Bitdefender

Antivirus with a free Windows edition and paid suites covering Mac, Android and iOS.

Free plan + paidAntivirus and anti-malware software

Updated Nov 2, 2026 · AppBreakup editorial · Windows, macOS, Android, iOS

Visit Bitdefender See 6 alternatives

Is Bitdefender free?

Free plan, plus paid plans

Total Security plan:: $59.99 a year, 1 member, up to 5 devices
Free version:: Yes, Windows only

Checked on Bitdefender's site Nov 8, 2026

Full Bitdefender pricing and plans

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Avast Antivirus
Free plan + paid
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Malwarebytes
Starting price: $59.99 a year (Standard, 3 devices)
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Kaspersky
Paid
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Verified facts: 8 of 8
Alternatives ranked: 6
Approved reviews: 0
Visits sent from here: 0

About Bitdefender

Bitdefender is a Romanian security company whose antivirus regularly scores near the top in independent lab tests. Bitdefender Antivirus Free is a pared-back Windows app: real-time scanning, behaviour-based detection that watches for suspicious changes, and a basic VPN with a small daily data allowance, all with few pop-ups and no time limit. The paid line starts with Antivirus Plus for one Windows PC and goes up to Total Security, which covers Windows, macOS, Android and iOS on up to 10 devices and adds ransomware remediation, web protection, a vulnerability scanner and parental tools. Plans are yearly subscriptions, with introductory discounts that rise at renewal. It suits people who want strong detection with little interference; the free version has no settings to tweak and runs only on Windows.

Best for: Windows users who want a quiet, high-scoring free antivirus with an upgrade path.

Bitdefender pricing (checked Nov 8, 2026)

Each line is quoted from Bitdefender's own site, with the page it came from.

Plan or term	What it says	Checked	Source
Free version	Yes, Windows only	Nov 8, 2026	bitdefender.com
Total Security plan	$59.99 a year, 1 member, up to 5 devices	Nov 8, 2026	bitdefender.com
Premium Security plan	$79.99 a year	Nov 8, 2026	bitdefender.com
Antivirus Plus Multiplatform plan	$29.99 a year, 3 devices	Nov 8, 2026	bitdefender.com
Free plan	Yes, Windows only, no time limit	Nov 8, 2026	bitdefender.com

Full Bitdefender pricing and cheaper alternatives

What works

Free Windows edition with no time limit and few alerts
Basic VPN included even in the free version
Total Security covers up to 10 devices across four platforms

Why people leave

Free edition is Windows only
Free VPN is capped at 200 MB a day
Paid plans renew at a higher price than the first year

Bitdefender vs Avast Antivirus, Malwarebytes and Kaspersky

From each app's listing and the prices verified on its own site. A dash means we haven't verified it yet.

Attribute	Bitdefender	Avast Antivirus	Malwarebytes	Kaspersky
Pricing	Free plan + paid	Free plan + paid	Free plan + paid	Paid
Verified price	$59.99 a year, 1 member, up to 5 devices	—	$59.99 a year (Standard, 3 devices)	—
Free plan	Yes, Windows only	Avast Free Antivirus for Windows	Cleanup scanner	No
Open source	No	No	No	No
Self-hostable	No	No	No	No
Platforms	Windows, macOS, Android, iOS	Windows, macOS, Android, iOS	Windows, macOS, Android, iOS	Windows, macOS, Android, iOS, Linux

Full Bitdefender vs Avast Antivirus comparison Full Bitdefender vs Malwarebytes comparison Full Bitdefender vs Kaspersky comparison

Top Bitdefender alternatives

See all 6

1
Avast Antivirus
Free real-time antivirus that also has a free Mac version.
66.5
2
Malwarebytes
Simpler suite and a free on-demand scanner for cleaning an infected PC.
64.8
3
Kaspersky
Similar tiered suites, from basic antivirus up to full security with VPN and password manager, on all major platforms.
61.8
4
ESET NOD32 Antivirus
Lightweight paid antivirus with fine-grained settings for advanced users.
61.8
5
F-Secure
European-based suite with banking and scam protection across Windows, Mac, Android and iOS.
42.3

Why people left Bitdefender

In reviewers' own words, from reviews of the apps they moved to. These are their opinions, not ours.

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Bitdefender: common questions

What is Bitdefender?

Bitdefender: Antivirus with a free Windows edition and paid suites covering Mac, Android and iOS. Best for windows users who want a quiet, high-scoring free antivirus with an upgrade path. Available for Windows, macOS, Android and iOS.

Is Bitdefender free?

Bitdefender has a free plan and paid plans. Free version: Yes, Windows only (checked on Bitdefender's own site).

How much does Bitdefender cost?

Bitdefender is free with paid plans. Free version: Yes, Windows only; Total Security plan: $59.99 a year, 1 member, up to 5 devices; Premium Security plan: $79.99 a year; Antivirus Plus Multiplatform plan: $29.99 a year, 3 devices. Checked on Bitdefender's own site, November 2026.

Is Bitdefender open source?

No, Bitdefender is not open source.

What platforms does Bitdefender run on?

Bitdefender is available for Windows, macOS, Android and iOS.

What are the best alternatives to Bitdefender?

The highest-ranked Bitdefender alternatives right now are Avast Antivirus, Malwarebytes and Kaspersky. See the full ranked list for pricing, platforms and verified facts.

Bitdefender vs Avast Antivirus: what's the difference?

Both Bitdefender and Avast Antivirus are free with paid plans. Both run on Windows, macOS, Android and iOS.

See all 6 Bitdefender alternatives

Bitdefender facts

8 of 8 verified

Free version: Yes, Windows only; Checked Nov 8, 2026bitdefender.com(opens source in a new tab); “Bitdefender Antivirus Free is a free antivirus software especially designed to protect your Windows PC.”
No time limit: Yes; Checked Nov 8, 2026bitdefender.com(opens source in a new tab); “Bitdefender Antivirus Free offers top-notch protection for your Windows PC without any hidden costs or time limits.”
Free VPN allowance: 200 MB per day; Checked Nov 8, 2026bitdefender.com(opens source in a new tab); “Bitdefender Total Security also includes a basic VPN with up to 200 MB per day of encrypted traffic for your devices.”
Platforms (Total Security): Windows, macOS, Android, iOS; up to 10 devices; Checked Nov 8, 2026bitdefender.com(opens source in a new tab); “Bitdefender Total Security offers cross-platform protection that covers Windows PCs, Macs, smartphones and tablets running Android or iOS for up to 10 devices.”
Total Security plan: $59.99 a year, 1 member, up to 5 devices; Checked Nov 8, 2026bitdefender.com(opens source in a new tab); “products ts_i/5/1, ts_f/25/1 monthly-products ts_i/5/2, ts_f/25/2 ts_i/5/1 (Bitdefender Total Security Individual) USD 59.99”
Premium Security plan: $79.99 a year; Checked Nov 8, 2026bitdefender.com(opens source in a new tab); “(Bitdefender Premium Security Individual) USD 79.99”
Antivirus Plus Multiplatform plan: $29.99 a year, 3 devices; Checked Nov 8, 2026bitdefender.com(opens source in a new tab); “(Bitdefender Antivirus Plus Multiplatform) USD 29.99”
Free plan: Yes, Windows only, no time limit; Checked Nov 8, 2026bitdefender.com(opens source in a new tab); “Bitdefender Antivirus Free offers top-notch protection for your Windows PC without any hidden costs or time limits.”