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McAfee Total Protection vs ProtonVPN

McAfee Total Protection logo

McAfee Total Protection

Software

Award-winning antivirus trusted by millions

From
$29.99/year
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite
ProtonVPN logo

ProtonVPN

Software

High-speed Swiss VPN that safeguards your privacy

From
Free
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite

The short version

  • Only ProtonVPN has a free tier, so it costs nothing to try first.
  • Each has a real cost: McAfee Total Protection significant renewal price increase after first year (from $29.99 to $84.99/year); ProtonVPN free plan limited to one device at a time
  • They diverge on capability: McAfee Total Protection covers Real-time antivirus, ProtonVPN covers No-logs policy.

Where they differ

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

Attributes where McAfee Total Protection and ProtonVPN differ
AttributeMcAfee Total ProtectionProtonVPN
Starting price$29.99/yearFree
Pricing modelUnknownfreemium
Free tierNoYes
PlatformsWindows, macOS, iOS, AndroidWindows, macOS, Linux, iOS, Android
Founded19872014

Identical on both: 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 ProtonVPN

  • No-logs policy
  • Secure Core
  • Kill Switch
  • DNS leak protection
  • Tor over VPN
  • Split tunneling
  • NetShield ad-blocker
  • VPN Accelerator

Both cover

  • Cloud deployment
  • Web support
  • Desktop support
  • Mobile support
  • English language support

What people use each for

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

McAfee Total Protection

  • Antivirusnot ProtonVPN
  • Internet Securitynot ProtonVPN
  • Identity Protectionnot ProtonVPN

ProtonVPN

  • Privacy-focused browsing without subscription costnot McAfee Total Protection
  • Multi-device protection with Plus plan supporting 10 devicesnot McAfee Total Protection
  • Integrated access to Proton email and cloud services via Unlimited plannot 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

ProtonVPN

  • Free plan limited to one device at a time
  • Free plan restricted to 10 countries with random selection
  • Pricing amounts not clearly published; shown as variable

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

ProtonVPN

Free

No published plan breakdown. See the ProtonVPN review.

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 ProtonVPN if

  • You need no-logs policy.
  • You want to start without paying.
  • You work on Windows, macOS, Linux, iOS, Android.
  • You also want secure core.
ProtonVPN review

Questions people ask

Is McAfee Total Protection or ProtonVPN better?
Neither clearly leads. McAfee Total Protection starts at $29.99/year and ProtonVPN at Free, and user ratings are close enough to be indistinguishable. Choose on capability and platform support.
Which is cheaper, McAfee Total Protection or ProtonVPN?
ProtonVPN has a free tier; the other does not. Paid plans start at $29.99/year for McAfee Total Protection and Free for ProtonVPN.
Does McAfee Total Protection or ProtonVPN run on more platforms?
McAfee Total Protection runs on Windows, macOS, iOS, Android. ProtonVPN runs on Windows, macOS, Linux, iOS, Android.
Can I use ProtonVPN for free?
Yes. ProtonVPN has a free tier, so you can try it without paying. McAfee Total Protection starts at $29.99/year.
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 ProtonVPN is typically brought in for.
What can McAfee Total Protection do that ProtonVPN cannot?
McAfee Total Protection covers Real-time antivirus, Firewall, Safe browsing, Password manager. ProtonVPN covers No-logs policy, Secure Core, Kill Switch, DNS leak protection. Both handle Cloud deployment, Web support, Desktop support, Mobile 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.

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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