Bitdefender vs Avira: which is better in 2025?

Bitdefender and Avira are established, long-standing antivirus brands in the cybersecurity industry, known for their strong malware protection. Both consistently earn high scores from independent labs and are used by millions of people worldwide, so comparing Bitdefender and Avira is challenging.

We carefully tested both products in real-world scenarios and analyzed them across key categories, including malware protection, system performance, pricing, features, ease of use, and customer support.

In this 2025 Bitdefender vs Avira comparison, I break down the key strengths and trade-offs between the two, based on hands-on testing and lab-backed results. By the end, you’ll have a clear picture of which antivirus is the better fit for your needs.

Bitdefender vs Avira at a glance

In our tests, both Bitdefender and Avira delivered decent protection and useful features, but Bitdefender came out on top. It offered stronger real-time and ransomware defense, while Avira lagged behind, especially without extra setup for web protection.

However, both providers fell short of the higher detection rates and overall performance of other top antivirus providers, such as Norton or TotalAV.

	Bitdefender Antivirus	Avira
⭐ Rating:	4.6 ★ ★ ★ ★ ★	4 ★ ★ ★ ★ ☆
🥇 Overall rank:	#3 out of #27	#17 out of #27
🔥 Coupons:	Bitdefender coupon 78% OFF	Avira coupon 58% OFF
💵 Price:	From $9.99/year	From $26.99/year
✂️ Free version:	Yes	Yes
🖥️ Platforms:	Windows, macOS, Linux, Android, iOS	Windows, macOS, Android, iOS

Bitdefender vs Avira: which offers better security?

When choosing between Bitdefender and Avira, both antivirus solutions seem highly capable on paper. In AV-Comparatives April 2025 tests, both blocked 99.5% of online threats with only one false positive, suggesting a tie, but our in-house testing tells a different story.

	Bitdefender	Avira
Malware detection (full scan)	71% (106/150)	71% (106/150)
Real-time protection	74% (111/150)	52% (78/150)
Ransomware detection	100%	90%
Web protection	70% (7/10)	0% (in-app), 90% (with extension)
Full scan duration	2h 7m	11m 39s
System resource usage	High	Low

Both Bitdefender and Avira resulted in the same malware detection rate in full scans – just 71%, which falls short of what you'd expect from top-tier antivirus software. Competitors like Norton Antivirus tend to perform noticeably better here, with Norton achieving a perfect 100% detection rate on malware scans. That said, Bitdefender did edge out Avira in real-time protection and ransomware defense, but overall, the results from both were subpar.

Web protection also revealed a difference. Bitdefender’s desktop-based protection blocked 70% of harmful URLs, while Avira’s in-app solution failed to block any on its own. That said, once the browser extension was enabled, it performed best overall, stopping 90% of malicious links.

Malware protection

At a first glance, both Bitdefender and Avira performed equally during full system scans, detecting 106 out of 150 malware samples, equating to a 71% detection rate.

When we tested real-time malware protection, Bitdefender managed to block 111 of the 150 threats, whereas Avira stopped just 78.

Such a sizable difference shows that Bitdefender’s behavioral detection systems are more effective in live environments.

Performance and system impact

If you prioritize speed and system performance, Avira has a clear advantage. Its full scan completed in under 12 minutes, using around 95% CPU and around 26% RAM during the process.

Bitdefender’s scan, by contrast, took over 2 hours to complete and was noticeably more demanding on system resources. It used around 40% of RAM and similar levels of CPU throughout.

Overall, device performance when the antivirus wasn’t actively running scans was smooth with both. However, Bitdefender’s background processes seemed slightly more noticeable.

Web protection

Web protection is essential these days, with phishing sites, fake downloads, and scam pages lurking everywhere. Bitdefender’s built-in web protection worked without any setup, but only blocked 7 out of 10 malicious links – decent, but not great.

Avira’s web protection fell short out of the box, failing to block any of the 10 malicious URLs we tested. However, with the browser extension installed, it blocked 9 out of 10. So while it can offer strong protection, it requires extra setup.

Avira Browser Safety extension blocking a suspicious website

In short, Bitdefender offers moderate protection out of the box, while Avira has the potential for stronger results – but only if you take the time to configure it properly.

Ransomware protection

Ransomware defense is another area where Bitdefender shines. In our targeted testing, Bitdefender blocked all 10 ransomware samples during a full scan. Avira came close but missed one, scoring 90%.

That extra reliability gives Bitdefender an edge for ransomware protection, especially with how common these attacks have become.

Scanning

Both Bitdefender and Avira offer quick, full, and Ccustom scans. Avira also includes a Smart Scan that checks for malware, privacy risks, and performance issues in one go. Bitdefender, on the other hand, allows deeper customization, letting you adjust scan intensity, file types, and even scan network drives. Both support real-time protection, scheduled scans, and manual scans.

The quick scan is designed to check the most common areas where malware typically hides. However, in our tests, neither antivirus found any threats using this mode. That’s expected to some extent – quick scans focus on speed and often miss more deeply embedded threats.

If you're looking for better protection, the full scan is the way to go, as reflected in our full test results. You can also run custom scans on both platforms to target specific files or folders.

