What McAfee does

McAfee is a consumer and family-focused cybersecurity software company founded in 1987, headquartered at 6220 America Center Drive in San Jose, California. The company sells subscription-based antivirus, scam detection, identity protection, VPN, and privacy products to individuals and families under the McAfee+ (Premium, Advanced, Ultimate tiers) and McAfee Total Protection brands, with Free Tools (WebAdvisor, Security Scan Plus, Password Generator) driving top-of-funnel acquisition. McAfee also licenses its technology to OEMs (Samsung App Protection, integrated into Galaxy One UI for over a decade) and bundles it through telecom operators (Virgin Media O2 in the UK), claiming more than 600 million protected devices globally.

The platform is built around AI-powered detection capabilities: the Scam Detector feature set uses natural language processing for text/email phishing detection, computer vision for deepfake video and QR-code analysis, anomaly detection across communications channels, and a 2026 ChatGPT integration that layers McAfee threat intelligence on top of OpenAI's LLM for real-time scam analysis. Underlying detection draws on telemetry from McAfee Labs, which the company says blocks 42.4 million threats per day. Adjacent modules include Personal Data Cleanup (data-broker removal), Online Account Cleanup, Social Privacy Manager, Credit Monitoring, Security Freeze, and up to $2 million in identity theft coverage. Recent additions include the QR Code Scam Checker (April 2026), Deepfake Detector, and the acquired MineOS consumer privacy app (November 2025).

McAfee operates a multi-channel revenue model combining direct-to-consumer subscription sales (annual plans auto-renewing at $49.99-$424.99), freemium tools, OEM/embedded licensing, and telecom operator bundles. The company was taken private in March 2022 by an Advent International and Permira-led consortium in a $14 billion transaction that delisted it from NASDAQ; it has 1,001-5,000 employees and disclosed Q4 2026 preliminary revenue of $626 million, described as relatively unchanged from the prior year. The company repurchased approximately $287 million of unsecured notes in early 2026 to reduce leverage, replaced CFO Jennifer Biry with Brian Herb in June 2026, and currently faces an India CCPA enforcement action over dark-pattern subscription renewal interfaces.

Name

McAfee

Legal name

McAfee, LLC

Website

https://mcafee.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

1987

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1,001–5,000 employees

Short description

McAfee is a consumer and family cybersecurity company founded in 1987, selling subscription-based antivirus, AI-powered scam detection, identity protection, VPN, and privacy products to individuals and families globally, with technology embedded in Samsung Galaxy devices and bundled through Virgin Media O2 in the UK.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Consumer Cybersecurity Software

NAICS

Software Publishers (5132), Security Systems Services (except Locksmiths) (561621), Security Systems Services (56162)

SIC

Services-Computer Programming Services (7371)

akta.pro primary industry

Credential Stuffing & Password Attack Protection (HDADALAC)

akta.pro secondary industry

Cybersecurity & Identity Consulting (BPAHAEAG)

Keywords

• Consumer cybersecurity software
• Antivirus protection
• Identity theft protection
• Scam detection
• Secure VPN services

Headquarters

HQ city

Santa Clara

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Software

Cost components

Technology or R&D, Personnel, Marketing or Sales, Infrastructure, Operations

Revenue model

1. Consumer Subscription Plans: Annual and multi-year subscription plans for antivirus, identity protection, and privacy products sold directly to consumers and families. Revenue is recurring as subscriptions auto-renew annually.
2. Freemium / Free Tools: Free security tools including WebAdvisor browser extension, free antivirus trial, security scan, and password generator drive user acquisition with conversion to paid tiers.
3. OEM/Embedded Licensing: Technology licensing to device manufacturers (Samsung) and telecom operators (O2) for integration into their products and services, providing security features under partner brands.
4. PC Optimizer Standalone: Standalone PC optimization software sold as a separate subscription ($34.99/year for up to 10 PCs), complementing existing security subscriptions.
5. McAfee Assist: Live expert setup and installation assistance sold as one-time service ($29.99), included free with McAfee+ Ultimate subscriptions.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion3 records

Distribution channels6 records

Marketing channels9 records

Core offering

McAfee sells AI-powered consumer cybersecurity software on auto-renewing annual subscriptions, anchored by McAfee+ Individual and Family plans (Premium, Advanced, Ultimate tiers) that bundle antivirus, AI-driven Scam Detector, Secure VPN, identity monitoring, credit monitoring, and identity theft coverage with up to $2M in reimbursement. Standalone offerings include McAfee Total Protection (entry-level antivirus), McAfee Antivirus, McAfee Secure VPN, McAfee Mobile Security apps, McAfee PC Optimizer, and McAfee Assist setup service. Free tools (WebAdvisor browser extension, Security Scan Plus, Password Generator, free antivirus trial) drive a freemium conversion funnel.

