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Best for features
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Best for bundles
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Best for families
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Best value
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Bitdefender is a great antivirus, but if you’re looking for alternatives, it may be difficult to know which one to choose. For example, Norton 360 offers a lot of features, TotalAV has a great bundle, McAfee covers families with unlimited access, and Avast includes top-tier protection and features in its free product.
If you want to break away from Bitdefender or are simply curious about what other security software is available, check out our four alternatives. One of these may be the perfect antivirus for you.
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Backed by a 100% Virus Protection Promise
Tested protection against hackers, viruses, malware, and ransomware
Includes VPN, parental controls, and more
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Real-time protection from viruses, malware, and malicious websites
Includes the #1 ad blocker and monitors for data breaches
Comes with a full suite of performance optimization tools to keep your device fast
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Premium antivirus, scam, and web protection, plus a VPN, identity monitoring, and secure password manager
Extremely low performance impact on devices in third-party tests
Top plans include protection for unlimited devices, a very rare perk
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Consistently perfect third-party test results, verifying comprehensive antivirus, ransomware, and malware protection
Includes advanced security features like a VPN, firewall, data breach alerts, privacy tools, device optimization, and more
Maintains a full suite of features for Mac users, unlike many other antivirus options
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| Best for | Windows and Android users | Features | Bundles | Families | Value |
| Star rating | |||||
| Starting price | $34.99/first yr | $29.99/first yr | $19.00/first yr | $39.99/first yr | $35.88/first yr |
| Malware scans | Manual and real time | Manual and scheduled | Manual and scheduled | Manual and scheduled | Manual and scheduled |
| Real-time protection | |||||
| Firewall | |||||
| Phishing protection | |||||
| Ransomware protection | |||||
| Extras | Vulnerability scan, VPN, parental controls, crypto mining protection, webcam protection | Parental controls, dark web monitoring, cloud backup, software updater, and more | VPN, password manager, ad blocker | VPN, password manager, identity theft protection, data removal services | VPN, webcam protection, driver updater, tracker blocker, privacy assistant |
| Compatibility | Windows, macOS, Android, iOS | Windows, macOS, Android, iOS | Windows, macOS, Android, iOS, Chrome, Edge, Opera | Windows, macOS, Android, iOS | Windows, macOS, Android, iOS |
| Learn more | Get Bitdefender | Get Norton 360 | Get TotalAV | Get McAfee | Get Avast |
Backed by a 100% Virus Protection Promise
Tested protection against hackers, viruses, malware, and ransomware
Includes VPN, parental controls, and more
Norton packs a lot of antivirus features into its software, such as the Software Updater, which keeps your operating system up to date, and the Privacy Monitor, which scans the web for your personal information. This ensures broad protection across the full security spectrum. If you’re someone who wants a lot of features included in your antivirus, Norton is the way to go.
Norton is a comprehensive antivirus solution with a wide range of tools. It includes cloud storage, a private browser, data backup, and more under one dashboard. It also boasts high protection scores. There's a lot of information to navigate through when you’re using the highest tier of Norton 360, but it’s located in one spot in your dashboard.
Our issue with Norton is always the same: it’s expensive. Having it all doesn’t come cheap, and Norton’s first-year pricing has the potential to increase, sometimes almost double, making it even more expensive for recurring customers.
To see if Norton 360 is really as good as it claims, we also looked at test results from other independent testers. This gave us a better idea of how well Norton detects malware. We checked with AV-Test, AV-Comparatives, and SE Labs.
Norton received perfect scores across almost all of the third-party tests and with our in-house tests as well. It only received a less-than-perfect score in the AV-Comparatives malware protection test.
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| AV-TEST Windows score | 18/18 |
| AV-TEST macOS score | 18/18 |
| AV-TEST Android score | 18/18 |
| AV-Comparatives malware protection score | 99.98% |
| SE Labs results | 100% |
| EICAR score | 3/3 |
| Learn more | Get Norton 360 |
There’s no question that Norton is one of the best antivirus solutions, so its perfect scores across all categories are no surprise. With Norton, you'll receive a user-friendly dashboard, a wide range of pricing for any budget, and comprehensive features for antivirus and other cybersecurity needs.
| Decision factor | Weight | Verdict |
| Our experience | 20% | 5.0 |
| Prices & value | 3% | 5.0 |
| Features | 22% | 5.0 |
| Test results | 40% | 5.0 |
| Compatibility | 3% | 5.0 |
| Customer service | 3% | 5.0 |
Real-time protection from viruses, malware, and malicious websites
Includes the #1 ad blocker and monitors for data breaches
Comes with a full suite of performance optimization tools to keep your device fast
Some other antivirus products offer extras like a VPN, password manager, ad blocker, and more, but not usually in the same subscription like TotalAV does. If you want a bundle that’s actually competitive with other products on the market, you should consider TotalAV.
