Bitdefender vs. Kaspersky 2025: Bitdefender Offers Better Security

Bitdefender is one of the best antivirus software, and it’s great for users who want to enjoy some premium features at an affordable price. Although Kaspersky has achieved perfect third-party test scores, it has some unclear data-sharing practices and is banned from use in the United States. In this matchup, Bitdefender wins.

Let’s compare Bitdefender vs. Kaspersky to determine which product is right for you. 

Bitdefender vs. Kaspersky at a glance

• Bitdefender: Best for premium features
• Kaspersky: Best for proven antivirus protection

	Our Pick
Star rating	5.0 AllAboutCookies writers and editors score products based on a number of objective features as well as our expert editorial assessment. Our partners do not influence how we rate products.	4.1 AllAboutCookies writers and editors score products based on a number of objective features as well as our expert editorial assessment. Our partners do not influence how we rate products.
Starting price	Free or $54.99/first yr	Free or CA$27.99/first yr or GBP15.99/first yr
Max number of protected devices	10	10
Malware scans	Manual and scheduled	Manual and scheduled
Real-time protection
Phishing protection
Ransomware protection
24/7 customer support
Compatibility	Windows, macOS, Android, iOS	WWindows, macOS, Android, iOS
Learn more	Get Bitdefender Read Bitdefender Review	Get Kaspersky Read Kaspersky Review

Bitdefender pros and cons

Bitdefender offers a variety of privacy tools, including parental controls, a firewall, phishing protection, and a virtual private network (VPN). Aside from privacy, Bitdefender is also more cost-effective for your wallet, as it’s significantly cheaper than Kaspersky.  Kaspersky offers the same amount of device coverage as Bitdefender, but you’ll pay more for Kaspersky. Kaspersky's starts at CA$27.99/first yr or GBP15.99/first yr, while Bitdefender's starts at $54.99/first yr.

Kaspersky pros and cons

Kaspersky has its own line of privacy features, including optimization tools and an ad blocker. Like Bitdefender, Kaspersky also has a VPN, password manager, and parental controls. If you’re an Apple user, you may not be thrilled with either of these antivirus programs. While Bitdefender and Kaspersky offer good features and decent prices, both are primarily designed for PC use. With Kaspersky, you get only partial or no Safari support for phishing protection. 

Which antivirus is the better value? 

Bitdefender wins this one easily as it's much more affordable.

	Our Pick
Price range	$24.99–$64.99/first yr	CA$27.99-CA$38.99/first yr or GBP15.99-20.99/first yr
Best value plan	Bitdefender Total Security for $54.99/first yr	Kaspersky Premium for CA$38.99/first yr or GBP20.99/first yr
Money-back guarantee	Yes — 30 days	Yes — 30 days
Learn more	Get Bitdefender Read Bitdefender Review	Get Kaspersky Read Kaspersky Review

Bitdefender plans

Bitdefender is much cheaper than Kaspersky. Even if you opt for the highest Bitdefender tier, it’ll still come out cheaper than the lowest-priced plan Kaspersky offers.

When we select the best value plan, we aim to choose one that provides value at an affordable price. The Bitdefender Total Security plan protects five devices and offers broad compatibility with Windows, macOS, Android, and iOS devices. The cheaper plans only offer protection for Windows. All plans include Bitdefender's proprietary scam protection, and higher-tier plans include Scam Copilot, as well as advanced protection against phishing, cryptomining, ransomware, and other cyberthreats. 

Bitdefender Premium Security also includes Bitdefender VPN, the best VPN we've tested from a dedicated antivirus provider, as well as a Bitdefender SecurePass password manager and an ad blocker with anti-tracking features. 

Kaspersky plans

The Kaspersky Premium plan comes with a virtual private network (VPN), password manager, and 24/7 remote IT support. It also comes with Kaspersky Safe Kids, free for one year. However, Kaspersky Safe Kids will renew after the first year for $149.99/yr. With Safe Kids, you get GPS tracking and alerts, website filters, and settings to adjust screen times for your children.

If you’re concerned about buying an antivirus that you may not like, both products come with a free antivirus plan and a 30-day money-back guarantee, so you can try them out and then get your money refunded if you don’t like them. Bitdefender’s free plan protects one device and is compatible with Windows. Kaspersky’s free plan protects one device and is compatible with Windows, Android, and iOS. Both free versions can scan and clean your device.

Which antivirus has better features?

Kaspersky offers a lot of great features, but they're not available to U.S. residents. However, Bitdefender offers advanced scam protection tools that beat out other top competitors. 

Feature	Our Pick
Manual and scheduled scans
Phishing protection
Ransomware protection
Firewall	Yes — PC only	Yes — PC only
Device optimization tools
Parental controls
Password manager
VPN
Ad blocker
Extras	Scam Copilot, scam prevention and detection, email protection, cryptomining protection, webcam protection	Webcam and mic blocking, data leak checker, private browsing, safe money, secret vault, file shredder, Wi-Fi safety
Learn more	Get Bitdefender Read Bitdefender Review	Get Kaspersky Read Kaspersky Review

Bitdefender and Kaspersky offer similar security features, like manual and scheduled scans, phishing protection, and ransomware protection. With both products, the firewall is only available for Windows users, so you’ll lose out on that function if you’re running macOS.

