Windows Defender Vs Kaspersky [Which is Best Antivirus 2024]

Desktop, laptop, and smartphone users have increased immensely. Thus, the hacking possibility of these devices has increased too. Thus, users look for malware and internet security through antivirus software. When it comes to internet security and malware protection, Windows Defender and Kaspersky are two top products.

That’s why we have ardently decided to bring this important and useful argument here. “Which antivirus program is more reliable, useful, and better Windows Defender vs Kaspersky?”

Windows Defender Vs Kaspersky Review & Difference:

Arguably, Kaspersky has advantages over Windows Defender. It comes with different protection and security levels. It has five different products for user-end devices. Nonetheless, Windows Defender is no mug when it comes to securing your desktop and laptop. It offers protection from internet manipulation, phishing sites, malware, and viruses. Also, with the Windows operating system (OS), you get the Windows Defender for free. Thus, it also has great applications.

Therefore, it is important to discuss the features and performance of the two programs. We will also consider their impact, security, and user interface of them. After that, we will compare pricing between Windows Defender and Kaspersky. It will help both beginners and professionals make better decisions and quicker too.

Windows Defender Vs Kaspersky: Which Is Better?

Many people will ask, “Is Windows Defender enough? Is Kaspersky safe?” These are common questions that most desktop and laptop users ask while looking for their device security software.

Of course, there are no easy, straightforward, and shortcut answers to these questions. But a point-to-point comparison between the two security software will help you know about their usefulness. So, let’s jump into the main discussion without any delay.

Kaspersky Vs Windows Defender: The Top Features –

Previously antivirus programs would offer protection from malware only. But, it has come a lot to meet the users’ ever-increasing demands. These days, antivirus security programs offer malware protection, password management, parental control, etc., features. It will maximize user benefits. Thus, it is crucial to look at these two software features for your device.

Top features of Windows Defender:

Windows Defender comes built-in with the Windows operating system. When you install Windows 11, 10, 7, Vista, or XP, you will automatically get the Defender program with it. So, there’s no need to additionally and separately download and install it. What’s more, you won’t have to pay for Windows Defender.

You can run it to improve the security of your device. When you install another internet and antivirus software, you can disable Windows Defender.

The key features of the built-in antivirus program include:

• Anti-malware protection
• Timely and frequent software updates
• Advanced firewall system
• Parental control
• App and Browser Control

The anti-malware protection works fine in most cases. It scores 5.5 out of 6 in the popular AV test. We will elaborate on it in the malware protection section further. But, it works fine against most malware and antiviruses. However, it won’t protect you during online browsing like the Kaspersky Internet Security.

Another key feature of Windows Defender is its Firewall system. You need to thoroughly and deeply understand the difference between antivirus and firewall. It will help you know the advantages of the Windows firewall. A firewall will protect your device’s hardware and software simultaneously. On the contrary, an antivirus program will offer only software protection. So, it is partial security.

Moreover, Windows Defender has excellent parental control. You can block unwanted sites and regulate your kids’ internet browsing. Lastly, its App and Browser Control segment will help you in isolated browsing. It will be helpful for protection based on the reputation of the software you use on your device.

Nonetheless, Windows Defender is only for Windows and doesn’t apply to smartphones. So, it is a big setback.

Top features of Kaspersky:

Kaspersky comes with five different products for individual and commercial applications. Thus, we need to compare Kaspersky products to find their key features.

At the beginning is the Kaspersky Free. It protects your device from well-known malware and viruses. Although it protects your device from malware threats, it won’t protect against internet attacks. Also, it lacks advanced features. So, it fails to safeguard your data, information, and privacy. It is a basic security program for free users.

Next in the line is the Kaspersky Anti-Virus program. It is a paid program and supports up to 5 devices with one subscription each year. It protects your device from malware and virus threats. Additionally, you will get advanced protection for crypto locker and ransomware threats. It offers better privacy for users than the free version.

There’s the only drawback of the Kaspersky Anti-Virus security program. You can use it only with the Windows operating system. Thus, you can’t use it with Linux or Mac OS. Similarly, you can use it with your Android or iOS.

The third product is Kaspersky Internet Security. It includes all the features of the above two security suites and has a few advanced protections. Firstly, it has two-way firewall safety. So, it protects the hardware and software of your devices. Plus, you will get protection from online trackers, privacy security, and payment security.

The program uses bank-grade encryption. So, it protects your transfers through debit and credit cards. On top of it, it safeguards your webcam from unauthorized tracking and invigilation. So, it blocks unauthorized access to your device.

