Microsoft Defender vs. Bitdefender 2025: Which Does It Better?

Since the Microsoft Defender Antivirus comes free with your Windows install, do you really need to buy a Bitdefender subscription to keep your desktop safe? According to our testing, both programs offer similar protection — except Bitdefender was better at protecting against phishing websites. You'll also get better extra features, including one of the best VPNs to come with an antivirus.

For these reasons, we think Bitdefender can bring your Windows security to the next level.

Here's a full comparison of Bitdefender vs. standard Microsoft Defender Antivirus.

Microsoft Defender vs. Bitdefender review at a glance

• Microsoft Defender: Best for basics
• Bitdefender: Best overall

		Our Pick
Star rating	4.9 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.	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.
Starting price	Free or $9.99/mo	Free or $34.99/first yr
Max number of protected devices	30	25
Malware scans	Manual and scheduled	Manual and scheduled
Real-time protection
Phishing protection
Ransomware protection
24/7 customer support
Compatibility	Windows, Android, iOS, macOS, Chrome, Safari	Windows, Android, iOS, macOS
Learn more	Get Microsoft Defender Read Microsoft Defender Review	Get Bitdefender Read Bitdefender Review

Microsoft Defender pros and cons

Microsoft Defender Antivirus is pre-installed for all Windows users and is available at no additional charge. You can pay for a Microsoft Defender plan (formerly Windows Defender) through a Microsoft 365 subscription, which will get you extra features, including access to Word and Excel.

Bitdefender pros and cons

But if your #1 priority is your desktop's security, then Bitdefender offers a few extra features and abilities that will help take your protection to the next level. This includes better phishing protection and more comprehensive features.

Which antivirus is the better value?

Both products offer free versions, but Bitdefender's premium version comes with a ton more features — making it the better overall value.

		Our Pick
Price range	$9.99–$12.99/mo ($83.88–$119.88/yr)	$24.99–$64.99/first yr
Best value plan	Free	Free
Money-back guarantee		Yes — 30 days
Learn more	Get Microsoft Defender Read Microsoft Defender Review	Get Bitdefender Read Bitdefender Review

Microsoft Defender plans

Microsoft Defender Antivirus is an antivirus scanner that comes free with Windows Security. It's also available as part of the Microsoft Defender app included with a Microsoft 365 bundle. Purchasing the bundle enables you to install the trusted antivirus on multiple devices, including your iPhone, MacBook, and Android devices.

While Microsoft Defender doesn't offer a 30-day money-back guarantee, both services offer a free 30-day trial before you commit. We signed up for the trial for Microsoft 365 Family and found it extremely easy to cancel from our 365 portal. 

Bitdefender plans

Bitdefender also offers a free antivirus that’s available for Windows, Android, and macOS. The major difference between these two products is the variety of security choices that come with Bitdefender. With Bitdefender Total Security, you can choose what’s right for you at a price that fits your budget. It’s not an all-or-nothing setup, which may work better for you in the long run.

While we didn’t use support to cancel Bitdefender, we did contact customer support and found them friendly and helpful, albeit not as knowledgeable about the Mac product.

Which antivirus has the better features?

Even when considering the premium versions of both Microsoft Defender and Bitdefender, Bitdefender still comes with more features overall.

Feature		Our Pick
Manual and scheduled scans
Real-time protection
Phishing protection
Ransomware protection
Firewall
Device optimization tools
Parental controls
Password manager
VPN
Extras	ID theft monitoring, cloud storage, Microsoft 365 apps	Vulnerability scan, crypto mining protection, social media protection, webcam protection
Learn more	Get Microsoft Defender Read Microsoft Defender Review	Get Bitdefender Read Bitdefender Review

Both Microsoft Defender and Bitdefender include all the standard features necessary in a modern antivirus. The most significant difference you’ll find between these two is in the additional features included with each.

For Microsoft Defender, these include Word, Excel, PowerPoint, and all other original Microsoft apps. 

Bitdefender’s bundled apps include security software that you might otherwise purchase separately, such as a VPN and password manager.

Since these two products are so vastly different in their offerings, it’s going to be up to you to decide which set of features is more important.

If you want a full suite of apps geared toward office productivity, then Microsoft Defender is likely your best choice. However, if you’re looking to bundle your VPN, antivirus, password management, and identity theft protection services into one payment, Bitdefender is the one you’ll want.

