Avira vs ESET: Which Antivirus Is Best in 2025?
Both Avira and ESET promise powerful security features at decent prices but I wanted to see which was the overall better antivirus. So I tested both antiviruses across 15 different areas.
I compared the performance of the antivirus engine, real-time protection abilities, and other security features like web and ransomware protection. After all my tests, I found that although both antiviruses gave me perfect malware detection rates, Avira offered better performance.
Avira won in almost every area except for lacking an in-built firewall and s. Avira specifically has good device optimization features and a strong VPN. You can try Avira risk-free for 60 days using its money-back guarantee.
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No Time? Here’s a 1-Minute Summary of Category Winners
Avira and ESET are good antivirus suites with robust security features. However, after comparing both antiviruses extensively, I found that Avira is more feature-packed and offers better value for money.
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Virus Scanner | Offers 100% detection scores and provides more scanning options. | Detected 100% of malware and scanned deep areas on my PC. |
Real-Time Malware Protection | Detects every malicious link when online but isn’t as consistent when offline. | Detected 100% of real-time threats during my tests and blocked all phishing attacks. |
System Performance | Offers a lightweight antivirus suite. | Consumes fewer resources and doesn’t have any serious impact on my PC. |
VPN | Offers a VPN that has limited abilities. | Doesn’t have a VPN. |
s | Doesn’t offer features. | Comes with a basic but -friendly s app. |
Firewall | Doesn’t have an in-built firewall. | Provides a robust firewall with many customizable features. |
Manager | Provides a manager in every plan (even in the free plan). | Offers a basic manager with few features. |
Gaming Mode | Offers a good gamer mode feature that improved my gaming experience. | Has a Game Mode feature that disables unnecessary background processes. |
Optimization Tools | Features a wide range of valuable optimization tools like startup optimizer. | Doesn’t offer any PC optimization tools. |
Other Features | Offers many security-related and optimization-focused extra features. | Provides mostly security-related extra features. |
Device Compatibility | Compatible with most devices, including Windows, Mac, Android, and iOS. | Works with popular operating systems but doesn’t have an antivirus app for iOS. |
Customer Service | Lacks live chat and offers a slow response time via email. | Provides multiple channels and excellent customer service. |
Price | Provides multiple subscription plans with many features and budget-friendly prices. | Has 3 plans, all offering competitive pricing options. |
Free Version | Has an impressive free version with excellent features. | Doesn’t have a free version but offers a 30-day free trial. |
Money-Back Guarantee | Offers a 60-day money-back guarantee and a straightforward refund process. | Offers unconditional 30-day money-back guarantee with fast refund time. |
Try Avira risk-free for 60 days
How I Tested and Compared Avira vs ESET
- Virus Scanner — I analyzed the malware detection capabilities of both antiviruses and compared the available scanning options to determine the best malware scanner.
- Real-Time Malware Protection — I examined the potency of real-time protection against threats offered by both contending antiviruses.
- System Performance — I compared both antiviruses to determine which consumed more system resources and impacted my PC’s performance the most.
- VPN — I contrasted the speeds, security, streaming capability, and server coverage of the VPNs bundled in each antivirus.
- s — I checked which antivirus offered a s app and tested the features to see if they were any good.
- Firewall — I looked deeply into both antiviruses’ firewall features to find the most robust option.
- Manager — I tested the manager available on the antivirus software, comparing its features with top managers.
- Gaming Mode — I examined the Gamer Mode feature of each antivirus and compared their effectiveness to see which one was better.
- Optimization Tools — I checked the total number of optimization tools and tested them to know which one offers better features.
- Other Features — I tested every additional feature provided by both antivirus software to determine the one with the most compelling features.
- Device Compatibility — I compared the number of operating systems and devices each antivirus ed and chose the one with the most coverage.
- Customer Service — I checked the available options and tested them individually to determine the most helpful one.
- Price — I analyzed the different pricing plans provided by each AV and chose the one that offered the best value for money.
- Free Version — I checked for the antivirus with a free version and tested it to see how robust it was. I also compared the free trial options of both antiviruses.
