Bitdefender promo codes for May 2025
Customers can find a number of free Bitdefender apps for mobile & desktop, such as Bitdefender Antivirus Free for Windows, which can be installed from the brand's website. These options do offer functional antivirus and anti-phishing functionality, but many of Bitdefender's best features are only accessible through the brand's paid plans.
Prices for Bitdefender plans vary depending on the plan you choose, but the cheapest plan consumer plan is Bitdefender Total Security, which is normally billed at £84.99 per year, but is often discounted by as much as 50% off. The more features you opt for in your plan, such as a greater number of devices supported, use of the password manager & premium VPN features, the more generally you'll pay per year. However, Bitdefender does offer a number of discounts on selected larger plans, such as it's Family Plan, which often prove costlier upfront, but more cost-effective per device if you have more devices you want to cover.
Bitdefender offers a 30-day free trial for a number of its plans, including the Small Office Security, Premium Security Individual, Total Security Individual, Family Pack & Internet Security options. With a free trial, you can use a chosen service for a whole month before you'll be charged for your first billing cycle, and if you decide it isn't for, you can just get in touch with the brand's team to cancel your plan before you're charged. This lets you test out services ranging from simple plans for individuals to options for the entire household, covering just antivirus right up to all-inclusive alternatives that offer password management, premium VPN use, high-speed servers & more.
Customers can get up to 55% off selected Bitdefender plans by watching for promotional deals which pop up throughout the year, especially around key holidays like Christmas & Black Friday. Watch out for discounts on shorter-term plans, as these are usually the most generous.
Outside of promotional deals, longer plans are more cost-effective than shorter ones if you can afford the greater upfront costs when you sign up. For example, a 3-year family plan is usually priced at £199.99, or £66.66 per year, whilst 1-year plans are billed at £89.99. Keep an eye on these prices, as promotions may level out price differences, but these will usually only apply to your first billing cycle.
Bitdefender offers a family plan that lets you cover up to 15 devices per household under one plan. Per device, this works out cheaper than opting for Bitdefender's other multi-device plans - for example, Bitdefender Total Security, which covers up to 5 devices, is usually priced at £84.99 for a year, whilst the 15-device family plan is priced at £89.99. With promotional discounts, although Total Security comes down to £49.99, the family plan also comes down to £54.99, meaning you'll effectively be able to cover an additional 10 devices, plus access advanced parental controls and a secure VPN, for only an additional 10% of the price. You may like Look through the selection of the latest Bitdefender promo codes listed at the top of this page. Decide on one you want to use and click the "Get Code" button next to it. Your code will now be revealed in a new tab - copy it to your clipboard for later. Head back to your old tab, which will now have opened the Bitdefender website. Start shopping for the plans you want to purchase, then head to the checkout when you're ready. Underneath your order summary, find the section marked "Do you have a coupon code?" and click there. Enter your coupon into the text field and click "Apply", then check your order total has changed. Once you're happy your discount has been applied, continue through the checkout to place your order. How we source voucher codes
The codes listed on each vouchers page on Tom's Guide have been sourced by our dedicated vouchers team, who find the latest codes through the web and our relationships with retailers and affiliate networks. Each page is updated every few days to include up-to-date offers and ways to save, and our London-based commercial team uses our connections with retailers to source exclusive codes directly from some of the biggest brands on the market. How we test voucher codes
Every voucher code on Tom's Guide has been tested by our offers team, based in Cardiff, to make sure they work before we upload them. The codes on Tom's Guide can be used for a wide range of savings, covering student discounts, free shipping deals, and site-wide or product-specific savings.
We want to make sure every voucher is ready to use whenever someone visits one of our pages, so we don't include any user-specific or one-time use codes. Each offer also includes as much information as we can find on its terms and conditions to keep things clear, and any applicable expiry dates will be listed next to the offer details. You can view the full list of terms and conditions by clicking the corresponding text below the main offer text and expanding the section. What to do if a voucher code doesn't work
Although we work hard to only include tried and tested vouchers on our pages, sometimes codes can expire or terms and conditions can be changed before we have a chance to update the code or our pages. If your discount isn't being applied at the checkout, there are a number of things you can do.
First, check you meet any listed requirements such as multibuy offers, minimum spends, or product-specific deals. For example, you may need to buy 3 items to receive your discount, or your code may only be applicable to orders with certain models (i.e. 10% off specific smartphones). If you need to review the details of your chosen deal, click the text that reads 'View terms and conditions' below the main text.
