McAfee subscription

I’ve just cancelled my auto renewal because they wanted £210, which includes PC optimiser. I understand Windows Defender will cover my PC and laptop for free and I can get something free for the iPhone.

Good decision or not? I can afford McAfee but I think they’re getting way too expensive. Maybe I can go back to them in the new year and get a better deal as a new customer?

 

Not paid for one in years - think scammers are using phone attacks more now if my personal experience is anything to go back. Can get 7 -10 dodgy calls a day. The research seems to show computer attacks are on the decrease- Just make sure you have regular backups.

 

Why are you paying him a subscription, isn't he on enough money at Bolton?

 

I use windows defender, it's bang on.

 

I use Windows Defender. Have done for years after the IT guy at work told me to stop wasting my money!

 

Yes I’ve read a bit about it and all good reviews. Certainly worth a try anyway

 

Very Good!

 

Unless you are specifically going on dodgy sites or receiving files regularly from untrustworthy people there’s no reason to need more than Windows Defender. As for iPhones, the one thing they have going for them is they are super secure. They can’t protect you from falling for a scam but you almost certainly won’t be getting a virus on it.

 

I avoid dodgy sites and never click on links sent to me from anyone. You’re right about iPhone as well so I’m not worried there. As for scams, financial or otherwise, they’re not getting me!

 

For ordinary used Windows Defender and a programme like Malwarebytes is more than enough. I find McAfee and the like a huge drain on a pcs performance and pretty much unnecessary, I wouldn't go as far as to say they're a scam themselves but close. Haven't used any of them except windows defender since it was introduced way back when. Just my opinion though.

 

A lot consider McAfee to be malware with good reason. I bought a pre-built PC and despite immediately uninstalling McAfee I still get McAfee pop ups now and again. An untrustworthy company.

I work for a defence company who are constantly battling with cyber security and our IT department recommend Windows Defender.

 

I have never paid for any security software in 25 years of having a PC. I suppose it helps that I was in IT, but there was always free software available and then Windows Defender came along.

As for performance, I use Glary Utilities which is free and quickly sorts out your registry problems.

 

Not being funny but I get about 100 spam emails a week from McAffee, Norton, AVG ( not the real ones obviously). Are you sure you haven't clicked one of them? I'm a bit out of the loop with AV pricing but £210 seems a bit on the high side.

Sent in good faith.

 

Dunt bother not pulling up any trees at Bolton

 

Well it’s £149.99 for the virus checker and £49.99 for PC optimiser, all of which should be covered by Windows Defender. I’ve only recently got a laptop with windows 11 on it so MS should be able to cover me there whereas the older PC can’t go beyond Windows 10.

You are right about spam emails and I do try to be careful there, never clicking on links where I’m not sure. Obviously we can all get caught out at some point but I do what I can to stay secure.

 

Regardless of the right or wrongs of using the product, McAfee's renewal pricing is just bonkers. A couple of years ago I ended up speaking to one of their sales people on the phone and asking him why he was offering me what was apparently their lowest possible deal of £74.99, IIRC, when I could buy the same product from Argos for £10.99. He couldn't explain it, he just said in a resigned voice that that was how it was and I was right, I'd be better off buying it from Argos. Bonkers.

I'm currently in the early steps of a similar dance with NordVPN.

 

I was looking back through my renewal emails and it was that price Dec 23 but Dec 22 was £99.99. I should have bailed out then with the 50% increase but I stuck with it out of ignorance (ie I couldn’t be bothered to research alternatives). That’s it now though - no more once this time out in December.

NordVPN was one of those I considered about 3 years ago but went with PrivateVPN. I pay about £53 for a two year subscription. They bill me in dollars. It’s been excellent from the start and never lets me down when I need to be “overseas” for a match, or even when I actually AM overseas.

 

I use it a fair bit as I'm overseas a lot of the time (and will be full-time from 2026) and I've been pretty happy with the product and the service. I initially paid £81.48 for a 4-year subscription, now it's come up for renewal and they want £139.54 for 1 year, an inflation-busting increase of 585%. If I let it run out and buy it again it's coming out at around £50-£60 for 15 months. I'll see what they offer me by email as the expiration date gets nearer. Modern life, huh? Motion looks like progress.

 

Good grief that’s outrageous! They’ll lose lots of customers doing that. I’d highly recommend PVPN and they were really helpful when I started out, their chat help desk operator coming on line immediately I requested it and talking me through the setup and how to select countries for the best coverage.