| Written by Ria du Plessis Updated on July 21, 2021 |
An antivirus program is critical these days, especially with more people working remotely due to the Covid-19 pandemic. With so many options available, what do you look for in a good antivirus suite? Is a free option enough, or should you pay for more protection? To help you decide, let’s have a look at two popular options: Bitdefender vs Avast.
| Our verdict on overall best antivirus program is Bitdefender |
Bitdefender Pros | Avast Pros |
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Bitdefender Cons | Avast Cons |
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Avast and Bitdefender are both well-rated antivirus solutions with free and paid options.
Avast uses intelligent analytics to protect you from viruses, all types of malware, and phishing. It picks up unsafe settings and passwords, as well as high-risk add-ons and out-of-date software.
Avast can also detect weaknesses in your WiFi network to keep your device safe from unwanted connections.
Bitdefender uses behavioral detection to spot suspicious activity. It provides real-time detection and protection against all cyber threats.
Bitdefender also blocks phishing sites and suspicious web pages to prevent hackers from accessing your data.
| Overall winner: Bitdefender |
Even though both solutions have similar features on the free versions, Bitdefender offers extensive customer support for free users.
Feature | Bitdefender | Avast |
Virus Scanner | Yes. Real-time scanning and removal of viruses. | Yes. Detects and blocks most threats, and sends them to the Cloud for analysis. |
Threat Protection | Yes, Real-time behavioral detector to watch apps. | Yes. Protects from encryption of files by hackers. |
Malware Removal | Yes. Detects and removes in real-time. | Yes. Detects and moves to the Cloud for analysis. |
Phishing Detection | Yes. Detects and blocks phishing and fraudulent websites. | Yes. Detects and blocks phishing attempts. |
Spyware Protection | Yes. Real-time protection, even with the free version. | Yes. Checks with one click, and with advanced learning, it stops future attacks. |
Ransomware Protection | Yes. It blocks threats based on suspicious behavior. | Yes. Six layers of security to stop ransomware and regular upgrades to protect against new threats. |
Cloud Backup | No. It scans the Cloud but never stores any files in it. | No. Only available in the Cloudflare platform. |
Firewall | Yes. Only with Bitdefender Total Security. | Yes. On paid plans to check unapproved communication and intrusions. |
VPN | Yes. With a paid plan, it encrypts all internet traffic. | Yes. Avast Secure Line VPN on the Ultimate plan. |
Browser Protection | Yes. By using a dedicated browser on paid plans. | No. Available through Avast Secure Browser. |
Webcam Protection | Yes. Only with Bitdefender Total Security. | Yes. Through Avast Secure Line VPN. |
Password Manager | Yes. Only available on paid plans. | No. Avast has discontinued the password manager. |
Identity Theft Protection | Yes. It has a dedicated safe browser on paid plans. | No. Available through Avast BreachGuard. |
Parental Control | Yes. Only available on paid plans. | Yes. Available through the Avast Omni application. |
Safe Banking | Yes. Only available on paid plans. | Yes. On paid plans by avoiding fake sites. |
Performance Optimization | Yes. Adapt to system configuration to save resources. | Yes. Cleanup, Driver Updater, and Battery Saver in premium options. |
Cleaning Tools | Yes. With a paid plan, it reboots in a rescue environment for the safe removal of threats. | Yes. On a paid plan, it removes junk to free up storage space and speed up your PC. |
File Shredder | Yes. With a paid plan, it removes shredder files leaving no trace behind. | Yes. On paid plans, it overwrites your deleted files with nonsense data so that nobody can retrieve them. |
Game Mode | Yes. The paid feature removes distractions while you play or work. | Yes. Called Do Not Disturb mode and blocks irritating pop-ups. |
Mobile App | Yes. Free malware protection and cloud scanning with low battery impact. | Yes. Block threats, protect your privacy, secure your data, and control your digital habits. |
Avast and Bitdefender are both well-rated antivirus solutions with free and paid options.
Avast uses intelligent analytics to protect you from viruses, all types of malware, and phishing. It picks up unsafe settings and passwords, as well as high-risk add-ons and out-of-date software.
