Bitdefender offers superior malware detection rates (99.7% vs 98.2%) and lower system performance impact, while Norton provides more comprehensive identity theft protection and 24/7 live chat support across all tiers. Bitdefender excels in pure antivirus performance; Norton prioritizes broader security features.
Norton vs Bitdefender — Side-by-side comparison on A Versus B
Comprehensive antivirus with identity theft protection and LifeLock integration
High-performance antivirus with advanced threat detection and unlimited VPN
Malware Detection Rate. System Performance Impact. Identity Theft Protection. 24/7 Live Chat Support. VPN Included. Price for 1-Year, 1-Device. Parental Controls Features
Choose Norton if you prioritize comprehensive identity theft protection, advanced parental controls, and universal 24/7 support—ideal for families and users seeking all-in-one security with LifeLock integration. Choose Bitdefender if you want the fastest scanning performance, highest malware detection rates, unlimited VPN, and lowest system resource usage—best for performance-conscious users and those seeking pure antivirus excellence.
Norton 360 Deluxe: $49.99 | Bitdefender Total Security: $49.99 (1-year plan)
Norton 360 Deluxe: 80-120 MB | Bitdefender Total Security: N/A
Norton 360 Deluxe: 98.2% | Bitdefender Total Security: 99.7%
Norton 360 Deluxe: $89.99 | Bitdefender Total Security: N/A
Norton 360 Deluxe: 12-14% | Bitdefender Total Security: N/A
Norton 360 Deluxe: 22-25 minutes | Bitdefender Total Security: N/A
Norton 360 Deluxe: 5 devices | Bitdefender Total Security: N/A
Norton 360 Deluxe: Not included | Bitdefender Total Security: N/A
Norton 360 Deluxe: Yes (140+ countries) | Bitdefender Total Security: N/A
Norton 360 Deluxe: 4-6% | Bitdefender Total Security: 2-3%
Norton 360 Deluxe: $49.99 | Bitdefender Total Security: $39.99
Norton 360 Deluxe: Unlimited | Bitdefender Total Security: 0.2 GB (free), Unlimited (premium)
Norton 360 Deluxe: 17.8/18 | Bitdefender Total Security: 18.5/18
Norton 360 Deluxe: All plans included | Bitdefender Total Security: Premium plans only
Norton 360 Deluxe: 12% slower | Bitdefender Total Security: 8% slower
Norton 360 Deluxe: All tiers included | Bitdefender Total Security: Premium tiers only
Norton 360 Deluxe: 12 (antivirus, firewall, VPN, password manager, backup, dark web monitoring, webcam protection, file shredder, exploit prevention, behavior monitoring, ransomware protection, PUP detection) | Bitdefender Total Security: N/A
Norton 360 Deluxe: Up to 5 devices (Premium plans) | Bitdefender Total Security: N/A
Norton 360 Deluxe: Unlimited (included) | Bitdefender Total Security: N/A
Norton 360 Deluxe: 50 GB (Deluxe) | Bitdefender Total Security: Not included
Norton 360 Deluxe: No free version (14-day trial only) | Bitdefender Total Security: N/A
Norton 360 Deluxe: 3.8% | Bitdefender Total Security: N/A
Norton 360 Deluxe: 28 GB/min | Bitdefender Total Security: N/A
Norton 360 Deluxe: 5 devices | Bitdefender Total Security: 10 devices
Norton 360 Deluxe: 500 MB | Bitdefender Total Security: N/A
Norton 360 Deluxe: Included (LifeLock) | Bitdefender Total Security: N/A
Norton 360 Deluxe: $49.99 | Bitdefender Total Security: N/A
Norton 360 Deluxe: 3-5% | Bitdefender Total Security: N/A
Norton 360 Deluxe: 60 days | Bitdefender Total Security: N/A
Norton 360 Deluxe: Limited to premium | Bitdefender Total Security: N/A
Norton 360 Deluxe: 1.1% | Bitdefender Total Security: N/A
Norton 360 Deluxe: 4.7/5 | Bitdefender Total Security: N/A
