Norton 360 vs Aura: Pricing Compared

Understanding the true cost requires looking beyond promotional pricing to long-term value and included features.

Best Value: Head-to-Head

Entry-Level Plans: Basic Protection

Norton AntiVirus Plus at £19.99 first year provides solid all-in-one protection with antivirus, firewall, 2GB backup, and Genie AI scam protection for budget-conscious users. However, the 75% renewal increase to £34.99 means year two costs approach Aura’s consistent pricing. Norton’s entry tier lacks VPN and identity theft protection that Aura includes standard.

Aura Individual at $144 annually seems expensive initially but includes everything: antivirus, VPN, password manager, identity monitoring, and $1 million insurance. For true budget protection, Norton wins year one. For comprehensive security without surprise renewal increases, Aura provides better long-term value despite higher initial cost.

Winner: Norton – Lower entry price for basic needs

Mid-Tier Plans: Standard Protection

Norton 360 Standard adds VPN and 10GB backup for £24.99 first year, but renewal jumps to £64.99. Over two years, you pay £89.98 total. The plan provides comprehensive device security but lacks identity theft protection that many users need.

Aura maintains $144 annually with no surprise increases. The consistent pricing includes features Norton charges extra for through separate LifeLock subscriptions: comprehensive identity monitoring and higher insurance coverage. During testing, Aura’s integrated approach proved more convenient than managing Norton 360 and LifeLock as separate products.

Winner: Aura – Consistent pricing with more features included

Premium Plans: Family Protection

Norton 360 Deluxe covers 5 devices for £24.99 first year – exceptional value initially. However, renewal at £89.99 means year two costs approach Aura’s premium while covering only devices, not people. Adding identity protection through Norton 360 Advanced or LifeLock pushes cost to £149.99 renewal.

Aura Family at $384 annually covers 5 adults plus unlimited children with $5 million insurance. Each person gets individual identity monitoring, not just device protection. Safe Gaming protects children in 200+ games, something Norton doesn’t offer.

Norton appears cheaper initially, but Aura provides superior family value when considering identity protection, insurance coverage, and per-person versus per-device licensing.

Winner: Aura – better value over the long term

Value Winner: Aura – Family plan covers 5 adults + unlimited kids

Norton 360 vs Aura: Features Compared

Both are all-in-one security platforms offering antivirus, VPN, password managers, and monitoring – but with different emphasis and integration approaches.

Best for Antivirus & Device Security: Norton 360

Norton’s antivirus engine represents 50+ years of refinement, and honestly, that experience shows. The SONAR Behavioural Analysis watches how programs behave to catch new threats that haven’t been seen before – it caught things I wouldn’t have expected traditional scanning to find. The Smart Firewall monitors both incoming and outgoing internet traffic, blocking attacks that Windows Firewall simply misses. We found Aura includes solid antivirus protection too, but Norton’s firewall is in a different league when it comes to detailed controls – useful when you want to manage exactly which apps can access the internet.

What I appreciated most was how Norton balances protection with performance. Gaming mode and notification management keep interruptions minimal during scans, and SafeCam Protection stops apps from secretly accessing your webcam (always appreciated).

The firewall gives you granular control over which apps can access the internet and automatically blocks suspicious activity. Aura’s bundled antivirus does the job, but if device security is your main priority, Norton 360 specialises here – the difference in sophistication becomes clear when you compare them side by side.

Winner: Norton 360 – Industry-leading detection and firewall

Best for Identity & Financial Protection: Aura

Here’s where Aura really shines. Identity protection is built into all plans – it watches your Social Security Number, credit reports, bank accounts, investment accounts, and court records continuously. Norton offers this through LifeLock or the Advanced plan, which requires separate billing.

The speed difference matters more than you’d think: we noticed Aura sends alerts in an average of 3 minutes, providing faster notification than Norton’s standard monitoring. When someone’s trying to open a credit card in your name, those minutes can be costly.

Insurance coverage tells its own story – Aura offers $1-5 million depending on your plan, while Norton with LifeLock ranges from $25,000 to $1 million. What we particularly appreciated was how Aura’s family plan gives each member their own monitoring, tracking everyone’s identity individually rather than just protecting devices. Everything works together in one app, whereas adding identity protection to Norton requires either upgrading to Advanced or purchasing LifeLock separately with its own billing. If identity protection matters most to you and you’d rather have it included than bolted on, we found Aura makes this straightforward.

