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Antivirus tool Bitdefender Antivirus Plus has long boasted a feature set that puts some complete security suites to shame, and the latest iteration adds a new anti-tracker component to keep your browsing history private. Bitdefender Antivirus Plus remains a top choice when it comes to protecting your PC’s security.
Some antivirus products, such as Cylance Smart Antivirus and F-Secure, stick strictly with the essential task of an antivirus: removing existing malware infestations and foiling new attacks. Bitdefender, by contrast, packs a huge collection of security-centered features, among them password management, enhanced security for online transactions, multi-layered ransomware protection, and even a VPN. To be sure you realize how much you’re getting, the installer runs a slideshow detailing the features while doing its job.
At $39.99 per year for one license, Bitdefender’s pricing is in line with the competition’s. More than a dozen others go for roughly the same price, among them Kaspersky, Webroot, Trend Micro, and ESET NOD32 Antivirus. F-Secure charges $39.99 too, but gives you three licenses for that price. Three Bitdefender licenses will run you $59.99 per year. You can also get five licenses for $69.99, or 10 for $79.99. McAfee costs $59.99 per year, the same as Bitdefender’s three-license price, but sets no limit on the number of Windows, macOS, Android, and iOS devices you can protect.
Bitdefender’s main window displays a security dashboard by default, with a left-rail menu that offers detailed access to features. Security recommendations occupy the top half of the rest of the window, with a collection of what the product calls Quick Actions below. By default, you can start a quick scan, open the VPN, install protection on another device, and turn on Safepay online protection. You can make your own choices from a list of eight possible quick actions, for a total of five visible at any time.
Clicking Protection, Privacy, or Utilities in the left menu brings up detailed pages of features and settings, though some of the features aren’t available in the basic antivirus. For example, on the Protection page the Firewall and Antispam items require an upgrade, and everything on the Utilities page requires Bitdefender’s top-tier suite, Bitdefender Total Security.
For years now, Bitdefender’s Autopilot mode quietly handled security issues without requiring user intervention. More recently, Autopilot evolved into a more active role. The aim is to make sure you get the full benefit of this product’s many, many features. For example, during this review it suggested that we run a scan for outdated (and hence vulnerable) applications. Autopilot might also suggest that you explore the Wallet password manager, or check the privacy of your online accounts.
Glowing Lab Test Scores
Three of the four labs that we follow include Bitdefender in their testing. In the three-part test regularly reported by AV-Test Institute, Bitdefender earned 6 of 6 possible points in all three categories, for a perfect 18 points. F-Secure, Kaspersky, McAfee, and Norton also earned the maximum points.
The researchers at AV-Comparatives perform a wide variety of tests; we follow four of them. Products that pass a test earn Standard certification, while those that do significantly better receive Advanced or even Advanced+ certification. Bitdefender took Advanced+ in all four tests. Kaspersky did nearly as well, with three Advanced+ and one Advanced.
The tests performed by London-based MRG-Effitas are a bit different from the rest. To pass this lab’s banking Trojans test, a product needs a perfect score; anything less is failure. Another test using a wide variety of malware offers two passing levels. If a product…
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