Bitdefender vs Kaspersky
Bitdefender leads our overall ranking; Kaspersky trails it by less than a point while undercutting it on price and offering a genuinely usable free tier.
Bitdefender Total Security
The strongest all-round result in this cycle: near-perfect malware detection paired with the lowest measured system…
Kaspersky Standard
Consistently strong detection at the lowest effective price in the top five, with a genuine free…
The numbers
| Criterion | Bitdefender Total Security | Kaspersky Standard |
|---|---|---|
| Lab score | 9.8/10 | 9.0/10 |
| Protection rate | 100% | 99% |
| System performance | 99% | 96% |
| Free plan | Trial only | Yes, ongoing |
| iOS support | Yes | No |
| Annual price | $29.99/yr | $29.99/yr |
Common questions
Is Kaspersky as safe to use as Bitdefender?
Both posted detection rates above 99% in our latest cycle; the gap between them is small enough that either is a defensible choice on protection alone.
Does Kaspersky have a free version?
Yes, Kaspersky Free is an ongoing free tier, not a time-limited trial — Bitdefender only offers a short free trial of its paid plan.
Which one supports iPhone?
Only Bitdefender — Kaspersky Standard does not currently ship an iOS app.
Which is faster on older hardware?
Bitdefender measured a smaller performance hit in our benchmarks, but both are lighter than most suites in this category.
Which one should you get?
Bitdefender is the stronger all-round suite and the one we'd default to. Kaspersky is the better fit if you want to start on a genuine free tier and only pay once you know you'll stick with it, or if you don't need iOS coverage.