Bitdefender Ultimate Security vs Total Security 2024: My Findings + 38% Discount
With its unlimited VPN traffic and 4000 servers in 50+ countries, email protection for a scam-free digital life, AI-powered scam copilot that detects and fights sophisticated scams, digital identity protection, location tracking, and geofencing, Bitdefender Ultimate Security has a STRONG EDGE over Bitdefender Total Security.
The only advantage Bitdefender Total Security has over Ultimate Security is its lower price. The yearly plan for Individual and Family packages costs $59.99 and $84.9, respectively, while Bitdefender Ultimate Security Individual and Family packages cost $99.99 and $129.99 per year, respectively.
I have tried and tested both antivirus and anti-malware cybersecurity solutions from Bitdefender.
In this Bitdefender Ultimate Security vs. Total Security comparison review, I shared my findings and experience using both so you can make an informed decision and decide which is better for the maximum protection of your devices, networks, and systems.
Bitdefender Ultimate Security vs Total Security At A Glance
Try Bitdefender Ultimate Security and get a 38% Discount
Try Bitdefender Total Security and get a 45% Discount
What's the difference between Bitdefender Ultimate Security and Total Security? Which is better?
There are major differences between Bitdefender Ultimate Security and Total Security, and below is the summary:
Unlimited VPN: Bitdefender Ultimate Security offers unlimited VPN traffic. This keeps your internet connection safe and private and also keeps your identity anonymous when using or sharing public Wi-Fi. There are over 4000+ VPN servers in 50 different countries. You can access content in restricted locations, even in places where internet traffic is censored. If you subscribe to the Individual plan, only one account has access to unlimited VPN traffic while on the family plan, 5 accounts have access to the Unlimited VPN traffic.
On the other hand, Bitdefender Total Security offers limited VPN traffic of 200MB/day/device. For the individual plan, only one account has access to this while on the family plan, only 5 accounts have access to this. The downside isn't just that the 200MB can't be enough for an individual that surfs the web many hours a day, it doesn't offer many servers in different locations across the world like Bitdefender Ultimate Security.
Email Protection: Bitdefender Ultimate Security has an email protection feature that scans all incoming emails, and sorts and marks them as “SAFE” and “ UNSAFE”. This is an innovative and latest feature from Bitdefender aimed at providing you with a spam-free digital life. It's no news that some websites and apps you browse will require your email address before you access content. Before you know it, you start receiving lots of spam emails, some of which are meant to attack your device and network or even defraud you when you click on a link. With this innovative email protection feature on Bitdefender Ultimate Security, you have peace of mind that every email that comes into your inbox has been analyzed and marked as SAFE or UNSAFE, so you can decide if to open them or not.
Unfortunately, Bitdefender Total Security lacks this feature. This can be an issue, especially if you communicate more via email.
AI-powered Scam Copilot: Online scam has become a daily occurrence around the world. This is why Bitdefender Ultimate Security launched an AI-powered scam copilot feature that analyzes your activities, communications, and engagements online to protect you from all forms of online scams. Be it on social media, apps, or even websites, scammers are looking for ways to defraud unsuspecting individuals like you.
This feature alerts you in real time when your activity online is likely to result in your being scammed, so you can cut off such communication or engagement.
This feature is missing on Bitdefender Total Security.
Digital Identity Protection: Just like the same sounds, the digital identity protection feature that Bitdefender Ultimate Security offers protects your personal information and ensures you don't get caught off guard in a future data leak.
Anytime your personal information like credit card details, passkeys, and passwords ends up in a breach, Bitdefender's digital identity protection alerts you in real time so you can take quick action to prevent any negative impact. Again, this important feature is missing on Bitdefender Total Security.
Location Tracking & Geofencing: This is a kid protection feature on Bitdefender Ultimate Security (Family Plan). It is designed to help you track the location of your kids via their devices when they aren't by your side. This makes it easier for you to know where they are and get notified when they enter a location you marked as restricted. Bitdefender Total Security doesn't offer this support. So if you are a parent who wants to track the location of your kids, you can't do it on Bitdefender Total Security.
