Bitdefender vs Microsoft Defender Antivirus
Two of the top three antivirus products, compared rule by rule on published facts.
In short
- Bitdefender has 94 points and Microsoft Defender Antivirus 88, 6 apart on our antivirus software rules.
- Bitdefender earns more on independent lab results and refunds and security; Microsoft Defender Antivirus earns more on price.
- First-year price: Bitdefender $24.99/yr, Microsoft Defender Antivirus $0.
- Only Bitdefender meets: 30-day refund.
- Only Microsoft Defender Antivirus meets: price from the second year.
Microsoft Defender Antivirus88/100 #2 of 10
Best for: Windows users who want protection without buying anything.
Points by group
| Group | Bitdefender | Microsoft Defender Antivirus |
|---|---|---|
| Independent lab results of 45 | 45 | 38 |
| Protection features of 25 | 25 | 25 |
| Price of 20 | 14 | 20 |
| Refunds and security of 10 | 10 | 5 |
| Total | 94 | 88 |
Rule by rule
What each vendor publishes, and the points it earns. Sources are on each product page.
| Rule (points) | Bitdefender | Microsoft Defender Antivirus |
|---|---|---|
| AV-TEST score (15) | 18 of 18 15 | 17.5 of 18 12 |
| AV-Comparatives award (15) | ADVANCED+ 15 | ADVANCED+ 15 |
| AV-Comparatives protection rate (15) | 99.5% 15 | 99% 11 |
| Systems covered (8) | Windows, macOS, Android, iOS 8 | Windows, macOS, Android, iOS 8 |
| Firewall (5) | Yes 5 | Yes 5 |
| Ransomware protection (5) | Yes 5 | Yes 5 |
| Rescue or offline scan (4) | Yes 4 | Yes 4 |
| Browser protection (3) | Yes 3 | Yes 3 |
| Free edition with real-time protection (8) | Yes 8 | Yes 8 |
| First-year price (6) | $24.99/yr 6 | $0 6 |
| Price from the second year (6) | Not published 0 | $0 6 |
| 30-day refund (5) | Yes 5 | Not published 0 |
| SOC 2 Type II or ISO 27001 (5) | Yes 5 | Yes 5 |
Bitdefender
Bitdefender suits people who want a capable free edition or a cheap first year on one PC. Antivirus Plus adds ransomware protection, anti-phishing and a rescue mode for $24.99 in the first year. The catch is that the renewal price is not shown, and the firewall only comes with Total Security.
Microsoft Defender Antivirus
Microsoft Defender suits anyone with a Windows PC who wants solid protection without buying anything. Windows Security adds a firewall, controlled folder access and an offline scan, all built in. The catch is that SmartScreen's website checks are documented for Microsoft Edge, and the apps for other systems need a Microsoft 365 subscription.
All facts, prices and sources for Microsoft Defender Antivirus
Both products are scored by the same rules: how we score antivirus products.