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Security & Cybersecurity · head to head

Nessus vs Norton 360

Nessus logo

Nessus

Security & Cybersecurity

The most trusted vulnerability assessment solution

From
Free
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite
Norton 360 logo

Norton 360

Security & Cybersecurity

Powerful protection against evolving threats

From
$36/year
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite

The short version

  • Only Nessus has a free tier, so it costs nothing to try first.
  • Each has a real cost: Nessus nessus Professional is $4,790 for one year, with no free or low cost commercial tier; Norton 360 device limit of 3 devices on Standard plan; higher tiers needed for family with multiple devices
  • They diverge on capability: Nessus covers Vulnerability scanning, Norton 360 covers Real-time threat protection.

Where they differ

Only the attributes on which Nessus and Norton 360 actually diverge.

Attributes where Nessus and Norton 360 differ
AttributeNessusNorton 360
Starting priceFree$36/year
Pricing modelsubscriptionUnknown
Free tierYesNo
PlatformsDesktop, ApiWindows, macOS, Android, iOS
Founded20021982

Identical on both: 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 Nessus

  • Vulnerability scanning
  • Configuration auditing
  • Malware detection
  • Web application scanning
  • Cloud scanning
  • Compliance checks
  • Patch auditing
  • Pre-built policies

Only in Norton 360

  • Real-time threat protection
  • Ransomware protection
  • Firewall
  • Password Manager
  • Secure VPN
  • Cloud backup
  • Dark Web Monitoring
  • Parental Controls

Both cover

  • Cloud deployment

What people use each for

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

Nessus

  • Scanning hosts and applications for known vulnerabilities and misconfigurationsnot Norton 360
  • Running compliance and configuration audits against a defined scopenot Norton 360

Norton 360

  • Antivirusnot Nessus
  • Internet Securitynot Nessus
  • Identity Protectionnot Nessus

Where each one falls short

Documented limitations, not opinions. Every one is a constraint you would hit in normal use.

Nessus

  • Nessus Professional is $4,790 for one year, with no free or low cost commercial tier
  • Multi year terms are the only discount route, at $9,330.95 for two years and $13,637.54 for three
  • It is a single user scanner, so team workflows mean migrating to another Tenable product
  • Tenable One vulnerability management is priced separately, starting at $3,500 a year for 100 assets

Norton 360

  • Device limit of 3 devices on Standard plan; higher tiers needed for family with multiple devices
  • Parental controls unavailable on Standard plan, requiring purchase of separate Norton Family app
  • No HIPAA compliance or BAA support for regulated industries
  • Exploit Prevention works only on Windows devices, not available for macOS
  • Limited account recovery options if master password is forgotten

Pricing, plan by plan

Nessus

Free
  • Nessus Essentials (Free)Free
    • 16 IP addresses
    • Vulnerability scanning
    • Configuration auditing
  • Nessus Professional$2990/year
    • Unlimited IPs
    • Compliance checks
    • Live results
  • Nessus Expert$5290/year
    • All Pro features
    • External attack surface
    • Cloud infrastructure scanning

Norton 360

$36/year
  • Norton 360 Standard$36/year
    • Antivirus and malware protection
    • VPN
    • Dark web monitoring
  • Norton 360 Deluxe$49.99/year
    • All Standard features
    • 50 GB cloud backup
    • Parental controls
  • Norton 360 Premium$54.99/year
    • All Deluxe features
    • 250 GB cloud backup
    • LifeLock identity theft protection

Which should you pick?

Choose Nessus if

  • You need vulnerability scanning.
  • You want to start without paying.
  • You work on Desktop, Api.
  • You also want configuration auditing.
Nessus review

Choose Norton 360 if

  • You need real-time threat protection.
  • You work on Windows, macOS, Android, iOS.
  • You also want ransomware protection.
Norton 360 review

Questions people ask

Is Nessus or Norton 360 better?
Neither clearly leads. Nessus starts at Free and Norton 360 at $36/year, and user ratings are close enough to be indistinguishable. Choose on capability and platform support.
Which is cheaper, Nessus or Norton 360?
Nessus has a free tier; the other does not. Paid plans start at Free for Nessus and $36/year for Norton 360.
Does Nessus or Norton 360 run on more platforms?
Nessus runs on Desktop, Api. Norton 360 runs on Windows, macOS, Android, iOS.
Can I use Nessus for free?
Yes. Nessus has a free tier, so you can try it without paying. Norton 360 starts at $36/year.
What is Nessus best used for?
Nessus is most often used for scanning hosts and applications for known vulnerabilities and misconfigurations, running compliance and configuration audits against a defined scope. Of those, scanning hosts and applications for known vulnerabilities and misconfigurations and running compliance and configuration audits against a defined scope are not what Norton 360 is typically brought in for.
What can Nessus do that Norton 360 cannot?
Nessus covers Vulnerability scanning, Configuration auditing, Malware detection, Web application scanning. Norton 360 covers Real-time threat protection, Ransomware protection, Firewall, Password Manager. Both handle Cloud deployment.

Answered from the vendors’ own pages

Norton 360: What operating systems does Norton 360 Standard support?

Windows 7 SP1 through Windows 11, macOS 10.13 and later, Android 10.0 or later, and current plus two previous iOS versions. Not all features are available on all platforms.

Source
Norton 360: How much cloud backup storage is included in Norton 360 Standard?

2 GB of cloud backup storage is included with Norton 360 Standard. Higher tiers offer 50 GB (Deluxe) and 250 GB (Premium).

Source
Norton 360: Does Norton 360 include a VPN?

Yes. All Norton 360 plans include a VPN for secure browsing. The VPN is available on Windows, Mac, iOS, and Android devices.

Source
Norton 360: Is Norton 360 HIPAA compliant?

No. Norton 360 does not offer HIPAA compliance or Business Associate Agreements (BAA), making it unsuitable for healthcare organizations handling protected health information (PHI).

Source
Norton 360: What is the renewal price after the first year?

First year pricing is discounted. Standard renews at 94.99 USD per year, Deluxe at 119.99 USD per year. This represents a 140% increase over Deluxe's first-year rate of 49.99 USD.

Source
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