Let’s go shopping at the security market—grab a cart! Hmm, can’t have security without antivirus, so toss that in the cart. Firewall? Yes, please! Oh, VPN is important, so your data is protected even when it leaves the computer. Spam filter? Parental control service? Those seem useful. Identity theft is utterly demoralizing, so grab an identity protection service. Now take a good look at your cartful, maybe snap a pic with your phone, and put everything back on the shelf. Go to the security suites aisle and find one that has all the features that you grabbed individually. What a relief, to just buy a single, integrated package.

Some security companies just add the most essential components to create a suite, while others rope in a huge variety of security elements. Just which of these security juggernauts should you choose? We’ve reviewed nearly 40 different suites and pulled together the best, from simple entry-level suites to cross-platform multi-device lollapaloozas. We're sharing the top suites we've tested here, along with that makes them unique and how they can work for you.

This article briefly mentions the many tests we use to evaluate security suites and determine which are the best. If you want more details on the torture tests we perform on every product we review, please read the full explanation of how we test security software.

Norton 360 Deluxe

Pros	Cons
+ No-limits VPN	- Parent control unavailable on macOS
+ Perfect scores protecting against dangerous and fraudlent websites	- Online backup strictly for Windows
+ New, streamlined mobile apps	- Security protection limited on iOS devices
+ Hosted online storage for backups
+ Powerful, self-sufficient firewall
+ Virus protection promise

Why We Picked It

When you buy a security suite, there’s an implied promise it will keep you safe. Norton 360 Deluxe makes that promise explicit. As long as you choose auto-renewal, you’ve got a guarantee Norton support will handle any malware that gets past the app’s protection. And that’s some powerful protection—all four independent labs we follow routinely give Norton perfect to near-perfect scores. It also aces our hands-on tests.

This suite includes a robust, intelligent firewall, a basic password manager, and a local spam filter, as well as a dark web monitoring system to warn if your private data is exposed. As a standalone, the parental control system is an Editors’ Choice. Your subscription lets you protect up to five devices running Windows, macOS, Android, or iOS. It also gets you five full licenses for Norton’s VPN. That’s a rarity; many other suites make you pay extra to remove limits from their included VPN components. And the 50GB of online storage for your backups is a nice bonus.

Some users were put off by the inclusion of Norton Crypto, an Ethereum-mining component managed by Norton. That's over due to Ethereum's merger and move away from GPU-based mining. Users can keep or cash out any cryptocurrency they've already accumulated, but Norton-backed mining is over.

Who It's For

Norton security products have been around for decades, and the brand has plenty of fans. This is a good choice for anyone who wants a time-tested suite that covers all the bases, but it's especially good for those who wisely opt to protect their connections with a VPN.

Bitdefender Internet Security

Pros	Cons
+ Near-perfect scores in independent antivrius lab tests and our web protection tests	- Parental content filter can't handle HTTPS in many popular browser
+ Effective ransomware protection	- Unlimied VPN access requires separate sub
+ VPN included	- No longer includes file encryption
+ Full-featured parental control	- Parental control for iOS limited
+ Many bonus features

Why We Picked It

Bitdefender’s standalone antivirus packs in more features than some self-proclaimed suites, and Bitdefender Internet Security piles on even more. The core antivirus technology consistently earns perfect and near-perfect scores from independent testing labs, and its ransomware-specific protection aced our tests. Other key features include a no-hassle firewall, a simple spam filter, password management, file shredding, a full-powered parental control system, and more. And it wraps all this protection in an AutoPilot system that lets you sit back and enjoy your protection, with minimal interaction.

Bitdefender does include a VPN, but with limits. You can’t pick and choose among available servers, and you can only use 200MB of bandwidth per day. That’s enough to try out the VPN protection, but if you plan to make serious use of the VPN you’ll have to pay for an upgrade.

Who It's For

Maybe you’re torn between two choices. On the one hand, you want a security suite that packs in every important security component. On the other hand, you don’t want those components clamoring for your attention when you’re working, gaming, or relaxing with a video. Is that you? If so, then Bitdefender Internet Security, with its multitude of components reined in by AutoPilot, is just what you need.

