I spent many weeks testing ESET and seeing how it stacks up against some of the simpler antiviruses on the market. I tried ESET’s security tools, overlay options, easy use, and support options. Found it to be good anti-malware protection with excellent test results, however additional options are lacking.
However, with advanced threats these days. You may want some of the advanced security measures offered by other vendors like Norton. However, if you just want basic protection and don’t want to pay too much, you can try ESET’s 30-day money-back guarantee.
Table of Contents
ESET Antivirus Review: In a Rush? Here’s a 1-Minute Summary
- Excellent malware detection rate. ESET offers excellent scores in both malware scans and period protection. Its diagnostic tools also add implausibly elaborate information about the overall health of your system.
- Few extra options. ESET doesn’t add several different options, and the people measuring there don’t stand out significantly. For example, the parental management tools or the probation manager are not bad. But they are missing some features that I have come to expect with Norton or Bitdefender.
- Easy-to-use apps are accessible on Windows, Mac, Android, and Linux. Installation is straightforward and general usage is easy, although some menu decisions should be clearer.
- Multiple customer service options. you will simply be able to contact support via live chat, email, or maybe get help on the forum.
- Unique plans for each platform. Whether you’re a Windows, Mac, or Mechanical user (or a combination of all), ESET offers a configuration to suit your needs. Plus, you can get a 30-day money-back guarantee with all plans.
Security
Core security is where ESET shines, with excellent malware detection rates at every scan and period protection. This may be enough for many beginners. However other advanced users can use its advanced nosology tools to get detailed information on various aspects of your device security. in this sense, ESET strikes a good balance.
Malware Scanner — Flawless Malware Detection for Uncompromised Security
ESET’s malware detection capabilities square some of the simplest you can get your hands on at one time. Scoring 100 percent in detection tests. this can be an important core component of any antivirus, giving you the power to watch for and remove any threat that integrates into your device.
You can choose from three scan types:
- Full Scan – Checks your entire Winchester drive once you have to make sure everything is completely clean.
- Custom Scan – Focuses only on the files and folders you choose if you have a new suspicious transfer.
- Removable Media Scan – Scans devices you have locked on your computer to prevent infection from an external device.
Keen readers may notice the absence of a quick scan facility, however, this is not an oversight on ESET’s part. Instead of an on-demand quick scan facility, ESET uses a couple of autostart scans to look for any malware in memory or autorun locations (covering similar ground as most quick scans). Some may miss the manual option, except for most people.
It might be helpful to have the scan run every time they use the computer instead of having a manual scan. This didn’t seem to have any effect on startup speed. However, if you still choose to quickly check any suspicious files or folders. You can simply drag and drop them into ESET’s scan space, and it will scan them.
It took ESET less than an hour to complete its initial full system scan. To avoid scanning trusted files again in the future, ESET can learn from each comprehensive scan and label them as safe to use. Full ESET scans could now be finished in thirty minutes instead of roughly an hour thanks to this innovation.
Advanced Diagnostics — Mainly for Advanced Users, but Still Offer Value to Beginners
Although ESET does not display them very conspicuously, its advanced tools are extremely useful for additional security nosology. They provide a combination of useful tools for beginners and advanced users and can make it easy to remove problematic software packages at a glance. For example, SysInspector is more useful for advanced users. While Protection Report provides a simple, high-level summary of security events on your device.
Perhaps the most useful feature for all users is the Running Processes tool. Which is remarkably similar to Windows Task Manager or macOS Activity Monitor. It displays information about what programs are running in the background. Along with their name and how many people are actively running a similar program. This can be very useful for finding programs you didn’t even know were hogging your background resources, and whether or not they are trustworthy in the first place.
The SysInspect tool takes this to a different level by exposing your system and putting together a big report on just about anything you might be interested in. This is not a tool that I would recommend to novice users. Except for people who want as much information as possible once they diagnose system problems. From drivers to scheduled tasks, active network connections, or vital host files, SysInspect can be a gold mine of knowledge rarely seen with AN antivirus.