Avast can also detect weaknesses in your WiFi network to keep your device safe from unwanted connections.
Bitdefender uses behavioral detection to spot suspicious activity. It provides real-time detection and protection against all cyber threats.
Bitdefender also blocks phishing sites and suspicious web pages to prevent hackers from accessing your data.
Best for antivirus features:
Bitdefender is better because it provides more features with its free version than Avast.
Let's take a look at Malware Protection:
These days, malware protection is an important feature to consider when choosing your antivirus program.
Bitdefender provides a basic malware solution on the free plan but adds multi-layer malware protection on paid plans to keep your files safe.
It scans your system in real-time to prevent the installation of viruses, detects and instantly removes them.
The Avast Web Shield blocks malware from downloading to your PC and strips harmful attachments from email messages. The Remote Shield protects you against hackers who try to infect or control your PC through malware.
According to the latest AV-Comparatives Malware Protection test, Bitdefender and Avast are similar in their malware protection capabilities according to the latest test results from March 2021.
| Best for malware protection: Tie |
Although they are tied, Bitdefender gives better malware protection on the free version. With Avast, you need to have one of the paid plans to access it.
Let's have a look at system performance results.
Bitdefender uses more storage space than Avast, but it performs better due to the intelligent profile management. Full background check mode only runs when you’re away from your computer, thus adapting to your working schedule.
Avast includes bloatware with its installations, and it uses much of your PC resources because of the amount of memory it needs.
We had a look at third-party testing done by www.av-test.org. Both Bitdefender and Avast scored extremely well. Although, they did test the free version of Avast compared to the premium version of Bitdefender.
Below screenshot is Avast’s Test Results;
Below screenshot is Bitdefender's Test Results;
| Best for system performance: Bitdefender |
Even though it uses more memory than Avast, it’s more efficient by adapting to the user. It runs background checks only when your system is idle.
Bitdefender has many useful features available on the free version, including customer support. The Premium plan is $19.99 per year and Total Security is $39.98 per year.
Avast’s AntiVirus Plus is $34.99 per year, and Avast Ultimate is $59.99 per year.
| Best price: Bitdefender |
Both of its price plans are cheaper in comparison to Avast’s. Bitdefender’s highest option is only $4.99 more than the most affordable Avast plan. It also offers more functionality on its free program.
Ease of use and user-friendliness is also an important aspect to keep in mind when choosing an antivirus solution. You don’t want an antivirus solution that is hard to understand or to work with.
Let’s take a look at how Bitdefender and Avast compares:
Bitdefender has a simple interface. You can choose between only installing the malware scanner or the full antivirus solution.
On the dashboard, on the left, you will find your dashboard option, your scanning option, privacy option, and your notification option.
You can easily navigate to the scanning options and scan your computer for viruses.
Let's have a look at the screenshot below for Bitdefender;
Avast has a straightforward interface. On the dashboard, you will find your system status, which will let you know the condition of your device. You will also see protection options to run scans, privacy options, and the performance option.
Let's have a look at the screenshot below for Avast;
| Most user-friendly provider: Bitdefender |
Bitdefender has a simple interface that allows you to scan your device. Avast has a little more complex dashboard.
Bitdefender has many customer support options. You can connect with customer service via phone, email, and live chat. From the dashboard, you can also access customer support through the help menu.
Avast doesn’t offer much support for free users. Free users can only access the FAQs. Even paid subscribers have limited options, such as ticket support or call service. Your only other choice is to visit the support portal and look at the FAQs and guides.
| Best customer support: Bitdefender |
Offers various help options even to free users, like information on the support portal and the ability to connect via phone, email, live chat.
In conclusion, the winner is Bitdefender. Not only does it adjust to your system resources, but it also provides more features and extensive customer support, even on the free version.
Its premium plans are also cheaper than Avast, with its top plan only about $5 more expensive than the lowest-priced option for Avast.
Bitdefender integrates all its features in one program, while Avast offers separate programs to supply different functionality.
