McAfee
McAfee is a consumer cybersecurity subscriptions for device, identity and privacy protection.
Analyst Perspective
McAfee is a US-based consumer cybersecurity software company focused on protecting individuals and families across devices, identity, privacy, and online activity. Its current product portfolio is centred on subscription plans such as McAfee+ and Total Protection, alongside related tools including VPN, password management, identity theft protection, scam detection, mobile security, and PC optimisation. The company primarily serves end consumers rather than enterprise IT teams. The business makes money mainly through annual subscription plans with tiered pricing, introductory discounts, auto-renewal, and feature-based upselling. Premium bundles increase revenue per household by adding identity monitoring, insurance-backed restoration services, VPN, and broader device coverage. Financially, McAfee is a large private company following its 2022 take-private transaction by an investor group led by Advent International and Permira.
Analyst Signal Briefing
Updated: 2 Jul 2026Under the ownership of Advent International, McAfee has appointed Brian Herb as Chief Financial Officer to bolster its executive leadership. The company is increasingly prioritising the mitigation of AI-driven threats, recently issuing guidance on deepfake detection to counter election-related disinformation. This focus on AI security aligns with Advent’s strategic expansion into the artificial intelligence sector—following its recent investments in OpenAI and Shield AI—as the industry grapples with the rise of sophisticated deepfake vishing and autonomous hacking vulnerabilities.
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Key insights about McAfee
Category Differentiation
This is the consumer cybersecurity company, not an adtech, martech, or enterprise SaaS vendor in the provided ontology. It is distinct from pure antivirus point products because its current offer is a broader consumer protection bundle covering identity, privacy and scam prevention.
McAfee: About
McAfee operates a recurring-revenue software model built around direct-to-consumer digital security subscriptions. It packages multiple protection layers into tiered plans, acquires users through its brand and online distribution, then seeks to increase lifetime value through renewals, family plans, and upgrades into higher-priced bundles with broader identity and privacy features.
How McAfee Works & Monetises
Business model analysis and core revenue streams
The company monetises chiefly through subscription-based consumer security plans sold on annual terms. Commercial mechanics include tiered packages, discounted first-year pricing, higher auto-renewal pricing, standalone utilities, and upsells into premium identity, VPN, and family coverage. Revenue is therefore primarily SaaS-style subscription income from consumers, with add-on and bundle expansion increasing average contract value.
Revenue Channels
Products & Services in Categories
Verified structural categorizations from the graph
Media Channel
Technology
Recent Signals (McAfee)
Brian Herb Joins McAfee as Chief Financial Officer
Brian Herb Joins McAfee as Chief Financial Officer
Read original sourceBrian Herb Joins McAfee as Chief Financial Officer
McAfee announces the appointment of Brian Herb as Chief Financial Officer.
Read original sourceHow to Avoid Deepfakes this Election Season
As Election Day approaches, concerns about the influence of deepfakes on elections have grown. Disinformation and so-called “fake news” have long played a
Read original sourceMcAfee: Frequently Asked Questions
What is McAfee?
McAfee is a consumer cybersecurity software company that sells subscription products for device security, identity protection, privacy, VPN and scam detection.
Who uses McAfee?
Its main users are individual consumers and families who want digital protection across PCs, phones, browsing, passwords and identity risks.
How does McAfee make money?
It mainly earns recurring revenue from annual consumer subscriptions, with higher-value plans and add-ons increasing spend per household.
Company Facts
- Founded
- 1987
- Headquarters
- 6220 America Center Drive, San Jose, California 95002, USA
- Core Segment
- B2C Consumer App / Platform
- Company Size
- >5,000
- Official Link
- mcafee.com