Bitdefender Total Security Alternatives 2026: 5 Options, 4 Free
Bitdefender Total Security alternatives: Microsoft Defender Antivirus, ClamAV and 3 more. Prices and licenses checked October 25, 2026.
•3 min read•Security Software & Testing
Verdict:Switch from Bitdefender if you pay for Total Security and mainly need a scanner on Windows. Total Security is $59.99 for the first year for one member on up to five devices, with a 30-day trial, and the price is valid only for the first year. Microsoft Defender is already inside Windows and costs nothing, so it is the first thing to try on a single PC. Avast Free Antivirus is the free choice if you want a separate product for Mac or mobile, although some features need a paid plan. Malwarebytes works best beside another antivirus, since its free scanner is on-demand only per a TechRadar review. ClamAV is for people who scan servers or mail, not a drop-in for a home PC, because it lacks a firewall and behaviour engine. Norton competes for the same paid suite buyers, so check its current price yourself. The main trade-off is bundled features against price. Bitdefender adds a firewall, VPN and multi-device apps, and the free tools leave you to assemble those or go without. Stay if you rely on the full suite across phones and laptops. Leave if you just want Windows to stay clean and are happy to run a second scanner now and then.
Quick comparison
| Tool | Price | Platforms | Best for | Tested |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Microsoft Defender Antivirus | Free (built into Windows) | Windows | Windows users who want no extra cost | Docs only |
| ClamAV | Free | Linux, Windows, macOS | Scanning files and servers for free | Docs only |
| Avast Free Antivirus | Free (Free antivirus for PC, Mac and mobile; some features need a paid plan) | Windows, macOS, Android, iOS | Free coverage across devices | Docs only |
| Malwarebytes | Free (Free malware scanner; per a TechRadar review the free edition has no real-time protection) | Windows, macOS, Android, iOS | On-demand second opinion scans | Docs only |
| Norton 360 Deluxe | Paid from $119.99 per year, first-year price (Norton 360 Deluxe, 5 devices) | Windows, macOS, Android, iOS | Comparing a second paid suite | Docs only |
| McAfee | See pricing page | Windows, macOS, Android, iOS | Antivirus | Docs only |
Independent comparison. Paid placements are labelled separately; editorial links earn no affiliate commissions. Learn more.
Good fit if
- You use a single Windows PC and want no extra cost (Microsoft Defender Antivirus is the pick)
- You want free protection on PC, Mac and phone (Avast Free Antivirus is the pick)
- You want a second-opinion scan next to your current antivirus (Malwarebytes is the pick)
- You scan servers or mail gateways (ClamAV is the pick)
Not ideal if
- You rely on Bitdefender Total Security features or integrations that these tools do not replicate
Bitdefender Total Security today: Paid from $59.99 per year, first-year price (Individual, 5 devices; $79.99 Family, 25 devices) (Bitdefender Total Security pricing, checked 2026-10-23).
Why people look for Bitdefender Total Security alternatives
Bitdefender's $59.99 Individual price applies to the first year only; renewal is billed at a price the page does not list. The bundled VPN is capped at 200 MB a day per device, roughly 6 GB a month, and unlimited VPN needs Premium Security. Parental Control is only on the Family plan, $79.99 for the first year. The subscription auto-renews unless you turn it off.
Microsoft Defender Antivirus
Compared with Bitdefender Total Security: Defender is built into Windows at no cost, while Bitdefender Total Security is $59.99 for the first year. You lose Bitdefender's extra suite features and cross-platform coverage, and gain no subscription.
Price: Free (built into Windows) (Microsoft Defender Antivirus pricing, checked 2026-10-22).
Platforms and license: Windows. Proprietary.
Best for: Windows users who want no extra cost.
Worth knowing: Windows only; central management needs a paid Microsoft product.
ClamAV
Compared with Bitdefender Total Security: ClamAV is a free scanner with signature updates but no real-time console, firewall or behavioural engine. You lose most of what Total Security bundles, and gain an open scanner for servers and mail.
Price: Free (ClamAV pricing, checked 2026-10-22).
Platforms and license: Linux, Windows, macOS. GPL-2.0 (open source).
Project activity: 7.5k GitHub stars · latest release clamav-1.5.4 (Aug 7, 2026) · last commit Oct 22, 2026
Best for: Scanning files and servers for free.
Worth knowing: Scanner and signature updates only; no central console or behavioural EDR.
Avast Free Antivirus
Compared with Bitdefender Total Security: Avast Free Antivirus covers PC, Mac and mobile at no charge, where Bitdefender asks $59.99 for the first year. Some features are paid only, so check what you lose before relying on it.
Price: Free (Free antivirus for PC, Mac and mobile; some features need a paid plan) (Avast Free Antivirus pricing, checked 2026-10-23).
Platforms and license: Windows, macOS, Android, iOS. Proprietary.
Best for: Free coverage across devices.
Malwarebytes
Compared with Bitdefender Total Security: Malwarebytes offers a free malware scanner without real-time protection, per a TechRadar review. It is a second-opinion tool beside another antivirus, not a full replacement for Total Security.
Price: Free (Free malware scanner; per a TechRadar review the free edition has no real-time protection) (Malwarebytes pricing, checked 2026-10-23).
Platforms and license: Windows, macOS, Android, iOS. Proprietary.
Best for: On-demand second opinion scans.
Norton 360 Deluxe
Compared with Bitdefender Total Security: Norton 360 Deluxe is another paid suite with no free plan. Check Norton's pricing page and compare it with Bitdefender's $59.99 first-year price directly.
Price: Paid from $119.99 per year, first-year price (Norton 360 Deluxe, 5 devices) (Norton 360 Deluxe pricing, checked 2026-10-25).
Platforms and license: Windows, macOS, Android, iOS. Proprietary.
Best for: Comparing a second paid suite.
Other popular options (paid)
McAfee
Compared with Bitdefender Total Security: Paid-only with no free plan; the pricing page shows a placeholder price, so compare current first-year and renewal figures before buying. Bitdefender's first-year price is $59.99 for 5 devices.
Price: See pricing page (McAfee pricing, checked 2026-10-23).
Which one to pick
- You use a single Windows PC and want no extra cost: Microsoft Defender Antivirus
- You want free protection on PC, Mac and phone: Avast Free Antivirus
- You want a second-opinion scan next to your current antivirus: Malwarebytes
- You scan servers or mail gateways: ClamAV
Limits of this review
Docs-only for Microsoft Defender Antivirus, ClamAV, Avast Free Antivirus, Malwarebytes, Norton 360 Deluxe: we did not install or run them, so feature claims come from vendor pages and we did not test import from Bitdefender Total Security. Vendor prices and free limits change; confirm on the linked pricing page before you buy or migrate.
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Kevin Fan
Kevin Fan is a SaaS founder. He runs Free Instead Of, which tracks free and open-source alternatives to paid software and checks each price and free-plan limit against the vendor's own pages.
Methodology
Based on official pricing and product pages checked between 2026-10-22 and 2026-10-25: Bitdefender Total Security, Microsoft Defender Antivirus, ClamAV, Avast Free Antivirus, Malwarebytes, Norton 360 Deluxe, McAfee. Prices, free limits and licenses are the figures shown on those pages on those dates. No tool on this page was installed or run. No accounts were created.