Bitdefender Antivirus Free Edition Review

Install Bitdefender Antivirus in Windows to Fend Off Malware

Screenshot of a Bitdefender logo
© Bitdefender
by Stacy Fisher
Updated December 17, 2018

Bitdefender Antivirus Free Edition is one of the best free antivirus programs due mostly to the fact that it doesn’t put a toll on system resources while still managing to block dangerous threats.

Unlike on-demand virus scanners, Bitdefender Antivirus Free Edition doesn't need to be "turned on" or started each time you want it to check for malware since it can run all the time.

Bitdefender Antivirus Free Edition provides constant virus protection, also called on-access or resident protection, for free. This means that Bitdefender Antivirus Free Edition can completely replace antivirus software from companies like McAfee and Norton that charge for their software and for yearly access to updates.

Pros & Cons

Overall, I can find more things I like about this software than things I don't, which is great!

Pros:

  • Provides on-access protection from viruses and other malware
  • Much easier to use than some other antivirus programs
  • Virus definitions are updated regularly in the background
  • Easy on system memory and other resources
  • 64-bit versions are also available

Cons:

  • Can only be used at home - no business use
  • There aren’t custom scanning options like in similar products

More Information on Bitdefender Antivirus Free Edition

  • Windows 10, Windows 8, Windows 7, Windows Vista, and Windows XP are the operating systems that are officially supported for Bitdefender Antivirus Free Edition. They also have a free AV program for macOS and Android
  • Bitdefender Antivirus Free Edition includes a virus shield to stop stealth software, rootkits, and other malware from accessing the network
  • Even though the virus scanning software scans all your files, it doesn't overwhelm the available system resources, which means your computer won't take a large performance hit when using Bitdefender Antivirus Free Edition
  • The scanner starts as soon as critical services are loaded, which means it can check for malicious software, worms, etc. right when the operating system loads. This makes it even harder for viruses to stay on your computer
  • Bitdefender Antivirus Free Edition updates often to stay up-to-date with new threats
  • Programs are run through a safe environment first to ensure they behave normally, and then Bitdefender Antivirus Free Edition will release it to the regular part of the computer so you can use it normally without fear that it's malicious 
  • The software includes a link scanner to protect against credit card phishing attempts. It works by scanning all the links you access through your web browser
  • Gamers can benefit from using Bitdefender's software as their antivirus solution because major system scans can be paused while playing computer games
  • Applications accessing the internet that even appear to be working in a suspicious way are blocked by Bitdefender Antivirus Free Edition; this is called it's Intrusion Detection System

My Thoughts on Bitdefender Antivirus Free Edition

Bitdefender Antivirus Free Edition is easy and quick to install. It gives you all you need to protect your computer from existing or new threats.

From the very start, you don't even feel like you need to make adjustments - just install it and let it run in the background. Right after the install, Bitdefender Antivirus Free Edition did an initial system scan to immediately try to catch anything that shouldn't be on the computer.