Real-Time Antivirus — Perfect Detection Rates
While ESET got an outright score for period protection against zero-day malware threats. Preventing threats from infecting your device in the first place is arguably more important. Fortunately, ESET protected itself against 100 percent of the threats, going toe-to-toe with the simplest antiviruses on the market.
ESET detected threats not only from malware-laden websites but also from phishing attempts. By notifying Maine, ESET would block it. In the case of websites, it displayed a full-page warning that the site you were visiting was dangerous and should not continue.
ESET will also defend your computer extremely well against ransomware and different styles of malware. It uses a built-in Numerical Intrusion Bar System (HIPS) feature and also the associated ransomware protection to effectively counter ransomware threats. It will do this by observing the behavior of applications or programs that decide to modify files, and if it is seen as malicious, it is blocked and terminated. This malware protection is extremely easy to use and can be adjusted to choose which files or folders should remain untouched.
Firewall — Powerful But Initially Annoying Setup Required
I have mixed feelings about the ESET firewall, caused by the notification spam, and also the difficulties I had in configuring it. The least I expect from a firewall bundled with antivirus is that it outperforms the built-in system firewall for Windows. Still, ESET needs an extra touch to bring it to the current level. By default, it allows all outgoing traffic and blocks any uninitiated incoming connections.
However, for additional specific permissions, you would like to display them in interactive mode. The problem with this may be that it asks you to allow or deny every association you initiate from that point on. To be fair to ESET, this can only be a problem at first.
But I must have seen more than fifty notifications on the first night I found out about it before I decided that it wasn’t worth it. Alternative antiviruses I’ve tried, such as Norton, have safe program information that doesn’t require an extra step to validate, avoiding this cumbersome initial setup method.
However, ignoring this, ESET’s firewall has many powerful options. So you can configure it exactly how you would like it to run. It also has some useful built-in features: I created a Connected Home frequently used to determine exactly which devices were running on my native network.
Features
ESET offers some options that, while well executed, are quite disappointing compared to what some of the major competitors offer. Gamer mode helps minimize distractions while gaming (or in other full-screen applications), but it can’t compete with BullGuard. Parental controls measure simple, and Positive ID Manager is good, but it lacks quality of life options. If you were considering ESET on the premise of additional quality options, you should look elsewhere.
I was also irritated by having to activate my license with each feature I needed to use one by one. Although I had already entered my license key in the positive ID manager, I would have to enter it again with parental controls, even if the maximum login is the same. It’s not the tip of the world, but it’s still a weird oversight.
Gamer Mode — Useful But Nothing Standout
ESET’s Gamer Mode doesn’t feature anything, like BullGuard’s Gamer Mode, which will boost performance, but I still found it useful. It focuses on interfering with notifications and stopping hardware activity from tasks (for example, starting a system scan) that would otherwise only interrupt your gaming sessions. In theory, it should also minimize the use of electronic devices by eliminating unnecessary background tasks. But once I tried the feature while enjoying the resolution of Duty: Warzone and Rocket League games, there was no noticeable improvement in performance.
Note that it applies to any full-screen activity – if you have a full-screen presentation to indicate, this feature may even be available as a useful way to suppress any potential distractions.
Parental Controls — Core Features Work Well but Are Very Limited
You will use ESET Parental Controls to specify what your children can and cannot access online, with some limitations. The first way you {will} limit what your children can access is with the classes section. while the alternative parental management software package I’ve tested has some adult classes hand-selected by default, you’ll need to manually choose them with ESET, which might have gone unnoticed if you weren’t specifically testing the feature. If some websites that fall into these categories are okay for your kids, you can add them to a white list of allowed sites.
