McAfee offers a powerful anti-malware engine, good web protections, and a wide range of additional features to protect your computer in 2022.
AVG has been accused of selling personal information for a profit, so we can’t recommend AVG on ethical grounds. You can read more about the scandal here.
AVG vs. McAfee — Final Verdict:
- 1st place:
McAfee is better for malware protection, web security, features, ease of use, and customer support. If you want an excellent antivirus program with good web protections, go with McAfee.
We no longer recommend AVG due to allegations of its unethical practices involving user data. If you want a quality antivirus you can trust, go with McAfee or one of our other recommendations for the 10 best antiviruses in 2022.
AVG vs. McAfee: Malware Protection
McAfee offers a powerful anti-malware engine that checks your files against a massive online malware database and alerts you to any threats it finds. It also uses heuristic-based analysis to scan your computer for files acting suspiciously, which is a good way to protect your device from zero-day attacks.
I tested McAfee by downloading an archive containing thousands of malware samples (including trojans, worms, rootkits, and more), and it consistently found 100% of the malware samples and moved them into a secure quarantine folder.
McAfee’s real-time protection was also able to prevent me from downloading, installing, or running malware found on dangerous websites and in email attachments.
We no longer recommend AVG due to allegations of its unethical practices involving user data. If you want a quality antivirus you can trust, go with McAfee or one of our other recommendations for the 10 best antiviruses in 2022.
AVG vs. McAfee: Web Security
McAfee’s WebAdvisor is a great way to stay protected from exploit sites and phishing attacks. In my tests, WebAdvisor blocked more phishing sites than the default protections on Chrome and Firefox.
WebAdvisor can also tell you how safe a website is before you visit it. Dangerous websites (such as torrent sites) will have a red X on your search engine, while safe websites will have a green padlock symbol.
I must admit that I was disappointed about WebAdvisor’s lack of macOS support. However, if you’re a Windows user, WebAdvisor is compatible with Chrome, Firefox, and Edge browsers. Overall, it’s a good way to stay safe online in 2022.
We no longer recommend AVG due to allegations of its unethical practices involving user data. If you want a quality antivirus you can trust, go with McAfee or one of our other recommendations for the 10 best antiviruses in 2022.
AVG vs. McAfee: Features
McAfee offers coverage on up to 10 devices and includes some really good features:
- Virtual private network (with unlimited data).
- Web protection.
- Firewall.
- Network scanner.
- Password manager.
- Parental controls.
- Identity theft protection.
- System optimizer.
- 30-day money-back guarantee.
- And more…
I particularly like McAfee’s firewall, which monitors your outbound network traffic and blocks any unauthorized connections. It also offers great customization options for advanced users, such as the ability to change the intensity of your network protection, open and close specific network ports, and more.
McAfee’s VPN also works really well. The VPN masks your IP address behind a virtual IP address to keep you safe from online trackers and man-in-the-middle attacks. I didn’t notice any slowdowns when connected to McAfee’s VPN.
We no longer recommend AVG due to allegations of its unethical practices involving user data. If you want a quality antivirus you can trust, go with McAfee or one of our other recommendations for the 10 best antiviruses in 2022.
AVG vs. McAfee: Ease of Use
McAfee is easy to install, but it’s spread across multiple apps. You can access the main security features from McAfee’s user interface. If you click on My Protection, you can find the real-time scanner, home network scanner, and more. However, you need to visit McAfee’s online dashboard to access the parental controls and identity theft protection. The password manager and VPN come as separate downloads.
McAfee’s mobile app is laid out more intuitively, and all of the features are immediately accessible from either the home screen or by tapping the menu in the top right corner.
We no longer recommend AVG due to allegations of its unethical practices involving user data. If you want a quality antivirus you can trust, go with McAfee or one of our other recommendations for the 10 best antiviruses in 2022.
AVG vs. McAfee: Customer Support
McAfee includes a good range of customer support options, including 24/7 live chat and phone support.
I love how McAfee’s phone support is accessible 24/7. I could quickly get hold of a customer support agent and address any concerns I had with McAfee. The 24/7 live chat was helpful too, and the staff was knowledgeable. I liked how they offered to take remote access of my computer and fix issues — which is super rare in a customer support team.
Finally, I was happy with McAfee’s support forum and its community. When I posted a problem in the forum, I got a helpful answer a few hours later from another McAfee user.
We no longer recommend AVG due to allegations of its unethical practices involving user data. If you want a quality antivirus you can trust, go with McAfee or one of our other recommendations for the 10 best antiviruses in 2022.
