F-Secure vs Bitdefender: price and which to choose
Quick verdict
F-Secure Total sells one feature set for 1, 3 or 5 devices at one yearly price with no first-year discount, and includes an unlimited VPN. Bitdefender advertises a cheaper first year that rises at renewal, caps the VPN on Total Security at 200 MB a day per device, but offers a Family plan for 25 devices and unlimited VPN on Premium Security.
Option A
Option B
$109.99/yrBitdefender Total Security
Official price before tax: $109.99
Price checked
Bitdefender price and plansWe compare plans with a similar purpose, whose features may differ; prices before sales tax; prices for other plans and periods are in the reviews.
Feature comparison
| Criterion | F-Secure | Bitdefender |
|---|---|---|
| Pricing | One yearly price | First year, then renewal |
| VPN | Unlimited | 200 MB/day; unlimited on Premium |
| Devices | 1, 3 or 5 | 5 or 25 |
| Trial | 30 days | 30 days |
Independent lab tests
These numbers come from lab tests. The scales differ between tests, so we don’t merge them into one score.
| Test | F-Secure | Bitdefender |
|---|---|---|
Real-world protection AV-Comparatives: Real-World Protection Test February-May 2026 · published June 15, 2026 | Blocked 395 of 400 attacks — 98.8% false positives: 11 Tested version: F-Secure Internet Security | Blocked 398 of 400 attacks — 99.5% false positives: 5 Tested version: Bitdefender Total Security |
Malware protection AV-Comparatives: Malware Protection Test March 2026 · published April 15, 2026 | Online — 99.98%, offline detection — 98.6% false positives: 19 Tested version: F-Secure Internet Security | Online — 99.94%, offline detection — 97.6% false positives: 4 Tested version: Bitdefender Total Security |
Impact on computer speed AV-Comparatives: Performance Test April 2026 · published April 22, 2026 | Impact score 18.3 (lower is better) Tested version: F-Secure Internet Security | Impact score 9.6 (lower is better) Tested version: Bitdefender Total Security |
AV-TEST scores AV-TEST: Windows 11 - June 2026 · tested 2026-05–2026-06 | Protection 6/6, performance 6/6, usability 6/6 Tested version: F-Secure Total | Protection 6/6, performance 6/6, usability 6/6 Tested version: Bitdefender Total Security |
F-Secure, based in Finland, sells one product, Total; Bitdefender sells Total Security, a Family plan and Premium Security.
If you don’t want to read further
Unlimited VPN and the same price every year — F-Secure Total. Many devices for a family, or the lowest first-year price — Bitdefender.
What really sets them apart
In each row, the last sentence matters most — what the difference means for you.
Renewal price?
F-Secure
“Honest pricing” — no discounted first year.
Bitdefender
The advertised price is for the first year; renewal is higher.
Over several years, compare F-Secure’s yearly price with Bitdefender’s renewal price, not its first year.
VPN?
F-Secure
Unlimited, included in Total.
Bitdefender
200 MB a day per device on Total Security and Family; unlimited on Premium Security.
Unlimited VPN without the top plan — F-Secure.
How many devices?
F-Secure
1, 3 or 5.
Bitdefender
5 for one account, or 25 for 5 accounts (Family).
More than five devices — Bitdefender Family.
Passwords and identity?
F-Secure
ID protection with a password vault and breach alerts.
Bitdefender
A password manager and data breach detection.
Both cover passwords and breach alerts.
Where they don’t differ, even though it seems they should
This part is often more useful than the list of differences — it saves money for anyone who was about to pay for an imaginary advantage.
30-day trial and refund
Both offer a 30-day trial and a refund within 30 days.
Four platforms
Windows, Mac, Android and iOS on both.
Scam protection
Both include scam protection.
Which one fits whom
| Your situation | What to choose | On what condition |
|---|---|---|
| You want the VPN included without limits | F-Secure Total | Unlimited VPN. |
| A family with many devices | Bitdefender Family | 5 accounts, 25 devices. |
| You hate renewal price jumps | F-Secure Total | One yearly price. |
| You want the lowest first year | Bitdefender | Then check the renewal price. |
- F-Secure’s free trial renews automatically for a full year after 30 days unless you cancel.
- Bitdefender’s renewal price is higher than its first-year price.
- Bitdefender’s VPN on Total Security is capped at 200 MB a day per device.
- Some F-Secure features are platform-specific — SMS scam protection is mobile only.
Where the facts come from
Sources: f-secure.com and bitdefender.com for the US. Prices are in the price blocks on each service’s page.
Facts in the text checked: .
FAQ: F-Secure or Bitdefender
Other comparisons
The same products against other competitors, and other comparisons in the “Antivirus software” category.
Where their scores differ
Only criteria we’ve checked for both services and where the scores differ. Equal criteria and criteria without data aren’t shown here, because they add nothing to the decision.
If what matters most is — protection online: Bitdefender Total Security
F-Secure Total (5 devices): 98,8 % (3,0/5) · Bitdefender Total Security: 99,5 % (5,0/5)
If what matters most is — false alarms: Bitdefender Total Security
F-Secure Total (5 devices): 19 (2,0/5) · Bitdefender Total Security: 4 (4,0/5)
If what matters most is — protection offline: F-Secure Total (5 devices)
F-Secure Total (5 devices): 98,6 % (5,0/5) · Bitdefender Total Security: 97,6 % (4,0/5)
The scores and their weights are the same as in the reviews of both services. How we calculate
Comparison text updated: