AVG AntiVirus Free vs Bitdefender Total Security Comparison

• AntiVirus Free: Free; the Android app shows third-party ads
• Internet Security for 1 PC, renewal: $79.99 a year, the price the store calls the renewal price
• Internet Security for 1 PC, first year: Intro: $39.99 for the first year
• Internet Security for 10 devices, renewal: $109.99 a year, the price the store calls the renewal price
• Internet Security for 10 devices, first year: Intro: $59.88 for the first year on the store page, $59.99 on the product page
• Ultimate for 10 devices, renewal: $149.99 a year, the price the store calls the renewal price; $59.88 for the first year

• Individual for 1 year: $109.99 billed yearly at renewal
• Individual, first year: $59.99 for the first year (intro)
• Family for 1 year: $139.99 billed yearly at renewal
• Family, first year: $79.99 for the first year (intro)

The product privacy notice (updated 26 August 2026) says the desktop app, which covers AVG AntiVirus Free and Internet Security, sends samples of suspicious files and detection metadata to AVG's servers through CommunityIQ, and that AVG may 'directly analyze suspicious files in our safe environment'. For the desktop app it also lists 'URLs and referrers (malicious URL information may also include search terms or cookie information associated with the malware)', kept for 36 months, the IP address, installed applications and security software, and product usage events. On Android, the notice lists the URLs of websites visited, 'malicious and non-malicious', for 36 months. The support article on privacy settings lets you untick sharing of threat data and of app-usage data; the 'Offers' setting cannot be switched off in the free version.

The privacy policy says the products send technical data such as IP and MAC addresses and pseudonymized identifiers of devices, files, folders, apps and URLs; with email protection, header data such as sender, recipient and subject. The Windows guide says Quick Scan uses in-the-cloud scanning. Neither says whether whole files are uploaded for analysis.

The Gen Digital general privacy notice says 'We do not sell your personal data to third parties' and also 'Where permitted by applicable law, we may share personal data with third parties for advertising purposes'. The product notice says the free Android app 'serves relevant third-party advertisements' through partners it lists (Google AdMob, Amazon, Facebook Audience Network, InMobi, AppLovin, Unity Technologies, IronSource and Liftoff Mobile), and that the advertising ID is processed for IronSource. The consent policy says consent is asked at installation and an equivalent paid version has no ads. The desktop app uses Google Analytics; the phone apps use Google Firebase, AppsFlyer and Singular. In the free version, the 'Offers' setting based on app-usage data cannot be disabled. The support article says 'When you use most AVG applications, you share anonymous data with AVG and other third parties' and that you can opt out at any time.

Technical data is used for security and, in the policy's words, 'for statistical purposes and improving the quality of our solutions'. The account email can be used for Bitdefender's own marketing unless you opt out. The policy says 'We do not sell your data.' Technical data may be kept for up to 10 years.

AVG is part of Gen Digital Inc., whose privacy team is in Tempe, Arizona; the group says it has dual headquarters in Prague and Tempe. For users in the European Economic Area the controller of personal data for AVG products is a Czech company in Prague, so EU data protection law applies to it. The group notice says personal data may be disclosed to public authorities and in legal proceedings.

Bitdefender S.R.L. is registered in Bucharest, Romania, and processes personal data under the EU GDPR. The privacy policy names hosting, support, e-commerce and marketing processors in the EU and the USA.

AVG says it has made security software since 1991. In 2016 a larger antivirus company bought a majority of AVG Technologies N.V., then listed on the New York Stock Exchange; that buyer was itself acquired in 2022 by the company now called Gen Digital, listed on NASDAQ, and AVG's site and notices now carry Gen Digital's name.

A privately held company led by co-founder and CEO Florin Talpeș. In December 2017 the investment firm Vitruvian Partners bought about 30% from another shareholder, becoming the second-largest shareholder after co-founders Florin and Mariuca Talpeș; a group of private investors holds a minority stake. The most recent ownership details found date from 2017.