In general, the blocks performed well. I’ve tried accessing various sites with a mix of violent, sexy, or drug-related content; however, ESET blocked all instances. All those blocked instances were recorded together, including the user who tried to access them and at what time.
However, that’s very much where the uses of parental controls end. With Norton and Kaspersky, you could add program-specific restrictions, view elaborate browser usage and time spent on each app, and even track your mobile device. Relatively, ESET’s parental controls are comparatively weak, offering only a fraction of what you can get with a rival antivirus.
Password Manager — Good Fundamentals Without Going the Extra Mile
With the average web user having around thirty different accounts and needing a unique positive ID for each lifetime, without a positive ID manager it would be a real hassle. ESET’s Positive ID Manager offers smart core convenience but doesn’t go over the top the other way.
To get started on a PC, you’d like to install the browser extension (Chrome, Firefox, or Edge). You will need to create a positive ID vault on MyEset, link your account to your positive ID vault, and then create a separate login with a master positive ID for the vault. Although I’ve tried various positive ID managers in the past, this setup was a bit confusing, and I imagine beginners will find it particularly strange.
You have the option of importing your positive IDs from a restricted variety of various password managers (and the most popular browsers), but if you’re exploiting an unsupported one, you’ll have the tedious task of adding them manually. Fortuitously on my behalf, it is compatible with LastPass, and also the import method was easy.
Functionally, ESET will be fine here. you will be able to save credentials, generate strong passwords, and autofill them on individual websites or applications. Unfortunately, it’s missing some of the convenient extra features I’ve always come to expect from other positive ID managers. This includes things like sharing identification (helpful for families) and auditing the quality of your identification.
Anti-Theft — Easily Track and Record Activity From a Stolen Device
Only available with ESET Net Security and higher, ESET’s anti-theft options area unit is a useful line-and-forget feature – if your device is stolen, you’ll thank yourself.
Once you have marked your device as missing, ESET may collect data about your location, IP address, and screenshots of your current activity and inform you on the dashboard. This could be useful information for recovering your device, but it’s a warning, especially for laptops: the device must be online. Although your mobile device may have a strong mobile data connection for a while once it’s stolen, it’s unlikely a laptop can, and any UN agency thief knows what they’re doing probably to show them off as soon as feasible. Still, there’s a chance it could help you get your device back, but I don’t see this feature as a reason to upgrade.
Ease Of Use
ESET supports Windows (Home Server 2011 64-bit, 7 SP1, 8. x, 10), macOS (10.12-11), UNIX system (LSB 3.1, GTK+ 2.6 or newer, Antelope C Library a couple of). 3 or later, Debian and RedHat with kernel a couple of .6.x). installing it was easy: I just downloaded a smaller setup file and it took care of the rest in exactly a few minutes once I ran it. At 77.9 MB, ESET was also a surprisingly small installation, especially compared to some antiviruses that can add up to several hundred megabytes.
Desktop Apps — Clean Design With Some Strange Menu Choices
ESET’s desktop applications area is aesthetically well-designed and comparatively easy to use, but I think ESET may have paid a bit of attention to help novice users. Although the dashboard includes some quick access options, they are options that you would not use as often as many others. Instead, some options that you would probably have to use very often are found a few levels further down in the menus.
For example, if you want to access Gamer Mode, you need to click “Settings”, then “Computer Protection” (I don’t see why it’s here in the starting place), then “Gamer Mode”. alternative options area unit under “Tools”, and you will be able to perform many advanced options under “More tools”. Ideally, the focus of these separate options area units should be clearer, and finding the right tools shouldn’t require as much trial and error. On the other hand, once I had done many minutes of creating by elimination, it wasn’t much of a headache to find the right options going forward.
On the y side, I was affected by ESET’s responsiveness. Navigating through menus and making changes, as usual, was quick, whether I was using a newer laptop or a somewhat outdated desktop. When it comes to security, the last thing you want are menus that lag or take forever to load in the initial location.