Product overview

McAfee offers a unified platform-plus-modules architecture anchored by McAfee+ plans (Individual and Family tiers: Premium, Advanced, Ultimate) that bundle antivirus, AI-powered Scam Detector, Secure VPN, identity monitoring, credit monitoring, and identity theft coverage with up to $2M coverage. These flagship plans are complemented by McAfee Total Protection (entry-level antivirus and identity protection), standalone utilities (PC Optimizer, McAfee Assist setup service), and free tools (WebAdvisor, Security Scan Plus, Password Generator). The modular portfolio allows users to scale from basic antivirus to comprehensive identity-and-privacy protection, with add-on privacy features including Personal Data Cleanup, Online Account Cleanup, Social Privacy Manager, Credit Monitoring, Security Freeze, Password Manager, and Advanced Firewall available within McAfee+ tiers.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• McAfee+: Premium identity theft protection and privacy plans for individuals and families with AI-powered security features.
• McAfee Total Protection
• McAfee Scam Detector
• McAfee Secure VPN
• McAfee Mobile Security
• McAfee WebAdvisor
• McAfee PC Optimizer
• McAfee Assist
• Personal Data Cleanup
• McAfee Credit Monitoring
• Security Freeze
• Identity Theft Coverage
• Password Manager
• McAfee Advanced Firewall

Products and services

• McAfee+ Individual Plans Comprehensive all-in-one annual subscription plans (Premium, Advanced, Ultimate tiers) providing unified privacy, identity, and device protection for individuals on unlimited devices. Includes antivirus, Scam Detector AI, Secure VPN, identity monitoring, credit monitoring, and identity theft coverage with up to $2M in stolen funds reimbursement.
• McAfee+ Family Plans All-in-one annual subscription plans (Premium Family, Advanced Family, Ultimate Family) providing unified privacy, identity, and device protection for households of up to 2 adults and 4 children under 18 across unlimited devices. Includes award-winning scam protection, Secure VPN, Personal Data Cleanup, identity theft coverage, and credit monitoring.
• McAfee Total Protection Antivirus and scam protection subscription suite providing device and identity protection for individuals. Includes antivirus, scam protection, VPN, identity monitoring, web protection, and password manager across multiple devices.
• McAfee Antivirus Standalone antivirus software providing PC and mobile device protection against viruses, malware, ransomware, and other threats. Rated #1 for PC performance by AV-TEST.
• McAfee Secure VPN Virtual Private Network service providing bank-grade encryption with automatic activation on unsecured networks. Protects personal data and credit card information during online banking, shopping, and browsing across Windows, macOS, Android, iOS, and ChromeOS.
• McAfee Mobile Security Mobile security application for Android and iOS devices providing antivirus (Android), scam detection, secure VPN, identity monitoring, personal data cleanup, and online account cleanup for unlimited devices.
• McAfee PC Optimizer Standalone Windows PC optimization subscription utility at $34.99/year that cleans junk files, removes unnecessary programs, and claims to improve processor speed by 17%, hard drive performance by 18%, and download speed by 39%. Covers up to 10 PCs per license.
• McAfee Assist Live expert setup and installation assistance service at $29.99 (one-time) connecting users with McAfee experts for guided installation, product configuration, and personalized security recommendations. Included free with McAfee+ Ultimate subscriptions.
• McAfee WebAdvisor Free browser extension providing misclick protection, typo protection, and safe download scanning across Windows browsers to block malware and phishing sites. Drives freemium acquisition funnel.
• McAfee Free Antivirus Trial Free 30-day trial of McAfee Total Protection including VPN, web protection, identity monitoring, and antivirus across PCs, Macs, and mobile devices. No credit card required.
• McAfee Security Scan Plus Free security assessment tool that scans PC key security areas including antivirus status, online privacy, and firewall to identify vulnerabilities and provide tailored recommendations, without removing viruses.
• McAfee Password Generator Free online tool generating random complex passwords with customizable length and character sets including uppercase, lowercase, numbers, and symbols to enhance online account security.
• McAfee Business Protection Cybersecurity solution for small businesses providing endpoint protection, threat intelligence, and security analytics. Aimed at SMBs needing enterprise-grade security without dedicated SOC infrastructure.

