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Review of ESET Endpoint Antivirus Software: system overview, features, price and cost information. Get free demos and compare to similar programs. Windows Antivirus Software Types. Most antivirus makers have three or four tiers of Windows products, with each price bump adding extra features, such as parental controls or cloud backups. ESET Anti-Virus Software Review. ConsumersAdvocate.org Rating: 4.8 / 5 (Excellent). I've used ESET Anti-Virus and Firewall protection services for several Windows 10 desktops and notebook computers since 2011. In addition to that it protects my 27 inch iMac. During all these years, I've had no virus or phishing software nor hacking attack.
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ESET NOD32 Antivirus blocked 99 percent of more than 300 malware samples we used to test antivirus software. It also scored above average in other independent lab tests, making it a good solution for protecting your Windows computer or laptop. ESET recognizes viruses, worms, Trojans, spyware, rootkits ransomware and phishing schemes, and it blocks you from visiting sites that are known to have malware hidden on them.
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In our testing, ESET NOD32 was probably the easiest program to download, install and use. When we pressed the download link, the program installed itself and immediately began scanning our system for any threats. We didn’t have to manually set up anything. It blocked malicious sites and displayed in-browser warning messages without having to enable any browser extensions. When we were ready to schedule scans and set up custom scans, ESET was so well laid out that we were quickly able to find the function tabs and links we needed.
This software scans emails for viruses in messages and their attachments. It also scans USB drives immediately after you plug them in to protect you from external threats. This includes cellphones; it will remove any viruses it finds on your mobile devices that are connected to your computer through the USB port. ESET scans files in real time as they open to ensure malicious files don’t cause any problems. We saw this happen often during our test when viruses attempted to download from the web. ESET was quick to recognize threats, interrupt the downloads and quarantine the threats before they could infect our computer.
This antivirus software connects to an online database to stay up to date on the most recent virus threats. While most programs automatically update themselves, ESET requires you to update the virus signatures database yourself. This is done by simply pressing the Update button, but it does create a vulnerability if you don’t remember to update the program often. The software will alert you when the database needs to be updated.
Other test labs reported that ESET created a little slowdown during performance tests, but we didn’t see any slowing when we tested ESET NOD32 Antivirus. We ran the program while doing normal computer activities including playing games online, watching videos, downloading programs, attaching files to outgoing email messages and surfing the web.
The only setback we saw with ESET NOD32 is, because it’s a basic antivirus program, it doesn’t include some important security features. These include a firewall, spam filters and a password manager, though all of these are included with ESET Smart Security, a more inclusive internet security program. We’ve tested this program, too, and recommend it as a good computer protection solution. It just costs substantially more than ESET NOD32 Antivirus. There are other antivirus programs, like VIPRE, that include these tools and don’t cost as much as the more advanced ESET program.
ESET NOD32 Antivirus delivers great protection without slowing down your computer or making it difficult to set up. It recognizes malware and warns you if you’re about to visit a page where viruses tend to lurk. And if a threat like a Trojan or rootkit tries to download, ESET will stop and quarantine it before it has a chance to infect your computer. This antivirus program doesn’t have a lot of extra security tools, but it’s a viable option to protect your computer.
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Best Basic Antivirus SoftwareBitdefender Antivirus Plus
Superior protection, low system impact
Best Midrange Antivirus SoftwareKaspersky Internet Security
Most everything you need
Best Premium PC Security SuiteKaspersky Total Security
Still top of the class
Plenty of Windows users believe they don't need to pay for the best antivirus software. Many Mac and Android users think they don't need protection at all. Windows' high profile makes it the biggest target, but macOS and Android are also vulnerable to malware, even if their users don't encounter as much of it.
We believe it's worth paying for Windows antivirus software, because even the best free software leaves out some protection features we consider essential. But you don't have to spend a lot. Many antivirus products are sold online for much less than their list prices.
Mac and Android users have other options: Some of our favorite Mac AV products cost nothing, and most Android security apps have free versions.
Different Types of Antivirus Software
Latest Security Alerts and Threats
— Medical records of more than 24 million people have been exposed on nearly 600 servers belonging to healthcare providers, a German security firm revealed. ADVICE: Ask your healthcare provider how images of your X-rays, CT scans and MRI scans are protected online.
— Two adware-ridden selfie-filter apps were removed from the Google Play store, but are still easy to find in other Android app markets. ADVICE: Check to see whether Sun Pro Beauty Camera or Funny Sweet Beauty Selfie Camera are on your phone, and run a good Android antivirus app.
