Norton vs Kaspersky: which is better in 2026?

If you're looking for an antivirus in 2026, you might seem two names pretty frequently: Norton and Kaspersky. Both providers are known for their strong malware protection, along with other security features. However, their pricing, privacy policies, and user experience differ vastly.

In this Norton vs Kaspersky comparison, along with the Cybernews research team I analyzed each products real-world malware protection, performance impact, features, and pricing. I also considered each products privacy policy, and how it may impact end users.

If you prioritize comprehensive online security, ease of use, or advanced privacy tools, this guide will help you decide which antivirus solution is the better choice for your needs this year.

📢 LIMITED OFFER: Get up to 60% OFF Norton Antivirus

---

Editor's disclosure: We join the worldwide community in support of Ukraine and support the sanctions inflicted on the Russian government. Bloomberg reported Kaspersky Lab, the Russian-owned developer of Kaspersky antivirus software, to be in close contact with the country's Federal Security Service (FSB). The leaked emails indicate that the company provided FSB with real-time intelligence and identifying data on customers' computers. Cybernews does not tolerate the bloodshed, human rights abuses, and alleged Geneva Conventions violations the Russian army has inflicted on the Ukrainian people and won't stand in support of companies that might help enable it. Therefore, we will stop endorsing Kaspersky products.

---

Norton vs. Kaspersky at a glance

	Norton Antivirus	Kaspersky
⭐ Rating:	4.8 ★ ★ ★ ★ ★	0 ☆ ☆ ☆ ☆ ☆
🥇 Overall rank:	#2 out of #30	-
🔥 Coupons:	Norton coupon 60% OFF	Cybernews Antivirus Coupons
💵 Price:	From $29.99/year	From $38.49/year
✂️ Free version:	No	Yes
🖥️ Platforms:	Windows, macOS, iOS, Android	Windows, macOS, Android, iOS

At first glance, Norton is better than Kaspersky: it offers more affordable pricing, more user-friendly apps, and stellar real-time protection performance. With features like unlimited VPN, a password manager, browsing security, and extensive parental controls, Norton wins against Kaspersky, which, by contrast, limits access and use of its features and has questionable ties to Russia.

Norton vs Kaspersky: which offers better security?

	Norton	Kaspersky
Independent tests	Highest marks	Highest marks
Real-time protection	100%	99.99%
Firewall	Effective	Effective, caught 10/10 malware threats
Scanning	Effective, caught 10/10 malware threats	Effective, caught 10/10 malware threats

I looked at the test results completed by independent testing firms, like AV-Test, AV-Comparatives, and SE Labs. These companies perform unbiased research that examines the performance, malware detection rates, and usability of well-known antivirus suites.

In April 2025, both Kaspersky and Norton were identified as the Top products by the German IT security institute, AV-Test. Kaspersky and Norton received 6 out of 6 points in terms of each examined category – protection, performance, and usability.Additionally, AV-Comparatives listed Norton and Kaspersky’s protection as Advanced+. Similarly, these antivirus suites gained the highest AAA rankings from SE Labs in the Home Anti-Malware Protection testing as well.

Therefore, when concluding the results from multiple sources, it’s evident that Kaspersky and Norton offer equally strong protection for your devices.

Real-time protection

Both Norton and Kaspersky offer comprehensive and effective real-time protection measures. I looked at testing results from AV-Test to see how well these antiviruses perform in real-life scenarios.

According to AV-Test, in the April 2025 tests, Norton blocked 100% of malicious attacks in real-world testing. Additionally, Norton’s prevalent malware detection rates were also 100% for the same testing period.

Just like Norton, Kaspersky also showed 100% detection rates for both Real-World testing with zero-day malware, and prevalent, well-known threats. This antivirus was also tested by the AV-Test lab in April 2025.

Additionally to tests from independent labs, the Cybernews research team and I also tested Norton and Kaspersky real-time protection in-house. Both antiviruses successfully detected and blocked 10/10 malware samples planted on the testing devices.

