Bitdefender Total Security Review: Great, Easy to Use Protection

If you pay for software program, the very last thing you need are limits. And but, Bitdefender Complete Safety imposes a fairly stunning one on customers: VPN use, generally part of mid-range antivirus suites, is restricted to a 200MB per-day restrict per gadget.

It’s an odd ploy, on condition that rival providers supply full, unrestricted VPN entry, and generally a password supervisor subscription, too. However Bitdefender’s ace within the gap is its stellar safety, together with its easy-to-understand, but nonetheless customizable interface. In case you can forgive Complete Safety its occasional half-baked elements, it offers among the many greatest protection in opposition to malware and on-line threats.

Additional studying: See our roundup of the greatest antivirus software program for Home windows PCs to find out about competing merchandise.

What does Bitdefender Complete Safety embrace?

Bitdefender Complete Safety gives broad safety in opposition to on-line threats, beginning with antivirus, firewall, and ransomware. It additionally safeguards in opposition to community, internet, and e mail points like brute power assaults, malicious hyperlinks, and harmful attachments, in addition to screens your native inbox for spam should you use Microsoft Outlook or Mozilla Thunderbird. It controls entry to your webcam and microphone to forestall distant spying, too.

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For extra safety and privateness, Complete Safety features a safe browser, entry to its VPN service (albeit restricted), tracker blocking, parental controls, and a scanner that checks for system vulnerabilities. It additionally has anti-theft software program instruments to get better, lock down, or wipe an related gadget. Rounding out the suite are set of utilities: a system optimizer, file shredder for safe deletion, and utilization profiles.

You may set up Bitdefender on Home windows, macOS, Android, and iOS units, although not all options are supported on all platforms.

How a lot does Bitdefender Complete Safety value?

The worth of Bitdefender Complete Safety varies relying on the variety of units lined — although not by a lot. You may select between a five-device plan and 10-device plan, which all allow you to set up the software program on Home windows, macOS, Android, and iOS units.

5-device plan

• £49.99/$70 for the primary 12 months
• £74.99/$100 per 12 months thereafter

10-device plan

• £52.99/$73 for the primary 12 months
• £84.99/$110 per 12 months thereafter

Bitdefender enrolls customers into auto-renewal by default, although refunds are allowed as much as 30 days after the automated renewal date. The corporate additionally gives refunds inside 30 days of the preliminary buy of a subscription.

To save lots of extra money on Bitdefender, you should purchase a license by retailers like Newegg, B&H, and Amazon, usually at a large low cost. For instance, a 10-device, one-year plan was simply $50 on Newegg on the time of this text’s publishing.

Key options of Bitdefender Complete Safety

Set up and person interface

Getting began with Bitdefender Complete Safety is easy and simple — the set up window even reveals quick explanations of various options as you wait. Nevertheless, watch out when organising your Bitdefender account, as you’re solely requested to sort in your password as soon as. In case you don’t use a password supervisor, that leaves you open to misremembering (or mistyping) it.

The Bitdefender app has a clear, easy interface, with huge tiles for every function. A defend icon within the upper-left nook serves as a standing indicator; it’ll flip purple when one thing requires consideration. Alongside the left aspect of the window is entry to the dashboard, options sorted by class (Safety, Privateness, and Utilities), notifications, and settings. The app works together with the Bitdefender Central web site portal, the place you’ll deal with gadget administration (which incorporates distant instructions you may ship to related units, like malware scans) and parental controls.

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Within the dashboard, you’ll discover six customizable shortcuts to completely different options, together with steered motion objects on the prime. The defaults are Fast Scan, System Scan, Vulnerability Scan, VPN, and Safepay, together with a clean tile.

Underneath Safety, you get entry to the antivirus scanner, vulnerability scanner (which checks for weaknesses in your apps and community), and settings for on-line and superior risk protections, firewall, spam screening, and ransomware safeguards.

