Bitdefender Total Security

I have been a Bitdefender user for a number of years. In 2022 we had a falling out due to them automatically charging my credit card over a hundred dollars for a 1 year renewal when I could buy it from Amazon for $40. I had thought I stopped that from happening thru the software but they purposely made it confusing and ending with me not having properly disabled it. I ended up contesting the charges with my credit card company and after much tribulation Bitdefender agreed to give me another year as a consolation prize to allow the charge to go through. I don't like being scammed by the anti-scam software company that is supposed to protect me. For me, I had had it with their crooked ways and decided that this would be my last time getting the software. But, I really liked the software and my anger eased over time and thought I would give them one more chance. If they screwed me again that would be it. So I bought it again thru Amazon for $45 thinking if Bitdefender forced me to enter my credit card to use it, I would not install it and just eat the loss. But fortunately for both of us they didn't make it mandatory and I was able to install the software without entering a credit card number. They force you thru a screen for it but at the very bottom they let me click a later button that essentially lets you install it without adding a card. So everything went successfully and I didn't have to enter my card number. All the updates came in easily on 3 computers that were using it and I am good for another year. We shall see what happens at the end of my subscription this time next year. They have a lot of trust to earn back and I am watching them.

I took advantage of a special and picked this up. It had all the features I wanted, VPN, multiple device installs. VPN helps protect your computer from intruders on the internet. It helps you surf undetected, sort of, if that helps explain. The feature is fairly premium and usually you're paying extra for it. So, I was happy about that. You get several downloads and also for mobile. I took it off my mobile because I don't feel that I need antivirus on my phone. I also felt like the app was slowing me down, but it was probably just my paranoia. The PC app is not intrusive. Unlike many, you don't get a lot of reminders or notifications. I actually don't get any. That is probably good! I also don't think it is slowing down my PC. So not having something to complain about when it comes to antivirus usually means it is good! Comparing it to other antivirus I have used, the others send you nagging messages to run this, buy that. This does none of that. I don't use it's web browser but I think it adequately stalks my surfing in my preferred browser, Chrome. Many legit web pages are blocked at times, so that frustrates me, but I can get around it by opening the app and whitelisting the pages. Whitelisting means to add the website name once so it is remembered by the app. You just open BitDefender, then look for the trusted websites, and Add a website name to that. Then every time you go to the website in the future, Bit won't block it. I am happy with my purchase. I don't think I would like to pay full price for it. But as far as ones I have used, it is the best. I would get it again on sale and recommend to a friend. It also could be a good gift to someone not so savvy with computers because there's not really any setup unless you want to micromanage things, so it is easy for non computer geek people.

