Bitdefender vs. Norton: Which antivirus wins?

Cyberthreats are a persistent problem. Phishing, extortion, and personal data breaches are all alarmingly common attack vectors, with hundreds of thousands of complaints adding up to billions of dollars in losses annually.

Cybersecurity tools can help protect against these threats, but choosing the right one is critical. To make the decision easier for you, we’ve compared Norton 360 Deluxe with Bitdefender Total Security. Norton and Bitdefender both offer higher and lower-tier plans, but 360 Deluxe and Total Security represent a strong combination of protection and affordability.

Here’s a guide to how these two options stack up, so you can rest assured you’re taking the right steps to safeguard your devices and data.

Norton 360 Deluxe vs. Bitdefender Total Security

Both Norton and Bitdefender are respected leaders in the cybersecurity space, consistently ranking among the best antivirus solutions and earning high scores for detecting malware in independent lab tests. But there are some key differences that can help you decide which is best for you.

Norton 360 Deluxe offers a wider range of features, including essential protections, such as dark web monitoring and deepfake detection, that help defend against today’s complex threat landscape. While those features are missing in Bitdefender Total Security, the company has added a scam protection bundle, significantly improving the product’s defensive capabilities.

Here’s a feature-comparison breakdown of Norton 360 Deluxe vs. Bitdefender Total Security:

Here’s a look in more detail at what you’ll get with Norton 360 Deluxe and Bitdefender Total Security. Jump down below for more on our methodology.

Malware detection

At the core of antivirus software is the ability to fight viruses and other malware. Both Bitdefender and Norton scored 100% on a malware detection test conducted by AV-TEST in April 2025.

However, Bitdefender did falsely detect legitimate software as malware once during the test. While a single slip-up might not sound serious, false positives are frustrating if they block programs you need and cause you to waste time or worry unnecessarily about legitimate software.

Norton and Bitdefender also received high marks in a similar test run by AV-Comparatives. Bitdefender edged out Norton in offline detection (98.7% vs. 97.7%), meaning it’s a touch stronger when your device isn’t connected to the internet. However, Norton won in online threat detection (99.3% vs. 98.7%), meaning it’s better at blocking malware when you’re using the internet, with real-time cloud intelligence.

The AV-TEST results above also showed that both companies blocked 100% of zero-day malware attacks (new cyberthreats that haven’t been seen before) during testing.

While both brands do a great job at detecting malware, running a full scan on Norton is nearly three times as fast as on Bitdefender, which is important when you need to get back to your work or other tasks quickly.

Ransomware protection

Both solutions provide robust and reliable protection against ransomware. In a test by PCMag, Norton and Bitdefender both detected 11 out of 12 file-encrypting ransomware samples.

However, Bitdefender detected the ransomware more quickly, catching threats before they could get going. Bitdefender can also restore files after a ransomware attack, should it come to that.

Deepfake protection

Deepfakes are fabricated videos, audio clips, or images created using artificial intelligence (AI). Since AI generates the content, cybercriminals don’t even need to be tech-savvy to create convincing fakes.

In 2024, there were already more than 10,000 deepfake generation tools available. Anyone online is potentially at risk — in the first six months of 2025, people lost more than $500 million to deepfake scams. And with the ubiquity of AI tools, the threat of deepfakes shows no sign of slowing down.

Despite being a new threat, Norton can already help identify AI-generated deepfake videos that could mimic people you know. That type of deepfake detection can reduce the risk that you fall for sophisticated financial scams.

This feature is part of Norton 360 Deluxe’s Scam Protection, analyzing content using complex algorithms to help detect deepfakes, as well as signs of harmful manipulation.

At the time of writing, Norton’s AI scam protection automatically detects deepfakes on YouTube, Facebook, X, TikTok, Vimeo, Instagram, Dailymotion, and Twitch on compatible PCs. Or, if you’re on a mobile device, simply upload a suspicious video to our Genie AI assistant to quickly check if it shows signs of being a deepfake scam.

Currently, Bitdefender does not offer deepfake protection.

Scam protection

Norton 360 Deluxe includes AI-powered scam protection to help flag suspicious emails and SMS texts, even detecting social engineering attacks used in sophisticated scams before you open them. Norton’s Safe Web feature uses AI to analyze websites, helping prevent you from visiting phishing sites or fake e-stores.

Bitdefender Total Security also includes scam protection to help flag suspicious emails, texts, and websites. It also includes Email and Smart Call Blocking that filters scam calls in real time. Norton offers similar features under Norton 360 with LifeLock plans.

Dark web monitoring

Dark web scans search the hidden parts of the internet, alerting you if your personal information is detected and compiling a dark web report. Personal information often ends up on the dark web following a data leak or breach. Cybercriminals use the dark web as a marketplace to buy or sell sensitive information like login credentials or health records. They can then use this data to run targeted scams or hack into online accounts and transfer funds.

Norton 360 Deluxe proactively monitors the dark web for your details, which could provide you with early detection of a data breach or leak. This allows you to secure any compromised accounts or data and mitigate potential damage.

Bitdefender Total Security doesn’t include this feature.

Cloud backup

The cloud is a secure online space to back up your important files and documents, safeguarding them from data loss due to device failure, theft, or ransomware attacks.

In this plan, Norton PC Cloud Backup gives you 50 GB of secure storage, automatically backing up your files. You can manage all your saved files easily in the Norton portal, where you can delete old copies to make space for new essential files.

Bitdefender Total Security doesn’t include this feature.

Firewall

Norton and Bitdefender’s firewalls monitor and filter network traffic to help block unauthorized users and devices.

