TotalAV vs. Aura Antivirus 2024: Which Keeps You Safer?

Our expert comparison looks at how the tried-and-true TotalAV stands up against Aura’s full cybersecurity suite.
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Best for affordability

4.3
Editorial Rating
Learn More
On TotalAV's website

Antivirus Software
TotalAV
First year discount on paid plans
  • Real-time protection from viruses, malware, and online threats
  • Blocks tracking cookies and ads, proactively monitors for data breaches, and option to schedule smart scans
  • 100% compatible with Windows, Mac, Android, and iOS operating systems on up to 3 devices
  • Lacks firewall protection

Best for multi-faceted coverage

4.2
Editorial Rating
Learn More
On Aura Antivirus's website

Antivirus Software
Aura Antivirus
Save up to 53% per year
  • Anti-ransomware, spyware, adware, worms, trojan, and rootkits protection
  • Real-time protection scans, phishing and scam site prevention, and ability to quickly isolate dangerous files
  • Choice between 3 plans, all of which include a VPN, Safe Browsing, and 24/7 customer support

When looking at TotalAV vs. Aura Antivirus, you’re comparing Aura's full cybersecurity bundle, which includes identity theft protection and credit monitoring, against TotalAV’s simple yet effective strategy. In this comparison, TotalAV comes out in the lead.

Regardless of which option you go with, protection against viruses and malware is crucial for keeping your data secure — so how do you choose the best antivirus software for your needs?

We’ll cover TotalAV and Aura’s features and pricing information below to help you choose between these two highly valuable options in the antivirus space.

In this article
Overview comparison
Prices
Features
Test results
Compatibility and customer support
FAQs
Which is better?

TotalAV vs. Aura Antivirus review at a glance

TotalAV is a good antivirus for anyone on a budget who wants online protection. If you have 3 to 8 devices you need to secure with real-time protection and don’t need tons of extras, TotalAV provides an affordable option.

Aura is a good antivirus program for users who want more than just a basic plan. All three subscriptions include a VPN, a Safe Browsing feature, and 24/7 customer support. It can also protect up to 10 devices.

TotalAV vs. Aura Antivirus

Star rating
4.3
4.2
Starting price Free or $29.00/yr (first year only) Starts at $35.99/first yr
Max number of protected devices 8 10
Malware scans Manual and scheduled Manual
Real-time protection
Phishing protection
Ransomware protection
24/7 customer support
Compatibility Windows, Android, iOS, MacOS, Chrome, Safari, Edge, Opera, Amazon Fire Windows, macOS, Android, iOS
Learn more Get TotalAV

Read TotalAV Review

Get Aura Antivirus

Read Aura Antivirus Review

How we test and rate antivirus software

We use our proprietary grading rubric in all of our testing, which considers ease-of-use, third-party testing scores, internal testing scores, price, compatibility, and features offered, among other metrics. 

This means that our testing process is designed to ensure that the product isn't too confusing, protects as it claims, and offers you a lot for a reasonable price. We download and run each program on our own computers on home networks, just like you would. Our ratings reflect the real-world performance of the antivirus product. This ensures that we can recreate a similar experience for you and give our best advice on whether or not it's worthwhile.

To learn more about how we test, check out our full antivirus testing methodology here.

TotalAV pros and cons

TotalAV has broad compatibility and can protect up to eight devices. It tested well against various types of malware and includes additional privacy features like a password manager

Pros
  • Highly-rated protection from multiple threats
  • User-friendly interface and overall app
  • Real-time protection to ensure your activity and devices are always safe
Cons
  • Only protects a maximum of 8 devices, which may not be enough for some households
  • Doesn't include advanced firewall protection

Aura Antivirus pros and cons

Aura has quite the offering: You can bundle a virtual private network (VPN), password manager, and identity theft protection with its antivirus. Aura does not include any parental controls in any of its plans.

Pros
  • Offers up to $1 million in identity theft insurance (with the Ultimate plan)
  • Base plan includes a secure VPN 
  • Plus and Ultimate plans include a password manager, file vault, ad blocking, and more
Cons
  • Aura Parental Controls software isn't included
  • No third-party testing is available
  • Prices increase after the first year

Which antivirus is the better value?

