Bitdefender Review: How Good Is It Really? [2024]

#1 Bitdefender Review in 2024

Bitdefender, a well-established name in the antivirus world, boasts a heritage that stretches back nearly a quarter of a century. It’s consistently ranked as one of the best — if not THE best — antivirus suite globally by multiple publishers. 

However, I'm not easily convinced. That's why I decided to see how good Bitdefender really is, all on my own.

In this Bitdefender review, I covered every little feature and added over 70 screenshots to show you what's going on under the hood.

In this article, you will learn:

• How well Bitdefender can stop malware

• If it can prevent phishing and ransomware tricks

• How quick it is at scanning your system

• Whether it's going to slow down your computer

• If Bitdefender's really as trustworthy as everyone says

• If Bitdefender's really as trustworthy as everyone says

Let’s get started. 

In a Hurry? Here’s a Quick Summary: 

Bitdefender is the best antivirus product I've ever used. How did I arrive at this conclusion? I tested Bitdefender and its ten leading competitors extensively (spending about two weeks testing each antivirus) and compared the advantages of each product.

Bitdefender claimed the #1 spot due to its array of excellent features, numerous benefits, and minimal drawbacks. Top features include ransomware protection, advanced cloud-based scans, and a fortified browser, among others.

I was also impressed by Bitdefender's minimal impact on system performance, the diversity of its product plans, and the responsive customer support. Every interaction, big or small, I had with Bitdefender felt polished and well-considered.

If you're in search of a versatile antivirus solution boasting an array of additional security and privacy features, I highly recommend Bitdefender. Download Bitdefender today and explore its remarkable features.

What You'll Like:

• Well-organized user interface

• Fast cloud-based scan technology

• Sandboxed browser for online transactions

• Versatile parental control utility

• Diverse profile selection

What You Might Not Like:

• No data backup feature

• No file encryption

• PC cleanup is a bit limited

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What Makes This Bitdefender Review Different?

Most antivirus reviews on the web — even those appearing on the first page of Google — are not always genuine. They are often crafted by copying text and images directly from the product's official website. As these reviews do not reflect the genuine opinions of cybersecurity experts, can they truly be trusted?

At AntivirusGuide, we are committed to providing the most objective antivirus reviews. We achieve this by purchasing, installing, testing, and thoroughly analyzing the antivirus software featured on our website, using our own hardware.

For this Bitdefender review, my primary device was a Dell XPS laptop. However, I also used a MacBook Pro M1 and a Samsung Galaxy S20 FE. The entire process spanned about two weeks, during which I captured over 100 screenshots, 70 of which were selected for inclusion in the final version of the Bitdefender review.

Keep reading for more insights into the ins and outs of Bitdefender.

Buying Bitdefender 

I bought the best package Bitdefender offers — Premium Security. As I expected, I was offered a great first-year discount of 60%. Considering the range of features included in the Premium package, it was a really good deal.

The buying process was simple. I checked my cart and entered my billing information on a safe webpage. I had no problems with these steps.

After paying, Bitdefender offered to set up the program for me, ensuring my device would be as secure as possible. I didn't need this service, but I would suggest it to someone who is new to online safety.

They sent me informative emails at each step of the Bitdefender setup: when creating my account, confirming my email, welcoming me, and sending me the receipt. I found this sequence of emails made a lot of sense.

I was able to buy Bitdefender’s top-tier option easily by following a few clear steps. 

Installation

I set up Bitdefender Premium Security on my laptop using a file I downloaded from Bitdefender Central. This is a page where you can manage your Bitdefender account and add security programs to your devices.

On my laptop, I installed three solutions: Security, VPN, and Parental Control.

on the device I was usingAfter picking which product to install, I chose a device to install it on the device I was using:

Once that was done, I could download and set up the programs I picked.

First, I decided to install the main antivirus program. In the setup process, I could choose from 20 languages. I was impressed since most antivirus programs don't give you that many options.

During the quick setup, Bitdefender showed some helpful security tips.

After finishing the installation, the program suggested doing a quick scan right away. It took about five minutes and didn't find any problems.

Bitdefender also installed two extra tools in my browser, Waller and Anti-Tracker, without me having to do anything. I'll talk more about these tools later in this Bitdefender review.

