These two companies take their inspiration from nature: one from the Dacian wolf and the other from the cute little Asian bear that we all love. But are they as inspired when it comes to antivirus protection? In time, Bitdefender has proven to live up to its ancestral symbol, since its free antivirus version is highly praised by its users because of its simple, yet efficient interface and effective virus scanning and elimination. Panda Free Antivirus, on the other hand, favors a different approach, with basic protection alongside extra features. But how do these two compare?
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Bitdefender Antivirus Free Edition
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Panda Free Antivirus
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Rating
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AV-TEST score
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6/6
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5.5/6
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Antivirus
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Antimalware
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Antispyware
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Antiransomware
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Antiphishing
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Quarantine
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Logging
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"Do not disturb" mode
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Behavior shield
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Bootable rescue disk
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Automatic updates
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This free antivirus can only be used on Windows operating systems and provides basic but extremely reliable protection for your PC. Bitdefender Antivirus Free features automatic security that can block all threats, web attack avoidance, automatic updates as well as anti-phishing and anti-fraud protection. These last two are possible due to the ability of the software to detect and block all phishing websites early, without the user having to choose any kind of options. Even though it is designed for browsers, it does offer email protection, too.
Bitdefender Antivirus Free has two upgrades: Bitdefender Antivirus Plus and Bitdefender Total Security, both of which have extended protection features like multilayer ransomware security or webcam defense. However, the free version by itself is still able to provide full protection for your system, so you won’t have to worry about e-threats while using it. If you require protection for other types of devices, then Bitdefender Total Security also offers defense for macOS, iOS and Android.
The software is extremely easy to set up and allows its users to add or exclude files to or from the scan. It is automatically updated and it has the ability to provide advanced threat protection, which is where the real strength of this program relies.
Just like its rival, Panda Free Antivirus is another solution for the Windows operating system offering basic, multifeatured protection. This program provides protection through cloud computing, which means that the most crucial files are saved on a dedicated server that is accessed via the internet. As such, there are no frustrating updates needed nor any unexpected scans that might take a long time to be performed. This free antivirus comes with numerous features, from the option of performing scans on demand to the USB protection that safeguards your device from dangers that might come from USB devices, which is quite a unique feature that not usually is available as part of free antivirus programs. There is even a Panda rescue kit and a multimedia or game mode, enabling users to watch videos or play games without interruptions.
The latest edition will also deal with unknown malware, ATPs, and other types of malicious deeds even before they take place because it utilizes smart technology that checks every application running on the system and classifies each of them. As for the extended protection it provides, this software can identify widespread malware and heuristic verification to check for any malicious activities. If there are any suspicious icons, they are sent to the Panda Collective Intelligence servers where they are further investigated, which is another unique feature not often included with free antivirus software. Panda Free Antivirus has four upgrades, endowing the software with even more features so that you can enjoy more complex protection.
Bitdefender Antivirus Free and Panda Free Antivirus are both reliable, safe and free antiviruses that provide basic protection. The former has a very simple but effective interface, can be set up very quickly, provides very strong security with antiphishing and antifraud defenses, and even comes with advanced threat protection. The second, on the other hand, has multiple extended protection features which include a limited VPN and the ability to detect malicious deeds even before they take place. In terms of protection, both solutions are rated six by AV-TEST, even though Panda Free Antivirus did receive a lower score in terms of performance and usability.
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