Bitdefender vs Norton: which antivirus is better in 2025

Bitdefender and Norton are reliable antivirus services designed to detect and remove various types of malware from your device. Both providers also offer additional security features, such as a VPN, real-time protection, and a password manager, adding an extra layer of protection. While both antiviruses guarantee protection from various threats, Norton is the better choice in 2025 due to its exceptional selection of features and reliable malware detection rates. Norton proved to be one of the best options, with a 100% protection rate during independent testing, fast scans, and user-friendly apps. You can find a more detailed overview below.

Which is better, Bitdefender or Norton, in terms of protection?

To distinguish whether Bitdefender or Norton is better, I looked into the most recent independent test results from AV-TEST and AV-Comparatives. Both Bitdefender and Norton got a 6 out of 6 protection score during AV-TEST testing, with a solid 100% protection rate and a 100% malware detection rate. Since AV-Comparatives tends to be more strict when it comes to testing, the results were slightly lower, but still excellent. Bitdefender got a 98.7% offline and online detection rate and a 99.97% protection rate with only five false alarms. Norton received a 97.7% offline detection rate, a 99.3% online detection rate, and a 99.96% protection rate with 10 false positives. Both antiviruses performed excellently during independent testing, but to confirm the results, I tested them myself.

Norton and Bitdefender performed well during independent tests conducted by AV-TEST and AV-Comparatives, yet Bitdefender got a slightly better score. Norton proved to work better than Bitdefender in terms of online virus detection rate, with a 99.3% detection rate. However, when looking into offline detection and overall protection rates, Bitdefender wins by only a few percent.

Virus online and offline detection test

The latest AV-TEST testing results of February 2025 revealed that both Bitdefender and Norton scored 6/6 in three categories: protection, performance, and usability. This resulted in both antivirus programs getting a 100% protection rate against 0-day malware and 4-week-old widespread malware. To confirm these results, I had to perform similar testing of my own.

To examine Norton’s and Bitdefender’s capabilities and performance during a Full Scan, I planted 150 malware samples in the download folder. Once I had these malware-infected samples, I ran Norton’s and Bitdefender’s Full System Scans. It is also important to note that, during this testing, I disabled the real-time protection.

Bitdefender’s Full Scan took 2 hours, 7 minutes, and 23 seconds, and it scanned 361669 items. Norton took only 22 minutes and 4 seconds and scanned 241936 items.

While Norton was faster, it detected only 102/150 malware-infected samples (68% detection rate) with CPU ranging from 34% to 100% during the scan. Bitdefender, on the other hand, captured 132/150 samples with an 88% detection rate and CPU ranging from 29% to 100%.

My in-house tests revealed that Bitdefender indeed performs slightly better than Norton in terms of malware detection and system impact. Even though the results are quite similar, Bitdefender offers a more lightweight solution and has a lower CPU impact on the system. However, Bitdefender’s full scan took way longer compared to Norton's.

Virus protection results

Both antivirus programs got a perfect 100% protection rate against 0-day attacks (401 samples) and 4-week-old widespread malware (15,629 samples) during AV-TEST testing. The results of AV-Comparative tests conducted in March 2025 were similar, yet a bit stricter. Bitdefender blocked 99.97% threats (out of 10003 samples) with 0.03% compromised threats and five false positives. Similarly, Norton blocked 99.96% threats, compromising 0.04%, and 10 false positives.

During my in-house tests, Bitdefender detected 132 out of 150 malware-infected samples, which means an 88% detection rate during the Full Scan. Unfortunately, when I tested the Quick Scan option, Bitdefender detected zero samples, meaning a 0% detection rate during the Quick Scan. On the other hand, Norton was able to detect 102 samples out of 150 during the Full Scan. This resulted in a 68% detection rate. Unlike Bitdefender, Norton also detected malware-infected samples during the Quick Scan. Norton detected 91 out of 150 samples, making it a 60.66% detection rate during Quick Scan. Even though Bitdefender indeed performs slightly better in terms of virus detection rates, Norton’s Quick Scan option proved to be a more reliable option compared to Bitdefender’s.

