ESET vs G DATA Antivirus (2026): which should you pick?
As of Nov 12, 2026, ESET and G DATA Antivirus share a 2.6 GPA, neither has a free plan, and ESET starts cheaper, at $1.08 a month when paid by the year against $2.50 a month when paid by the year.
Checked Oct 17, 2026 and Nov 12, 2026 · graded Oct 17, 2026 and Nov 12, 2026 by ToolGPA
ESET grades higher on features. G DATA Antivirus grades higher on value for money. They get the same grade on the free plan, ease of use and platforms.
Price, platforms and features side by side. The table says where each price was read and when.
ESET
Antivirus and home security plans priced by device count
G DATA Antivirus
German antivirus suites for Windows, Mac and Android, priced by device
Which one is for you
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
Pick G DATA Antivirus if
- Fits if you want antivirus for a mix of Windows, Mac and phones
- Works for a family that wants parental controls in the Total Security suite
Look elsewhere if
- Skip it if you want a free edition, as only the 30-day trial is free
- Too light for firewall, ransomware or USB protection on Antivirus for Windows or Mac, which lack them
- Pricey if you add a VPN, listed in the cart as a paid add-on
- Watch out: Mobile Security for Android is a separate product from $9.95, and its billing period isn't shown
How we grade them
| 2.6GPAESETGood | 2.6GPAG DATA AntivirusGood | |
|---|---|---|
| Value for money | 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. | B$29.95 a year for Antivirus on 1 device, about $2.50 a month, under the cheaper quarter of $2.92. Total Security is $49.95. |
| Free plan and trial | CNo free version, but a 30-day free trial with no credit card. When it ends, you pay or you're unprotected. | C30-day trial of the full version with no obligation. No free edition. |
| Features | 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. | CVirus scanner, firewall, BankGuard, anti-ransomware, parental controls, encryption and backups. Ransomware protection, firewall and USB protection are missing from the basic Antivirus versions. |
| Ease of use | BNo store rating on record. It's software you install and leave running, with nothing to set up first. | BNo store rating on record. You install it and it runs. |
| Platforms and integrations | 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. | BWindows, Mac, Android and iOS, with Google Drive and Dropbox links. |
| Best for | plain antivirus priced by the number of devices | German antivirus for several 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: ESET and G DATA Antivirus. How we grade
Price against what you get
ESET starts at $1.08 a month when paid by the year and scores 3.0 out of 4 on features, ease of use and platforms. G DATA Antivirus starts at $2.50 a month when paid by the year and scores 2.7.
ESET scores higher and starts $1.42 a month lower. Of the other antivirus apps on the chart, none scores higher than ESET for less, and 2 score higher than G DATA Antivirus 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
At a glance
| ESET | G DATA Antivirus | |
|---|---|---|
| Pricing | Free trial | Free trial |
| Starts at | $12.99 per year for 1 device (Mobile Security for Android) | $29.95 per year for 1 device (Antivirus for Windows) |
| Free plan | None | None |
| Free trial | 30-day free trial, no credit card required | 30-day free trial of the full version, no obligation |
| macOS | ||
| Windows | ||
| iOS | ||
| Android | ||
| Made by | ESET | G DATA CyberDefense AG |
| Price read from | eset.com | gdata.de |
| Checked | Oct 17, 2026 | Nov 12, 2026 |
Worth knowing
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.
G DATA Antivirus
- Ransomware protection, firewall and USB protection are not in Antivirus for Windows or Mac.
- Prices are shown as including VAT.
- Mobile Security for Android is a separate product listed from $9.95; the page does not show its billing period.
- A VPN is a paid add-on in the cart (shown as $59.95 crossed out and $29.97), not part of the suites.
Key features
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.
G DATA Antivirus
- Virus scanner
- Uses technologies working in parallel and receives new virus signatures every hour.
- Firewall
- Monitors incoming and outgoing connections automatically or by rules you set. Internet Security and Total Security only.
- BankGuard
- A browser protection meant to stop tampering during online banking and shopping.
- Anti-ransomware and exploit protection
- Blocks ransomware from encrypting files and guards Office programs and PDF readers against vulnerabilities.
- Parental controls
- Sets time limits and restricts children to verified websites on Internet Security.
- Encryption and backups
- Total Security adds password-protected file encryption and local or cloud backups, including Google Drive and Dropbox.
Plans
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.
G DATA Antivirus
Antivirus for Windows$29.95
per year for 1 device
Virus scanner, exploit protection, phishing protection, banking and email protection. $39.95 for 3 devices, $49.95 for 5. A 2-year term saves 8%.
Antivirus for Mac$39.95
per year for 1 device
Virus scanner and phishing protection for macOS, which also catches Windows malware. No banking or email protection.
Internet Security$39.95
per year for 1 device
Adds firewall, anti-ransomware, BankGuard, anti-spam and parental controls, across Windows, macOS, Android and iOS. $55.95 for 3 devices, $71.95 for 5. A 2-year term saves 12%.
Total Security$49.95
per year for 1 device
Adds a performance tuner, file encryption, USB access control and backups. $65.95 for 3 devices, $81.95 for 5. A 2-year term saves 10%.
Ways to pay less
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.
G DATA Antivirus
No public discounts listed.
Common questions
Which is cheaper, ESET or G DATA Antivirus?
As of Nov 12, 2026, ESET is cheaper to start with: $1.08 a month when paid by the year, against $2.50 a month when paid by the year for G DATA Antivirus. ESET starts at $12.99 per year for 1 device (Mobile Security for Android), and G DATA Antivirus starts at $29.95 per year for 1 device (Antivirus for Windows).
Which has a free plan, ESET or G DATA Antivirus?
As of Nov 12, 2026, neither ESET nor G DATA Antivirus has a free plan. Both have a free trial.
Which platforms do ESET and G DATA Antivirus run on?
As of Nov 12, 2026, only G DATA Antivirus lists an iOS app. Both list macOS, Windows and Android 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.