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The best internet security suites in 2022
By Anthony Spadafora published 27 September 2022 These are the best internet security suites to protect all your devices Included in this guide:1Norton 360 with LifeLo...Check Price (opens in new tab)2BitdefenderPremium SecurityCheck Price (opens in new tab)3McAfeeTotal Protection UltimateView (opens in new tab)4Trend MicroPremium Security SuiteCheck Price (opens in new tab)5ESETSmart Security PremiumCheck Price (opens in new tab)6Kaspersky Total Securi...View (opens in new tab) (Image credit: Chinnapong/Shutterstock) Installing one of the best internet security suites available today will protect all of your Windows PCs, Macs, iPhones and Android phones from malware, phishing attacks and malicious websites. Most of these premium software packages also bundle in other services you would normally purchase separately, such as password managers, VPN services, cloud backup software and identity theft protection services. Some even feature parental controls to help monitor the activity of your kids online, webcam protection or two-way firewalls. Think of an internet security suite as a digital Swiss Army knife for protecting your online presence.Best internet security suites news and alerts> Plex has confirmed it was hit by a data breach and users of the streaming app should change their passwords now
> Apple has warned users of a new vulnerability that "may have been actively exploited". Update your iPhone, iPad and Mac now.
> Google Chrome 104 fixes several serious security issues which is why you should update your browser ASAP However, you should be prepared to pay a lot for one of the best internet security suites, since they don't come cheap. Annual subscription rates can range anywhere from $130 to $350. The upside though is that most of them let you cover up to 10 systems at once, so the per-device cost ends up being more reasonable. Two exceptions to this rule are Kaspersky's affordable five-device plan and ESET's per-device pricing. No matter which of the best internet security suites you choose, when you factor in how much all of the extra services would cost on their own, such as the password manager, VPN, Mac antivirus or the Android antivirus apps, you'll often come out ahead. Editor's note: Due to the invasion of Ukraine, Future has chosen to stop doing affiliate-link business with Russian companies, including Kaspersky. We remain committed to helping our readers to source and find the best products and will offer multiple alternatives in the categories affected. The best internet security suites you can get
(Image credit: Norton) (opens in new tab) 1 Norton 360 with LifeLock Ultimate Plus
Everything but the kitchen sink, at a premium price Specifications
Anti-theft: NoBackup software: YesFirewall: YesGame mode: YesHardened browser: NoParental controls: YesPassword manager: YesRansomware rollback: NoWebcam protection: YesVPN: UnlimitedToday's Best DealsNorton 360 with LifeLock Ultimate Plus (opens in new tab)$29.99/mth (opens in new tab)Norton 360 with LifeLock Ultimate Plus (opens in new tab)$299.88/year (opens in new tab)Visit Site (opens in new tab)at Norton (opens in new tab) Reasons to buy
+Excellent malware protection+Huge number of extra features+LifeLock identity protection Reasons to avoid
-Heavy slowdown during full scans-Parental controls, cloud storage don't work on Macs Norton 360 with LifeLock Ultimate Plus includes just about every security feature you'll need, including many that we normally review as stand-alone products. Unlimited password manager? Check. Unlimited VPN? You. Parental controls, cloud backup, top-notch identity theft protection? All there. Norton 360 with LifeLock Ultimate Plus also has excellent protection against malware, its own firewall, dedicated webcam protection and it can even be installed on an unlimited number of devices. So what's the catch? The parental controls don't work on Mac and neither does the cloud backup service. If you have more than one PC, you might fill up the 500GB of backup space after a year or two. Then there's the sticker shock. Norton 360 with LifeLock Ultimate Plus costs $350 per year after the first year which is far more than other premium antivirus suites. Still, buying the equivalents of Norton's features and services from other companies costs at least $550 a year. If you absolutely need and can afford all of these extras, then Norton 360 with LifeLock Ultimate Plus could be the perfect solution. Read our full Norton 360 with LifeLock Ultimate Plus review. (Image credit: Bitdefender) (opens in new tab) 2 Bitdefender Premium Security
Unlimited VPN, but no identity-theft protection Specifications
Anti-theft: YesBackup software: NoFirewall: YesGame mode: YesHardened browser: YesParental controls: YesPassword manager: YesRansomware rollback: YesWebcam protection: YesVPN: UnlimitedToday's Best DealsBitdefender Premium Security (opens in new tab)$59.99 (opens in new tab)Visit Site (opens in new tab)at Bitdefender (opens in new tab) Reasons to buy
+Very good malware protection+Lots of useful extra features+Easy-to-use interface Reasons to avoid
