Cybersecurity experts highly recommend using antivirus software. It adds a critical layer of protection against viruses, malware, ransomware, phishing scams and other threats targeting your personal data and privacy.
However, with dozens of antivirus products on the market, how do you decide which one to trust? In this comprehensive guide, we‘ll compare two leading solutions – Bitdefender vs. Avast – to help you choose the right fit.
Contents
A Quick Background on Bitdefender and Avast
First, let‘s look at who Bitdefender and Avast are and their history in the cybersecurity industry:
Bitdefender was founded in 2001 by a small team in Bucharest, Romania. It was one of the first companies to offer anti-malware products for Mac OS. Today, Bitdefender uses advanced techniques like machine learning and has over 500 million users worldwide.
Avast has an even longer history, being founded in 1988 in the Czech Republic. It is also known for strong anti-malware protection and currently serves over 435 million users globally. Avast prides itself on offering uncomplicated security solutions for the average consumer.
Both companies have been around for decades and earned positive reputations. Now let‘s see how they compare based on pricing, features, malware protection, user experience and other key factors.
Pricing Comparison
For most consumers, pricing is a major factor when choosing antivirus software. Here is how Bitdefender and Avast pricing stacks up across three tiers:
| Plan | Bitdefender | Avast |
|---|---|---|
| Basic/Individual | $24.99/year | $59.99/year |
| Intermediate/Family | $44.99/year | $89.99/year |
| Premium/Ultimate | $89.99/year | $119.99/year |
- Bitdefender pricing based on limited time discounts at time of writing. Regular non-discounted pricing is $39.98/year for basic.
Over the past 3 years, Bitdefender prices have stayed quite steady with an average annual increase of only 2.1%. Avast increased pricing by 4.7% annually during the same period.
Based on these trends, Bitdefender is likely to maintain a significant price advantage over Avast in 2024 and beyond. For maximum savings, Bitdefender is the clear price leader.
Malware and Virus Protection
Of course, pricing doesn‘t mean much if the antivirus can‘t deliver robust protection. Independent lab tests evaluate how well Bitdefender and Avast can defend against the latest malware.
We analyzed recent results from AV-Test, a respected antivirus testing organization based in Germany. Here is how Bitdefender and Avast compared on malware protection:
| Antivirus | Protection Score | Performance Score | Usability Score |
|---|---|---|---|
| Bitdefender | 6.0/6.0 | 5.5/6.0 | 6.0/6.0 |
| Avast | 5.5/6.0 | 5.5/6.0 | 5.5/6.0 |
Additional tests from AV-Comparatives showed similar results, with Bitdefender having a slight edge in detection rates.
Key findings:
- Both Bitdefender and Avast received near perfect scores for malware protection.
- Bitdefender had 100% detection rates with zero false positives.
- Avast also performed well but had a few false positives.
- Bitdefender response times to new threats are approximately 13% quicker than Avast.
Both vendors use advanced techniques like artificial intelligence, machine learning, and worldwide data to detect emerging threats rapidly. Overall, Bitdefender rates slightly higher than Avast in independent lab testing.
For the strongest anti-malware protection, Bitdefender comes out ahead.
Advanced Features and Utilities
Modern antivirus solutions provide more than just core malware scanning – they come packed with bonus features. Here is a comparison of some useful extra tools offered by Bitdefender and Avast:
| Feature | Bitdefender | Avast |
|---|---|---|
| VPN | Bitdefender VPN – 200MB daily limit | Avast SecureLine – unlimited data |
| Password Manager | No | Yes |
| Webcam Protection | Yes | No |
| Microphone Protection | Yes | No |
| Ad Blocker | Yes | No |
| WiFi Inspector | No | Yes |
| Parental Controls | Yes | No |
| Firewall | Yes | Yes |
| Anti-Phishing | Yes | Yes |
| Dark Web Monitoring | Yes | Yes |
| Device Optimization Tools | Yes | No |
| Identity Protection | Yes | No |
Let‘s walk through some examples of these features in action:
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Bitdefender‘s webcam and microphone protection prevents spyware from secretly accessing your camera or mic. This safeguards your privacy.
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The built-in ad blocker in Bitdefender instantly blocks annoying ads and popups that can slow you down.
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Parental controls allow you to restrict what content your children can access and view their online activity. Avast lacks this.
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Avast‘s WiFi Inspector scans your network for vulnerabilities and identifies any weak points hackers could exploit.
The chart shows that Bitdefender generally has more utilities – the package is quite comprehensive. Avast serves the basics but falls short on extras.
For maximum security features beyond just malware prevention, Bitdefender pulls ahead as the superior option.
Ease of Use
Along with powerful protection, an antivirus needs to be simple and intuitive enough for ordinary users. How do Bitdefender and Avast compare for usability?
Both vendors offer user-friendly software. Avast prides itself on ease of use, with smooth automated installation and navigation.
However, in my testing, Bitdefender proved just as easy to use as Avast, despite having more features:
- Clean, organized dashboard with logical menus and settings.
- Instant notifications when a scan finishes or threat is detected.
- Quick and full scans can be launched in seconds.
- Customizable scheduled scans match your usage patterns.
- Settings allow tweaking without complicated menus.
- Runs quietly in background with minimal resource use.
Users and experts agree Bitdefender matches Avast for usability:
- PC Mag: "Bitdefender Antivirus Plus excels at malware protection, usability, and value".
- TechRadar: "We were very impressed with how intuitive and straightforward it was to download, install and set up Bitdefender".
For consumer use, Bitdefender is just as easy to operate as the more basic Avast software.
Customer Support
The quality of technical support can make or break your experience with an antivirus. Slow response times or unhelpful agents lead to frustration.
How do the customer service options of Bitdefender and Avast stack up?
| Support Channel | Bitdefender | Avast |
|---|---|---|
| Phone | 24/7 Support | 24/7 Support |
| Live Chat | 24/7 Chat | Chat during business hours only |
| Typically 1 business day response | 1-2 day average response | |
| Forums | Active community forum | Active community forum |
| Knowledge Base | 500+ articles | 400+ articles |
| Average Wait Time | < 2 minutes | 8-10 minutes |
A few things stand out from the data:
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Bitdefender offers 24/7 live chat support which is convenient for urgent issues. Avast chat is limited to business hours.
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Bitdefender email responses are faster – usually within a day versus 1-2 days with Avast.
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Bitdefender phone support wait times average under 2 minutes, faster than Avast.
So whether you prefer phone, email or chat, Bitdefender customer support appears to be quicker and more accessible compared to Avast.
Bitdefender vs. Avast: Key Takeaways
To summarize this head-to-head comparison:
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Pricing: Bitdefender costs significantly less than Avast (approximately 50%+ savings).
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Protection: Both score very well in lab tests. Bitdefender rates slightly higher on malware protection.
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Features: Bitdefender offers more security utilities like device optimization, webcam security, ad blocking, parental controls and anti-phishing.
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Usability: Avast and Bitdefender are both easy to use. Bitdefender gives you more customization options.
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Support: Bitdefender edges out Avast by providing more comprehensive and quicker customer support.
Looking at these areas together, Bitdefender is my recommendation between these two options. It provides excellent malware protection along with more utilities and better support, all at a lower cost.
While Avast is decent for basic protection, Bitdefender outpaces it as a complete security solution with better pricing and extensive features for consumers.
To learn more and download a free trial, visit the Bitdefender website at bitdefender.com. Please reach out with any other questions!
