Norton 360 Deluxe Review: Convenient Security Suite Comes at a Cost
Norton 360 Deluxe is the mid-tier offering in NortonLifeLock‘s latest lineup of digital security suites. It aims to be a one-stop shop for protecting your devices and online privacy. But with an MSRP of $109.99 per year for 5 devices, it‘s one of the pricier options in a crowded market. This in-depth review will help you determine if Norton 360 Deluxe is worth the investment.
Antivirus Protection
At its core, Norton 360 Deluxe is an antivirus software. And a very good one based on my experience and the latest independent lab tests. In AV-Test‘s latest Windows 10 evaluations, Norton 360 blocked 100% of widespread and zero-day malware, with few false positives. That perfect score matches top competitors like Bitdefender and Kaspersky.
AV-Comparatives also gave Norton a 99.9% protection rate in its most recent real-world tests, trailing only F-Secure and Panda. Against the same set of 380 malware samples, Microsoft Defender (the free antivirus built into Windows) earned a respectable but lower 99.5% rating.
On macOS, Norton achieved 100% detection of Mac-specific malware in AV-Comparatives testing. It also did an excellent job handling Windows malware that could be a threat if passed on to a PC.
Performance is an area where Norton has improved tremendously. In past years, Norton was notorious for bogging down systems. But in recent AV-Test performance evaluations, it earned 6/6 for having minimal impact on system speed. I found scans were fast and unobtrusive on my own mid-range Windows laptop and older MacBook Air.
Beyond traditional virus scans, Norton provides real-time malware blocking, anti-phishing protection, and the ability to scan and isolate suspicious files in the cloud before they execute on your system. An anti-ransomware component monitors for and can revert unauthorized file encryption. The SafeCam feature prevents malicious apps from hijacking your webcam.
While no antivirus is perfect, Norton 360 Deluxe is one of the strongest options on the market for malware defense. That said, Microsoft Defender is quite capable if you‘re looking for a free, no-frills solution.
VPN
Norton Secure VPN, included with 360 Deluxe, is a capable but basic VPN. On the plus side, it provides unlimited data usage, a kill switch, and a no-logs policy. Norton also owns and operates its own servers in 30 countries, which is better for privacy than some VPNs that rent third-party servers.
I measured download speeds of 45 Mbps when connected to a nearby U.S. server on my 100 Mbps home connection. That‘s about on par with other top VPNs and sufficient for general browsing and streaming. International connections were slower but still usable.
However, Norton‘s VPN is missing some features you get with standalone products like ExpressVPN or NordVPN. You can‘t manually select your server location, and there‘s no option to automatically connect to the fastest server. It doesn‘t support peer-to-peer traffic, so torrenting is out. And while I was able to access Netflix and Hulu with the U.S. server, Norton doesn‘t make any guarantees about unblocking streaming content.
More concerning is that using a VPN doesn‘t magically make you anonymous online. Your internet provider can still see that you‘re using a VPN, and the VPN provider could be compelled to turn over data. VPNs are also vulnerable to IP, WebRTC, and DNS leaks that could expose your true location.
Think of the included VPN as a nice perk for securing yourself on public Wi-Fi and adding a layer of privacy for everyday browsing. But if you frequently travel overseas or are an activist or journalist, you‘ll likely want a more full-featured and trustworthy standalone VPN.
Cloud Backup
Norton 360 Deluxe comes with 50GB of cloud backup storage that you can divvy up across your covered devices. That‘s a decent amount of space for safeguarding your most critical files and photos from ransomware and hard drive failures. Though it pales in comparison to the 1TB offered by Acronis True Image or IDrive, which are purpose-built for backup.
Once you designate folders to back up, the process is automatic and continuous as you add and change files. In my testing, initial backups and subsequent incremental updates were speedy. Norton claims its cloud architecture allows for faster backups compared to files having to bounce through multiple servers.
