ESET vs WithSecure Elements (2026): which should you pick?
As of Nov 13, 2026, ESET grades higher than WithSecure Elements: 2.6 against 2.4 out of 4.0.
Checked Oct 17, 2026 and Nov 13, 2026 · graded Oct 17, 2026 and Nov 13, 2026 by ToolGPA
ESET grades higher on value for money and ease of use. WithSecure Elements grades higher on platforms. They get the same grade on the free plan and features.
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
WithSecure Elements
Modular endpoint, exposure and MDR platform from WithSecure
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 WithSecure Elements if
- Fits if you run IT for a few firms or a small company and want protection, patching and detection in one console
- Works for teams who already manage devices through Intune or Entra ID
Look elsewhere if
- Skip it if you want a posted price: business pricing goes through a partner or sales
- Pricey if you are one person or a household, with MSP bundles at €16.90 and up against a few dollars for ordinary antivirus
- Watch out: price depends on devices or identities, and the listing doesn't say which basis the €16.90 uses
- Not for you if you only want a plain virus scanner, as this is a managed security platform
How we grade them
| 2.6GPAESETGood | 2.4GPAWithSecure ElementsFair | |
|---|---|---|
| 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. | D€16.90 a month for the MSP Protect bundle, €20.90 for Proactive, against $4.50 in the middle of what antivirus tools charge. Those are partner list prices and the unit isn't stated, so the real cost is unclear. |
| 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. | CA 30-day trial with no credit card. There's no free plan. |
| 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. | BEndpoint security, ransomware rollback, patching, mobile protection and managed detection and response, with no gap in the listing for the core job. Network Gateway for mobile is limited to selected countries. |
| Ease of use | BNo store rating on record. It's software you install and leave running, with nothing to set up first. | CNo store rating on record, and the listing shows an admin platform plus identity and device connections (Intune, Entra ID, Workspace ONE) 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. | AWeb console, Windows, Mac, Linux, iOS and Android, with Intune, Workspace ONE, Google Workspace, Samsung Knox and Entra ID connections. |
| Best for | plain antivirus priced by the number of devices | endpoint protection sold through MSPs |
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 WithSecure Elements. 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. WithSecure Elements starts at about $18.88 a month and scores 3.0.
They score the same, and ESET starts $17.80 a month lower. Of the other antivirus apps on the chart, none scores higher than ESET for less, and 2 score higher than WithSecure Elements 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 also covers vPN.
- WithSecure Elements also covers reports.
At a glance
| ESET | WithSecure Elements | |
|---|---|---|
| Pricing | Free trial | Free trial |
| Starts at | $12.99 per year for 1 device (Mobile Security for Android) | €16.90 per month, MSP recommended retail price (basis not shown) |
| Free plan | None | None |
| Free trial | 30-day free trial, no credit card required | 30-day free trial, no credit card needed |
| Web | ||
| macOS | ||
| Windows | ||
| Linux | ||
| iOS | ||
| Android | ||
| Made by | ESET | WithSecure |
| Price read from | eset.com | withsecure.com |
| Checked | Oct 17, 2026 | Nov 13, 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.
WithSecure Elements
- Business prices are not published; the For Business page sends buyers to a partner or sales contact.
- The euro MSP prices are recommended retail figures and the page does not state the per-unit basis.
- Pricing is based on devices for endpoint bundles and on user identities for identity bundles.
- Network Gateway for mobile is available in selected countries only.
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.
WithSecure Elements
- Endpoint security
- Malware and ransomware protection for Mac, Windows and Linux workstations and servers, with EDR and one-click containment.
- Ransomware rollback
- Reverses file and registry changes made by a ransomware attack.
- Patch management
- Software Updater applies OS and third-party patches for 2,500+ applications.
- Mobile protection
- Phishing, malware and SMS protection for iOS, Android and ChromeOS.
- MDR for endpoints and identities
- WithSecure experts monitor 24/7, including Entra ID credential theft and business email compromise.
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.
WithSecure Elements
Elements Protect (MSP)€16.90
per month, MSP RRP; basis not shown
MSP bundle for 24/7 reactive security: protection, detection and response; priced by devices or identities.
Elements Proactive (MSP)€20.90
per month, MSP RRP; basis not shown
Adds AI-powered exposure management on top of reactive coverage; priced by devices or identities.
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.
WithSecure Elements
- Other savings
Purchase through AWS Marketplace
WithSecure says Elements can be bought through the AWS Marketplace using existing AWS spend.
Common questions
Which is cheaper, ESET or WithSecure Elements?
As of Nov 13, 2026, ESET is cheaper to start with: $1.08 a month when paid by the year, against about $18.88 a month for WithSecure Elements. ESET starts at $12.99 per year for 1 device (Mobile Security for Android), and WithSecure Elements starts at €16.90 per month, MSP recommended retail price (basis not shown).
Which has a free plan, ESET or WithSecure Elements?
As of Nov 13, 2026, neither ESET nor WithSecure Elements has a free plan. Both have a free trial.
Which platforms do ESET and WithSecure Elements run on?
As of Nov 13, 2026, only WithSecure Elements lists a web app and Linux and iOS apps. 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.