Pricing and plans

Both Bitdefender and Avira offer several subscription options, with each company providing three plans to choose from:

Plan	Bitdefender	Avira
Antivirus Plus vs Antivirus Pro	$9.99/year	$26.99/year
Total Security vs Internet Security	$19.99/year	$34.99/year
Premium Security vs Prime	$79.99/year	$109.99/year
	Get our discount	Get our discount

Avira and Bitdefender both offer multi-tiered plans that scale up in features. Avira harder on the wallet, with its basic plan starting at $26.99/year – quite a bit more than Bitdefender’s $9.99/year entry option. The most expensive tier, however, Avira gets cheaper, with Avira Prime maxing out at $59.99/year vs Bitdefender Premium at $79.99/year.

Bitdefender pricing

Bitdefender also has 3 main subscription levels with extensive features. The entry-level plan includes core protections, while higher tiers add VPN, parental controls, and multi-platform support.

	Antivirus Plus	Total Security	Premium Security
Price	$9.99/year	$19.99/year	$79.99/year
Price upon renewal	$39.99/year	$89.99/year	$159.99/year
Devices	1 Windows PC	3 devices	10 devices
Protection against adware, malware, web attacks, and ransomware	✅ Yes	✅ Yes	✅ Yes
VPN	✅ Yes (200Mbps/day)	✅ Yes (200Mbps/day)	✅ Yes
Privacy firewall	❌ No	✅ Yes	✅ Yes
Password manager	❌ No	✅ Yes	✅ Yes
Parental controls	❌No	✅ Yes	✅ Yes
Webcam/mic protection	❌ No	✅ Yes	✅Yes
OS compatibility	Windows only	All platforms	All platforms

Visit Bitdefender Antivirus

Bitdefender Antivirus Plus is geared toward Windows-only users needing basic malware protection. Total Security broadens the protection to multiple OS platforms and includes privacy controls. Premium Security is Bitdefender’s most advanced package, adding a full VPN and extensive identity safeguards for the whole family.

Its core protection is available on all major platforms, but data breach monitoring only works on macOS and iOS. Parental controls are available on all OSs, but need linking to Bitdefender Central. Windows also gets extra features like a Privacy Firewall and Wi-Fi Security Advisor.

Avira pricing

When choosing Avira, you can select from 3 main plans. All plans include basic real-time protection and system optimization tools, with higher-tier options offering privacy tools, a password manager, and a VPN.

	Antivirus Pro	Internet Security	Avira Prime
Price	$26.99/year	$34.99/year	$109.99/year
Price upon renewal	$64.99/year	$70.99/year	$109.99/year
Devices	1	1	5
Customer support	✅ Yes	✅ Yes	✅ Yes
Blocks threats in real time and repairs files	✅ Yes	✅ Yes	✅ Full service
Ad blocker	✅ Yes	✅ Yes	✅ Yes
VPN	✅ Yes (1GB/monthly)	✅ Yes (1GB/monthly)	✅ Yes
Password manager	❌ No	✅ Yes	✅ Yes
Premium mobile apps	❌ No	❌ No	✅ Yes
Parental controls	❌ No	❌ No	✅ Yes
Data breach scanner	❌ No	❌ No	✅ Yes

Visit Avira

Avira Antivirus Pro is the most basic plan, offering essential security for one device. The Internet Security plan builds on this with privacy tools and tracker blocking. Avira Prime is the top-tier plan, featuring an unlimited VPN, mobile apps, and VIP support for up to 5 devices.

Avira’s full antivirus works on Windows, macOS, and Android, but it only offers Smart Scan on iOS, not full antivirus. Email protection and a firewall are only available on Windows and macOS, while anti-theft and extra privacy controls are only available on Android. Identity and breach monitoring work on all platforms.

Bitdefender vs Avira: feature comparison

Bitdefender and Avira both offer solid protection, but Bitdefender packs more advanced features, while Avira focuses on simplicity and a strong free plan. Here’s how they compare:

	Bitdefender	Avira
Malware, ransomware, real-time, and phishing protection	✅ Yes (advanced, multi-layered)	✅ Yes (strong, but less advanced)
VPN (unlimited data)	✅ Yes (Premium plan only)	✅ Yes (Prime plan only)
Password manager	✅ Yes (Premium plan only)	✅ Yes
Ad blocker	✅ Yes (with VPN)	✅ Yes (browser extension)
Parental controls	✅ Yes (Total Security and up)	❌ No
Secure browser	✅ Yes (Safepay)	❌ No
Webcam/microphone protection	✅ Yes	❌ No
Wi-Fi security scanner	✅ Yes	❌ No
Live chat customer support	✅ Yes (paid plans)	❌ No
Review	Bitdefender review	Avira Antivirus review

Bitdefender delivers a more advanced and comprehensive feature set, including parental controls, webcam and microphone protection, a secure browser (Safepay), and thorough identity theft protection (insurance sold separately). It’s a great choice for families and anyone looking for strong security with handy device management.

Avira, on the other hand, stands out with a solid password manager, a generous free plan, and easy-to-use device optimization tools. However, it lacks some advanced protections, like parental controls and a secure browser.