One of Kaspersky’s unique features is an on-screen keyboard to protect against keylogging. Keylogging happens when hackers access the actual keys you’ve pressed on your physical keyboard. Kaspersky also features a web tracking tool to identify and block internet trackers. Our results showed that 40% of those attempts weren’t blocked.

As for additional features, Bitdefender offers secure online banking, real-time protection, and a secure VPN service that allows up to 200MB/day of use or provides unlimited traffic, depending on your plan. One thing we’d like to mention is that some of Bitdefender’s features are only offered through its premium security suites. For instance, you won’t get all the protection designed for your Mac unless you opt for the Total Security plan.

Bitdefender vs. Kaspersky: Test results

We rely on third-party tests to determine how an antivirus performs in terms of malware detection and prevention. For this review, we used the test scores from AV-TEST because it evaluates software based on real-world scenarios. AV-TEST performs thousands of these comparisons each year and puts products through rigorous testing. Using third-party testing can provide an objective view, allowing you to make an informed decision before purchasing antivirus software.

Bitdefender vs. Kaspersky AV-TEST scores

	Our Pick
Windows score	18/18	18/18
macOS score	18/18	18/18
Android score	18/18	18/18
EICAR results	3/3	2/3
Learn more	Get Bitdefender Read Bitdefender Review	Get Kaspersky Read Kaspersky Review

Bitdefender and Kaspersky had perfect scores based on performance, protection, and usability across operating systems. In third-party testing, both proved more than capable of defending against malware. However, Bitdefender outperformed Kaspersky during our in-house testing. During the EICAR test, Kaspersky failed to detect a phishing attempt, whereas Bitdefender is one of the best antivirus software available for scam protection. 

Bitdefender vs. Kaspersky: Compatibility and customer support

	Our Pick
Windows
macOS
Android
iOS
Browser extensions	Chrome, Firefox, Edge, Safari	Chrome, Firefox, Edge
24/7 support
Customer support options	Live chat, phone, email, support forums, online guides	phone, email, support forums, online guides
Learn more	Get Bitdefender Read Bitdefender Review	Get Kaspersky Read Kaspersky Review

Compatibility experience

Bitdefender’s user interface is easy to navigate. You get a clear view of your protection options, and you only need to toggle them on to activate the features. You can use the protection features with minimal to no impact on your device.

The only difficulty in using the interface was realizing that parental controls must be accessed and maintained through the Bitdefender Central browser hub. You’re essentially using two apps, Bitdefender and Bitdefender Central. However, once you reach the parental controls interface, setting everything up is seamless.

Note for Mac users: The Bitdefender Mac version includes fewer features than the Windows version. If you’re an Apple user and don’t see the Scheduled scanning option, that’s why.

The Kaspersky interface is clean and well-organized, and the scan feature was intuitive. However, this software is not well-suited for macOS users. We had to search the website for answers, which was a time-consuming process. Since some features don’t work on Mac, we went through the chatbox prompts with questions and tried to navigate the support questions, which became frustrating after a while.

We also had to enable the browser extension for the web monitoring tools to work. The installation wasn’t complicated, but it would’ve been nice to know this upfront. However, the on-screen keyboard was simple and presented no issues. It was also easy to see what was protected by referring to the interface under the Protection tab.

Customer support experience

Both Bitdefender and Kaspersky offer multiple methods of customer support. When placing a call to Bitdefender, we found the rep to be helpful and kind. He was surprised to find out that the macOS version didn’t come with all the features available for Windows. He even apologized for the inconvenience, but, surprisingly, he wasn’t aware of that difference.

Kaspersky also has numerous avenues for support. When you send a chat message, you receive an automatic reply that offers the option to request service. Interestingly, the chat also makes you agree to receive marketing communications, which seems odd when trying to get help from support. When we called support, the representative was knowledgeable and ready to assist us. It took about 15 minutes from start to finish. However, you will need the Premium version if you want 24/7 device support.

Bitdefender vs. Kaspersky alternatives

Bitdefender is one of our top picks for antivirus software, thanks to its performance, competitive price point, and advanced scam protection. But if you're looking for unlimited device protection, bundled security software, and other features, check out our other recommended antivirus solutions:

FAQs

Bitdefender vs. Kaspersky: Which is better?

Bitdefender is the better antivirus provider. When comparing software, one fundamental point that stands out is pricing. Bitdefender offers similar features for a much lower price. It’s challenging to justify paying more for features that are equal.

Plus, the FCC considers Kaspersky software a national threat, so we can't recommend it. If you’re looking for an all-around solid antivirus software designed primarily for the avid Windows user, we think Bitdefender is the better antivirus software.