Comparison

Bitdefender Central vs Firewalla

Price, ratings, monetisation and update history for both apps, side by side — with what reviewers say about each.

Head to head
About

Bitdefender Central

Manage and control the cybersecurity of all your Bitdefender-protected devices, both locally and across your network. This app allows remote scanning, threat detection notifications, and comprehensive management of your smart home hub for enhanced online safety.

Highlights
  • Install protection on all devices
  • Remote device scanning and optimization
  • Real-time threat notifications
  • Smart home network security management
  • Parental controls and screen time management
  • Locate and lock lost/stolen devices
Features
Read full description

Bitdefender Central places your local and network cybersecurity at your fingertips. Use it to control security for all your Bitdefender-protected devices, and to set up and manage Bitdefender BOX, the revolutionary smart home hub that secures your entire Wi-Fi network. LOCAL PROTECTION With Bitdefender Central you can: - Install Bitdefender protection on all your devices - Manage security and protect your kids online - Scan, clean and optimize any device remotely - Get instant notification whenever Bitdefender detects a threat - Quickly access your activity dashboard - Receive security updates for your devices 24/7 NETWORK PROTECTION Bitdefender Central works with BOX to secure and manage your smart home: - Get ironclad protection for all your internet-connected devices, at home and on the go - Manage all devices in your home network from a single mobile app - Protect your kids online and manage screen time with parental controls - Set up your Bitdefender BOX - Discover your devices and group them under your Bitdefender BOX network - Check protection status and connectivity status for all your connected devices - Filter your devices by status or by user - Create profiles for your family members and allocate devices to them - Get real-time notifications for threats blocked by BOX: anomaly detection, unencrypted - - Banking information sent, botnet attacks - Change your Wi-Fi name and password - Pause the internet connection on your devices PARENTAL FEATURES - Filter out inappropriate content and manage your child's internet time - Choose from 3 preset and customizable filtering modes to effectively manage your child’s online activities - Unified reporting and management across all devices PRIVACY - Locate your lost or stolen devices - Send text or sound alerts to your devices - Lock your lost or stolen devices to prevent unauthorized access Privacy Policy: https://www.bitdefender.com/site/view/legal-privacy-policy-for-home-users-solutions.html

About

Firewalla

Secure your home or small business network and IoT devices from cyber threats. Detect vulnerable devices, scan for infections, and block suspicious activity. Manage your network security with this powerful tool.

Highlights
  • Network security
  • IoT device management
  • Vulnerability detection
  • Mirai virus scanning
  • Port scanning
  • Network control
Features
Read full description

Firewalla is a vital security addition to every home and small business with network and IoT devices. Imagine yourself settling in for a nice, quiet evening. You go to check on the sleeping baby and out of the corner of your eye you catch the baby camera turn towards you...somebody else is watching. Hackers are like a burglar constantly checking all your doors and windows looking for a way to sneak in. Firewalla can help you to secure and manage your personal network, discover vulnerable IoT devices. Firewalla has the ability to discover devices that are open and can be infected (or already) by the Mirai virus. Security Scanning 1. Inside scan, find all the devices that may be infected with Mirai virus or can be infected with it. 2. Outside scan, search for ports that are open from the Internet side. This app will also control the Firewalla Box.

Screenshots

Bitdefender Central4 screens
Firewalla4 screens

Verdict

The call

The clearest difference is review sentiment: Firewalla at 81% against Bitdefender Central's 59%. Bitdefender Central's advantage is rating (4.8 vs 4.5) and ratings volume (11K vs 736). On price, update cadence, ads and in-app purchases there is nothing between them.

Scored on Price · Rating · Positive reviews · Number of ratings · Update frequency · Ads · In-app purchases · Monetization · Best chart rank · Devices · Requires iOS

CostPrice · In-app purchases · Ads · Monetization

Both are free to download. Neither carries in-app purchases, so what you see is what you pay.