Quantifiable outcome

• AI-driven scams grew 900% and AI phishing scams increased 1,265% since 2024
• +4 more outcomes

Named customers3 records

Segments5 records

Ideal customer profiles5 records

Technology focussed Yes

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Integration1 record

AI capability8 records

Feature10 records

Partnerships

Four partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• O2 (Virgin Media O2)coreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ Distributor · 20 February 2026McAfee partnered with Virgin Media O2 to launch McAfee Protect Advanced, an AI-powered security product available to O2 customers through the Extras platform. The service covers up to 10 devices per household at £4.99/month or free for 6 months with Ultimate Plans. The partnership replaced previous McAfee offerings on O2 Extras and targets families concerned about online safety.
• FightCybercrime.orgminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerMcAfee partnered with FightCybercrime.org to help people spot scams and share their stories about online fraud experiences. The partnership supports McAfee's Scam Stories initiative, raising awareness about various scam types including phishing, fake tickets, and social engineering attacks.
• SamsungcoreOEM/ Whitelabel/ Licensing PartnerSamsung's App Protection feature is powered by McAfee technology, integrated into Galaxy phones to scan apps for malware. The feature has been part of Samsung's One UI for over a decade, providing device-level security scanning for Android applications.
• MineOSminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerMcAfee acquired the MineOS consumer privacy app for tens of millions of dollars. The MineOS consumer privacy tool will be integrated into McAfee's protection platform, while MineOS transitions to an AI-driven enterprise focus.

Scale indicators7 records

Recent moves7 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Direct peers

• NortonLifeLock (Gen Digital): NortonLifeLock (now Gen Digital) is the closest direct competitor to McAfee, offering Norton 360 antivirus plus LifeLock identity protection — a nearly identical bundled subscription model. Both companies target the same consumer cybersecurity and identity-protection market with comparable feature sets and pricing.
• Bitdefender: Bitdefender is a leading consumer and SMB antivirus vendor that competes head-to-head with McAfee Total Protection and McAfee+ in independent lab testing (AV-TEST, AV-Comparatives). It offers a similar layered security suite including ransomware protection, VPN, and identity safeguards.
• Kaspersky: Kaspersky is a global consumer and enterprise cybersecurity vendor whose antivirus, internet security, and total security products compete directly with McAfee's offerings across retail, online, and OEM channels in the same geographies.
• ESET: ESET is a European-headquartered consumer and business cybersecurity vendor whose NOD32 and Smart Security Premium suites compete directly with McAfee in antivirus, anti-phishing, and identity protection, particularly across European markets.
• Avast (Gen Digital): Avast (now part of Gen Digital alongside Norton) competes directly with McAfee through freemium antivirus, premium suites, and privacy/identity features. Its massive free-tier user base mirrors McAfee's freemium funnel strategy.
• Malwarebytes: Malwarebytes is a direct consumer and SMB competitor focused on anti-malware, anti-ransomware, and online privacy/scam protection — closely aligned with McAfee's Scam Detector and Total Protection portfolio. Both brands emphasize threat detection beyond traditional antivirus.
• Trend Micro: Trend Micro is a global cybersecurity vendor whose consumer product line (Maximum Security, Premium Security) competes directly with McAfee across device protection, identity, and privacy features in retail and online channels.
• Sophos: Sophos offers consumer antivirus (Sophos Home) and a broader endpoint security portfolio that overlaps with McAfee's antivirus and identity-protection capabilities. Both are positioned in independent lab testing for consumers and small businesses.

Broad incumbents

• Microsoft (Defender): Microsoft Defender is bundled into Windows and increasingly competes as the default consumer security baseline. While not a paid subscription competitor in the same form, it materially compresses McAfee's addressable market for entry-level antivirus by offering a capable free alternative to most consumers.

Emerging players

• Aura: Aura is a fast-growing direct-to-consumer digital security and identity protection platform that overlaps directly with McAfee+'s identity monitoring, VPN, and parental controls. It represents the AI-native, all-in-one challenger model that McAfee is pivoting its McAfee+ platform toward.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks7 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• YouTubeyoutube.com/McAfee
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/2336
• Xx.com/McAfee
• Facebookfacebook.com/McAfee

Compliance4 records

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles9 records

Subsidiaries1 record

Funding overview

Funding rounds3 records

Investors19 records

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A29 records

Investments4 records

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about McAfee