Bitdefender leads in malware detection accuracy (99.7% vs 98.2%), system performance impact, and pricing ($39.99/year vs $119.99/year), while McAfee offers more comprehensive identity theft protection and a larger feature suite including VPN and password manager bundled at standard pricing.
Bitdefender vs McAfee — Side-by-side comparison on A Versus B
Lightweight antivirus with industry-leading malware detection and minimal system impact
Affordable antivirus with unlimited VPN and multi-device coverage
Malware Detection Rate. Annual Subscription Cost (1 Device). System Performance Impact. VPN Included in Base Plan. Password Manager Included. Identity Theft Protection Coverage Limit. 24/7 Customer Support (Phone)
Choose Bitdefender if you prioritize detection accuracy, minimal system slowdown, and affordability—it's the best value for users wanting lightweight, effective malware protection. Choose McAfee if you want an all-in-one security suite with bundled VPN, password manager, and higher identity theft coverage, accepting the higher cost and performance trade-offs.
Bitdefender Total Security: Standard | McAfee Total Protection: Faster
Bitdefender Total Security: Lower impact (lighter) | McAfee Total Protection: Higher impact
Bitdefender Total Security: Limited/subscription | McAfee Total Protection: Unlimited included
Bitdefender Total Security: Included | McAfee Total Protection: Yes
Bitdefender Total Security: Advanced with Breach Path | McAfee Total Protection: Advanced continuous
Bitdefender Total Security: Multi-layer protection | McAfee Total Protection: Standard protection
Bitdefender Total Security: 365 days | McAfee Total Protection: 30 days
Bitdefender Total Security: 24/7 phone, email, and chat support | McAfee Total Protection: 24/7 phone, chat, email
Bitdefender Total Security: $49.99 (1-year plan) | McAfee Total Protection: N/A
Bitdefender Total Security: 3-5% | McAfee Total Protection: N/A
Bitdefender Total Security: 98.2/100 | McAfee Total Protection: N/A
Bitdefender Total Security: VPN, password manager, parental controls, anti-tracker, webcam protection | McAfee Total Protection: N/A
Bitdefender Total Security: 280-350 MB | McAfee Total Protection: N/A
Bitdefender Total Security: 5 devices | McAfee Total Protection: 10
Bitdefender Total Security: 2-3% | McAfee Total Protection: N/A
Bitdefender Total Security: $39.99 | McAfee Total Protection: N/A
Bitdefender Total Security: 10 devices | McAfee Total Protection: 10 devices
Bitdefender Total Security: Yes (standard) | McAfee Total Protection: N/A
Bitdefender Total Security: Advanced (behavioral) | McAfee Total Protection: N/A
Bitdefender Total Security: 18-22 minutes | McAfee Total Protection: N/A
Bitdefender Total Security: 0.2 GB (free), Unlimited (premium) | McAfee Total Protection: N/A
Bitdefender Total Security: 18.5/18 | McAfee Total Protection: N/A
Bitdefender Total Security: Premium plans only | McAfee Total Protection: N/A
Bitdefender Total Security: 8% slower | McAfee Total Protection: N/A
Bitdefender Total Security: Premium tiers only | McAfee Total Protection: N/A
Bitdefender Total Security: $40-$120 | McAfee Total Protection: N/A
Bitdefender Total Security: 15 minutes | McAfee Total Protection: N/A
Bitdefender Total Security: Manual user confirmation required | McAfee Total Protection: N/A
Bitdefender Total Security: 4 (Windows, Mac, iOS, Android) | McAfee Total Protection: N/A
Bitdefender Total Security: 8-12 minutes | McAfee Total Protection: N/A
Bitdefender Total Security: 500+ million users globally | McAfee Total Protection: N/A
Bitdefender Total Security: Machine learning with heuristic scanning | McAfee Total Protection: N/A
Bitdefender Total Security: 2-5 minutes | McAfee Total Protection: N/A
Bitdefender Total Security: Windows, Mac, iOS, Android | McAfee Total Protection: Windows, Mac, iOS, Android
Bitdefender Total Security: 500+ (all segments) | McAfee Total Protection: N/A
Bitdefender Total Security: 1.5/5 (point-and-click) | McAfee Total Protection: N/A
Bitdefender Total Security: 50+ | McAfee Total Protection: N/A
Bitdefender Total Security: 99.7% | McAfee Total Protection: 98.2%
Bitdefender Total Security: 94.2% | McAfee Total Protection: N/A
Bitdefender Total Security: 520 MB | McAfee Total Protection: N/A
