Bitdefender
affiliate product
Multi-device suite shoppers after Defender
From $24.99/yr Antivirus Plus (1 device, first year)
Verified 2026-08-09, published product records; Total Security Individual from $59.99/yr; renewals may differ
Antivirus Software Cost
Seat math first - not the cheapest sticker. Verified Bitdefender and Malwarebytes captures after free Defender. Published USD pricing.
Independent methodology
Sources when claims need them
Affiliate disclosure where commercial
Bottom line
Overall pick status
Seat math first, not cheapest sticker
Price alone is not a protection score. Bitdefender Antivirus Plus's first-year capture is lower than Malwarebytes Standard in this price check ($24.99/yr vs $59.99/yr), but the products target different jobs (broad suite vs cleanup/premium). Value depends on whether Defender already covers you, how many devices need seats, and whether intro prices rise at renewal. Re-check checkout the day you buy.
Free remedies before either paid plan
- Price your time: confirm free built-in protection and backups before comparing subscriptions
- Turn on automatic OS updates and confirm your system is not years behind on patches.
- On Windows, verify Microsoft Defender (or your built-in protection) is enabled and not disabled by another tool.
- Enable backups you can actually restore, ransomware resilience starts there.
Malwarebytes
affiliate product
Cleanup and Premium shoppers
From $59.99/yr Standard (3 devices)
Verified 2026-08-09, published product records (malwarebytes.com/windows); Plus $79.99 / Ultimate $139.99 promo
Final verdict
Seat math first, not cheapest sticker. After healthy Defender: Bitdefender or Malwarebytes only for a named leftover job. Overall score is not assigned. Re-check same-day. Commissions never set price ranking.
Who wins for which job?
-
Lowest verified paid capture (this price check)
Context only, not a scored winner
Bitdefender Antivirus Plus from $24.99/yr first-year vs Malwarebytes Standard from $59.99/yr. Price check only; job fit and Defender adequacy matter more.
-
Free baseline
Microsoft Defender
Included with supported Windows; see Defender review. Zero subscription if healthy.
-
Family / multi-device seats
Verify Family SKUs live
Bitdefender Total Security Family $79.99/yr for 25 devices (2026-08-09). Count household devices before personal 1-device SKUs.
-
Best value pending evidence
No scored winner yet,
Value needs protection job + seat count + intro vs renewal, not sticker alone.
At a glance
| Feature | Bitdefender | Malwarebytes |
|---|---|---|
| Starting price (2026-08-09 capture) | From $24.99/yr Antivirus Plus (1 device, first year) | From $59.99/yr Standard |
| Higher / family SKUs (same capture) | Total Security from $59.99/yr; Family $79.99/yr (25 devices) | Plus $79.99/yr; Ultimate $139.99/yr promo |
| Free option | No free real-time suite (trial / money-back terms advertised) | Free tier exists (verify current limits) |
| True first cost | Defender / built-in + backups time | Defender / built-in + backups time |
| Money-back (vendor-advertised) | 30-day money-back advertised (bitdefender.com, 2026-08-09) | 60-day money-back advertised on Premium plans (2026-08-09) |
| Affiliate CTA | Via our Bitdefender deal link | Via our Malwarebytes deal link |
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Starting price (2026-08-09 capture)
Bitdefender: From $24.99/yr Antivirus Plus (1 device, first year)
Malwarebytes: From $59.99/yr Standard
-
Higher / family SKUs (same capture)
Bitdefender: Total Security from $59.99/yr; Family $79.99/yr (25 devices)
Malwarebytes: Plus $79.99/yr; Ultimate $139.99/yr promo
-
Free option
Bitdefender: No free real-time suite (trial / money-back terms advertised)
Malwarebytes: Free tier exists (verify current limits)
-
True first cost
Bitdefender: Defender / built-in + backups time
Malwarebytes: Defender / built-in + backups time
-
Money-back (vendor-advertised)
Bitdefender: 30-day money-back advertised (bitdefender.com, 2026-08-09)
Malwarebytes: 60-day money-back advertised on Premium plans (2026-08-09)
-
Affiliate CTA
Bitdefender: Via our Bitdefender deal link
Malwarebytes: Via our Malwarebytes deal link
How Bitdefender and Malwarebytes compare
Bars stay empty and winners stay pending until scores are verified.
