Battle Bitdefender Free or Avast Free

Which one will you pick for overall usage?


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Avast Free
Bitdefender Free
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  1. Any platform

roger_m

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Dec 4, 2014
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Product updates are generally for bug UI fixes and other vulnerabilities. But both receive the same definition files updates for offline scanning and cloud? Or do you mean to say Bitdefender uses different definitions databases for Free vs Paid version?
They will have the same definitions, but the paid version possibly has better behavioural protection due to being updated more frequently. While it's not long since the free version was updated, I believe before the latest update it went for a few years without being updated, which is a long time for an antivirus to not receive product updates.
 
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Shadowra

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But in your opinion, which one would you install? I ask you how you are always testing with real malware, you already have an idea of how each product reacts to certain threats, Regards.

Sorry, I forgot to reply....

I wouldn't choose based on protection or anything else, but mainly on what the publisher offers (firewall, user-friendliness, system slowdown etc).

Bitdefender is an antivirus I don't really like... it has often caused me problems (like blocking my VM to the Internet) and left my mother's PC infected with... QakBot! (QBot)
(She had received an e-mail from her ISP telling her that she was infected and connected to their servers).

Bitdefender had detected nothing... Kaspersky eliminated it when I installed it....

By the way, I'm waiting for some new test from you :3

Bitdefender IS ? Bitdefender Free ?
 

RansomwareRemediation

Level 5
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Jun 22, 2020
201
Sorry, I forgot to reply....

I wouldn't choose based on protection or anything else, but mainly on what the publisher offers (firewall, user-friendliness, system slowdown etc).

Bitdefender is an antivirus I don't really like... it has often caused me problems (like blocking my VM to the Internet) and left my mother's PC infected with... QakBot! (QBot)
(She had received an e-mail from her ISP telling her that she was infected and connected to their servers).

Bitdefender had detected nothing... Kaspersky eliminated it when I installed it....



Bitdefender IS ? Bitdefender Free ?
thanks, anyone, greetings. And will Avast detect that sample?
 

Lymphocyte

Level 2
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Jul 22, 2014
67
Bitdefender is an antivirus I don't really like... it has often caused me problems (like blocking my VM to the Internet) and left my mother's PC infected with... QakBot! (QBot)
(She had received an e-mail from her ISP telling her that she was infected and connected to their servers).
In my new gaming PC, Bitdefender blocked the internet conexion, that's why this year I stopped using it. I think the problem was something related to the firewall because I tried the free version and worked well (although the UI was a bit buggy).
 
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F

ForgottenSeer 97327

For free protection you can't get anything better than Avast Free or Microsoft Defender free. In default mode they do both good in tests, as well in professional lab tests and @Shadowra's tests.

When you increase the protection by adding Simple Windows Hardening to either of them and use their power features, no free AV offers more protection. To enable the cloud whitelist power feature you have to use Configure Defender for Microsoft Defender and choose MAX (imum) protection. For Avast free to enable the cloud whitelist feature, simply choose hardened mode. With those cloud whitelists and SWH blocking nasty scripts in user folders you have a safe and sound protection for free.

When you are on an all Microsoft setup (using Microsoft Office and Edge etc), Defender probably got an advantage over Avast Free (because of the Attack Surface reduction rules enabled in MAX mode). When you are on Windows 11 and have enabled SAC it has more benefit to use Avast Free (because then you use the cloud whitelist of SAC and the cloud whitelist of Avast, so double protected).
 
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SeriousHoax

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Mar 16, 2019
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Avast is pretty much the same in both free and paid edition but Bitdefender Free won't scan half of your computer as it's shown here.

Most of these are just cosmetic locks to make users feel that they are missing many key features. I'm not a fan of this since it gives users a wrong impression. For example BD Free definitely detects PUPs despite what this setting page says. Out of the ones I see in the screenshot, Scan scripts is the only one that is not available in Bitdefender Free. Here by Scan scripts, it means AMSI scanner. BD Free doesn't have AMSI integration. Other core features that I can think of that BD Free does not have (not present in this screenshot) are memory scanning and command-line scanner. So, its behavior blocking component is indeed a bit weaker than the paid versions but for most things it's enough. Bitdefender's BB aka ATC is very powerful. Product updates are the same for BD Free and BD paid. There is no difference there. Bitdefender Free is the same thing as BD paid with some features removed. BD's setting file is human readable. I read that and it can be easily seen that in the free versions some things are disabled. I even tried replacing BD Free setting file with BD paid one. Hehe..but it resets itself to the default BD Free setting file.
Avast Free is more complete with all features. For Bitdefender there's also the thing of it writing about 400-800 MB data on disk on every signature update. Avast is much better at this with its brilliant streaming update mechanism.
In terms of overall protection, I think Bitdefender is a bit ahead of Avast but nothing significant to lose anyone's mind over it.
 
