

Nonetheless, Windows Defender’s quick scan found and removed every malware sample I’d hidden in my critical system drives. The quick scan took about 5 minutes to scan my entire system, which is pretty good. However, it’s not as good as Bitdefender’s quick scan, which took less than a minute to scan my device. I tested each scan by downloading an archive containing 1,000s of malware samples and hiding them on my Windows 11 PC.

It’s the best premium antivirus in 2023, and while it doesn’t offer a free plan, it includes a 60-day money-back guarantee. It can do everything Windows Defender can, but it also includes a performance optimizer, password manager, secure browser, and more. If you want a free antivirus with more features than Windows Defender, you should try Avira Free Security instead.

Windows Defender provides all of the fundamental security features to protect you in 2023, but it lacks many worthwhile extras like a VPN and identity theft protection.
