Webroot vs. Bitdefender: Which Antivirus Software Is Higher?

Webroot and Bitdefender are a pair of well-liked antivirus options that ship completely different approaches to securing units. Webroot’s reputation stems from its exceptionally fast scans, whereas Bitdefender’s strong strategy to risk prevention helps it stand out. 

However which one is finest for you? It relies upon what you want most in your antivirus resolution:

• Webroot: Finest for extremely quick, real-time, AI-enabled antivirus safety using minimal system assets.
• Bitdefender: Finest for a feature-rich, versatile, and cost-effective antivirus safety with strong risk prevention.

Webroot vs. Bitdefender at a look

Webroot has a popularity for being not solely light-weight but additionally one of many quickest antivirus options in the marketplace. It lacks a free version however has 4 packages to make sure that it meets the safety wants of its customers. 

Then again, Bitdefender is a reliable antivirus resolution with notably robust prevention-based safety that’s thorough but non-invasive. It’s additionally one of many options that provide an efficient free antivirus version.

	Webroot	Bitdefender
Value	$23.99 to $77.99 for the primary yr	Free to $94.99 for the primary yr
Core options	• Uninterrupted lightning-fast scans • Ransomware safety • Actual-time anti-phishing • Firewall and community connection monitor	• Full and real-time knowledge safety • Community risk prevention • Superior risk protection • Multilayer ransom safety • Anti-phishing and anti-fraud
Signal-up required	Sure	No
Platforms	• Primary: Home windows solely • Plus/Full/Premium: Home windows, Mac, iOS, Android, ChromeOS	• Free: Home windows, Mac, Android • Plus/Web Safety: Home windows solely • Whole Safety: Home windows, Mac, iOS, Android
Ease of use	Much less smooth UI in comparison with Bitdefender	Modern and trendy UI
Efficiency	Sooner scans	Thorough scans
Firewall	Sure	Sure
Parental controls	No	Sure
VPN	Premium add-on	Included
Free trial	14 days	30 days
Most units	5	15

Finest for pricing: Bitdefender

Webroot and Bitdefender each supply tiered pricing plans relying on variety of units and stage of safety—however Bitdefender comes out forward with higher flexibility and value financial savings.

Webroot has no free version however delivers 4 antivirus plans: Primary, Plus, Full, and Premium.

Though Bitdefender has a free version, it solely presents fundamental antivirus safety for a single gadget. Most must-have options for gadget safety in the present day similar to ransomware safety and extra are solely accessible within the premium plans. The Web Safety and Whole Safety editions could be adjusted with respect to the variety of units that swimsuit you throughout a one, two, or three-year plan. Web Safety has pricing choices for 1, 3, 5 and 10 units whereas Whole Safety has pricing choices for five and 10 units. 

These and different customization choices, the pricing on the time of writing and an efficient free antivirus product, make Bitdefender not solely less expensive but additionally a extra flexibly priced resolution compared to Webroot.

Finest for core options: Bitdefender

Bitdefender’s options are huge and could be categorized based on safety, efficiency, or privateness. Its core options included in Bitdefender Antivirus Plus embody full and real-time knowledge safety, community risk prevention, superior risk protection, multilayer ransom safety, anti-phishing, and anti-fraud, amongst different options. It additionally features a VPN.

Upgrades to this plan see the inclusion of extra privateness options such because the Privateness Firewall and Parental Management options, of which the latter will not be provided by Webroot. 

Webroot’s core options embody lightning-fast scans with out interruptions, ransomware safety, real-time anti-phishing, and a firewall and community connection monitor, amongst others.

The fundamental antivirus safety that’s solely accessible for a single gadget provided by the free version of Bitdefender makes it strongly advisable to subscribe to a premium plan. Nonetheless, the expansiveness of the options provided, which is the standout differentiator of Bitdefender, provides it the benefit in comparison with Webroot.

The place Webroot does have the benefit is low-cost identification safety options, which can be found on its Premium subscription. For these options in Bitdefender, you must spend money on Bitdefender’s Final Safety All-in-One Plan at $99.98 for the primary yr—though you do get protection for 10 units, in comparison with Webroot’s 5 units.

Finest for ease of use: Bitdefender

Bitdefender is handy to select up in that it doesn’t require you to enroll or present your fee data previous to downloading any of its 30-day trials. Proper off the bat, Bitdefender presents an interesting and trendy consumer interface, with a easy step-by-step installer. 