The whole installation process was easy to follow, thanks to Bitdefender's clear instructions.

Interface

When you start the application for the first time, Bitdefender shows you around. You can skip this, but I found it useful to understand what the main features do.

Bitdefender's screen has six main parts: dashboard, protection, privacy, utilities, notifications, and settings. The dashboard shows important security tips and quick ways to use key features.

The cool thing is, you can change these quick links to whatever you want. I like this because it lets me access what I need faster.

Under 'Protection,' you'll find the antivirus scanner, firewall, and options for stopping ransomware.

'Privacy' has tools to help keep your personal information and data safe, like a VPN and password manager.

The 'Utilities' tab is where you find tools like the computer optimizer or data shredder.

Also, notifications are split into All, Critical, Warning, and Information. This layout helps you understand everything Bitdefender does on your computer.

In the settings, there are some features I haven't seen in other programs. These include a security widget, special offers, and recommendation notifications.

I also like that there's a dark mode. It can help save energy and battery life, and it looks good on both the antivirus program and the VPN.

Bitdefender's user interface is probably the best out of all the antivirus programs I've used. Everything is easy to find and well-organized.

Major Features 

Bitdefender comes with many features, some of which are unique. You'll see more about these in the rest of the Bitdefender review.

Ransomware Remediation

Ransomware is one of the scariest digital threats out there. It's a type of malware that gets into your device and locks up your files. To unlock your files, the attacker demands a payment or 'ransom.' But even if you pay, there's no promise that you'll get your files back.

I tested Bitdefender's ransomware protection using the KnowBe4 Ransomware Simulator. The test was quick, taking only a couple of minutes.

And the outcome?

Bitdefender did an amazing job — it caught all of the ransomware threats. I've never seen an antivirus solution stop all 21 threats before.

On top of that, Bitdefender provides different settings for the ransomware shield. You can add apps you trust to a safe list and let Bitdefender recover any files locked up by ransomware.

Bitdefender did an excellent job at blocking ransomware threats.

Scan

As you'd expect from a top-notch antivirus, Bitdefender comes with many scanning options. You can find these in the Antivirus section of the Protection tab.

The quick scan looks for threats like malware and vulnerabilities in the most common places on your computer. The first scan took 3.5 minutes, checking 9733 items.

That's pretty quick, but can it be quicker? The answer is yes. The second scan only took two minutes.

As far as the full scans go, the first full system scan I did took about 28 minutes. That's a lot quicker than most antivirus products' average scan times.

What blew me away is:

A second full scan finished in less than five minutes. That's super fast. The speed of the second scan depends on whether you've made changes to your computer's programs and files since the last scan. In my case, I hadn't made any changes, so it was speedy.

A week after the second scan, I scanned my laptop again, and it took about 40 minutes. I guess it took longer because I had installed new programs and changed some data on my device.

Furthermore, when setting up a scan, you've got lots of options. For example, you can choose what kind of items to look for, where on the disk to scan, and more.

Bitdefender also provides a rescue environment scan. In the past, Bitdefender had a free computer recovery tool called Rescue CD. It would start an infected system using Linux to scan and clean it. While this tool is no longer available, you can use a similar one — the Bitdefender Rescue Environment. 

This feature uses a sandboxed version of Windows instead of Linux to clean stubborn threats from a very infected computer.

Furthermore, Bitdefender can automatically scan devices you connect to your computer, including DVDs, flash drives, and network drives you've mapped. In my tests for this Bitdefender review, this worked great. Bitdefender quickly looked for threats when I put flash drives into my PC. You can change these options in the Settings.

As expected, Bitdefender also comes with custom scanning options. When you're setting up your custom scan, there are loads of options to pick from. My custom scans worked just as I planned them.

The scans are varied and quick. If you're an advanced user, you can access heaps of options to customize your scans.

Advanced Threat Defense 

Advanced Threat Defense is Bitdefender’s tool for protecting against zero-day threats. It does this by looking for unusual activity in specific apps on your computer. This feature also has its own section in the user interface.

The first tab shows any attacks on your device in the last 90 days. Luckily, my device hadn't been attacked during that period.

