Bitdefender is an excellent free alternative compared to other full packages available out there for users, but Bitdefender seems to go that extra mile by providing real-time protection and HTTP-based virus prevention. Many of the freeware versions of antivirus products lack these two features and Bitdefender Free doesn’t let down.

This antivirus solution is able to effectively protect users against common viruses, worms, spyware, rootkits and online phishing scams. The real-time protection feature of this antivirus program is quite good and is able to immediately protect you against imminent threats.

Bitdefender Free is a step up from previous versions as it has improved its footprint on system resources. When we tested it, it used little RAM and CPU.

When you initially install it, this free antivirus product will be optimal for most users, meaning there is little messing around involved with settings. On that note, the freeware version doesn’t include as many settings as higher-tier products.

If you’re looking for a safe and effective freeware antivirus program, the newest version of Bitdefender Free exceeds expectations.

Features and highlights
Real-time Shield: Protects access to the entire system
Active Virus Control: Detects new potential threats for which default protection has not yet been released
Intrusion Detection System: Stopping viruses if the risk score becomes high
B-Have: Detects unknown threats
HTTP Scanning: Scans all the links you are accessing from your browser
Anti-rootkit: Scan and block rootkits, a stealthy type of software
Early Boot Scanning: System is scanned at boot time as soon as all critical services are loaded
Auto Scan: Saves time and effort spent on scanning, by avoiding redundant actions and focusing efforts only on risky areas