Both providers offer password managers, an unlimited VPN, and dark web monitoring, but only with their top-tier plans, and neither includes secure cloud storage.

It’s worth noting that during our in-house testing, Bitdefender’s VPN was significantly faster across all regions, averaging 433Mbps download speeds vs Avira’s 97Mbps, with consistently high performance in the US, the UK, Germany, Australia, and Japan.

Apps and interface: which is more user-friendly?

Bitdefender and Avira both have modern, easy-to-use apps. On desktop, Bitdefender shows more features upfront, while Avira keeps things clean and minimal. On mobile, Bitdefender offers more features on Android, with a simpler iOS version, while Avira provides a consistent platform experience.

In the end, both providers offer user-friendly apps. It really depends on whether you prefer having more features visible right away or a more straightforward layout.

Desktop apps

Bitdefender presents more options right on the main dashboard, including Quick Scan, System Scan, Vulnerability Scan, VPN, Safepay, and personalized Autopilot tips. The side menu is neatly organized into Dashboard, Protection, Privacy, Utilities, and more. For some, it can feel a little cluttered, but it’s still easy to navigate.

Avira keeps things simpler, with five main tabs: Status, Security, Privacy, Performance, and More Apps. It’s clean and beginner-friendly, with a one-click Smart scan for all major areas. However, some features are tucked away in submenus, which may limit customization.

Mobile apps

After installing Bitdefender on Android, I was met with a red warning and a text saying “Your device is at risk!”, but it laid out exactly what to do – enable Web Protection, run a scan, and so on. Once set up, it’s easy to navigate with tabs for scanning, Web Protection, Scam Alert, VPN, and more.

Avira’s app organizes everything using tabs at the bottom of the screen: Dashboard, Security, Privacy, Performance, and Profile. Features like anti-theft, app lock, and network scanner were also easy to find. The free version allows you to run scans and tweak settings, but things like VPN and password manager are limited unless you go for premium.

Overall, Bitdefender’s interface is clear and guides you through setup and protection steps, while Avira offers a simpler, more streamlined design with easy access to core features, making each better suited for different user preferences.

Customer support

When it comes to customer support, both Bitdefender and Avira offer a solid range of options, including email, phone support, and a knowledge base.

The key differences are in accessibility. Bitdefender provides 24/7 live chat, which has been the most convenient option in my experience. Avira doesn’t offer round-the-clock chat, and phone availability can vary depending on region or product.

	Bitdefender	Avira
24/7 live chat	✅ Yes	❌ No
Email	✅ Yes	✅ Yes
Phone support	✅ Yes	✅ Yes
Knowledge base	✅ Yes	✅ Yes

On the other hand, Bitdefender’s phone support isn’t toll-free, while Avira offers a toll-free line in the US.

Final verdict

After testing and comparing both side by side, it’s clear that Bitdefender is better than Avira. While both products offer excellent malware detection, Bitdefender stands out with stronger real-time protection, better ransomware defense, and built-in web security that works right out of the box.

	Bitdefender	Avira
Malware detection	✅ Draw	✅ Draw
Real-time protection	✅ Wins	❌ Loses
Ransomware protection	✅ Wins	❌ Loses
Performance impact	❌ Heavy	✅ Light
Pricing	✅ Wins	❌ Loses
Support	✅ Wins	❌ Loses
User interface	✅ Draw	✅ Draw

That said, Avira remains a good option for users who prefer something lighter, with a simple interface and minimal system impact. It’s well-suited for casual users or older devices.

Ultimately, the best choice depends on your priorities, whether you want stronger protection with more features, or a lighter, more affordable option that’s easier on system resources. Choose what fits your needs and budget best.

How we tested and compared Bitdefender vs Avira

To give you an accurate, real-world comparison, we ran in-house tests using real-world malware samples, focusing on the areas that matter most: security, performance, usability, and value. Here’s the breakdown:

1. Malware detection and real-time protection (40%). This includes real-time threat detection and on-demand malware scanning. We tested each antivirus against live malware samples and stored threats to measure both detection and cleanup performance.
2. System impact and reliability (20%). We measured how the antivirus software affects overall system performance during idle use, active scans, and background processes.
3. Features and compatibility (15%). This covers the range and usefulness of additional tools (like firewalls, password managers, and VPNs) and how well the antivirus software integrates across major devices and operating systems (Windows, macOS, Android, iOS).
4. Pricing and value proposition (15%). I analyzed how much value users get at each pricing tier, comparing features offered in free vs paid versions and assessing flexibility in plans.
5. User experience (10%). I evaluated the availability of customer support, including live chat, phone, email, and help center documentation.

We follow a thorough and consistent testing process to deliver accurate and reliable results. See our full antivirus testing methodology for a deeper dive into our evaluation methods.

All tests were performed on a VirtualBox VM running Windows 11, installed on a Lenovo ThinkPad with an AMD Ryzen 5 PRO 7540U (12-core), 16GB RAM, and a 250GB SSD. Ransomware-specific tests were carried out separately on a Windows 10 VM with 2GB RAM and 2 CPU cores.

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