What are the disadvantages of Norton antivirus?

The real disadvantages of Norton

The renewal price jump. Norton’s headline prices are first-year promotions; at renewal, plans revert to a considerably higher list price. This intro-versus-renewal gap is the single most common complaint about Norton — and it compounds with the next point. The current tiers and their pricing structure are on Norton’s official plans page.

Auto-renewal by default. Subscriptions renew automatically at that higher price unless you switch renewal off. The counterweight is real, though: Norton’s 60-day money-back guarantee covers annual plans both at purchase and at each renewal charge — a longer window than most rivals offer.

Upselling inside the product. Reviewers regularly criticize in-app prompts nudging you toward bigger tiers and add-ons. How much this bothers you is personal, but it is a consistent theme across independent reviews.

US-centric top tiers. The LifeLock identity-restoration services in Norton’s most expensive plans are a US offering, and tier names differ by market. Outside the US, parts of what makes those bundles expensive simply don’t apply to you.

A trust wobble in the past. In 2021 Norton bundled an opt-in Ethereum mining tool (“Norton Crypto”) into Norton 360 — off by default, but criticized for its 15% commission and clumsy removal. It was discontinued in 2022 when Ethereum mining ended. Worth knowing, firmly in the past tense.

What you get in return

The engine is not the problem. In the AV-Comparatives Summary Report 2025, Norton took the Gold award for Real-World Protection, and it routinely posts perfect scores in AV-TEST rounds. Every Norton 360 plan also bundles an unlimited VPN✕A VPN routes your internet traffic through an encrypted external server. This hides your real IP address and stops third parties — like your provider or public Wi-Fi — from seeing what you do.More in the glossary →, a password manager, cloud✕"The cloud" refers to services and storage that run not on your device but on external servers on the internet. You can access them from anywhere.More in the glossary → backup✕A backup is a copy of your data kept in a separate place, letting you restore everything after data loss, hardware failure, or a ransomware attack.More in the glossary → and dark-web monitoring — an all-in-one scope few rivals match at mainstream tiers.

✅ Strengths: top-tier protection results · VPN + password manager in every 360 plan · 60-day refund window · cloud backup included ❌ Weaknesses: steep renewal prices · auto-renewal on by default · in-app upselling · identity extras US-centric

4.7/5

Norton 360

• ✓ All-in-one suite: antivirus, unlimited VPN, backup and password manager
• ✓ Excellent malware detection

Prices can change — always check them on the provider’s official website before you buy.

fromUS$49.99/yr (Norton 360 Deluxe, 5 Geräte (Leitwährung USD))then US$124.99/yrPrice checked: Jul 2026

View deal → About the brand

How to buy Norton without the traps

The drawbacks above are manageable if you go in with open eyes. Compare the renewal price, not the intro price. Decide whether you will use the VPN and backup — if not, a leaner productGuideWhat are the 7 examples of antivirus software?Seven examples of antivirus software — from Microsoft Defender to Bitdefender, Norton, ESET, Avira, McAfee and Malwarebytes — and what sets each apart.Read guide → may serve you better. And put the renewal date in your calendar with two weeks’ lead time.

Frequently asked questions

Is Norton or McAfee better?

Both sit in the top laboratory tier, so protection is rarely the tiebreaker. Norton’s edge is its all-in-one bundle depth (VPN, backup, dark-web monitoring) and recent lab awards; McAfee’s is unlimited-device family pricing and bundled identity monitoring. Pick by household size and which extras you will actually use — both share the same parent-company caveat as Avast, incidentally, under Gen DigitalGuideCan Avast antivirus be trusted?Avast's protection tests well, but the company sold user browsing data until 2020 and settled with the FTC. What happened, what changed, and your options.Read guide →.

How much does Norton cost per year?

Norton sells annual subscriptions with a discounted first year that renews at a higher standard rate — the exact figures vary by plan, device count and market, so check the card above and Norton’s official page for live pricing. Budget on the renewal price; treat the first-year figure as a one-time discount.

How can I get Norton for free?

There is no permanent free version of Norton 360. Norton offers limited-time trials (length varies by product and market, with payment details usually required) and a few standalone free tools like Power Eraser. Anyone offering “free Norton” outside official channels is a red flag — pirated security software defeats its own purpose.

Does Norton still include a crypto miner?

No. Norton Crypto shipped in 2021 as an opt-in feature, drew heavy criticism, and was disabled in 2022 when Ethereum switched away from mining. Current Norton 360 installations contain no mining component.

The bottom line

Norton pairs excellent, lab-verified protection with subscription mechanics that reward attentive customers and punish inattentive ones. If you manage the renewal game — or use the 60-day window when it bites — you get one of the strongest all-in-one suites available. See how it compares with the field before deciding.