Bitdefender Total Security

Pros	Cons
+ Award-winning antivirus	- Parental content filter can't handle HTTPS in many popular browsers
+ Protects Windows, macOS, Android, and iOS devices	- Full VPN access requires separate sub
+ Online management and remote control	- Support for iOS extremely limited
+ Many bonus features, including VPN and ransomware protection

Why We Picked It

You almost certainly have security protection for your PCs, but have you protected your other devices? Bitdefender Total Security pours all the excellent, well-behaved features of Bitdefender Internet Security into your Windows boxes, and goes on to offer protection for your macOS, Android, and iOS devices. It also kicks its Windows game up a notch with system optimization and an unusual anti-theft component.

You manage your installations (or launch new ones) from the handy Bitdefender Central online console. Installing protection on a Mac you get Bitdefender Antivirus for Mac, an Editors’ Choice in its own realm, as well as the same limited VPN you see in Windows. The password manager and parental control features also support macOS.

Installed on Android, Total Protection brings a comprehensive collection of security features. It scans for malware on demand and also scans every new application. If you lose your phone, you can log in to Bitdefender Central and locate, lock, or wipe it. Scam Alert flags suspicious text messages, Web Protection fends off malicious and fraudulent web pages, App Lock adds a second PIN for your most sensitive apps, and Account Privacy checks known data breaches to see if your email was involved. This is an impressive Android app.

The same Apple-enforced strictures that make writing iOS malware difficult also interfere with creating security software for iOS. As with all cross-platform suites, Bitdefender’s iOS protection is relatively limited. You do get Account Privacy and the same limited VPN as on other platforms. However, there’s no antivirus component, nor does anti-theft make an appearance. Web Protection is limited. On the plus side, as long as you don’t enable Web Protection, your iOS installation doesn’t use up one of your licenses.

Who It's For

Bitdefender Total Security protects your Windows devices just as Bitdefender Internet Security does, which should make anyone happy. But Windows boxes are only part of the picture. Total Security adds award-winning protection for your Macs, a comprehensive suite for your Android devices, and even a modicum of security for iOS. If you need to secure and manage a household full of disparate devices, this one’s for you.

Norton 360 with LifeLock Select

Pros	Cons
+ LifeLock identity theft mitigation	- Security protection limited on iOS devices
+ No-limits VPN	- No parental control or backup for macOS
+ Excellent security protection	- Cannot actually prevent identity theft
+ Supports Windows, macOS, Android, and iOS
+ Virus Protection promise

Why We Picked It

Norton’s security software can protect your devices and your local data, but it can’t reach out into the real world and protect your identity. That’s why you want Norton 360 with LifeLock Select. This suite starts with everything we like about Norton 360 Deluxe and adds identity monitoring and identity theft remediation supplied by identity pioneer (and Norton property) LifeLock.

Once you’ve set up LifeLock, Norton monitors the dark web for any sign that your identity has been compromised. It tracks possible misuse of your SSN, unexpected new accounts in your name, and anomalous financial transactions. If you lose your wallet (or have it stolen) Norton can help deal with the fallout. You get periodic credit reports, along with help freezing your credit if necessary. And if the worst happens and your identity is stolen, Norton will spend up to a million dollars on remediating the theft.

This suite costs about $45 more than Norton 360 Deluxe alone, and you still get just five security suite and five VPN licenses, though storage for your backups rises to 100GB. At the Advantage level, which costs $100 more per year, you get ten of each license type and 250GB of storage, along with enhancements to monitoring and larger payouts for losses. Spend another $100 and you reach Ultimate Plus, which maxes out monitoring options and payouts and lets you install security suite and VPN protection on every device in your household.

Who It's For

Are you horrified to think that some malefactor could masquerade as you, open accounts in your name, spend your money, even get arrested while posing as you? Yes, identity theft can be a nightmare. Norton 360 with LifeLock Select protects your devices against malware and such, and also functions as an early warning system so you can nip identity theft in the bud. What a combination!