If you are still experiencing issues applying your discount, don't worry - our team is on hand to help. Just email coupons.tomsguide@futurenet.com and include information on the code you tried to redeem and which of our pages it was listed on. A member of our team will be in touch to offer support as soon as they can. How we make money
Tom's Guide makes money from vouchers on a commission basis. We have agreements with every retailer that has a vouchers page for, and for every order placed using one of our codes, we earn a portion of the order total back in commission from that retailer.
Using this model means all of our profits are paid for by the retailers we partner with, and we do not pass any costs on to our users. Using one of our vouchers will never cost you anything - you'll only pay for the discounted products you're looking to buy, so you can rest easy knowing you get exactly what it says on the tin.
Want to read more about Tom's Guide vouchers? You can find more information on our dedicated page, where we break down How We Source Voucher Codes and How to Use Them on your online orders.
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CNET
a day ago
- CNET
Bitdefender Antivirus Review 2025: I Found This Top-Rated Security Software Effective and Efficient
CNET's expert staff reviews and rates dozens of new products and services each month, building on more than a quarter century of expertise. 9.5 / 10 SCORE Bitdefender Antivirus $90 at Bitdefender $120 at Walmart Score Breakdown Performance 9 /10 Security 10 /10 Customer Support 9 /10 Usability 10 /10 Value 9 /10 Features 10 /10 Pros Very easy to use Fast scanning Minimal usage of computer processing power and other resources Comprehensive digital footprint visualization Excellent security ratings in third-party tests Extensive protocols for protecting your data Cons Individual plans only permit up to five devices VPN can significantly slow down internet usage Bitdefender Antivirus 9.5/10 CNET Score $90 at Bitdefender Bitdefender has long been one of the most popular antivirus tools, protecting over 500 million users around the globe. In recent years, Bitdefender launched additional security tools to protect you from online scams, data breaches and even identity theft. But how well do these tools work? And is Bitdefender worthy of a spot on our best antivirus list? I purchased Bitdefender Ultimate Security and spent a few days testing its antivirus, scam detector and online data protection tools to answer this question. I found Bitdefender's safety tools to be comprehensive, intuitive and highly effective. Some tools, like the VPN, are less than perfect, but they still get the job done, giving you reasonable protection without needing to purchase additional products. Bitdefender antivirus features Bitdefender's core antivirus includes real-time protection from viruses and other malware, scan scheduling and manual scanning tools. You can purchase it on its own or as part of a security suite. Bitdefender security suites include many more features, including a scam detector that analyzes emails and texts for signs of fraud. This is similar to McAfee's newly launched scam detection tool. Other security tools Bitdefender offers include a VPN, password manager, ad blocker/anti-tracker, digital identity protection, dark web monitoring and data breach detection to help you protect your privacy online. Higher-tier plans also include identity theft protection, stolen wallet protection, credit monitoring and investment monitoring to keep your financial data safe. Overall features sore Bitdefender provides antivirus protection for Windows, macOS, Android and iOS. The VPN and password manager are compatible with Chrome, Firefox, Safari and Microsoft Edge. This earns Bitdefender a 10/10 features ranking. Bitdefender antivirus plans and pricing If you only want antivirus software to protect a single Windows computer, you can choose the free version of Bitdefender Antivirus. Bitdefender also offers a free antivirus for Android. However, these products only cover one device each, and they don't include other safety tools like the VPN, digital identity protection or identity theft insurance. For total security, I recommend the Bitdefender Ultimate Security packages. All of these plans include full scam protection, a system-wide ad blocker/anti-tracker and a VPN with unlimited traffic allowances, plus varying levels of identity protection. Bitdefender Ultimate Security individual plans There are three Bitdefender Ultimate Security packages for individuals, with a maximum of five devices protected under each plan: Plan Identity protection features Who it's best for Price Bitdefender Ultimate Security Digital identity protection; breach detection; dark web monitoring; digital footprint visualization; real-time breach notifications Users who want to protect their information but don't have significant assets to protect $90 for the first year; $160 per year after Bitdefender Ultimate Security Plus Identity theft protection; stolen wallet protection, smart SSN tracker; identity theft insurance up to $1 million; credit reports and monitoring from one bureau Users with a moderate amount of assets to protect and/or significant reason to be concerned about identity theft $120 for the first year/ $190 per year after Bitdefender Ultimate Security Plus (Extended) Identity theft insurance up to $2 million; credit reports and monitoring from three bureaus; social engineering resolution + refund; ransomware resolution + refund; investment