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Software · head to head

McAfee Total Protection vs Time Doctor

McAfee Total Protection logo

McAfee Total Protection

Software

Award-winning antivirus trusted by millions

From
$29.99/year
Rated
-
Time Doctor logo

Time Doctor

Software

Employee time tracking and productivity monitoring

From
$4/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); Time Doctor historical tracking data retention is capped by plan: 3 months on Basic and 6 months on Standard, versus 2 years on Premium and Enterprise
  • They diverge on capability: McAfee Total Protection covers Real-time antivirus, Time Doctor covers Time tracking with timer.

Where they differ

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

Attributes where McAfee Total Protection and Time Doctor differ
AttributeMcAfee Total ProtectionTime Doctor
Starting price$29.99/year$4/month
Pricing modelUnknownsubscription
PlatformsWindows, macOS, iOS, AndroidWeb, IOS, Android, MacOS, Windows
Founded19872011

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 Time Doctor

  • Time tracking with timer
  • Activity monitoring
  • Screenshots
  • GPS tracking
  • Webcam monitoring
  • Reports and invoicing
  • Mobile apps
  • Team management

What people use each for

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

McAfee Total Protection

  • Antivirusnot Time Doctor
  • Internet Securitynot Time Doctor
  • Identity Protectionnot Time Doctor

Time Doctor

  • Productivitynot McAfee Total Protection
  • Collaborationnot McAfee Total Protection
  • Task managementnot McAfee Total Protection
  • Organizationnot 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

Time Doctor

  • Historical tracking data retention is capped by plan: 3 months on Basic and 6 months on Standard, versus 2 years on Premium and Enterprise
  • HRIS and Payroll native integrations are paid add-ons at $200 per integration per month
  • Software Cost Insights add-on costs $3 per user per month on top of the base plan

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

Time Doctor

$4/month
  • Basic$4/month
    • Time tracking
    • Reports
    • Mobile apps
  • Standard$6/month
    • Everything in Basic
    • Activity monitoring
    • Screenshots
  • Premium$10/month
    • Everything in Standard
    • GPS tracking
    • Webcam snapshots

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 Time Doctor if

  • You need time tracking with timer.
  • You work on Web, IOS, Android, MacOS, Windows.
  • You also want activity monitoring.

Questions people ask

Is McAfee Total Protection or Time Doctor better?
Neither clearly leads. McAfee Total Protection starts at $29.99/year and Time Doctor at $4/month, and user ratings are close enough to be indistinguishable. Choose on capability and platform support.
Which is cheaper, McAfee Total Protection or Time Doctor?
McAfee Total Protection starts at $29.99/year and Time Doctor at $4/month.
Does McAfee Total Protection or Time Doctor run on more platforms?
McAfee Total Protection runs on Windows, macOS, iOS, Android. Time Doctor runs on Web, IOS, Android, MacOS, Windows.
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 Time Doctor is typically brought in for.
What can McAfee Total Protection do that Time Doctor cannot?
McAfee Total Protection covers Real-time antivirus, Firewall, Safe browsing, Password manager. Time Doctor covers Time tracking with timer, Activity monitoring, Screenshots, GPS tracking.

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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