Bitdefender vs G DATA Antivirus (2026): which should you pick?
As of Nov 13, 2026, we pick Bitdefender: it is second in our ranking of antivirus apps, and it grades higher too, 2.8 against 2.6.
Checked Oct 17, 2026 and Nov 12, 2026 · graded Oct 17, 2026 and Nov 12, 2026 by ToolGPA
Bitdefender grades higher on the free plan and features. G DATA Antivirus grades higher on value for money. They get the same grade on ease of use and platforms.
Price, platforms and features side by side. The table says where each price was read and when.
Bitdefender
Antivirus suites for computers and phones, with a free Windows tier
G DATA Antivirus
German antivirus suites for Windows, Mac and Android, priced by device
Which one is for you
Pick Bitdefender if
- Fits if you're on Windows and want real-time antivirus without paying
- Works for families with lots of devices, as family plans cover up to 25
Look elsewhere if
- Pricey if you pay yearly, as Total Security jumps from $59.99 to $109.99 at renewal and every plan renews at full price
- Skip it if you want a full VPN on Antivirus Plus or Total Security, which cap it at 200 MB a day per device
- Not for you if you want free protection on a Mac or phone, as the free version is Windows only
- Watch out: identity insurance and credit monitoring sit on Ultimate Security Plus, $189.99 a year after a $119.99 first year
- Tight if you'd rather not make an account, as even the free antivirus needs a Bitdefender Central sign-up
Pick G DATA Antivirus if
- Fits if you want antivirus for a mix of Windows, Mac and phones
- Works for a family that wants parental controls in the Total Security suite
Look elsewhere if
- Skip it if you want a free edition, as only the 30-day trial is free
- Too light for firewall, ransomware or USB protection on Antivirus for Windows or Mac, which lack them
- Pricey if you add a VPN, listed in the cart as a paid add-on
- Watch out: Mobile Security for Android is a separate product from $9.95, and its billing period isn't shown
How we grade them
| 2.8GPABitdefenderGood | 2.6GPAG DATA AntivirusGood | |
|---|---|---|
| Value for money | CTotal Security covers 5 devices for $119.99 for the first 2 years, about $5 a month, right at the dearer quarter of antivirus. Paid yearly it's $59.99 and then $109.99, so $169.98 over two years. Every plan renews at its full price. | B$29.95 a year for Antivirus on 1 device, about $2.50 a month, under the cheaper quarter of $2.92. Total Security is $49.95. |
| Free plan and trial | BAntivirus Free gives a Windows PC real-time malware and ransomware protection with no time limit, and one person on Windows could live on that. Macs and phones need a paid plan, which you can try free for 30 days. | C30-day trial of the full version with no obligation. No free edition. |
| Features | BAntivirus and scam protection on all four platforms, a password manager from Total Security, parental controls on family plans and identity monitoring higher up. The VPN is capped at 200 MB a day below Premium Security, but the core protection has no gap. | CVirus scanner, firewall, BankGuard, anti-ransomware, parental controls, encryption and backups. Ransomware protection, firewall and USB protection are missing from the basic Antivirus versions. |
| Ease of use | B4.68 from about 38,000 App Store ratings, a whisker under the 4.7 an A needs. Even the free version wants a Bitdefender Central account first. | BNo store rating on record. You install it and it runs. |
| Platforms and integrations | BWindows, Mac, Android and iPhone, with family plans stretching to 25 devices. No web app, integration list or API on record, so it stops at B. | BWindows, Mac, Android and iOS, with Google Drive and Dropbox links. |
| Best for | free Windows antivirus, with suites to grow into | German antivirus for several devices |
The GPA is the average of the five grades: an A is 4 points, an F is none. The full reasons are on each tool's page: Bitdefender and G DATA Antivirus. How we grade
Price against what you get
Bitdefender starts at $4.17 a month when paid by the year and scores 3.0 out of 4 on features, ease of use and platforms. G DATA Antivirus starts at $2.50 a month when paid by the year and scores 2.7.
Bitdefender scores higher, and starts $1.67 a month higher: the question is whether the extra is worth that to you. Of the other antivirus apps on the chart, none scores higher than Bitdefender for less, and 2 score higher than G DATA Antivirus for less.
Features, ease of use and platforms, averaged
What paid plans start at, a month (each step along is roughly double) →
- The best score at each price
- Has a free plan
- No free plan
Where they differ
- Bitdefender also covers password manager.
At a glance
| Bitdefender | G DATA Antivirus | |
|---|---|---|
| Pricing | Free plan | Free trial |
| Starts at | $49.99 per year at renewal (Antivirus Plus, 1 device), after a first year for $24.99 | $29.95 per year for 1 device (Antivirus for Windows) |
| Free plan | Bitdefender Antivirus Free gives real-time malware and ransomware protection for Windows PCs, with no time limit. It needs a Bitdefender Central account. | None |
| Free trial | 30-day free trial of Antivirus Plus and Total Security | 30-day free trial of the full version, no obligation |
| macOS | ||
| Windows | ||
| iOS | ||
| Android | ||
| Made by | Bitdefender | G DATA CyberDefense AG |
| Price read from | bitdefender.com | gdata.de |
| Checked | Oct 17, 2026 | Nov 12, 2026 |
Worth knowing
Bitdefender
- Paid plans renew automatically at the full price after the first year: Total Security goes from $59.99 to $109.99, for example.
- Antivirus Free runs on Windows only; Mac and mobile protection need a paid plan.
- The VPN in Antivirus Plus and Total Security is capped at 200 MB a day per device.
- Refunds are available within 30 days of the first purchase or of an automatic renewal.
