Security & Cybersecurity · head to head
McAfee Total Protection vs Recorded Future

McAfee Total Protection
Security & Cybersecurity
Award-winning antivirus trusted by millions
- From
- $29.99/year
- Rated
- -

Recorded Future
Security & Cybersecurity
Intelligence-driven cybersecurity
- From
- $25000/year
- 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); Recorded Future listed on UK G-Cloud 14 at £40,500 per licence for Recorded Future, via reseller Softcat plc
- They diverge on capability: McAfee Total Protection covers Real-time antivirus, Recorded Future covers Real-time threat intelligence.
Where they differ
Only the attributes on which McAfee Total Protection and Recorded Future actually diverge.
| Attribute | McAfee Total Protection | Recorded Future |
|---|---|---|
| Starting price | $29.99/year | $25000/year |
| Pricing model | Unknown | subscription |
| Platforms | Windows, macOS, iOS, Android | Web, Api, Cloud |
| Founded | 1987 | 2009 |
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 Recorded Future
- Real-time threat intelligence
- Vulnerability intelligence
- Internet-wide data analysis
- Insikt group intelligence
- Brand intelligence
- API-first platform
- Alert and notification system
- Custom reporting
Both cover
- Cloud deployment
What people use each for
The jobs each tool is most often brought in to do.
McAfee Total Protection
- Antivirusnot Recorded Future
- Internet Securitynot Recorded Future
- Identity Protectionnot Recorded Future
Recorded Future
- Threat Intelligencenot McAfee Total Protection
- Vulnerability Managementnot McAfee Total Protection
- Risk Intelligencenot 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
Recorded Future
- Listed on UK G-Cloud 14 at £40,500 per licence for Recorded Future, via reseller Softcat plc
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
Recorded Future
$25000/year- Threat Intelligence$25000/year
- Threat feeds
- IP reputation
- Domain analysis
- Vulnerability Intelligence$35000/year
- CVE monitoring
- Patch intelligence
- Vulnerability trending
- Complete Intelligence$50000/year
- All features
- Analyst access
- Dedicated feed
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 Recorded Future if
- You need real-time threat intelligence.
- You work on Web, Api, Cloud.
- You also want vulnerability intelligence.
Questions people ask
- Is McAfee Total Protection or Recorded Future better?
- Neither clearly leads. McAfee Total Protection starts at $29.99/year and Recorded Future at $25000/year, and user ratings are close enough to be indistinguishable. Choose on capability and platform support.
- Which is cheaper, McAfee Total Protection or Recorded Future?
- McAfee Total Protection starts at $29.99/year and Recorded Future at $25000/year.
- Does McAfee Total Protection or Recorded Future run on more platforms?
- McAfee Total Protection runs on Windows, macOS, iOS, Android. Recorded Future runs on Web, Api, Cloud.
- 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 Recorded Future is typically brought in for.
- What can McAfee Total Protection do that Recorded Future cannot?
- McAfee Total Protection covers Real-time antivirus, Firewall, Safe browsing, Password manager. Recorded Future covers Real-time threat intelligence, Vulnerability intelligence, Internet-wide data analysis, Insikt group intelligence. 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.
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.
SourceRelated pages
More on McAfee Total Protection
More on Recorded Future
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