Bitdefender Review

Established in 2001, Bitdefender isn’t exactly a newcomer to the industry, though it isn’t as old as companies like Norton, either. Based in Romania, the software company sells not only antivirus software, but also cybersecurity solutions such as internet and endpoint security. A whopping 500 million users were reported by the company as of 2018.

Heading into the new decade, there are still quite a few questions that Bitdefender needs to answer. Is it as good as it was last year? Can it still compare to other popular antiviruses? Is it as powerful as it was before at handling viruses? Today, we’ll be taking a look at what exactly Bitdefender has to offer in 2020.

Pros and Cons

Security

Bitdefender lives up to its name and is one of the best in the industry when it comes to protecting your data. It’s widely known to be powerful and capable of passing antivirus tests with flying colors. AV-Test and AV-Comparatives, two different antivirus testing labs, tested Bitdefender’s anti-malware capabilities in their own separate tests.

Overall, Bitdefender stands among the other popular and powerful antiviruses in the industry as one of the best in terms of malware protection. Its close scores with the likes of Kaspersky and Norton shows why the software is so popular among its subscribers.

Aside from malware protection, Bitdefender is also known for its ransomware protection. Not only does it detect, quarantine, and delete any possible files that could end up being ransomware, it also keeps copies of files that end up being encrypted by the ransomware so that they can be recovered afterward.

The ransomware protection of Bitdefender isn’t as consistent as you’d think, though. Bitdefender’s free version, known also as Bitdefender Antivirus Free Edition, doesn’t detect ransomware as quickly as the paid Plus version. The module is still there, and you can be certain that eventually, the ransomware will be able to deal with the ransomware if it’s known, but if it’s a newer, unknown kind of ransomware, there’s a good chance that the free version won’t be able to do much to stop it.

One added feature that gives users an extra layer of security is the Anti-Tracker feature. As the name suggests, this feature gives you more control of your browsing by turning it into a more private experience. You can find out page-load times and show any blocked items whenever you surf the Internet.

Bitdefender’s Anti-Tracker feature is available for Google Chrome, Mozilla Firefox, and Windows Explorer. This is a pleasant surprise, as most browser extensions for antiviruses usually only support Google Chrome, and Mozilla Firefox in some cases. Windows Explorer is almost never given extension support, and it’s nice that Bitdefender put in the effort to support the browser as well.

Finally, Bitdefender features its own VPN software. It’s on the level of antivirus VPNs such as Norton, but there’s a catch - you can’t use it unless you’re subscribed to their premium plan. This is different from other antiviruses, which give you access to their VPN through their lowest premium plans.

Features

Bitdefender features some bonus perks to its software that make browsing the internet just a little safer. For example, the software comes with its own webcam protection, also known as Video and Audio Protection. It prevents microphone and webcam hijacking so that spyware won’t be able to send unwanted information to hackers.

A basic Parental Advisor module limits screen time on PCs and mobile devices and prevents children from accessing any questionable websites that may lead to malicious software or spyware downloads.

The latest version of Bitdefender comes with added features, one of which being Parental Control Premium. For $45 a year, parents can pay some extra cash to help monitor and protect their children over the internet.

At first glance, it may seem like a feature that you wouldn’t bother purchasing, even if you had a family. After all, other antiviruses already come with Parental Control features. What separates Bitdefender, however, is its unique anti-cyberbullying measures.

The Parental Control Premium program looks at the messages and photos that your child sends, and detects whether or not any suspicious activity is occurring. These activities include cyberbullying, asking for inappropriate photos, giving out sensitive information, and more. Even discussions on meeting with someone outside the house can be picked up by the software.

Now, these measures do raise a privacy concern for both the parents and children. You won’t have to worry about any of this information going anywhere, though, as parents won’t be able to see the content that the child shares at all. In fact, the app doesn’t prevent the child from ever taking these actions. All it does is inform the parents that these kinds of concerning activities may be happening so that the parents can take immediate action.

Specialized optimization software also runs in Bitdefender, which allows the software to scan your emails and websites automatically without even needing extensions in the first place. Those that do want extensions, though, can use Bitdefender’s free Traffic Light, which is available for Safari, Google Chrome, and Mozilla Firefox.

Platforms and Devices

Supported Platforms and Devices

• Windows
• macOS
• Android
• iOS

Bitdefender’s powerful features are available across all major PC and mobile platforms. As with most premium antivirus plans, the number of supported devices is dependent on the plan that you avail.

Pricing

• Bitdefender Antivirus Plus 2020 - $60/year
• Bitdefender Internet Security 2020 - $80/year
• Bitdefender Total Security 2020 - $115/year
• Bitdefender Premium Security 2020 - $100/year

(Please note that Bitdefender’s prices vary depending on where you live and that there may be differences in the price listed and the prices available to you at the moment.)

Among the different plans available, Bitdefender Total Security and Bitdefender Premium Security offer the best features. Total Security comes with almost all the features that Bitdefender has to offer, while the Premium version is the only one with the unlimited VPN and priority support perks.

Customer Support

When it comes to customer support, as long as you have a paid plan, you’re good. All paid plans for Bitdefender come with 24/7 customer support that you can contact though call, email, or their online chat app window. The company guarantees that you’ll get a response within 24 hours, too.

If you really don’t like waiting that long, though, you can always upgrade to the Premium version, too. Other than exclusive access to the unlimited-use VPN, the Premium version also gives subscribers priority for support, cutting the time you need to wait for only a few hours.

Conclusion

Overall, Bitdefender’s affordable packages and powerful features make it a great buy for anyone looking to upgrade their computer’s security. Their malware isn’t perfect, which is why we’re giving Bitdefender an 8.8, but it’s just as good as any other top-of-the-line antivirus.