Webroot® vs. McAfee® Software: Who Wins?

See how Webroot and McAfee® cybersecurity solutions stack up according to independent testing and verified user reviews.

Is Webroot better than McAfee® software?

Webroot ranks higher than McAfee® software for performance for business and home use applications, according to several sources.

The independent third-party software review firm Passmark has Webroot® Business Endpoint Security solution handily beating McAfee's endpoint security in terms of performance, with an overall score of 84 for Webroot compared to McAfee's 39. Webroot outperformed McAfee in all metrics tested.

For consumers, U.S. News & World Report placed Webroot SecureAnywhere® home antivirus solutions a full seven ranks higher than McAfee® antivirus in its comparison of the best antivirus products of 2020. PCMag.com, in its annual ranking of the best antivirus of 2020, awarded Webroot 4.5 stars to McAfee® Antivirus Plus’s 4.

Comparing antivirus & internet security for personal devices

Webroot ranks no. 3 in the U.S. News & World Report comparison, with McAfee® Antivirus coming in at no. 10.

While McAfee® Antivirus software’s price-point is praised by PCMag.com, it admits "other products may score better in testing," whereas Webroot SecureAnwhere® software "aces our hands-on malware protection test, and can even roll back ransomware activity."
 

"Webroot is also considerably faster than McAfee, which has a tendency to slow down computers with low processing power. McAfee and Webroot both score equally in expert reviews, but Webroot boasts a considerably higher user satisfaction score."

-CheekyMunkey IT Support
 

According to U.S. News & World Report, Webroot scores well in its antivirus testing because of its:

Low-priced subscriptions

Low impact on system performance

Firewall and webcam protection included at all pricing levels

Comparing small/medium business endpoint security
 

The readers of ChannelPro Networks, a publication dedicated to serving the IT professionals serving small businesses, ranked Webroot as the gold-standard for both endpoint security and total security software suite. McAfee® software was not a top contender in either category.

Webroot also outranks McAfee MVISION™ Cloud for business endpoint protection in PCMag.com's comparison of these products, with Webroot receiving a 3.5-star rating to McAfee's 3-star rating.

Verified users of the independent business software review platform TrustRadius reports Webroot outperforming the McAfee® Total Protection solution in the following categories:

Anti-Exploit Technology
 

Endpoint Detection and Response (EDR)

Centralized Management
 

Hybrid Deployment Support
 

Vulnerability Management
 

Malware Detection and Infection Remediation

PassMark March 2019 –
Webroot vs. McAfee

Webroot outshined McAfee® Endpoint Security software in every category tested by the independent software testing platform Passmark. Webroot was found to be lighter on devices, speedier to install, quicker in scans, and to take up less memory on the device. In fact, McAfee® Endpoint Security software did not outperform Webroot in a single performance category.

The several performance metrics measured included:
 

  • Installation time
  • On-demand scan time
  • Installation size
  • Scheduled scan time
  • Boot time
  • Browse time
  • CPU usage during idle
  • File copy, move and delete time
  • CPU usage during scan
  • Compression/decompression time
  • Memory usage during system idle
  • File write, open and close time
  • Memory usage during initial scan
  • Network throughput time

G2 Crowd Peer Reviews

Verified user reviews of McAfee® Endpoint Security software and Webroot® Business Endpoint Protection rank Webroot higher in every review category, for a total rating 4.7/5 stars for Webroot® Business Endpoint Protection and 4.3/5 stars for McAfee® Endpoint Security software. See more of the over 400 reviews of the two solutions on G2.com

Webroot® Business Endpoint Protection outperforms McAfee® Endpoint Security software in:

  • Ease of use
  • Ease of setup
  • Ease of admin
  • Quality of support
  • And ease of doing business with

What real customers say

Take the Next Step

Internet threats are more costly and destructive than ever. As cyberthieves develop new attack vectors, it’s up to home and business users to improve their defenses with next-generation cybersecurity. Check out how Webroot stacks up against other competitors such as Symantec and Norton™.