In the settings, you can turn this feature off and add or remove items that you want to be excluded from the scan.

You can also bring back or delete threats that Bitdefender put in quarantine. My quarantine folder had several items that Bitdefender found when I ran a ransomware simulation earlier.

The Advanced Threat Defense feature kept my computer safe from zero-day attacks, including exploits.

Online Threat Prevention

Bitdefender's web shield is one of its most crucial tools, given that most threats come from the Internet. To test it, I visited several websites that are used in security testing.

First, I visited maliciouswebsitetest.com, which Bitdefender successfully blocked. It's worth noting that you can still visit web pages marked as dangerous, but be very careful. Only proceed if you're 100% sure they're safe.

Next, I tested wicar.org. This site lets you try to download various threats to see how your antivirus reacts. Thankfully, Bitdefender blocked all threats I tried to open.

I also tried to open several links on amtso.org. Bitdefender gave me a desktop notification when it blocked a threat on this site.

The web shield works by using various sub-shields, like an encrypted web scan, fraud protection, and phishing protection. You can turn these shields on or off from the settings. Plus, Bitdefender scans your network and email for threats in real time.

The internet threat prevention tools successfully blocked all online threats I tried to open, including phishing sites.

Vulnerabilities Scan

The vulnerability scan feature looks for updates for Windows and apps, checks how strong your passwords are, and sees if your Wi-Fi connection is secure. If you don't want a specific scan, you can turn it off in the settings.

You can start a scan from the Protection > Vulnerability window or the Dashboard if you have a scan shortcut there.

In my tests for this Bitdefender review, the antivirus solution found several vulnerabilities. You can see these in the screenshot below. One weakness was linked to the User Access Control settings being too low, but that was my choice. However, I can't deny that it's a potential vulnerability.

The other issues were missing browser updates and a weak Wi-Fi password. I simply clicked the "Fix issue" button and solved all the problems (except the weak password). You can also see details about the Wi-Fi connection analysis in a different tab of the Vulnerability module.

One issue I had with this tool is that it found and fixed several problems with my PC, but it was slow at detecting updates for Windows. But, Windows does a pretty good job at updating itself, so that's not a huge issue.

The vulnerability scanner found issues with my PC but was slow at finding Windows updates.

Firewall

Bitdefender comes with its own firewall. It takes the place of the default firewall on your Windows laptop. While the Windows version is good at stopping threats over the network, Bitdefender's version is more advanced. I was able to change application access, rules, and network adapters in the firewall's settings.

To check how good the firewall was, I used the well-known firewall test tool, ShieldsUp. The result was excellent — my equipment didn't respond to the UPnP probes, which is a good sign.

Windows’s firewall can stop threats over the network, but Bitdefender's version is more advanced.

Antispam

The spam blocker feature is a great add-on to Bitdefender's security tools. Blocking unwanted emails, or spam, is one of the best ways to prevent phishing attacks. The Bitdefender spam blocker has a few extra options compared to the default spam blockers of email clients.

For example, you can put your "Friends" (email addresses and websites that you trust) on a safe list and manage the spammers.

Or you can block all emails that contain Asian or Cyrillic characters:

It's important to note that Bitdefender's spam blocker only supports the POP3 protocol, one of the most common email protocols.

Bitdefender's spam blocker lets you manage your safe and spam lists but only supports the POP3 protocol.

Safepay

When it comes to online transactions, being extra careful never hurts. That's why I believe Safepay is one of Bitdefender's top features. It's a secure browser that opens in a safe environment, letting you shop online, use your online bank, or do other online transactions without worry.

Safepay guards against threats like phishing, hacking, trojans, man-in-the-middle attacks, and more. It even has a virtual keyboard. This means you can type sensitive info like passwords without the fear of keyloggers.

There are two ways to start Safepay. The first is to open it yourself from within Bitdefender:

The second option, which I prefer, is to set it to start automatically when you visit certain websites. There's a setting for this:

One thing to note is that I couldn't take screenshots of Safepay. This is because it's designed to prevent that. Also, when you open a permitted website in Safepay, you can set it to start the VPN. This adds an extra level of security.

Safepay is a secure online environment with many features for keeping your online transactions safe.