account alerts; change of address; court records monitoring Users with over $1 million of assets and/or significant reason to be concerned about identity theft $150 for the first year; $250 per year after Bitdefender Ultimate Security family plans There are also three Bitdefender Ultimate Security family plans, with features corresponding to the similarly named individual plans. These plans provide coverage for a maximum of five accounts and 25 devices and are priced as follows: Bitdefender Ultimate Security for families: $120 for the first year; $200 per year after $120 for the first year; $200 per year after Bitdefender Ultimate Security Plus for families: $180 for the first year; $270 per year after $180 for the first year; $270 per year after Bitdefender Ultimate Security Plus (Extended) for families: $200 for the first year; $350 per year after Bitdefender antivirus usability I purchased the Bitfender Ultimate Security plan and tested the software's usability in three key areas: account navigation, installation of the main antivirus and additional tools setup. Bitdefender impressed me at every turn with its simple layouts, fast installation and tutorials that helped me quickly get the hang of its many features. Account navigation It only took a couple of minutes to set up my Bitdefender account by entering my payment info and connecting Bitdefender to my Google account. I was directed to install the antivirus and VPN right away. I set the files to download and headed over to Bitdefender Central, a dashboard displaying my protected devices and existing services. Screenshot by Dianna Gunn/CNET Billing information, including the option to switch or cancel your plan, is accessed via the My Subscriptions link displayed clearly in the sidebar. Many websites -- including other antivirus sites like McAfee -- hide billing in hard-to-find corners or submenus, so I appreciated how easy it was to find this area of Bitdefender. Screenshot by Dianna Gunn/CNET Antivirus installation and setup Installing Bitdefender takes only a few clicks, mainly to give Bitdefender permission to access your data and override Microsoft Defender. Screenshot by Dianna Gunn/CNET The software takes a little longer to unpack than McAfee's antivirus, but I still had it up and running in five minutes. Once installed, Bitdefender launched an 'onboarding scan' that took roughly three minutes to quick-scan my computer for malicious files. From there, Bitdefender launched the core antivirus with tutorial boxes explaining its primary features. These tutorials are great for people who aren't technically inclined, and you can easily skip them if you don't need them. Screenshot by Dianna Gunn/CNET My only issue here is that clicking System Scan just launches a scan, with no option for scheduling scans. The scheduling tool is hidden away in Protection > Antivirus. This is frustrating because scan scheduling is one of the main reasons to buy antivirus software. However, it also seems to be a common issue among antivirus tools -- I had to go through a similar process to find the scan scheduling area of McAfee. Adding Bitdefender to my phone was also simple. I scanned a QR code in the Bitdefender dashboard, installed the program and gave it permission to protect my device. Like its Windows counterpart, Bitdefender for Android performed an immediate scan and then opened a dashboard where I could activate and configure various features. Unfortunately, the manual scan option isn't clearly labeled, but I found it in the menu at the bottom of the app with minimal difficulty. Screenshot by Dianna Gunn/CNET Additional tools Most of Bitdefender's additional safety tools, such as the scam detector and digital footprint monitoring tool, are accessed through the online dashboard. You enter your email address, provide the necessary permissions and let Bitdefender do the rest. The program will automatically run on its own, searching the web for your data and scanning your emails for signs of fraud while you go about your life. SecurePass, Bitdefender's password management tool, requires slightly more setup. You'll need to add the extension to your browser and create a master password before you can start adding your login credentials. This process is pretty similar to using other password managers like McAfee's True Key, though Bitdefender makes it somewhat easier for people switching from another password manager to bulk import login credentials. Bitdefender's VPN also requires a separate installation, but this process only takes a couple of minutes. Once set up, the VPN makes it easy to switch between locations, with both a search function and a list of available options. Overall usability score I found Bitdefender very pleasant to work with. You can get most of its features up and running in a few minutes by entering some basic information and clicking a few buttons. Clear labeling and built-in tutorials further simplify things for tech newbies, making Bitdefender accessible to even the least technically inclined among us. This earns Bitdefender a 10/10 usability ranking. Bitdefender antivirus performance With the basics set up, I spent three days testing the Bitdefender antivirus and online data protection tools, focusing on three areas of the security suite's performance: Background performance: How much of an impact Bitdefender made on everyday activities and the percentage of my computer's resources it used How much of an impact Bitdefender made on everyday activities and the percentage of my computer's