Bitdefender vs. Kaspersky comparison is a classic one, with the two big names of security software constantly trying to outdo each other. With recent updates, it’s time we got reacquainted with these old friends.

Bitdefender vs. Kaspersky: Which Antivirus Will You Choose?

For more than a decade, Bitdefender vs. Kaspersky has been one of the most heated rivalries in the world of technology. Although they are fierce competitors, they share a common bond: excellence. 

Bitdefender and Kaspersky have proven themselves as the best when it comes to protecting your devices against malware. They both dominate the market product charts, pushing their competitors to the bottom. But which one provides you with the best bang for your buck? That’s the question. 

For your digital security, this is a Bitdefender vs. Kaspersky comparison. We’ll determine the winner and loser in the fight by comparing their feature sets, anti-malware power, performance, and customer support. 

Stay tuned to find out which will be crowned as the champion; Bitdefender or Kaspersky.

Bitdefender vs. Kaspersky: Malware Protection

In an attempt to gauge the effectiveness of each product in malware detection, we’ve gathered data from two independent test labs: AV-Test and AV-Comparatives.

These test labs provide reliable antivirus software reviews and information on the best software security companies through an intensive testing process by simulating real-world conditions. We use their results to determine the effectiveness of antivirus software against the latest cyber threats.

AV-TEST Institute has given its highest ratings to both Bitdefender and Kaspersky and has presented them with top product certificates in their latest results. Moreover, the results for malware protection were consistent across all tested platforms. Given this information, you can rest easy knowing that with Bitdefender or Kaspersky, you’ll get superb protection, whether you use Windows, macOS, Android, or iOS.

AV-Comparatives, however, found a discrepancy between the protection rates of Bitdefender and Kaspersky. They discovered that Bitdefender blocked 99.9% of malware attacks, while Kaspersky only managed to protect against 99.5% of threats. Although the difference between their final scores is minimal, Bitdefender still fared slightly better than Kaspersky in lab tests. 

As a result, Bitdefender earned the Advanced+ rating from AV-Comparatives, while Kaspersky only earned Advanced.

For now, Bitdefender is the winner, but this victory is tenuous. Both antivirus tools are very powerful, and It wouldn’t be surprising to see Kaspersky take the lead later on.

Key Features: Bitdefender or Kaspersky?

Antivirus programs have reinvented themselves from rudimentary malware scanning to full-featured security packages. We’ll dive into the latest additions of Bitdefender and Kaspersky, sizing up the new features they’ve added to make your digital experience safer.

In sum, Bitdefender has a slightly larger feature set than Kaspersky, giving it a slight edge over the competition.

Security Features

Bitdefender Security Suite provides full-spectrum defensive features against the latest Internet dangers. Its multiple layers of protection will keep you safe from ransomware, webcam exploits, phishing schemes, dangerous links, and many more.

Kaspersky offers many of the same features as Bitdefender. For instance, the Bitdefender Advanced Threat Defense system uses dynamic threat assessment on suspicious behavior, and Kaspersky Security Cloud emulates the same design to provide adaptive monitoring. However, Kaspersky reserves some features such as secure banking and file encryption for its higher-tiered plans.

Bitdefender Shield and Kaspersky System Watcher are also different names for the same thing- proactive detection of malware. They use advanced machine learning to ensure your data is secured against even the most recent zero-day malware attacks.

These days another hot trend among security suites is ransomware protection, and Bitdefender and Kaspersky both include robust anti-ransomware features. Ransomware is a type of malware that infects your computer and encrypts all your files, holding them until you pay a ransom. The Anti-Ransomware feature blocks ransomware attacks and automatically restores the content of your encrypted files if such an attack has occurred.

Firewall

Antivirus programs come bundled with firewalls, a security feature that limits outside access to your computer. A firewall protects the local area network by monitoring Internet traffic and identifying potentially dangerous intruders. Bitdefender and Kaspersky both offer robust network security from their firewall tools. 

Furthermore, Bitdefender offers public WIFI profiles and a WIFI security advisor that helps keep devices safe while connected to public hotspots to ensure Firewall protection. The Kaspersky antivirus also comes with a Firewall, but it’s only a feature of the more expensive Kaspersky Total Security plan.

