How do I stop Bitdefender auto renewal?

Hello @greatblu,

Regarding CPU usage, does the device meet the recommended system requirements? Below are the minimum system requirements for which Bitdefender proper functionality is guaranteed:

• Operating System: Windows 7 SP1, Windows 8 or Windows 8.1, Windows 10.
• Processor: we will not check the CPU but will display an info message for older CPU processors: Performance may be affected for devices that use old generation CPUs (have you received such a message, by any chance?).
• Disk space: minimum 2,5 GB free space (on the system drive) available hard disk space; - RAM : 2 GB min.

If the system requirements are met, turn off these Bitdefender modules: Bitdefender Shield and Advanced Threat Defense. Then turn them on to identify which one could be the culprit for the high usage.

If the issue is caused by Advanced Threat Defense or Bitdefender Shield module, please get in touch with the Support Teams, as more information is required to troubleshoot this behavior.

You can reach out to our engineers by using one of the contact channels available at the link below:

Kindly let us know the outcome, so we can help other users that may experience this.

Best regards.

Hi,

There is a completely different reason behind this terminology. The intention was to give up the concept of "a renewal", because by definition, a subscription never ends, unless cancelled by the user. Let's take Netflix or Spotify, for example. Once you sign up, there is no renewal, as there is no expiration date, the subscription is continuous, until cancelled. The definition of a subscription is an agreement you make in advance to receive something for a specific period of time.

Regards

Technically, the actual renewal flow doesn't change much. But the terminology had to be adjusted, especially in the context of multiple subscriptions. This was indeed a big change, as it was not possible for the Central account to accommodate multiple products in the past and this new subscription model leaves the door open for further developments. For example, if we were to ditch the activation codes in the future, the way the subscription is designed now, will help the developers achieve that, if they wish. No more activating codes, expired codes, invalid codes and so on. The protection starts from the moment you have enrolled in the subscription and this would definitely enhance the users' experience. But any transition should be progressive and new terminology must be adopted early on, so it can be easily assimilated.

I can't emphasize this enough: we would never do something that would disadvantage the end customer. Each modification, improvement and service is designed with friendly usage and value in mind. But some actions might be misinterpreted and this usually happens due to a lack of context and clarity regarding what's actually going on.

Cheers

Hi,

It's a subscription, @Jonathan212. Same as your Netflix, HBO or Amazon Prime. The terminology has no marketing connection whatsoever, because it's not recommending you to purchase a new product, but has to do with the renewal cycle of a product you already have. You will receive an informative notification prior to the actual renewal, where the billing date and renewal price will be displayed and you can cancel the recurring billing anytime.

Regards

Hi @Gahunter72 and thank you for joining the discussion.

I was previously referring to the early renewal offers that are sent to existing users prior to the expiration of the term. Other promotions are also available over the course of the year. Should you wish to receive such discounts, please make sure that you have these settings enabled:

In Central:

In Bitdefender:

The automatic renewal feature can be accessed through various methods and the information is transparent and comprehensive.

I'm not sure where else it could be included, as it's already in all the relevant places..

Regards

Hello @Repairman and thank you for joining the conversation.

If the product was not purchased online using the official Bitdefender website, the My Payments tab will not be displayed in Central, because there is no vendor related transaction. 2Checkout (formerly Avangate, now Verifone) is the authorized vendor of the Bitdefender products and services purchased from the official website www.bitdefender.com.

A 2Checkout account is created automatically when you first place an order through our page. It’s a secured platform that centralizes all the shopping activity for the users who have purchased software or services from Bitdefender.

The licenses purchased from our trusted Partners, such as off-the-shelf software packages are not enrolled in automatic renewal and the validity must be manually extended at the due date. Some Partners may provide subscription options, but If you haven't discussed this at the time of purchase and if you bought the phisical antivirus box, your product does not have an automatic renewal feature enabled, as I have now checked as well.

I hope the information is helpful.