Norton 360 Deluxe: 8-12% | Bitdefender Total Security: 3-5%
Norton 360 Deluxe: 1 GB/month | Bitdefender Total Security: Unlimited
Norton 360 Deluxe: 5 devices | Bitdefender Total Security: 5 devices
Norton 360 Deluxe: All plans | Bitdefender Total Security: Premium only
Norton 360 Deluxe: Included with LifeLock integration | Bitdefender Total Security: Basic monitoring only
Norton 360 Deluxe: N/A | Bitdefender Total Security: Standard
Norton 360 Deluxe: N/A | Bitdefender Total Security: Lower impact (lighter)
Norton 360 Deluxe: N/A | Bitdefender Total Security: Limited/subscription
Norton 360 Deluxe: N/A | Bitdefender Total Security: Included
Norton 360 Deluxe: N/A | Bitdefender Total Security: Advanced with Breach Path
Norton 360 Deluxe: N/A | Bitdefender Total Security: Multi-layer protection
Norton 360 Deluxe: N/A | Bitdefender Total Security: 365 days
Norton 360 Deluxe: N/A | Bitdefender Total Security: 24/7 phone, email, and chat support
Norton 360 Deluxe: N/A | Bitdefender Total Security: 3-5%
Norton 360 Deluxe: N/A | Bitdefender Total Security: 98.2/100
Norton 360 Deluxe: N/A | Bitdefender Total Security: VPN, password manager, parental controls, anti-tracker, webcam protection
Norton 360 Deluxe: N/A | Bitdefender Total Security: 280-350 MB
Norton 360 Deluxe: N/A | Bitdefender Total Security: 5 devices
Norton 360 Deluxe: N/A | Bitdefender Total Security: 2-3%
Norton 360 Deluxe: N/A | Bitdefender Total Security: Yes (standard)
Norton 360 Deluxe: N/A | Bitdefender Total Security: Advanced (behavioral)
Norton 360 Deluxe: N/A | Bitdefender Total Security: No (add-on $5.99/month)
Norton 360 Deluxe: N/A | Bitdefender Total Security: 18-22 minutes
Norton 360 Deluxe: N/A | Bitdefender Total Security: $40-$120
Norton 360 Deluxe: N/A | Bitdefender Total Security: 15 minutes
Norton 360 Deluxe: N/A | Bitdefender Total Security: Manual user confirmation required
Norton 360 Deluxe: N/A | Bitdefender Total Security: 4 (Windows, Mac, iOS, Android)
Norton 360 Deluxe: N/A | Bitdefender Total Security: 8-12 minutes
Norton 360 Deluxe: N/A | Bitdefender Total Security: 500+ million users globally
Norton 360 Deluxe: N/A | Bitdefender Total Security: Machine learning with heuristic scanning
Norton 360 Deluxe: N/A | Bitdefender Total Security: $39.99
Norton 360 Deluxe: N/A | Bitdefender Total Security: 2-5 minutes
Norton 360 Deluxe: N/A | Bitdefender Total Security: Windows, macOS, Linux, iOS, Android
Norton 360 Deluxe: N/A | Bitdefender Total Security: 500+ (all segments)
Norton 360 Deluxe: N/A | Bitdefender Total Security: 12%
Norton 360 Deluxe: N/A | Bitdefender Total Security: 1.5/5 (point-and-click)
Norton 360 Deluxe: N/A | Bitdefender Total Security: 50+
Norton 360 Deluxe: N/A | Bitdefender Total Security: 94.2%
Norton 360 Deluxe: N/A | Bitdefender Total Security: 520 MB
Norton 360 Deluxe: N/A | Bitdefender Total Security: Unlimited
Norton 360 Deluxe: N/A | Bitdefender Total Security: Up to 10
Norton 360 Deluxe: N/A | Bitdefender Total Security: $59.99
Norton 360 Deluxe: N/A | Bitdefender Total Security: 10 devices
Norton 360 Deluxe: N/A | Bitdefender Total Security: Basic website filtering
Norton 360 Deluxe: N/A | Bitdefender Total Security: 323/324
Norton 360 Deluxe: N/A | Bitdefender Total Security: 30 days
Norton 360 Deluxe: N/A | Bitdefender Total Security: $100
Norton 360 Deluxe: N/A | Bitdefender Total Security: 4%
Norton 360 Deluxe: N/A | Bitdefender Total Security: Premium add-on only
