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Best for Windows
Antivirus software offering reliable security
Simple yet powerful interface tools
Perfect protection score in third-party tests
Premium features incur additional subscription fees
Best for a cybersecurity suite
Easy-to-install antivirus protection
Secure VPN and password manager included
Parental control features
Multi-tab navigation may be overwhelming at first
We recommend Bitdefender for Windows users who don’t mind paying for premium features. Bitdefender will work on your Mac, but you won’t get to schedule scans or use the firewall.
We recommend Norton if you want all the cybersecurity essentials with one subscription. On top of its antivirus program, you can get features like Norton LifeLock identity theft protection, a virtual private network (VPN), and a password manager.
Let’s jump in and review the features of both powerhouse products so you can choose the right one.
Norton starts a bit cheaper than Bitdefender. If you want the more budget-friendly option and need to cover only one device, you can pay $14.99/first yr for Norton Antivirus Plus. With Norton’s cheaper subscription, you still get a firewall, password manager, and 2 GB cloud storage.
Compare that to Bitdefender’s starting price of $59.99/first yr for Bitdefender Antivirus Plus. But Antivirus Plus only comes with protection against malware, spyware, and adware, as well as multi-layer ransomware protection. For more features, like the device optimizer and privacy firewall, you’ll at least need Bitdefender Total Security. Still, if you use Windows, Bitdefender is one of the best antivirus programs around.
 Bitdefender |
 Norton |
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| Starting price | Starts at $59.99/first yr | Starts at $14.99/first yr |
| Free version | ||
| Max number of protected devices | 15 | 10 |
| 24/7 customer support | ||
| Compatibility | Windows, Android, macOS, iOS | Windows, Android, macOS, iOS |
| Real-time protection | ||
| Phishing protection | ||
| Ransomware protection | ||
| Learn more | Get Bitdefender | Get Norton |
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Our Pick
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| Price range | $14.99–$59.99/first yr | $14.99–$99.99/first yr |
| Best value plan | Bitdefender Total Security for $35.99/first yr | Norton 360 Deluxe for $29.99/first yr |
| Money-back guarantee | Yes — 30 days | Yes — 60 days |
| Learn more | Get Bitdefender | Get Norton |
Norton starts at a lower price than Bitdefender, but also tops out a good bit higher. But it has a plan to fit just about any budget. The best value is the Norton 360 Deluxe plan, which covers three devices for $29.99/first yr You get the benefit of a secure VPN, password manager, 50 GB of cloud backup, and more. Even better, Norton includes a 60-day money-back guarantee, so you have lots of time to try it risk free.
For the best value, Bitdefender chose its Total Security plan and we tend to agree. It protects five devices and includes many more features than Bitdefender Internet Security, including the privacy firewall, device optimizer, and parental controls. Bitdefender includes a money-back guarantee for 30 days, so you can try it out before you commit to the product.
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Our Pick
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| Manual and scheduled scans | ||
| Real-time protection | ||
| Phishing protection | ||
| Ransomware protection | ||
| Firewall | Yes, for Windows | |
| Parental controls | ||
| Password manager | ||
| VPN | ||
| Ad blocker | ||
| Device optimization tools | ||
| Learn more | Get Bitdefender | Get Norton |
Bitdefender and Norton offer many of the same security features. However, Norton includes a password manager with all of its pricing tiers, while Bitdefender doesn’t include a password manager unless you purchase one of its premium suites. That may not be a big deal to some users, but password managers are useful for keeping your data more secure.
If you have Windows, Bitdefender includes a firewall, but if you’re using macOS, you won’t get this function. With Norton, you get the smart firewall no matter your operating system.
Bitdefender includes a VPN with its Total Security plan, but you’re limited to 200 MB of data per day. You get unlimited VPN traffic only from Bitdefender’s premium plans. Norton offers its Secure VPN starting with the Norton 360 Standard plan and there doesn’t appear to be a data limit. Although Norton doesn’t specifically include an ad blocker, the VPN does block ad tracking, which may reduce the ads you receive from online marketing companies.
