Bitdefender vs. Malwarebytes 2024: Bitdefender Is Best (But Not by Much)

If you're seeking a new antivirus solution, we’ll help you decide between Bitdefender, a reliable security solution with premium features, or Malwarebytes, a tried and true antivirus that offers advanced cybersecurity with its premium plans. Bitdefender pulls ahead in this comparison — but barely.

Let’s explore these two popular antivirus programs and see which one should be your next option for superior data protection.

Bitdefender vs. Malwarebytes review at a glance

Both Bitdefender and Malwarebytes offer solid data protection and come with features we found to be excellent during our hands-on tests. Both antivirus programs allow coverage for multiple devices (though you have to pay more with Malwarebytes), and the compatibility is the same — you can use them on almost any platform or device.

Bitdefender was our choice as the best Windows antivirus program, thanks to its superb security scores. Although Bitdefender does offer protection for Apple devices, some features (like the device optimizer and the firewall) are only available on Windows. 

Speaking of Malwarebytes, it runs alongside other antivirus programs without issues if you prefer to double up your protection. But even with the paid plans, you won’t get extras like a firewall or optimization tools.

• Bitdefender: Best for superb security features
• Malwarebytes: Best free antivirus

How do Bitdefender and Malwarebytes compare?

Star rating	5.0 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.	4.4 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	Free or $24.99/yr (first year only)	Free or $78.73/2 yrs
Max number of protected devices	Up to 10	Up to 20
Malware scans	Manual and scheduled	Manual and scheduled
Real-time protection
Phishing protection
Ransomware protection
24/7 customer support
Compatibility	Windows, macOS, Android, iOS	Windows, macOS, Chromebook, Android, iOS
Learn more	Get Bitdefender Read Our Bitdefender Review	Get Malwarebytes Read Our Malwarebytes Review

However, the price points show huge differences between these two options. Bitdefender starts at less per year than Malwarebytes. With the higher price, you’d think you could get 24/7 customer support, but Malwarebytes doesn’t include that.

The best antivirus programs offer plenty of features without breaking the bank. For a cheaper price, Bitdefender has customer support around the clock, decent security features, and better device coverage.

Bitdefender pros and cons

Bitdefender has a straightforward interface and did not really slow down our system when we tested. It is an excellent option for Windows users and can protect up to 10 devices. It has broad compatibility and boasts a variety of customer support options.

Malwarebytes pros and cons

Malwarebytes' free plan can manually scan for malware, but you can schedule your scans if you upgrade. We were impressed with the malware scanning speeds during our testing.

All of the premium plans offer real-time monitoring, phishing protection, and an ad blocker.

Which antivirus is the better value?

Bitdefender has better value with its low pricing, especially during the first year.

	Our Pick
Price range	Free–$40.99/first yr	Free–$99.99/yr
Free plan
Best value plan	Bitdefender Total Security for $69.99/yr (first year only)	Malwarebytes Security + VPN for $44.99/yr
Money-back guarantee	Yes — 30 days	Yes — 60 days
Learn more	Get Bitdefender Read Our Bitdefender Review	Get Malwarebytes Read Our Malwarebytes Review

On the one hand, Malwarebytes offers a free version, but you don’t get the premium features without paying a premium price. 

The Bitdefender Total Security plan is its best deal because, for a few dollars more, you get coverage on any device, including Windows, macOS, Android, and iOS. The Malwarebytes Security + VPN is its best value plan because it also gives you a virtual private network (VPN). (A VPN is an excellent way to protect your Wi-Fi from hackers.)

You can try either of these and get your money back if you don’t like the products. Malwarebytes gives you a 60-day money-back guarantee, which is more than enough time to decide. If you have Windows, you can also try Malwarebytes Premium with a 14-day trial.

Bitdefender has a shorter 30-day money-back guarantee, but that’s still sufficient to know if you like the software or not. You can also try it for free with the 30-day free trial.

Which antivirus has better features?

Bitdfender has a better feature list, even if some of them are Windows-only.

	Our Pick
Manual and scheduled scans
Phishing protection
Ransomware protection
Firewall	Windows only
Parental controls
Password manager
VPN
Ad blocker
Device optimization tools	Windows only
Learn more	Get Bitdefender Read Our Bitdefender Review	Get Malwarebytes Read Our Malwarebytes Review

Bitdefender offers a firewall and includes device optimization tools, but only if you have a Windows device. (This is a common practice among antivirus companies.) Windows users also get microphone and webcam protection features, while all users get parental controls and the Bitdefender VPN with 200 MB of daily data.