Bitdefender’s firewall gives users a lot of control over specific rules — instructions that tell the firewall what kind of network traffic to allow or block for different applications or situations. That allows users to choose how network connections behave (like being more restrictive on public Wi-Fi or moving freely on home networks).

Norton has a smart firewall with an intrusion prevention system (IPS). This tool goes beyond a traditional firewall’s capabilities and adds a deeper layer of inspection. It also checks content for potential data leaks, analyzes the content and reputation of websites and servers your computer communicates with, and helps stop malicious traffic.

This can help protect you against threats like cryptojacking and attempts by cybercriminals to remotely control your computer or steal your personal information. Norton’s smart firewall and built-in IPS are significantly more secure and can help protect against more threats.

As PCMag’s Neil J. Rubenking notes, “Norton’s security line has long been famed for its smart firewall protection. Where old-fashioned firewalls put the uninformed user in charge of program control, Norton handles the job internally, deleting known bad programs, blessing known good ones, and applying extra scrutiny to unknowns.”

VPN

A VPN encrypts your internet connection and hides your IP address, helping make your online activity private and more secure. Both Norton and Bitdefender’s VPNs come with bank-grade encryption.

This means all the data you send and receive online is safer from snoops and hackers, even on public Wi-Fi, which is often unsecured. Bitdefender Total Security caps your daily usage at 200 MB, whereas Norton 360 Deluxe offers you unlimited access.

Password Manager

Norton’s password manager helps you create strong passwords for all your online accounts and stores them securely in an encrypted vault. This makes it easier to use complex passwords and log into your accounts without needing to remember them. Bitdefender also comes with a password manager, offering similar features.

Privacy monitoring

Norton 360 Deluxe also comes with a Privacy Monitor feature that scans common people search sites for your personal information. Also known as data broker sites, they often sell your information, which can end up in the wrong hands.

If Privacy Monitor finds your information, you’ll receive an alert so you can request to opt out, keeping your data more private from advertisers, spammers, and scammers.

Bitdefender Total Security doesn’t offer a similar feature.

Data breach detection

Bitdefender Total Security comes with data breach monitoring to notify you if it finds your personal information in a data breach. It will also provide you with a personalized mitigation strategy.

Norton 360 Deluxe doesn’t offer this feature, however, you can upgrade to Norton 360 with LifeLock Select to benefit from data breach detection and identity theft protection.

Ease of use and customer support

Norton and Bitdefender both have clean and intuitive interfaces that work well for beginners. Although one independent test noted that Bitdefender splits some key features between the app and browser hub, leading to a lot of back-and-forth toggling. Both do a good job of running timely scans.

As All About Cookies said, “The Norton interface was a breeze to operate. We ran it with multiple browser tabs open simultaneously and saw no issues with system performance. We also ran a quick and full scan to check the speed. With the full scan, Norton checked over 600,000 files in under 10 minutes. The Quick Scan was finished in under 1 minute.”

As for customer service, Norton appears to have a slight edge, even though both companies offer comprehensive online resources and 24/7 assistance. Some Bitdefender users on Trustpilot report struggling to speak with a representative over the phone and didn’t receive solutions up to their standards.

User reviews

Norton has a 4.7-star rating from customer reviews on Trustpilot, while Bitdefender scores only 3.5 stars.

Norton customers consistently praise product reliability, user-friendliness, and customer service, and they’re quick to acknowledge the strong value Norton provides.

Bitdefender users appreciate that the platform has little impact on system performance, while also praising its usability and security features. However, some express frustration at getting insufficient answers from customer support, unexpected charges, and difficulty canceling plans.

Bitdefender vs. Norton: Which is best for you?

Norton 360 Deluxe is a great choice if you want a comprehensive cybersecurity suite with a wide range of essential features, including deepfake protection, scam detection, dark web monitoring, PC cloud backup, a VPN, and more.

But don’t just take our word for it. As Cybernews put it: “Norton 360 offers more overall value thanks to its faster performance, broader customization options, higher user ratings, and extra features like an unlimited VPN, password manager, and cloud backup. This is why Norton 360 ranked higher in our best antivirus software list.

FAQs

What’s the main difference between Norton and Bitdefender?

Norton and Bitdefender are both known for their antivirus protection. However, Norton 360 Deluxe stands out with additional features like dark web monitoring, deepfake protection, and PC cloud backup.

Which antivirus offers more features for the price?

Norton 360 Deluxe offers more features than Bitdefender Total Security, and costs $10 less for the first year (when paid annually), and only $10 more per year thereafter. Norton 360 Deluxe includes additional features like cloud backup, dark web monitoring, and privacy monitoring.

Is Bitdefender or Norton easier to use for beginners?

Both are user-friendly, but Norton’s clean, intuitive interface and comprehensive help resources make it especially accessible for beginners and families.

Methodology

To research this article, we evaluated Norton and Bitdefender using publicly available, independently verifiable information. We reviewed each provider’s website and documentation for details on threat detection,  features, pricing, usability, and customer support.

We supplemented this with analysis from independent publishers such as PCMag and Cybernews, independent security testing labs like AV Comparitives, as well as customer feedback and aggregate ratings from platforms like Trustpilot.

By relying on public resources and applying the same review standards to both products, we aim to provide readers with a comparison they can trust. All information was checked and reviewed before publication, and the analysis reflects the author’s independent evaluation and does not necessarily represent the views of Norton or its parent company.

While we strive to provide accurate and up-to-date information, products, features, and capabilities may change over time. For the latest details, refer to a company’s official website before downloading or purchasing any product.