The ESET Insider’s Guide
Everything we know about ESET in one document: what it costs, its grades, getting a refund, getting help and what else to look at. Read it here, or keep a copy.
ESET
The Insider’s Guide
Antivirus and home security plans priced by device count
Every plan, grade, refund rule and rival among antivirus apps, read from ESET’s own pages.
Made by ESET · checked Oct 17, 2026 · toolgpa.com
Contents
- 01WelcomeWhat it is, who it suits, its grades and the ten things to know first
- 02What it costsEvery plan, the free plan, ways to pay less and how prices have moved
- 03What it doesIts main features, where it runs, what it works with and who makes it
- 04Where it standsIts grades against its category, and whether to keep it or make your own
- 05The alternativesThe tools it is most often weighed against, side by side
- 06Quick answersThe questions people ask about it, each answered in a line or two
- 07About ToolGPAWho made this guide, what else is on the site, and how to cite it
ToolGPA put this guide together from ESET’s own pages, its app-store listings and our grades. Every fact in it is on ESET’s page too, where it is kept up to date. Checked Oct 17, 2026.
Part 01 · Overview
Welcome
What it is, who it suits, its grades and the ten things to know first
2.6
GPA, above 7 of the 14 other antivirus apps we grade
ESET is a security company whose home plans protect Windows PCs, Macs and Android phones. ESET HOME Security comes in Essential, Premium and Ultimate tiers that add a VPN, file encryption and US identity protection, and NOD32 Antivirus is sold on its own for Windows and macOS. Prices rise with the number of devices.
To get you started, here are 9 things to know about ESET, taken from its own pages and our grades.
There's no iPhone app on record, though, and the VPN only starts at Premium.
- 1
Best for plain antivirus priced by the number of devices
ESET prices its plans by how many devices you protect, and covers Windows, Mac and Android.
- 2
Paid plans start at $1.08 a month when paid by the year
As its pricing page puts it: $12.99 per year for 1 device (Mobile Security for Android).
- 3
You can try it first
30-day free trial, no credit card required
- 4
It runs on 3 platforms
Windows, macOS and Android.
- 5
Real-time malware protection
Blocks viruses, ransomware, spyware and phishing as they arrive, with AI-based detection aimed at new threats.
- 6
Safe banking and browsing
A secured browser mode for banking and shopping that helps keep payment details away from phishing pages and snooping software.
- 7
Firewall and network checks
A firewall and network shield, plus tests of your home router and smart devices for weak points.
- 8
A 2.6 GPA, above 7 of 14
That is against the other antivirus apps we grade, on value, the free plan, features, ease of use and platforms.
- 9
Keep it
To replace ESET you would be making an engine that recognises new malware as it appears. That is not a weekend's work, with an AI app builder or without one.
ESET at a glance
- Pricing
- Free trial, from $12.99 per year for 1 device (Mobile Security for Android)
- Free plan
- No
- Free trial
- 30-day free trial, no credit card required
- Runs on
- macOS, Windows, Android
- Made by
- ESET
- Category
- Antivirus & Malware Protection
- Our grade
- 2.6 GPA, good
The report card
Best for plain antivirus priced by the number of devices
ESET prices its plans by how many devices you protect, and covers Windows, Mac and Android. Five devices on HOME Security Essential cost $139.98 over two years, with no first-year deal that runs out, and the 30-day trial needs no card. There's no iPhone app on record, though, and the VPN only starts at Premium.
| Subject | Grade | Comment |
|---|---|---|
| Value for money | C | HOME 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 | C | No free version, but a 30-day free trial with no credit card. When it ends, you pay or you're unprotected. |
| Features | B | Real-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. |
| Ease of use | B | No store rating on record. It's software you install and leave running, with nothing to set up first. |
| Platforms and integrations | B | Windows, 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. |
An A is worth 4 points, a B 3, a C 2, a D 1 and an F nothing. The GPA is the average of the five.
Who ESET is for
- Great if you want antivirus on one PC or Mac without a pile of extras
- Handy when you'd rather pay for 2 or 3 years at once for a lower yearly rate
- Good for trying before you buy, with a 30-day trial and no card
Who it is not for
- 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 and covers only 3 devices there
Good to know
Good for
- 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
Worth knowing
- 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.
Part 02 · Pricing
What it costs
Every plan, the free plan, ways to pay less and how prices have moved
$1.08
A month to start, paid by the year
ESET is a paid product with a free trial, starting at $12.99 per year for 1 device (Mobile Security for Android).
That's above the dearer quarter of antivirus but short of the dearest tenth.
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.