I'VE DECIDED TO RETURN TO BITDEFENDER and DROP KASPERSKY (soon after the Russian Invasion of Ukraine). ** ROMANIA (BITDEFENDER) is our NATO ALLY ** Kaspersky is a threat and NOT allowed on government computers in the US, Europe, NATO etc -- All things being equal, it's not worth the risk of having a back door put in place by Russian Kaspersky (FYI the wife who co-ran the company is a big supporter of Putin and the invasion, let alone adding Mr Kaspersky to the list of heads of Russian companies falling off of balconies or being otherwise murdered for not cooperating with Russia). 2026 January - AMAZON has NOT sent me the "ACTIVATION CODE" (that Bitdefender requires) so, I'm getting a Refund and Buying my Bitdefender Total Security from an online Computer Hardware Software company instead. 2021 COMPARISON - MY INITIAL REVIEW (below) Before this check of current users, I had a basically favorable view of Bitdefender, since I had Bitdefender before Kaspersky. Unlike half of the Amazon users, I HAD NO PROBLEMS DOWNLOADING, INSTALLING OR TRANSFERRING TO MULTIPLE COMPUTERS. (I'm assuming those people made a mistake that they missed) BITDEFENDER FEATURES compared to my KASPERSKY, considering most technical reviewers have the two packages in a close tie for First place. I'm comparing this Bitdefender 2021 TOTAL SECURITY to my (Home User) Kaspersky 2021 This BITDEFENDER TOTAL SECURITY is installed on my both of my computers, my Primary Desktop (self build windows - with several years of additional software installed) and my backup computer which is six months old and relatively clean of software: Lenovo Think Station SFF Half Tower Desktop (with 2 drives). Both companies have three packages: AntiVirus, Internet or Total (with the most features) Multiple Device Licenses cover Computer, Tablet, Phone, for both Windows and Apple. Both Bitdefender and Kaspersky have an online Dashboard at their website that lists your Devices by their Computer Name. BD (BITDEFENDER) also has a PDF User Guide that you can download. Kaspersky has an online User Guide. COMPARING THE PACKAGES PRO and CON * PRO * BITDEFENDER HAS ADDITIONAL FEATURES that Kaspersky does not have (NA for Kaspersky). * PRO BITDEFENDER ONLY * COMPUTER VULNERABILITY SCAN = (Kaspersky NA) BD has POTENTIAL VULNERABILITY SCAN AND FIX of your computer will fix any or all issues that you choose. Fixes include Security Network settings and Operating System Updates. Several suggested security settings were made for my newer computer and I went ahead and had BD make the changes for me. It also downloaded and (approve) installed two critical windows updates. * PRO BITDEFENDER ONLY * RESCUE ENVIRONMENT = (Kaspersky NA) BD When we detect sophisticated threats, like rootkits, we reboot the computer in Rescue Mode for clean-up and restoration to keep your system safe. * PRO BITDEFENDER ONLY * PROFILES to make system adjustments (Work,Movie,Game,Public Wi-Fi,Battery Mode) = (Kaspersky NA) * PRO * WI-FI SECURITY ADVISOR (Bitdefender is more User Friendly) * PRO * PUBLIC WI-FI PROFILE for additional security (Kaspersky also) * PRO * SAFE PAY BROWSER (Kaspersky also) This protected browser screen can be used for Banking, Credit Card, Financial, Taxes and Medical / Govt ID transactions. Most Antivirus or Firewall software also include their own Internet Browser. Personally, I NEVER use my PHONE for Bank, Cards or Financial. I already have a SEPARATE PASSWORD MANAGER and VPN PROVIDER for all of my computers and phone. Check the latest internet reviews of the computer technical websites for the last two years for this alternate software. * ALTERNATE * BETTER PASSWORD Manager (examples) Bitwarden, Keeper, LastPass, Roboform, Dashlane -- Check the internet reviews for the BEST Password Managers. For me. it's better to buy a better and separate Password Manager, so you're not locked into an AntiVirus Internet package for life just for your old password list. THIS IS WHY I USE A SEPARATE PASSWORD MANAGER that is NOT part of my Antivirus Security package. PASSWORD MANAGER (Kaspersky also) Included, free Password Manager is limited to a small number of passwords SEPARATE PURCHASE (BD and Kaspersky) If you're sure you're staying with Bitdefender for life, then go ahead and use their Password Manager, especially if you're creating new, complex, strong (generated) passwords. The Import and export Bitdefender Wallet uses only the Bitdefender database format. Later on, you probably will NOT be able to transfer your Bitdefender Passwords to other Password Managers. * ALTERNATE * BETTER VPN (examples) Nord VPN, Express VPN VPN LIMITED DAILY MAXIMUM (Kaspersky also) SEPARATE PURCHASE OF REGULAR UNLIMITED VPN (BD and Kaspersky) Kaspersky Free Limited Daily VPN MAX OF 300 MB total (100 more than BD) BD's Free Limited Daily VPN MAX OF 200 MB total runs out too fast. SEPARATE VPN PROVIDER with unlimited use is better for me, as I save download online pages as PDF as CYA proof of all transactions. Any Daily Limit VPN like this would be used up immediately. For PUBLIC WI-FI, I turn on my VPN for my phone or computer and VERIFY that the VPN IP address is now being used (like a Chicago or some other close location). Look for VPN website page "What is my IP Address?" * PRO * RANSOMWARE PROTECTION (Kaspersky also) is a recent