We rely on third-party tests to give an accurate, non-biased view of how antivirus products perform in real-world scenarios. That helps us give you a review that includes our testing experiences and the results of independent organizations that rate products against realistic threats. For this review, we used AV-TEST, which is a reputable independent third-party site.
Our Pick
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| AV-TEST Windows score | 18.0/18.0 | 17.5/18.0 |
| AV-TEST macOS score | 18.0/18.0 | 18.0/18.0 |
| AV-TEST Android score | 18.0/18.0 | 18.0/18.0 |
| Learn more | Get Bitdefender | Get Norton |
Bitdefender had perfect scores with each platform, but Norton had lower performance scores with Windows. Norton slowed down the launching of popular websites by 26% in September and 23% in October, while the industry average is 21%. It also slowed the installation of frequently used apps by 32% in September and 31% in October. Both of those scores are higher than the industry average of 17%.
Other than Windows, Norton had perfect test scores for macOS and Android. We were pleased that neither antivirus had issues with malware detection and or false positives, so you can opt for Bitdefender or Norton for effective antivirus protection.
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| Windows | ||
| macOS | ||
| Android | ||
| iOS | ||
| Browser extensions | Chrome, Firefox, Edge, Safari | Chrome, Firefox, Edge |
| 24/7 customer support | ||
| Customer support options | Live chat, email, phone, support forums, online guides | Live chat, phone, support forums, online guides, Facebook, Twitter |
| Learn more | Get Bitdefender | Get Norton |
The Norton interface was a breeze to operate. We ran it with multiple browser tabs open simultaneously and saw no issues with system performance. We also ran a quick and full scan to check the speed. With the full scan, Norton checked over 600,000 files in under 10 minutes. The Quick Scan was finished in under 1 minute.
Below is the Norton interface running a full scan. Everything was intuitive and took little time to execute.
Bitdefender was also easy to use. Everything is organized well, and we didn’t notice an impact when running scans. However, we weren’t thrilled with Bitdefender’s features being split up between the antivirus application and the browser hub, Bitdefender Central. Essentially, you are toggling between the Bitdefender app and Bitdefender Central, which can become frustrating.
Also, options like scheduled scans, the firewall, and file shredder aren’t available to Apple users. The anti-tracking feature is a nice addition for increasing user privacy, which most of us want when working or browsing online.
Norton goes above and beyond with its customer support. If you decide to forego the 24/7 live chat or phone options, you can use social media to connect with assistance. That is a feature we haven’t found in other antivirus products.
Bitdefender also offers different ways to find help when you need it most. If you’re a problem solver and prefer to do the troubleshooting yourself, there are user guides and tutorials to help. If not, the 24/7 chat is available. Phone and email support are also options and the phone support for most areas is available around the clock.
When testing Bitdefender, we didn’t notice any system performance issues and it received perfect performance scores from AV-TEST. However, it’s always possible that antivirus software may slow down your PC, especially if your device is older or if you have a lot of downloads taking up space on your computer.
Norton has many benefits, including real-time threat protection and a password manager. Depending on the plan you get, it may also include things like parental controls and a secure VPN.
Bitdefender is a good antivirus product, but it might not be for everyone. It’s geared more toward Windows users, considering it lacks essential antivirus features for macOS.
Norton is an excellent security suite, but Norton Antivirus Plus (its basic plan) covers only 1 device, and it doesn’t offer a free version. If you want to cover more devices with a cheaper subscription plan, you can opt for McAfee. You can learn how Norton and McAfee match up in our Norton vs. McAfee comparison.
When testing Bitdefender vs. Norton, it’s hard to pick the better antivirus. We like them both and think you’d be happy and well protected with either. Of course, there are always reasons you may choose one over the other.
Bitdefender antivirus offers more for Windows users, like scheduled scanning and a file shredder. Norton antivirus gives you a security suite with all the bells and whistles. But Norton and Bitdefender both have different plans to suit your needs and budget, so we think you can’t go wrong with either option.
Although Bitdefender and Norton are some of the best antivirus software on the market, they may not be for everyone. That’s why we’ve hand-picked some alternative providers for you to consider.
Easy-to-install antivirus protection
Secure VPN and password manager included
Parental control features
Multi-tab navigation may be overwhelming at first
