Written by Ria du Plessis - Web Developer Updated on August 12 , 2021 |
When deciding which antivirus is the best to use in 2021, it can get confusing. This is where we come in, to make it easier for you. We compare Sophos vs. Bitdefender to help you decide which one is the best solution to fit your needs.
| Our verdict on overall best antivirus program is Bitdefender Antivirus |
Bitdefender Pros | Sophos Pros |
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Bitdefender Cons | Sophos Cons |
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Both Sophos and Bitdefender have their strong and weak points.
Sophos offers parental web filtering for both free and premium versions while Bitdefender has a fantastic reputation in the industry of virus protection and a highly efficient virtual private network (VPN) and an excellent firewall.
| Overall winner: Bitdefender as it has better features. |
Let's take a look at the key features offered by Sophos and Bitdefender;
Feature | Sophos | Comments | Bitdefender | Comments |
Virus Scanner | Yes | Yes | ||
Threat Protection | Yes | Yes | ||
Malware Removal | Yes | Yes | ||
Phishing Detection | Yes | Yes | ||
Spyware Protection | Yes | Yes | ||
Ransomware Protection | Yes | Yes | ||
Cloud Backup | No | Yes | Only for premium | |
Firewall | Yes | Yes | ||
VPN | No | Yes | 200MB Limit on the free version. Unlimited for monthly and annual plans. | |
Browser Protection | Yes | Only for premium | Yes | Available as a browser extension |
Webcam Protection | Yes | Yes | ||
Password Manager | Yes | Yes | ||
Identity Theft Protection | No | Yes | Only for premium | |
Parental Control | Yes | Yes | ||
Safe Banking | Yes | Yes | Bitdefender “Safepay” is used for secure banking and shopping transactions | |
Performance Optimization | No | No | ||
Cleaning Tools | Yes | Yes | ||
File Shredder | Yes | Yes | ||
Game Mode | Yes | Yes | ||
Mobile App | Yes | Yes |
When it comes to antivirus features, both Bitdefender and Sophos provide excellent security and threat defense.
There are a few more features that Bitdefender offers, such as cloud backup, identity theft protection, and excellent VPN services.
The identity theft safeguard is only available in the premium version of Bitdefender. The VPN services are available on the PC software and the mobile app, which is a big plus.
Sophos Features;
Bitdefender Features;
| Best for antivirus features: We have to say Bitdefender because of the extra features available that Sophos doesn’t offer. |
No one wants malware such as viruses, trojans, adware, spyware, ransomware, and worms on a device.
To see which antivirus solution will be the best option between Sophos and Bitdefender, we looked at third-party testing done by AV-Test.
AV-Test results from March and April 2021 showed that Bitdefender and Sophos detected all 278 real-world malware samples and 16 976 widespread malware samples.
Sophos Results;
Bitdefender Results;
Both Sophos and Bitdefender offer excellent protection when it comes to malware detection and removal. It would come down to personal preference on the type of scans you’d like and how advanced you want your scans to be.
Bitdefender offers more in-depth scans, but Sophos is also very efficient at removing malware.
| Best for malware protection: Bitdefender for their in-depth scanning abilities. |
If you are using your device regularly, especially for work purposes, you need to make sure that your antivirus software has minimal impact on your system.
To determine which antivirus solution is the best option, we looked at third-party testing done by AV-Test.
Bitdefender AV-Test Results;
Bitdefender scored an impressive six out of six, which means it had little impact on tested systems.
Sophos AV-Test Results;
Sophos scored a 5.5 out of six when tested for system impact. This means that Sophos has a little more impact on systems than Bitdefender.
| Best for system performance: Bitdefender has minimal system impact on systems. |
Sophos | |||
Home Premium | |||
Number of Devices | One Year | Two Years | Three Years |
Ten | $59.99 | $99.99 | $139.99 |
Bitdefender | |||
Antivirus Plus | |||
Number of Devices | One Year | Two Years | Three Years |
One | $19.99 | $41.99 | $53.99 |
Three | $29.99 | $53.99 | $71.99 |
Five | $69.99 | $109.99 | $149.99 |
Ten | $79.99 | $129.99 | $179.99 |
Internet Security | |||
Length of Contract in Years | Maximum Number of Devices | Price | |
One | One | $29.99 | |
One | Three | $39.98 | |
One | Five | $84.99 | |
One | Ten | $89.99 | |
Two | One | $53.99 | |
Two | Three | $71.99 | |
Two | Five | $129.99 | |
Two | Ten | $149.99 | |
Three | One | $77.99 | |
Three | Three | $89.99 | |
Three | Five | $169.99 | |
Three | Ten | $199.99 | |
Total Security | |||
Number of Devices | One Year | Two Years | Three Years |
5 devices | $44.99 | $89.99 | $119.99 |
10 devices | $49.99 | $101.99 | $137.99 |
| Best price: Comparing the premium home products of Sophos vs. Bitdefender, Sophos is slightly cheaper. We’ll note that Bitdefender has a much larger product range, though. |
Sophos has a minimalistic design in terms of design and features. This makes this antivirus solution an excellent choice for non-technical users. Sophos does, however, offer advanced settings and remote management features for more technical users.
Sophos offers a desktop app, but most of its features and settings are managed by the online dashboard. The desktop app acts like a shortcut dashboard that redirects you to specific features. Both the desktop and online dashboards are very user-friendly and easy to navigate, especially for beginners.
Sophos Interface;
Bitdefender offers a very user-friendly and simple dashboard. In the Bitdefender Total Security dashboard, you can navigate between quick scan, system scan, vulnerability scan, VPN, and safepay.
Any beginner will find it easy to navigate. More advanced users will have access to better settings from it under the protection, Privacy, and utility tab.
Bitdefender Interface;
| Most user-friendly provider: Bitdefender as it offers a more user-friendly interface. |
Sophos offers various channels of support. They have a helpful community where you can join conversations and ask for help. There are also support knowledge base articles that you can browse if you would like more product knowledge.
Sophos also offers an online chat to connect with a live agent, email support, and a contact center.
Bitdefender has online support options that include articles where you can find loads of product knowledge. Its premium services offer live chat support, where you can also open a support ticket or get in touch with their contact center for further assistance.
| Best customer support: Both Sophos and Bitdefender offer many channels of support. |
Deciding between Sophos vs. Bitdefender isn’t easy as they both offer fantastic antivirus and antimalware protection features. There are certain features that Sophos do not provide, like VPN and cloud backup. Bitdefender takes the lead when it comes to additional features.
Bitdefender is also an award-winning antivirus solution, so you can't go wrong with them.
