Bitdefender vs. AVG 2025: Are You Looking for Features or Simplicity?

Are you worried about hackers, need malware protection, or just want good cybersecurity but don’t know where to start? Bitdefender and AVG are two of the best antivirus software with free products, but their paid subscriptions really bring the features to life. In this comparison, Bitdefender outperforms AVG in terms of features and performance.

The primary difference between Bitdefender and AVG lies in the features included with each antivirus. Bitdefender’s approach to security is customizable, offering a range of pricing options tailored to your specific needs. AVG, on the other hand, offers a solid set of tools at a reasonable price, without many fancy extras. 

In this Bitdefender vs. AVG antivirus showdown, the winner may be determined based on your own needs and preferences. We’ll go over their pricing, features, third-party test results, and more.

Bitdefender vs. AVG review at a glance

• Bitdefender: Best for customizable protection
• AVG: Best for no-frills trusted protection

	Our Pick
Star rating	5.0 AllAboutCookies writers and editors score products based on a number of objective features as well as our expert editorial assessment. Our partners do not influence how we rate products.	4.6 AllAboutCookies writers and editors score products based on a number of objective features as well as our expert editorial assessment. Our partners do not influence how we rate products.
Starting price	Free or $34.99/first yr	Free or $31.20/first yr
Max number of protected devices	Up to 10	Up to 10
Malware scans	Manual and scheduled	Manual and scheduled
Real-time protection
Phishing protection
Ransomware protection
24/7 customer support
Compatibility	Windows, macOS, Android, iOS	Windows, macOS, Android, iOS
Learn more	Get Bitdefender Read Bitdefender Review	Get AVG Read AVG Review

Bitdefender pros and cons

Bitdefender has phishing protection and the option to schedule malware scans available on all of its premium plans. All of these plans have access to the virtual private network (VPN), but you'll have to upgrade for a firewall and parental controls.

AVG pros and cons

While AVG's free plan is quite good, you'll need to upgrade to a premium plan if you want 24/7 customer support or phishing protection. AVG has automatic and manual malware scans and offers real-time protection from various threats.

Which antivirus is the better value?

Bitdefender is the better value due to its pricing options and overall features.

	Our Pick
Price range	$24.99–$64.99/first yr	$31.20–$59.99/first yr
Best value plan	Bitdefender Total Security for $34.99/first yr	AVG Ultimate for $55.99/first yr
Money-back guarantee	Yes — 30 days	Yes — 30 days
Learn more	Get Bitdefender Read Bitdefender Review	Get AVG Read AVG Review

Bitdefender has a massive range of prices, and that’s for antivirus-only protection plans. If you want a bundle with additional features, the price can increase even further. This is ideal for individuals who only want to pay for the features they need. 

If you want a comprehensive cybersecurity solution, Bitdefender Total Security includes antivirus protection, performance optimization tools, parental controls, a VPN, a password manager, scam prevention tools,  and more for $34.99/first yr.

AVG offers three plans, with one of them being free. There aren’t many frilly extras with a paid AVG plan, but you will get top-notch, tested protection. If you opt for the most expensive plan, the AVG Ultimate Plan, it’ll cost $55.99/first yr for the first year. This plan includes performance-enhancing features, as well as anti-tracking, an ad blocker, and a VPN.

Which antivirus has better features?

Bitdefender takes a more holistic approach in terms of features.

	Our Pick
Manual and scheduled scans
Phishing protection
Ransomware protection
Firewall
Device optimization tools
Parental controls
Password manager
VPN
Ad blocker
Extras	Scam Copilot, scam prevention and detection, email protection, cryptomining protection, webcam protection	Sensitive Data Shield, webcam protection, AntiTrack, WiFi scanner
Learn more	Get Bitdefender Read Bitdefender Review	Get AVG Read AVG Review

Bitdefender and AVG share many basic antivirus features in common, including manual and scheduled scans, phishing protection, a firewall, and more.

Because of AVG’s pared-down approach to security, you won’t get things like parental controls or a password manager. You will get an ad blocker, a feature that will make your browsing experience much easier and safer.

The same can be said for Bitdefender’s password manager. You’ll be able to create and save complex passwords to keep your accounts safe without worrying about whether or not you’ll remember them. Bitdefender VPN can also help encrypt your internet traffic and protect you from hackers. 

