Bitdefender vs Kaspersky
Two of the top three antivirus products, compared rule by rule on published facts.
In short
- Bitdefender has 94 points and Kaspersky 84, 10 apart on our antivirus software rules.
- Bitdefender earns more on price; Kaspersky earns more on nothing.
- First-year price: Bitdefender $24.99/yr, Kaspersky $49.99/yr.
- Only Bitdefender meets: free edition with real-time protection.
- Only Kaspersky meets: price from the second year.
84/100 #3 of 10
Best for: Buyers outside the United States who want a firewall in the cheapest plan.
Points by group
| Group | Bitdefender | Kaspersky |
|---|---|---|
| Independent lab results of 45 | 45 | 45 |
| Protection features of 25 | 25 | 25 |
| Price of 20 | 14 | 4 |
| Refunds and security of 10 | 10 | 10 |
| Total | 94 | 84 |
Rule by rule
What each vendor publishes, and the points it earns. Sources are on each product page.
| Rule (points) | Bitdefender | Kaspersky |
|---|---|---|
| AV-TEST score (15) | 18 of 18 15 | 18 of 18 15 |
| AV-Comparatives award (15) | ADVANCED+ 15 | ADVANCED+ 15 |
| AV-Comparatives protection rate (15) | 99.5% 15 | 99.8% 15 |
| Systems covered (8) | Windows, macOS, Android, iOS 8 | Windows, macOS, Android, iOS 8 |
| Firewall (5) | Yes 5 | Yes 5 |
| Ransomware protection (5) | Yes 5 | Yes 5 |
| Rescue or offline scan (4) | Yes 4 | Yes 4 |
| Browser protection (3) | Yes 3 | Yes 3 |
| Free edition with real-time protection (8) | Yes 8 | No 0 |
| First-year price (6) | $24.99/yr 6 | $49.99/yr 2 |
| Price from the second year (6) | Not published 0 | $64.99/yr 2 |
| 30-day refund (5) | Yes 5 | Yes 5 |
| SOC 2 Type II or ISO 27001 (5) | Yes 5 | Yes 5 |
Bitdefender
Bitdefender suits people who want a capable free edition or a cheap first year on one PC. Antivirus Plus adds ransomware protection, anti-phishing and a rescue mode for $24.99 in the first year. The catch is that the renewal price is not shown, and the firewall only comes with Total Security.
Kaspersky
Kaspersky is only an option outside the United States, where a 2024 Commerce Department ruling bars its sale. Elsewhere, Standard includes a firewall, anti-ransomware and anti-phishing for $49.99 in the first year, plus a free Rescue Disk. The catch is that there is no lasting free edition, and Standard renews at $64.99.
Both products are scored by the same rules: how we score antivirus products.