Although security companies offer permanent discounts on the first year of antivirus subscriptions, there are some even better deals to be had if you’re quick.
Right now, with Amazon’s Deal of the Day, McAfee’s Total Protection 2021 is on offer for the next two days only. So hurry: these deals will be gone by Thursday.
Deal 1 – £14.99: Total Protection for 5 devices
There are actually two deals available. First, and most appealing to most people, is a year’s subscription that covers 5 devices for £14.99. Which is £3 each.
Those devices can be Windows laptops or PCs, Macs, Android phones and iPhones: you can use the licenses on any combination of these.
Deal 2 – £17.99: Total Protection 2021 for 10 devices
If you have 10 devices, then there’s an even better deal which means that each one is protected for just £1.79 for a year.
Amazon says that this would usually cost you £59.99, so you’re saving £42, or 70%.
In fact, the normal annual price for 10-device Total Protection is £89.99, but there’s almost always a discount for the first year of an antivirus subscription and McAfee tends to offer it for £39.99 (you can verify this here). That means the ‘real’ saving is £22, but that’s still over 50% off the usual first year discount.
The 5-device deal is normally £49.99 according to Amazon, but McAfee actually charges £79.99 upon renewal. Again, the usual first-year price is £34.99, so with the deal on Amazon, you’re saving £20.
Deal 3 – £59.99: Total Protection for 5 devices (2 years)
If you’re happy to subscribe for two years, then you can get this deal from McAfee that covers then for two years (not just one) for £59.99. While £6 per year per device isn’t as competitive, don’t forget that after the first year of the 10-device deal, the renewal price is £89.99, so the total cost for two years is actually higher. Obviously, we’d expect you to shop around after the deal expires, much as you would with any other service.
Total Protection, as the name implies, offers more than antivirus. You also get protection from ransomware, cryptojacking (where your device is hijacked and used to earn money for cybercriminals) as well as extras such as a file shredder, an extension for your web browser to warn you when you click on dangerous links and a password manager.
McAfee sits at #2 in our roundup of the best antivirus software, and uses minimal processing power, which means it won’t slow down your computer while you’re trying to use it.
Read our full review of Total Protection 2021 for more details.
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Author: Jim Martin, Executive Editor
Jim has been testing and reviewing products for over 20 years. His main beats include VPN services and antivirus. He also covers smart home tech, mesh Wi-Fi and electric bikes.