# Bitdefender Central vs Malwarebytes

The clearest difference is in-app purchases: Bitdefender Central at none against Malwarebytes's 6. Bitdefender Central also leads on rating (4.8 vs 4.5) and review sentiment (59% vs 48%). Malwarebytes's advantage is ratings volume (110K vs 11K) and chart position (#39 vs unranked). On price, update cadence, ads and device support there is nothing between them.

Both are free to download. Malwarebytes sells 6 in-app purchases, starting at $2.49 per month. Bitdefender Central asks for nothing beyond the download.

Bitdefender Central holds the better App Store score, 4.8 against 4.5. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: Malwarebytes has 110K ratings behind it against 11K, so its average is the more settled of the two. Written reviews point the same way: 59% of Bitdefender Central's written reviews are positive against 48% of Malwarebytes's.

Both ship on a similar rhythm, roughly every 3 weeks. The most recent releases landed on September 30, 2026 and October 1, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | Bitdefender Central | Malwarebytes |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | **[4.8 (11K ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/bitdefender-central/id969933082/reviews)** | [4.5 (110K ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/malwarebytes-mobile-security/id1327105431/reviews) |
| Number of ratings | 11K | **110K** |
| Positive reviews | **58.8% of reviews** | 47.7% of reviews |
| In-app purchases | **No** | Yes |
| Ads | No | No |
| Update frequency | Every 3 weeks | Every 3 weeks |
| Monetization | **Free** | Free with in-app purchases |
| Best chart rank | — | **#39** |
| Size | 191 MB | 128 MB |
| Requires iOS | **12.0** | 18.0 |
| Devices | **iPhone, iPad, iPod** | iPhone, iPad |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | [Bitdefender SRL](https://appshunter.io/developer/384899757) | [Malwarebytes](https://appshunter.io/developer/610302098) |

## What reviewers say

### Bitdefender Central

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/bitdefender-central/id969933082)

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:** Vision Pro support

**In-app purchases:** none

**What reviewers like**

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

**What reviewers complain about**

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

**Reported bugs**

- 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**

- 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


### Malwarebytes

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/malwarebytes-mobile-security/id1327105431)

**Currently charting:** #39 Top Grossing · Utilities (US App Store)

This app offers comprehensive mobile security and privacy protection for Apple devices. It includes features like ad blocking, scam text filtering, and identity protection. A free trial is available, with ongoing free protection and optional premium subscription features.

**Highlights:** Ad Blocking for Safari, Text Message Filtering, Digital Footprint Scanner, Identity Protection, Secure VPN, Web Protection, Call Protection

**Features:** Safari Extension, Vision Pro support

**In-app purchases (6)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Standard | $2.49 | per month |
| Standard | $19.99 | per year |
| Plus | $44.99 | per year |
| Standard (3 devices) | $59.99 | per year |
| Plus (3 devices) | $79.99 | per year |
| Advanced | $139.99 | per year |

**What reviewers like**

- 🚀 Keeps devices updated and protected
- 🔒 Provides security and peace of mind
- 👍 Easy to use and set up
- 🚀 Excellent protection and performance

**What reviewers complain about**

- 🐛 Activation and subscription issues
- 🐛 Inconsistent or non-functional features
- 🐛 Fails to block spam calls and texts
- 🔋 Drains battery life
- 💰 Expensive subscription

**Reported bugs**

- Activation and subscription problems
- Incompatibility with newer iOS versions
- Inability to scan or detect malware on devices

**Requested features**

- Add bulk reporting of scam numbers
- Improve text message filtering
- Implement automatic updates
- Provide more comprehensive dashboard and scanning capabilities


## Frequently asked questions

### Is Bitdefender Central free?

Bitdefender Central is free to download, with no in-app purchases.

### Is Malwarebytes free?

Malwarebytes is free to download, with in-app purchases available.

### Which has better reviews, Bitdefender Central or Malwarebytes?

Bitdefender Central is rated higher. Bitdefender Central averages 4.8 out of 5 from 11K ratings, while Malwarebytes averages 4.5 from 110K ratings.

### Do Bitdefender Central or Malwarebytes have ads?

Neither Bitdefender Central nor Malwarebytes shows ads.

### Which is updated more often, Bitdefender Central or Malwarebytes?

Bitdefender Central ships an update every 3 weeks, and Malwarebytes every 3 weeks. Most recently, Bitdefender Central was updated on September 30, 2026 and Malwarebytes on October 1, 2026.

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*Compared by [AppsHunter](https://appshunter.io/) from daily US App Store data. Review summaries are generated from verbatim App Store reviews.*