G DATA Antivirus vs Kaspersky (2026): which should you pick?
As of Nov 12, 2026, G DATA Antivirus grades higher than Kaspersky: 2.6 against 2.2 out of 4.0.
Checked Oct 17, 2026 and Nov 12, 2026 · graded Oct 17, 2026 and Nov 12, 2026 by ToolGPA
G DATA Antivirus grades higher on value for money and the free plan. Kaspersky grades higher on features. They get the same grade on ease of use and platforms.
Price, platforms and features side by side. The table says where each price was read and when.
G DATA Antivirus
German antivirus suites for Windows, Mac and Android, priced by device
Kaspersky
Antivirus suites with a VPN and password manager on higher tiers
Which one is for you
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
Pick Kaspersky if
- Fits if you live outside the US and want antivirus, a VPN and passwords on one plan
- Works for households that include a Linux computer
Look elsewhere if
- Not for you if you live in the US, as the US site says renewal isn't available there and shows no prices
- Skip it if you want a trial without signing up to pay, as it rolls into a paid year unless you cancel within 30 days
- Pricey if you renew, as Premium goes from $64.99 to $98.99 a year for one device, and Standard from $49.99 to $64.99
- Tight if you want a VPN or password manager on Standard, as both start at Plus
- Watch out: the VPN can't be switched on in some countries, including China and India
How we grade them
| 2.6GPAG DATA AntivirusGood | 2.2GPAKasperskyFair | |
|---|---|---|
| Value for money | 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. | DOutside the US, Standard for 5 devices is $58.99 the first year, then $85.99, so two years cost $144.98, about $6.04 a month. A US reader can't count on that: the US site says renewal isn't available to US customers, so there's no second year to buy there. |
| Free plan and trial | C30-day trial of the full version with no obligation. No free edition. | DNo free plan on record. The 30-day trial of Standard or Premium rolls into a paid year unless you cancel, so you're signing up to pay from day one. |
| Features | CVirus scanner, firewall, BankGuard, anti-ransomware, parental controls, encryption and backups. Ransomware protection, firewall and USB protection are missing from the basic Antivirus versions. | BAntivirus, a firewall, and scam and payment protection on every plan, then an unlimited VPN and a password manager from Plus, and identity protection, 24/7 remote IT help and Safe Kids on Premium. Standard has no VPN, but the core protection has no gap. |
| Ease of use | BNo store rating on record. You install it and it runs. | BNo store rating on record. It's a program you install and it starts protecting, with nothing to build first. |
| Platforms and integrations | BWindows, Mac, Android and iOS, with Google Drive and Dropbox links. | BWindows, Mac, Linux, Android and iPhone, so it's one of the few here with Linux. The VPN can't be activated in some countries, including China and India, and there's no API on record. |
| Best for | German antivirus for several devices | antivirus with a VPN, outside the US |
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: G DATA Antivirus and Kaspersky. How we grade
Price against what you get
G DATA Antivirus starts at $2.50 a month when paid by the year and scores 2.7 out of 4 on features, ease of use and platforms. Kaspersky starts at $5.42 a month when paid by the year and scores 3.0.
Kaspersky scores higher, and starts $2.92 a month higher: the question is whether the extra is worth that to you. Of the other antivirus apps on the chart, 2 score higher than G DATA Antivirus for less, and none scores higher than Kaspersky 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
- Kaspersky also covers password manager and ad and tracker blocking.
At a glance
| G DATA Antivirus | Kaspersky | |
|---|---|---|
| Pricing | Free trial | Free trial |
| Starts at | $29.95 per year for 1 device (Antivirus for Windows) | $64.99 per year at renewal (Standard, 1 device), after a first year for $49.99 |
| Free plan | None | None |
| Free trial | 30-day free trial of the full version, no obligation | 30-day free trial of Standard or Premium; a paid yearly plan starts unless you cancel |
| macOS | ||
| Windows | ||
| Linux | ||
| iOS | ||
| Android | ||
| Made by | G DATA CyberDefense AG | Kaspersky |
| Price read from | gdata.de | kaspersky.com |
| Checked | Nov 12, 2026 | Oct 17, 2026 |
Worth knowing
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.
Kaspersky
- Kaspersky's US site says renewal is unavailable for US customers and points non-US buyers to kaspersky.com; it shows no US prices.
- Prices here are the US-dollar prices on the global site; each plan renews automatically at the higher standard price after the first term.
- Standard has no VPN or password manager; those start at Plus.
- The free trial turns into a paid yearly plan at the introductory price unless cancelled within 30 days.
Key features
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.
Kaspersky
- Real-time antivirus and firewall
- Every plan blocks viruses, malware and ransomware, removes existing infections and includes a two-way firewall.
- Scam and payment protection
- AI-based scam protection, anti-phishing and a protected mode for online banking and shopping, plus crypto threat and stalkerware detection.
- Unlimited VPN
- Plus and Premium include Kaspersky's VPN with no data cap. It cannot be downloaded or activated in some countries, including China and India.
- Password manager
- Plus and Premium add a password manager and vault that autofills addresses and card details, with a password safety check.
- Identity and remote support
- Premium adds an identity protection wallet, smart home Wi-Fi monitoring, 24/7 remote IT support and expert virus removal.
- Kaspersky Safe Kids
- Premium includes a year of Safe Kids parental controls with GPS location, website filters and screen time limits.
Plans
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%.
Kaspersky
Standard$64.99
per year for 1 device at renewal, after a first year for $49.99
Antivirus, firewall, scam and payment protection. First year $49.99; 3 devices $52.99 then $74.99, 5 devices $58.99 then $85.99.
Plus$79.99
per year for 1 device at renewal, after a first year for $61.99
Adds unlimited VPN, a password manager, data leak checks and a disk health monitor. 5 devices: $73.99 the first year, then $106.99.
Premium$98.99
per year for 1 device at renewal, after a first year for $64.99
Adds identity protection, remote access detection and 24/7 remote IT support. $64.99 also buys 15 months. 10 devices: $101.99, then $157.99.
Ways to pay less
G DATA Antivirus
No public discounts listed.
Kaspersky
- Other savings
First-year prices on every plan
For 1 device: Standard $49.99, Plus $61.99 and Premium $64.99 for the first year, against renewal prices of $64.99, $79.99 and $98.99.
- Other savings
Premium for 15 months at the 1-year price
Premium for 1 device is also sold as a 15-month term for $64.99, the same as the first year, before renewing at $98.99 a year.
Common questions
Which is cheaper, G DATA Antivirus or Kaspersky?
As of Nov 12, 2026, G DATA Antivirus is cheaper to start with: $2.50 a month when paid by the year, against $5.42 a month when paid by the year for Kaspersky. G DATA Antivirus starts at $29.95 per year for 1 device (Antivirus for Windows), and Kaspersky starts at $64.99 per year at renewal (Standard, 1 device), after a first year for $49.99.
Which has a free plan, G DATA Antivirus or Kaspersky?
As of Nov 12, 2026, neither G DATA Antivirus nor Kaspersky has a free plan. Both have a free trial.
Which platforms do G DATA Antivirus and Kaspersky run on?
As of Nov 12, 2026, only Kaspersky lists a Linux app. Both list macOS, Windows, iOS 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.