Scanning

Both antivirus providers offer a variety of scanning options. For example, with Norton, you can run a Full scan that examines each system component for malicious codes and later, perform regular checkups with the Quick scan. It’s worth mentioning that there’s an option for a Custom scan where you can manually select which files or folders to check.

With Kaspersky, you get a selection of basic scan modes, like a Quick, Full, and Selective scan, as well as a few extra ones. For example, it offers the Vulnerability scan which checks whether your apps are up-to-date and if your system needs any patches.

Firewall protection

Firewall protection is a feature that protects your device from outside attacks that come through your internet connection. In simple terms, it monitors the incoming and outgoing network traffic for malicious components whenever you’re online.

Both Kaspersky and Norton offer reliable firewall protection. You can customize this feature according to your needs and whitelist certain applications or networks that you trust. With each provider, you can alter your firewall preferences directly through the dedicated application.

Impact on PC performance

Each antivirus solution takes a portion of your computer’s resources when performing scans to identify potential threats. Using a lot of CPU power can negatively impact your PC performance and cause noticeable slowdowns. I tested Norton and Kaspersky's impact on PC performance by running a full scan with both providers.

Norton's full scan took around 11 minutes, found all 10 malware samples, and the CPU load was between 70% and 100%.

The Kaspersky full scan lasted around 6 minutes. The antivirus managed to find all 10 malware samples, and the CPU load averaged 85%.

Kaspersky vs Norton feature comparison

The security features you get with antivirus software highly depend on which subscription plan you choose. With the basic packages of Kaspersky and Norton, you get standard protection against malware and online threats. Here’s what I found during our Norton vs Kaspersky feature comparison:

	Norton	Kaspersky
Real-time protection	✅ Yes	✅ Yes
VPN	✅ Yes	✅ Yes
Password manager	✅ Yes	✅ Yes
Cloud backup	✅ Yes	✅ Yes
Dark web monitoring	✅ Yes	❌ No
Webcam protection	✅ Yes	✅ Yes
Parental controls	✅ Yes	✅ Yes
More features	Norton review	Kaspersky review

Both Norton and Kaspersky have a lot of similar features. However, Norton VPN Standard offers unlimited data, while Kaspersky’s VPN has a 300MB daily cap. Norton’s VPN also performs dark web monitoring to check whether any of your private details have been leaked on illegal marketplaces. Kaspersky doesn’t have dark web monitoring or a similar feature.

Additionally, Kaspersky offers cloud storage and a password manager only with its top-tier subscription. Norton, on the other hand, gives 2GB of storage space and a password manager with its basic AntiVirus Plus plan.

Norton’s security and additional features include parental controls, webcam protection, a feature that blocks trackers and malicious sites on the web, built-in scam detection powered by advanced AI, as well as system optimization tools.

Kaspersky offers security features like real-time protection, anti-phishing technology, and system optimization tools. You can also get WebCam protection and parental controls. It also has a feature for blocking ads.

Norton vs Kaspersky price

When it comes to pricing, both Kaspersky and Norton offer multiple plans to choose from. You can get standard protection from $29.99/year with Norton while Kaspersky has a higher price – $38.49/year. Generally speaking, Norton offers better prices since not only its basic subscription is cheaper but the top-tier packages include security features with fewer usage limitations compared to Kaspersky.

	Norton	Kaspersky
Free	-	$0.00
AntiVirus Plus vs Anti-Virus	$29.99/year	$38.49/year
Deluxe vs Internet Security	$49.99/year	$39.99/year
Select vs Total Security	$99.99/year	$49.99/year
	Check Norton discounts	Check antivirus discounts

For example, even though the Internet Security plan from Kaspersky costs $39.99/year and Norton – $49.99/year – the Norton 360 Deluxe package protects up to 5 desktop or mobile devices and includes an unlimited VPN, parental controls, and the SafeCam feature in addition to everything in the basic plan. For the same price, Kaspersky Internet security protects only 3 devices and limits the VPN usage to 300MB per day.