Mobile App — Powerful Features But Only for Android
I am rarely affected by mobile versions of antiviruses, but ESET managed to do it. It offers a variety of really useful options, compared to several | the various | the numerous “padding” options that the area unit offers many alternative mobile antivirus applications.
Some of my favorite options are:
- Malware Protection – Checks your device for various styles of malware and even offers protection for periods.
- Anti-Theft: See where your connected devices are at any time, see what they’re being used for, and even proactively defend against theft by generating a final location alert before the battery runs out.
- Anti-phishing – Blocks and notifies you of all phishing attacks coming from domains within ESET information.
- App Lock – This allows you to present a passcode to any app on your phone to stop unauthorized access.
- Call filter: block calls from unwanted people.
- Security Report: This shows you once device settings modification is required and apps have access to sensitive permissions.
While all of these options are valuable additions to your mobile security, there are plenty of things that can make it great. First off, the VPN that’s missing from the desktop app is also absent here, which could be valuable for a lot of anonymous browsing and access to international content. Second, although the anti-theft options area unit is clever, in most cases devices stolen on purpose are not recovered. For these cases, you must have the flexibility to wipe your device to stop data theft.
Support
ESET has many support options for all levels of urgency. From live chat for quick help to detailed guides if you’re not in a rush. I found each of the four support options to be easy to use and ready to find useful information for any problem I encountered. While several antiviruses I’ve tried have barebones support, it was nice to see that ESET has such a well-developed setup.
Live Chat — Fast and Friendly Support
The best thanks for getting help from ESET is through live chat. I tried it as soon as it was active (6 am PST) and multiple times throughout the day: wait times ranged from less than a moment to around two minutes. This was impressively fast and solid as the best support option, especially if you need quick help.
I asked the agent what the login method was behind the password manager feature (since I found it unnecessarily confusing) and so the agent immediately sent ME a link explaining the method. Overall, I got the knowledge I needed in less than five minutes.
Email Support — Speedy and Informative Replies
ESET email support did not cross, with smart response times and elaborate responses. I asked them about the specific abilities of the parental controls feature, and thus the distinction between linked plans, and they responded with a full answer the next day.
However, to facilitate email support, I was asked to provide a variety of additional details to continue. Such as my license key, username, address, and many others. Once I did, I was told that my license was not inheritable from a different region (which it was), so I should contact the appropriate regional support. This isn’t something I’ve found difficult with other antiviruses. Even contacting generic US support has worked for me in the past. Other than this minor issue, I had no complaints with ESET email support.
Knowledge Base and User Guides — Detailed and in Many Languages
ESET content houses a wealth of high-quality and useful data for each of its programs. This covers the basics of installing ESET on many devices, learning how to program tasks, using the ESET tutorial interface, and everything in between. I was struck by the quality of the guides on offer, with a wealth of information covering both beginners and advanced users.
It’s also available in thirty-six languages, which should help a good global audience get help.
Support Forum — Active and Full of Great Information
The community support forums are a great thanks for getting help once the quest is unsuccessful or your problem is not urgent. However, they are generally inactive and do not offer much useful information. Fortunately, the ESET forums are live and they are for a while, which means that there is a deep source of answers that you can take advantage of. The forum is currently only available in English, with no option to opt into alternate languages.
Price
ESET plans to accommodate a variety of options and device combinations, so you’ll choose one that fully suits your wishes. The biggest downside is that both plan to work with only one device by default. If you want a lot, you have to pay a lot, which can add up quickly if you want to hide multiple devices. Most of the ESET website also states that you can only choose between 1-3 year annual plans, but on the purchase page you will see that you can even opt for a personal monthly plan.
