McAfee vs Kaspersky: Which Antivirus Wins in 2026?

McAfee bundles everything into one plan; Kaspersky is famous for its detection engine. Here's the head-to-head.

Option A
McAfee Total Protection
Option B
Kaspersky Premium

Side-by-side comparison

FeatureMcAfee Total ProtectionKaspersky Premium
AV-TEST protection6.0/6.06.0/6.0
System impactModerateVery low
Unlimited VPNYesYes (Premium tier)
Password managerYesYes
Devices coveredUp to unlimited5-20
Identity theft insuranceYes (US)Yes (Premium)

Our verdict

Choose McAfee if you want unlimited VPN and identity monitoring included by default and cover many devices.

Choose Kaspersky if you want the strongest detection engine and lightest footprint, and don't mind paying extra for VPN.