Aura Antivirus vs. Microsoft Defender 2024: Robust Cybersecurity Features vs. Powerhouse Windows Protection

Bad actors continue to get more creative when it comes to accessing your devices and personal information. One of the best ways to protect yourself is through an antivirus solution that can be on the lookout for any suspicious activity to protect your devices. In this round, we looked at Aura Antivirus and Microsoft Defender and decided that Aura came out on top.

To help you choose the best solution, we compare Aura Antivirus and Microsoft Defender prices, features, compatibility, and more.

Aura Antivirus vs. Microsoft Defender review at a glance

Both Aura Antivirus and Microsoft Defender offer a robust solution to keep malware, ransomware, and more off of your devices. Both solutions offer various additional features, including VPN access, identity theft monitoring, and restoration insurance. At the end of the day, it’s most important that the antivirus protects you and your devices.

You can use either antivirus software on mobile devices and computers. However, each solution has unique compatibility requirements. Microsoft Defender is available only for those with a Microsoft 365 account. Once you have a Microsoft 365 subscription, you can get access to Microsoft Defender. Aura’s antivirus solution is available on Windows, Android, and macOS. You can use Aura Antivirus and its safe browsing solution on an iPhone browser, but per Apple restrictions, there is no designated antivirus app.

• Aura Antivirus: Best for bundled security features
• Microsoft Defender: Best for Microsoft 365 users

Aura Antivirus vs. Microsoft Defender compared

Star rating	4.3 AllAboutCookies writers and editors score products based on a number of objective features as well as our expert editorial assessment. Our partners do not influence how we rate products.	4.7 AllAboutCookies writers and editors score products based on a number of objective features as well as our expert editorial assessment. Our partners do not influence how we rate products.
Starting price	Starts at $35.99/first yr	Starts at $69.99/yr
Max number of protected devices	Up to 10 devices	Up to 30 devices (5 per person)
Malware scans	Manual and scheduled	Manual and scheduled
Real-time protection
Phishing protection
Ransomware protection
24/7 customer support
Compatibility	Windows, macOS, Android	Windows, Android, iOS, macOS
Learn more	Get Aura Antivirus Read Aura Antivirus Review	Get Microsoft Defender Read Microsoft Defender Review

Aura pros and cons

Aura doesn't have scheduled scans, but there are three types of manual scans to choose from: full, quick, or custom. It offers pretty good phishing protection and 24/7 customer support. What's a little frustrating to us is the fact that Aura hasn't taken part in any third-party testing.

Microsoft Defender pros and cons

While technically free, in order to use Defender, you'll need to subscribe to Microsoft 365. If you already use 365, then Defender may be adequate protection. It's also compatible with other AV products.

Microsoft Defender is pretty good at scanning for malware and it has parental controls for extra security. It does struggle with phishing attempts, though.

Which antivirus is the better value?

Aura offers the best value since Microsoft defender requires a costly subscription to Microsoft 365. 

	Our Pick
Price range	$35.99-$59.99/first yr	$6.99–$9.99/mo
Best value plan	Ultimate plan for $59.99/first yr	Family plan for $9.99/mo (billed annually after 1 month free)
Money-back guarantee	Yes — 60 days	No — but has a one-month free trial
Learn more	Get Aura Antivirus Read Aura Antivirus Review	Get Microsoft Defender Read Microsoft Defender Review

Comparing the cost of Aura Antivirus and Microsoft Defender isn’t apples to apples. With Microsoft Defender, you’re purchasing a subscription to Microsoft 365, which includes its well-known suite of apps: Microsoft Word, Excel, PowerPoint, Outlook, Publisher, and more. 

If you’re already a Microsoft 365 user, Microsoft Defender may be a viable solution for you, and it won’t cost you anything additional. The annual Microsoft Defender plan includes the first month of Microsoft 365 for free. And you won’t be billed until after the first month.

If you don’t use Microsoft 365 and you’re not planning on it, Aura’s Antivirus solution is a better option. Aura’s ultimate plan will cover your devices for as low as $35.99/first yr. You have a 60-day money-back guarantee when purchasing any Aura annual plan.

Aura Antivirus vs. Microsoft Defender: features

Manual and scheduled scans
Real-time protection
Phishing protection
Ransomware protection
Firewall
Parental controls	Not included
Password manager
VPN
Ad blocker
Device optimization tools
Identity theft insurance	Up to $1 million	Up to $1 million
Learn more	Get Aura Antivirus Read Aura Antivirus Review	Get Microsoft Defender Read Microsoft Defender Review

When deciding between two antivirus providers, it’s important to understand which features are most important to you and select the solution based on those priorities. Microsoft Defender and Aura Antivirus both offer a robust set of antivirus tools along with additional solutions. With both solutions, you get real-time protection against malware, phishing attacks, and ransomware.

Microsoft Defender offers a more high-level view of your overall device security, and it can help you have peace of mind about other devices in your family as well. Microsoft Defender also works well with other solutions, so if you’re using another antivirus software, you can see the status of that software inside Microsoft Defender too. Overall, Microsoft Defender is a good solution.

Aura offers various additional features to help you stay protected, including a virtual private network, password manager, and ad blocker. By combining several online security features, it’s less likely that your information will be compromised or your identity stolen.