resources it used Active scans: The percentage of my computer's resources Bitdefender used during active scans and how this affected my ability to complete everyday tasks The percentage of my computer's resources Bitdefender used during active scans and how this affected my ability to complete everyday tasks Additional tools: How fast additional tools were and how much they affected my ability to do ordinary tasks like surfing the web Most tools in the Bitdefender security suite had excellent performance during my tests. The antivirus active scans were particularly impressive, finishing much faster than comparable McAfee scans without using additional resources. However, the VPN significantly slowed down my browsing experience, so you may want to purchase a separate VPN. Note: I performed all tests on a Lenovo ThinkPad with an Intel i5 Processor. Bitdefender may perform differently on your computer, especially if you have an older setup. Real-time protection Bitdefender ran smoothly in the background while I did everyday activities like surfing the web, simple image editing and text document creation. Task Manager showed that Bitdefender was consistently using around 0.1% of CPU power and 1% to 2% of my disk space. This means you should be able to run Bitdefender without issue while performing high-resource activities like playing video games or editing videos. Active scans Resource usage during Bitdefender's onboarding scan ranged from 5% to 10% for both CPU power and disk space, allowing me to continue my regular activities without issue. This seemed impressive when compared to my first McAfee scan, which used significantly more resources and took multiple hours. However, this was a quick scan, not a full scan, and both the time and resource usage were similar to McAfee's quick scans. Screenshot by Dianna Gunn/CNET My first full scan took around 20 minutes and used between 40% and 50% of my CPU's resources, plus between 10% and 20% of my computer's disk space. Again, this was much faster than the first scan I did with McAfee, but the resource usage was similar to what I experienced with McAfee scans. The second and third full scans were even faster, taking around 10 minutes each, but used the same level of resources. I also ran two quick scans, which both took around two minutes and used around 10% of my CPU's power and around 10% of my disk space. This left plenty of resources for me to continue basic activities like surfing the web, plus more complex activities like video gaming. This was also comparable in speed and resource usage to the quick scans I ran when testing McAfee. Additional tools I started testing Bitdefender's additional tools by connecting the scam detector to my email address. The program began scanning incoming emails right away, marking them as safe or unsafe. I appreciated how simple this was and how little it interfered with my email usage. However, it only scanned emails in my inbox, not my spam folder. This makes sense -- Bitdefender lets email spam filters do the work there -- but I'd prefer comprehensive scanning across channels. Next, I ran the vulnerability scanner. This took around three minutes and identified several settings on my computer and browsers that could cause security problems. Bitdefender also provided advice on how to fix these issues, complete with buttons taking me to the settings areas of programs that contained vulnerabilities. This scan used 8% of my CPU's power and 0.1% of my disk resources, making it easy to run in the background while I performed other tasks. Digital footprint visualization and data monitoring took much longer to run their initial scans -- around an hour -- which makes sense because they're pulling data from all over the web. However, this process ran entirely on the Bitdefender website, so it wasn't using my computer's resources. In fact, the scanner didn't even need me to keep the site open, and it continued running scans after I shut my computer down, using the data it found to create a graphic representation of my digital risk level. Screenshot by Dianna Gunn/CNET The digital footprint went beyond McAfee's online account manager by finding not just accounts but also cookies and other data collected online. It turned up 667 websites with my data, which makes sense because I've used the same email address for 20 years and do most of my socializing and shopping online. Bitdefender provided buttons for me to request data removal from each of these sites, making it easy to regain control over my information. Bitdefender also gave me a digital identity protection score, which was much lower than my McAfee protection score. Bitdefender had me deep in the red, while McAfee put me in the yellow/mid-range. This is despite Bitdefender only finding three recent data breaches rather than the several years' worth of breaches McAfee uncovered, so I'm uncertain why the calculations are different. Regardless, Bitdefender caught many potential security issues and gave me actionable steps to fix them, leaving me thoroughly impressed. Finally, I set out to determine how much the Bitdefender VPN slows down internet usage. I started by running three Ookla speed tests without the VPN active. These tests showed that my base internet has an average ping of 3.6 Ms (milliseconds), an average download speed of 580.96 Mbps (megabits per second) and an average upload speed of 819.53 Mbps. (Disclosure: Ookla is owned by the same parent company as CNET, Ziff Davis.) I followed this with three tests connected to