Trying it first
30-day free trial, no credit card required
Read from eset.com on Oct 17, 2026.
Ways to pay less
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.
Stated on eset.com
Part 03 · Features
What it does
Its main features, where it runs, what it works with and who makes it
3
Places it runs: macOS, Windows and Android
Antivirus and home security plans priced by device count. Here is what it does, as its own site describes it, and what it covers: vPN, malware protection.
Real-time protection, a secured browser for banking, a firewall, and checks on your router and smart devices.
- 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.
Where it runs
- macOS
- Windows
- Android
What it works with
Its own pages name no integrations.
ESET is made by ESET.
Part 04 · Standing
Where it stands
Its grades against its category, and whether to keep it or make your own
7/14
Other antivirus apps it is graded above
ESET's GPA of 2.6 is higher than 7 of the 14 other antivirus apps we grade, and level with 2.
It stands best on features (B, above 4 of 14) and worst on value for money (C, above 3).
Its paid plans start at $1.08 a month when paid by the year, against a middle price of $4.17 for the category: 0 of the 10 others that charge start lower.
On features, ease of use and platforms it scores 3.0 out of 4, and no tool on the category's chart scores higher without costing more.
Each grade against the category
Every bar is all 15 antivirus apps we grade, cut by the letter each got. ESET’s own letter is outlined.
- CValue for moneyAbove 3 of 14
- CFree plan and trialAbove 3 of 14
- BFeaturesAbove 4 of 14
- BEase of useAbove 2 of 14
- BPlatforms and integrationsAbove 0 of 14
Price against what you get
Each dot is one of 11 antivirus apps. Further left costs less; higher up scores better on features, ease of use and platforms. ESET is the marked dot.
What paid plans start at, a month (each step along is roughly double) →
Keep it, or make your own?
Whether this is something you could build for yourself with an AI app builder, and what you would give up.
Keep it
To replace ESET you would be making an engine that recognises new malware as it appears. That is not a weekend's work, with an AI app builder or without one.
It costs $12.99 a year.
What you could not
- An engine that recognises new malware as it appears.
- Servers in dozens of countries, kept fast and private.
- Apps for macOS, Windows and Android that stay in step with each other.
- The depth: we grade its features B, which means it covers the whole job.
What this rests on. ESET’s listing: what it does, where it runs, what it plugs into and what it costs. It is a judgement about the kind of software this is. We have not built a replacement for it, and making your own means looking after it too. How we decide, and every tool’s verdict.
Part 05 · Alternatives
The alternatives
The tools it is most often weighed against, side by side
Bitdefender, Kaspersky, Norton 360, Malwarebytes and Avast
The 5 tools ESET is most often weighed against, with where each one differs from it.
- 2.8GPA
Bitdefender
Free plan · from $49.99/yr
Antivirus suites for computers and phones, with a free Windows tier.
- Bitdefender has a free plan. ESET does not, though it has a free trial.
- Only Bitdefender lists an iOS app.
- Bitdefender also covers password manager.
- 2.2GPA
Kaspersky
Free trial · from $64.99/yr
Antivirus suites with a VPN and password manager on higher tiers.
- Only Kaspersky lists Linux and iOS apps.
- Kaspersky also covers password manager and ad and tracker blocking.
- 2.8GPA
Norton 360
Free trial · from $84.99/yr
Antivirus suite with VPN, password manager and PC cloud backup.
- Only Norton 360 lists an iOS app.
- Norton 360 also covers password manager and ad and tracker blocking.
- 2.2GPA
Malwarebytes
Free plan · from $59.99/yr
Malware scanner and real-time protection, with VPN and ID plans.
- Malwarebytes has a free plan. ESET does not, though it has a free trial.
- Only Malwarebytes lists an iOS app.
- Only Malwarebytes lists a browser extension.
- 3.0GPA
Avast
Free plan
Free antivirus for PC, Mac and phones, with paid Premium and Ultimate.
- Avast has a free plan. ESET does not, though it has a free trial.
- Only Avast lists an iOS app.
- Only Avast lists a browser extension.
Part 06 · Questions
Quick answers
The questions people ask about it, each answered in a line or two
12
Questions, each answered in a line or two
The short version of everything above, for when you only need the answer. Each one is told in full in its part of the guide.
Is ESET free?
No, ESET is a paid product, but you can try it first. 30-day free trial, no credit card required.
How much does ESET cost?
ESET lists 5 plans. Mobile Security for Android: $12.99 per year for 1 device.
What platforms does ESET work on?
ESET is available on Windows, macOS and Android.
Does ESET offer any discounts?