Norton vs Bitdefender price

Bitdefender is cheaper than Norton, but Norton offers more value with its plans. You can get the Antivirus Plus plan for $29.99, the Standard plan for $39.99, and the Deluxe plan for $49.99. The Select plan is the most advanced Norton plan that you can get for $99.99. Bitdefender’s Premium Security plan costs $79.99, the Total Security plan costs $59.99, and the Antivirus Plus plan costs only $9.99/month. While the prices are cheaper, the plans do not compare to Norton’s in terms of their features. If you only need a reliable antivirus to protect your device from common malware, both providers have Antivirus Plus plans that offer basic protection for the cheapest price. If you want to use additional security features to improve your privacy, I recommend Norton’s Deluxe or Bitdefender’s Premium Security plan, as they offer more benefits.

Both antiviruses allow you to test their services before committing, as they have a 30-day free trial, which you can use risk-free. Additionally, Norton has a 60-day money-back guarantee, while Bitdefender offers a 30-day money-back guarantee, meaning that you can enjoy all their benefits and still get a full refund. Bitdefender even has a free version, which might be handy if you only want basic protection without spending any money. I tried it myself and I was pleasantly surprised. Bitdefender’s free version works just as well as the paid version, as both app versions use the same malware database to identify threats. This guarantees that Bitdefender will detect threats even if you are using a free version. However, keep in mind that Bitdefender’s free version does not have many additional features, which limits its capabilities a bit.

Norton or Bitdefender offers more features?

Both Norton and Bitdefender offer more than enough additional security features, including real-time protection, a firewall, and a VPN. However, the providers include these features in different plans at different prices. It is essential to consider what each plan offers before making your decision on whether you should choose Norton or Bitdefender.

With Bitdefender’s Antivirus Plus, you will only get real-time protection, which will monitor your device in real time, ensuring extra security. While Bitdefender’s Antivirus Plus plan is cheaper, Norton’s Antivirus Plus plan includes real-time protection, a password manager, and a 2GB cloud backup. Similarly, Bitdefender’s Total Security plan costs $19.99, but only adds two more device licenses. Norton’s Standard plan costs $39.99 and additionally includes a VPN and a Dark Web Monitoring feature, which will scan the dark web’s websites and forums for your personal information. If you are looking for a basic antivirus to protect your and your family's devices, Norton offers better prices for its basic plans that include more features than Bitdefender.

Both Norton and Bitdefender have premium plans that include more advanced features. Apart from the features that Norton Standard offers, Norton’s Deluxe plan includes a Privacy Monitor feature and parental controls for only $49.99. Bitdefender’s Premium Security plan costs $79.99 and includes a VPN, Scam Copilot feature, email protection, ad blocker, and anti-tracker. To top it off, Norton’s Select costs $99.99 and additionally offers LifeLock identity theft protection, which will scan and alert you about any breaches.

While both Norton and Bitdefender offer all the necessary security features, Norton includes more features in its cheaper plans. This means that you can get a more basic plan, save some money, and still use a variety of security features. With Bitdefender, you will need to get the Ultimate Security plan to take advantage of additional features.

My experience using Norton 360 Deluxe vs Bitdefender Total Security

To evaluate Norton’s and Bitdefender’s interfaces on both desktop and mobile devices, I installed the apps on a Lenovo ThinkStation running Windows 10 and a Pixel 9 running Android. Both antiviruses were easy to use on desktop and mobile devices, so you should not have any issues, whether you are a beginner or a tech-savvy antivirus user.

When testing the apps on Windows, Bitdefender was more pleasant to work with. Norton and Bitdefender offer intuitive desktop apps that are easy to navigate, but Bitdefender’s desktop app proved to be a bit lighter and faster than Norton’s. On the other hand, when comparing their mobile devices’ apps, Norton’s Android app was way better compared to Bitdefender's. Norton’s Android app is intuitive, polished, and easy to use. It also provided additional features that were located in one place. A more detailed overview of Bitdefender and Norton desktop and mobile device apps will be provided below.