- Money-Back Guarantee — I examined and tested the refund policy of both antiviruses and chose the option with the best value.
Try Avira risk-free for 60 days
1. Virus Scanner — Avira Offers More Scanning Options
Avira and ESET provide robust malware scanners and perfect malware detection scores. However, Avira offers more customizable scanning options. To test their robustness, I ed over 1000 malware samples on my test machine and ran multiple tests for each antivirus.
Both antiviruses detected 100% of the malware samples, removing viruses, spyware, trojans, ransomware, and rootkits. After that, I compared the different scanning options provided by both contenders.

Avira offers 4 categories of virus scanners:
- Quick scan — Scans the most vulnerable areas of your device.
- Full scan — Checks your entire system for malware.
- Smart scan — Malware scanner and checks for privacy and performance issues.
- Custom scan — Specialized scans for rootkits, active processes, local drives, and external devices.
In comparison, ESET offers 3 types of scanners:
- Full scan — Conducts thorough checks of every area of your hard disk.
- Custom scan — This allows you to choose and scan specific folders or files.
- Removable media scan — Scans external devices and drives plugged into your system.
Avira’s Smart Scan took less than 2 minutes to check my system for viruses and detect performance issues. The full scan took around 1 hour and 45 minutes to check my entire system. Avira uses a global cloud-based threat detection system to detect and block the latest threats and provide faster scans.
ESET’s full disk scan took longer than I expected, taking almost 4 hours for the initial scan to complete. However, subsequent scans were faster. It marked safe files and skipped them for subsequent scans, which reduced the total scan time to 30 minutes.
Virus Scanner Winner: Avira
Try Avira risk-free for 60 days
2. Real-Time Malware Protection — Both Antiviruses Detect Zero-Day Real-Time Threats
Both contenders offer real-time protection from threats, scoring perfect detection scores during my tests. However, when I wasn’t connected to the internet, Avira only detected 90.6% of real-time threats.
I opened several malware-laden sites, malicious URLs, and known phishing links to test for real-time protection. ESET blocked them all, including files hidden in a zip archive. Similarly, Avira blocked most threats, but it couldn’t detect some threats when I was offline. This shows that it relies on its cloud-based threat detection system for more accurate results.
ESET also uses a cloud-based detection system to block threats. Its Host Intruder Prevention System (HIPS) feature successfully detected zero-day threats and malicious applications trying to alter my system.
Overall, I was impressed that both antiviruses provide excellent real-time protection results for known and zero-day threats. These results put them at par with each other for this category.
Real-Time Malware Protection Winner: Tie
3. System Performance — ESET Consumes Fewer System Resources
ESET and Avira offer lightweight antivirus apps, but ESET consumes fewer system resources. It had little to no impact on my PC’s performance. However, to measure each AV’s specific consumption of system resources, I decided to record my baseline U, Disk, and Memory utilization.
Next, I compared the baseline values to those I took when running a full disk scan. This helped me determine in absolute the less resource-intensive antivirus. While it was a close contest from both antiviruses, ESET proved to be the more lightweight software.
Test Type | U Utilization % (no scan) | Memory Utilization % (no scan) | Disk Utilization (MB/s)(no scan) | Full Scan U Utilization % | Full Scan Memory Utilization % | Full Scan Disk Utilization (MB/s) |
Avira | 5 | 82 | 80 | 32 | 85 | 89 |
ESET | 4 | 80 | 81 | 29 | 82 | 85 |
During my tests, my U utilization increased from 4% to 29% with ESET’s full scan running. Similarly, Avira slightly increased my U utilization from 5% to 22%. The impact on my PC’s performance was negligible. So, I didn’t experience any significant slowdowns.
However, here’s an idea of how well ESET minimized the impact on system performance, compared to Avira:
- Slowing down when launching a popular website: 17% slowdown (versus ESET’s 14%).
- Copying files, both locally and in a network: 9% slowdown (versus ESET’s 2%)
- Launching standard software apps: 7% (versus ESET’s 5%)
Overall, both antiviruses did not have a significant impact on my system’s performance. However, I found ESET to be the more lightweight antivirus software. It consumed fewer system resources, which made copying files and loading websites a breeze.
