Quick answer: Bitdefender Antivirus Plus is still sold and is Bitdefender’s entry-level paid antivirus. It includes real-time malware and ransomware protection, the Safepay banking browser, an anti-tracker, a vulnerability scanner and a basic VPN capped at 200 MB a day per device. It does not include a password manager, despite what this article originally said. Bitdefender’s consumer products earned top marks from both major independent labs for 2025, and Antivirus Plus uses the same detection engine.
We first wrote this review for the 2020 version. We have since checked every feature, price and claim against Bitdefender’s own product pages and the latest independent lab reports (October 2026). Old prices have been removed, and the sections below say where the product has changed. We have not tested the software ourselves.
Bitdefender at a glance
- Company: Bitdefender, a cybersecurity company headquartered in Bucharest, Romania.
- Free option: Bitdefender Antivirus Free, for Windows only. Its download page lists real-time protection, Advanced Threat Defense, virus clean-up and a basic VPN with 200 MB of traffic per device per day, with no time limit or credit card.
- Paid line-up (US site, October 2026): Antivirus Plus, Total Security, Premium Security, Ultimate Security and Ultimate Security Plus, plus separate products such as Premium VPN and the SecurePass password manager. Bitdefender Internet Security, which the original article listed, no longer appears on Bitdefender’s US consumer page.
What Antivirus Plus includes
According to Bitdefender’s product page in October 2026, Antivirus Plus includes:
- Real-time malware protection, which detects and isolates suspicious activity.
- Multi-layer ransomware protection, including a data-protection layer for documents, photos, videos and music.
- Safepay, an isolated browser for online banking and payments, which can also fill in card details.
- Anti-tracker, a browser extension that blocks web trackers.
- Wi-Fi Security Advisor, which checks the network you are connected to.
- Vulnerability assessment, which looks for outdated software, missing Windows patches and unsafe settings.
- Scam and phishing protection for websites.
- File Shredder, for deleting files so they cannot be recovered.
- Rescue Environment, which restarts the PC and removes stubborn threats such as rootkits before Windows loads.
- Bitdefender VPN (Standard), limited to 200 MB per day per device. Unlimited traffic needs a separate Bitdefender Premium VPN subscription.
Bitdefender’s comparison table marks the password manager as not included in Antivirus Plus. An earlier version of this article listed an “unlimited password manager” as part of the plan; that is not correct for the current product. Features such as parental controls, a firewall and webcam and microphone protection belong to the higher tiers, so check Bitdefender’s comparison table if you need them.
How Bitdefender detects threats
The original review’s description still holds in outline. Bitdefender combines scanning for known threats with behaviour-based monitoring, which it calls Advanced Threat Defense, to catch threats that have no known signature. Bitdefender says Advanced Threat Defense also shows where a threat came from and what it could have done. For infections that will not go away, the Rescue Environment restarts the PC and cleans it before Windows loads.
Independent test results
- AV-TEST Awards for the 2025 test year: Bitdefender Total Security won the Best Protection award for Windows consumer products. Bitdefender also won Best Android Security (Mobile Security) and was among the winners for macOS security.
- AV-Comparatives, Consumer Summary Report 2025 (published 14 January 2026): Bitdefender Total Security received a Top-Rated award, a Gold award in the Advanced Threat Protection test, Silver in Real-World Protection, and Bronze in both the Malware Protection and False Positives tests.
The labs tested Total Security, not Antivirus Plus. Both use the same core detection technology, but Total Security adds extra features.
Pricing, trial and refunds
As of October 2026, per Bitdefender’s US pricing page, Antivirus Plus cost $24.99 for the first year for one device or $29.99 for three devices, plus sales tax. Bitdefender says renewal prices may be higher than the first-year price. The same page offers a 30-day free trial without a credit card and a 30-day refund window. Prices differ by country, so check Bitdefender’s site for your region. The 2020 prices in our original article are out of date and have been removed.
System requirements
| Platform | Requirement listed by Bitdefender (October 2026) |
|---|---|
| Windows | Windows 7 SP1, 8.1, 10 or 11; 2 GB RAM; 2.5 GB free disk space |
| macOS | macOS Big Sur 11.3 or later; 1 GB free disk space |
| Android | Android 7.0 or later |
| iOS | iOS 14 or later |
The original review described Antivirus Plus as Windows only. Bitdefender’s US page in October 2026 listed the plan as covering Windows, macOS, Android and iOS, so check which platforms your regional edition includes before you buy.
Pros and cons
Pros
- Top independent lab results for 2025 from both AV-TEST and AV-Comparatives (for Bitdefender’s consumer suite).
- Ransomware protection, Safepay and a vulnerability scanner in the entry-level plan.
- A free 30-day trial with no card required, and a free Windows edition.
Cons
- The included VPN is capped at 200 MB a day; unlimited VPN costs extra.
- No password manager, firewall or parental controls in Antivirus Plus.
- First-year prices are introductory; renewals can cost more.
Is Bitdefender Antivirus Plus worth it?
If you want more than Windows’ built-in Microsoft Defender, Antivirus Plus adds banking protection, ransomware layers and a vulnerability scanner at a modest first-year price. If you mainly need a password manager, a firewall or parental controls, look at the higher tiers or another product. Our guide on whether a free antivirus is good enough helps with that decision. You can also compare Bitdefender with others in our list of antivirus software for PC. If you need a full VPN, see our guide to VPNs for Windows.
Frequently asked questions
Does Bitdefender Antivirus Plus include a VPN?
Yes, but only Bitdefender VPN Standard, limited to 200 MB per day per device (Bitdefender’s FAQ says this is about 6 GB a month). Unlimited traffic needs a Premium VPN subscription.
Does Antivirus Plus include a password manager?
No. Bitdefender’s comparison table marks the password manager as not included. Bitdefender sells a separate password manager, SecurePass.
Is there a free version of Bitdefender?
Yes. Bitdefender Antivirus Free is available for Windows only, with real-time protection and a 200 MB-a-day VPN.
What happened to Bitdefender Internet Security?
The original article listed it as the middle tier. In October 2026, it no longer appeared on Bitdefender’s US consumer product page, where Total Security, Premium Security and Ultimate Security sit above Antivirus Plus.
Can I try it before paying?
Bitdefender’s US page offered a 30-day free trial without a credit card in October 2026, plus a 30-day refund window on purchases.
Checked in October 2026 against Bitdefender’s US product, free antivirus and consumer line-up pages, and the AV-TEST 2025 awards and AV-Comparatives Consumer Summary Report 2025.