Both Microsoft Defender and Aura Antivirus include identity theft insurance. Microsoft Defender offers up to $1 million in identity theft insurance with your Microsoft 365 subscription. With Aura’s Ultimate plan, you can also unlock up to $1 million in identity theft insurance.

Aura doesn’t include its parental controls or offer insights into other devices like Microsoft Defender does, but you do gain access to a password manager and ad blocker in addition to a VPN.

Aura Antivirus vs. Microsoft Defender: test results

One way to understand an antivirus solution before testing it out yourself is through third-party test results. AV-Test.org is one of the sources we look at when evaluating software. We typically review test scores for Windows, Mac, and Android.

Unfortunately, Aura Antivirus doesn’t have any results on AV-Test, and Microsoft Defender has results only for Windows devices. But when tested by AV-Test, Windows Defender scored 18 out of 18. It also scored well across other third parties like AV-Comparatives and SE Labs.

Determining the EICAR score is a manual way to evaluate the effectiveness of an antivirus platform. The EICAR test evaluates the antivirus solution based on five categories, including:

• Manually downloaded malware
• Drive-by malware downloads
• Compressed malware
• Potentially unwanted application detection
• Phishing pages detection

Both Microsoft Defender and Aura Antivirus failed to detect the phishing pages, and Aura didn't block the compressed malware. In fact, nothing happened when we tested this malware component, whereas Microsoft Defender was able to detect the file.

Aura Antivirus vs. Microsoft Defender malware protection scores

		Our Pick
AV-TEST Windows 10 score	N/A	18/18
AV-Comparatives Windows Performance score	N/A	2/3
SE Labs Windows Protection score	N/A	100%
EICAR score	3/5	4/5
Learn more	Get Aura Antivirus Read Aura Antivirus Review	Get Microsoft Defender Read Microsoft Defender Review

Aura Antivirus vs. Microsoft Defender: compatibility and customer support

	Our Pick
Windows
macOS
Android
iOS
Browser extensions	Yes — Chrome, Edge, Firefox	Yes — Chrome, Edge, Firefox
24/7 customer support
Customer support options	Phone, live chat, Help Center, online guides	Chat, online guides, community forums, phone
Learn more	Get Aura Antivirus Read Aura Antivirus Review	Get Microsoft Defender Read Microsoft Defender Review

Both Aura Antivirus and Microsoft Defender are available on various platforms, making it easy for users to protect all of their devices. Microsoft Defender is available on Macs and PCs, along with iOS and Android devices. Aura Antivirus is also available on macOS, Windows, and Android. Although it doesn’t work with iOS, this decision was intentionally made. According to Aura, Apple doesn’t allow mobile antivirus security.

Even though there is no designated Aura Antivirus app for iOS (as explained above), you can still access Aura via a mobile browser. Aura’s safe browsing feature allows users to block malware, ads, and unwanted content through a browser extension while using an iPhone.

From a support standpoint, Aura Antivirus provides a more approachable experience for customers. With Microsoft Defender, you get access to many valuable resources through online forums and support documents, but it is much more difficult to find support resources via chat or phone. Aura’s support options were easy to find, including a user-friendly Help Center, live chat with an agent, and 24/7 phone support.

FAQs

Aura Antivirus vs. Microsoft Defender: Which is better?

With everything the same, we choose Aura as the winner. However, when choosing which solution would provide a better experience, it comes down to whether you use Microsoft 365. If you do, Microsoft Defender can help keep you protected without any additional cost. If you’re not using Microsoft 365, then Aura Antivirus may be the right option.

Aura’s additional features can help you protect more than just your device. And if your identity is compromised, Aura’s premium identity protection, with its white-glove fraud resolution, can make the process easier.

Aura Antivirus and Microsoft Defender both offer antivirus protection, but picking the right one will depend on what software you’re using every day. Aura Antivirus offers a more plug-and-play option if you’re not using Microsoft 365 already. And if you’re wondering if you need antivirus protection, these solutions can be a first line of defense to keep your devices and your personal information safe.

Aura Antivirus vs. Microsoft Defender alternatives

While Aura Antivirus and Microsoft Defender are both solid antivirus solutions, you may need more coverage across operating systems and devices. Some of the best antivirus programs we’ve tested bundle advanced security features with their antivirus software. These recommendations offer robust device protection and comprehensive security tools:

• TotalAV: TotalAV is another antivirus solution that can help keep your device protected. It offers three different plans, each protecting up to eight devices. The most robust plan also includes a password manager and a VPN. TotalAV Total Security is $49.00/yr (first year only).

  Get TotalAV | Read Our TotalAV Review
  

• Bitdefender: You gain access to an antivirus solution plus a VPN, a password manager, and identity theft protection with Bitdefender’s Ultimate Security plan. With Bitdefender, you can protect up to five devices. The Total Security plan is $40.99/yr (first year only).

  Get Bitdefender | Read Our Bitdefender Review

• Avast: If you’re looking for a free antivirus solution, Avast is a reputable option. However, Avast also offers a premium solution that includes more advanced features for detecting ransomware and the newest phishing scams. You can purchase Avast Premium Security for $34.68/yr (first year only), which protects up to 10 devices.

  Get Avast | Read Our Avast Review