Malwarebytes vs ESET
ESET comes out ahead of Malwarebytes on 4 of the 7 things that decide this, going by what each company publishes and what independent review sites report. The one that matters for you may be one the leader loses.
The verdict
ESET takes it, 4–3 on rounds.
On the published figures and the independent review sites, ESET takes 4 of 7 rounds. Treat that as a starting point and check the current figures on both pages, because prices and plans move.
Choose Malwarebytes if…
- • You want Malwarebytes's edge on how much it blocks and is there a free version
Choose ESET if…
- • You want ESET's edge on how often it cries wolf and how much it slows your pc
Round by round
- Round 1How much it blocksMalwarebytes winsMalwarebytes8/10
98.8%
AV-Comparatives Real-World Protection Test, February to May 2026
Source: av-comparatives.org ↗
ESET5/1098.5%
AV-Comparatives Real-World Protection Test, February to May 2026
- 98.5%, against 98.8%
Source: av-comparatives.org ↗
Malwarebytes wins this round on independent review-site data, not on its own claims.
- Round 2How often it cries wolfESET wins
ESET wins this round on independent review-site data, not on its own claims.
- Round 3How much it slows your PCESET winsMalwarebytes5/10
17.6
AV-Comparatives Performance Test, April 2026
- 17.6, against 4.2
Source: av-comparatives.org ↗
ESET wins this round on independent review-site data, not on its own claims.
- Round 4Is there a free versionMalwarebytes winsESET5/10
Free version available
Free version status
- No free version, against Free version
Source: savedelete.com ↗
Malwarebytes wins this round on independent review-site data, not on its own claims.
- Round 5What reviewers sayESET winsMalwarebytes5/10
4.5 out of 5
average rating from 161 reviews on Capterra
- 4.5 out of 5, against 4.7 out of 5
Source: capterra.com ↗
ESET wins this round on independent review-site data, not on its own claims.
- Round 6How easy it is to useMalwarebytes winsESET5/10
4.5 out of 5
ease-of-use rating from Capterra reviewers
- 4.5 out of 5, against 4.6 out of 5
Source: capterra.com ↗
Malwarebytes wins this round on independent review-site data, not on its own claims.
- Round 7How reviewers rate its supportESET winsMalwarebytes5/10
4 out of 5
customer-service rating from Capterra reviewers
- 4 out of 5, against 4.4 out of 5
Source: capterra.com ↗
ESET wins this round on independent review-site data, not on its own claims.
Side by side
- paid only
- 98.8%, against 99.3%
- 39, against 5
- 17.6, against 5.3
- 4.5 out of 5, against 4.7 out of 5
- 98.5%, against 99.3%
- 4.2, against 3.3
- 98.5%, against 99.5%
- 4.5 out of 5, against 4.6 out of 5