Bitdefender Antivirus Review

Testing the Relationship: How Bitdefender Measures Up

Let’s address the elephant in the room: Yes, Macs need antivirus protection. Cybercriminals continue to develop malware that targets macOS, with new threats emerging daily. While Apple’s built-in protections help, third-party solutions like Bitdefender add crucial layers of defense.

As stated, we tested Bitdefender on our Macbook Pro. The first thing we liked about it was that it detected and removed both malware targeting macOS and Windows. Just because a piece of Windows malware isn’t affecting our Macbook doesn’t mean it’s safe to keep. It could creep up through our home network and infect our other devices, or it could attach itself to files we email to others.

Fortunately, Bitdefender scanned for any type of malware regardless of which device or system it was used on. It also scanned for different types of malware attacks, including computer viruses, zero-day attacks, and rollbacks. More details on that in a bit.

Bitdefender: App Design and Functionality

Bitdefender’s Mac app delivers what matters most: straightforward protection without the bloat. The interface feels native to macOS, which isn’t always the case with cross-platform security software.

For starters, it was easy to install. After getting a license for the product, we went to our web dashboard, added our Macbook to the list of devices, and clicked the install button. After accepting a few terms and conditions and taking care of some system prompts, we found ourselves logging-in to our Bitdefender app dashboard. All in all, it took less than 10 minutes.

The dashboard prioritizes quick access to scans and real-time status updates with notifications that are never intrusive. We also like the frequent virus definition updates that happen automatically. This ensures protection against the latest threats without manual intervention.

The Bitdefender app is easily one of the best-designed antivirus software for Mac. It’s right up there with TotalAV, our favorite Mac antivirus, only with a simpler interface. That’s because Bitdefender uses a different app for the various digital tools it offers, whereas TotalAV uses an all-in-one app where you can access antivirus, VPN, and password protection features in one place.

Malware Scans: How They Work

Bitdefender offers both on-demand scans (meaning we can perform one whenever we’re feeling a bit anxious) and on-access (whenever the app is open, even in the background). Bitdefender continuously scans the device for any suspicious files that it compares against a list of daily updated security threats.

To further cater to our anxiety, Bitdefender allows users to run multiple scans at once. Even if a pull system scan is in progress, we could launch an on-demand scan for anything suspicious, like when we accidentally downloaded a file from a source we don’t completely trust.

The continuous intelligence updates are particularly impressive. During our testing period, Bitdefender’s virus definitions updated automatically multiple times daily — sometimes as frequently as every four hours. This aggressive update schedule means you’re protected against threats discovered just hours ago, not days or weeks.

During our trial with Bitdefender, we first performed a quick scan, which just looks at the critical areas where malware can usually be found lurking. It was done in just 13 minutes, and we were able to continue using the computer the entire time without any interruption in our network speed.

The full system scan took approximately 100 minutes on our test system with 312 GB of data. While running, CPU usage stayed below 15 percent, and we experienced minimal impact on daily tasks. Even resource-intensive activities like video editing remained smooth. However, our battery life dropped 20 percent faster than normal during the scan.

Here’s how Bitdefender’s scan performance stacks up against competitors we’ve tested:

Bitdefender Malware Detection

Neither of those scans with Bitdefender detected anything, and we were proud that our computer had been spared from malware. But we know that’s not quite useful for our readers, to whom we are eternally devoted. So, we downloaded (but didn’t open, we swear!) five different files containing everything from adware to spyware to even Trojan malware. We know viruses come in a variety of forms, so we wanted to use these files across all of the antivirus software that we tested to see how they performed.

For extra challenge, we hid these pieces of malware in hard-to-find places, such as up to three folders deep and compressed files. Then, we hit the full system scan option to see how many of them Bitdefender could find.

To our delight, Bitdefender detected all five viruses, which we were super impressed with since the average is closer to around 60 percent detection. For example, in our Norton review, Norton Internet Security missed two of the well-hidden viruses. In fact, of the roughly 40 top antivirus software that we’ve tested, only two detected 100 percent of the viruses, and Bitdefender was one of them.

>> Related: Compare Norton vs Bitdefender

Independent testing backs up our findings. In all of AV-Test’s bi-monthly reports since 2022, Bitdefender achieved a perfect score for protection.2 That means it detected 100 percent of zero-day malware attacks and widespread malware samples from the previous four weeks. These aren’t just good scores — they’re among the best in the industry.

The Basics: Viruses, Ransomware, Malware, Oh My!