Since the same tendency remains throughout other packages as well, I would definitely say that Norton has a better pricing with feature-rich security plans. Therefore, if you want to get the best value for money you should go with Norton instead of Kaspersky.

Norton and Kaspersky offer money-back guarantees with all of their plans. Norton’s every plan comes with a risk-free 60-day money-back guarantee, while Kaspersky offers a shorter, 30-day money-back guarantee.

Norton plans

Norton gives the flexibility to choose from multiple subscription options, so you can select the most suitable plan for your protection needs. Currently, Norton offers the following plans:

• Norton AntiVirus Plus – $29.99/year for 1 device
• Norton 360 Deluxe – $49.99/year for 5 devices
• Norton 360 with LifeLock Select – $99.99/year for 5 devices

If you’re seeking a basic subscription, with Norton AntiVirus Plus you get malware and ransomware protection, a smart firewall, 2GB of cloud storage, and a password manager for $29.99/year for 1 Windows or macOS device.

The mid-tier Norton 360 Deluxe package supports up to 5 desktop and mobile devices for $39.99/year. It includes 50GB of cloud storage, an unlimited VPN, parental controls, the SafeCam feature, and everything in the AntiVirus plan.

Finally, if you want all-round security, the Norton 360 with LifeLock Select plan costs $99.99/year for 5 devices. This package is the most feature-rich and gives everything as in the previous packages, plus 100GB cloud storage, dark web monitoring, and even a US-based identity restoration specialist if your credentials have been compromised.

Kaspersky plans

With Kaspersky, you also get the possibility to choose from the following subscription packages:

• Kaspersky Anti-Virus – $38.49/year for 3 devices
• Kaspersky Internet Security – $39.99/year for 3 devices
• Kaspersky Total Security – $49.99/year for 5 devices

Kaspersky Anti-Virus costs $38.49/year for 3 devices but it only works with Windows operating systems. However, you get protection against viruses, anti-phishing technology, and PC optimization tools.

Kaspersky Internet Security plan also protects 3 devices but supports Windows, macOS, and Android systems for $39.99/year. Along with the features included in the Anti-Virus plan, you also get Webcam protection and a VPN with a 300 MB daily traffic cap.

Finally, the top-tier subscription of Kaspersky Total Security offers a password manager and cloud storage as additional features. You can get this plan from $49.99/year for 5 mobile or desktop devices.

Kaspersky also offers a basic free plan, which only includes malware protection, and none of the advanced features such as a firewall, VPN, password manager, and others.

Norton vs Kaspersky apps, interface, and ease of use

When evaluating the experience of installing and using Kaspersky and Norton on desktop devices, I was very impressed. The installation process of Windows and macOS applications took a few minutes without any complex steps. Their interface is also user-friendly and intuitive.

However, the experience with mobile apps was different. I quickly installed Norton’s app on both Android and iOS devices, as well as enjoyed the density of included features. Kaspersky, on the other hand, provides three different apps to get the full antivirus package that you have to install separately.

In turn, it took me a while to install all these applications and get familiar with their interfaces. It’s definitely not convenient and takes much more effort and time.

Norton vs Kaspersky desktop apps

Norton has a simple and minimalistic desktop app that is compatible with both Windows and macOS devices. You can directly access each provided security feature from the dashboard, including:

• Malware scanning
• Dark web monitoring
• VPN
• Password manager
• Parental Controls
• Cloud backup

Its well-designed layout allows you to easily navigate through the app and find everything you need within a few clicks. Thus, I would say that it’s one of the most user-friendly apps that suits the needs of both professionals and home users.

Kaspersky also supports Windows and macOS devices and has a simplistic interface. Its dashboard contains four quick access options, including:

• Scan
• Reports
• Database update
• On-screen keyboard

If you wish to access more of its features, you’ll have to dig deeper through the More Tools button. Overall, I would say that the application is quite intuitive and shouldn’t cause you any trouble when trying to access its features.

Norton vs Kaspersky mobile apps

Norton has dedicated antivirus apps for both Android and iOS devices. However, they slightly differ in terms of available features.

