Trend Micro vs ESET: Which One is Better? [2024 Top Picks]

Find the best antivirus for you and your devices.
We compare security, extra features, ease of use, and more to help you decide.

Trend Micro vs. ESET: Which Is Right for You?

Sam Boyd
Sam Boyd
Chief Editor

Trend Micro vs. ESET: Which Is Right for You?

Top antivirus providers need to offer comprehensive protection, and ESET and Trend Micro use different tactics to achieve this goal. They both use behavior-based anti-ransomware and anti-phishing tools, but their additional features vary considerably.

With 250 million users, Trend Micro is a well-trusted platform. Alongside malware protection, it offers parental controls and a digital file shredder which ensures your trashed documents are completely deleted. Plus, their social media defenses optimize your privacy settings, keeping you safe from hackers. Trend Micro even offers a PC tune-up tool, which gets rid of out-of-date firewalls and software. Your subscription will provide coverage for up to three computers, and they have a range of customer service options. You can use the ‘Ask Vanessa’ support bot, read FAQs and guides online, or call them. Their phone support is only 5am-8pm with a standard package, but 24/7 if you’re on premium.

ESET also has an impressive reputation and a near-100% malware detection rate. They’ve focused on convenience so their security works alongside your online activities. The innovative ‘Idle Scan’ feature waits until your computer is in sleep or screensaver mode to check for malware so it doesn’t slow down your system. You can also activate ‘Gamer Mode,’ which stops all pop-up notifications while you’re in full screen. Plus, ESET provides email filtering, which integrates with most desktop software and protects against phishing and other scams. The customer support is similar to Trend Micro as they provide online documentation, but it’s relatively simple. You can also reach them by email, live chat, or phone.

Starting Price
Money Back Guarantee
Free Trial
$14.95
30 Days
$8.99
30 Days
Security
Features
Ease of Use
Support
Pricing
8
8
9
8
8
9
7
8
8
8
Latest Positive Review*User reviews are not verified
¯\_(ツ)_/¯
No reviews yet
¯\_(ツ)_/¯
No reviews yet
Mar. 23, 2022
Best antivirus for windows
ESET caught all of the 30,00,000 samples I used in protection of zero-day...
Cyril Bartlam
Mar. 22, 2022
Incorrect Info
In the UK Eset do have a Tech Support telephone number, with Norton you...
Latest Negative Review*User reviews are not verified
Oct. 11, 2022
Trend Micro will steal your money! Do not get any products from this company.
No one should ever consider buying anything from Trend Micro. This company...
Nabeel
May 1, 2021
Don't buy
Trend Micro highly relies on its cloud technology to determine if files...
Richard Stephenson
Feb. 5, 2023
Awful
False positives, removes legitimate software and when manually selected to...
Sep. 7, 2021
Blocks WSL2 and WSL1 Network interfaces
works great for most things, bit of a CPU hog on startup but most of my...
Our Verdict
Sam Boyd
Sam Boyd
Chief Editor
Choosing between ESET and Trend Micro comes down to your personal needs. ESET is a fantastic budget option for strong core protection without clogging up your system. Trend Micro is pricier, but you enjoy a full range of security features.
Time To Decide Which One Is Best For You

Frequently Asked Questions

How do I find the best antivirus for me?

The first thing to do is to understand what you need — all antiviruses come with different internet security tools to help you stay protected, so identifying what level of protection you want will help you figure out which product is right for you.

Some antiviruses have a virtual private network (VPN), some have safe browsing extensions, and some have a password manager. Some only work on certain operating systems, while others cover all operating systems across multiple devices.

It’s important to compare the best antiviruses on the market to find the perfect one with the functionality you need.

What makes an antivirus secure?

A high-quality antivirus suite will detect, flag, and remove viruses and various types of malware. It will also offer real-time protection against all threats, regardless of whether you are browsing the internet, downloading software, shopping online, or opening email. For additional security, many antivirus suites offer a VPN, secure storage, and a password manager — these things all add several layers of protection against various cyber threats.

For more information on how antiviruses work, read this.

What do I need to look for when searching for an antivirus?

An antivirus needs to protect against all types of malware — trojans, rootkits, worms, spyware, viruses, ransomware, and anything else that might cause damage to your devices. This is done in a variety of ways, but the most essential feature of an antivirus is real-time protection — this makes sure that an active threat is effectively stopped before anything serious can happen.

Other things to look for include — excellent detection rates, fast system performance, included extra features (like a VPN, password manager, etc.), easy-to-use interface, good customer support, and overall value.

Go here for a list of the best antivirus software of 2024.

How do I know if one antivirus is better than another?

When researching antiviruses, it’s a good idea to visit a few well-known antivirus software websites such as Norton, McAfee, and Bitdefender to directly compare each antivirus’s features.

You can also look at the expert opinions of our reviewers at SafetyDetectives.com to find the most up-to-date and unbiased information about the best cybersecurity products on the market today.

The listings featured on this site are from companies from which this site receives compensation and some are co-owned by our parent company. This influence: Rank and manner in which listings are presented. 
Learn more