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Security & Cybersecurity · head to head

McAfee Total Protection vs Todoist

McAfee Total Protection logo

McAfee Total Protection

Security & Cybersecurity

Award-winning antivirus trusted by millions

From
$29.99/year
Rated
-
Todoist logo

Todoist

All industries

The world's #1 task manager and to-do list app

From
Free
Rated
-

The short version

  • Only Todoist 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); Todoist no built-in time tracking for tasks; requires third-party integration like Toggl
  • They diverge on capability: McAfee Total Protection covers Real-time antivirus, Todoist covers Natural language input.

Where they differ

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

Attributes where McAfee Total Protection and Todoist differ
AttributeMcAfee Total ProtectionTodoist
Starting price$29.99/yearFree
Free tierNoYes
PlatformsWindows, macOS, iOS, AndroidWeb, iOS, Android, macOS, Windows
CategorySecurity & CybersecurityAll industries
Founded19872007

Identical on both: pricing model (Unknown), user rating (Not yet rated).

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 Todoist

  • Natural language input
  • Recurring tasks
  • Projects and sub-tasks
  • Labels and filters
  • Priority levels
  • Productivity tracking
  • Templates
  • Notifications

Both cover

  • Cloud deployment

What people use each for

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

McAfee Total Protection

  • Antivirusnot Todoist
  • Internet Securitynot Todoist
  • Identity Protectionnot Todoist

Todoist

  • Personal task managementnot McAfee Total Protection
  • Team project coordinationnot McAfee Total Protection
  • Goal trackingnot McAfee Total Protection
  • Habit buildingnot McAfee Total Protection
  • Daily planningnot 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

Todoist

  • No built-in time tracking for tasks; requires third-party integration like Toggl
  • Free plan limited to 5 personal projects only
  • No Gantt charts, resource allocation, or advanced project management features for large enterprises
  • Phone support not available; email and help center only
  • Calendar view and advanced filtering only available on paid plans

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

Todoist

Free
  • BeginnerFree
    • 5 personal projects
    • Smart Quick Add
    • Task reminders
  • Pro$5/month
    • 300 personal projects
    • Calendar layout
    • Custom task reminders
  • Business$8/month
    • Everything in Pro
    • Shared team workspace
    • Up to 500 team projects

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 Todoist if

  • You need natural language input.
  • You want to start without paying.
  • You work on Web, iOS, Android, macOS, Windows.
  • You also want recurring tasks.

Questions people ask

Is McAfee Total Protection or Todoist better?
Neither clearly leads. McAfee Total Protection starts at $29.99/year and Todoist at Free, and user ratings are close enough to be indistinguishable. Choose on capability and platform support.
Which is cheaper, McAfee Total Protection or Todoist?
Todoist has a free tier; the other does not. Paid plans start at $29.99/year for McAfee Total Protection and Free for Todoist.
Does McAfee Total Protection or Todoist run on more platforms?
McAfee Total Protection runs on Windows, macOS, iOS, Android. Todoist runs on Web, iOS, Android, macOS, Windows.
Can I use Todoist for free?
Yes. Todoist 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 Todoist is typically brought in for.
What can McAfee Total Protection do that Todoist cannot?
McAfee Total Protection covers Real-time antivirus, Firewall, Safe browsing, Password manager. Todoist covers Natural language input, Recurring tasks, Projects and sub-tasks, Labels and filters. 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.

Source
Todoist: Does Todoist work offline?

Basic editing and task management work offline, but advanced features like syncing reminders and shared updates require internet connectivity.

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
Todoist: Does Todoist have a free plan and what does it include?

Yes, Todoist offers a free Beginner plan with 5 personal projects, Smart Quick Add, task reminders, flexible layouts, 3 filter views, and 1 week activity history. More advanced features require the Pro or Business plans.

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
Todoist: Can I use Todoist on mobile devices?

Yes, Todoist offers native apps for both iOS and Android with over 30 million downloads. Mobile apps provide full task management functionality across devices.

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
Todoist: What integrations does Todoist support?

Todoist integrates with over 100 apps including Slack, Google Calendar, Outlook, Microsoft Teams, Gmail, and Toggl Track. Additional integrations are available through Zapier, Make, and IFTTT automation platforms.

Source
Todoist: How much does Todoist cost?

Free plan is $0. Pro plan costs $5/month (billed annually) or $7/month (monthly billing). Business plan costs $8/month per user (annual) or $10/month per user (monthly), as of December 2025.

Source

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