VPN

A VPN (Virtual Private Network) is an essential tool for privacy. It lets you use the internet through a secure tunnel that hides your IP address and keeps you anonymous.

Bitdefender's VPN service, powered by Hotspot Shield, has over 1,300 servers in more than 45 countries. In my tests, it took just a few seconds to connect to a different country.

For this Bitdefender VPN review, I checked speeds using fast.com — with and without a VPN connection. Here's what I found:

• No VPN: 300 Mbps download, 520 Mbps upload, and 4 ms latency

• USA: 190 Mbps download, 33 Mbps upload, and 155 ms latency

• UK: 160 Mbps download, 80 Mbps upload, and 116 ms latency

• Australia: 79 Mbps download, 11 Mbps upload, and 26 ms latency

As you can see, the US server is the fastest, though its upload speed and latency weren't the best. The UK and Australian servers were slower but still okay.

The VPN user interface is a slim window with different tabs. The first tab lets you start a VPN server connection and see your private IP.

The second tab shows connection time, data used, and top connected locations — features I haven't seen in other antivirus VPNs.

Bitdefender VPN also offers several key features. There's a Kill-Switch that stops your internet traffic if the VPN suddenly stops, a split tunneling feature to exclude specific websites from using the VPN tunnel, and even a dark mode.

In the next settings tab, you can turn on other useful options. These include auto-connecting to the VPN on unsecured Wi-Fi networks, or when opening specific apps or websites. There's also an option to automatically connect to a VPN server when using a P2P client like uTorrent, which worked well in my tests.

Not all VPN providers include these options, so this is a plus for Bitdefender's VPN. Norton doesn't even let you use their VPN if you have a torrenting app installed on your computer.

For privacy testing, I used ipleak.net and perfect-privacy.com. My IP address and location stayed hidden in all tests!

The VPN speeds are better than average, it passed the IP leak tests, and all features worked well.

Password Manager

Password managers are crucial for keeping your online details, like bank accounts or online store logins, safe. If you're like me, with lots of online accounts, remembering all your details can be tough.

That's where a password manager can help. It keeps your usernames and passwords safe, and you just have to remember one password to access all your details.

To use Bitdefender’s password manager, install the Bitdefender Wallet extension on your browser.

Bitdefender lets you keep account details in different "Wallets". For example, you might have a wallet for social media accounts and one for online banking. Each wallet is protected by its own password.

When you create a new wallet, Bitdefender checks how strong your password is. I like that you can add a hint to help you remember it.

Furthermore, saving data in the password manager is a breeze. You can add details manually via the desktop interface or by logging into accounts from your browser, as shown in this screenshot:

The browser extension automatically saves your usernames and passwords, and you can open your wallet from the extension's menu.

The password manager also has a useful password generator. It can create passwords up to 255 characters long and has a neat feature for making passwords with pronounceable words.

In my tests, it was effortless to save my details and log into my accounts using the extension.

The Password Manager has many useful features that worked very well in my Bitdefender review tests.

Video & Audio Protection

Hackers can easily take control of your device's camera, recording and listening to what you're doing. Since covering the camera or turning it off isn't practical, you need a program to stop this from happening.

Bitdefender’s webcam protection checks all programs trying to access your video and audio devices and stops any that seem suspicious. It only lets trusted programs access your camera. It also lets you know whenever an unknown app tries to use your camera.

You can manage which apps you trust in the settings.

Furthermore, there are many options you can turn on, like blocking all browsers from accessing the webcam, or choosing which alerts to get.

Bitdefender made it easy for me to control which apps could use my webcam.

Anti-Tracker

Bitdefender Anti-Tracker is a browser extension that stops the trackers on the websites you visit. This helps protect your privacy online and makes websites load faster. The extension is free for everyone and you can use it even if you didn’t install Bitdefender antivirus software.

It showed all the trackers on the sites I visited and successfully blocked them in my tests. I like how it sorts trackers into groups like "advertising", "site analytics", and so on.

Yet, you can also add websites to an exceptions list if you want to:

The anti-tracker works with popular browsers like Google Chrome, Mozilla Firefox, and Internet Explorer.

The Anti-Tracker extension blocked all trackers on the websites I visited.

