ESET vs Trend Micro
We give ESET and Trend Micro the same GPA: 2.6 out of 4.0. They get the same grade on all five counts.
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
Trend Micro
Antivirus suites for PCs, Macs and phones, up to an ID-theft bundle
How we grade them
| 2.6GPAESETGood | 2.6GPATrend MicroGood | |
|---|---|---|
| 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. | CMaximum Security for 5 devices is $139.95 for a 2-year term, about $5.83 a month, above the dearer quarter of antivirus. The yearly route is $74.95 for the first term, but the renewal price isn't stated, so two years that way can't be worked out. |
| 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. | CHouseCall scans a Windows PC for free, on demand. It's a check-up, not protection: anything ongoing needs a paid plan, and the listing shows no free trial. |
| Features | 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. | BAI-based malware and web protection, Pay Guard for banking, Folder Shield for cloud-synced folders, and a password manager from Internet Security. The VPN, identity protection and a 24/7 helpdesk come only in Premium Security Suite. |
| 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. It installs and starts protecting, with nothing to set up first. |
| 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, iPhone, and Chromebooks through a browser extension. No API or integration list on record, so it stops at B. |
| Best for | plain antivirus priced by the number of devices | covering PCs, Macs, phones and Chromebooks |
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 Trend Micro. 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. Trend Micro starts at $2.50 a month when paid by the year and scores 3.0.
They score the same, and ESET starts $1.42 a month lower. Of the other antivirus apps on the chart, none scores higher than ESET for less, and none scores higher than Trend Micro 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
- ESET starts at $12.99 per year for 1 device (Mobile Security for Android). Trend Micro starts at $29.95 per year for 1 device (Antivirus+), first term; renewal price not stated.
- Trend Micro has a free plan. ESET does not, though it has a free trial.
- Only Trend Micro lists an iOS app.
- Only Trend Micro lists a browser extension.
- Trend Micro also covers password manager.
At a glance
| ESET | Trend Micro | |
|---|---|---|
| Pricing | Free trial | Free plan |
| Starts at | $12.99 per year for 1 device (Mobile Security for Android) | $29.95 per year for 1 device (Antivirus+), first term; renewal price not stated |
| Free plan | None | HouseCall gives a free on-demand security scan of a Windows PC; ongoing real-time protection needs a paid plan. |
| Free trial | 30-day free trial, no credit card required | None listed |
| macOS | ||
| Windows | ||
| iOS | ||
| Android | ||
| Browser extension | ||
| Made by | ESET | Trend Micro Inc. |
| Price read from | eset.com | trendmicro.com |
| Checked | Oct 17, 2026 | Oct 17, 2026 |
Who each one suits
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
Trend Micro
- Households covering Windows, Mac and phones on one 5-device plan
- Chromebook users, who are covered through a browser extension
- US buyers who want identity fraud insurance with their antivirus
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.
Trend Micro
- Prices shown are introductory first-term prices; Trend Micro says plans renew yearly at the then-current renewal price, which the pages do not state.
- Subscriptions bought in the online store are enrolled in automatic renewal.
- The VPN and identity protection come only with Premium Security Suite.
- Identity fraud insurance is for US customers only and excludes free and trial users.
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.
Trend Micro
- AI-based malware protection
- Cloud-based AI detection blocks known and new malware, ransomware and dangerous websites on every paid plan.
- Folder Shield
- Protects chosen folders from ransomware, including cloud-synced folders such as Dropbox, Google Drive and OneDrive.
- Pay Guard
- Included from Antivirus+ up, Pay Guard checks that banking and shopping sites are genuine before you sign in or pay.
- Password manager
- Internet Security and higher plans include a password manager that creates strong passwords and signs you in to sites.
- VPN and identity protection
- Premium Security Suite adds Trend Micro VPN, dark web monitoring, ID theft restoration help and up to $1 million identity fraud insurance in the US.
- Premium Service helpdesk
- Premium Security Suite includes a 24/7 personal helpdesk for technical problems beyond security.
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.
Trend Micro
HouseCall$0
Free on-demand security scan for Windows PCs.
Antivirus+ Security$29.95
per year for 1 device, first term; renewal price not stated
Real-time antivirus, web threat and scam blocking for one computer. Shown as 30% off $42.95.
Internet Security$59.95
per year for up to 3 PCs, first term; renewal price not stated
Adds a password manager and social media privacy checks, for PCs, Macs and Chromebooks. Shown as 29% off $83.95.
Maximum Security$74.95
per year for up to 5 devices, first term; renewal price not stated
Covers Windows, Mac, Android, iOS and Chromebook, with Pay Guard banking protection and Folder Shield. Shown as 29% off $104.95.
Premium Security Suite$109.95
per year for up to 10 devices, first term; renewal price not stated
Maximum Security plus VPN, ID Protection, ScamCheck, $1M US identity fraud insurance and 24/7 IT helpdesk. Shown as 29% off $154.95.
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.
Trend Micro
- Other savings
About 30% off the first year
First-term prices are shown against crossed-out prices: Antivirus+ $29.95 ($42.95), Internet Security $59.95 ($83.95), Maximum $74.95 ($104.95), Premium Suite $109.95 ($154.95).
- Other savings
Two-year terms
Each plan is also sold for 2 years: Maximum Security for 5 devices is $139.95 and Premium Security Suite for 10 devices is $219.95.