-Heavy background system impact-Password manager only for Windows What if you don't want or need identity-theft protection or cloud-backup software, but still need an unlimited VPN? Bitdefender Premium Security, which costs $150 yearly for up to 10 devices, might be the answer. Premium Security combines Bitdefender's very good malware detection and easy-to-use interface with a huge assortment of extra features. These include a few that Norton doesn't have, such as ransomware rollbacks, a super-secure web browser for online banking, anti-theft software for laptops and a file shredder. Bitdefender Premium Security also has parental controls for all four major platforms, but its unlimited password manager and dedicated webcam and microphone protections work only on Windows. Read our full Bitdefender Premium Security review. (Image credit: McAfee) 3 McAfee Total Protection Ultimate
Most of what you get with Norton for less Specifications
Anti-theft: NoBackup software: NoFirewall: YesGame mode: YesHardened browser: NoParental controls: YesPassword manager: YesRansomware rollback: YesWebcam protection: NoVPN: YesToday's Best DealsView at McAfee (opens in new tab) Reasons to buy
+Protects at least 10 devices+Password manager, unlimited VPN, identity-theft protection+Very good malware protection Reasons to avoid
-Heavy performance hit during scans-VPN, parental controls don't work on Mac Norton isn't the only antivirus maker with an identity-theft-protection service. McAfee Total Protection Ultimate includes similar coverage for $160 per year, less than half of what Norton costs. You'll get the benefits of McAfee's Identity Theft Protection Plus plan, which costs $175 per year as a stand-alone and includes credit monitoring and up to $1 million in insurance coverage. The package also includes McAfee's protection against malware, the True Key password manager, Safe Kids parental controls, file encryption, file shredding, a firewall and unlimited VPN service for up to five devices. Like many McAfee antivirus subscriptions, Total Protection Ultimate nominally protects up to 10 devices but in practice is unlimited. The downsides are that neither the VPN nor the parental controls work on Macs, and that there's no webcam protection, hardened browser or backup software. But if you want all-encompassing protection at a bargain rate, you could do a lot worse than McAfee. Read our full McAfee Total Protection Ultimate review. (Image credit: Trend Micro) (opens in new tab) 4 Trend Micro Premium Security
A reasonable alternate Specifications
Backup software: NoFirewall: NoGame mode: YesHardened browser: YesParental controls: YesPassword manager: YesWebcam protection: NoVirtual keyboard: NoVPN: YesToday's Best DealsTrend Micro Premium Security Suite (opens in new tab)$59.95 (opens in new tab)Visit Site (opens in new tab)at Trend Micro (opens in new tab) Reasons to buy
+Very good malware protection+Secure browser, password manager+Dark Web scans Reasons to avoid
-Heavy performance hit during scans-Many false positives on some tests Like McAfee Total Protection Premium, Trend Micro Premium Security ($130 per year for up to 10 devices) does without backup software or cloud storage, but it includes a password manager, unlimited VPN service and parental controls, all of which work on Mac, PC, Android and iOS. There's also what Trend Micro calls "ID Protection," which actually just monitors the dark web for your data and can be accessed only through mobile apps. On the antivirus side, Trend Micro does very well in lab tests of malware detection and also provides ransomware rollbacks, a file shredder, file encryption and a system optimizer. Trend Micro's malware engine has a remarkably small impact on Windows system performance when running in the background, but can eat up a fair amount of resources during full scans. Read our full Trend Micro Premium Security review. (Image credit: ESET) 5 ESET Smart Security Premium
Few extra features, but excellent otherwise Specifications
Anti-theft: YesBackup software: NoFirewall: YesGame mode: YesHardened browser: YesParental controls: YesPassword manager: YesRansomware rollback: NoWebcam protection: YesVirtual keyboard: NoVPN: NoToday's Best DealsESET Smart Security Premium (opens in new tab)$59.99/year (opens in new tab)Visit Site (opens in new tab)at ESET (opens in new tab) Reasons to buy
+Very good protection+Remarkably little system-performance impact+File encryption, hardened browser, webcam protection Reasons to avoid
-Not many extra features ESET is one of the biggest names in antivirus protection in Europe, and while its top-end Smart Security Premium suite doesn't pack in VPN service, backup software or identity protection, it's still remarkably light, fast and efficient. ESET Smart Security Premium does have a password manager, parental controls, anti-theft protections for laptops, dedicated webcam protection, a dedicated secure browser and even home-network-management software. It even includes bare-bones antivirus software for Linux machines, and its Windows malware-detection engine does very well in lab tests. The only downside is that the parental controls don't work on iOS. One bonus: With ESET, you don't pay more than you have to. Most antivirus brands tier premium subscriptions at five, 10 and sometimes 15 devices. ESET bucks the trend, starting at $60 per year for one device and adding $10 for each additional device. So if you've got just four devices to protect, you'd pay $90 per year with ESET Smart Security Premium while most other brands on this page would charge you much more. Read our full ESET Smart Security Premium review. Also consider