addition the last few years. * PRO * RANSOMWARE PROTECTION (for both BUSINESS NETWORKS and HOME users) SEE TECHRADAR 2019 TEST ARTICLE = Bitdefender Ransomware Protection review * ALTERNATE * SETUP YOUR OWN COMPUTER BACKUP SYSTEM = DRIVE IMAGE BACKUP RESTORE (for HOME or BUSINESS users) -- For my home Windows computer, I'm using PARAGON HARD DISK MANAGER ADVANCED (for HOME users) -- From PARAGON-SOFTWARE_c_o_m (Paragon Technologie GmbH from Germany). It will make a disk image of your entire drive that is hardware independent and can be restored to any other hardware computer, as long as the receiving hard drive is large enough. This complete restore includes your operating system, data and all other software installed. You just need an extra internal hard drive that is large enough. PARAGON SOFTWARE is for both home and business users. * PRO * PARENTAL CONTROL (Kaspersky also) * PRO * PHONE APP (Kaspersky also) Bitdefender has some BAD reviews for their PHONE APP at Google Play Store for Android. Until now, I've been using Avast Free Antivirus just for my phone. Since my BD license for Total Security is 5 devices, I'm installing it on my phone. * CON * REMOTE LOCATE - ONLY WORKS IF THE LAPTOP OR COMPUTER IS WI-FI CONNECTED TO THE INTERNET. If your computer is hard-wired to the internet or is using a VPN, the IP Address is WORTHLESS in locating your computer. Your computer's IP address from your internet service provider is a temporary IP each time you logon. Your IP address is supplied from a pool of internet addresses for general public customers. The only permanent, fixed IP addresses are special paid for businesses. When I tested BD's REMOTE LOCATE for my IP, it showed my hard-wired computer as FIVE MILES AWAY from my location ... and when I turned on my computer's VPN (to use the VPN's IP instead) then BD said my computer was located 400 MILES AWAY in ANOTHER STATE. ** FOR AMAZON PURCHASE TURN OFF Bitdefender AUTO-RENEWAL BEFORE you enter YOUR NEW PURCHASED AMAZON activation code Bitdefender AUTO RENEWAL is at Bitdefender's Price with your payment going to some Bitdefender Third Party website) Bitdefender SUPPORT HELP (search) Bitdefender SUBSCRIPTION AUTO-RENEWAL TURN ON OFF TURN OFF AUTO-RENEWAL (steps below) Go to BITDEFENDER CENTRAL WEBSITE Go to MY SUBSCRIPTIONS on the sidebar menu MY PAYMENTS / VIEW DETAILS button next to the subscription Click on MANAGE your subscription renewal options To stop the automatic renewal Choose CANCEL SUBSCRIPTION ** RENEW BITDEFENDER at AMAZON'S PRICE (1) BUY BITDEFENDER SUBSCRIPTION on AMAZON = BITDEFENDER ACTIVATION CODE BY EMAIL (2) Go to AMAZON'S ORDER EMAIL = Your Amazon.com order of Bitdefender ORDER DETAILS = Activation Code: XXX Activation Code: XXX is what you would KEYIN UPDATE on BITDEFENDER CENTRAL website HOW TO REDEEM THIS ITEM = This has all of the steps to follow at Bitdefender Central website (3) Go to BITDEFENDER CENTRAL WEBSITE MY SUBSCRIPTIONS / upper right part of the window = CLICK ACTIVATE WITH CODE IF THIS IS BEFORE the EXPIRATION of your current Bitdefender = Select EXTEND CURRENT SUBSCRIPTION _ ** FYI AFTER INSTALL ** RIGHT CLICK on any file(s) or folder(s) shows Bitdefender actions for Scan (or) File Shredder DASHBOARD (TOP ROW) = AUTO PILOT Suggestions (Click to check further) _ ** CHANGES TO MAKE AFTER INSTALL ** PROTECTION / RANSOMWARE REMEDIATION = TURN ON VPN = Don't Turn On or Install if you ALREADY HAVE A SEPARATE ONE on your computer = PRIVACY / VPN PASSWORD MANAGER = Don't Turn On or Install if you ALREADY HAVE A SEPARATE ONE on your computer = PRIVACY / PASSWORD MANAGER PASSWORD WALLET (for Password Manager) = Don't install as Browser extension --- if you are NOT using BD's Password Manager and are already using another separate Password Manager OPTIONAL = COMPLAINTS BY USERS for ANTI-TRACKER = Don't install as Browser extension = PRIVACY / ANTI-TRACKER Turn Off OPTIONAL = SCHEDULE SCANS = PROTECTION / AntiVirus / Scans / Manage Scans = schedule WEEKLY Full Scan, etc UTILITIES = PROFILES DEFAULT = LEAVE TURNED OFF OPTIONAL = SETTINGS / GENERAL = SECURITY WIDGET = DEFAULT TURNED OFF OPTIONAL = SETTINGS / GENERAL = SPECIAL OFFER notifications MAY BE TURNED OFF or LEFT ON OPTIONAL = SETTINGS / GENERAL = RECOMMENDATION notifications = DEFAULT TURNED ON _ ** PERSONALLY FOR MYSELF ** SKIP UTILITIES = ONE CLICK OPTIMIZER (SKIP IGNORE) = PERSONALLY, I WOULD NOT USE THE COMPUTER OPTIMIZER SKIP UTILITIES = PROFILES (TEST these out or LEAVE TURNED OFF) If you decide to not use Profiles, a default profile called Standard is enabled and it brings no optimization to your system. PROFILES for Bitdefender: Work, Movie, Game, Public Wi-Fi, Battery Mode _ * FYI * SCAN DEFAULT ACTION = PROTECTION / AntiVirus / Advanced / Threat Actions = TAKE PROPER ACTION WHERE Infected Files are Disinfected / then Quarantined WHERE Suspicious files are Quarantined WHERE Malicious files are Deleted ** OR INSTEAD of Take Proper Action, you can select either Move to Quarantine (or) Deny Access _ * FYI * PROTECTION / VULNERABILITY scan of your computer Scanning your system for vulnerabilities requires an active internet connection. Operating System Security Critical Windows updates Weak Windows accounts Browser Security Application updates Network and Credentials Wi-Fi networks and routers _