Winner: Aura – $5M insurance, 3-bureau monitoring, faster alerts

Best for Different Priorities

Norton excels if you want comprehensive device protection first, with the option to add identity features later. You get advanced virus protection, detailed firewall controls, and thorough parental controls – the kind that let you monitor and limit what children do online across all activities, not just gaming. That 50 years of security experience isn’t just marketing; the malware protection is genuinely comprehensive, and the firewall offers more control than most people will need (though if you want it, it’s there).

Aura flips this model entirely. Identity protection and device security come bundled together from the start – antivirus, VPN (which encrypts your internet connection), password manager, and identity monitoring all for one price in a single app. Norton keeps identity protection separate, requiring either the Advanced plan or LifeLock as an additional purchase with separate billing.

For families, especially, we found Aura’s approach more practical. The per-person setup gives each family member individual identity monitoring rather than just protecting devices, which makes more sense when you think about modern threats. Safe Gaming monitors gaming chats specifically, addressing what’s become a genuine concern for parents, rather than trying to control everything.

Features Winner: Aura – Both excel in their areas of expertise, but Aura’s family features and identity protection edges it for us (personally).

Norton 360 vs Aura: Security Compared

Both platforms provide strong security through different approaches and strengths.

Best for Device Defence: Norton 360

Norton’s multi-layered protection takes device security seriously. Norton’s detection uses behavioural technology that watches how programs act to catch new threats before they’re officially identified – think of it as security that learns rather than just matches patterns.

The Smart Firewall blocks hacking attempts that Windows Firewall simply misses, providing business-level protection that’s particularly valuable on public WiFi. SafeCam security stops apps from secretly accessing your webcam, and the performance impact stays minimal during scans.

That 50-year heritage in security isn’t just for show – it’s visible in how the threat detection adapts to new attack methods. We found Aura includes antivirus as part of its bundle, and it does the job. But if specialised device defence with advanced firewall features is what you’re after, Norton 360 focuses specifically here. The protection is noticeably more sophisticated when malware defence is your priority.

Winner: Norton 360 – Superior malware and network protection

Best for Identity & Financial Security: Aura

Aura approaches identity protection with zn urgency that Norton doesn’t match without expensive add-ons. The 3-minute alerts can stop fraudulent credit card charges before they process, providing rapid notification that matters when fraud happens – speed is everything. The monitoring is comprehensive: Social Security Number usage, credit reports from all three major credit agencies, bank accounts, investment accounts, and court records, all included in the base price. Norton offers similar through LifeLock or Advanced, but those require separate purchases with separate billing.

The insurance coverage difference is substantial – $5 million with Aura versus $25,000 to $1 million with Norton’s LifeLock tiers. Everything works together in one app with Aura, which makes checking your security status straightforward rather than managing multiple subscriptions. If you want identity protection included with your security suite rather than purchased separately, we found Aura builds this into its service from the start.

Winner: Aura – Faster alerts and comprehensive identity protection

Security Winner: Mixed – Aura wins identity/financial, Norton wins device defence 

Norton 360 vs Aura: Pros & Cons

Norton 360 vs Aura: Final Verdict

The choice between Norton 360 and Aura definitely depends on your security priorities, but if I had to pick one, Aura proved the stronger all-in-one solution.

Norton 360 is a safe bet if your priority is locking down devices. Its antivirus and firewall remain industry leaders, and the inclusion of Norton Family helps parents set clear rules across devices. The promotional pricing is strong in year one, but renewals climb, so it suits users willing to switch plans or negotiate at renewal. If you want traditional suite features with top-tier malware protection, Norton fits well.

Aura, on the other hand, is the better all-in-one solution by design. It folds identity monitoring, financial alerts, and solid device security into one app, with faster alerts, higher insurance, and predictable pricing. The family plan uses simple per-person licensing and includes Safe Gaming protections that fit modern households. If you want an all-in-one service that cuts down admin and keeps you informed quickly, Aura is the better fit. For a wider market view, see our Best Identity Theft Protection Services.

For most families and individuals who want one service to handle day-to-day risks without constant tweaking, Aura is easier to live with. Norton remains excellent for device-first users who value a classic security suite and are comfortable managing renewals.

Overall Winner: Aura – as it’s provides the strongest balance of identity, financial, and device security at a predictable price.