my fastest VPN server, located in Canada. This had minimal impact on my internet speed, with the ping staying at 3.6 Ms (milliseconds), download speed dropping slightly to 555.01 Mbps and a notably slower -- but still good -- upload speed of 550.99 Mbps. I didn't notice much change in my browsing experience with this VPN setting, either. Next, I tested my internet speed with the VPN set to various locations. I performed three tests for each VPN location and came up with the following averages: US UK France Germany Singapore Australia Download (Mbps) 469.85 282.28 123.86 340.43 277.24 275.65 Upload (Mbps) 269.25 5.39 34.5 428.71 99.6 242.59 Ping (Ms) 70.33 191.33 246.33 193.33 458 396 While not as extensive as our full VPN reviewing process, this shows that Bitdefender's VPN causes significant drops in speed. The difference wasn't hugely noticeable when using the US server, but I experienced significant slowdowns when using other servers. This suggests that Bitdefender's VPN isn't great, and that you're better off separately buying one of our most recommended VPNs. Overall performance score Bitdefender's performance impressed me at almost every turn. I appreciated how quickly it performed scans, its limited resource usage was and its thorough digital footprint tools. The only major disappointment was the VPN, which drastically reduced my internet speed, but this is a common problem among antivirus-based security suites -- I experienced it during my McAfee review, too. This earns Bitdefender a 9/10 performance ranking. Bitdefender antivirus security Next, I analyzed Bitdefender's third-party lab test results to determine how well it protects your devices from malware. I also scoured Bitdefender's privacy policies and searched for records of data breaches to determine how well Bitdefender protects your data. Antivirus Bitdefender's antivirus has earned a 6 out of 6 security ranking on every AV-Test test since June 2022. Bitdefender has also received numerous three-star protection awards from AV-Comparatives, a third-party lab whose tests are generally considered industry-standard. Most recently, in March 2025, AV-Comparatives found that Bitdefender had an online protection rate of 99.97%. The offline detection rate -- which measures Bitdefender's ability to detect malicious files on things like USB keys -- was slightly lower, at 98.7%, but not nearly as low as McAfee's 79.3% offline detection rate. This shows that Bitdefender provides comprehensive protection for both online and offline activities, with regular enough updates to protect you from new and evolving threats. Security for additional tools SecurePass uses the internationally recognized AES-256 encryption and HTTPS protocols most password managers use to protect your data. It doesn't stop there, though. It also uses SHA512 and BCRYPT encryption protocols to provide what it says is 'military-grade' security. You can further protect your passwords by setting up two-factor authentication with your phone or other secondary device. Bitdefender's VPN uses AES-256 encryption to protect data sent to and from VPN servers, plus the Perfect Forward Secrecy and Hydra protocols. This means every VPN session generates a new encryption key, and each encryption key is deleted from the software's memory the instant the session ends. This makes it safer than McAfee's VPN, which keeps encryption keys and will share them with law enforcement. Bitdefender doesn't keep logs of VPN activity, either, so you won't have to worry about the company sharing information from your VPN sessions with third parties or law enforcement. Notably, McAfee also doesn't keep logs, but it does still have some data that can be accessed through its encryption keys. Bitdefender's VPN also underwent a third-party audit in 2025, verifying the effectiveness of its privacy measures. However, Bitdefender doesn't state who conducted this audit or link to the audit, so we can't confirm its quality or results. Privacy policy and data breaches Bitdefender has an extensive privacy policy for home users outlining how your data will be used for training its security tools, with pseudonymization in place for most data points. This policy states that Bitdefender will generally only share your information with data processors for the purposes of providing improved customer support and personalized email marketing. While this may not be perfect for people highly concerned about privacy, it's much better than the lengthy list of third-party vendors McAfee reserves the right to share your data with. The only other context in which Bitdefender says it will share your data is if it's requested to do so by law enforcement. This is common among most antivirus tools and is unlikely to become an issue for the average person, but it's important to know going in. Bitdefender has additional security protocols for parental control data, ensuring that only you can access information about your children's device usage. This includes a refusal to share such data with third parties for marketing purposes and strict limitations on how data is stored, ensuring high-level security for your kids. All of these protocols have proven effective, as Bitdefender hasn't experienced a known security breach in well over five years. This shows that your data -- and your family's data -- is safe with Bitdefender. Overall security score Bitdefender's extensive encryption protocols keep your data safe from all kinds of malicious actors. Its privacy policy has gaps for certain marketing vendors