TotalAV has slightly more competitive pricing, making it the better value.

Our Pick
Price range $29.00–$49.00/yr (first year only) $35.99-$59.99/first yr
Best value plan Total Security for $49.00/yr (first year only) Antivirus Plus for $47.99/first yr
Money-back guarantee Yes — 30 days Yes — 60 days
Learn more Get TotalAV

Read TotalAV Review

Get Aura Antivirus

Read Aura Antivirus Review

TotalAV has lower starting and ending prices than Aura. If you’re on a budget or not needing all the bells and whistles that may come with other products, TotalAV is a good choice — its antivirus protects you from malicious threats.

The starting cost of $29.00/yr (first year only) is reasonable, considering the features you get.

We chose the Total Security plan as its best value. It covers six devices and includes an ad blocker and password manager for ten dollars more per year than TotalAV’s Internet Security option. That is the mid-grade subscription offered.

Aura starts at a higher price than TotalAV at $35.99/first yr. The Ultimate plan, the highest tier, will run you $59.99/first yr, but you’ll get protection for up to ten devices.

Still, we think a better value for the money is the Aura Antivirus Plus option, which costs $47.99/first yr. It offers all the same features you get with the Aura Antivirus and Ultimate plans. The only difference is the number of devices covered. The Antivirus Plus subscription protects up to five.

Winner: TotalAV wins for its slightly better pricing than Aura offers. We will mention that it was a close call, since Aura covers more devices and has a longer money-back guarantee.

TotalAV vs. Aura Antivirus: Features

Our Pick
Manual and scheduled scans Manual only
Real-time protection Yes, for Windows
Phishing protection
Ransomware protection
Firewall
Parental controls
Password manager Yes, with the Total Security plan
VPN Yes, with Internet Security and Total Security plans
Ad blocker Yes, with the Total Security plan Yes, with Antivirus Plus and Ultimate plans
Device optimization tools
Learn more Get TotalAV

Read TotalAV Review

Get Aura Antivirus

Read Aura Antivirus Review

When comparing TotalAV and Aura Antivirus’ features, you’ll find that there’s only some small differences. 

One of the biggest issues we noticed was that you can’t schedule scans with Aura Antivirus, so that can be troublesome for users who like the ease and convenience of that feature. TotalAV includes scheduled scanning in its features.

Aura’s real-time malware protection is also only available for PCs at this time, which could be a big drawback for macOS users who like Aura’s features but want the security of real-time scanning.

You’ll note some differences with other features, like a virtual private network (VPN). You need to get TotalAV’s Internet Security or Total Security plan for that option, but with Aura, the VPN comes standard with all plans.

Similarly, Aura includes a password manager with any subscription, but TotalAV has that only with the Total Security option. A password manager is a definite plus because it helps you stay safe online by keeping your online credentials safe; and with auto-login functionality, you won’t be tempted to use easy passwords that hackers could guess.

TotalAV does provide a junk cleaner, which can be beneficial for clearing out old files that take up space. This is not something that Aura offers at this time.

TotalAV Cleanup

Winner: TotalAV provides better scanning functionality and real-time protection, two essential features of antivirus programs.

TotalAV vs. Aura Antivirus: Test results

When we review antivirus products, we don’t only test them on our devices, but we also rely on third-party results. We want to know if an antivirus performs well and protects your device from malware.

Though Aura hasn’t been audited by AV-TEST, we were able to test how both it and TotalAV handled EICAR files.

The EICAR file was designed to test an antivirus program’s response to potential malware. The file uses code that mimics a virus but is not dangerous. To test an antivirus program, we download the EICAR file and see if the program flags the file as a virus.

TotalAV vs. Aura Antivirus malware protection scores

Our Pick
AV-TEST Windows score 17.5/18 N/A
AV-TEST macOS score 18/18 N/A
AV-TEST Android score 18/18 N/A
EICAR score 2/3 2/3
Learn more Get TotalAV

Read TotalAV Review

Get Aura Antivirus

Read Aura Antivirus Review

For the EICAR scoring, both TotalAV and Aura had the same number of points. An interesting note is that they both failed the phishing page detection section, which could indicate that the products don’t hold up as well as expected when encountering phishing websites.