System Performance Winner: ESET
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4. VPN — Avira’s VPN Is Below Average
Avira comes bundled with a VPN, while ESET doesn’t offer a VPN. Surprisingly, Avira even offers its VPN on the free plan. Although, it is limited to 500MB of daily bandwidth, and you can’t select a server to connect with. To get unmetered bandwidth, you have to subscribe to the service of Avira Phantom VPN or Avira’s plans.
The buffering I experienced was due to the VPN’s slow speeds. Avira’s VPN is slow on both local and distant servers. I experienced a speed reduction of 60% on nearby servers and a 90% drop in speed for distant servers. These poor results affected my streaming, ing, and browsing.
Despite having robust security features, I can’t recommend Avira Phantom VPN. The slow speeds and poor streaming abilities make it unusable for me. There are antiviruses on the market that come bundled with competitive VPN service. You can check the best antivirus with VPNs that offer perfect streaming abilities and ultra-fast speeds.
VPN Winner: Avira
5. s — Only ESET Offers Features
ESET includes a basic s app with very few features. It allows you to block category-wide inappropriate sites. This includes adult sites, gambling, aggressive, and drug-promoting websites.
Unfortunately, I couldn’t find any geofencing feature or ability to track my child’s location as top antiviruses offer. ESET’s s app isn’t available for iOS devices either. You can only use it on Android, Windows, and Mac devices. Overall, ESET’s s app is more like a content filter, lacking many functionalities. In comparison, Norton’s s app offers advanced features such as geofencing abilities, monitors browsing history, allows you to set time limits, and block specific websites. s Winner: ESET ESET offers robust and customizable firewall features. I consider a firewall feature a core component of antivirus software and was very surprised that Avira doesn’t have an in-built firewall. Instead, it has a firewall module that integrates with the Windows Defender Firewall, allowing you to turn it on and off. It also has an Advanced Settings button that takes you to Windows firewall settings. In comparison, ESET offers a smart in-built firewall with basic and advanced functions. It’s easily customizable and easily outperforms the Windows firewall. ESET’s firewall protected my devices, keeping my data safe from network intrusion attacks. I really like that ESET’s firewall blocks all unauthorized connections. The basic firewall settings were enough to protect my device. Basic s can set different filtering modes, such as: I found ESET’s advanced firewall options very impressive. It allowed me to set specific network rules, giving me complete control over how each app or system is connected to the internet. Overall, ESET proved to be the better antivirus for firewall protection. I like that the basic firewall settings offer different filtering modes. I suggest you leave it in Automatic Mode if you aren’t an advanced . I recommend avoiding ESET’s Interactive Mode, however, as it spams your notifications. Once you make all of the initial approve/deny choices for programs, the notification spam becomes less of an issue but you might still get the odd popups asking for permissions, which can make focusing on productivity tasks more difficult. Firewall Winner: ESET Both antivirus contenders offer a manager. However, after extensively testing both apps, I found that Avira offers more features and is more -friendly. ESET offers a basic manager. You can generate secure s, store unlimited s in its vault, and use them on multiple devices. Its form-filling ability isn’t very effective, and ESET’s Security Report ( auditing) doesn’t prompt you to change affected s. Avira offers a pretty good manager. Every antivirus plan includes a manager (even the free version). Unlike many antivirus-bundled managers, Avira’s free plan s unlimited s and multiple devices syncing. You can get features such as: I like how intuitive Avira’s manager is. It features a -friendly interface on the mobile apps (Android and iOS) and the web browser extension. I used it to auto-fill multiple websites, even complex forms. The auditing feature also worked well and prompted me to change all my weak s. Manager Winner: Avira Avira and ESET offer gaming mode features, but I found Avira’s Gamer Mode the better option. ESET offers a basic gamer mode feature. It suspends scans, updates, and disturbing pop-up windows during a full-screen activity like gaming. However, it doesn’t do more than that. A good gamer mode feature doesn’t just stop notifications. It also allocates more system resources to you when gaming. However, while playing Grand-Theft Auto (GTA), I noticed no significant performance improvement with ESET’s gamer