Norton 360 vs Bitdefender Total Security scanning options

Norton and Bitdefender provide a few scanning options, including Full Scan, Quick Scan, and Custom Scan, which are useful as different tasks require different scans. Norton also offers additional scanning options, Smart Scan, which checks security, performance, network, and privacy issues, and Startup Scan. The Quick Scan option is an excellent choice if you want to scan only the most common areas within a few minutes. If you want a thorough check that includes everything you have on your device, choose the Full Scan option. A Full Scan will check your whole system for threats, including various files and applications. Lastly, Custom Scan is useful if you're worried about specific folders, drivers, or files, as this option will only scan your chosen item.

Norton has a slight edge over Bitdefender as the provider offers more scan options, which are necessary to efficiently detect malware on various folders, files, and other apps, and even save you some time. Norton’s Full Scan took only 22 minutes and 4 seconds, which is way less compared to Bitdefender, as it took 2 hours, 7 minutes, and 23 seconds. While Norton’s Full Scan took less, Bitdefender’s Custom Scan and Quick Scan were faster. Norton’s Customer Scan took 1 minute and 53 seconds, while Bitdefender performed the same scan in only 27 seconds. Norton’s Quick Scan took 11 minutes, and Bitdefender’s Quick Scan finished in 4 minutes and 49 seconds. Even though Bitdefender was a bit faster during Custom Scan and Quick Scan, Norton took less time to perform a Full System Scan.

Which is better, Norton or Bitdefender, for Windows and Mac computers?

Both Bitdefender and Norton provide easy-to-use apps for Windows or macOS, so you will have no issues navigating them, even if it is your first time using an antivirus. Bitdefender’s desktop app is very well polished and provides an easy-to-navigate interface. The app provides a minimalistic layout, making it visually appealing and practically user-friendly. The app immediately notifies you if you are protected or not with green and red alerts on the main dashboard. Additionally, you can even customize the app a bit according to your preferences. For example, you can change the Quick Action tool tab to any other preferred feature. The best part is that Bitdefender’s desktop app is very lightweight, meaning that it will not have a huge impact on your system.

Norton is also an excellent antivirus for desktop devices due to its modern and user-friendly apps for Windows and macOS users. I especially liked the layout of the app, which was very convenient. All features were grouped into separate sections, making it easy to find what I needed. The features were divided into Security, Performance, Privacy, and Identity sections. Just like Bitdefender, Norton also informs you about the security of your device by prompting you with green, yellow, or red alarms, which indicate if your device is secure or not.

Bitdefender versus Norton for Android and iPhone

Often, antiviruses do not provide the same user-friendly interface for mobile devices, which is why I had to look into Bitdefender and Norton’s apps for Android or iOS devices. To my surprise, both providers offer quite easy-to-navigate apps. However, Norton proved to be a better option for beginners.

Bitdefender mobile app’s bottom menu is split into five sections, where you can find all features and other settings. The sections are Dashboard, Malware Scanner, Web Protection, Scam Alert, and More. Under the More tab, you can find all extra features and further settings, such as the VPN, Anti-Theft, My Account, Support, and similar. While dividing everything into sections seems convenient, it was not as user-friendly as Norton. While I did find the features that I was looking for, I can see less tech-savvy users struggling with the app.

On the other hand, Norton guarantees a flawless user experience when using the app on iOS or Android devices, as it offers a very easy-to-navigate interface. You can find four tabs, including Home, Menu, Inbox, and Account, which makes it easy to find what you are looking for. To find additional features and other often-used settings, you will need to go to the Menu tab, where you will find the Security & Scam Protection, Privacy, Identity, and More Features sections. All additional features, such as Password Manager, will be under the More Features section. Also, I especially liked that by pulling down the app’s interface on the Home section, I could start a scan.

Customer support

Bitdefender and Norton offer several support channels, so you will find the most suitable option for your issue. To identify how effective their support is, I tested it myself by contacting their representatives via live chat.

You can contact Bitdefender’s customer support via 24/7 live chat, 24/7 phone support, or tickets. When I joined the live chat, I was first greeted by a Helper AI. Once I asked for a live agent, the estimated time for the transfer was 5 minutes, but an agent joined the chat in just 3 minutes. I indicated I had technical issues, and the agent guided me through the troubleshooting steps. I also asked some general questions, such as the VPN data limit, and the representative provided clear and correct information. While it took the agent some time to answer, they were willing to help with all my inquiries.

