Avast Free Antivirus
Free tierby Avast (Gen Digital)
Long-established free antivirus with real-time protection.
- Real-time virus and ransomware shield
- Malicious and phishing website blocking
- Wi-Fi network security scanning
Free alternatives to Bitdefender Antivirus Free
6 antivirus & security programs worth considering instead of — or alongside — Bitdefender Antivirus Free.
Alternatives to Bitdefender Antivirus Free
AVG AntiVirus Free
Free tierby AVG (Gen Digital)
Lightweight free antivirus with web and email protection.
- Real-time malware detection
- Email attachment and download scanning
- Performance scan for junk files
Malwarebytes Free
Free tierby Malwarebytes
The standard second-opinion malware remover.
- Excellent adware and PUP removal
- Runs alongside your existing antivirus
- On-demand scanning in the free tier
ClamAV
Open Sourceby Cisco Talos
Open-source antivirus engine, standard on mail servers.
- Fully open source
- Designed for mail and file server scanning
- Scriptable command-line interface
KeePassXC
Open Sourceby KeePassXC Team
Offline password manager — your vault never leaves your disk.
- Fully offline encrypted vault
- No account or subscription required
- Browser integration extension
Bitwarden
Free tierby Bitwarden, Inc.
Open-source password manager that syncs across all your devices.
- Unlimited passwords and devices, free
- Open-source client and server
- Apps and browser extensions for every platform
About Bitdefender Antivirus Free
Bitdefender Antivirus Free pairs the detection engine that consistently scores at the top of independent AV comparison tests with a deliberately minimal interface. It is designed to install and then stay out of your way, making it a good fit for machines you maintain for other people.
It is free tier and runs on Windows. Below are 6 antivirus & security programs that cover the same ground — some open-source, some cross-platform, each free to use.
Bitdefender Antivirus Free alternatives compared
| Program | Licence | Platforms | Best known for |
|---|---|---|---|
| Avast Free Antivirus | Free tier | Windows, macOS, Android, iOS | Real-time virus and ransomware shield |
| AVG AntiVirus Free | Free tier | Windows, macOS, Android | Real-time malware detection |
| Malwarebytes Free | Free tier | Windows, macOS, Android, iOS | Excellent adware and PUP removal |
| ClamAV | Open Source | Windows, macOS, Linux | Fully open source |
| KeePassXC | Open Source | Windows, macOS, Linux | Fully offline encrypted vault |
| Bitwarden | Free tier | Windows, macOS, Linux, Android, iOS | Unlimited passwords and devices, free |
The alternatives in detail
Avast Free Antivirus Free tier
Avast Free Antivirus provides continuous real-time scanning against viruses, ransomware and malicious websites at no cost. Notable for real-time virus and ransomware shield and malicious and phishing website blocking. Runs on Windows, macOS, Android, iOS.
AVG AntiVirus Free Free tier
AVG AntiVirus Free blocks viruses, spyware and other malware in real time, and scans links, downloads and email attachments before they can execute. Notable for real-time malware detection and email attachment and download scanning. Runs on Windows, macOS, Android.
Malwarebytes Free Free tier
Malwarebytes Free is an on-demand scanner that specialises in removing adware, browser hijackers, potentially unwanted programs and infections that traditional antivirus products routinely miss. Notable for excellent adware and pup removal and runs alongside your existing antivirus. Runs on Windows, macOS, Android, iOS.
ClamAV Open Source
ClamAV is an open-source antivirus engine widely deployed for scanning mail gateways, file servers and uploads. Notable for fully open source and designed for mail and file server scanning. Runs on Windows, macOS, Linux.
KeePassXC Open Source
KeePassXC stores your passwords in a strongly encrypted database file that stays on your own machine, with no account, subscription or cloud service involved. Notable for fully offline encrypted vault and no account or subscription required. Runs on Windows, macOS, Linux.
Bitwarden Free tier
Bitwarden is an open-source password manager with an unusually generous free tier that includes unlimited passwords synced across unlimited devices. Notable for unlimited passwords and devices, free and open-source client and server. Runs on Windows, macOS, Linux, Android, iOS.
How to choose
2 are fully open source (ClamAV, KeePassXC) — pick one of these if you value auditable code you can self-host. For the widest platform coverage, Avast Free Antivirus, AVG AntiVirus Free, Malwarebytes Free run on three or more operating systems. On Linux, ClamAV, KeePassXC, Bitwarden have native builds.
All 6 are free to download from the publisher's own website, so installing two or three and testing them on your own files is the fastest way to decide — it costs nothing but a few minutes.