It has a limited VPN service with up to 200MB of data. So, you can also use its safe and isolated browsing option. Lastly, you can use the Kaspersky Internet Security program on your smartphone, Windows, and Mac. It liberates you from any limitations.

Kaspersky total security features:

The fourth product is Kaspersky Total Security. It offers the topmost security options. In addition to the previous functions, it also offers a password manager. It also has a file encryption function and file shredder. Its password manager takes care of the security of your different passwords. The file encryption function lets you secure your data with ease. Next, the file shredder will allow you to retrieve different files on the devices. So, it stops others from accessing them.

Furthermore, it has one of the industry-leading parental control systems. So, you can ensure kids’ safe browsing without any internet violation of privacy. Thus, there’s no doubt why it is Kaspersky’s most popular and sold security program.

Finally, Kaspersky Security Cloud uses the company’s patented adaptive technology. Firstly, it will inspect your internet browsing and device using patterns. Then, it will suggest different functions. It is much like the adaptive battery of smartphones. However, its usefulness is yet to be proven.

Winner: Kaspersky has five different products and different security programs for various users. So, it is the winner in this category. Although Windows Defender has great security, it falls apart in this regard.

Malware Protection Performance:

Ask yourself, “What do you truly and expect from a good and reliable antivirus program? Or, what do you want from the internet security product?” You will most likely expect brilliant antivirus and malware protection from the device. Also, you would like to secure your internet browsing with the program.

That brings us to the importance of malware protection for these two programs. We have taken information from the two most important and reliable antivirus testing systems. These testing programs are:

• AV-Test Institute
• AV-Comparatives

AV-Test has developed three categories to examine the popular internet and malware security programs. Also, it includes Usability, Protection, and Performance. The scoring is between 0 to 6. Both Kaspersky & Windows Defender came out with flying colors in the recent AV-Test. Both programs scored the perfect 6 in terms of protection and performance.

Next, we also checked the results in AV-Comparatives. It has two different investigation categories. It includes:

• Real-World Protection Test
• Malware Protection Test

Both Kaspersky and Windows Defender performed pretty well in the Real-World Protection Test. Also, they received the highest award of Advance+ in the November 2020 test. Up to this point, both security programs offered excellent security performance.

The table turns upside down in the Malware Protection Test. Windows Defender performed poorly and received only the Standard Security Award. On the contrary, Kaspersky received the Advance+ award that showcasing its advanced performance.

Winner: In two tests, Kaspersky and Windows Defender performed brilliantly. Thus, in these two tests, the result was a tie. Nonetheless, Kaspersky performed far better than Windows Defender in the Malware Protection Test. So, for maximum security and functions, Kaspersky is recommendable.

Impact on Device Performance:

Next up, you need to look at these two security programs’ impact on your device. Ideally, none of the programs should slow down your device’s performance as they run in the background. But that doesn’t happen. Both software will slow down your computer a bit.

But which has less impact on your device performance Windows Defender vs Kaspersky? For this, we again evaluated the results in the AV-Test and AV-Comparatives.

As the AV-Comparatives result shows, Kaspersky has the least impact on your device performance. It, as usual, got the Advanced+ award on the test. However, Windows Defender again was limited to the Standard award.

It is a disappointing performance from the Windows Defender. Yes, it comes built-in with the Windows operating system. Nonetheless, it greatly slowed down the PC performance.

Next in the AV-Test, both security programs scored the perfect 6. So, according to AV-Test results, none of these programs will slow your device. But that’s not true.

We talked with many Kaspersky and Windows Defender users on the matter. Almost everyone said that it had slowed down their device by at least 10%. It is less than the standard and isn’t a big issue to be concerned about for you.

Winner: When it comes to PC performance and impact, Kaspersky stays ahead of Windows Defender. It was surprising to see that Windows Defender didn’t perform well in this category. Also, as it keeps updating frequently, it takes up a good chunk of your device storage.

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User-Interface and Friendliness:

If an internet and virus protection program is too complicated to use, you will have difficulty using it. Also, it will discourage you from using the program. Thus, the user interface of the program should be easy and friendly.

First, let’s look at the user interface of Kaspersky. It comes with a clean interface. Also, it is light. You will quickly find all the important features right on the dashboard. So, you can access options such as parental control or scanning.

Plus, you can know about your computer safety and threats by looking at the big banner. It is located at the right top corner. So, its user interface is indeed really friendly. You don’t need to be tech-savvy to use the Kaspersky dashboard.

Windows Defender lags far in this regard. It will take time to get used to the system. Even when you turn on Windows Defender Windows 10 for the first time, the dashboard may seem alien. Whenever you need to access its settings, you need a few clicks on the mouse. So, it isn’t quick.

