Avast vs ESET
We give Avast a 3.0 GPA and ESET a 2.6, out of 4.0. Avast grades higher on the free plan. They get the same grade on value for money, features, ease of use and platforms.
Price, platforms and features side by side. The table says where each price was read and when.
Avast
Free antivirus for PC, Mac and phones, with paid Premium and Ultimate
ESET
Antivirus and home security plans priced by device count
How we grade them
| 3.0GPAAvastVery good | 2.6GPAESETGood | |
|---|---|---|
| Value for money | CNo prices on record: avast.com turned our reader away, so there's no two-year figure for a household, and C is the grade for no stated price. Note that Premium Security leaves out the VPN and Cleanup Premium, which cost extra unless you buy Ultimate. | CHOME Security Essential is $69.99 a year for 5 devices, with no first-year deal on record, so two years cost $139.98, about $5.83 a month. That's above the dearer quarter of antivirus but short of the dearest tenth. A 2-year term takes 15% off. |
| Free plan and trial | AAvast Free Antivirus gives real-time file, behavior and web shields, ransomware protection, a firewall and network scans, and there are free apps for Mac, Android and iPhone too. Most people won't hit a wall. | CNo free version, but a 30-day free trial with no credit card. When it ends, you pay or you're unprotected. |
| Features | BReal-time shields, ransomware protection and a firewall even when free, then Bank Mode, Email Guard, Deepfake Guard, a sandbox and webcam blocking on Premium. Nothing in the listing shows a gap in the core protection. | BReal-time protection, a secured browser for banking, a firewall, and checks on your router and smart devices. Premium adds a VPN and file and USB encryption, and Ultimate US identity protection. Only the VPN is stingy: 3 devices on Premium. |
| Ease of use | BNo store rating on record. You install it and the shields start working, and everything sits in the one Avast One app. | BNo store rating on record. It's software you install and leave running, with nothing to set up first. |
| Platforms and integrations | BWindows, Mac, Android, iPhone and a browser extension, with Multi-Device covering up to 10. No web app or API on record, so it stops at B. | BWindows, Mac and Android, and the VPN runs on a home router too. There's no iPhone app on record and no API, so B is the ceiling. |
| Best for | real-time antivirus without paying | plain antivirus priced by the number of devices |
The GPA is the average of the five grades: an A is 4 points, an F is none. The full reasons are on each tool's page: Avast and ESET. How we grade
Where they differ
- Avast has a free plan. ESET does not, though it has a free trial.
- Only Avast lists an iOS app.
- Only Avast lists a browser extension.
At a glance
| Avast | ESET | |
|---|---|---|
| Pricing | Free plan | Free trial |
| Starts at | Not published | $12.99 per year for 1 device (Mobile Security for Android) |
| Free plan | Avast Free Antivirus: real-time file, behavior and web shields, ransomware protection, network scans, a firewall and Smart Scan. Free apps exist for Mac, Android and iOS. | None |
| Free trial | None listed | 30-day free trial, no credit card required |
| macOS | ||
| Windows | ||
| iOS | ||
| Android | ||
| Browser extension | ||
| Made by | Gen Digital Inc. | ESET |
| Price read from | Not confirmed | eset.com |
| Checked | Oct 17, 2026 | Oct 17, 2026 |
Who each one suits
Avast
- Windows users who want real-time antivirus without paying
- Households protecting up to 10 devices on mixed platforms
- People who want antivirus, VPN and PC cleanup from one vendor
ESET
- Buyers who want a light antivirus for one Windows PC or Mac
- Households covering up to 10 devices on a single plan
- Paying once for 2 or 3 years at a lower yearly rate
Worth knowing
Avast
- Avast's website refused automated reads on 2026-10-17, so its plan prices are not listed here; check avast.com before buying.
- Premium Security does not include the VPN or Cleanup Premium; each needs its own subscription unless you buy Avast Ultimate.
- Premium Security is sold for one device or as Multi-Device for up to 10 across Windows, Mac, Android and iOS.
- Paid subscriptions renew automatically, and some trials ask for a payment method before they start.
ESET
- There is no free antivirus plan; the 30-day trial is the only way to try it without paying.
- The VPN starts at the Premium tier and covers only 3 devices there; Ultimate raises that to 10.
- Ultimate is sold for 5 or 10 devices only, and its identity protection is run by a US-based team.
- Small offices get a separate plan, Small Business Security, at $179.99 a year for 5 devices.
Key features
Avast
- Core Shields
- File, Behavior and Web shields scan files, watch running programs and block harmful sites in real time, on the free version as well as the paid one.
- Ransomware Shield and firewall
- The free antivirus includes a Ransomware Shield, a firewall, Network Inspector for home network checks, and Hack Alerts when your logins leak online.
- Bank Mode and Real Site
- Premium Security opens banking and payment sites in an isolated virtual desktop and guards against DNS hijacking that swaps a real site for a fake one.
- Email Guard and Deepfake Guard
- Premium Security scans web-based email for phishing and uses AI to flag synthetic voices and videos used in scams.
- Sandbox and webcam protection
- Premium Security can run suspicious programs in a sandbox, blocks apps from using the webcam, and shreds files beyond recovery.
- Avast Ultimate bundle
- Ultimate unlocks Premium Security together with Avast VPN, Cleanup Premium and AntiTrack. Bought alone, the VPN and Cleanup need their own subscriptions.
ESET
- Real-time malware protection
- Blocks viruses, ransomware, spyware and phishing as they arrive, with AI-based detection aimed at new threats.
- Safe banking and browsing
- A secured browser mode for banking and shopping that helps keep payment details away from phishing pages and snooping software.
- Firewall and network checks
- A firewall and network shield, plus tests of your home router and smart devices for weak points.
- ESET VPN
- Premium and Ultimate include a no-logs VPN with unlimited traffic, split tunneling on desktop and Android, and a version that runs on a home router.
- File encryption
- Premium and Ultimate encrypt sensitive files and USB drives and let only trusted apps change protected folders.
- Identity protection
- Ultimate adds dark web scanning, 1-bureau credit monitoring, SSN tracking and identity recovery with $1M insurance from a US team.
Plans
Avast
Pricing could not be confirmed. See avast.com.
ESET
Mobile Security for Android$12.99
per year for 1 device
Protection for Android phones and tablets, with safe banking, network checks and anti-theft. $22.99 for 3 devices, $32.99 for 5.
NOD32 Antivirus$39.99
per year for 1 device
Real-time antivirus for Windows and macOS only. $49.99 for 3 devices, $59.99 for 5.
HOME Security Essential$49.99
per year for 1 device
Antivirus, safe banking and browsing, firewall and Wi-Fi protection across devices. $69.99 for 5 devices, $94.99 for 10.
HOME Security Premium$79.99
per year for 1 device
Adds ESET VPN with unlimited traffic on up to 3 devices, file and USB encryption and folder protection. $99.99 for 5 devices, $124.99 for 10.
HOME Security Ultimate$179.99
per year for up to 5 devices
Adds VPN for 10 devices and routers, ransomware remediation and US identity protection with $1M insurance. $204.99 for 10 devices.
Ways to pay less
Avast
No public discounts listed.
ESET
- Other savings
Save 15% on 2 years and 20% on 3 years
HOME Security Essential and Premium cost less per year on longer terms: Essential for 1 device is $84.98 for 2 years or $119.98 for 3, instead of $49.99 a year.