Norton provides help to its customers via 24/7 live chat, 24/7 phone support, and even social media sites like Facebook and Twitter. This is especially helpful as many people use social media as one of the main communication tools. When I accessed Norton’s live chat, a virtual assistant said it would take around 5 minutes to transfer to a live agent. To my surprise, Norton’s representative joined the chat in 10 seconds, which is way faster than Bitdefender. What I liked the most was that the agent took full ownership of the case. The agent checked my account during the chat and reassured me we would solve any issues together. Similarly to Bitdefender, the chat was a bit slow, with the agent responding every 1-3 minutes, yet it was effective, polite, and overall pleasant.

Protect your device with Norton AV

Bitdefender vs Norton 360 – quick video guide

Our VPNpro YouTube channel is also full of useful information, reviews, and guides for those who want to save some time on reading. If you want a detailed overview of both providers in a video format, be sure to check our Norton vs Bitdefender comparison on YouTube. The comparison includes not only our expert’s insights, but also a visual comparison of Norton and Bitdefender’s apps.

Final verdict: Is Bitdefender better than Norton in 2025?

Bitdefender and Norton are well-known names in the antivirus industry, as they provide reliable services that guarantee protection against various types of malware. While both antiviruses offer additional security measures and ensure robust protection, they are completely different providers, offering different features and methods of detecting and removing malware. To determine whether Bitdefender or Norton is better in 2025, it was essential to evaluate them considering several factors:

• Norton wins in scan speed. Bitdefender and Norton provide several scan options, but the most important one, Full Scan, usually takes the longest. In-house testing proved that Norton performed a Full Scan in 22 minutes and 4 seconds, while Bitdefender did the same in 2 hours, 7 minutes, and 23 seconds.
• Bitdefender wins in malware protection. Both antiviruses got perfect scores during independent testing, but Bitdefender outperformed Norton in malware detection during in-house tests. Bitdefender’s real-time protection rate was 74% compared to Norton’s 65.33%.
• Norton wins on security features. Norton’s feature package is significantly better than Bitdefender’s. Norton includes several features, such as a VPN and a password manager, in its basic plans, meaning that you will not need to spend more money to get additional protection.
• Norton wins on price. Norton is more expensive than Bitdefender, but it offers better value for the price than Bitdefender. If you want to protect your device with some additional features, Norton offers better prices for its more advanced plans.
• Norton wins on ease of use. Both providers offer a user-friendly, intuitive, and straightforward interface, so you should not have issues protecting your devices, whether you choose Norton or Bitdefender. However, if you are new to antiviruses, Norton’s mobile app is much more convenient than Bitdefender's.

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FAQ

What is the downside of Bitdefender?

The downside of Bitdefender is the lack of additional features with more basic plans and the confusing mobile app interface. While Bitdefender is a top VPN that provides excellent protection against malware, it is not as convenient to use on mobile devices as it is on a desktop. Additionally, you will need to purchase a more expensive plan to take advantage of extra security features.

Which antivirus is the better value?

Norton antivirus offers better value compared to Bitdefender. Generally, both antiviruses provide reliable services and successfully detect and remove various types of malware. However, Norton offers better prices and includes more additional features in its cheaper plans. To get the same value as Norton, you would need to purchase a premium Bitdefender plan, as basic plans offer almost no additional features.

Is there a free version of Bitdefender or Norton?

Yes, there is a free version of Bitdefender, which successfully detects and removes malware. Norton does not have a free version, but it provides a free Chromium browser extension. While Norton does not have a free app version, it also offers a 30-day free trial and a 60-day money-back guarantee. You can take advantage of the free trial and the money-back guarantee by using everything that Norton has to offer completely free without any risk.

Should I uninstall Bitdefender before installing Norton?

Yes, you should uninstall Bitdefender before installing Norton. Two antivirus software programs on the same device might interfere with each other, which might lead to a weaker performance. By uninstalling Bitdefender before installing Norton, you will ensure that there are no leftovers that could affect Norton’s installation process.