Then again, word that though Bitdefender is accessible for Home windows, Mac, iOS, and Android, its free antivirus safety is barely accessible on Home windows. The free model of Bitdefender on macOS and Android is a reasonably fundamental virus scanner. Solely Bitdefender Whole Safety is accessible to the entire above working techniques.

Webroot offers a free 14-day trial for its antivirus merchandise. Previous to downloading these antivirus merchandise, although, you’re required to enroll by offering your identify, e-mail deal with, and nation of residence. 

Webroot’s Primary antivirus version is barely accessible on Home windows, however all different variations embody PC, Mac, iOS, Android, and even ChromeOS compatibility, which implies you may seamlessly get pleasure from the identical antivirus merchandise everytime you change units. For iOS, Webroot presents a safe internet browser as a result of strict and efficient built-in safety controls and instruments. 

Sadly, though its consumer interface is designed to be constant throughout Home windows and Mac, it nonetheless comes off as a bit dated and fewer intuitive in comparison with Bitdefender.

Finest for efficiency: Webroot

Webroot could be put in even when you have already got different antivirus purposes put in in your system, which isn’t the case with Bitdefender. Bitdefender urges you to uninstall different safety purposes earlier than continuing with its set up to stop crashes and efficiency dips.

Webroot lives as much as its popularity as an antivirus with blazing quick scan. It deep scanned 46,025 information on my Home windows system in simply 46 seconds with out notable system efficiency influence, whereas Bitdefender clocked in at 4 minutes and 9 seconds for simply over 6,000 information with some noticeable stress on system assets. 

Actually, Bitdefender lets you already know that its full system scan is a posh one and that it might take some time for the primary scan however highlights that future scans will seemingly be quicker as they’ll alter based mostly in your system. A full system scan took 1 hour, 48 minutes, and 44 seconds for 382,838 scanned gadgets, or 59 gadgets per second. Webroot dealt with a full scan of 178,696 gadgets in 31 minutes and three seconds—a significantly faster 96 gadgets per second.

Moreover, I seemed up efficiency comparisons between the 2 merchandise on AV-TEST Institute, a good antivirus check lab and curiously, the newest outcomes for Webroot have been from June 2019 whereas Bitdefender posted spectacular outcomes on its December 2022 exams. Nonetheless, Webroot edges previous Bitdefender because of its lightning fast scans with low influence on my system assets.

Prime 3 Webroot and Bitdefender alternate options

Webroot and Bitdefender are among the many finest within the enterprise for antivirus safety, however there are different robust contenders as effectively, together with Avast, Malwarebytes, and Avira.

Avast

Avast delivers a easy and simple strategy to not solely antivirus safety, but additionally internet safety. Its pricing plans are fairly easy and it presents a fantastic free antivirus plan.

Malwarebytes

Malwarebytes Premium presents a sensible antivirus product mixed with a next-generation VPN for robust real-time safety to guard buyer units towards viruses and malware.

Avira

Avira offers nice worth for complete real-time safety towards malware and it features a firewall, password supervisor, and a free VPN.

How we evaluated Webroot vs. Bitdefender

We evaluated Webroot and Bitdefender by signing up totally free trials of their premium merchandise and exploring their capabilities hands-on. We additionally used the product web sites, official documentation, buyer evaluations, and evaluations from verified antivirus check labs such because the AV-TEST Institute as secondary assets to reinforce our first-hand findings.

Backside Line: Selecting Webroot vs. Bitdefender on your antivirus safety

Total, Bitdefender tops Webroot as the higher antivirus resolution in most classes, together with core options, pricing, and ease of use. Then again, in case you search an easy, light-weight and quick antivirus resolution, or one that provides cheap cell safety and identification safety, Webroot could show to be preferable.

It’s price remembering that Bitdefender additionally presents a free model for these on a shoestring—however in case you’re severe about defending your private or firm knowledge, you’d do much better to spend money on one of many paid tiers of both antivirus resolution.

Even so, at all times do not forget that antivirus instruments can’t fully safe your units and techniques from cyberthreats. What they’ll do is considerably shrink your risk vectors, and assist you to catch and get well rapidly from assaults that do get by way of.

Discover different high antivirus options for the enterprise—and discover ways to defend your self towards the risk of ransomware.