From Privateness, you can begin up the Safepay digital atmosphere or VPN, leap into parental controls (that are dealt with by the Bitdefender Central web site), set up the anti-tracker extension for supported browsers, and handle your webcam and microphone safety settings. You can even entry Bitdefender’s password supervisor, nevertheless it’s a separate paid service and never included with the Complete Safety suite.

Inside Utilities, you’ll discover a hyperlink to Bitdefender’s anti-theft instruments (managed by the Bitdefender Central web site), the optimizer scanner that hunts for momentary and different disposable information, exercise profiles (which allow you to simply change Bitdefender’s conduct to align with the way you’re utilizing the pc — e.g., gaming vs. work), and a file shredder for securely deleting information from hard-disk drives (HDD).

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Notifications present a operating log of Bitdefender’s findings because it screens your system, organized by urgency stage. These differ from the pop-up notifications Bitdefender reveals inside Home windows, which seem on the backside proper of your display and usually promote different Bitdefender providers. One such alert even went so far as to warn me a few LinkedIn knowledge leak from two years in the past, so as to counsel signing up for Bitdefender’s Digital Identification Safety service. Thankfully, you may flip off “particular gives” within the app settings.)

General, Bitdefender errs on the aspect of ease-of-use, giving customers a average variety of settings for the app and per function. The descriptions of options are additionally generalized and never very technical.

Virus, malware, and risk safety

Actual-time safety

Bitdefender stays on fixed alert for potential threats to your PC. On the pc itself, it scans opened or added information, screens apps for suspicious exercise, and screens downloaded e mail for spam, sketchy hyperlinks, and harmful attachments. It particularly seems out for apps that attempt to encrypt your information, too — when not initiated by you, such conduct is probably going ransomware attempting to carry your knowledge hostage.

In the meantime, everytime you’re looking on-line, Bitdefender screens for malicious downloads, phishing and fraud makes an attempt, encrypted web sites with invalid or bogus certificates, and dangerous search outcomes. It additionally blocks unauthorized incoming entry to your PC, unauthorized use of your webcam and microphone, and on-line internet trackers (whenever you set up the corporate’s anti-tracking browser extension). You may moreover pair this system with the corporate’s free TrafficLight browser extension, which provides icons to look outcomes marking them secure or dangerous.

Scheduled and guide scans

In an uncommon transfer, Bitdefender doesn’t mechanically carry out common scans. To run a Fast Scan and/or System Scan at a scheduled time, you have to edit these default scans — or as an alternative create a customized scan. The method will not be intuitive, both. You have to open the edit display and click on the Subsequent button earlier than the choice to Select when to schedule this job seems. 

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You may then select between 4 intervals — day by day, weekly, month-to-month, or at system startup. Each day allows you to set a time; Month-to-month allows you to set which day of the month and a time; and Weekly allows you to select a day of the week and a time.

For guide scans, you may run Fast Scan, which focuses on essential information and processes; System Scan, which combs by your total system; or a customized scan you’ve created. Fast Scan and System Scan may also be initiated by the Bitdefender Central web site — although you received’t see indicators of exercise on the gadget. Because of this, I most well-liked beginning my scans instantly on the PC I used to be utilizing.

Operating System Scan might be gradual throughout its first run, as Bitdefender takes inventory of all the things in your PC, nevertheless it hastens afterward. (By default, the app scans solely new and adjusted information.) You can even right-click on particular person folders and information, after which select Bitdefender > Scan with Bitdefender to verify them out.

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Bitdefender lets you regulate settings for scans — for instance, you may select to have the software program at all times display all information, even when they haven’t been modified since your final scan. You don’t get a ton of tweaks, nevertheless it’s greater than rivals like McAfee and Norton (which go for an ultra-simplified vibe) supply.