-
Bitdefender
See review
Price transparency
Winner pending
Prices recorded only; renewals and device SKUs still need same-day re-check.
Malwarebytes
See review
-
Bitdefender
See review
Value vs free DIY
Winner pending
Depends on whether Defender/built-in protection already covers the risk.
Malwarebytes
See review
-
Bitdefender
See review
Malware protection
Winner pending
Requires verified lab or test evidence; no invented detection rates.
Malwarebytes
See review
-
Bitdefender
See review
Performance
Winner pending
No fabricated FPS or CPU impact numbers.
Malwarebytes
See review
Pricing comparison
Bitdefender Antivirus Plus / Total Security
From $24.99/yr first year
- Official US storefront capture (published pricing record)
- Antivirus Plus 1 device $24.99/yr; 3 devices $29.99/yr first-year
- Total Security Individual from $59.99/yr; Family $79.99/yr
- Affiliate CTA via our Bitdefender deal link
- Re-check renewal before purchase
Malwarebytes Windows Individual
From $59.99/yr Standard
- Official malwarebytes.com/windows / WP JSON capture
- Plus $79.99/yr; Ultimate $139.99/yr promo
- Free tier also exists; verify limits
- Affiliate CTA via our Malwarebytes deal link
Choose Bitdefender if
- You expect to pay for a multi-device suite after Defender is healthy
- Family seat math (up to 25 devices on Family) is part of diligence
Choose Malwarebytes if
- Cleanup or Premium workflows are the leftover job
- You want Free vs Premium clarity before a suite license
Where to go next
Sources
- Bitdefender pricing (sources): Verified 2026-08-09 starting price, published pricing record
- Malwarebytes pricing (sources): Verified 2026-08-09 starting price, published pricing record
- Norton pricing (sources, comparison-only): Verified 2026-08-09 starting price, published pricing record; deal
- Vendor marketing pages: bitdefender.com / malwarebytes.com feature and pricing claims, not independent lab evidence
- Security Checklist methodology: How antivirus pages are structured before scores and detection rates publish, /methodology/
- Sources: published pricing record + published pricing record, starting prices verified 2026-08-09; lab
FAQ
Frequently asked questions
How much does Bitdefender cost?
On 2026-08-09, official US pages listed Antivirus Plus Multiplatform from $24.99/yr for 1 device first-year ($29.99/yr for 3 devices), Total Security Individual from $59.99/yr (5 devices), and Family $79.99/yr (25 devices). Confirm live checkout; renewals and tax may differ.
How much does Malwarebytes cost?
On 2026-08-09, malwarebytes.com/windows showed Individual Standard $59.99/yr, Plus $79.99/yr, and Ultimate $139.99/yr promo. Free cleanup is positioned as free vs Premium real-time; verified gates at the Free downloads page before relying on Free.
How much does antivirus software cost in general?
Many careful Windows users pay $0 with Microsoft Defender. Paid consumer suites in this price check start around the mid-$20s per year for entry first-year SKUs and rise with devices and suite extras. Norton 360 Standard showed $39.99 first year with higher renewal (~$94.99/yr) the same day (comparison-only).
Is free antivirus enough?
Built-in Windows Defender is free and enough for many careful, patched users with backups. Paid tools are optional after basics when multi-device seats or cleanup workflows remain.
Why no coupon codes?
Fabricated or unverified coupons violate affiliate integrity rules. We will not invent scarcity or discounts.
Who wins on price?
We do not publish a scored cost winner. Use the glance table for verified captures, then decide by job fit, seats, and intro vs renewal.
Update history
Price captures verified 2026-08-09. Re-verify volatile prices and plan names before purchase.
Continue reading
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Page information & sources
About this page
Antivirus cost after free Defender: seat math for Bitdefender and Malwarebytes captures, plus Surfshark US/USD bundle context. Published pricing notes.
Corrections
Commercial disclosure
Some product links may be commercial. Affiliate relationships never set rankings. See the affiliate disclosure.