In addition to TotalAV’s advanced features, we also appreciate the near-perfect scores and user-friendly interface. Overall, the entire app is pleasant to work with, allowing even the most novice users to have quality data protection.
After a scan, TotalAV breaks malicious files and potentially unwanted programs (PUPs) down into categories so you understand where malicious executables might be originating. The entire process is easy and you’ll feel confident in your data security.
While many other antivirus offer unlimited device coverage if you purchase the top tier, TotalAV covers only up to eight devices. If a family wanted to purchase the software, it may leave some devices unprotected. Since TotalAV is such a great product, we hope the company expands its coverage soon.
For an unbiased look at TotalAV’s malware detection capabilities, we relied on evaluations from three independent labs: AV-TEST, AV-Comparatives, and SE Labs. We also conducted in-house testing by downloading EICAR files.
TotalAV showed great performance in its third-party tests, with only the macOS program struggling in AV-TEST. It also passed our in-house testing with EICAR malware files, but failed to flag the EICAR phishing page.
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| AV-TEST Windows score | 18/18 |
| AV-TEST macOS score | 16.5/18 |
| AV-TEST Android score | 18/18 |
| AV-Comparatives malware protection score | 99.99% |
| SE Labs results | 99% |
| EICAR score | 2/3 |
| Learn more | Get TotalAV |
TotalAV is one of our top antivirus recommendations due to its ease of use, affordable pricing, and multiple methods of customer support. TotalAV was only docked points in the features and test results categories.
TotalAV received a lower score in the features category because it doesn't have a firewall or network protection. And it received a lower score in the test results category because it failed our in-house phishing test.
| Decision factor | Weight | Verdict |
| Our experience | 20% | 5.0 |
| Prices & value | 3% | 5.0 |
| Features | 22% | 4.6 |
| Test results | 49% | 4.7 |
| Compatibility | 3% | 5.0 |
| Customer service | 3% | 5.0 |
Premium antivirus, scam, and web protection, plus a VPN, identity monitoring, and secure password manager
Extremely low performance impact on devices in third-party tests
Top plans include protection for unlimited devices, a very rare perk
McAfee uses AI to evaluate threats and includes useful tools like a social privacy monitor and online account cleanup to make sure you always have the right privacy settings. You’ll also find a password manager, VPN, and identity protection for the entire family.
McAfee is one of the oldest names in antivirus protection, which means it knows what it's doing. Its consistently high security scores coupled with AI technology and real-time protection give us peace of mind. The ability to install McAfee on an unlimited number of devices means all your family's data is protected.
The additional features like a password manager let families store and share passwords easily so family members don’t need to share passwords over text. Features like a VPN help keep kids safe online, and ad blockers benefit the entire family whether you’re watching YouTube or following a recipe on a blog for family pizza night.
The manual scan took a little longer than a lot of other antivirus, and it impacted our device’s usability while scanning. Coupled with the fact that it’s made for Windows devices and its features are limited on macOS, we think that McAfee could do a better job of making its product smoother and more compatible.
When we tested McAfee, we also looked at test results from other independent antivirus testers. This gives us a better idea of how the antivirus copes with malware detection and prevention. We looked at test scores from AV-TEST, AV-Comparatives, and SE Labs.
McAfee received perfect scores in both third-party and in-house testing.
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| AV-TEST Windows score | 18/18 |
| AV-TEST macOS score | N/A |
| AV-TEST Android score | 18/18 |
| AV-Comparatives malware protection score | 100% |
| SE Labs results | 100% |
| EICAR score | 3/3 |
| Learn more | Get McAfee |
During our testing, it was no surprise that McAfee earned nearly perfect scores across the board. The only thing that held it back was its long scan times, which made it a less convenient choice over other available options.
McAfee still did its job well, so that wait may be worth it for you.
| Decision factor | Weight | Verdict |
| Our experience | 20% | 4.5 |
| Prices & value | 3% | 5.0 |
| Features | 22% | 5.0 |
| Test results | 49% | 5.0 |
| Compatibility | 3% | 5.0 |
| Customer service | 3% | 5.0 |
Consistently perfect third-party test results, verifying comprehensive antivirus, ransomware, and malware protection
Includes advanced security features like a VPN, firewall, data breach alerts, privacy tools, device optimization, and more
Maintains a full suite of features for Mac users, unlike many other antivirus options
Avast offers a surprisingly robust free product that includes ransomware protection, a VPN, tracker blockers, and more. While there’s an option to upgrade, if you have only one computer, you can use the free basic antivirus without needing anything else.
Avast goes beyond basic protection with near-perfect test results. It also includes features like tracker blockers and a 5 GB per-week VPN. Only one location is available on the VPN, but that’s enough to keep you safe on public Wi-Fi, which is a great value considering you’re not paying for it.