and law enforcement, but Bitdefender's anonymization, pseudonymization and data erasure policies mean there won't be much personally identifiable data for them to share. This earns Bitdefender a 10/10 for security. Bitdefender antivirus customer support Bitdefender provides several ways for you to get support, starting with a knowledge base filled with tutorials and a community expert forum where you can get advice from users in the cybersecurity space. You can also connect directly with customer support via 24/7 live chat, email and phone. I tested most of these communication methods (excluding the community expert forum) to see how fast and helpful Bitdefender's support team is. I was somewhat frustrated at the beginning, as Bitdefender made me go through several steps before I could speak to a person, but the customer service agents I spoke to were fast, polite and helpful. Knowledge base Bitdefender's knowledge base is laid out well, with a search bar at the top and buttons to access various types of tutorials. Most of these links lead to step-by-step guides that use a mix of images and text to guide you through various tasks. They use beginner-friendly language rather than technical jargon to make tasks accessible to everyone, regardless of technical expertise. Screenshot by Dianna Gunn/CNET Bitdefender also has an extensive collection of video tutorials that walk you through setting up its various tools, plus strategies you can use to improve your overall digital security. This is a nice bonus, as many tech companies don't provide video tutorials at all or severely limit the video tutorials available. McAfee, for example, only had a few videos in its knowledge base when I tested it, which could be frustrating for people who prefer to learn visually. Direct communication Contacting Bitdefender is a highly involved process. You'll need to open the support area, select the type of issue you're having and confirm the subscription you're on. Bitdefender then suggests a variety of tutorials. These tutorials can be helpful, but I was a little discouraged by what felt like a determined attempt to keep me away from Bitdefender's customer support team. Opening live chat directed me to an AI bot, which answered a few basic questions almost instantly. Unfortunately, it wasn't eager to pass me on to a live agent. I asked to speak to a person three times, and each time, the AI asked me to specify the topic I needed help with. When I stated a topic, the AI responded with a detailed answer about the topic and asked if I needed more help. It wasn't until my fourth 'speak to a person' request that I was connected with a human. The good news is that when I was connected, I received a response almost instantly. The agent I spoke to was polite, helpful and sorted my issues out in under five minutes. Bitdefender has several phone lines available, including Canadian phone lines in English and French. When I called, I was directed to a customer service agent almost immediately, who answered my questions clearly and succinctly. The whole interaction took less than three minutes and was even more pleasant than my chat with McAfee's phone support. Finally, I sent Bitdefender an email requesting a refund for my trial account. I received an automated email right away with a support ticket number and got a response in roughly an hour and a half. There were a few more emails back and forth, with an hour or so of waiting between each email, and my issue was resolved in around four hours. It wasn't the fastest service I've ever received, but I've certainly had worse email support -- and I couldn't find email support for McAfee at all. Overall customer support score Bitdefender makes you jump through a lot of hoops before you can speak to a person, but once you get to someone, you'll receive fast, high-quality support. The knowledge base is also extensive and user-friendly, so there's a good chance you won't need to speak to a person very often. This nets Bitdefender a 9/10 customer support ranking. Bitdefender antivirus value Finally, let's take a look at how Bitdefender's plans and pricing compare to other top antivirus tools. Specifically, let's consider McAfee and Norton, our other contenders for the title of best antivirus: Basic plan cost Mid-range suite cost and devices Most expensive suite cost and devices Standout security features Bitdefender $25 for the first year; $50 per year after $90 for the first year; $160 per year after; coverage for five devices $150 for the first year; $250 per year after; coverage for five devices Scam protection; digital footprint visualization; identity theft insurance of up to $2 million McAfee $40 for the first year; $120 per year after $90 for the first year; $200 per year after; coverage for unlimited devices $200 for the first year; $280 per year after; coverage for unlimited devices Scam protection; online account manager; identity theft insurance of up to $2 million Norton $30 for the first year; $60 per year after $50 for the first year; $120 per year after; coverage for five devices $100 for the first year; $200 per year after; coverage for five devices Genie Scam Protection; cloud backup; LifeLock identity theft protection; $25,000 ransomware insurance We can use this data to draw some conclusions about Bitdefender's value relative to other popular antivirus tools: Bitdefender's basic antivirus is at the low end of the cost spectrum , with the lowest introductory price andthe lowest renewal price of our top three antivirus tools. , with