mode. In comparison, Avira’s Game Booster feature suspends unnecessary background processes while reducing U utilization. While playing Call of Duty: Modern Warfare, I noticed that Avira optimized my network settings, which contributed to my lag-free gaming experience. Overall, both antiviruses offer good gamer mode features but Avira wins this round. Avira improved my game’s performance while ESET only blocked notifications while gaming. Gaming Mode Winner: Avira I compared both antiviruses and found that only Avira provided tangible system optimization tools. ESET offers a system cleaner tool that restores system settings to the condition before a malware infection. Its primary function is to remove modifications made by malware, and so I find the “Cleaner” label somewhat misleading. Avira, however, hosts a wide range of helpful system optimization tools. It offers the following device optimization tools:
Overall, Avira’s device optimization tools proved helpful. In contrast, ESET doesn’t offer any real set of optimization tools. Given Avira’s wide range of optimization tools, it wins this round by far. Optimization Tools Winner: Avira Avira and ESET offer a number of security and optimization tools, but I found that Avira had the most useful extra features. Both antiviruses provide additional security features like ransomware, web, banking, and email protection. However, Avira offers more optimization features as extras. ESET’s extra features: Avira also offers a wide range of additional features that protects you online. It provides extra device optimization tools that ESET lacked. Avira’s extra features: In summary, both antiviruses provided many useful extra features, including security-related features like web protection, secure banking, and ransomware protection. However, Avira offered many optimization-related features, which were very useful to keep my PC in top performance. Other Features Winner: Avira Both Avira and ESET are compatible with major operating systems. Avira’s plan can cover 5 or 25 devices, whereas ESET covers 1 device on the basic plan and a maximum of 5 devices for home s. Avira is compatible with the following operating systems: It was very easy to install and set up Avira on all my devices. After installing the desktop app (Mac and Windows), I found the app to be -friendly for beginners and advanced s alike. There are a few differences in the aesthetics and features of desktop apps. For instance, the Mac app lacked web and email protection features which I would have liked to see across apps.
Avira’s mobile apps are really good. They offer antivirus protection, extra security features, and device optimization tools. The iOS app is similar to Android in layout but offers fewer features. Overall, both apps are good, and it took only 1 minute to scan my device for malware. In comparison, ESET is compatible with the following operating systems: ESET is pretty easy to install as well. It took only a few minutes to set it up. I simply had to the free trial to get started with it. Once you install the apps, you’ll have to manually activate most features before they appear on the main screen, which I found rather inconvenient. ESET’s desktop app is intuitive and well-designed. I found it very easy to use the windows and Mac apps — which had similar features and designs. ESET’s Android app works similarly and is packed with many features. Unfortunately, ESET doesn’t have an iOS antivirus app, except for the standalone manager. If you’re looking for an antivirus to protect your iPhone, you should check the best antivirus software for iOS devices. In conclusion, Avira s more operating systems than ESET. It also offers more comprehensive coverage. ESET s older versions of the ed OS, which I think is cool. It also has a Linux app, but that is set to be phased out in August 2023. Device Compatibility Winner: Avira After testing the channels of both antiviruses, I found that ESET offers more worthwhile customer . ESET’s customer was faster and more helpful than Avira’s. ESET offers multiple options: ESET’s live chat was fast and helpful. It took about 2 minutes to get connected with an agent. I asked the representative a question about the manager feature. I got a helpful response, including a link to an article with a detailed guide. ESET’s email is equally fast and helpful. I sent a message asking about the abilities of the s app. I got a response from ESET’s email in 2 hours with a detailed response. The FAQs, articles, and installation guides on ESET’s website were rich and detailed, with helpful information. On top of that, it is available in 36 languages, which would a more global audience. ESET’s community forums are active and contain high-quality and helpful responses. It features responses from community and the ESET