ESET Home Security Essential is the top choice for users seeking a lean, high-performance security solution. The software barely taxes the system, making it excellent for gamers, freelancers, and older hardware. Protection levels are very high, even though the feature set is slimmer than Norton or Bitdefender. In return, renewal costs are more moderate than many competitors.
Documented product tests and assessments are pending. We therefore currently publish no scores or test winners. Selections use recorded product features.
ESET vs F-Secure
ESET and F-Secure compared side by side: protection, performance, pricing, and features. Which antivirus suits you better?
F-Secure is a Finnish security company with over 35 years of experience. The Total suite offers strong malware protection, a VPN, password manager, and identity protection in one package. The detection rate is outstanding with minimal system impact. The interface is clean and simple – ideal for families and less tech-savvy users. F-Secure is headquartered in Finland, a country with strict privacy legislation (EU GDPR). The feature set is somewhat leaner than Bitdefender or Norton.
Complete ratings are missing for an overall comparison.
Recorded overall rating: ESET —/10, F-Secure —/10. The overall score is the average of six criteria.
Performance rating: ESET —/10, F-Secure —/10. Higher points indicate a better rating for this criterion.
Prices are indicative. Check the current amount, currency, contract term and renewal conditions with the provider. Different contract terms are not directly comparable.
Feature-by-feature comparison
Listed features refer to the product range. They may require a different plan or an additional payment and may vary by platform. Check what your selected plan includes.
| Criterion | ESET | F-Secure |
|---|---|---|
| Real-time protection | In the product range | In the product range |
| Built-in VPN | Not confirmed | In the product range |
| Password manager | Not confirmed | Not confirmed |
| Anti-tracking / anti-phishing | In the product range | Not confirmed |
| Parental controls | Not confirmed | In the product range |
| Identity protection | Not confirmed | In the product range |
| Low system impact | In the product range | Not confirmed |
| Platforms | Windows, Mac, Android | Windows, Mac, Android, iPhone / iPad |
| Number of devices (standard licence) | 3 devices | 5 devices |
| System impact in daily use | — | — |