— More than a dozen home and small-business routers and network-attached-storage drives, including the Netgear Nighthawk R9000, can be compromised remotely, researchers revealed. ADVICE: Make sure your networked devices' firmware is up-to-date, disable remote access and UPnP in the administrative settings, and make sure the admin password is not the factory default.
How We Tested the Best Antivirus Software
Our evaluations were based on an antivirus product's interface, performance, protection and extra features. Was the interface intuitive and user-friendly? How badly did malware scans slow performance? How well did the program detect and remove malware? Does the program have any additional tools, and are they useful?
Most of our Windows tests were performed on the same Asus X555LA laptop running 64-bit Windows 8.1 (later upgraded to Windows 10), with an Intel Core i3-5005U processor, 6GB of RAM and a 500GB hard drive containing 36GB of files.
Proxycap serial 5.32. Some of our newer Windows performance tests were done on a Lenovo ThinkPad T470 with a 2.5GHz Core i5-7200U processor, 8GB of RAM and 256GB of solid-state storage containing 43.3GB of files.
Our Mac evaluations were conducted on a 2017 MacBook Air running macOS 10.14 Mojave with a 1.8-GHz Intel Core i5 CPU and approximately 54GB of data stored on a 128GB SSD.
To assess a program's impact on system speed on both Windows and macOS, we used our own custom tests, which measure how long a CPU takes to match 20,000 names and addresses on an OpenOffice or Excel spreadsheet. The longer it took the laptop to finish either test, the heavier the performance impact.
For smartphones, we used the Geekbench 4 benchmarking app on a Samsung Galaxy S8 running Android 7.0 Nougat.
For malware-detection scores, we use the results of three independent testing labs: AV-TEST in Germany, AV-Comparatives in Austria and SE Labs in England. Each lab subjects the major antivirus brands' products to stress tests involving thousands of pieces of malware, including hundreds of previously unseen samples.
Windows Antivirus Software Types
Most antivirus makers have three or four tiers of Windows products, with each price bump adding extra features, such as parental controls or cloud backups. But because each company uses a single malware-detection engine for all its Windows antivirus software, the cheapest item — even a free one — in any product line usually finds malware just as thoroughly as the priciest.
Not all users will need premium suites, or even midrange products. If you don't have kids, or if you already have backup software, the basic product may be enough.
MORE: How to Buy Antivirus Software
Basic or Entry-Level Windows Antivirus Software
The least-expensive paid Windows antivirus products, which generally start at $40 to $60 per year depending on the number of PCs covered, have the essentials. Definition updates and scans are automatic; websites and email attachments are screened, and the products are mostly easy to use. Some basic AV programs toss in extra features, such as file shredders or system optimizers, that are normally found in pricier products.
Best Basic Antivirus Software
Bitdefender Antivirus Plus
Reasons to Buy
Small performance penalty
Lots of useful extra features
Reasons to Avoid
Bitdefender Antivirus Plus has very good malware detection and a strong selection of extra tools. You'll find a built-in unlimited password manager, a secure browser, VPN client software, protection against encrypting ransomware, anti-tracking software and automatic profiles that optimize Bitdefender's impact on your system, depending on whether you're working, watching a movie or playing a game.
Midpriced Windows Antivirus Software
These products usually start at $60 to $80 per year. They generally build on the basic packages by bundling in parental controls and a two-way firewall to catch outgoing data, although many add other features. But for the full feature set each brand offers, you'll have to pony up for the premium products.
Best Midrange Antivirus Software
Kaspersky Internet Security
Reasons to Buy
Webcam protection, hardened web browser
Two-factor authentication for online account
Reasons to Avoid
Unlimited VPN usage costs extra
Parental controls not as good as top-tier program
Kaspersky takes first place among midrange antivirus software products, thanks to its excellent malware protection and a full assortment of extra features and tools. Kaspersky Internet Security includes a secure browser, a virtual keyboard, specialized protection against ransomware, webcam protection to guard your privacy. There's VPN client software that automatically switches on when you connect to an unsafe Wi-Fi network, but data usage is limited unless you pay extra.
Premium Windows Antivirus Software
Top-tier packages are often called security suites because they do much more than catch malware. They might also offer file encryption, secure online storage, a password manager or an ad blocker. As most suites cover multiple devices, they also frequently bundle in licenses for Mac and Android antivirus software. For all this, you're meant to pay at least $80 per year — but as with all paid antivirus software, steep discounts can often be found online.
