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Security & Cybersecurity · head to head

McAfee Total Protection vs Qualys VMDR

McAfee Total Protection logo

McAfee Total Protection

Security & Cybersecurity

Award-winning antivirus trusted by millions

From
$29.99/year
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite
Qualys VMDR logo

Qualys VMDR

Security & Cybersecurity

Vulnerability management, detection, and response

From
$3/month
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); Qualys VMDR listed on UK G-Cloud at £18.75 to £61.58 per device per year for the Qualys Cloud Platform and VMDR, via reseller Barrier Networks Limited
  • They diverge on capability: McAfee Total Protection covers Real-time antivirus, Qualys VMDR covers Vulnerability scanning.

Where they differ

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

Attributes where McAfee Total Protection and Qualys VMDR differ
AttributeMcAfee Total ProtectionQualys VMDR
Starting price$29.99/year$3/month
Pricing modelUnknownsubscription
PlatformsWindows, macOS, iOS, AndroidWeb, Cloud, Api
Founded19871999

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

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 Qualys VMDR

  • Vulnerability scanning
  • Threat detection
  • Asset discovery
  • Compliance checking
  • Remediation tracking
  • Cloud asset visibility
  • API access
  • Custom policies

What people use each for

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

McAfee Total Protection

  • Antivirusnot Qualys VMDR
  • Internet Securitynot Qualys VMDR
  • Identity Protectionnot Qualys VMDR

Qualys VMDR

  • Vulnerability Managementnot McAfee Total Protection
  • Asset Managementnot McAfee Total Protection
  • Compliancenot 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

Qualys VMDR

  • Listed on UK G-Cloud at £18.75 to £61.58 per device per year for the Qualys Cloud Platform and VMDR, via reseller Barrier Networks Limited

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

Qualys VMDR

$3/month
  • VMDR$3/month
    • Per asset
    • Vulnerability scanning
    • Detection
  • VMDR+$5/month
    • All VMDR features
    • Advanced analytics
    • Cloud integration
  • VMDR Complete$7/month
    • All VMDR+ features
    • Threat intel
    • Response automation

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 Qualys VMDR if

  • You need vulnerability scanning.
  • You work on Web, Cloud, Api.
  • You also want threat detection.
Qualys VMDR review

Questions people ask

Is McAfee Total Protection or Qualys VMDR better?
Neither clearly leads. McAfee Total Protection starts at $29.99/year and Qualys VMDR at $3/month, and user ratings are close enough to be indistinguishable. Choose on capability and platform support.
Which is cheaper, McAfee Total Protection or Qualys VMDR?
McAfee Total Protection starts at $29.99/year and Qualys VMDR at $3/month.
Does McAfee Total Protection or Qualys VMDR run on more platforms?
McAfee Total Protection runs on Windows, macOS, iOS, Android. Qualys VMDR runs on Web, Cloud, 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 Qualys VMDR is typically brought in for.
What can McAfee Total Protection do that Qualys VMDR cannot?
McAfee Total Protection covers Real-time antivirus, Firewall, Safe browsing, Password manager. Qualys VMDR covers Vulnerability scanning, Threat detection, Asset discovery, Compliance checking.

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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