(Image credit: Kaspersky) Kaspersky Total Security
Limited VPN, but excellent protection at a fair price Specifications
Anti-theft: YesBackup software: YesFirewall: YesGame mode: YesHardened browser: YesParental controls: YesPassword manager: YesRansomware rollback: YesWebcam protection: YesVPN: Limited upsellToday's Best DealsVisit Site (opens in new tab) Reasons to buy
+Unbeaten malware protection+Stalkerware protection+Password manager, parental controls Reasons to avoid
-Limited VPN usage-Microphone protection hard to enable If you can live without an unlimited VPN, then your best bet might be Kaspersky Total Security, which covers 5 devices for $100 per year or 10 devices for $150 per year. Kaspersky has the best record on beating malware in third-party lab tests, hands-down. Its password manager works across all four major platforms, and its parental controls (also fully cross-platform) are second only to Norton's. Like Bitdefender, Kaspersky offers anti-theft features for laptops, ransomware rollbacks and a secure browser mode for online banking, but Kaspersky's browser works on Macs as well as on Windows. It also offers file encryption and unique protection against "stalkerware" used by jealous partners. However, while Kaspersky offers backup software, like Norton, it doesn't provide online storage for those backups, but instead sends you to your own Dropbox account. The VPN service comes with only 300MB of service per day, but its unlimited VPN service costs just $30 per year, a fraction of what many stand-alone VPNs cost. If you've got five or fewer devices to protect, you can get both Kaspersky Total Security and Kaspersky's unlimited VPN for $105 annually, less than the cost of Bitdefender Premium Security. Read our full Kaspersky Total Security review. How to choose the best internet security suite for you
So do you really need all of these extra features with your antivirus software? Well, it's hard to argue against the benefits of using a password manager. Beyond that though, you'll need to consider your own personal circumstances. If you have young kids or teenagers at home, then you might want parental control software to keep tabs on what your children are doing online or to track the physical location of their phones. Meanwhile, if you're a person of means, then investing in identity theft protection might be wise. At the same time, if you travel a lot, you'll want to use a VPN while in hotel rooms and airport lounges. To get a better idea of the standalone services these premium internet security suites compete with, check out our guides on the best identity theft protection, best cloud backup services, best parental-control apps and best password managers. Internet security suites may seem expensive but they're still far cheaper than purchasing all of these extra services à la carte. Instead, you just have to decide which ones you really need.Round up of today's best deals1st yearReduced Price (opens in new tab)Norton 360 with LifeLock Ultimate Plus (opens in new tab)$34.99 (opens in new tab)$29.99/mth (opens in new tab)View (opens in new tab)Reduced Price (opens in new tab)Bitdefender Premium Security (opens in new tab)$149.99 (opens in new tab)$59.99 (opens in new tab)View (opens in new tab)Use voucher Save 1...Reduced Price (opens in new tab)Trend Micro Premium Security Suite (opens in new tab)$129.95 (opens in new tab)$59.95 (opens in new tab)View (opens in new tab) (opens in new tab)ESET Smart Security Premium (opens in new tab)$59.99/year (opens in new tab)View (opens in new tab)We check over 250 million products every day for the best pricespowered by Be In the Know
Get instant access to breaking news, the hottest reviews, great deals and helpful tips. Anthony SpadaforaSenior Editor Security and NetworkingAnthony Spadafora is the security and networking editor at Tom's Guide where he covers everything from data breaches and ransomware gangs to password managers and the best way to cover your whole home or business with Wi-Fi. Before joining the team, he wrote for ITProPortal while living in Korea and later for TechRadar Pro after moving back to the US. Based in Houston, Texas, when he's not writing Anthony can be found tinkering with PCs and game consoles, managing cables and upgrading his smart home. More about antivirus The best Android antivirus apps in 2022 The best Mac antivirus software in 2022Latest Best Wordle start words to help you keep your streakSee more latest ► Topics Antivirus Security Windows See all comments (0) No comments yet Comment from the forums MOST READMOST SHARED1Best Wordle start words to help you keep your streak2Samsung's massive 75-inch 4K TV just crashed to $579 ahead of Black Friday3iOS 16.1 could be saving the world one charge at a time - here's how4This could be the 200MP camera for the Samsung Galaxy S23 Ultra 5Best Buy Black Friday deals are live - big sales on 4K TVs, MacBooks and more1Samsung's massive 75-inch 4K TV just crashed to $579 ahead of Black Friday2iOS 16.1 could be saving the world one charge at a time - here's how3This could be the 200MP camera for the Samsung Galaxy S23 Ultra 4Best Buy Black Friday deals are live - big sales on 4K TVs, MacBooks and more5iPhone 15 with USB-C is almost certainly coming - here's why