Just as a heads-up, you don’t get a lot with the free version of Malwarebytes. The free version is good for manually scanning for viruses and that’s about all. And even if you pay for Malwarebytes Premium, you won’t get common features like a firewall, parental controls, or device optimization tools. But you do get a VPN and ad blocker. 

Those cybersecurity features may be important if you have children you need to protect or when you need to improve your computer’s performance since antivirus products can sometimes slow down your devices.

Bitdefender vs. Malwarebytes: Test scores

We looked to third-party sites for test results because these offer an objective view of how an antivirus program performs. We used AV-TEST scores to compare Bitdefender and Malwarebytes, as it’s an independent organization that rates antivirus software and other security products by putting them to the test in realistic scenarios.

AV-TEST uses a six-point system for three different categories, which include protection, performance, and usability. The highest combined possible score is 18.[1,2,3,4]

Bitdefender vs. Malwarebytes AV-TEST scores

	Our Pick
Windows score	18/18	17/18
macOS score	18/18	Not tested
Android score	18/18	Not tested
Learn more	Get Bitdefender Read Our Bitdefender Review	Get Malwarebytes Read Our Malwarebytes Review

You may notice that Bitdefender received the highest possible score for protection, performance, and usability across Windows, macOS, and Android. Still, although considered a perfect score, Bitdefender's Windows program did flag legitimate software, producing at least one false positive during malware detection tests.

Malwarebytes scored 5.5 out of 6 on protection against threats and infections. The industry average for zero-day malware attacks is 99.3%, and Malwarebytes received a score of 97.9% in July and 98.8% in August.

Also, you can see that the Malwarebytes security suite wasn’t tested on macOS or Android, so we can’t show you those results. But that may not be a primary concern, as antivirus companies are required to pay for testing and most choose to focus on Windows.

Which antivirus has the better compatibility and customer support?

Bitdefender simply has better customer support options.

	Our Pick
Windows
macOS
Android
iOS
Browser extensions	Google Chrome, Mozilla Firefox, Microsoft Edge (Anti-tracker), Opera, Safari	Google Chrome, Mozilla Firefox, Microsoft Edge (Browser Guard), Safari
24/7 customer support
Customer support options	Phone, live chat, email, phone, support forums, online guides	Live chat, AI chatbot, email, support forums, online guides
Learn more	Get Bitdefender Read Our Bitdefender Review	Get Malwarebytes Read Our Malwarebytes Review

Bitdefender’s interface was easy to use, although some features, like the rescue environment and firewall, are exclusive to Windows users. Therefore, we weren’t able to test those on our Mac to see the full extent of the interface's functions.

Malwarebytes is also easy to use and navigate. The scans are fast, but much like Bitdefender, some options won't work for Windows users. For example, you won’t get the full scan options unless you use Windows — if you’re on a Mac you can use only the quick scan. That can be a definite downfall for macOS users who want antivirus software to fully scan their entire device.

We also liked Malwarebytes’ Detection History, which gives you a more in-depth view of any threats that may have been found in the past. It’s easy to use to get a quick historical report.

Bitdefender offers 24/7 live chat with phone and email support. You also get support forums where you can reach out to other users for guidance. If you need online guides, you’ll get those, too. Malwarebytes now offers the same coverage (including live chat and an AI chatbot) with the exception of the option to phone chat. 

You get a basic support page where you can select the category you need, such as billing, adding devices, or requesting a refund. But the lack of Malwarebytes phone support can be a dealbreaker. 

FAQs

Bitdefender vs. Malwarebytes: Which is better?

From our perspective, both Bitdefender and Malwarebytes offer good overall data protection. But we think Bitdefender is the better overall antivirus program.

Bitdefender is best for a clean interface and affordable pricing that won’t break your budget. It also offers premium features and dedicated customer support. Since Bitdefender also received a perfect score by AV-TEST, you’ll know you’re getting premium antivirus software that gives you plenty of value.

Malwarebytes offers a free plan that allows you to manually scan for and remove malware. It scored well in third-party malware protection tests but is more expensive if you opt for a paid subscription.

Alternatives

If you're looking for comprehensive antivirus protection but neither Bitdefender nor Malwarebytes fits the bill, here are top antivirus solutions we've tested and recommend.