the lowest introductory price andthe lowest renewal price of our top three antivirus tools. Bitdefender's higher-tier plans are in the middle of the cost spectrum , with prices slightly above Norton's but not quite as high as McAfee's. This is particularly notable because Bitdefender provides a full $2 million of identity theft insurance on its highest-tier plan, which is otherwise only available through McAfee. , with prices slightly above Norton's but not quite as high as McAfee's. This is particularly notable because Bitdefender provides a full $2 million of identity theft insurance on its highest-tier plan, which is otherwise only available through McAfee. Bitdefender's five-device limit reduces its value since Norton's highest-tier plan -- which is actually less expensive -- can protect up to 10 devices. Moreover, McAfee's plans provide coverage for unlimited devices and are only slightly more expensive than Bitdefender's. Overall value score In short, Bitdefender provides great value for the average user and even better value for those with significant assets to protect. Its identity theft protections are more affordable than similar protection from McAfee. However, the five-device limit makes it less than ideal for users who have many computers or phones to protect. This earns Bitdefender a value ranking of 9/10. Bitdefender: Is it right for you? Before we get into my final recommendations, let's take a look at how Bitdefender performed in each of the categories we analyzed: Features: 10/10 10/10 Usability: 10/10 10/10 Performance: 9/10 9/10 Security: 10/10 10/10 Customer support: 9/10 9/10 Value: 9/10 This gives Bitdefender an overall ranking of 9.5/10, proving that it deserves its place on our list of the best antivirus tools. In fact, Bitdefender's excellent performance and value make it significantly better for most people than our former top antivirus pick, McAfee. However, Bitdefender's individual plans only cover up to five devices, so McAfee -- which earned an 8.8/10 rating during my hands-on testing and offers plans for unlimited devices -- may be a better choice if you have more than five devices.
Fox News
5 days ago
- Fox News
Spot fake online stores, avoid Facebook subscription scams
Given the number of phishing scams we have all faced over the past decade, most of us have developed a basic skill to spot and avoid obvious phishing emails or SMS messages. Cybercriminals are aware of this, and they have evolved their tactics by shifting to more complex and convincing schemes designed to bypass skepticism and lure victims. Their goal remains the same: to trick you into handing over sensitive information, especially credit card data. One of the latest examples is the rise in subscription scam campaigns. Scammers are creating incredibly convincing websites selling everything from shoes and clothes to electronics, tricking people into signing up for monthly subscriptions and willingly providing their credit card information. Facebook is being used as the primary platform to promote these new and sophisticated scams. Bitdefender researchers have uncovered a massive and highly coordinated subscription scam campaign involving more than 200 active websites designed to look like real online stores. These sites, often promoted through Facebook ads, sell everything from clothes and electronics to beauty products, but the real goal is to trick users into signing up for recurring payments, often without realizing it. One of the most common lures is the "mystery box" scam, where you are promised a surprise package at a bargain price. These offers are made to look fun and harmless, but behind the scenes you are giving away personal and credit card information while unknowingly agreeing to hidden subscription terms, often written in tiny fine print. The scam doesn't stop there. Once you're convinced and reach the checkout page, scammers often layer in a second scam, like loyalty cards or VIP memberships that further lock you into payments. It's all designed to confuse you, overwhelm you with supposed perks and make the scam feel like a good deal. Researchers found that many of these websites share a single Cyprus address, possibly tied to offshore entities linked to the Paradise Papers. Despite being spread across different categories and brand names, the sites often use the same layouts, AI agents and payment structures, all pointing to a centralized fraud network. Scammers frequently rotate the brands they impersonate and have started moving beyond mystery boxes, now peddling low-quality products, counterfeit goods, fake investment schemes, dubious supplements and more. To avoid automatic detection, they employ several tactics. These include running multiple versions of an ad, with only one of which is actually malicious while the others display harmless product images, uploading ad images from platforms like Google Drive so they can be swapped out later and cropping visuals to alter recognizable patterns. What started with simple "mystery box" scams has grown into a sprawling, coordinated campaign. These scams now feature fake surveys, tiered "VIP" memberships and deceptive credit systems that make the purchase process intentionally confusing. Users are promised deep discounts or access to exclusive deals, but in reality they're just being locked into recurring payments. Many of the scam websites trace back to the same physical address in Cyprus, pointing to what appears to be a centralized operation. Researchers also found links to entities mentioned