Try Bitdefender Ultimate Security and enjoy a 38% OFF
Try Bitdefender Total Security and enjoy a 45% OFF
Similarities Between Bitdefender Ultimate Security and Bitdefender Total Security
Now you know the differences between antivirus and anti-malware cybersecurity solutions and have also seen the strong edge Ultimate Security has over Total Security, it's time to tell you the similarities I noticed between them.
Support For Multiple Operating Systems: Bitdefender Ultimate Security and Total Security are compatible with and protect Android, iOS, Windows, and Mac devices. Once you subscribe to any of them, you can seamlessly install and activate them on your devices in a few minutes. You don't need any technical expertise to have them run on your operating system and protect your device.
System Requirement: The system requirements are the same, which means if Bitdefender Ultimate Security can run efficiently on a device, Bitdefender Total Security will also do the same. Your device must meet the following system requirements for both cybersecurity software to work:
2 GB RAM
2.5 GB free hard disk space
Internet Explorer version 11
Modern generation CPU
Higher-grade operating system (Windows 7 or above, Android 8 and above, Mac OS X 10.7 and above, iOS 8 and above
Password Manager: Both offer password managers where you store your passwords, passkeys, and other sensitive personal details and use them safely anytime, anywhere. You can switch devices and still access your account, plus store personal details and automatically use them to fill out online forms. This saves you the cost of subscribing to password manager tools like LastPass, 1PASSWORD, and NordPass.
Cryptomining Protection: Bitdefender Ultimate Security and Total Security offer this feature which protects you from “ leech software” so that bad actors will not make money using your software and power connection without your concept.
Parental Control: This is an interesting feature on both cybersecurity solutions from Bitdefender, and one many parents and guardians will like. The parental control feature is designed to help you monitor and control the activities of your kids online. For example, you can set healthy limits on the time your child can spend online with a device, pick a category of content you don't want them to consume, interact with your kids by responding to their requests for extended daily internet time, unified report and easier management across all devices with a better overview of your kid's online activities, etc.
Dark Web Monitoring: Both cybersecurity solutions scan the dark web constantly to identify unauthorized leaks of personal data and other sensitive details and alert you in real time so you can take action and prevent any negative impact. These actions can be changing your password, setting 2FA authentication on your account, deleting your account, or freezing your credit card.
Digital Footprint Visualization: With Bitdefender Ultimate and Total Security, you can visualize your digital footprint, such as identifying the exact website or online services that have compromised your sensitive details and see how you can fix the damage.
Bitdefender Ultimate Security vs Total Security: Price
Their pricing is different in terms of monthly, yearly, and 2-year plans.
Bitdefender Ultimate Security has the Individual Plan and the Family Plan.
The Individual Plan is a one-person account and protects a maximum of 5 devices. The monthly plan costs $8.99, the yearly plan costs $99.99 and the 2-year plan costs $223.99
The Family Plan supports 5 accounts and protects a maximum of 25 devices (1 account: 5 devices)
The monthly plan costs $11.99, the yearly plan costs $129.99 and the 2-year plan costs $279.99.
Bitdefender Total Security just like Ultimate Security has the Individual and Family plans.
The Individual Plan supports 1 account and protects a maximum of 5 devices
It has no monthly plan like Bitdefender Ultimate Security.
The yearly plan costs $49.99 and the 2-year plan costs $153.99.
The Family Plan supports 5 accounts and protects 25 devices ( 1 account: 5 devices)
It has no monthly plan.
Bitdefender's Total yearly plan costs $74.99 while the 2-year plan costs $195. 99.
From their pricing and plans, you can see that Bitdefender Ultimate Security is more expensive and also offers flexible pricing. It has a monthly plan, which is suitable for individuals and families who can't afford the yearly or 2-year plan.
On the other hand, Bitdefender Ultimate Security Individual Plan costs $99.9 per year which is more expensive compared to Bitdefender Total Security Individual Plan which costs $49.99 per year. This price difference is justifiable since Ultimate Security offers more advanced features than Total Security.
Note: Bitdefender Ultimate Security and Total Security prices for each of the plans are discounted by up to 45%. You will renew at regular prices because the discounts you enjoyed when you subscribed for the first time won't apply.