Backups are encrypted end-to-end with 256-bit AES encryption. That means your files are secured in transit and at rest on Norton‘s servers. No one should be able to access your data without your private key.
Other nice features include versioning to preserve previous versions of files and support for creating a full image backup of your system drive. That can be handy for recovering your entire system after a catastrophic failure or moving to a new drive.
The main limitation is that Norton only keeps the 5 most recent versions of files. Some dedicated backup solutions allow you to retain more versions and set custom retention periods.
If you want more than the included 50GB of storage, you can upgrade to Norton‘s 500GB plan for an extra $70 per year. However, there are cheaper alternatives like iDrive that give you 5TB for just $60 per year.
Dark Web Monitoring
With headlines about massive data breaches becoming routine, Norton 360 Deluxe‘s Dark Web Monitoring aims to give you advanced warning if your personal information is being sold on the seedy underbelly of the internet.
After entering your email address, phone number, physical addresses, driver license, and mother‘s maiden name, Norton will scan dark web forums and notify you if it finds matches. In theory, this could help you take action like changing passwords or putting a credit freeze in place before the exposed info is used for identity theft.
However, there are significant limitations. Norton is transparent that it can‘t scan every corner of the dark web. It‘s also not scanning for your social security number or bank/credit card details, which would be the most damaging if leaked.
Just because your info isn‘t found doesn‘t necessarily mean it‘s safe. And even if you are notified of a match, you may have already received a breach notification from the company or service that was hacked.
I see Dark Web Monitoring as more of an awareness tool than a preventative measure. Taking proactive steps like using strong unique passwords and enabling two-factor authentication will do far more to protect your accounts.
If you‘re willing to pay an extra $130 per year, you can upgrade to Norton‘s LifeLock identity theft protection service. It monitors a much wider range of info, provides stolen wallet and ID remediation services, and includes $1 million in theft insurance. But there are also less expensive options like Identity Guard that performed better in our latest identity theft protection review.
Password Manager
Using a password manager is one of the simplest and most effective ways to improve your online security. Norton 360 Deluxe includes a basic one that can generate, store, and sync your passwords across all your devices.
In my hands-on testing, Norton Password Manager worked smoothly. It was able to accurately capture and replay my logins across a variety of sites. The password generator created 20-character passwords and offered convenient one-click shortcuts to update weak or duplicate passwords.
Two-factor authentication support is available for an added layer of security. You can use a mobile authenticator app to receive codes or a physical security key like a YubiKey.
While it covers the basics, Norton Password Manager lacks some of the features and flexibility of the best standalone managers. It has a limited ability to save notes and attached files. There‘s no option for securely sharing passwords with other users. And if you ever decide to cancel your Norton subscription, the only export option is plain text, which is a security risk.
If you currently aren‘t using a password manager, Norton‘s is a decent introduction. But I‘d suggest looking at more powerful options like Dashlane or 1Password, which have better form-filling capabilities, secure password sharing, and encrypted export formats.
Parental Controls
If you have young children, the parental control features in Norton 360 Deluxe can help you enforce healthy digital habits and protect them from inappropriate content. You can manage rules for all your kids‘ devices from the online Parent Portal.
For each child profile, you can set time limits and schedules for device usage. For example, you might allow 2 hours per day on weekdays but block access during school hours and bedtime. You can also see a report of how much time your child spends on each app and website.
Content filtering lets you automatically block sites in categories like mature content, online chat, and file sharing. Alternatively, you can manually allow or block specific sites. I found Norton‘s content filtering to be pretty accurate, with minimal overblocking of kid-friendly sites.
Location supervision is supported for mobile devices. You can view your child‘s current location on a map and receive alerts when they enter or leave designated areas like school or home.
One thing to keep in mind is that tech-savvy kids may find ways to circumvent parental controls. So it‘s best to think of them as a supplement to, not a replacement for having open conversations about digital citizenship and online safety.
