Emsisoft Anti-Malware vs ESET (2026): which should you pick?
As of Nov 12, 2026, ESET grades higher than Emsisoft Anti-Malware: 2.6 against 2.4 out of 4.0.
Checked Oct 17, 2026 and Nov 12, 2026 · graded Oct 17, 2026 and Nov 12, 2026 by ToolGPA
ESET grades higher on platforms. They get the same grade on value for money, the free plan, features and ease of use.
Price, platforms and features side by side. The table says where each price was read and when.
Emsisoft Anti-Malware
Dual-engine malware scanner for home PCs, with a web console
ESET
Antivirus and home security plans priced by device count
Which one is for you
Pick Emsisoft Anti-Malware if
- Fits if you want a Windows antivirus with anti-ransomware and no extras
- Works for a Mac or Windows owner who wants a 30-day look before paying
Look elsewhere if
- Skip it if you want a free edition, as there's only the 30-day trial
- Not for you if you need a VPN or password manager, as the Home plan lists neither
- Too light for phones, since there's no Android or iOS app listed
- Watch out: the pricing page shows regional prices, so the $39.95 US price may differ where you are
Pick ESET if
- Fits if you want antivirus on one PC or Mac without a pile of extras
- Works for buyers who'd rather pay for 2 years at once, which takes 15% off
Look elsewhere if
- Not for you if your household runs on iPhones, as there's no iPhone app on record
- Skip it if a VPN matters, as it starts at Premium, $79.99 a year, and covers only 3 devices there
- Watch out: there's no free plan, so when the 30-day trial ends you pay or you're unprotected
- Pricey if you want identity protection, as Ultimate is $179.99 a year, sold for 5 or 10 devices only, and its identity protection is US-based
- Watch out: small offices are sent to a separate plan, Small Business Security, at $179.99 a year for 5 devices
How we grade them
| 2.4GPAEmsisoft Anti-MalwareFair | 2.6GPAESETGood | |
|---|---|---|
| Value for money | C$39.95 a year for 1 PC, about $3.33 a month, between the cheaper quarter ($2.92) and the middle ($4.50) of antivirus tools. The pricing page shows regional prices. | 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 | C30-day free trial, and the page doesn't say whether it needs a card. No free edition. | CNo free version, but a 30-day free trial with no credit card. When it ends, you pay or you're unprotected. |
| Features | BDual-engine scanning, real-time file guard, web protection, behavior blocker and anti-ransomware, with a management console. No VPN or password manager. | BReal-time protection, a secured browser for banking, a firewall, and checks on your router and the other devices on your home network. 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 scan, with nothing to set up. | BNo store rating on record. It's software you install and leave running, with nothing to set up first. |
| Platforms and integrations | CWindows and Mac, which are computers only. No phone apps listed. | 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 | Windows antivirus with two engines | 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: Emsisoft Anti-Malware and ESET. How we grade
Price against what you get
Emsisoft Anti-Malware starts at $3.33 a month when paid by the year and scores 2.7 out of 4 on features, ease of use and platforms. ESET starts at $1.08 a month when paid by the year and scores 3.0.
ESET scores higher and starts $2.25 a month lower. Of the other antivirus apps on the chart, 4 score higher than Emsisoft Anti-Malware for less, and none scores higher than ESET for less.
Features, ease of use and platforms, averaged
What paid plans start at, a month (each step along is roughly double) →
- The best score at each price
- Has a free plan
- No free plan
Where they differ
- Emsisoft Anti-Malware also covers dashboards.
- ESET also covers vPN.
At a glance
| Emsisoft Anti-Malware | ESET | |
|---|---|---|
| Pricing | Free trial | Free trial |
| Starts at | $39.95 per year for 1 PC | $12.99 per year for 1 device (Mobile Security for Android) |
| Free plan | None | None |
| Free trial | 30-day free trial | 30-day free trial, no credit card required |
| macOS | ||
| Windows | ||
| Android | ||
| Made by | Emsisoft | ESET |
| Price read from | emsisoft.com | eset.com |
| Checked | Nov 12, 2026 | Oct 17, 2026 |
Worth knowing
Emsisoft Anti-Malware
- The pricing page shows regional prices to some visitors; the $39.95 figure is the US price in the product page's own data and should be re-checked.
- The product page lists Windows 10 (64 bit) and later and macOS 11 and later; the pricing page describes the Home plan as for Windows PCs.
- Business Security and Enterprise Security (with EDR) are separate per-endpoint products; no VPN or password manager is listed for the Home plan.
- Sold with a 30-day money-back guarantee.
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
Emsisoft Anti-Malware
- Dual-engine scanning
- Finds and cleans viruses, spyware and potentially unwanted programs with two scan engines.
- Real-time File Guard
- Checks downloaded and modified files as they appear, including with AI-supported detection.
- Web protection and browser security
- Blocks connections to malicious and phishing websites.
- Behavior Blocker and anti-ransomware
- Watches running processes for suspicious actions, including file encryption typical of ransomware, and steps in when it sees them.
- Management console
- A web console and Android and iOS apps show alerts and protection settings for the home devices on the account.
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
Emsisoft Anti-Malware
Anti-Malware Home$39.95
per year for 1 PC
Dual-engine scanner, real-time protection, web protection, anti-ransomware and the management console. Priced for 1, 3 or 5 devices and for 1, 2 or 3 year terms.
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
Emsisoft Anti-Malware
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.
Common questions
Which is cheaper, Emsisoft Anti-Malware or ESET?
As of Nov 12, 2026, ESET is cheaper to start with: $1.08 a month when paid by the year, against $3.33 a month when paid by the year for Emsisoft Anti-Malware. Emsisoft Anti-Malware starts at $39.95 per year for 1 PC, and ESET starts at $12.99 per year for 1 device (Mobile Security for Android).
Which has a free plan, Emsisoft Anti-Malware or ESET?
As of Nov 12, 2026, neither Emsisoft Anti-Malware nor ESET has a free plan. Both have a free trial.
Which platforms do Emsisoft Anti-Malware and ESET run on?
As of Nov 12, 2026, only ESET lists an Android app. Both list macOS and Windows apps. A platform missing from a listing is one its maker's pages did not mention.
More comparisons
How this page was made
- The verdict at the top follows a fixed rule. When both tools are in the same category and either is in our top three for it, the verdict follows that ranking: the higher-placed tool is our pick. The top three weigh who each tool suits as well as its grades, so a pick can go against the GPA. Otherwise the page does not pick one and says which grades higher: the higher GPA first; on a tie, the one with a free plan, then the one that starts cheaper in dollars a month, counted the same way for both; if they are still level, what the choice depends on.
- The grades are our own, from each tool’s review or report card. The GPA is their average.
- Prices, plans and platforms come from each tool’s listing. The table above says where each price was read and when.
- The differences and the answers to the questions are worked out from those listings.