Vulnerability scanner

Along with scanning for viruses, malware, ransomware, and on-line threats, Bitdefender can verify your PC’s app, system information, and community settings for exploitable weaknesses. (Attackers use these openings to compromise your gadget and/or knowledge.) Discovered underneath Safety > Vulnerability, the software hunts for weak Home windows person passwords, essential Home windows updates not but put in, modifications to Home windows and community settings that might let malicious conduct slip previous, outdated apps, Wi-Fi community and router settings that could possibly be strengthened, and extra.

Just like the antivirus scans, you may remotely provoke a vulnerability scan by the Bitdefender Central web site.

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Firewall

Bitdefender takes over firewall duties fully for Home windows — and although most individuals are greatest off leaving it alone with default settings, you may customise how stringent the principles are and whether or not these guidelines change primarily based on the kind of connection you’re on. Bitdefender sends customers a notification at any time when a probably malicious app tries to entry the web. I didn’t discover any overzealousness on Bitdefender’s half whereas utilizing my check PC, and the settings are properly streamlined with out being too simplified.

Rip-off safety

Bitdefender not too long ago launched a free service referred to as Scamio, an AI-driven chatbot designed to assist confirm the legitimacy of e mail, textual content messages, instantaneous messages, hyperlinks, and QR codes. To get began, you have to head to scamio.bitdefender.com (login required) or Meta’s Messenger app. You then’ll add a screenshot, copy/paste into the chat, or just describe the scenario to the bot.

As a really fundamental second opinion, Scamio isn’t dangerous, although its evaluation can take longer than anticipated. I appreciated that it will probably simply extract hyperlinks from screenshot — a a lot safer methodology, since attempting to repeat/paste can result in an unintended click on. It additionally appears to err on the aspect of warning, dismissing my try at candy nothings as a possible rip-off.

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That mentioned, if you’d like hands-off assist for textual content messages, you must also set up Bitdefender in your cell phone. As long as you’re snug with the permissions it requests (which go fairly deep), it’s going to mechanically display your chat messages and notifications for potential scams.

VPN

Bitdefender Complete Safety contains entry to its VPN for a number of units, however there’s one enormous catch — each bit of substances is allotted a paltry 200MB of bandwidth per day. (You may burn by that by looking just some web sites.) You’re solely allowed to hook up with the closest server, too.

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In Bitdefender’s favor is a smooth, simply navigated interface — I significantly like how necessary data and stats are laid out clearly. However with free, respected VPN providers providing rather more bandwidth and letting you select a location when connecting, paying for Bitdefender Premium VPN to get limitless bandwidth and entry to servers in all 55 supported international locations simply doesn’t really feel price it. Not when the fee is $40 for the primary 12 months and $70 per 12 months thereafter.

Parental controls 

Bitdefender Complete Safety contains parental controls, that are managed by the Bitdefender Central web site. On PC, you may restrict display time, apps used, and web sites visited. Android and iOS units additionally permit guardians to see location and telephone contacts.

To start on a PC, you’ll first set up Bitdefender on it. For cellular units, you’ll want to put in the devoted Bitdefender Parental Management app. Then on Bitdefender Central, you’ll create a profile on your little one and assign the pc, telephone, or pill to the profile.

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From there, you may add closing dates and create schedules for blocked use, in addition to handle which purposes and web sites might be accessed. For apps, you may solely restrict apps your little one has already used. Nevertheless, for web sites, you may block or permit by classes, that are predetermined by Bitdefender. By default, kids can go to websites inside simply 13 of the 43 presets, similar to “search engines like google,” “webmail,” “computer systems and software program,” and “journey.” Information is forbidden, which put PCWorld.com on the ban checklist. (Guess we’re not sufficient about computer systems and software program.)

As your child spends time on their gadget, you’ll see their utilization statistics seem within the dashboard’s charts. The dashboard additionally reveals location monitoring, which works fairly nicely — the telephone used for testing appeared with shut accuracy to the bodily location. (The steered addresses weren’t right, nonetheless.) Telephone contacts show right here as nicely, and mechanically replace at any time when a brand new contact is added.