McAfee+

Pros	Cons
+ Identity protection and remediation with million-dollar guarantee	- Missed one hand-modified real-world ransomware attack
+ Protects all devices in your household	- Spam filtering and parental control no longer present
+ Cred scores, reports, and monitoring	- Several features are at end of life
+ Excellent antivirus lab test scores
+ No-limits VPN
+ Parental control for a small added fee

Why We Picked It

You installed security on your PC, and on your Mac, and your mobile devices. But what about your partner’s devices, and all those electronic devices that so enrapture your children? You could be looking at quite an expense to get them all secured. Unless, that is, you turn to McAfee+. This generous suite lets you protect every device in your household, whether it runs Windows, macOS, Android, or iOS. It even supports Chromebooks and ARM-based laptops. That protection includes use of McAfee’s VPN with no limits on bandwidth or server choices, as well as numerous security bonus features. Better still, the antivirus component aces our hands-on protection tests.

McAfee+ comes in three tiers, Premium, Advanced, and Ultimate. You get basic Dark Web monitoring of personal information at all three levels. The Advanced and Ultimate levels include full-scale identity theft monitoring and remediation, roughly parallel to Norton’s LifeLock. It doesn’t monitor quite as many different aspects of your identity, but it hits the important ones. And, like LifeLock, it comes with a guarantee. If you suffer identity theft, McAfee will spend up to a million dollars helping you to a full recovery.

Who It's For

If you live in a Manhattan rent-controlled apartment with your cat, your Mac, and your iPhone, this isn’t the suite for you. But if you have a house full of modern digitally active people, it can be a godsend. More than 10 devices? More than 20? Relax, they’re all covered!

Trend Micro Maximum Security

Pros	Cons
+ Excellent scores in our phishing and malicious download tests	- Lab scores from perfect to dismal
+ Comprehensive Android security	- Poor score in hands-on malware protection test
+ Protection for macOS beyond the basics	- Parental control weak
+ Unusually feature-rich iOS protection
+ Many useful security features

Why We Picked It

What kind of security do you want for your devices? Maximum security, naturally! Trend Micro Maximum Security has you covered, with protection for Windows, macOS, Android, and iOS devices. All four of the antivirus testing labs we follow consider the Trend Micro antivirus engine important enough to merit examination, though it doesn’t always get the best scores. It did score very well in our hands-on tests defending against malware-hosting websites and phishing frauds.

On Windows, Trend Micro presents a wide array of features, among them: multi-layered ransomware protection; protection for online transactions; a PC Health Checkup system; a scanner for privacy lapses in social media; an advanced encryption system for your sensitive documents; and a file shredder to securely delete originals after encryption. A few of its features aren’t quite as stellar. The parental control system is limited, password management handles just the basic, and spam filtering works only with Outlook. Even so, the collection of security features is impressive.

In cross-platform suites, it’s not uncommon for Windows to get all the goodies, leaving Macs with just a basic antivirus. Not so with Trend Micro. The macOS product gets top scores from the testing labs. It scans for malware on access, on demand, and on schedule, and also scans any removable drives you mount. Other features include ransomware protection, detection of web-based threats, preventing misuse of the camera and mic, parental control, and the same social network scan as on Windows. Android users likewise get a feature-complete security suite, and it offers more protection than most on iOS devices.

Who It's For

On Windows, Trend Micro Maximum Security is feature-rich, but has a few rough edges. But on macOS, Android, and iOS, it outperforms the competition. It’s a great choice if you need to protect across multiple platforms, and even greater if Windows isn’t your primary platform.

Avast One

Pros	Cons
+ Many excellent antivirus lab scores	- Protection limited on Android, more so on iOS
+ Includes no-limits VPN	- Tracker Prevention only present on macOS
+ Very good scores in our hands-on tests	- No WiFi Inspector
+ Protection for Windows, macOS, Android, and IOS
+ Enhanced privacy and performance features

Why We Picked It

Instead of the typical geometric shapes, Avast One decorates its display with color splotches, doodles, and happy people. If you like top-notch lab scores, you’ll be happy too. The labs all keep an eye on Avast, and it takes perfect scores in almost all of them. It rates near the top in our hands-on tests, too, and its full scan is faster than most. If malware interferes with Windows itself, Avast’s boot-time scan takes care of it, and it balks ransomware by banning unauthorized file changes.

Antivirus protects your data locally, while a VPN protects it in transit. Avast’s VPN isn’t the most feature-rich, but you can use it with no limits. Among other unusual security features, Avast can: protect sensitive documents from others including other accounts on the same PC; prevent use of the webcam by untrusted programs; and check to see if any of your passwords got exposed in a breach. You also get a set of performance enhancement features liberated from the limits imposed in Avast’s free edition.

