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McAfee Total Protection vs Darktrace

McAfee Total Protection logo

McAfee Total Protection

Software

Award-winning antivirus trusted by millions

From
$29.99/year
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite
Darktrace logo

Darktrace

Software

Autonomous threat detection and response

From
$20000/year
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite

The short version

  • Each has a real cost: McAfee Total Protection significant renewal price increase after first year (from $29.99 to $84.99/year); Darktrace listed on UK G-Cloud at £2.50 per user per month for the Darktrace Active AI Security Platform, via reseller Bytes Software Services Limited
  • They diverge on capability: McAfee Total Protection covers Real-time antivirus, Darktrace covers Self-learning AI.

Where they differ

Only the attributes on which McAfee Total Protection and Darktrace actually diverge.

Attributes where McAfee Total Protection and Darktrace differ
AttributeMcAfee Total ProtectionDarktrace
Starting price$29.99/year$20000/year
Pricing modelUnknownsubscription
PlatformsWindows, macOS, iOS, AndroidNetwork, Cloud, Email
Founded19872013

Identical on both: free tier (No), user rating (Not yet rated), category (Unknown).

What each one covers

Drawn from each product's published feature list. An absence here means we hold no record of it - not that the product lacks it.

Only in McAfee Total Protection

  • Real-time antivirus
  • Firewall
  • Safe browsing
  • Password manager
  • Secure VPN
  • Identity monitoring
  • Protection Score
  • Parental controls

Only in Darktrace

  • Self-learning AI
  • Network anomaly detection
  • Autonomous response
  • Behavioral analysis
  • Threat model visualization
  • Email security
  • Application control
  • Incident response automation

Both cover

  • Cloud deployment

What people use each for

The jobs each tool is most often brought in to do.

McAfee Total Protection

  • Antivirusnot Darktrace
  • Internet Securitynot Darktrace
  • Identity Protectionnot Darktrace

Darktrace

  • Threat Detectionnot McAfee Total Protection
  • Ndrnot McAfee Total Protection
  • Incident Responsenot McAfee Total Protection

Where each one falls short

Documented limitations, not opinions. Every one is a constraint you would hit in normal use.

McAfee Total Protection

  • Significant renewal price increase after first year (from $29.99 to $84.99/year)
  • Customer support responsiveness issues reported as reason for switching
  • Renewal billing can be aggressive with auto-renewal defaults

Darktrace

  • Listed on UK G-Cloud at £2.50 per user per month for the Darktrace Active AI Security Platform, via reseller Bytes Software Services Limited
  • Also listed on UK G-Cloud by reseller Grove Information Systems at £1,500 to £12,500 per device per month for the Malicious Network Activity Detection tool

Pricing, plan by plan

McAfee Total Protection

$29.99/year
  • Basic$29.99/year
    • Antivirus
    • Firewall
    • 1 device
  • Plus$39.99/year
    • Antivirus
    • Firewall
    • 5 devices
  • Premium$49.99/year
    • Antivirus
    • Firewall
    • VPN
  • Advanced$74.99/year
    • Antivirus
    • Firewall
    • VPN

Darktrace

$20000/year
  • Detect$20000/year
    • Network anomaly detection
    • AI-powered threat detection
    • Compliance reporting
  • Detect & Respond$35000/year
    • All Detect features
    • Autonomous response
    • Email security
  • Enterprise$50000/year
    • All features
    • Dedicated support
    • Custom training

Which should you pick?

Choose McAfee Total Protection if

  • You need real-time antivirus.
  • You work on Windows, macOS, iOS, Android.
  • You also want firewall.
McAfee Total Protection review

Choose Darktrace if

  • You need self-learning ai.
  • You work on Network, Cloud, Email.
  • You also want network anomaly detection.
Darktrace review

Questions people ask

Is McAfee Total Protection or Darktrace better?
Neither clearly leads. McAfee Total Protection starts at $29.99/year and Darktrace at $20000/year, and user ratings are close enough to be indistinguishable. Choose on capability and platform support.
Which is cheaper, McAfee Total Protection or Darktrace?
McAfee Total Protection starts at $29.99/year and Darktrace at $20000/year.
Does McAfee Total Protection or Darktrace run on more platforms?
McAfee Total Protection runs on Windows, macOS, iOS, Android. Darktrace runs on Network, Cloud, Email.
What is McAfee Total Protection best used for?
McAfee Total Protection is most often used for antivirus, internet security, identity protection. Of those, antivirus and internet security are not what Darktrace is typically brought in for.
What can McAfee Total Protection do that Darktrace cannot?
McAfee Total Protection covers Real-time antivirus, Firewall, Safe browsing, Password manager. Darktrace covers Self-learning AI, Network anomaly detection, Autonomous response, Behavioral analysis. Both handle Cloud deployment.

Answered from the vendors’ own pages

McAfee Total Protection: How much does McAfee Total Protection cost?

McAfee Total Protection introductory pricing ranges from $29.99/year (Basic) to $74.99/year (Advanced), but renewal costs jump to $84.99/year after the first year.

Source
McAfee Total Protection: What is the trial period for McAfee Total Protection?

McAfee offers a 60-day money-back guarantee, allowing you to try the service risk-free for two months.

Source
McAfee Total Protection: How many devices can I protect with one McAfee Total Protection subscription?

Device coverage varies by plan: Basic covers 1 device, while other plans protect 5 to unlimited devices depending on the tier selected.

Source
McAfee Total Protection: Does McAfee Total Protection include VPN?

VPN is included in higher-tier McAfee plans if you opt for auto-renewal.

Source
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