I have changed my opinion...
BD free and BD paid have same detection, but BD free detection of inactive malware on system is slower due to the way it works;
user has to be signed-in to BD account all the time for signatures.
I am running Bd free now.
I tested the sign-in part i.e disconnected net, router, everything.
I think sign-in is just a one time thing in Bd free
i.e I tested 3 times with everything disconnected as mentioned above.
And Bd free was always logged-in i.e net, router disconnected & Bd free remains logged-in.
When you are offline you will see "server cannot be connected" in GUI in the place where you normally see "you are logged-in" when you are online.
Now this "server cannot be connected" means you are not online/cloud is not connected & not related to sign-in.
Coz if you click "server cannot be connected" i.e the tab itself, it will flip & you can see "log-out" there which means you are indeed logged-in/signed-in.
So it seems sign-in is one time thing & after that its always remains signed-in online/offline, etc... & not a prob at all for Bd signatures.
So the sign-in is the same as well better compared to other products.
i.e for ex- Avast - you register - updates are available - registration expires - updates not available - register again for 1 year free - updates available again.
Similarly Bd free - you register - updates available - thats it, no need register/sign-in again as you will remain registered/signed-in online/offline, etc...
Now as I mentioned sign-in will not be required again & its one time thing & you remain signed-in always & its not related to online, offline, internet, anything, etc...
But yes, if you manually log-out from the GUI or guess from the website then I think updates/cloud/services will not be available coz its like you are cancelling your free subscription & I think thats the way it should & other works.
i.e for ex- Avast - you register for Avast - if you could unregister Avast then updates/cloud/services will not be available coz you cancelled your 1 year free registration/subscription.
So I think sign-in is
one-time process & your lifetime free subscription (unless you cancel the lifetime subscription i.e
manually log-out).