Antivirus apps in the US: what users like, what they complain about, and who each is for (2026)

Two things are worth knowing before reading antivirus reviews. First, they’re reviews of the iPhone apps, and several reviewers point out that on iPhone these apps don’t scan for viruses the way the computer versions do — they mostly check links, networks, settings and messages. Second, many positive reviews are a single line from someone who has used the same brand for years.

The longer reviews are still useful. This page sums up what users wrote about McAfee, Norton 360, Avast and Bitdefender in App Store reviews from April to October 2026, next to what each company’s US pages say. Prices are on each product’s page on this site and in the antivirus category.

The short version

• Scam warnings are what people value most: alerts about suspicious links, texts and unsafe Wi-Fi come up for every brand.
• The built-in VPN causes the most complaints, especially Norton’s and Avast’s on iPhone and iPad.
• Updates break sign-in and licenses — reviewers describe being asked to log in or re-enter a license after an update.
• Unexpected charges are the sharpest complaints: “free” offers that weren’t, trials that turned into payments, cancellations that took months.
• First-year prices are lower than renewals for most of these brands. F-Secure is the exception: it doesn’t discount the first year.

Brand by brand

[McAfee](/prenumeratos/mcafee)

For you if you want broad protection with someone to call: many reviewers, often older, praise the scam and unsafe-Wi-Fi warnings, and several praise its support staff. McAfee+ comes in three tiers for unlimited devices — Premium, Advanced and Ultimate — with identity theft coverage on the higher two, and a Family plan for 6 members. Prices for the first term are lower than renewals; our McAfee page lists both.

Not for you if pop-ups bother you: several reviewers describe repeated renewal reminders and offers for paid “cleanup” extras.

Most five-star McAfee reviews are a line long, so they say little about how well it protects.

What reviewers complain about: extra charges and “free” offers that weren’t (several reviews), renewal reminders and slowdowns (several), features missing on iPhone (a few), the app not opening past the first screen after an update (a few).

[Norton 360](/prenumeratos/norton-360)

For you if you want antivirus, VPN, password manager and Dark Web Monitoring in one plan from a brand several reviewers have used for years. Standard covers 3 devices, Deluxe 5 and Norton 360 with LifeLock Select Plus 10; all advertise a lower first-year price and a 60-day money-back guarantee.

Not for you if you plan to rely on its VPN on iPhone or iPad: VPN problems are the main recent complaint by a wide margin.

Recent written Norton reviews lean more negative than its 4.7-star overall rating.

What reviewers complain about: the VPN disconnecting or not connecting after an iOS update (many), having to sign in again after updates (many), license and activation errors (several), alerts and upsells that don’t go away (several), price (several).

[Avast](/prenumeratos/avast)

For you if you want to try before you pay: Avast Premium Security has a 30-day free trial without a credit card. It comes for one Windows PC plus one mobile device, or for 10 devices, with scam protection for email, texts and calls.

Not for you if you expect the VPN to work every time on iPhone, or want to cancel in a click — those are the two main complaints in its recent reviews.

There are few recent Avast reviews, and they lean much more negative than the 4.7-star overall rating, so read this as the common complaints.

What reviewers complain about: the VPN failing to connect (several), cancelling, refunds and charges during a trial (several), signing in to the app (several), blocked websites and apps (a few), too many notifications (a few).

[Bitdefender](/prenumeratos/bitdefender)

For you if you protect several devices: Total Security covers 5 devices across Windows, macOS, Android and iOS, the Family plan covers 25 devices, and long-time users praise how it catches scams. Total Security’s VPN is limited to 200 MB a day per device; Premium Security makes it unlimited. There’s a 30-day trial.

Not for you if you expect full protection on iPhone: several reviewers say web protection keeps switching off and that the iPhone app only checks settings.

Recent Bitdefender reviews are few and lean negative compared with the 4.7-star overall rating.

What reviewers complain about: iPhone web protection turning off (several), limited scanning on iPhone (several), a “no Wi-Fi” error after one update that the next update fixed (several), the VPN (several), support and subscription problems (several).

ESET and F-Secure

Both have very few recent App Store reviews — four and three since April — so there isn’t a pattern to report. ESET’s iPhone app manages your subscription rather than scanning the phone. F-Secure sells Total for 1, 3 or 5 devices without a discounted first year, with a 30-day trial and a 30-day money-back guarantee; ESET sells three tiers for 1 to 25 devices.

What the complaints have in common

The VPN is the weak spot. Antivirus bundles increasingly include a VPN, and on iPhone and iPad it’s what users report breaking most often — after iOS updates in particular.

Updates and accounts. After an app update, reviewers of Norton, Avast and Bitdefender describe being signed out, asked for a license again or shown the free version of a plan they paid for.

Charges. The angriest reviews are about money: a trial that charged, a cancellation that took months, a “free” offer followed by a paid one.

Before you buy

• Compare the renewal price, not the first-year one. Most brands here discount the first year; F-Secure doesn’t.
• Use the trial or guarantee window to test the VPN on your own devices, if that’s part of why you’re buying.
• Write down how to cancel when you subscribe — and whether you bought through the App Store or the company.
• On iPhone, expect checks, not scans. If you need full antivirus scanning, it’s on the computer versions.

All six side by side, with current prices and renewal terms, are in the antivirus category.