{"slug":"norton-vs-malwarebytes)","question":"Norton vs Malwarebytes","answer":"Norton offers comprehensive all-in-one antivirus with VPN and password manager included, while Malwarebytes specializes in malware detection with a lighter system footprint and lower cost. Norton is better for complete protection; Malwarebytes excels at focused threat removal.","answer_curated":true,"verdict":"Choose Norton if you want an all-encompassing security suite with VPN, password manager, and extensive bonus features at a reasonable price — ideal for users wanting one solution for everything. Choose Malwarebytes if you prioritize lightweight performance, maximum malware detection accuracy, lower cost, and prefer a focused approach to threat removal, especially for older or less powerful computers.","keyDifferences":[{"label":"Annual Price (Single Device)","winner":"b","entityAValue":"$49.99","entityBValue":"$39.99"},{"label":"System Resource Usage (RAM/CPU)","winner":"b","entityAValue":"Moderate to High (80-120MB RAM at idle)","entityBValue":"Low to Moderate (40-60MB RAM at idle)"},{"label":"VPN Included","winner":"a","entityAValue":"Yes (Norton Secure VPN)","entityBValue":"No (requires separate purchase)"},{"label":"Password Manager Included","winner":"a","entityAValue":"Yes (Norton Password Manager)","entityBValue":"No"},{"label":"Malware Detection Rate (Independent Tests)","winner":"b","entityAValue":"98.4% (AV-TEST 2025)","entityBValue":"99.2% (AV-TEST 2025)"}],"winner":{"slug":"norton-360-deluxe","name":"Norton 360 Deluxe"},"confidence":"high","entities":[{"name":"Norton 360 Deluxe","slug":"norton-360-deluxe","url":"https://www.aversusb.net/entity/norton-360-deluxe","alternativesUrl":"https://www.aversusb.net/api/v1/alternatives/norton-360-deluxe"},{"name":"Malwarebytes Premium","slug":"malwarebytes-premium","url":"https://www.aversusb.net/entity/malwarebytes-premium","alternativesUrl":"https://www.aversusb.net/api/v1/alternatives/malwarebytes-premium"}],"faqs":[{"question":"Can I use Norton and Malwarebytes together?","answer":"Yes, many users run Malwarebytes alongside Norton as a second-opinion scanner. However, running both in real-time protection mode may cause conflicts. Best practice: use Norton as primary antivirus and set Malwarebytes to on-demand scanning only. Malwarebytes is specifically designed to complement existing antivirus software."},{"question":"Which is better for gaming?","answer":"Malwarebytes is superior for gaming due to its 40-60MB idle RAM footprint versus Norton's 80-120MB, causing less FPS impact during gameplay. Malwarebytes' lighter engine results in 3-8% better frame rates on gaming laptops. Norton's performance impact is acceptable but noticeable on lower-end systems."},{"question":"Does Norton's VPN slow down internet speed?","answer":"Norton Secure VPN (included) causes 15-25% average speed reduction depending on server distance and your ISP connection. Malwarebytes has no VPN, so no speed impact from antivirus itself. If VPN is critical, dedicated VPN services (ExpressVPN, NordVPN) offer better speeds than included options."}],"attribution":{"source":"A Versus B","url":"https://www.aversusb.net/compare/norton-vs-malwarebytes)","license":"CC BY 4.0","citationFormat":"According to A Versus B (https://www.aversusb.net/compare/norton-vs-malwarebytes)), Norton offers comprehensive all-in-one antivirus with VPN and password manager included, while Malwarebytes specializes in malware detection with a lighter system footprint and lower cost. Norton is b","dateModified":"2026-07-08T00:59:10.788Z"},"relatedQuestionsUrl":"https://www.aversusb.net/api/faq/norton-vs-malwarebytes)","relatedComparisonsUrl":"https://www.aversusb.net/api/v1/related/norton-vs-malwarebytes)","knowledgeGraphUrl":"https://www.aversusb.net/api/knowledge-graph/norton-vs-malwarebytes)","claimReviewSchema":{"@context":"https://schema.org","@type":"ClaimReview","@id":"https://www.aversusb.net/compare/norton-vs-malwarebytes)#claimreview","url":"https://www.aversusb.net/compare/norton-vs-malwarebytes)","inLanguage":"en-US","isAccessibleForFree":true,"conditionsOfAccess":"Free","claimReviewed":"Norton vs Malwarebytes","reviewBody":"Norton offers comprehensive all-in-one antivirus with VPN and password manager included, while Malwarebytes specializes in malware detection with a lighter system footprint and lower cost. Norton is better for complete protection; Malwarebytes excels at focused threat removal.","datePublished":"2026-07-08T00:59:10.173Z","dateModified":"2026-07-08T00:59:10.788Z","reviewRating":{"@type":"Rating","ratingValue":5,"worstRating":1,"bestRating":5,"alternateName":"High Confidence"},"author":{"@type":"Organization","@id":"https://www.aversusb.net/#organization","name":"A Versus B","url":"https://www.aversusb.net"},"itemReviewed":{"@type":"WebPage","@id":"https://www.aversusb.net/compare/norton-vs-malwarebytes)","url":"https://www.aversusb.net/compare/norton-vs-malwarebytes)","name":"Norton vs Malwarebytes","inLanguage":"en-US"}}}