Bitdefender Total Security vs Microsoft Defender Antivirus Comparison

• 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)

• Included in Windows: Built into Windows; not sold separately

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.

Cloud-delivered protection is on by default. When the app cannot decide about a file on the device, it sends the file's metadata to Microsoft: hashes, file name and size, signer, the process that touched it, the download address and IP, the hashed file path, and the device's OS version, locale and geographical location. If that is not enough, Microsoft can request the file itself. The default setting sends 'safe samples' such as .exe, .dll and .bat files automatically and asks you before sending a file likely to contain personal data. You can switch off sample submission or cloud-delivered protection in Windows Security; Microsoft's documentation says detection metadata is still sent when sample submission is off.

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.

Microsoft's privacy statement says Defender Antivirus automatically sends reports about suspected malware and unwanted software and may send files for inspection, asking first if a report may contain personal data. Windows required diagnostic data, which includes a Defender health event with a Defender machine ID, is stored with unique identifiers and used to keep Windows secure and to improve Windows. If you turn on the Windows setting Personalized offers, Windows diagnostic data is also used for tips, ads and recommendations. The statement also says Microsoft discloses personal data for digital advertising, and in response to valid legal process from law enforcement and government agencies.

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.

Microsoft Corporation, One Microsoft Way, Redmond, Washington, is the data controller; for the European Economic Area, the UK and Switzerland it is Microsoft Ireland Operations Limited in Dublin. Microsoft takes part in the EU–US, UK and Swiss data privacy frameworks.

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.

Microsoft was founded in 1975 and trades on the stock market as MSFT. Its antivirus began in 2009 as Microsoft Security Essentials, became Windows Defender in Windows 8 and 10, and was renamed Microsoft Defender Antivirus in 2020.