Norton 360 Deluxe: N/A | Bitdefender Total Security: 8%
Norton 360 Deluxe: N/A | Bitdefender Total Security: Basic threat analysis in premium tiers
Norton 360 Deluxe: N/A | Bitdefender Total Security: Unlimited devices (1 subscription)
How to choose between Norton 360 Deluxe and Bitdefender Total Security
Compare Norton 360 Deluxe vs Bitdefender Total Security
Norton vs Bitdefender — Structured Comparison Data
Machine-readable comparison dataset for Norton vs Bitdefender. Contains 90 attribute comparisons, 5 FAQ pairs.
Norton vs Bitdefender — Attribute Category Vocabulary
Taxonomy of attribute categories used to classify comparison data for Norton vs Bitdefender.
Which antivirus has better malware detection?
Bitdefender leads with a 99.7% detection rate compared to Norton's 98.2%, according to independent AV-TEST Institute testing across 12 months. Bitdefender's multi-layer protection including behavioral analysis and sandbox technology provides superior zero-day threat detection, making it the better choice for maximum antivirus protection.
Does Norton or Bitdefender slow down my computer more?
Bitdefender has minimal performance impact, using only 3-5% CPU during full system scans, while Norton uses 8-12% CPU—more than double. For users running resource-intensive applications like video editing or gaming, Bitdefender is significantly better at maintaining system responsiveness.
Which is better for identity theft protection?
Norton excels with full LifeLock integration providing dark web monitoring, credit monitoring, SSN tracking, and identity restoration services included in premium plans. Bitdefender offers only basic dark web monitoring. If identity theft protection is a priority, Norton's LifeLock bundle is substantially more comprehensive.
What's included with VPN on each platform?
Bitdefender includes unlimited VPN on all paid plans with no data restrictions. Norton's basic plans offer only 1GB/month VPN—severely limiting for streaming or privacy-focused users. Bitdefender is the clear winner for VPN users, providing unlimited access as standard rather than as an upsell.
Norton provides 24/7 live chat support on all subscription tiers, while Bitdefender restricts live chat to premium plans only. Norton offers superior accessibility, but Bitdefender's support is still available via phone and email. For users prioritizing responsive support access, Norton is more convenient.
How to Choose Between Norton 360 Deluxe and Bitdefender Total Security
Malware Detection Rate: Norton 360 Deluxe has 98.2%, while Bitdefender Total Security has 99.7%.
System Performance Impact: Norton 360 Deluxe has 8-12% CPU usage during scans, while Bitdefender Total Security has 3-5% CPU usage during scans.
Identity Theft Protection: Norton 360 Deluxe has Dark web monitoring + credit monitoring + SSN tracking included in LifeLock bundles, while Bitdefender Total Security has Basic dark web monitoring only.
24/7 Live Chat Support: Norton 360 Deluxe has Available on all plans, while Bitdefender Total Security has Available only on premium tier.
VPN Included: Norton 360 Deluxe has Limited 1GB/month on basic plans, while Bitdefender Total Security has Unlimited VPN on all paid plans.
Price for 1-Year, 1-Device: Norton 360 Deluxe has $49.99, while Bitdefender Total Security has $39.99.
Parental Controls Features: Norton 360 Deluxe has Website blocking, app blocking, screen time limits included, while Bitdefender Total Security has Website blocking and screen time limits only.