Microsoft vs. Bitdefender: Test results

Third-party testing is essential for ensuring that security software functions as advertised. We utilize AV-TEST, one of the most reputable third-party testing sites in the industry. AV-TEST rigorously tests security products for threat detection and malware detection, as well as system performance and usability, ensuring that even the newest threats are blocked. We also refer to SE Labs, AV-Comparatives, and our own in-house testing of EICAR. 

		Our Pick
AV-TEST Windows score	18/18	18/18
AV-TEST macOS score	N/A	18/18
AV-TEST Android score	N/A	18/18
AV-Comparatives malware protection score	99.94%	99.97%
SE Labs results	100%	100%
EICAR score	2/3	3/3
Learn more	Get Microsoft Defender Read Microsoft Defender Review	Get Bitdefender Read Bitdefender Review

Overall, both products performed very well in most third-party tests. When it comes to scanning your device for malicious software, both products have you covered.

That said, the biggest difference was that Microsoft Defender failed the EICAR phishing test. This test is designed to block a webpage that attempts to phish information from you, thereby putting you at risk when browsing the internet. Since Bitdefender is our #1 pick for antivirus with scam protection, it's no surprise that it outperformed Microsoft Defender in protecting against phishing. 

Which antivirus has the better compatibility and customer support?

While both products are compatible with all major operating systems, Bitdefender has better customer support overall.

		Our Pick
Windows
macOS
Android
iOS
Browser extensions	Chrome, Edge, and Firefox	Chrome, Edge, Firefox, Safari on macOS
24/7 customer support
Customer support options	Online guides, chat, phone, form	Guides, video tutorials, how-to’s and troubleshooting, live chat, phone, email
Learn more	Get Microsoft Defender Read Microsoft Defender Review	Get Bitdefender Read Bitdefender Review

Compatibility experience

When you think of Microsoft Defender, you may think of a Windows-only program. However, the software is compatible with multiple operating systems, including Mac and iOS devices.

We successfully installed our trial on both our Windows 10 computer and our iPhone, but ran into issues with our Mac. In fact, it was just overall buggy on our Mac, so we immediately removed it. We’re running an up-to-date version of Ventura on a Mac with an M2 chip, so we assumed the software was compatible, based on the specifications online. However, it just didn’t work correctly.

When checking with other Mac users whose MacBooks are using Intel chips rather than Apple’s new proprietary chips, they reported using Microsoft Defender successfully with that processor. It stands to reason that Microsoft Defender hasn’t updated itself enough to run smoothly with the new proprietary Apple M chips.

Bitdefender also claims to provide compatibility with multiple platforms, and we didn’t have issues installing and using it. However, Bitdefender doesn’t offer as many features for its Mac product as it does for its Windows product.

The other major difference is that Bitdefender offers browser extensions for Chrome, Firefox, Edge, and Safari on macOS. This is likely because of the web protection and social media monitoring features included in the product. Since Microsoft Defender doesn’t offer those features, it makes sense that it wouldn’t have a browser extension.

Customer support experience

Our customer support experiences weren’t perfect with either service. For Bitdefender, the support tech didn’t realize fewer features were offered for the Mac product. Even so, the support agent was friendly and helpful over the phone, providing an overall good experience.

With Microsoft, we chose live chat. There were options for chat, American Sign Language (ASL), phone, self-help, and even the ability to book an appointment. We did find the customer service rep for Microsoft to be redundant and a little frustrating. We tried reaching out again a few days later to ask questions about canceling our trial and found the next rep to be just as redundant.

If you’re already flustered and in need of answers, we see how this type of support could become annoying and overwhelming.

Top antivirus alternatives

A lot of antivirus programs can look similar, so it all comes down to the features and pricing when you’re shopping around. If neither Microsoft Defender nor Bitdefender sounds good to you, try one of these other products, which are all great antivirus solutions for Windows users. Our reviews give you a breakdown of the biggest pros, cons, features, and prices for each of these antivirus products.

FAQs

Microsoft Defender vs. Bitdefender: Which is better?

While both of these antivirus solutions offer independently tested protection, we choose Bitdefender over Microsoft Defender. 

Bitdefender offers more practical features and applications, along with multiple pricing structures. We were also happier with the support we received from Bitdefender and the product's overall aesthetics.

		Our Pick
Value
Features
Test results
Compatibility & customer support
Learn more	Get Microsoft Defender Read Microsoft Defender Review	Get Bitdefender Read Bitdefender Review