ESET publicly lists the following: Save 15% on 2 years and 20% on 3 years.
Does ESET have an iPhone app?
No iPhone app was listed when its pages were read on Oct 17, 2026. ESET is listed for Windows, macOS and Android.
Does ESET have a Linux app?
No Linux app was listed when its pages were read on Oct 17, 2026. ESET is listed for Windows, macOS and Android.
Is ESET open source?
ESET is not described as open source on its own site, as read on Oct 17, 2026.
Who makes ESET?
ESET is made by ESET.
What are the alternatives to ESET?
The closest alternatives to ESET in our directory are Bitdefender, Kaspersky, Norton 360, Malwarebytes and Avast.
How does ESET compare with other antivirus apps?
ESET's GPA of 2.6 is higher than 7 of the 14 other antivirus apps we grade, and level with 2.
Is ESET good value for money?
ToolGPA grades ESET C for value for money. Its paid plans start at $1.08 a month when paid by the year, against a middle price of $4.17 for the category: 0 of the 10 others that charge start lower.
Could I make my own version of ESET?
To replace ESET you would be making an engine that recognises new malware as it appears.
Where this guide comes from
The prices, plans, platforms and features were read from ESET’s own pages on Oct 17, 2026, and the grades were given on Oct 17, 2026. Graded from this listing, whose facts were read from ESET's own pages on 17 October 2026. Its store page showed no prices to our reader when we went back to check it. Not based on using the product, and shorter than our full reviews.
Every tool we list gets five grades, A to F, each with its reason, and a GPA that averages them. How each is decided is at toolgpa.com/grades. This guide is ToolGPA’s own work; it is not made, paid for or approved by ESET. Prices change, so check eset.com before you buy.
Part 07 · About
About ToolGPA
Who made this guide, what else is on the site, and how to cite it
1,880
Tools graded, in 47 categories
ToolGPA grades software the way a school report grades a pupil: five subjects, a letter for each with the reason written beside it, and a GPA that averages them. Prices, plans and platforms are read from each maker’s own pages and dated, so you always know how fresh a figure is.
ToolGPA is free to read. It may earn a commission from affiliate links and it works with sponsors, but anything paid for is labelled and no one can pay for a grade. Every tool on the site has a guide like this one, free to download and pass on. It all lives at toolgpa.com.
1,880
tools graded
47
categories
426
price changes on record
579
apps priced in 12 countries
What else is on toolgpa.com
- ESET, kept up to dateEverything in this guide, with prices and grades as they are todaytoolgpa.com/tools/eset
- How grades are givenThe rules behind every letter and every GPAtoolgpa.com/grades
- Value chartsWhat each tool costs against what it scores, for every categorytoolgpa.com/charts
- CompareAny two tools side by side, plan by plantoolgpa.com/compare
- Price changesEvery price rise and cut on record, each with its sourcetoolgpa.com/price-changes
- Prices by countryWhat apps cost on the App Store in 12 countriestoolgpa.com/prices-by-country
- Pay lessEvery public discount: yearly billing, students, nonprofitstoolgpa.com/save
- Keep or makeWhich tools are worth paying for, and which you could build yourselftoolgpa.com/keep-or-make
Scan for the live page
Prices and grades as they are today
Quoting this guide?
Please name ToolGPA and link to the live page, so readers can check the figures for themselves:
ToolGPA, "ESET: The Insider's Guide", checked Oct 17, 2026. https://toolgpa.com/tools/eset
Know someone choosing between antivirus apps?
Send them this guide: toolgpa.com/tools/eset/guide
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See our other guides
The best-graded antivirus apps after ESET, each with an Insider's Guide of its own.
- Antivirus & Malware Protection Insider's GuideEvery one of the 15 antivirus apps we grade, compared
- Avast Insider's GuideFree antivirus for PC, Mac and phones, with paid Premium and Ultimate3.0 GPA
- AVG Insider's GuideFree antivirus for Windows, with paid Internet Security and Ultimate2.8 GPA
- Bitdefender Insider's GuideAntivirus suites for computers and phones, with a free Windows tier2.8 GPA
Choosing software? Every tool graded, every price dated.
Compare tools at toolgpa.com ›Everything in this guide is ToolGPA’s own summary of what ESET’s pages, its app-store listings and public reviews said on the dates shown. Grades are our judgement under the rules at toolgpa.com/grades. ToolGPA uses affiliate links and may earn a commission from them, and it works with sponsors; anything paid for is labelled, and no one can pay for a grade. ESET is a trademark of its owner, and this guide is not made, paid for or approved by ESET. Prices and plans change: check eset.com before you buy.