Let’s break down the specific protections Bitdefender offers, because not all antivirus features are created equal:

• Advanced Threat Defense: Beyond traditional signature-based detection, Bitdefender’s behavioral analysis caught 99 percent of ransomware attempts in our testing. The system monitors process behavior in real-time, flagging suspicious activities before damage occurs.
• Behavior Monitor: No, this isn’t a new socialization program for disciplining Brooklyn toddlers! It’s a Bitdefender-specific program that stops ransomware from encrypting any files. It can run at the same time as the Ransomware Remediation feature, which helpfully backs up any targeted files that Bitdefender thinks are suspicious.
• Bitdefender Autopilot: This is a highly personalized service that Bitdefender offers, working to a user’s specific security needs, which we really appreciate. Autopilot is designed to act as a “Security Advisor”. It gives deeper insights into our security posture, recommending security actions in the context of our system needs and usage patterns. We love a software that listens to our needs!
• Web Protection: Bitdefender blocked 97 percent of phishing attempts in our tests. It even caught ones that bypassed Chrome’s built-in protections. The real-time URL analysis examines over 500 million websites daily, catching threats seconds after they go live.
• Firewall: Bitdefender didn’t always have a firewall, but we’re so pleased they do now via their Total Security Plan. Firewalls provide protection from outside cyber attackers by shielding a computer or network from malicious or unnecessary network traffic. They can also prevent malicious software from accessing a computer or network via the internet.
• Cross-Platform Protection: Bitdefender covers Windows, macOS, iOS, and Android with tailored protection for each platform. The mobile apps receive regular updates that improve performance and protection.

Privacy, Please!

We always like to highlight a software’s privacy policy, as it’s such a critical part of understanding how well we’re going to be protected. Bitdefender’s policy notes that they collect user information provided in a few main ways:

• Directly provided by a user or a Bitdefender Partner
• Indirectly provided by its products or other sources, such as:
  • Technical data sent by the Bitdefender products and installed by users
  • Publicly available information from data leaks

Bitdefender’s privacy track record has some blemishes worth noting. They experienced a breach in 2015 when attackers accessed a server containing usernames and encrypted passwords. It affected approximately 250 accounts.

A more concerning breach occurred in 2020.3 Their free Windows version had a vulnerability that allowed for remote code execution. Thankfully, no actual exploits were reported before they patched the vulnerability. To Bitdefender’s credit, they disclosed both issues promptly and implemented fixes within 48 hours.

The Deal: Costs and Subscription Info

Let’s talk about cost. The Bitdefender  free version still exists, but it’s essentially a glorified scanner. Real-time protection, web protection, and ransomware defenses all require a paid subscription.

The free version provides basic scanning and removes existing threats, which beats nothing. However, compared to free alternatives like Avast or AVG that include real-time protection, Bitdefender’s free tier feels intentionally limited to push upgrades.

Here’s an overview of Bitdefender’s current pricing:

These plans are all available as an individual or family subscription. Individual plans cover five devices whereas family plans cover 10, aside from the Antivirus Plus subscription which is available for one or three devices.

These tiers don’t only differentiate the strength of protection that users will receive. All three plans are similar, but definitely with a few more features in Total Security and the Family Pack. We each have roommates, so we went with the Total Security package so we could make sure that everyone in the household was covered. The tiers also differentiate how many different devices we could have on the plan at the same time. To learn more about the specifics of Bitdefender’s offerings, check out our Bitdefender costs and subscriptions breakdown.

Call Customer Support, Maybe?

Bitdefender’s support infrastructure has expanded significantly. Beyond the standard channels (phone, email, chat), they’ve added a comprehensive community forum and an AI-powered troubleshooting system that actually works. We mostly used their phone line as it always connected us to an agent within three minutes. That’s impressive for security software support.

Summary: How Bitdefender Fares Overall

Based on the results of our extensive testing and analysis, here’s a comprehensive assessment of Bitdefender’s strengths and weaknesses:

• App and ease of use: The Mac interface feels polished and native, with Autopilot mode removing complexity for non-technical users. The modular app approach keeps things clean but means juggling multiple apps for full functionality.
• Malware protection: This is Bitdefender’s crown jewel. It received perfect detection scores across our tests and independent labs. The multi-layered approach catches threats other solutions miss.
• Features: Quality over quantity defines Bitdefender’s approach. While competitors may offer more bells and whistles, Bitdefender’s core features (firewall, behavior detection, web protection) are exceptionally well-implemented.
• Pricing: You get what you pay for. Bitdefender isn’t budget-friendly, especially at renewal, but the protection quality justifies the premium for many users.
• Privacy: Past breaches raise concerns, but they quickly addressed all issues that arise to minimize and prevent damage to their users. They demonstrate a commitment to security, though the data collection practices remain extensive.

So what’s the bottom line?