If you have kiddos whose devices also need protection, Bitdefender offers parental controls. The internet is a weird place, and helping your kids navigate it can be more exhausting than having to rush a science fair project the night before the competition. If a feature-rich antivirus is on your list, Bitdefender has plenty of tools for you to enjoy.

Bitdefender vs. AVG: Test results

Third-party testing is necessary to make sure antivirus software works as advertised. Since new threats are constantly emerging, the best antivirus software should undergo independent testing at least twice a year.

AV-TEST is one of the most trusted third-party testing sites available. It thoroughly tests security products against the most up-to-date malware, including ransomware, spyware, and adware. It also tests for performance issues caused by antivirus software as well as false positives, which are when an antivirus flags something as malicious when it’s not.

Bitdefender vs. AVG AV-TEST scores

	Our Pick
Windows score	18/18	17.5/18
macOS score	18/18	18/18
Android score	18/18	17/18
Learn more	Get Bitdefender Read Bitdefender Review	Get AVG Read AVG Review

AVG has a significantly less impact on device performance, but Bitdefender offers stronger malware protection across operating systems. 

Which antivirus has the better compatibility and customer support?

These two are very close in compatibility, but Bitdefender has superior customer service with a 24/7 live chat option.

	Our Pick
Windows
macOS
Android
iOS
Browser extensions	Chrome, Firefox, Edge, Safari on macOS	Chrome, Firefox, Edge, Opera, Safari
24/7 customer support
Customer support options	24/7 live chat, phone, email, support forums, online guides	Phone, email, support forums, online guides
Learn more	Get Bitdefender Read Bitdefender Review	Get AVG Read AVG Review

Compatibility experience

We had generally good experiences using both sets of software. With AVG, we found the speed of the scans and the ability to customize our experience to be very useful. With Bitdefender, we liked the ease and accessibility of all the features. Both antivirus services provided us with clean and organized dashboards.

While running Bitdefender, it found several pieces of malware on our system. It quarantined them so we could review and remediate them. We didn’t have malware on our system when running AVG.

We had different problems with each security service. With AVG, we weren’t thrilled with the disorganization of the help pages. However, when writing this comparison, we took a second look at AVG’s help pages, and they seemed to be much cleaner and easier to navigate.

Our biggest complaint with Bitdefender was the lack of features available for Apple users. We found the scheduled scans, firewall, file shredder, and other features to not be active on the Mac version of Bitdefender. We believe that if a software company is going to charge the same price for a Mac product as it does for a Windows product, all the features should be available.

Customer support experience

AVG doesn’t offer a live chat, which is the biggest difference between the two antiviruses. For us, that’s a huge minus. Live chat is such a helpful tool when you’re trying to quickly troubleshoot a problem. We feel that not having this feature in AVG’s support offerings is a deal-breaker, especially since the products perform so well in threat testing.

As for our experience with either company’s customer support, we had pleasant and friendly representatives who we contacted via phone support. Unfortunately, neither representative was very helpful when we were looking for specific features on our Macs. It seems they were knowledgeable enough with the Windows operating system, but not with the others offered.

AVG does offer a service called Premium Tech Support. It’s a yearly paid service that helps you with more than just your AVG product. Here’s a little industry secret: any time you see an antivirus company offering paid additional support on their website, it’s likely a third-party service based in the U.S.

AVG offers three tiers of premium support, tailored to your specific needs. Knowing the wholesale value of these support services, we can tell you that AVG’s prices are a little high. If this comprehensive tech support is something you need because you require troubleshooting on your printer every three months (printers are notorious for needing repairs), then we suggest purchasing it independently to save yourself some money.

Bitdefender vs. AVG alternatives

As mentioned, both Bitdefender and AVG top our list as two of the best antivirus programs available. Bitdefender shines with its proprietary scam protection, whereas AVG offers the best speed and device performance. Here are three other trusted antivirus providers we've tested and recommend:

FAQs

Bitdefender vs. AVG: Which is better?

Bitdefender offers more protection against scams, phishing, and advanced malware. Although AVG is a top-rated antivirus provider with excellent performance and protection scores during third-party evaluations, Bitdefender is slightly better. 

Additionally, Bitdefender offers a comprehensive security suite that includes a robust VPN, a password manager, an ad blocker with anti-tracking capabilities, and proprietary tools for scam prevention and detection.