Bitdefender vs Norton - distinction without a difference?

The yesterday question about password manager led me to today's question about system security...

I'm looking for system security that works, without requiring babysitting, a multitude of different packages (I looked at what some of y'all are running and it seems extreme), simple to setup and use, etc...

I've had Bitdefender Antivirus for the last year. It seems to work, and not be a big bother. Not glamorous or anything but adequate. I keep hearing Norton 360 is "awesome", so when it came due, I switched. Several "interesting" things have happened on the computers since the switch, all involving more time and babysitting than I liked. I'm considering going back to Bitdefender to the Total Security, but, here's where you folks who are much more literate than I come in...

Of THOSE TWO, Noron 360 Deluxe vs Bitdefender Total Security - are there substantive differences between them that are significant pointers to one or the other? Norton has a VPN. They don't SAY whether there are limits on it or not. Bitdefender has a VPN but it MAY have a 200MB/day limit - other places it says "unlimited". I THINK both have some cloud storage - that varies where you look too. Even on their own websites.
I PRESUME both will work to stop malware and such. Norton has a bunch of stuff you put on your browsers. the Bitdefender we were using (antivirus) didn't seem to have a bunch of stuff in the way of how you browse but did periodically yell about some website.
SO, is there ONE or more SIGNIFICANT difference between the two that makes one CLEARLY superior? And unless it's Bitdefender, it's definitely not going to be phone support - I got to experience Norton's this morning... Painful.

Thanks for the reply...

But, is there some SPECIFIC reason you selected BD and have stayed with it? Better protection? Improved performance? Superior support - though just getting someone on-shore that isn't tied to a script would be a huge improvement over what I got at Norton...

Been there, done that. Haven't found a magic bullet that makes one pull WAY out front of everything else. Same as the password managers - I played with 4 or 5 different ones.

There are SOME security tools I know I don't like, but among the most well known, I haven't found that "thing"... From the lack of passionate commentary in here I'm starting to think these have become a commodity and you get whichever one will do a decent job for the lowest cost.

Which is NOT a bad thing!

Thanks for the comments.

GracieAllen said:

The yesterday question about password manager led me to today's question about system security...

I'm looking for system security that works, without requiring babysitting, a multitude of different packages (I looked at what some of y'all are running and it seems extreme), simple to setup and use, etc...

Is there some reason why Windows Defender does not meet that criteria?

I'm far from being a cybersecurity expert, but I presume these third-party packages must be doing something faster, better, more completely, and have a multitude of features not available in Windows Defender or why are people running all these different software packages to protect their computers?

Serious question - 'cause If windows Defender and whatever Firewall comes with Windows 10 can do as good a job as Norton or Bitdefender or whatever is out there, I'd be quite happy NOT to give any of these companies money...

So, y'all, "is there some reason Windows Defender doesn't meet the criteria"?

GracieAllen said:

I'm far from being a cybersecurity expert, but I presume these third-party packages must be doing something faster, better, more completely, and have a multitude of features not available in Windows Defender or why are people running all these different software packages to protect their computers?

Serious question - 'cause If windows Defender and whatever Firewall comes with Windows 10 can do as good a job as Norton or Bitdefender or whatever is out there, I'd be quite happy NOT to give any of these companies money...

So, y'all, "is there some reason Windows Defender doesn't meet the criteria"?

I do not see why Windows Defender does not meet the criteria. It's all I have used on ten or so family computers and have never had an issue with any virus or malware since Windows 10 was in beta - oh, I mean insider - development.

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