in the Paradise Papers, suggesting these fraudsters are hiding behind offshore infrastructure. And it's not just mystery boxes anymore. The same scam format is being used to sell low-quality goods, fake supplements and even bogus investment opportunities. With high-quality site design, aggressive advertising and increasingly sophisticated tactics, subscription scams are becoming the new face of online fraud. Even as scammers become more sophisticated, there are practical steps you can take right now to protect your personal and financial information from subscription fraud and other online threats. Here are ten proactive measures to help keep your data safe: 1) Always read the fine print: One of the simplest yet most effective ways to protect yourself from subscription scams is to slow down and read the fine print, especially on checkout pages. Scammers often hide recurring payment terms in small or lightly colored text that's easy to miss. What seems like a one-time purchase could actually sign you up for a biweekly or monthly charge. Taking just a moment to scan for hidden terms before hitting "Pay" can help you avoid weeks of silent billing. 2) Avoid mystery box or VIP-style deals: These offers often prey on curiosity and the promise of surprise or luxury for a low fee. In reality, the "mystery" is the trap: you might receive nothing or a low-quality item while being unknowingly enrolled in a recurring subscription. Scammers use the illusion of exclusivity or urgency to pressure quick decisions. 3) Don't trust ads blindly on social media: Facebook, Instagram and other platforms are a hotbed for these scams, with criminals running paid ads that mimic well-known brands or influencers. These ads often link to professional-looking but fake storefronts. If you're interested in a deal you see online, don't click through immediately. Instead, look up the brand or offer in a separate tab and check if it exists outside social media. 4) Investigate before you buy: Before purchasing from any unfamiliar site, take a few quick steps to verify its legitimacy. Search the brand's name alongside words like "scam" or "reviews" to see what others have experienced. Look up the company's physical address and check if it actually exists using tools like Google Maps. Make sure the website uses HTTPS, review the site's contact information and cross-check reviews on trusted third-party sites like the Better Business Bureau or Consumer Reports. 5) Use strong antivirus software: Adding a strong antivirus program to your devices can provide an extra layer of defense against fraudulent websites and phishing attempts. Strong antivirus software warns you about suspicious links, blocks malicious ads and scans downloads for malware. Get my picks for the best 2025 antivirus protection winners for your Windows, Mac, Android and iOS devices. 6) Invest in personal data removal services: Scammers often rely on leaked or publicly available personal information to target victims with convincing subscription scams. Investing in a personal data removal service can help minimize your digital footprint by removing your information from data broker databases and reducing the chances of being targeted in future campaigns. Regularly monitoring and cleaning up your online presence makes it harder for fraudsters to exploit your data for financial gain. Check out my top picks for data removal services here. Get a free scan to find out if your personal information is already out on the web. 7) Be cautious with payment methods: Use secure payment options like credit cards, which often offer better fraud protection than wire transfers, gift cards or cryptocurrency. 8) Limit personal information shared on social media: Scammers often gather details from public profiles to craft convincing scams. Review your privacy settings and only share necessary information. 9) Use strong, unique passwords and enable multifactor authentication: Create strong, unique passwords for each of your online accounts, especially those tied to your finances or shopping. Enable multifactor authentication wherever possible, as this adds an extra layer of security and makes it harder for scammers to access your accounts, even if your password is compromised. Also, consider using a password manager to generate and store complex passwords. Get more details about my best expert-reviewed password managers of 2025 here. 10) Keep your devices and software updated: Regularly update your operating system, browsers and apps. Security updates often patch vulnerabilities that scammers exploit to gain access to your information or install malicious software. While the rise of subscription scams and deceptive ads is concerning, it's especially troubling that platforms like Facebook continue to allow these fraudulent ads to run unchecked. Facebook has repeatedly failed to adequately vet or prevent these malicious campaigns from reaching vulnerable individuals. The platform's ad approval system should be more proactive in spotting and blocking ads promoting scams, particularly those that impersonate well-known brands or content creators. How do you feel about Facebook's role in allowing scam ads to circulate? Let us know by writing us at For more of my tech tips and security alerts, subscribe to my free CyberGuy Report Newsletter by heading to Follow Kurt on his social channels: Answers to the most-asked CyberGuy questions: New from Kurt: Copyright 2025 All rights reserved.
Yahoo
6 days ago
- Yahoo
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