Software · head to head
McAfee Total Protection vs ExpressVPN
McAfee Total Protection
Software
Award-winning antivirus trusted by millions
- From
- $29.99/year
- Rated
- -
ExpressVPN
Software
High-speed, secure, and anonymous VPN service
- From
- $6.67/month
- Rated
- -
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); ExpressVPN the App Store listing (seller Expressco Services, LLC) states subscriptions renew automatically unless canceled at least 24 hours before the end of the billing period, and that any unused portion of a free trial is forfeited on purchase
- They diverge on capability: McAfee Total Protection covers Real-time antivirus, ExpressVPN covers Lightway protocol.
Where they differ
Only the attributes on which McAfee Total Protection and ExpressVPN actually diverge.
| Attribute | McAfee Total Protection | ExpressVPN |
|---|---|---|
| Starting price | $29.99/year | $6.67/month |
| Pricing model | Unknown | subscription |
| Platforms | Windows, macOS, iOS, Android | Web, Desktop, Mobile, Api |
| Founded | 1987 | 2009 |
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 ExpressVPN
- Lightway protocol
- TrustedServer technology
- Network Lock kill switch
- Split tunneling
- No activity logs
- Private DNS
- Speed test
- MediaStreamer
Both cover
- Cloud deployment
- Web support
What people use each for
The jobs each tool is most often brought in to do.
McAfee Total Protection
- Antivirusnot ExpressVPN
- Internet Securitynot ExpressVPN
- Identity Protectionnot ExpressVPN
ExpressVPN
- Vpnnot McAfee Total Protection
- Privacynot McAfee Total Protection
- Streamingnot 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
ExpressVPN
- The App Store listing (seller Expressco Services, LLC) states subscriptions renew automatically unless canceled at least 24 hours before the end of the billing period, and that any unused portion of a free trial is forfeited on purchase
- The same listing caps a single ExpressVPN subscription at 14 simultaneous device connections
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
ExpressVPN
$6.67/month- 1 Month$12.95/month
- 8 devices
- 94 countries
- Unlimited bandwidth
- 12 Months$6.67/month
- All features
- 3 months free
- Best value
- 6 Months$9.99/month
- All features
- 30-day guarantee
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.
Choose ExpressVPN if
- You need lightway protocol.
- You work on Web, Desktop, Mobile, Api.
- You also want trustedserver technology.
Questions people ask
- Is McAfee Total Protection or ExpressVPN better?
- Neither clearly leads. McAfee Total Protection starts at $29.99/year and ExpressVPN at $6.67/month, and user ratings are close enough to be indistinguishable. Choose on capability and platform support.
- Which is cheaper, McAfee Total Protection or ExpressVPN?
- McAfee Total Protection starts at $29.99/year and ExpressVPN at $6.67/month.
- Does McAfee Total Protection or ExpressVPN run on more platforms?
- McAfee Total Protection runs on Windows, macOS, iOS, Android. ExpressVPN runs on Web, Desktop, Mobile, Api.
- 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 ExpressVPN is typically brought in for.
- What can McAfee Total Protection do that ExpressVPN cannot?
- McAfee Total Protection covers Real-time antivirus, Firewall, Safe browsing, Password manager. ExpressVPN covers Lightway protocol, TrustedServer technology, Network Lock kill switch, Split tunneling. Both handle Cloud deployment, Web support.
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.
SourceMcAfee 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.
SourceMcAfee 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.
SourceMcAfee Total Protection: Does McAfee Total Protection include VPN?
VPN is included in higher-tier McAfee plans if you opt for auto-renewal.
Source