ESET NOD32 Antivirus (Windows Only)
ESET NOD32 Antivirus is the simplest configuration and offers one device by default, with the option to add more to your license. it will also transfer your license to a version of the macOS or UNIX system if you ever switch devices. It includes:
- Malware protection
- Ransomware Protection
- Anti-phishing
- Player mode
- UEFI scanner
- System cleaner
This setup is ideal for those who don’t want any options apart from ESET’s powerful anti-malware protection. You’ll put together your mix of additional options while maintaining strong core security. If you already have a positive ID manager and/or parental control package, this is usually an honest option for you.
ESET Internet Security (Windows, macOS, Android, Linux)
This is ESET’s preferred configuration and includes all NOD32 Antivirus features, plus:
- Anti-spam
- Firewalls
- Webcam protection
- Protection against network attacks
- Botnet Protection
- Banking and payment protection
- Parental management
- Anti-theft
This layout is suitable if you want the added security of a firewall, anti-theft tool, and digital camera protection. However, it will not have a positive ID manager or encoding options.
ESET Smart Security Premium (Windows, macOS, Android, Linux)
Smart Security Premium is ESET’s most feature-rich configuration, although I don’t think it’s worth the higher price compared to the previous Net Security configuration. Includes all net Security options, plus:
- Password manager
- Secure information
This is an honest fix if you want a secure login manager and thus the ability to log files and folders to your drive.
ESET Cyber Security (macOS Only)
ESET Cyber Security and Cyber Security Professional in macOS-only plans. They will even be reborn into a Windows NOD32 setup should you tweak devices, and in the case of the cyber security pro, Android. It includes:
- Malware protection
- Presentation/player mode
- Anti-phishing
- Cross-platform protection
- Firewall (Pro only)
- Web and email scanning (Pro only)
- Parental management (Pro only)
- Network connections (Pro only)
ESET Mobile Security (Android Only)
ESET Mobile Security offers amazingly smart protection for golem devices. It includes:
- Malware protection
- Anti-theft
- Anti-phishing
- App lock
- Call filter
- Security report
- Security audit
30-Day Money-Back Guarantee — Test ESET With Zero Risk
ESET includes a 30-day money-back guarantee with all setup options. It’s a very simple associated do}: just send an email or provide a decision. I tried this myself by language for Associate in Nursing Associate in Nursing yearly arrangement and contacted customer service by chance by email. Please note that you only need to contact the ESET region you originally purchased from. once the causal Nursing Associate emailed the appropriate UK support, it took two days to get a response, including a direct approval with no follow-up required. I’ve tried many antiviruses that evoke more justifications for action, so it was nice to imagine. I received the money in my account just one day later.
Final Verdict
ESET could be a basic antivirus that will work (and it will work well). However, it’s just not as good as the top-tier competitors. There is no VPN, which is normal with various brands of antivirus. ESET does not even provide the Associate in Nursing iOS app for iPhone and iPad users. Also, each array only supports one device – you must purchase additional licenses.
If you want to take care of ESET yourself, I recommend signing up with the money-back guarantee, so you’ll get a full refund if you’re not satisfied. That said, I think you’ll get much more valuable all-round protection with antivirus like Norton. It even includes a generous 60-day money-back guarantee, so you’ll try Norton risk-free for up to two months!
FAQs
Is ESET Antivirus Any Good?
Yes, ESET could be a powerful antivirus for core malware security and advanced diagnostic capabilities. However, it is missing some of the extra features that you will notice with many of its main competitors, and therefore the features that it will have are many on the essential side.
Can I Use ESET Antivirus For Free?
There is no free version of ESET, however, it does offer a 30-day free trial and a 30-day money-back guarantee. this gives you almost two months to carry out ESET risk-free. Use this link to go to the ESET trial registration page.
What Devices Does ESET Antivirus Work On?
ESET is compatible with Windows, macOS, Android, and Linux. However, there is hardly any coverage for all devices with ESET net Security and ESET good Security Premium. There is also the Windows-only NOD32 antivirus plan, the Android-only mobile security plan, or the Mac-only cybersecurity and cybersecurity professional plans.
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