Norton‘s parental controls are solid for younger kids. But if you have teens, you may want a solution with more social media and text message monitoring capabilities like Bark or Qustodio.
Pricing
At its list price of $109.99 per year, Norton 360 Deluxe is expensive compared to other antivirus suites. For example, Bitdefender Total Security covers 5 devices for just $44.99 in the first year and $89.99 on renewal. Kaspersky Internet Security starts at $53.99 per year for 3 devices.
Here‘s how Norton 360 Deluxe‘s first-year introductory and renewal pricing compares to some key competitors:
| Product | First Year | Renewal |
|---|---|---|
| Norton 360 Deluxe | $49.99 | $109.99 |
| Bitdefender Total Security | $44.99 | $89.99 |
| McAfee Total Protection | $34.99 | $119.99 |
| Kaspersky Internet Security | $53.99 | $79.99 |
While Norton does offer new customers a discounted rate of $49.99 for the first year, the savings quickly evaporate after that. And you‘ll be on the hook for automatic renewal at the full price unless you cancel.
If you need to protect more devices, you can upgrade to Norton‘s 360 Premium tier for $129.99 per year. That bumps you up to 10 device licenses and 75GB of cloud backup. An Ultimate tier for $349.99 per year adds unlimited devices, 500GB of backup, and LifeLock Select identity protection.
Considering all the extra features that are included, Norton 360 Deluxe may be worth the higher price if you‘ll actually use them. But if you just need basic antivirus and don‘t want to deal with subscription shock, you can find cheaper alternatives.
Customer Support
Reliable and responsive customer support is important when you‘re dealing with technical issues that could impact your security. Fortunately, Norton offers several convenient support channels.
The first stop should be the extensive online knowledge base, which has clear, step-by-step articles for most common issues. For example, there are detailed guides for setting up protection on all your devices, configuring backup, and troubleshooting VPN connections.
If you can‘t find the answer you need, 24/7 phone, live chat, and social media support are available. In my experience, Norton‘s support reps are knowledgeable and friendly. Though like many large companies, wait times can sometimes be longer than desired during peak periods.
One of the best support options is the Norton Community forum. You can browse posts from other users to see if your question has already been answered. Norton staff actively monitor the forums and chime in with solutions.
The only thing I don‘t like is that phone support is limited to paying customers. If you‘re on a free trial, you‘ll need to make do with chat and community support. Many other antivirus companies offer at least basic free phone support.
For a $150 per year upcharge, Norton offers Ultimate Help Desk support. You‘ll get access to a dedicated support team for 24/7 help with all your connected devices, even if they aren‘t directly related to Norton products. They can help with things like setting up new devices, troubleshooting network issues, and optimizing performance. Think of it as having your own personal geek squad.
Overall, I‘ve been impressed with the quality and variety of Norton‘s support options. The company seems to take customer service seriously, which is important for such a critical piece of software.
Verdict
Norton 360 Deluxe is an ambitious collection of digital security tools. It provides excellent malware protection, a user-friendly interface, and an array of bonus features. For non-techie users who want an all-in-one solution and don‘t mind paying a premium, it could be a good fit.
The included VPN, password manager, cloud backup and other extras work well enough for basic use cases. They‘re not best-in-class, but they‘re a step up from many other bundled security suites.
The main downsides are the steep price, limitations of some secondary components, and tendency to oversell certain features. If you‘re on a tight budget or only need specific functions, you can find cheaper standalone alternatives that offer more capabilities and control.
But if you have a family or multiple devices to protect and like the convenience of an integrated solution, Norton 360 Deluxe is a solid choice. It really does cover a lot of ground in a very intuitive package.
Just be sure you‘ll use enough of the extras to justify the ongoing subscription cost. And don‘t let the promise of bonus features like a VPN lull you into a false sense of anonymity. No security software is a complete substitute for using strong passwords, keeping your software updated, and being mindful of what information you share online.