Two independent labs verify that Avast offers excellent protection for your Macs. Many features carry over from Windows, among them ransomware protection, performance enhancements, web-level protection against dangerous sites, and the VPN. And Mac users get an anti-tracker feature that doesn’t appear in Windows. It’s not as comprehensive on Android, though, and offers even less on iOS.

Who It's For

Avast is a household name around the world, with millions relying on its free antivirus. If you’re an Avast aficionado looking to kick your security game up a notch, this suite is the way to go.

Avira Prime

Pros	Cons
+ Includes Pro editions of all current and future Avira tools	- Lacks many expected suite features
+ Protection for Windows, macoS, Android, and iOS	- Browser-independent Web Protection feature seriously ineffective
+ No-limits VPN	- So-so scores in our hands-on testing
+ Comprehensive system optimizer
+ Decent to excellent scores from antivirus testing labs

The Bottom Line:
If you're going to buy any Avira software, Avira Prime is the one to get, as it includes every free and paid tool from Avira. However, even with its entire posse of apps it can't top the best cross-platform multi-device security suites.

Why We Picked It

An Avira Prime subscription gets you every security tool from Avira, but that’s not all. Any time Avira comes up with a new security product, you get that too. Many of these are available separately in both free and Pro editions—Avira Prime users naturally get the Pro editions. And it supports Windows, macOS, Android, and iOS.

All the independent labs I follow include Avira, and it aces most (but not all) of their tests. In my own hands-on tests, though, it came up a bit short. On the plus side, you can use its VPN freely, with no limits on bandwidth or server choices. System Speedup Pro With HyperBoost aims to fine-tune performance, Software Updater Pro automatically finds and applies needed security patches, and Password Manager Pro adds an advanced security report that’s not available in the free edition.

Other than removing VPN limits, Avira's Pro-level macOS edition doesn’t add a lot beyond what you can get for free. Android users wind up installing four apps: Antivirus Security Pro, Optimizer Pro, Phantom VPN Pro, and Password Manager Pro. On an iOS device, Avira’s scan covers Protection, Privacy, and Performance, but not malware. The password manager and VPN are among the other apps that have an iOS presence.

Who It's For

When Avira Prime is your suite, you don’t have to fear missing out on the latest and greatest features. Whatever marvel Avira’s developers and wizards come up with, it’s yours. Avira is the no-FOMO choice.

ESET Internet Security

Pros	Cons
+ Very good antivirus lab scores	- Very limited parental control
+ Full-featured Android protection	- Poor score in hands-on malware protection test
+ No impact in performance tests	- Unusually annoying firewall pop-ups
+ Useful home network security scanner	- Pro edition adds little for macOS
+ Anti-theft software for laptops

Why We Picked It

That blue-eyed cyborg peering at you from the main window makes it clear that ESET Internet Security leans toward high technology. For example, it offers a Device Control system that gives you granular control over what device types and devices can connect to your PC. You could block USB drives in general, but allow use of those you’ve personally vetted. This suite comes with a big set of security tools, some that are fine for all users and some that require serious tech expertise.

An impressive Network Inspector lets you see all the devices connected to your network, with an option to get notified when new devices connect. It also checks your devices for security problems such as ports open that shouldn’t be. Avast once boasted a similar feature, but no longer does so. Other ESET features include firewall, spam filter, anti-theft for laptops, webcam security, banking protection, and a limited parental control system.

As for the core antivirus protection, ESET slips a bit. Its test scores, from just two labs, range from average to excellent, but it tanked our hands on malware protection test. On the positive side, it scored well when we tested its protection against malicious and fraudulent websites. ESET’s Android edition provides a comprehensive set of security features, and the labs give it top marks. As for protecting your Macs, ESET offers antivirus, firewall, parental control, and a simplified device control. However, the labs no longer put it to the test, and it tanked one of our hands-on tests.

Who It's For

Quite a few features in the ESET Internet Security suite require an uncommon level of technical expertise. If you’re that uncommon person whose expertise rises to the necessary level, this suite is for you. You’ll use the Network Inspector to gain full insight into your devices, take system status snapshots with SysInspector, and build a perfect set of device control rules. Not you? Maybe look elsewhere.