ReceptionRating · Positive reviews · Number of ratings

Bitdefender Central holds the better App Store score, 4.8 against 4.5. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: Bitdefender Central has 11K ratings behind it against 736, so its average is the more settled of the two. Written reviews complicate that: 59% of Bitdefender Central's written reviews are positive against 81% of Firewalla's, so the app with the better star average is not the one people write more warmly about.

UpkeepUpdate frequency

Bitdefender Central ships an update every 3 weeks, Firewalla every 6 weeks. Both last shipped on September 30, 2026.

Scorecard4 real differences · 6 level
Bitdefender Central versus Firewalla: the parameters behind the verdict, then further details
ParameterBitdefender CentralFirewalla
PriceFreeFree
Rating4.8 (11K ratings) — better4.5 (736 ratings)
Positive reviews58.8% of reviews80.6% of reviews — better
Number of ratings11K — better736
Update frequencyEvery 3 weeks — betterEvery 6 weeks
AdsNoNo
In-app purchasesNoNo
MonetizationFreeFree
DevicesiPhone, iPad, iPodiPhone, iPad, iPod
Requires iOS12.0 — better14.0
Further details — not scored
Size191 MB110 MB
Age rating4+4+
DeveloperBitdefender SRLRottiesoft LLC

Customer experience

Bitdefender Central

All ratings10,915 ratings
Positive96.8%
Neutral2.2%
Negative1.0%
Written reviews539 reviews
Positive58.8%
Neutral9.6%
Negative31.5%

Firewalla

All ratings736 ratings
Positive86.0%
Neutral2.9%
Negative11.1%
Written reviews211 reviews
Positive80.6%
Neutral5.2%
Negative14.2%

User reviews

Bitdefender Central

From 11K App Store ratings

What we love

  • 🚀 Effective protection
  • 🔒 Reliable security
  • 👍 User-friendly
  • 🚀 Thorough scanning
  • 🚀 Easy to use

Room to improve

  • 🐛 Crashes and freezes
  • 🔋 Battery drain issues
  • 🔍 Confusing interface
  • 💰 Expensive subscription
  • 🤖 Buggy software

Firewalla

From 736 App Store ratings

What we love

  • 🚀 Powerful features
  • 🔒 Robust security
  • 👍 Easy to use
  • 🚀 Excellent performance
  • 👍 Intuitive app

Room to improve

  • 🐛 Occasional bugs and glitches
  • 🔍 Limited iPad support
  • 🔍 Lack of landscape mode
  • ⏱️ Slow response times
  • 🔍 Confusing setup process

Bugs and requests

Bitdefender Central

Reported bugs

5 issues
  • Frequent app crashes on iOS 11+
  • Web protection randomly disabling itself
  • Inability to delete email addresses from account
  • Inconsistent behavior across different devices
  • Lack of support for older devices

Requested features

5 requests
  • Improve mobile app responsiveness
  • Add more customization options
  • Enhance parental control features
  • Provide better visibility into device protection status
  • Improve compatibility with other VPN services

Firewalla

Reported bugs

4 issues
  • App crashes after updates
  • Connectivity issues with certain routers
  • Inconsistent device detection
  • Firmware update problems

Requested features

5 requests
  • Landscape mode support for iPad
  • Web-based management interface
  • Improved setup process
  • Faster response times
  • More detailed network monitoring

In-app purchases

None

Bitdefender Central

No in-app purchases

None

Firewalla

No in-app purchases

Questions

Is Bitdefender Central free?
Bitdefender Central is free to download, with no in-app purchases.
Is Firewalla free?
Firewalla is free to download, with no in-app purchases.
Which has better reviews, Bitdefender Central or Firewalla?
Bitdefender Central is rated higher. Bitdefender Central averages 4.8 out of 5 from 11K ratings, while Firewalla averages 4.5 from 736 ratings.
Do Bitdefender Central or Firewalla have ads?
Neither Bitdefender Central nor Firewalla shows ads.
Which is updated more often, Bitdefender Central or Firewalla?
Bitdefender Central ships an update every 3 weeks, and Firewalla every 6 weeks. Most recently, Bitdefender Central was updated on September 30, 2026 and Firewalla on September 30, 2026.

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