AVG AntiVirus Free vs McAfee Total Protection Comparison

• AntiVirus Free: Free; the Android app shows third-party ads
• Internet Security for 1 PC, renewal: $79.99 a year, the price the store calls the renewal price
• Internet Security for 1 PC, first year: Intro: $39.99 for the first year
• Internet Security for 10 devices, renewal: $109.99 a year, the price the store calls the renewal price
• Internet Security for 10 devices, first year: Intro: $59.88 for the first year on the store page, $59.99 on the product page
• Ultimate for 10 devices, renewal: $149.99 a year, the price the store calls the renewal price; $59.88 for the first year

• Total Protection Essential for 5 devices, renewal: $119.99 a year after the first year; the checkout gives this as the current renewal price
• Total Protection Essential for 5 devices, first year: Intro: $39.99 for the first year, for new customers
• McAfee+ Premium Individual, renewal: $149.99 a year after the first year ($49.99 in the first year); from the plan page, not checked in the cart

The product privacy notice (updated 26 August 2026) says the desktop app, which covers AVG AntiVirus Free and Internet Security, sends samples of suspicious files and detection metadata to AVG's servers through CommunityIQ, and that AVG may 'directly analyze suspicious files in our safe environment'. For the desktop app it also lists 'URLs and referrers (malicious URL information may also include search terms or cookie information associated with the malware)', kept for 36 months, the IP address, installed applications and security software, and product usage events. On Android, the notice lists the URLs of websites visited, 'malicious and non-malicious', for 36 months. The support article on privacy settings lets you untick sharing of threat data and of app-usage data; the 'Offers' setting cannot be switched off in the free version.

The McAfee License Agreement says the antivirus protection may automatically send McAfee reports about suspected malware and unwanted software, that 'the reports may include files that contain suspected malware', that McAfee will ask permission first if it thinks a suspicious file is likely to contain personal data, and that 'You can turn off this automatic reporting from your antivirus protection in your product.' The privacy notice adds that the software collects device ID, telemetry, McAfee ID, IP address, web domains visited and web traffic data, and that the WebAdvisor browser extension collects URLs, search information and the name and size of downloaded files.

The Gen Digital general privacy notice says 'We do not sell your personal data to third parties' and also 'Where permitted by applicable law, we may share personal data with third parties for advertising purposes'. The product notice says the free Android app 'serves relevant third-party advertisements' through partners it lists (Google AdMob, Amazon, Facebook Audience Network, InMobi, AppLovin, Unity Technologies, IronSource and Liftoff Mobile), and that the advertising ID is processed for IronSource. The consent policy says consent is asked at installation and an equivalent paid version has no ads. The desktop app uses Google Analytics; the phone apps use Google Firebase, AppsFlyer and Singular. In the free version, the 'Offers' setting based on app-usage data cannot be disabled. The support article says 'When you use most AVG applications, you share anonymous data with AVG and other third parties' and that you can opt out at any time.

The privacy notice says McAfee does not 'sell' personal information under U.S. state law, but may share information with third-party advertising partners for cross-context behavioral and targeted advertising, that it collects mobile advertising identifiers, that mobile advertising partners may use location to target ads where location access is granted, and that it uses Meta's business tools to target ads. Opt-out is through the Individual Data Request form or Global Privacy Control. The Cookie Notice adds that free McAfee products may share device and advertising identifiers with web browsing or app usage with select partners for targeted ads, with an opt-out in the product settings.

AVG is part of Gen Digital Inc., whose privacy team is in Tempe, Arizona; the group says it has dual headquarters in Prague and Tempe. For users in the European Economic Area the controller of personal data for AVG products is a Czech company in Prague, so EU data protection law applies to it. The group notice says personal data may be disclosed to public authorities and in legal proceedings.

McAfee, LLC is registered in California and has its headquarters at 6220 America Center Drive, San Jose. The privacy notice names McAfee Ireland Limited as the controller for consumers in the EEA and says McAfee may disclose data to law enforcement and government authorities, including for national security purposes and in response to subpoenas.

AVG says it has made security software since 1991. In 2016 a larger antivirus company bought a majority of AVG Technologies N.V., then listed on the New York Stock Exchange; that buyer was itself acquired in 2022 by the company now called Gen Digital, listed on NASDAQ, and AVG's site and notices now carry Gen Digital's name.

On 1 March 2022 McAfee Corp. announced the completion of its acquisition by an investor group led by Advent International and funds advised by Permira, with Crosspoint Capital Partners, CPP Investments, GIC and a subsidiary of the Abu Dhabi Investment Authority; the deal was valued at over $14 billion and McAfee left the stock exchange.