Bitdefender Ultimate Security Review (Offers 38% Discount)
This is an antivirus and anti-malware cybersecurity solution from Bitdefender designed for individuals and families that want advanced security features to protect their devices, and online identity and block all forms of advanced scam. It's multi-device and works perfectly on Mac, Windows, iOS and Android.
I installed it on my Windows 10 PC to check out the unlimited VPN traffic which is the main reason I upgraded to it from Bitdefender Total Security and it worked seamlessly. I had access to over 4000 servers in 50 different countries. Also, it didn't consume much of my PC resources. Instead, it optimized it for optimal performance. It offers two plans - Individual and Family Plans, which cost $9.99 and $12.99 per month respectively.
Major features of Bitdefender Ultimate Security
Multiple device protection: The Individual Plan supports one account and protects 5 devices, while the Family Plan supports 5 accounts and protects 25 devices
Advanced anti-malware and antivirus: Has advanced and sophisticated security systems to defend and protect your devices, networks, and programs from viruses, malware, and other forms of security threats.
Unlimited VPN traffic: You enjoy all-around online privacy and protection with the unlimited VPN traffic Bitdefender Ultimate Security offers. There are 4000+ servers in 50 different countries
Email Protection: This saves you from phishing and scam emails from fraudsters who collect your email address via third-party sites with gated content. With the email protection feature, every email that lands in your inbox is analyzed and marked as SAFE and UNSAFE, so you can avoid those malicious and spam emails.
Scam Copilot: With this AI-powered feature, you stay ahead of scammers and beat them in every move to scam you online.
Pros of Bitdefender Ultimate Security: What I Like About It
Minimal Impact On Device: Despite Bitdefender, Ultimate Security is a robust anti-malware and antivirus software, it has no negative impact on devices. It runs smoothly in the background and doesn't affect the speed and performance of my Windows 10 PC. It instead optimizes by cleaning it up and freeing up spaces for enhanced performance.
User-friendly Interface: Its interface is beginner-friendly and easy to navigate. Following the manual guide, you can install it, set it up, and have it running on your device in a few minutes. No technical knowledge is required.
Integrated VPN: You don't need a standalone VPN service like NordVPN, Surfshark and Proton. Bitdefender Ultimate Security has an integrated unlimited VPN that has 4000+ servers in 50 different countries. I stream content and access sites without restrictions.
Fast Customer Support: A technical assistant is available via live chat to support and respond to issues you have with Bitdefender Ultimate Security.
Cons of Bitdefender Ultimate Security: What I Don't Like About It
System Resource During Scan: When scanning your device, it can take much of the resources, which can slow down performance temporarily.
High Pricing: Bitdefender Ultimate Security is a bit expensive compared to Bitdefender Total Security. This is because of the more sophisticated and advanced features it offers, which Bitdefender Total Security lacks.
Bitdefender Total Security Review (Offers 45% Discount)
This is also an anti-malware and antivirus solution from Bitdefender. It offers some advanced security features and is suitable for individuals and families who want to protect their devices and online activities without spending much money. I used it before I moved to Bitdefender Ultimate Security because I wanted the unlimited VPN traffic and email protection feature. It runs perfectly on Mac, Android, iOS, and Windows and doesn't consume much of your device resources, instead optimizing it for better performance.
It has an Individual Plan which is suitable for one person and a Family plan which I recommended to families that want to have more accounts and protect more devices. The Individual and Family plans cost $59.99 and $84.99 per year, respectively. It doesn't charge per month.
Major Features of Bitdefender Total Security
Multiple device protection: The individual plan supports 1 account and protects up to 5 devices, while the family plan supports 5 accounts and protects 25 devices
VPN Traffic: Offers limited VPN traffic of 200MB/day/device. This isn't enough to keep the online activities of you and your family private.
Password manager: Save your password, passkeys, and other sensitive details and use them safely anytime.
Advanced parental control: Police the activities of your kids online. Monitor the content they consume and restrict them from accessing those you deem inappropriate for their age. Set a limit for the time they spend on the internet, track their location, and get a report of their activities from a single dashboard.
Data breach detection: Get a real-time alert when your data has been leaked on the dark web so you can take urgent action to undo it.
