Bitdefender vs Norton 360
We give Bitdefender and Norton 360 the same GPA: 2.8 out of 4.0. Bitdefender grades higher on the free plan. Norton 360 grades higher on ease of use. They get the same grade on value for money, features 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
Norton 360
Antivirus suite with VPN, password manager and PC cloud backup
How we grade them
| 2.8GPABitdefenderGood | 2.8GPANorton 360Good | |
|---|---|---|
| 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. | CDeluxe covers 5 devices for $39.99 the first year and $104.99 the next, so $144.98 over two years, about $6 a month. That's above the middle of antivirus apps but short of the dearest tenth. |
| 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. | CA 30-day trial on Norton's US order pages, and the listing doesn't say whether it wants a card. The iPhone app gives 7 days with an annual plan. There's no free version. |
| 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. | BReal-time protection on four platforms, a VPN for every device on the plan, a password manager, PC cloud backup and parental controls, plus a refund if its experts can't remove a virus. The gaps are on Mac, which gets no backup and no Norton Family. |
| 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. | A4.7 from about 183,000 App Store ratings. That's a huge crowd, and a happy one. |
| 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 iPhone. Cloud backup is for Windows PCs only, and there's no API or integration list on record, so it stops at B. |
| Best for | free Windows antivirus, with suites to grow into | antivirus, a VPN and PC backup in one |
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 Norton 360. 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. Norton 360 starts at $7.08 a month when paid by the year and scores 3.3.
Norton 360 scores higher, and starts $2.91 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 none scores higher than Norton 360 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 starts at $49.99 per year at renewal (Antivirus Plus, 1 device), after a first year for $24.99. Norton 360 starts at $84.99 per year at renewal (Standard, 1 device), after a first year from $34.99.
- Bitdefender has a free plan. Norton 360 does not, though it has a free trial.
- Norton 360 also covers ad and tracker blocking.
At a glance
| Bitdefender | Norton 360 | |
|---|---|---|
| Pricing | Free plan | Free trial |
| Starts at | $49.99 per year at renewal (Antivirus Plus, 1 device), after a first year for $24.99 | $84.99 per year at renewal (Standard, 1 device), after a first year from $34.99 |
| 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 trial on Norton's US order pages; the iPhone app offers 7 days with an annual plan |
| macOS | ||
| Windows | ||
| iOS | ||
| Android | ||
| Made by | Bitdefender | Gen Digital Inc. |
| Price read from | bitdefender.com | buy-static.norton.com |
| Checked | Oct 17, 2026 | Oct 17, 2026 |
Who each one suits
Bitdefender
- Windows users who want free real-time antivirus
- Families covering up to 25 devices under one plan
- Buyers who want antivirus, a VPN and a password manager from one vendor
Norton 360
- Households that want antivirus, a VPN and a password manager in one subscription
- Windows users who want their files backed up to the cloud by their security app
- US buyers who want identity theft cover alongside device protection
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.
Norton 360
- Prices come from one of Norton's US order pages, where first-year prices vary between sections; the main site refused automated reads on 2026-10-17.
- Norton's order pages say plans are priced for an introductory term and then renew automatically at a higher renewal price.
- Cloud backup is for Windows PCs, and Norton Family parental controls do not work on Mac.
- LifeLock identity features rely on US credit bureaus such as Equifax and need your identity verified first.
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.
Norton 360
- Real-time device protection
- Protects against ransomware, viruses, spyware and other malware on Windows, Mac, Android and iOS, with Norton's Virus Protection Promise of a refund if its experts cannot remove a virus.
- Secure VPN and ad-tracker blocker
- Norton 360 plans include a VPN for as many devices as the plan covers, plus anonymous browsing and blocking of advertising trackers.
- PC cloud backup
- Plans include cloud storage for backing up files from a Windows PC, from 2 GB on the smallest plans up to 500 GB on Ultimate Plus.
- Password manager and parental controls
- A password manager is included, and Deluxe and higher plans add Norton Family parental controls, which are not supported on Mac.
- Scam protection on phones
- The mobile apps check web pages, text messages and email for scams, and the iPhone app blocks scam and junk calls. Norton Genie answers safety questions.
- LifeLock identity protection
- Norton 360 with LifeLock plans add SSN and credit alerts, credit monitoring from one or three bureaus, and stolen funds reimbursement of up to $25,000 to $1 million.
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.
Norton 360
Norton 360 Standard$84.99
per year for 1 device at renewal, after a first year
Antivirus, VPN and password manager for one device. Norton's US order page shows the first year from $34.99, then $84.99 a year.
Norton 360 Deluxe$104.99
per year for up to 5 devices at renewal, after a first year
The same protection on up to 5 devices, with cloud backup and parental controls. First year from $39.99 on Norton's US order page.
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.
Norton 360
- Other savings
Cheaper first year
Norton's US order page shows Norton 360 Standard from $34.99 and Deluxe from $39.99 for the first year, before renewing at $84.99 and $104.99.
