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In our always-connected world, there are unfortunately brand new cybersecurity threats showing up every day. It’s never been more important to take control of your internet security and digital footprint. The more our everyday lives become interconnected with our online profiles and digital identities, the more compelling targets we become for bad actors, identity thieves, and ransomware schemes.
But protecting yourself doesn’t need to be confusing. One of the best and easiest solutions to protect yourself and your household is finding a holistic cyber security package that best suits your specific needs. As the PCMag Editors’ Choice, an easy recommendation is Norton 360. If you’re looking to upgrade your Antivirus, or get started with Norton 360 but don’t know where to begin, here is everything you need to know.
Norton 360: What Does It Do?
Norton 360 is Norton’s flagship antivirus and internet security suite of software. It protects your digital devices against a host of cyber threats, and gives you a useful set of tools and features to manage your privacy. Building off the incredibly popular Norton AntiVirus Plus, Norton 360 provides the industry leading Anti-Spyware, Antivirus, Malware and Ransomware Protection that Norton is known for, alongside new additions such as secure cloud storage, a secure VPN, Dark Web Monitoring, and Parental Controls.
Norton 360 is designed to cover as many of your security needs as possible (hence the 360 moniker). It operates on both PC and Mac, as well as iOS and Android smartphones/tablets. There are four different tiers of Norton 360 subscription available: Standard, Deluxe, Premium, and Advanced. If you’re looking to set up Norton 360 across multiple digital devices, you’ll need to upgrade to Deluxe or Premium. We’ll go over the main differences in features and price below, but first let’s answer one burning question you might have.
Do I Need Antivirus?
Simply put, yes. There has never been a more dangerous time to surf the web, especially with the impact of AI-generated deep fakes and identity theft. If you work remotely or do any banking or confidential business from a personal device, you’re putting both your data and your identity at risk. And, while you might consider yourself tech savvy, an important point to consider is that often you’re not the only person using your personal device(s).
The good ol’ fashioned family computer is a hotbed for all sorts of cyber attacks. The likelihood of a risky download or phishing scam increases exponentially when kids are involved, making parental controls offered by Norton 360 Deluxe and above an absolute lifesaver when it comes to curious kids who like to click links.
Norton 360 Standard, Deluxe, Premium, Advanced: What’s The Difference?
While it may be easy to assume that the more you spend on a security product, the more secure it is, Norton doesn’t actually price its antivirus subscription plans this way. All of the Norton 360 subscription plans offer the exact same technology when it comes to their Anti-Spyware, Antivirus, Malware and Ransomware Protection. So, if you end up with the Standard package as opposed to Deluxe or Premium, you’ll still be just as secure.
The primary differences between Standard, Deluxe and Premium comes down to the number of devices you’ll be protecting, the amount of secure cloud storage you require, and the addition of parental controls (features specifically designed around restricting children’s unsafe internet access). Norton 360 Advanced is the most comprehensive of the available plans, and includes features such as Identity Restoration Support, Identity Theft Insurance, and Social Media Monitoring.
We’ll go into more detail on each of these options below, but the simple breakdown is this: If you’re just looking to fully protect a single device, Norton 360 Standard should be enough. If you have kids or want to protect up to three devices, Norton 360 Deluxe will do the trick. And if you require protection for up to five devices, or want more storage for backing up your devices to the cloud, you’ll probably want to go straight to the Norton 360 Premium plan.
Inside Norton 360 Products
EOFY Sale offer of A$59.99 for first year; renews at full pricing.
Norton 360 Standard provides comprehensive protection for one PC, Mac, smartphone, or tablet. This plan gives you access to multiple layers of security with the same Anti-Spyware, Antivirus, Malware and Ransomware Protection as in Norton AntiVirus Plus, with included access to a secure vpn for safe browsing, a Password Manager, and SafeCam for PC to block unauthorised access to your webcam. For your sensitive, crucial files and financial data, you have access to 10GB of cloud storage with PC Cloud Backup. Perfect for locking down the trusty home PC or Mac.
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EOFY Sale offer of A$69.99 for first year; renews at full pricing.
Norton 360 Deluxe is PCMag Editors’ choice for the best security suite for VPN Enthusiasts. Of the three options, it provides the best value for the most robust personal internet security suite available. This plan provides all the features of Norton 360 Standard for up to three devices, including online privacy (Norton Secure VPN), SafeCam for PC, Parental Control, Password Manager, as well as Dark Web Monitoring. It also includes up to 50GB of cloud storage for PC backup and is the cheapest access to Parental Control features such as ‘School Time’, which limits internet access to specifically educational websites and resources during school hours. If you can’t make your mind up and just want to be as safe as possible across multiple devices, this is your best bet.
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EOFY Sale offer of A$84.99 for first year; renews at full pricing.
Much like the Deluxe plan, Norton 360 Premium provides multiple layers of protection for up to five devices, online privacy features including Norton Secure VPN, SafeCam for PC, Password Manager, Parental Control, and Dark Web Monitoring. For the most part, Premium offers all of the same features as Deluxe but for more devices. The core difference between Premium and Deluxe is in the allocated storage capacity for Cloud Backup. Norton 360 Premium offers 100GB of cloud storage compared to Deluxe’s 50GB.
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Intro offer of A$149.99 for first year; renews at full pricing.
Norton 360 Advanced is the most fully-loaded and comprehensive of all the Norton 360 subscription plans. Including the same antivirus protection and all the features of Norton 360 Premium for up to five devices, online privacy features including Norton Secure VPN, SafeCam for PC, Password Manager, Parental Control, and Dark Web Monitoring. On top of this, Norton 360 Advanced also includes identity protection tools such as Identity Restoration Support, Identity Theft Insurance, Stolen Wallet Assist, and Social Media Monitoring.
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For more information on Norton 360, check out our PCMag Review here, and read more on the Norton Australia website.