Bitdefender Total Security: Unlimited | McAfee Total Protection: N/A
Bitdefender Total Security: Up to 10 | McAfee Total Protection: N/A
Bitdefender Total Security: $59.99 | McAfee Total Protection: N/A
Bitdefender Total Security: 10 devices | McAfee Total Protection: N/A
Bitdefender Total Security: Basic website filtering | McAfee Total Protection: N/A
Bitdefender Total Security: 323/324 | McAfee Total Protection: N/A
Bitdefender Total Security: 30 days | McAfee Total Protection: N/A
Bitdefender Total Security: $100 | McAfee Total Protection: N/A
Bitdefender Total Security: 4% | McAfee Total Protection: N/A
Bitdefender Total Security: Premium add-on only | McAfee Total Protection: N/A
Bitdefender Total Security: 8% | McAfee Total Protection: N/A
Bitdefender Total Security: Basic threat analysis in premium tiers | McAfee Total Protection: N/A
Bitdefender Total Security: Unlimited devices (1 subscription) | McAfee Total Protection: N/A
Bitdefender Total Security: 3-5% | McAfee Total Protection: 7-12%
Bitdefender Total Security: $39.99 | McAfee Total Protection: $59.99
Bitdefender Total Security: 5 devices | McAfee Total Protection: N/A
Bitdefender Total Security: Not included | McAfee Total Protection: N/A
Bitdefender Total Security: Premium only | McAfee Total Protection: N/A
Bitdefender Total Security: Basic monitoring only | McAfee Total Protection: Good but Limited
Bitdefender Total Security: $39.99 | McAfee Total Protection: $119.99
Bitdefender Total Security: 2.1% | McAfee Total Protection: 12% slowdown
Bitdefender Total Security: No (add-on $50/year) | McAfee Total Protection: Yes (unlimited)
Bitdefender Total Security: No | McAfee Total Protection: Yes
Bitdefender Total Security: $250,000 | McAfee Total Protection: $1,000,000
Bitdefender Total Security: 18 minutes | McAfee Total Protection: 32 minutes
Bitdefender Total Security: N/A | McAfee Total Protection: $79.99
Bitdefender Total Security: N/A | McAfee Total Protection: 8.2%
Bitdefender Total Security: N/A | McAfee Total Protection: 280 MB
Bitdefender Total Security: N/A | McAfee Total Protection: 99.5%
Bitdefender Total Security: N/A | McAfee Total Protection: No - Web Protection Only
Bitdefender Total Security: N/A | McAfee Total Protection: $24.99
Bitdefender Total Security: N/A | McAfee Total Protection: Standard - Limited Data
Bitdefender Total Security: N/A | McAfee Total Protection: 5 devices
Bitdefender Total Security: N/A | McAfee Total Protection: $59.99
Bitdefender Total Security: N/A | McAfee Total Protection: 12%
Bitdefender Total Security: N/A | McAfee Total Protection: Limited 30-day trial
Bitdefender Total Security: N/A | McAfee Total Protection: 500MB
Bitdefender Total Security: N/A | McAfee Total Protection: Advanced (app blocking, screen time, content filtering)
Bitdefender Total Security: N/A | McAfee Total Protection: Included in base plan
Bitdefender Total Security: N/A | McAfee Total Protection: 10 devices
Bitdefender Total Security: N/A | McAfee Total Protection: Yes
Bitdefender Total Security: N/A | McAfee Total Protection: Yes (premium)
Bitdefender Total Security: N/A | McAfee Total Protection: Yes, always active
Bitdefender Total Security: N/A | McAfee Total Protection: $1,000,000
Bitdefender Total Security: N/A | McAfee Total Protection: 3.4 hours (business hours only)
Bitdefender Total Security: N/A | McAfee Total Protection: 30 days
Annual Subscription Cost (First Year, 1 Device)
Bitdefender Total Security: N/A | McAfee Total Protection: $39.99
Bitdefender Total Security: N/A | McAfee Total Protection: 52 minutes average
Bitdefender Total Security: N/A | McAfee Total Protection: 15% average
Bitdefender Total Security: N/A | McAfee Total Protection: 99.2%
Bitdefender Total Security: N/A | McAfee Total Protection: Yes (250MB daily)
Bitdefender Total Security: N/A | McAfee Total Protection: Yes (Windows only)
Bitdefender Total Security: N/A | McAfee Total Protection: $99.99
Bitdefender Total Security: N/A | McAfee Total Protection: 18-22
Bitdefender Total Security: N/A | McAfee Total Protection: Windows, Mac, Android, iOS (up to 5 devices)
Bitdefender Total Security: N/A | McAfee Total Protection: 8-12%
Bitdefender Total Security: N/A | McAfee Total Protection: Unlimited
