When choosing between McAfee+ and Avast One for your antivirus needs, it’s essential to consider several factors, including pricing, features, customer support, and usability. Here’s a detailed head-to-head comparison based on my reviews.

#### Pricing and Plans

- **Avast One Basic** - Free for one device with essential features: antivirus, protected folders, email scanning, and a limited 5GB VPN per week. - Offers a solid entry point for users looking for basic protection without financial commitment.

- **McAfee Basic** - Starts at $30 annually, renewing at $90. - Provides real-time virus protection, an unlimited VPN, a password manager, and identity theft monitoring for one device.

- **Avast One Silver** - First-year price of $28 for three devices, renewing at $80. - Contains a no-cap VPN and expanded features compared to the free version.

- **McAfee+ Premium** - Priced at $45 for the first year, renewing at $150. - Offers unlimited device coverage and additional PC cleaning apps.

- **Avast One Gold** - Costs $63/$180 for the first year, covering five devices with extensive cybersecurity features.

- **Family Plans** - **McAfee+ Ultimate**: $200/$280 for one person, or $250/$425 for two, includes parental controls. - **Avast One Platinum**: $120/$300, covering six family members and up to 30 devices.

#### Protection Scores

Both McAfee and Avast excel in protection against malware:

- **McAfee**: Achieved a perfect score for the last four years in independent testing by AV-Test.- **Avast**: Also performed well with minimal weaknesses noted over eight years, the last being three years ago.

Both solutions successfully blocked test malware, showcasing their effectiveness.

#### Additional Security Features

- **Email Protection**: McAfee features text scam protection, while Avast includes alerts for email scams, enhancing protection against phishing and scams.- **VPN**: Both offer an uncapped VPN in their mid-tier plans, essential for privacy and security online.- **Password Manager**: McAfee provides a password manager; Avast does not include this feature, making McAfee a better option for users needing password management.

#### Customer Support

- **Avast Support**: Generally rated higher; it offers prompt 24/7 chat support. My experience showed responses within seconds.- **McAfee Support**: While they offer 24/7 assistance, users reported longer wait times, with my own experience taking 13 minutes to connect with a representative.

#### Usability

- **Interface**: Avast One is noted for its user-friendly design and comprehensive guides, making it easier to navigate and operate.- **McAfee’s Interface**: Although generally straightforward, many features are presented in a cramped format, which can be cumbersome.

#### Conclusion

Both McAfee+ and Avast One provide robust antivirus protection and a range of features at competitive prices.

- **Avast is highly recommended for users looking for a free option, user-friendly design, and excellent customer support.** The free version might suffice for casual users, while affordable plans for multiple devices are attractive for families. - **McAfee is better for single users who want an all-in-one solution with a password manager and unlimited device coverage.** However, the renewal prices are steep compared to the initial offers.

Ultimately, for users wanting comprehensive protection without the need for premium payment, **Avast One stands out as the more favorable choice.** However, if your needs are more extensive, McAfee+ may align better with those requirements. For further options, consider reviewing guides on the best antivirus software available.

Post by Tom