Nonetheless, you will appreciate the simple interface when you get used to its dashboard. You can easily access all the functions on the left side of your screen. Also, it arranges every function in the group for quicker access.

One of the drawbacks of Windows Defender is that it doesn’t have any scheduled scanning options. So, you need to perform the scanning manually every time.

Winner: Both Windows Defender and Kaspersky offer an excellent user interface. You will love the simple and user-friendly dashboard arrangement. So, it is a tie.

Pricing:

The pricing is a very vague point to discuss for Kaspersky and Windows Defender. It is because the latter comes for free. Yes, it comes built-in with your Windows operating system. Also, there’s no option for a paid upgrade.

Nonetheless, Kaspersky also has a free version. It offers good security from viruses and malware. It has four different suites that come with a paid subscription.

Also, Kaspersky has two different products for professional office use. Firstly, there’s the Kaspersky Small Office Security. It comes at $149.99 each year. Finally, there’s the Kaspersky End Point Security Cloud. You can get it for $300.00 each year.

However, we extensively and carefully compare Kaspersky Internet Security vs Total Security according to their pricing. The pricing comparison found that Total Security is a good deal.

Winner: We won’t declare any winner in this segment since Windows Defender is a built-in program. Also, it comes 100% free. Nonetheless, when we compared it with the Kaspersky free, it performed slightly better.

Pros & Cons of Windows Defender:

We have compared the five important factors of Kaspersky and Windows Defender. It should make your decision-making process easier and better. We will aid you with the process even better with the advantages and flaws of the security program.

Pros of Windows Defender:

• It is a free solution to viruses and malware
• The built-in program offers nice support
• The interface is clean, engaging, and simple
• It offers protection against rootkit viruses
• It can protect devices from most malware
• The could backup is quite reliable and fast
• Frequent updates offer better protection

Cons of Windows Defender:

• It doesn’t link with an internet extension
• You can’t optimize its performance
• There’s no gaming mode
• It doesn’t include any VPN tools
• Won’t protect your banking data

Pros & Cons of Kaspersky:

Kaspersky is undoubtedly one of the best antivirus and internet security programs out there. When you look at its key benefits and setbacks, you will be overwhelmed.

Pros of Kaspersky:

• You can use its different products for different devices
• You can also use it for different platforms
• Password manager for excellent usability
• Strong VPN service for private browsing facility
• Powerful security and encryption for safe banking
• The gaming performance is reliable
• Available in different plans for different users

Cons of Kaspersky:

• Its free version isn’t pretty high-performing
• The paid versions are pricier than other security programs
• Fails to protect against identity theft of your device
• There’s no option to watch dark web activity

Windows Defender Vs Kaspersky: The Comparison Table –

FAQs:

Question: What is the difference between Kaspersky antivirus and internet security?

Answer: Many people want to know Kaspersky antivirus or internet security which is better. Our research and user experience show Kaspersky Internet Security will protect your device from both internet threats and malware.

However, its Antivirus program works only on Windows devices. It also lacks parental control and applies to the Windows operating system only.

Question: Can Kaspersky be trusted?

Answer: Yes, you can trust Kaspersky’s performance for malware and internet security. It scored a perfect 100 on most tests. Also, it can detect the latest ransomware and malware. You will also love its parental controls and encryption for safe banking.

Question: Is Windows Defender a firewall?

Answer: Yes, Windows Defender is a built-in and host-based firewall. You won’t need any extra hardware and software to run the firewall system. Still, it will increase the protection of your device.

Question: Is Windows Defender as good as Kaspersky?

Answer: No, Windows Defender surely falls behind Kaspersky. The latter one is a fully functional antivirus and internet security suite. On the contrary, Microsoft Windows Defender will come as a built-in program. It only offers only legal protection for your device.

Question: Can Kaspersky and Windows Defender work together?

Answer: This has a tricky answer. First of all, you don’t need to uninstall Windows Defender to run the Kaspersky Internet suite. So, yes, you can run both security programs on your device. However, when you install the Kaspersky product, it will disable the Windows Defender.

Then, it takes charge of your device for proper and complete security packages. So, both programs will fail to run simultaneously.

You may also like: Bitdefender VS Malwarebytes: Which Should You Choose?

Conclusion:

Hopefully, you enjoyed this comparison of both securities. The Microsoft Windows Defender vs Kaspersky suite discussion suggests that Kaspersky is a clear winner. That’s why you should install Kaspersky to boost the performance and protection of your device from hackers, internet thieves, and malware.

Installing Kaspersky won’t slow down your device either. So we suggest you install your favorite Kaspersky product according to your budget. You won’t feel disappointed or deceived. Finally, you will love its gaming mode too.