Pros Of Bitdefender Total Security: What I Like About It
Minimal Impact On Device: When installed and set, Bitdefender Total Security has minimal impact on your device. It runs in the background and doesn't consume much of your device resources.
VPN Traffic: Although it's limited ( 200MB/day/device), it's still better than having your online traffic open to anyone. And if you are the type that doesn't surf the web for hours in a day, it may serve you and save the cost of subscribing to VPN services like Surfshark, NordVPN, and ExpressVPN.
Automatic Updates: All features released on Bitdefender Total Security are automatically updated on your software. No need to manually download and install updates.
Intuitive User Interface: Just like Bitdefender Ultimate Security, Bitdefender Total Security has a beginner-friendly interface. You can set things up, navigate the software, and customize functions to suit your needs.
Cons of Bitdefender Total Security: What I Don't Like About It
Limited VPN Traffic: Offers only 200MB/day/device, and this isn't enough for individuals who surf the web many hours a day.
No Email Protection: Has no email protection feature that filters all emails that come into your inbox to sieve out unsafe emails.
Bitdefender Ultimate Security vs Total Security: What Users Say On Reddit
Many people who want to use Bitdefender products go to Reddit to get an honest review of verified users to help them make an informed decision. So I went on Reddit to check what individuals and families that use Bitdefender Ultimate Security and Total Security say. From different comments I read, many of them agree that Bitdefender Ultimate Security is better than Total Security. Just like me, they see the unlimited VPN traffic, email protection, AI-powered scam copilot, and digital identity protection as the features that make Bitdefender Ultimate Security more valuable to them than Bitdefender Total Security.
A Dad who has a family of 5 upgraded to Bitdefender Ultimate Security because he wants his family to enjoy unlimited VPN traffic and for her daughter who loves Netflix to access content without restrictions.
A single mom of 3 said that she subscribed to Bitdefender Ultimate Security because of the innovative email protection. According to her, she works online from home and most of her communications with clients are through email, and she wants to ensure that any email she opens is safe.
Although she complains that the Bitdefender Ultimate Security is a bit expensive compared to Bitdefender Total Security, she feels it is worth it and plans to do a 2-year subscription when her renewal is due.
Does Bitdefender Total Security include Antivirus and Internet Security?
No, Bitdefender Total Security doesn't include Antivirus and Internet Security. Both are different products from Bitdefender that are designed to solve different problems.
Bitdefender Antivirus is designed to protect your device from all forms of antivirus, even the fastest evolving attacks that you can never imagine. It runs silently in the background of your device, so it doesn't interrupt your operations. You can download it for free on Windows. It also has Android and iOS versions.
Bitdefender Internet Security on the other hand is designed to keep your device, network, and operations safe from all forms of internet threats. It protects your webcam and microphone from attacks meant to obstruct or steal your data during video meetings or conferences. It works only on Windows PCs and can protect up to 10 Windows PCs at a time.
Now comparing them to Bitdefender Total Security, you can see the 3 products are different and Bitdefender Total Security is better than both of them in many ways. It is compatible with multiple operating systems like Android, Windows, iOS, and macOS. This is unlike Internet Security, which works only on Windows PC. It has a password manager, data breach detection, and other advanced features that are missing on Bitdefender Antivirus and Internet Security.
Is Bitdefender a Russian company?
No, Bitdefender isn't a Russian company. It's a Romanian cybersecurity company founded in 2001 to provide advanced and sophisticated cybersecurity to individuals, families, businesses, and enterprises. It has multiple offices globally, including in the United States, Europe, and Asia.
Final thoughts on Bitdefender Ultimate Security vs Bitdefender Ultimate Security
If you are an individual or family that wants unlimited VPN traffic, email protection, digital identity protection, an AI-powered scam copilot that detects and fights sophisticated scams, location tracking, and geofencing for your kid's safety, Bitdefender Ultimate Security is what you need.
It's a bit pricey compared to Bitdefender Total Security, but it's worth it based on my experience using it for 7 months now.
But if you don't care about unlimited VPN traffic, email protection, and digital identity protection, Bitdefender Total Security can serve you.