A unique feature of Bitdefender is the Rescue environment, which is a lifesaver when your computer won’t boot anymore. This high-end feature gives you the option to scan the registry and hard drive partition even if the operating system has failed to boot. Unfortunately, Kaspersky does not include this feature in its antivirus suite, yet its customers can use it as a standalone option.

Extra Features

Bitdefender vs. Kaspersky got a heap of extra features in common. With both service providers offering anti-tracker tools, VPN, file shredders, password managers, and anti-theft tools, you won’t find two services more alike.

You should also be aware of various features that are worth mulling over. For example, there is a feature called Profile, exclusively featured in the Bitdefender antivirus suite. This is a suitable feature as you can regulate your power usage on a more casual basis. So, if you’re working or playing and want fewer resource-hogging popups, you can switch to gaming or working mode. It will disable annoying pop-ups and ease CPU usage.

Bitdefender vs. Kaspersky: Pricing and Plans

For many consumers, the price of an antivirus program is a major purchasing factor. The good news is that both antivirus companies offer free versions. Bitdefender and Kaspersky free antivirus software are light versions of the paid versions of these programs, yet they both make excellent choices if all you need is a way to get rid of viruses. However, Bitdefender and Kaspersky software have different price points. 

Let’s get started on the Bitdefender pricing structure:

• Bitdefender Total Security –  $24.00/year, 1 device, including PCs, Macs, and smartphones
• Bitdefender Family Pack – $44.00/year for up to 15 devices per household (PCs, Macs, smartphones)
• Bitdefender Antivirus Plus – $23.5/year, 3 devices (Windows)
• Bitdefender Internet Security – $29.40/year, 3 devices (Windows)

Now let’s turn our attention to how Kaspersky charges for its products:

• Kaspersky Anti-Virus (Essential Suite) – $29.99/year, 3 PC-only licenses
• Kaspersky Internet Security (Advanced Suite) – $38.99/year, 3 devices  (Windows, macOS, Android)
• Kaspersky Total Security (Premium Suite) – $53.99/year, 3 devices (Windows, macOS, Android, iOS)

As you can see, both companies have priced their products near one another in tiers. However, Bitdefender’s premium products offer more nifty features than Kaspersky’s for a more reasonable price.

Bitdefender vs. Kaspersky: System Performance

A good antivirus program is light on its feet and protects your computer without slowing it down or taking up its memory. As a result, it’s one of the most important indicators when evaluating any program. Now let’s compare Bitdefender and Kaspersky to see how they perform when it comes to system performance.

We will now turn to the two testing labs mentioned earlier to further prove our point. According to the latest AV-Test results, Bitdefender and Kaspersky system performance is among the best antivirus products, notably achieving a perfect 6 rating. This result clearly demonstrates that these two security providers impact computer speed to a minimal degree.

Additionally, both brands also did well on AV-Comparatives testing. Bitdefender and Kaspersky each won ADVANCED+ awards from this independent lab, the highest award given. 

Bitdefender vs. Kaspersky: Customer Support

Due to the constantly evolving nature of the antivirus industry, free online support is essential for anyone running a security package on their computer. The two antivirus providers have a large, multifaceted knowledge base made up of many different articles. They cover a large variety of topics, making them useful for advanced users and amateurs alike.

Kaspersky offers a variety of support options, including email, chat, phone, and remote assistance. It has also live chat agents and can help you troubleshoot remotely, which is reserved for premium users.

Bitdefender also provides multiple ways to reach out to its customer service department, including phone numbers, email support, and live chat. In addition, Bitdefender includes a unique option not found in other companies: a community of experts who can answer your questions. It is a great option to find answers, as you can find most answers already addressed on the site.

Final Conclusion

In the battle of Bitdefender vs. Kaspersky, the odds are pretty even. Both antiviruses are quite versatile and provide superb malware protection. However, with a point for each category, Bitdefender takes an early lead. Bitdefender bests Kaspersky on several key points. This advantage translates into better protection for users of the Bitdefender product.

In conclusion, it’s no surprise that Bitdefender sits comfortably at the top of the antivirus market. Its innovative technology and robust security put it ahead of the competition, and it’s a story that continues to develop.