team. In comparison, Avira offers 3 types of channels. There’s an email, phone, and online knowledge base, but to my surprise, it doesn’t offer live chat . I ed Avira’s email and got a response 3 days later, which was really disappointing. Next, I tried phone . Avira provides toll-free phone in 30+ countries. Unfortunately, I couldn’t successfully connect to any of the numbers. The online knowledge base, however, contained many helpful articles and FAQs. In conclusion, ESET offered more options and helpful customer . Customer Service Winner: ESET I compared the pricing plans and features of both contenders and found that while ESET provided more options, Avira’s paid plans offered better value for money. Both antiviruses offer the following pricing plans: ESET offers other device-specific plans like the Cyber Security plan for macOS devices and the Mobile Security plan for Android devices. In conclusion, Avira’s low and top-tier plans offer more features at a more affordable price than ESET. That said, ESET offers competitive prices and top-grade features across all its paid plans. Price Winner: Avira I was very impressed with Avira’s free version. It is one of the few free antiviruses that offers tons of features. Avira free offers the following features: Most free antiviruses don’t offer such impressive features. You can also test all Avira plans for free using the 30-day free trial. It doesn’t even require linking your payment method. ESET doesn’t have a free version for its desktop app. However, you can use the Android app and ESET’s manager for Android and iOS for free. You can also use ESET’s plans for free using the 30-day free trial. It also doesn’t require entering your payment method. Free Version Winner: Avira Both antiviruses provide a seamless refund process. However, Avira offers a more generous money-back guarantee. It offers a 60-day money-back guarantee on its 1-year and 2-year subscriptions and a 14-day money-back guarantee on the monthly plans. I tested the money-back guarantee and got my refund processed the next day. I got my money in my in just 5 days. ESET’s refund process is also seamless. It offers a 30-day money-back guarantee. I only had to send an email to process my refund. After requesting a refund, it was processed the next day, and I got my money back in my in 5 days. Just note that you have to the ESET region you originally purchased from to get your refund. Money-Back Guarantee Winner: Avira Try Avira risk-free for 60 days After rigorously testing both antiviruses and comparing their features, Avira stood out as the better antivirus suite. It provided better scanning options and security features. Avira offered many features that ESET lacked, including VPN and device optimization tools. ESET is also a good antivirus software. It offers many features, including a firewall, real-time protection, and other valuable extras. I like that ESET is a lightweight antivirus and, as such, consumes fewer system resources. You can try ESET risk-free using its 30-day free trial. ESET also offered really helpful customer options and pretty good performance. Overall, both antivirus solutions offer top-grade performance comparable to those of the leaders in the industry. But after pitting Avira against ESET, Avira was the clear winner. Its free plan hosts impressive features, and the paid plans offer budget-friendly pricing and good value. You can test Avira’s plans for free using the 60-day free trial. Overall Winner: Avira Yes. Avira offers an impressive free version packed with many security features. It is one of the few free antiviruses to offer real-time protection and a VPN. Avira free also provides a robust malware detection engine and many extra features. However, Avira free doesn’t give unlimited access to all the features. Most free features are limited. For instance, the VPN has a data cap of 500MB daily. You can try Avira’s plans for free using its 60-day free trial.
6. Firewall — ESET Provides a Robust In-Built Firewall
7. Manager — Avira Offers a Better Manager
8. Gaming Mode — Avira’s Gamer Mode Feature Improved My Gaming Experience
9. Optimization Tools — Avira Hosts Powerful Device Optimization Tools
10. Other Features — Both Antiviruses Offer a Wide Range of Extra Features
11. Device Compatibility — Avira s Multiple Operating Systems
12. Customer Service — ESET’s Options Are Fast and Reliable
Live Chat
Email
Knowledge Base
Forum
13. Price — Both Antivirus Offer Competitive Pricing Plans
ESET NOD32 Antivirus
ESET Internet Security
ESET Smart Security
Avira Antivirus Pro
Avira Internet Security
Avira Prime
14. Free Version — Avira Offers an Impressive Free Version
15. Money-Back Guarantee — Both Antiviruses Have a Seamless Refund Process
And the Winner Is… Avira
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