Further options

Anti-Theft

Bitdefender Complete Safety’s anti-theft instruments are incredible in idea, letting you remotely find, lock, or wipe your gadget. For a smartphone, you can too remotely set off an alarm and/or ship a push notification with a message to whomever has it.

However in observe, I discovered this function to fall flat. For instance, my check laptop computer’s location wasn’t exactly correct — not stunning, because it was primarily based off of the IP tackle. In the meantime, my smartphone’s whereabouts by no means confirmed up. Locking the units additionally didn’t work significantly nicely, both. If the individual holding your telephone is aware of your PIN, you’re out of luck. The PIN you set by way of Bitdefender Central doesn’t override that.

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The one half that labored as marketed was the distant alert sound, together with the push notification. That solely helps with smartphones, although, and also you’ll should belief which you can annoy somebody into doing the best factor.

Browser extensions

Bitdefender has two browser extensions price calling out, although neither are locked to the Complete Safety suite. The Anti-Tracker extension is mechanically put in together with the Bitdefender app, the place you can too handle its set up should you set up one other browser in your PC in a while. (Chrome, Firefox, Edge, and Web Explorer are supported — although should you’re on an working system that may nonetheless run Web Explorer, it’s time to improve). It retains trackers from accumulating knowledge on you, and allows you to handle any such data for web sites you go to.

Bitdefender TrafficLight checks web sites for phishing makes an attempt and malware, blocks probably harmful components on web sites, and provides visible cues to look outcomes labeling them as secure or dangerous. Obtainable as a Chrome and Firefox extension, this add-on isn’t mandatory, however its search-result visible warnings might be useful.

File Shredder

Bitdefender’s safe delete function allows you to completely take away information out of your PC — supplied they’re saved on a hard-disk drive (HDD). Complete Safety’s File Shredder function makes use of the Division of Protection 5520.22-M three-pass methodology to “shred” your knowledge, which works on HDDs however isn’t as efficient on solid-state drives (SSDs). In reality, this fashion of deleting knowledge can shorten the lifetime of an SSD.

With most laptops now utilizing SSDs, this function will solely be helpful when you’ve got an exterior HDD you retailer delicate paperwork on. However Bitdefender is the same as rival antivirus software program on this regard.

OneClick Optimizer

This utility hunts for Home windows information, registry objects, and web information it will probably nuke — all within the identify of tuning up your PC. However whereas OneClick Optimizer can shortly wipe away seemingly pointless knowledge, it shares little element about what will get tossed. That’s a giant downside for something associated to your registry — a spot the place even seasoned PC customers tread cautiously. (And generally, you must at all times know what you’re deleting.)

If OneClick Optimizer listed what it eliminates, maybe I’d have ended up much less cautious of it. Nevertheless it solely names three classes (Software program Areas, Shared DLLs, and Assist information) and what number of “points” present in every.

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Given how imprecise the software is general, I nonetheless advocate Home windows’ built-in Disk Cleanup app and purging looking knowledge within the app itself. This methodology leaves the registry alone and allows you to have rather more management, whereas solely being barely extra cumbersome.

Safepay

Safepay is a sandboxed browser — that’s, a safe atmosphere for accessing delicate web sites, saved separate from all the things else operating in Home windows. Bitdefender promotes this function as meant for financial institution web sites, and should you navigate to a identified banking website, you’ll see a pop-up asking if you wish to load it in Safepay.

Inside this remoted desktop is a browser with an analogous really feel as Chrome, however way more bare-bones. You get no extensions and few settings. Nevertheless, it gives a digital keyboard, which is a bit cumbersome however helpful for these involved about keyloggers.

You should use Safepay with most web sites, although movies don’t play. Additionally, Bitdefender doesn’t react to all frequent monetary or delicate web sites — for instance, I didn’t see the pop up for irs.gov nor much less frequent banks within the U.S. You’ll should open Safepay and navigate there your self.