G DATA Antivirus
- Ransomware protection, firewall and USB protection are not in Antivirus for Windows or Mac.
- Prices are shown as including VAT.
- Mobile Security for Android is a separate product listed from $9.95; the page does not show its billing period.
- A VPN is a paid add-on in the cart (shown as $59.95 crossed out and $29.97), not part of the suites.
Key features
Bitdefender
- Multi-platform malware protection
- Antivirus, malware and ransomware protection for Windows, Mac, Android and iOS on every paid plan, from 1 device up to 25 on family plans.
- Scam protection
- Blocks phishing and fake shops as you browse. Premium Security and above add Scam Protection Pro, which checks email, chat and text messages.
- Bitdefender VPN
- Antivirus Plus and Total Security include a VPN limited to 200 MB a day per device. Premium Security and higher plans remove the limit.
- Password manager
- Total Security and the plans above it include Bitdefender's password manager, one account per member on family plans.
- Parental controls
- Family plans add content filtering, internet time limits, routines, child location and activity reports.
- Identity monitoring
- Ultimate Security watches the web and dark web for leaks of your data. Ultimate Security Plus adds identity theft insurance and credit monitoring.
G DATA Antivirus
- Virus scanner
- Uses technologies working in parallel and receives new virus signatures every hour.
- Firewall
- Monitors incoming and outgoing connections automatically or by rules you set. Internet Security and Total Security only.
- BankGuard
- A browser protection meant to stop tampering during online banking and shopping.
- Anti-ransomware and exploit protection
- Blocks ransomware from encrypting files and guards Office programs and PDF readers against vulnerabilities.
- Parental controls
- Sets time limits and restricts children to verified websites on Internet Security.
- Encryption and backups
- Total Security adds password-protected file encryption and local or cloud backups, including Google Drive and Dropbox.
Plans
Bitdefender
Antivirus Free$0
Basic real-time antivirus for Windows only.
Antivirus Plus$49.99
per year for 1 device at renewal, after a first year for $24.99
Antivirus, scam protection and a VPN capped at 200 MB a day. First year $24.99; 3 devices cost $39.99 the first year, then $69.99.
Total Security$109.99
per year for up to 5 devices at renewal, after a first year for $59.99
Adds a password manager and cryptomining protection. First year $59.99. Family (25 devices, parental controls): $79.99, then $139.99.
Premium Security$129.99
per year for up to 5 devices at renewal, after a first year for $79.99
Adds unlimited VPN traffic, Scam Protection Pro, an anti-tracker and email protection. First year $79.99. Family: $99.99, then $169.99.
Ultimate Security$159.99
per year for up to 5 devices at renewal, after a first year for $89.99
Adds dark web monitoring and real-time breach alerts. First year $89.99. Family (25 devices): $119.99, then $199.99.
Ultimate Security Plus$189.99
per year for 5 devices at renewal, after a first year for $119.99
Adds $1M identity theft insurance, credit monitoring and restoration help. First year $119.99. Family: $179.99, then $269.99.
G DATA Antivirus
Antivirus for Windows$29.95
per year for 1 device
Virus scanner, exploit protection, phishing protection, banking and email protection. $39.95 for 3 devices, $49.95 for 5. A 2-year term saves 8%.
Antivirus for Mac$39.95
per year for 1 device
Virus scanner and phishing protection for macOS, which also catches Windows malware. No banking or email protection.
Internet Security$39.95
per year for 1 device
Adds firewall, anti-ransomware, BankGuard, anti-spam and parental controls, across Windows, macOS, Android and iOS. $55.95 for 3 devices, $71.95 for 5. A 2-year term saves 12%.
Total Security$49.95
per year for 1 device
Adds a performance tuner, file encryption, USB access control and backups. $65.95 for 3 devices, $81.95 for 5. A 2-year term saves 10%.
Ways to pay less
Bitdefender
- Other savings
First-year prices on every paid plan
First year: Antivirus Plus $24.99, Total Security $59.99, Premium Security $79.99, Ultimate Security $89.99, Ultimate Security Plus $119.99. Each then renews at its full price.
- Other savings
Total Security for 2 years at $119.99
Total Security is also sold as a 2-year subscription: $119.99 for the first 2 years for 5 devices, or $159.99 for the family plan.
G DATA Antivirus
No public discounts listed.
Common questions
Which is cheaper, Bitdefender or G DATA Antivirus?
As of Nov 12, 2026, G DATA Antivirus is cheaper to start with: $2.50 a month when paid by the year, against $4.17 a month when paid by the year for Bitdefender. Bitdefender starts at $49.99 per year at renewal (Antivirus Plus, 1 device), after a first year for $24.99, and G DATA Antivirus starts at $29.95 per year for 1 device (Antivirus for Windows).
Which has a free plan, Bitdefender or G DATA Antivirus?
As of Nov 12, 2026, only Bitdefender has a free plan. G DATA Antivirus does not, though it has a free trial.
More comparisons
How this page was made
- The verdict at the top follows a fixed rule. When both tools are in the same category and either is in our top three for it, the verdict follows that ranking: the higher-placed tool is our pick. The top three weigh who each tool suits as well as its grades, so a pick can go against the GPA. Otherwise the page does not pick one and says which grades higher: the higher GPA first; on a tie, the one with a free plan, then the one that starts cheaper in dollars a month, counted the same way for both; if they are still level, what the choice depends on.
- The grades are our own, from each tool’s review or report card. The GPA is their average.
- Prices, plans and platforms come from each tool’s listing. The table above says where each price was read and when.
- The differences and the answers to the questions are worked out from those listings.