Webroot SecureAnywhere Internet Security Complete

Pros	Cons
+ Excellent antivirus protection	- Backup no longer available for macOS or Android
+ 25GB hosted storage to back up and sync files	- Android support seriously dimished
+ Third-party password manager	- Firewall not working during testing
+ Light on system resources	- Secure deletion tool does no data overwriting at default level
+ Fast scan

Webroot SecureAnywhere Internet Security Complete adds hosted online backup for your Windows devices to the limited features of Webroot’s entry-level suite. If what you need is antivirus plus backup and not a lot more, it’s worth consideration.

Why We Picked It

I check free space before and after each security suite installation, to see how much space is needed. Results are typically in the 1GB to 2GB range. Webroot SecureAnywhere Internet Security Complete, on the other hand, comes in at about 21MB—less if you don’t install the bundled LastPass Premium. And its antivirus scan takes about five minutes, where the average runs to over an hour. It definitely gets the tiny-and-speedy prize.

Webroot does wipe out known bad programs on sight, but its primary detection mode is behavioral. For any unknown program, Webroot monitors behaviors and journals all changes to the system. Irreversible actions like transmitting data from the system are forbidden to unknowns. Sooner or later, Webroot’s online HQ comes up with a verdict. If it’s guilty, Webroot terminates the program and rolls back every single change. It can even roll back ransomware. This technique is a bad fit for most organized testing systems, which assume that an antivirus will take action immediately or not at all, so Webroot doesn’t have any current lab test scores. In our own hands-on tests, though, it gets excellent scores. You won’t find parental control in this suite, nor spam filtering, and Android security has dwindled from its foreign glory.

Webroot offers 25GB of hosted storage along with a system to back up or sync your files. Its firewall focuses on program control, leaving Windows Firewall to do what it does best. You get some simple tuneup tools, plus a collection of features meant to be used by experts or (more likely) tech support.

Who It's For

Is your dog a teacup poodle? Do you build miniature models of your favorite cities? Or do you just like things that do their jobs quickly? Webroot is the smallest security solution around, and among the fastest.

Get a Security Suite for All-Around Protection

Audiophiles enjoy collecting choice components and tinkering to make them work together perfectly. It’s an enjoyable hobby. For some strange reason, ginning up the perfect collection of security tools never caught on as a hobby. If you want more than the core basic protection of an antivirus tool, you don’t fill your shopping basket with firewall, spam filter, backup system, and so on. Rather, you purchase a fully integrated security suite that has the component you want built in. You gain the confidence that the component will work together, and you pay a lot less than you would buying each element separately.

The top security companies offer security suites that integrate a variety of features. Some stick to the basics, while others pile on tons of useful extras, from VPN to online backup to dedicated ransomware protection. Just read PCMag's reviews of security suites and select one that has the features you need. We've reviewed nearly 40 security suites and identified a collection of the best, of all types from simple entry-level suites to cross-platform multi-device extravaganzas.

This article briefly mentions the many tests we use to evaluate security suites and determine which are the best. If you want more details on the torture tests we perform on every product we review, please read the full explanation of how we test security software.

Basic and Advanced Security Suites

Most security companies offer at least three levels of security products, a standalone antivirus utility, an entry-level security suite, and an advanced suite with additional features. Most entry-level suites include antivirus, firewall, antispam, and parental control. The advanced "mega-suite" typically adds a backup component and some form of system tune-up utility, and some also add password management, a VPN, or other security extras.

When a new product line comes out, we start by reviewing the antivirus. In our review of the entry-level suite, we summarize results from the antivirus review and dig deeper into the suite-specific features. And for a mega-suite review, we focus on the advanced features, referring to the entry-level suite review for features shared by both. Your choice of a basic or advanced security suite depends entirely on what features matter to you.

The suites we've rounded up here aim to protect consumers. You can use any of them in a small business, but as your company grows you may need to switch to a SaaS endpoint protection system. This type of service lets an administrator monitor and manage security for all the company's computers.

Windows Defender? Maybe

Over the years, the Windows Defender program built into Windows 10 has evolved into Microsoft Windows Defender Security Center. That imposing name reflects the fact that in addition to antivirus protection it manages Windows Firewall and other Windows security features. It doesn't truly qualify as a suite; it's just an antivirus that manages other Windows components. Independent antivirus test scores for Windows Defender have literally come in below zero in the past. They've been steadily improving; in one recent test, Windows Defender earned a perfect score. In our latest hands-on tests, it scored better than some competing products. You can still get better overall protection from the best third-party free antivirus utilities, but Windows Defender is looking better all the time. Even so, it can't replace a full-scale security suite.