Parental Advisor

Parental Advisor is a tool that lets you manage what your children can see and do online. It works on Windows, Mac, Android, and iOS. You can buy it on its own or get a big discount if you buy it with other security tools in a paid Bitdefender plan.

This tool doesn't have a desktop app. Instead, it uses an online dashboard that makes it easy for parents to manage their children's accounts. You can get to the Parental Control page from Bitdefender Central.

I created a new kid profile from the web dashboard. After that, the Advisor program was automatically installed on my computer. I didn't see any installation screens — it happened in the background. I later found out this is how it's supposed to work. I could also link a device to the child's profile:

So, what can I say about Parental Advisor?

It has all the features you need to monitor the activity and location of several children across devices. The online dashboard shows screen time, visited websites, and used apps. It also lets you choose which types of websites to block.

Plus, you can set daily time limits. This is useful if, for example, your child goes to school online.

Of course, if your child tries to visit a blocked website, they'll see a placeholder page instead.

Thanks to its central dashboard, cross-platform support, and many features, Parental Advisor is one of the best parental control tools out there.

Anti-Theft

The anti-theft feature is a service that works through the cloud and helps you find your device if it gets lost or stolen. You can use it from your Bitdefender Central account (you need to pick a device first).

In my tests for this Bitdefender review, I added my Android phone and my Windows laptop. The anti-theft options are the same for both. But, the Android device has a "Play sound" option. This can be handy when you've misplaced your device somewhere in your house, even if it's on silent mode.

Using these dashboard features, I could quickly and accurately find my devices. But remember, you need to have the location setting turned on for the anti-theft tracking to work. 

I also liked the option to wipe the device. You can use this as a last resort when you can't find your phone.

The Anti-Theft feature found my devices quickly and precisely.

OneClick Optimizer

OneClick Optimizer is a tool that cleans up your computer by removing unnecessary files. You can open it through the utility section of Bitdefender. When you click on "Optimize", the tool starts scanning your device automatically and shows you the items you should clean up. There are three types of optimization: Disk Cleanup, Registry Cleanup, and Privacy Cleanup.

The disk issues include Windows junk and debug files. But, as you can see in the screenshot below, there's not a lot of detail about these junk files. So, you won't know for sure if it's safe to delete them.

The registry issues are also not very clear:

The privacy issues are related to browser cache, cookies, history, and temporary files. Unfortunately, it doesn't support Microsoft Edge.

In my tests for this Bitdefender review, the Optimizer scanned my PC quickly — in about a minute — and cleaned up even faster. I liked it, but I wish it had more options, like saving the registry files before deleting them.

OneClick Optimizer isn't very advanced, but it's useful for anyone who wants a simple tool to clean their computer.

Profiles 

Bitdefender Profiles boost the performance of certain activities like gaming or running slideshows. They're designed to improve your experience and reduce any hiccups.

You can adjust the settings for Profiles in the Utilities section. Here, you can decide whether profiles start automatically or manually.

There are five profiles to choose from: Work, Movie, Game, Public Wi-Fi, and Battery Mode. Each profile comes with its own settings. For instance, the Game profile lets you tweak the power plan settings for games.

Bitdefender Profiles stands out as the best profile selection feature in antivirus software, boasting five profile modes.

Data Protection (File Shredder)

When you delete files from your computer, they're not gone for good. This can be a problem if someone tries to retrieve those files for dishonest purposes.

That's where a file shredder comes in. Bitdefender’s Data Protection tool can permanently erase files from your system with just one click. Bitdefender uses a shredding algorithm for this. While the algorithm is advanced, it would've been nice to have more options.

To use Data Protection, you can right-click on files or folders you want to delete and select File Shredder. Alternatively, you can pick files to delete through Bitdefender’s interface.

In my tests, the tool shredded my files quickly and without a hitch. Just make sure the files you delete are ones you no longer need because you can't get them back.

Data Protection works fast, but you can’t pick a shredding method.

Independent Testing Results 

Well-respected independent testing labs have been evaluating Bitdefender for many years. For instance, AV-Comparatives gave Bitdefender high marks in their latest tests, assessing real-world protection, performance, false alarm detection, and malware protection. This Austrian company even awarded Bitdefender the Outstanding Product Award.