We also like the added network protection and its dark web scanning — and yes, this is all included in the Avast One free tier. You even get a Privacy Advisor to make recommendations about all your online accounts.
There’s always a catch when it comes to free products. Avast’s customer support leaves something to be desired compared to the other services on this list. The lackluster assistance we received wasn’t a deal breaker, but it also wasn’t very helpful.
We analyzed Avast’s malware detection performance by referencing independent testing scores from AV-TEST, AV-Comparatives, and SE Labs. We also put Avast to the test against dummy files from EICAR.
Avast consistently scores high with third-party testers and passes all of our in-house EICAR testing.
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| AV-TEST Windows score | 18/18 |
| AV-TEST macOS score | 18/18 |
| AV-TEST Android score | 18/18 |
| AV-Comparatives malware protection score | 99.98% |
| SE Labs results | 100% |
| EICAR score | 3/3 |
| Learn more | Get Avast |
We've deemed Avast as the best antivirus for beginners, which is reflected in its star rating. Avast consistently provides a stellar testing experience, offers a wide range of affordable plans and an effective free antivirus, as well as helpful customer support via email, live chat, and phone.
Avast only received a lower score in the features category because it doesn't include bonus features like an ad blocker or parental controls.
| Decision factor | Weight | Verdict |
| Our experience | 20% | 5.0 |
| Prices & value | 3% | 5.0 |
| Features | 22% | 4.8 |
| Test results | 49% | 5.0 |
| Compatibility | 3% | 5.0 |
| Customer service | 3% | 5.0 |
Third-party testing is essential when evaluating antivirus software. These companies test by throwing everything they have at security software and evaluating how it protects you. This includes new and emerging threats as well as older and sneakier ones. We use AV-TEST, AV-Comparatives, and SE Labs scores to evaluate each product, and we also perform our own hands-on tests with EICAR testing.
EICAR provides sample downloads in three categories that mimic viruses, phishing attempts, malware, and more to see how effective your antivirus is at blocking all of those potentially harmful things.
Going online without an antivirus means you’ll eventually get an infection. You may pick up a Trojan, virus, or some kind of ransomware or spyware. There are too many malicious things floating around the web to avoid them.
No antivirus is infallible, but you may like one over another. If you’ve tried Bitdefender and don’t like it, the options we’ve provided offer a lot of features and functionality you may find appealing. No matter what you do, make sure you have protection when you’re online because antivirus is essential.
Antivirus comes with a variety of features and options that may leave you wondering what’s the most important thing to consider. The essentials of a good antivirus include data protection that works and features that make using the antivirus seamless.
When deciding on which antivirus software to choose, consider the following features:
Norton 360, TotalAV, McAfee, and Avast are your best alternatives to Bitdefender. Depending on your individual needs, one may be better than another. Norton is feature-rich, TotalAV offers strong bundles, McAfee is ideal for families, and Avast’s free tier is incredibly robust.
Backed by a 100% Virus Protection Promise
Tested protection against hackers, viruses, malware, and ransomware
Includes VPN, parental controls, and more
Antivirus software is essential in our tech-based world. Whatever your specific needs are, make sure you’re choosing a reputable provider that offers everything you need. The best antivirus solutions keep you protected but also give you extras to enhance your online experience.
We use our proprietary grading rubric in all of our testing, which considers ease of use, third-party testing scores, internal testing scores, price, compatibility, and features offered, among other metrics.
This means that our testing process is designed to ensure that the product isn't too confusing, protects as it claims, and offers you a lot for a reasonable price. We download and run each program on our own computers on home networks, just like you would. Our ratings reflect the real-world performance of the antivirus product. This ensures that we can recreate a similar experience for you and give our best advice on whether or not it's worthwhile.
To learn more about how we test, check out our full antivirus testing methodology here.
Avast might be a better option for you than Bitdefender. It comes with a robust free antivirus tier that scored high marks on protection tests, includes extras like a VPN, and boasts excellent protection scores across the board.
Bitdefender is not as robust when installed on a Mac, iPhone, or iPad. It lacks a firewall, file shredder, scheduled scan option, and more, all without reducing the price for Apple users.
In our opinion, if software doesn’t offer the same features across all operating systems, then the price shouldn’t all be the same.
Malwarebytes isn’t as good as Bitdefender. It comes with fewer features, no firewall for instance, and its protection scores aren’t as good. While it’s not a bad option, we would still choose Bitdefender over Malwarebytes.
Yes, Avast is a robust free option with many key features that could be a great alternative to Bitdefender. While Avast offers paid plans with premium features, the free option is robust and a great option for people who don’t need to cover a lot of devices.
Real-time protection from viruses, malware, and malicious websites
Includes the #1 ad blocker and monitors for data breaches
Comes with a full suite of performance optimization tools to keep your device fast
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