Fighting Malware, Adware, and Spyware

Malware protection is the heart of a security suite; without an antivirus component, there's no suite. Naturally you want a suite whose antivirus is effective. When evaluating an antivirus, we look for high marks from the independent antivirus testing labs. The fact that the labs consider a product important enough to test is a vote of confidence. The very best antivirus products get high ratings from many labs.

We also perform our own hands-on testing. For one test we use a relatively static set of malware samples that's replaced once per year. We note how the antivirus reacts when we try to launch those samples and score it on how well it protects the test system. For another, we try to download very new malicious files from URLs no more than a few days old. Lab test results, our own test results, and other aspects like ease of use go into our antivirus rating.

Firewall Choices

A typical personal firewall offers protection in two main areas. On the one hand, it monitors all network traffic to prevent inappropriate access from outside the network. On the other, it keeps a watchful eye on running applications to make sure they don't misuse your network connection. The built-in Windows Firewall handles monitoring traffic but doesn't include program control. A few security suites skip the firewall component, figuring that Windows Firewall already does the most essential firewall tasks.

The last thing you want is a firewall that bombards you with incomprehensible queries about online activity. Should BorisBadenov.exe be allowed to connect with IP address 2606:4700::6811:6563 on port 8080? Allow or Block? Once, or always? Modern firewalls cut down on these queries by automatically configuring permissions for known programs. The very best also handle unknown programs by monitoring them closely for signs of improper network activity and other suspicious behaviors.

Squelch Some Spam

These days, most of us hardly ever see spam messages in our inboxes because our email providers filter them out. If you don't get this service from your provider, it can be hard to even find your valid mail amid all the offers of male enhancements, Russian brides, and economic stimulus payment scams.

If your provider doesn't squelch spam, it's smart to choose a suite that has spam filtering built in. Look for one that integrates with your email client. Client integration lets it divert spam into its own folder, and sometimes lets you train the spam filter by flagging any spam messages that get through or, worse, valid messages that wound up in the spam pile.

Phishing and Privacy Protection

The best antivirus in the world can't help you if a fraudulent website tricks you into giving away your security credentials. Phishing sites masquerade as bank sites, auction sites, even online dating sites. When you enter your username and password, though, your account is instantly compromised. Some clever ones will even pass along your credentials to the real site, to avoid raising suspicions. We test phishing protection using real-world fraudulent sites scraped from the internet.

Steering users away from phishing sites helps protect privacy, but that's not the only way suites can keep your private information out of the wrong hands. Some offer specific protection for user-defined sensitive data, credit cards, bank accounts, that sort of thing. Any attempt to transmit sensitive data from your computer sets of an alarm. Some contract with third-party companies to offer credit protection. Other spyware protection techniques include foiling keyloggers, preventing misuse of your webcam, and supplying a hardened browser that lets you do online banking in an environment isolated from other processes.

What About Parental Control?

We don't penalize a suite for omitting parental control. Not everyone has kids, and not every parent feels comfortable about controlling and monitoring their children's computer use. However, if parental control is present, it has to work properly.

Blocking inappropriate websites and controlling how much time the child spends on the Internet (or on the computer) are the core components of a parental control system. Some suites add advanced features like instant message monitoring, limiting games based on ESRB ratings, and tracking the child's location. Others can't even manage the basics successfully.

VPN Protects Your Communications

Local antivirus and security suites protect your data and documents, but their protection doesn't extend to your internet communications. A virtual private network, or VPN, secures your internet traffic and can also serve to hide your actual IP address or location from snoops. Most VPN companies have just the one product, but some security suite companies have ventured into the VPN realm.

Typically, though, you don't get full VPN protection as part of your suite. Some install a free edition, or a free trial. Others offer a link that sends you online to subscribe. Norton 360 and McAfee Total Protection are rare exceptions, both offering a VPN without such limits.

Don't Bog Me Down

One big reason to use a security suite rather than a collection of individual utilities is that the integrated suite can do its tasks using fewer processes and a smaller chunk of your system's resources. Or at least, that's what ought to happen. Few modern suites have an appreciable effect on performance.