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Buyer help

Must you ever want help with Bitdefender, the app accommodates a assist web page, which you’ll entry by clicking the life-preserver icon within the higher top-right of the window. It gives direct hyperlinks to Bitdefender’s help web site (which incorporates video tutorials), group boards, and even a full person information. You can even contact the corporate by e mail, chat, or telephone.

Updates and upkeep 

You may change replace frequency generally app settings.

By default, updates run mechanically within the background as soon as per hour. You may stretch this frequency to as soon as each 24 hours (with changes obtainable in hourly increments). If for some cause you’re on a restricted web join, you may flip off computerized updates, however your PC might be higher protected should you go away it on.

Bitdefender additionally lets you run updates within the foreground, so that you just see after they occur. Nevertheless, it doesn’t let customers carry out guide checks for updates.

Efficiency

Bitdefender takes prime marks in unbiased exams carried out by safety analysis institutes. In AV-Check’s safety exams for September and October 2023 (probably the most present as of this text’s publishing), Bitdefender caught 100% of the zero-day assault and malware threats.

In the meantime in AV-Comparatives’ real-world safety check for July by October 2023, Bitdefender detected 99.6 p.c of the 512 check instances, with three false positives. (A false optimistic is when the antivirus software program blocks a authentic obtain or web site.) 

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Equally, Bitdefender ranked nicely in AV-Comparatives’ September 2023 malware safety check. Of the 16 antivirus packages examined, Bitdefender scored a 98.2 p.c on-line detection price, 99.98 p.c on-line safety price, and 98.2 offline detection price, with 4 false positives. Even whenever you don’t have an energetic web connection, you’re well-protected. Solely two different antivirus packages had equally excessive marks throughout the board.

In AV-Comparatives’ November 2023 Superior Risk Safety Check, Bitdefender detected 14 of the 15 threats, placing it within the lead forward of the six different firms that participated within the analysis. This check checks to see how nicely an antivirus suite handles extra refined, focused threats like malicious scripts and fileless assaults.

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When idle within the background, Bitdefender typically has a light-weight affect on system efficiency. Its impact was minimal when our check laptop computer encoded a big video right into a smaller 1080p30 file (our Handbrake benchmark), and through PCMark 10’s simulation of video conferencing, internet looking, and modifying in open-source picture and doc packages. Nevertheless, Bitdefender’s affect crept up when doc modifying in Microsoft Workplace apps like Phrase, Excel, and PowerPoint, with UL Procyon check scores falling by about 9.5 p.c.

When operating a heavy scan, Bitdefender can notably have an effect on efficiency on mid-range and finances PCs — even when set to “low” affect in its settings. Blasting a steady full scan whereas operating every benchmark dropped PCMark 10 scores by nearly 20 p.c and UL Procyon outcomes by a large 35 p.c. Handbrake encodes have been much less affected, with a ten p.c enhance in time wanted.

Nevertheless, whereas these efficiency decreases sound scary, they’re a mirrored image of the toughest pressure in your PC. I compelled Bitdefender to scan the information as in the event that they’d by no means been checked earlier than, so as to see how onerous it might hit our check laptop computer. However by default, the app solely scans new and adjusted information (as frequent amongst antivirus software program as of late), which reduces the trouble wanted to verify over your PC. For many individuals, your expertise seemingly might be nearer to the idle efficiency (as outlined above), except you usually work with giant batches of recent or altered information.

Must you purchase Bitdefender Complete Safety?

Bitdefender Complete Safety gives top-notch safety in an easy-to-use app. Its predominant weaknesses are the constraints of a few options, like VPN entry and Anti-Theft instruments, and the questionable usefulness of its OneClick Optimizer utility.

However regardless that rivals like Norton give extra bang for the buck, this antivirus software program delivers on what issues most, which is preserving your PC (and different units) secure. Simply don’t pay for the 5-device license when you may get the 10-device one for just a few {dollars} extra.

This overview initially appeared on PCWorld.