Though we can’t compare the AV-TEST scores, TotalAV did receive perfect results, except for Windows. The industry average for 0-day malware attack protection is 99.9%, but TotalAV scored 98.2% in January, putting it below average.

These scores represent email and web threats, so it’s a good measure of how an antivirus might perform in the real world. TotalAV scored 100% in February, so we don’t think it’s a serious mark against the product.

Winner: TotalAV wins this one since it actually got AV-TESTs done. Though we can’t say how Aura would’ve scored, the fact that TotalAV opted for the test in the first place is a good sign.

TotalAV vs. Aura antivirus: Compatibility and customer support

Our Pick
Windows
macOS
Android
iOS
Browser extensions Chrome, Edge, Safari, Opera Chrome, Firefox, Edge
24/7 customer support
Customer support options Online guides, email, phone, chat Online guides, email, phone
Learn more Get TotalAV

Read TotalAV Review

Get Aura Antivirus

Read Aura Antivirus Review

Aura’s interface was easy to use, and we noticed no device issues when running scans. We opened multiple browser tabs to put it to test and it took only around 10 minutes for a full scan.

After scanning, we were notified that threats were discovered and the antivirus quarantined them for our review. Aura allows for a 7-day hold, or the threats can be deleted, which we think is best. Upon review, we realized these were not actual threats, but false positives.

TotalAV offers a solid antivirus program, but it isn’t without some flaws. Although the experience was easy while using the interface, we also noted that using the Password Vault caused our system to crash multiple times.

We had to enable protection in the dashboard. Afterward, the program asked for full disk access, but that had already been granted for other functions. We followed the steps listed, but nothing happened when pressing the Next button.

TotalAV Real Time Protection Setup

Otherwise, we were impressed with the scanning and other features, like the VPN, ad blocker, and the junk file cleaner.

When it comes to customer service, Aura has a much more accessible support team via phone, but has no chat option at this time.

Winner: TotalAV has slightly more customer support and compatibility options.

TotalAV vs. Aura Antivirus FAQs


+

Is Aura Antivirus good?

Aura Antivirus is a good program, as it has an interface that’s easy to navigate, scans quickly, and includes plenty of features for the cost.


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Is Aura better than TotalAV?

Aura is better than TotalAV if you want multiple devices covered and options like a password manager, Safe Browsing, and a VPN included with any plan. It’s also better if you want the identity protection features that come with the Ultimate plan.


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Is Aura Antivirus trustworthy?

Aura Antivirus is a trustworthy product. It comes with features to keep you more secure and stands behind the identity protection offered with $1 million of theft insurance.

TotalAV vs. Aura Antivirus: Which is better?

We think TotalAV is the better all-around choice for antivirus security at a lower first-year price. If you want an antivirus with high test scores and other beneficial options, like a VPN and ad blocker, TotalAV is one of the best antivirus programs this year.

If you like more identity protection with your antivirus, Aura is a great choice. You’ll get malware protection and a secure VPN with each plan. If you want to upgrade to the Ultimate plan, Aura provides $1,000,000 of identity theft insurance and transaction monitoring for more peace of mind.

TotalAV vs. Aura Antivirus alternatives

If neither of these antivirus systems fits your needs, one of these alternatives might have all the features you want:

No Fuss, Real-Time Online and Mobile Protection
4.3
Editorial Rating
Learn More
On TotalAV's website
Antivirus Software
TotalAV
First year discount on paid plans
  • Real-time protection from viruses, malware, and online threats
  • Blocks tracking cookies and ads, proactively monitors for data breaches, and option to schedule smart scans
  • 100% compatible with Windows, Mac, Android, and iOS operating systems on up to 3 devices
  • Lacks firewall protection
Author Details
Patti Croft is a seasoned writer specializing in technology, with three years of experience. With a B.S. in Computer Science and a background as a technical analyst and security specialist, she covers a range of topics like data security and parental control software.