Bitdefender vs. Norton 2024: Is It Too Close To Call? (2024)

We recommend Norton 360 as the better antivirus. It offers all the cybersecurity essentials with one subscription. On top of its antivirus program, you can get features like a password manager, a VPN, and LifeLock identity theft protection. In this head-to-head matchup, Norton wins— but barely.

Bitdefender is good for Windows users who don’t mind paying for premium features. The starting plan comes with antivirus and ransomware protection, but you'll need to upgrade for features like the device optimizer, firewall, and parental controls. And although Bitdefender will work on your Mac, you won’t get to schedule scans or use the firewall.

We've extensively tested the best antivirus solutions. Now, we compare the features of antivirus classics Bitdefender and Norton so you can choose the right one.

Bitdefender vs. Norton review at a glance

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 $29.99/yr (first year only) for Norton Antivirus Plus. With Norton’s cheaper subscription, you still get a firewall, password manager, and 2 GB of cloud storage.

Bitdefender’s starting price is $29.99/yr (first year only) for Bitdefender Antivirus Plus. But Antivirus Plus only comes with protection against malware, spyware, and adware, as well as multi-layer ransomware protection. However, Bitdefender offers a free version, while Norton doesn't.

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 for Windows available.

• Bitdefender: Best for Windows users
• Norton: Best for a cybersecurity suite

Bitdefender vs. Norton compared

Bitdefender pros and cons

Bitdefender has a simplistic interface and doesn't really affect system performance in terms of slowdown. It's a pretty cost-effective antivirus solution and can protect up to 10 devices.Bitdefender has manual and automatic malware scans. All plans have access to the virtual private network (VPN), but you'll need to upgrade if you want parental controls.

Norton pros and cons

Norton has a full suite of privacy and security features, including a VPN, password manager, and ad blocker. It boasts extras like parental controls, dark web monitoring, and cloud backup.Norton has a variety of plans to choose from and can protect up to 10 devices.

Which antivirus is the better value?

Norton offers better value thanks to its varied pricing options.

Norton starts at the same price as Bitdefender but also costs a good bit more. But we like that Norton has a plan to fit just about any budget.

The best value is the Norton 360 Deluxe plan, which covers 5 devices for $49.99/yr (first year only). You get the benefit of the Norton 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.

Bitdefender chose its Total Security plan for the best value, and we tend to agree. It protects 5 devices and includes features like the device optimizer, parental controls, and even cryptomining protection. Bitdefender also includes a 30-day money-back guarantee, so you can try it out before you commit to the product.

Which antivirus has better features?

Norton and Bitdefender offer similar features at a glance. However, remember that a lot of Bitdefender's additional features are only available at a higher price point.

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 security feature. 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. Even though an ad blocker isn't included with its plans, we do like that Bitdefender VPN has toggles for ad blocking and tracker blocking.

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.

Bitdefender vs. Norton: Test results

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.

Bitdefender vs. Norton malware protection scores

AV-TEST goes through three types of tests: protection, performance, and usability. For protection, AV-TEST will check if an antivirus can detect and protect against different types of malware. For performance, AV-TEST will measure how much an antivirus impacts computer speed in daily usage. And for usability, AV-TEST will keep track of any false positives your antivirus may have.Bitdefender and Norton both had perfect scores with macOS and Android testing.

Prior to the most recent testing, both Bitdefender and Norton had perfect scores for Windows, too. However, Norton got dinged for false positives and slowing down performance, which is why its Windows test scores dropped.

Which antivirus has better compatibility and customer support?

Both Norton and Bitdefender offer apps for popular operating systems, along with 24/7 customer support. However, we preferred Norton's interface overall.

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. This 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 phone support for most areas is available around the clock.

FAQs

Bitdefender vs. Norton: Which is better?

Norton is the better antivirus overall. 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. But based on our independent review, Norton had more "wins" than Bitdefender, particularly when it comes to pricing options and robust security features.

Bitdefender antivirus offers more for Windows users, like scheduled scanning and a file shredder, whereasNorton 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.

Top antivirus alternatives

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.

• McAfee: From our list of best antivirus, we found McAfee to shine when it comes to parental controls. You can install it on unlimited devices, check on your child's device activity, and get identity monitoring for up to four children.

  Get McAfee | Read Our McAfee Review

• AVG: AVG stands out for its premium security features. Its free software can scan and protect against malware, while the paid subscriptions come with features like Wi-Fi security, payment protection, and a VPN to protect your data.

  Get AVG |Read Our AVG Review

• TotalAV: TotalAV offers a product that's both user-friendly and budget-friendly. Its features include award-winning antivirus, effective ad blocker, and disk cleanup tools.

  Get TotalAV | Read TotalAV Review