Regards

Hello @Somme,

I would advise to send your cancellation request at [email protected], because your subscription is managed by Bitdefender directly and not 2Checkout, based on the information available in your account.

Regards

Hello @Clapton,

It's good to hear from you, although I would have liked it to happen under more positive circumstances.

I think the automatic renewal feature is not something unusual nor unethical, it's a subscription model, after all and I shall elaborate more on this.

This is a billing model in which a customer's subscription to a service (like a software) is automatically renewed at the end of an agreed upon period of time. Granted, what is different in our process when compared to others is that a fixed price is not guaranteed for the subscription renewal. This happens due to several reasons, the main one being that new subscription aquisitions come at a discounted price, one that is valid only for the first year of subscription. So, whenever you purchase a Bitdefender subscription with a discount from the official website, the promotion will not apply 1, 2 or 3 years later, when the product is due to renew.

I emphasize that, even though the customer is enrolled in the automatic renewal at purchase, they can opt out anytime during the subscription period and of course before the actual renewal date.

I'm sure that in this day and age, no matter the continent or country, most people that use streaming or software services are no strangers to this billing model and here I include myself. I have Netfix, HBO Max, Amazon Prime and a bunch of other subscriptions where I pay automatically on a monthly or yearly basis, so I don't have to go through the hassle to renew them manually, as that would be a nightmare, considering they have different expiration dates. And for some I don't even get a notification beforehand, I simply receive a confirmation when the funds have been debited, because I have agreed to this at the time of purchase. Bitdefender on the other hand, does send a notification prior to the renewal.

I think some customers may feel dissatisfied when the renewal date comes, especially because of the price discrepancy between the new aquisition and the renewal. But with Bitdefender, there will always be good deals around, apart from the discounted price online, they send special offers personalized for users as early renewal discounts and users can always take advantage of these. This is being done because the same discounted price cannot be automatically applied when the renewal date comes, so there are other ways to get a better deal, if you are not satisfied with the full renewal price.

And no, funds are not being sneaked out of your account, as mentioned above, the Bitdefender products come with an automatic renewal feature by default, and when you purchase a Bitdefender product from the official website, you agree to permit Bitdefender directly or through its providers to automatically renew your subscription to Bitdefender Solution by charging a valid credit card number which you have provided them. By providing a payment information, you are authorizing to charge your card information, through the authorized provider for the subscription fees associated with the Bitdefender Solution fees that you sign up for, as stated in the terms.

There is nothing shady nor secretive about this business practice and the automatic renewal feature is mentioned on several places on the website, where relevant, so that the customer is made aware of this prior to their purchase.

On the product page:

In the shopping cart:

In the Subscription Agreement and Terms of services for Home User Solutions:

In my opinion, the information is shown in a clear and transparent manner. Where else would you like to see this info displayed and what do you feel is missing?

Regards

Hello @xylanon and thanks for joining us here.

The Bitdefender subscription can be cancelled as soon as the order is settled. The automatic renewal feature is enabled by default for all purchases made online on the official Bitdefender website and a 2Checkout/Verifone account is created because the Bitdefender products and services are not sold directly, but through a payment processor and official vendor - 2Checkout & Digital River, depending on the localization of purchase.

In your case, the Bitdefender Internet Security antivirus was purchased from a reseller / or Bitdefender partner and these licenses are not enrolled in automatic billing. You do have a Bitdefender Premium VPN subscription as well and based on my findings, this was ordered on the German website which means that the vendor is Digital River and not 2Checkout. This subscription is set to renew automatically next month and you can manage your preferences by accessing your Digital River account using the link below:

Please note that the Premium VPN subscription or any Bitdefender subscription for that matter can also be cancelled by sending your request at [email protected].

I hope the information is helpful.

Regards

Hello,

Can you tell us what makes you feel this way about the subscription management?

If you don’t want to be billed, you can cancel your subscription anytime before the expiration date, otherwise the system will bill your card automatically. There are two ways to turn off or on auto-renewal, plus an email address that you can use to send your cancelation request.

Regards