosted | Rating | Migrate |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Norton 360 | Paid | — | — | ||
| Windows Defender (Free, Built-in) | Free | — | (4.6) | Easy to migrate | |
| macOS XProtect (Free, Built-in) | Free | — | (4.5) | Easy to migrate | |
| Avast Free Antivirus (Free) | Free | — | (4.3) | Easy to migrate | |
| AVG Free Antivirus (Free) | Free | — | (4.3) | Easy to migrate | |
| Bitwarden Free (Free Password Manager) | Free | — | (4.8) | Easy to migrate |
How to Migrate from Norton 360 — Step by Step
- 1
For Windows: enable Windows Defender (Settings → Update & Security → Windows Security → Open Windows Security → Virus & threat protection)
- 2
For Mac: enable XProtect (built-in, automatically enabled; ensure you're running latest macOS)
- 3
For password manager: install Bitwarden (free) and import passwords from Norton
- 4
For VPN: use free VPN alternatives (Proton VPN Free, etc.) instead of Norton's VPN
- 5
Uninstall Norton 360 and restart your computer
Pro Tips
- 💡Windows Defender (built-in) is good enough for most Windows users — you probably don't need Norton
- 💡Mac's XProtect (built-in) is good enough for most Mac users — you probably don't need Norton
- 💡Norton's VPN and password manager are basic — use dedicated free tools (Proton VPN Free, Bitwarden Free) instead
- 💡Only pay for Norton if you need the full suite and don't want to manage multiple free tools
Frequently Asked Questions
Is there a completely free alternative to Norton 360?
Yes. Windows Defender (built-in, free) for Windows. macOS XProtect (built-in, free) for Mac. Avast Free and AVG Free are also free antivirus tools.
Do I really need Norton 360?
Probably not. Windows Defender (built-in, free) is good enough for most Windows users. Mac's XProtect (built-in, free) is good enough for most Mac users. You're mainly paying for convenience (all-in-one suite).
Which Norton 360 alternative is best?
For antivirus: Windows Defender (Windows) or XProtect (Mac) — both built-in and free. For password manager: Bitwarden Free (free, open-source). For VPN: Proton VPN Free (free).