Bitdefender Total Security: N/A | McAfee Total Protection: 3.2%
Bitdefender Total Security: N/A | McAfee Total Protection: 4.1/5
Bitdefender Total Security: N/A | McAfee Total Protection: $119.99
Bitdefender Total Security: N/A | McAfee Total Protection: $179.99
Bitdefender Total Security: N/A | McAfee Total Protection: Yes, 24/7
Bitdefender Total Security: N/A | McAfee Total Protection: No
Bitdefender Total Security: N/A | McAfee Total Protection: 0.3 GB (included)
Bitdefender Total Security: N/A | McAfee Total Protection: 45-60%
Bitdefender Total Security: N/A | McAfee Total Protection: $34.99
Bitdefender Total Security: N/A | McAfee Total Protection: 500MB daily
Bitdefender Total Security: N/A | McAfee Total Protection: Yes, included
Bitdefender Total Security: N/A | McAfee Total Protection: 8-12% average
Bitdefender Total Security: N/A | McAfee Total Protection: 24/7 (168 hours/week)
Bitdefender Total Security: N/A | McAfee Total Protection: Advanced
Bitdefender Total Security: N/A | McAfee Total Protection: Yes (Standard)
Bitdefender Total Security: N/A | McAfee Total Protection: 5.8%
Bitdefender Total Security: N/A | McAfee Total Protection: 3 bureaus (Equifax, Experian, TransUnion)
Bitdefender Total Security: N/A | McAfee Total Protection: 500 passwords
Bitdefender Total Security: N/A | McAfee Total Protection: 3.8/5
How to choose between Bitdefender Total Security and McAfee Total Protection
Compare Bitdefender Total Security vs McAfee Total Protection
Bitdefender vs McAfee — Structured Comparison Data
Machine-readable comparison dataset for Bitdefender vs McAfee. Contains 129 attribute comparisons, 5 FAQ pairs.
Bitdefender vs McAfee — Attribute Category Vocabulary
Taxonomy of attribute categories used to classify comparison data for Bitdefender vs McAfee.
Which antivirus is better for detecting malware?
Bitdefender has a 99.7% detection rate versus McAfee's 98.2%, according to independent lab testing by AV-TEST Institute. Bitdefender consistently ranks in the top tier for zero-day threat detection and achieved 373/373 detection samples in 2025 tests.
Does McAfee's VPN slow down internet speed?
McAfee's bundled VPN causes approximately 15-20% speed reduction in real-world testing. Bitdefender does not include VPN, but if you add a third-party VPN, Bitdefender's lighter footprint (2.1% CPU) means overall system impact remains lower than McAfee standalone.
Is Bitdefender's $39.99/year price too good to be true?
No—Bitdefender's introductory pricing is legitimate but typically expires after year one, renewing at $79.99/year. McAfee's $119.99 is closer to its standard renewal rate. Always check renewal costs before committing to any antivirus plan.
Which offers better identity theft protection?
McAfee provides $1,000,000 in identity theft insurance coverage versus Bitdefender's $250,000. However, both cover fraudulent charges, credit monitoring, and restoration services. McAfee's advantage matters if you've been compromised; Bitdefender's protection is sufficient for most users.
Can I use Bitdefender and McAfee together?
No—running two antivirus engines simultaneously causes conflicts, false positives, and system crashes. Choose one. You can safely add a third-party password manager or VPN alongside either product.
How to Choose Between Bitdefender Total Security and McAfee Total Protection
Malware Detection Rate: Bitdefender Total Security has 99.7%, while McAfee Total Protection has 98.2%.
Consider: Annual Subscription Cost (1 Device)
Annual Subscription Cost (1 Device): Bitdefender Total Security has $39.99, while McAfee Total Protection has $119.99.
System Performance Impact: Bitdefender Total Security has 2.1% CPU overhead, while McAfee Total Protection has 8.7% CPU overhead.
VPN Included in Base Plan: Bitdefender Total Security has No (paid add-on), while McAfee Total Protection has Yes (unlimited).
Password Manager Included: Bitdefender Total Security has No, while McAfee Total Protection has Yes.
Consider: Identity Theft Protection Coverage Limit
Identity Theft Protection Coverage Limit: Bitdefender Total Security has $250,000, while McAfee Total Protection has $1,000,000.
24/7 Customer Support (Phone): Bitdefender Total Security has Yes, while McAfee Total Protection has Yes.