Best Premium Antivirus Software
Kaspersky Total Security
Reasons to Buy
Backup software, rich parental controls, unlimited password manager
Reasons to Avoid
VPN data usage capped unless you pay extra
Kaspersky Total Security has it all for those who want more than just excellent malware detection. This one rose to the top because it eliminates threats without generating many annoying false positives. We also like the included secure browser, which is ideal for online banking and shopping. Other highlights include a thorough file shredder, Windows backup and recovery software, and excellent parental controls.
Free Windows Antivirus Software
Free Windows antivirus products have gotten much better, and our top two choices offer excellent malware detection, if little else. The others provide adequate protection with a smattering of goodies such as password managers or parental controls. Among those is Microsoft's built-in Windows Defender, which has risen to the middle of our rankings. However, free antivirus software generally leaves out extra protection features such as dedicated defenses against ransomware or spam blockers.
Best Free Windows Antivirus
Kasperky Free Antivirus
Reasons to Buy
Light-to-moderate performance hit
Some customization options
![Nod32 Nod32](/uploads/1/2/5/0/125047225/912212795.jpg)
Reasons to Avoid
Kaspersky Lab largely keeps quiet about its free antivirus product, but it's a winner, with a user-friendly interface, a fairly light system-performance impact and Kaspersky's nearly flawless malware protection. Just don't expect anything from it but the bare necessities.
Mac Antivirus Software
Despite what Apple's marketing has implied, Macs do get infected, and the amount of Mac malware keeps rising. But there's less money to be made in the Mac antivirus market than in the Windows one, and the products are less standardized. Some Mac antivirus products are free, and some are paid. One of the products we recently evaluated, Avast Free Mac Security, doesn't cost a dime.
Best Mac Antivirus Software
Ratings For Eset Antivirus Software
Bitdefender Antivirus for Mac
Reasons to Buy
Ransomware protection
Imperceptible system impact
Reasons to Avoid
Automatically installs VPN client, but unlimited costs extra
$38.99
Bitdefender Antivirus for Mac offers flawless malware detection, ransomware rollbacks and almost no impact on system performance. It has a streamlined, easy-to-use interface that places on-demand scans front and center. We wish that Bitdefender didn't nag us to buy extra VPN service, but other than that, this program is nearly perfect.
Android Antivirus Apps
Every Android device, whether it's a smartphone, tablet or TV stick, should have antivirus software. Usually, that software comes with an all-encompassing security app that also includes anti-theft and remote-locating features, and many apps have both a basic free version and a premium version with more features.
The free versions of the Android security apps we reviewed are pretty solid. The paid versions, which cost between $15 and $30 per year, range from being just a bit better than the free ones to becoming practically separate products, with a wide range of capabilities. You'll have to decide what you need and select accordingly.
Best Android Antivirus App
Bitdefender Mobile Security
Reasons to Buy
Eset Antivirus Ranking
Comprehensive and reliable anti-theft features
Intuitive user interface
Reasons to Avoid
Can't schedule scans
$14.99
The Bitdefender Android security app has flawless malware protection, a small performance hit, privacy-protection tools and Android Wear integration. Yet there are no scheduled malware scans, and no freemium option. (The separate Bitdefender Antivirus Free for Android only scans for malware.) Still, at $15 per year per device, Bitdefender Mobile Security is worth the expense.
iOS Antivirus Apps
A lot of people want iOS antivirus software for their iPhones and iPads. The truth is that such software doesn't exist. Apple won't let third-party apps examine other iOS apps, or even inspect new apps as they're installed. Anything that claims to be antivirus software swiftly gets kicked out of the iTunes App Store.
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Many major antivirus vendors, including F-Secure, McAfee, Norton and Trend Micro, do have 'security' apps in the App Store. But these check web links for known malicious sites, locate lost devices or pretend to protect your privacy. None scans an iPhone for malware.
There has been real iOS malware that affects non-jailbroken devices, but it's very rarely cropped up. In each instance, Apple has pushed out a new version of iOS to stop the malware in a matter of days or weeks. Generally, if you keep your Apple mobile device updated to the latest version of iOS, you should be safe.
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[Editor's Note: Best Buy has removed Kaspersky Lab products from its shelves, citing concerns regarding Kaspersky's alleged (but as yet undocumented) ties to the Russian government. However, until we see real evidence that Kaspersky software is a threat to consumers, we will continue to recommend it. Here is further clarification of our position.]