AV-Test, another renowned testing firm, has consistently given Bitdefender top ratings for over a decade. They've scrutinized Bitdefender’s offerings for Mac, Windows, Android, and business users. Just like AV-Comparatives, AV-Test awarded Bitdefender the “Best Protection” accolade.

And these aren't the only praises for Bitdefender. Outlets like PCMag, USNews, and Tom’s Guide have also commended the antivirus software.

Bitdefender has consistently earned prestigious awards from reputable security testing firms.

System Performance Impact

It's often thought that antivirus software eats up a lot of system resources. But is that still the case? Not really. With the advent of cloud-based scanning technology, antivirus products use much fewer resources than before. The heavy lifting is now done by a cloud-based server instead of your computer's resources.

Bitdefender is no exception. It barely uses any CPU when idle, but takes up about 350 MB of RAM. During a full scan, it uses about 15% CPU and 600-700 MB of RAM.

This is actually lower than the average CPU usage (during a full scan) of 20-25%, outperforming rivals like Norton, McAfee, and Kaspersky. 

Bitdefender uses fewer system resources than most other antivirus products thanks to its cloud-based virus scans.

Choosing the Right Bitdefender Product

For home users, Bitdefender offers several choices:

• Bitdefender Antivirus Free Edition

• Bitdefender Antivirus Plus

• Bitdefender Internet Security

• Bitdefender Total Security

• Bitdefender Premium Security

The Bitdefender Antivirus Free Edition only provides real-time virus protection and misses out on key security features such as webcam protection and ransomware protection. Unless you're really watching your budget and can't afford a paid plan, I wouldn't suggest this version.

Antivirus Plus, the most basic paid version, comes with features like real-time protection, web security, a password manager, and a limited VPN. The next version, Internet Security, includes parental control and supports more devices.

Total Security adds support across different platforms, a device optimizer, and licenses for five devices. The top-tier suite — Premium Security — includes a full VPN service, priority support, and licenses for ten devices.

So, which one should you pick?

If your main goal is to keep your data private and secure, I suggest Bitdefender Premium Security. It includes a fully functional VPN and many essential security features. But if you already have a VPN solution, Total Security might be a good fit.

If you don't have kids to monitor, Internet Security could be a perfect fit for you. Just keep in mind, it only works with Windows devices. On the other hand, if you're working with a tight budget, Antivirus Plus could be a good choice for you.

For comprehensive protection and privacy, my recommendation would be Bitdefender Premium Security.

Customer Support

As you'd expect from a top-notch antivirus suite, Bitdefender offers many resources to support its users. There's a specific Support page in the Bitdefender interface:

The user guide is well-structured and up-to-date, incorporating the latest changes. The online support center includes articles, how-to videos, and community forums that cover all Bitdefender products. If these resources don't solve your problem, you can reach out to the Bitdefender team via live chat, phone, or email.

To answer some questions I had about the antivirus program, I used the live chat because I find it quicker and more efficient than email or phone. My Premium Security account comes with a "priority response" feature, and sure enough, my chat request was answered in less than a minute. The support person was friendly and responded to my questions quickly.

Unfortunately, my test laptop froze during our conversation. Although I couldn't continue the chat with the same person, they were considerate enough to email me our previous conversation. I was then able to continue the conversation via email, and the support person continued to provide excellent guidance.

Customer support helped me resolve my antivirus-related issues quickly and effectively.

Bitdefender Review — Conclusion

Having weighed all factors, Bitdefender is genuinely the best antivirus I've used. Apart from the absence of data backup and encryption tools, it has all you need to protect your digital assets from malware and hackers.

So, if you're in search of a dependable antivirus solution that effectively stops all threats, including zero-day malware, and offers password management, parental controls, and a fast VPN, Bitdefender is your best choice.

Bitdefender is the best antivirus on the market right now, and I highly recommend it.

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FAQs

Here are the questions we get asked the most about Bitdefender, along with our answers to them.

Octav Fedor (Cybersecurity Editor)

Octav is a cybersecurity researcher and writer at AntivirusGuide. When he’s not publishing his honest opinions about security software online, he likes to learn about programming, watch astronomy documentaries, and participate in general knowledge competitions.