For example, you can use the VPN, an ad blocker, and receive warnings when connected to an unsecured network on iPhone devices. Android app includes all of the mentioned features, plus it scans apps upon installation for malware, prevents spam calls, and notifies when suspicious applications drain your battery.

Overall, I would say that Norton’s mobile apps definitely are among the best antivirus for Android and the best iPhone antivirus, as not many security suites offer so many features for smartphone protection.

Kaspersky also supports Android and iOS devices. However, their antivirus solution comes as three separate apps providing specific security features. This method applies to both Android smartphones and iPhones. So, for full Android protection, you’d have to download the Kaspersky Security Cloud, Internet Security, and password manager applications.

Iphone users also have to get the Kaspersky Secure VPN, Security Cloud, and a password manager to achieve full protection. Unfortunately, I don’t think it’s the most convenient method, as most antivirus solutions come all-inclusive within one app.

Customer support

	Norton	Kaspersky
24/7 live chat	✅ Yes	✅ Yes
FAQ	✅ Yes	✅ Yes
Knowledge base	✅ Yes	✅ Yes
How-to guides	✅ Yes	✅ Yes
Phone support	✅ Yes	✅ Yes
Community forum	✅ Yes	✅ Yes
Facebook and Twitter support	✅ Yes	✅ Yes

Norton and Kaspersky truly put their efforts towards quality customer support as they both offer an impressive list of choices. You either choose to find relevant answers to your questions by yourself or get a dedicated support agent to help you.

Both providers have multiple 24/7 support options that are probably the fastest way to fix any issue. You can contact support agents of Kaspersky and Norton by phone or write a direct message in the live chat. They even answer queries on social media, like Facebook or Twitter.

However, if you’re keen on finding relevant information yourself, you can use the guidelines, a FAQs section, or an extensive knowledge base on Norton and Kaspersky websites.

Final verdict

Category	Norton	Kaspersky
Features	✅	❌
Protection	✅	✅
PC Performance	❌	✅
Pricing	✅	❌
User interface	✅	❌
Support	✅	✅

Norton and Kaspersky are similar to each other in many aspects, however, they excel in different areas. For example, Norton offers strong security features, has high malware protection scores, and provides user-friendly apps for all major platforms.

However, it has a big impact on PC performance when running scans. On the other hand, while Kaspersky is very resource-efficient in comparison to Norton, it restricts most of its advanced security features to the more expensive plans or limits the use of features like the VPN. In this case, Norton is more cost-effective, as it offers virtually the same feature suite with each of its pricing tiers.

Therefore when it comes to deciding whether it is Norton or Kaspersky, the answer is that Norton is a better antivirus than Kaspersky because of its advanced malware protection, unlimited VPN bandwidth, and better price values.

How I tested and compared Norton vs Kaspersky

All of the antivirus software that I recommend and compare goes through a comprehensive testing process, which involves testing real-time protection, scans, the features, evaluating price and quality, as well as impact on PC performance and overall usability. Here are some of the criteria that the Cybernews research team and I looked at when testing Norton and Kaspersky for this comparison:

1. Malware detection and removal (30%). We tested and evaluated all features related to detecting and removing malware from your device, including real-time protection against zero-day malware, virus scans, ransomware protection, firewalls, and more.
2. Performance (25%). While running tests for antivirus effectiveness, we closely monitored its impact on PC performance, notably the CPU load and how long it took to complete the scans.
3. Extra features (25%). I reviewed and evaluated any extra features an antivirus has, such as VPNs, password managers, web protection, ad and tracker blockers, parental controls, and system optimization tools.
4. Compatibility and ease of use (10%). I made sure that our recommended software was compatible with the most popular operating systems and browsers. Furthermore, I evaluated the overall usability of applications for different devices, looking at their design and functionality.
5. Pricing (10%). Finally, I looked at the offered pricing tiers and investigated what features and protection you get with each of them. I aim to recommend only the best antivirus solutions for affordable prices and ensure that you get quality protection at a reasonable cost.

---

More AV guides:

---

FAQ