For a hands-on measure of just what effect installing a suite has, we time three common system actions with and without the suite installed, averaging many runs of each test. One test measures system boot time, another moves and copies a large collection of files between drives, and a third zips and unzips that same file collection repeatedly. Suites with the very lightest touch have almost no effect on the time required.

Backup and Tune-Up Utilities

In a sense, having a backup of all your files is the ultimate security. Even if stray debris from a close-call asteroid destroys your computer, you can still restore from backup. Some companies reserve backup for their mega-suite offering, while others include it in the entry-level suite. Read our reviews carefully, as backup capabilities vary wildly. At the low end, some companies give you nothing you couldn't get for free from IDrive or another online backup service. At the high end you might get 25GB, 50GB, or even more online storage hosted by the company, along with the ability to make local backups.

Tuning up your system performance has no direct connection with security, unless it serves to counteract the security suite's performance drag. However, tune-up components often include privacy-related features such as clearing traces of browsing history, wiping out temporary files, and deleting lists of recently used documents. For a dedicated system-cleaning app, read our roundup of the Best Tune-Up Utilities.

Mac, Android, and iOS Security

Windows still dominates the desktop, but many households include Macs as well. Cross-platform multi-device suites give you once source of protection for all your devices. Typically you don't get as many features on macOS. In fact, most companies just offer a Mac antivirus, not a full suite. Do take advantage of the option to protect your Macs. They're not immune to malware.

Android devices are ubiquitous, and the Android platform isn't locked down the way iOS is. Even if you stay away from third-party app stores and refrain from jailbreaking your device, you can still get hit with Trojans, ransomware, and other kinds of Android malware. Smart users protect their devices with an Android antivirus. All the best Android antivirus utilities include antitheft features such as the ability to locate, lock, or wipe a lost or stolen device. Many include bonus features like blocking unwanted calls or warning when you connect to an insecure Wi-Fi network.

As for iPhones and other iOS devices, Apple's built-in security makes life tough both for malware coders and antivirus writers. Many cross-platform suites simply skip iOS; those that don't typically offer a seriously stripped-down experience. Given the platform's intrinsic security, it rarely makes sense to expend one of your licenses installing protection on an iPhone.

What's Not Here?

We've evaluated nearly 40 security suites, including entry-level suites, feature-packed mega-suites, and suites that extend protection across multiple different platforms. The products listed in this article have all received at least four stars.

In some cases, two products from the same company appear in the chart. For example, Bitdefender Internet Security is an Editors' Choice for entry-level suite, and Bitdefender Total Security earned the same honor as a security mega-suite. The same pattern holds for Kaspersky; Norton also claimed two entries with two products earning four stars or better.

What's the Best Security Suite?

This article identifies ten security suites that we definitely recommend, including multi-device suites, mega-suites, and entry-level suites. If you're looking for a suite that covers the basics without getting in the way, Bitdefender Internet Security and Kaspersky Internet Security are our Editors' Choice winners. In the mega-suite range, Editors' Choice goes to Bitdefender Total Security, with more features than you can imagine.

Norton 360 Deluxe, which protects up to five devices, and Kaspersky, which protects up to 20, are our Editors' Choice products for cross-platform multi-device security suite. Note that to get more Norton licenses, you must upgrade to one of the subscriptions that bundles LifeLock identity theft remediation—each level gets you more suite licenses and VPN licenses, as well as more hosted storage for online backup. With a powerful, integrated suite protecting your devices, you can stay protected without worrying about balancing security against performance.

• The Best For Wealth of Bonus Features
  Bitdefender Internet Security
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• The Best For VPN Enthusiasts
  Norton 360 Deluxe
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• The Best For Excellent Lab Test Scores
  Kaspersky Internet Security
  $39.99 Per Year at Kaspersky

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• The Best For Multi-Device Households
  Kaspersky Security Cloud
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• The Best For Unusual Bonus Features
  Bitdefender Total Security
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• The Best For Multi-Device Households
  McAfee Total Protection
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• The Best For Privacy Enthusiasts
  Norton 360 With LifeLock Select
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• The Best For Advanced Users
  Webroot SecureAnywhere Internet Security Complete
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• The Best For Parents
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