I love the price, glad I've gotten rid of Norton, best 4 years of my life (computer wise)

I've used McAfee, Symantec and Kaspersky, all for years and I've even installed these suites for customers as well. This, by far, is the worst of all antivirus suites I have ever used. Never have I ever been able to so easily bypass security software. Then there's the scam that they are selling called "parental control." It doesn't control anything. It doesn't report half of what the kids are doing on their computers. Sometimes it doesn't detect anything at all! The online dashboard doesn't allow you to drill into their web activity--you only get specific categories and a top few list of web sites visited. If the kid visited an adult site once in the last seven days and then went to their various school sites 1000 times that week--you'd never see the adult site they visited because there is no way to drill into the details of what is presented on the dashboard. The number of false positives is irritating and BitDefender assumes every raw IP you're visiting is a bad actor. So when I visit a customer site with my laptop and type in an IP address, I need to enter the antivirus password to bypass that warning every single time I do that. The lack of configurability is also irritating. BD only allows you to enable or disable whole categories of functionality. Then there's adding web site exceptions to the control: you can only add one at a time, instead of cutting and pasting a LIST of sites in. Our school system publishes a list of sites to white list that is more than 300 entries long (we are the 4th largest district in the country) and I have to type them in one at a time for EVERY user? Is BD kidding me!?! Parental Control is the same thing, except it is all or nothing: either block ALL the kid's activity or don't block at all. The category controls in parental control are also garbage. This software feels like someone is at some startup selling incomplete garbage to us, while we experience the irritations while paying them to build their software. Then they pay good lip service on their support boards and here with the standard "Oh hey, we'd like to talk about your difficulties please contact us here." But when you contact them "there," you just end up getting told by them that nothing else can be done because that is all they CAN do. So, yeah, I'm done. Going back to one of the more mature offerings when this subscription expires.

I been using this for 2 years and it has stopped over 21,000 incomming threats i have a business at home and this has protected me And my family and i havent had one issue with any device apple Or android and its absolute incredible it gives android phone security like apple meaning locking and wiping your phone from a distance remotely to even tracking which it which is amazing and u can ping your phone if it was stolen and the user who stole It would have no idea your tracking it which is amazing on top of that or can be used for a parent tracking a child or a woman tracking a jelous husband overall out standing product. The software overall is better then norton and other top leading virus protection services and yes it is based in russia but its paritally american owned and only operate in russia for user rights which are challenged in the united states The software dose give android and pc users more features but manily in the security area because that what they truly lack and because there also not apple which is monitored 24/7 Overall the geolocation tracking for any device u install it is worth it in my opinion!!! it even takes photo and record audio with out the user knowing soo u can catch the person who stole it and absolute take them Down which is amazing so they cant say im holding it for a friend or i found it Another great feature with this software they have hands down the best encryptions software i installed it on my girl friend mac pro and she had a issue and had to send it to apple support they called us asking us for the password to unlock the device because they had absolute no access to the device it self and couldnt even force it open which was impressive in my opinion so u know for a fact if u loose your device or exspensive computer u can turn it into a paper weight there absolute no way in hell anyone can download anything from those devices if its locked with this software Another thing i love about this software is that when its running on the background it dosnt change my computer performance what so ever and not even on my iphone or android it dosnt DRAIN BATTERY not like other security apps i used Hands down best software for 2022 And recommend by most ethical hackers and security engineers this the only way to stay protected online

I have trusted Bitdefender for years..best security product out there- also one of the only that defends against ransom ware..robust and trustworthy without sapping your machine of resources when running- seamless, safe, state of the art...I also use the VPN

Does its job. I don’t use no more. I just use windows defender.