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B-boy/StyLe/

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Mar 10, 2023
147
For free protection you can't get anything better than Avast Free or Microsoft Defender free.
Kaspersky free of course. :)
However, avast and Bitdefender are both great. I really like Bitdefender attack chain diagram when detecting a threat, but the lack of pure anti-ransomware module in the free version is way too much nowadays. Maybe if combined with AppCheck it would be a good combo.

Otherwise, WD + DefenderUI/Configure_Defender and Windows/Malwarebytes Firewall Control and AppCheck would be a great combo as well.

I personally use Comodo Firewall and Kaspersky Free with my own settings (whitelisting each other, turning off unnecessary modules) for over a decade, and it feels great (despite Kaspersky found it as incompatible app). Comodo himself is not needing support anyway, but I like Kaspersky KSN (over Comodo Cloud), Kaspersky System Watcher (rollback) and definitions, so that's why I'm preferring this over CIS. But to each their own, I guess. :)
 
F

ForgottenSeer 97327

Kaspersky free of course. :)
Kaspersky free although a great AV is still a blacklist solution with probably the best behavioral blocker out of all free AV's. But blacklist always is weaker than whitelist. When you are using SAC with Avast free you have two whitelists only allowing known good.

Although Comodo sandboxing of non-whitelisted is great, blocking in stead of sandboxing is in theory stronger. Also SWH blocking scripts in userland is in theory better than the very good command script and filter of Comodo.

For average user the cloud whitelist is simpler

But your setup with KAV free and Comodo is rock solid as well.Can't imagine any non-targeted malware will be able to pass this combo (toptier blacklist, best behavioral blocker, best sandbox, top tier script and command filter, for free)
 
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partha_roy

Level 3
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Oct 16, 2022
126
Kaspersky free of course. :)
However, avast and Bitdefender are both great. I really like Bitdefender attack chain diagram when detecting a threat, but the lack of pure anti-ransomware module in the free version is way too much nowadays. Maybe if combined with AppCheck it would be a good combo.
If I am not mistaken, BD free does have a ransomware module in the sense that it can protect in real-time with its signatures and behavioral modules but lacks the feature to contain selected files and folders from getting encrypted in case there's a miss

But that said, I'd prefer Avast Free between the two; their hardened mode works incredibly well. AVG in my view performs even better though overall
 
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B-boy/StyLe/

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Mar 10, 2023
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If I am not mistaken, BD free does have a ransomware module in the sense that it can protect in real-time with its signatures and behavioral modules but lacks the feature to contain selected files and folders from getting encrypted in case there's a miss
It is possible. I didn't use it for a while now. But does it have rollback ability in the free or in the pro versions? If not, then I guess one can add AppCheck Free/Pro or Kaspersky Anti-Ransomware for Home to fill that gap. Too bad that WiseVector StopX is no longer an option.
 

partha_roy

Level 3
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Oct 16, 2022
126
It is possible. I didn't use it for a while now. But does it have rollback ability in the free or in the pro versions? If not, then I guess one can add AppCheck Free/Pro or Kaspersky Anti-Ransomware for Home to fill that gap. Too bad that WiseVector StopX is no longer an option.
Oh yes! WiseVector's cease of operations was quite a surprise; I was even told by their support that they had plans to release a paid version. Nonetheless, I am not sure about the rollback ability in BD Free but you can go with KART; it works really well
 

Nunzio_77

Level 2
Dec 3, 2023
58
Infine Avast Free ha aggiunto la "notifica limitata" nelle impostazioni di notifica che mostra avvisi quando viene rilevato un attacco dannoso, ma blocca eventuali offerte pop-up. :Approvo
Quindi, infine, i pop-up commerciali con le offerte non dovrebbero apparire per chi non vuole visualizzarli.
Sto utilizzando la versione 23.12.6094 (build 23.12.8700.813) e l'interfaccia utente (1.0.793)
 

Shadowra

Level 37
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Sep 2, 2021
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Infine Avast Free ha aggiunto la "notifica limitata" nelle impostazioni di notifica che mostra avvisi quando viene rilevato un attacco dannoso, ma blocca eventuali offerte pop-up. :Approvo
Quindi, infine, i pop-up commerciali con le offerte non dovrebbero apparire per chi non vuole visualizzarli.
Sto utilizzando la versione 23.12.6094 (build 23.12.8700.813) e l'interfaccia utente (1.0.793)

English please
 

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