Softwr

Cybersecurity · head to head

Authelia vs ESET NOD32 Antivirus

Authelia logo

Authelia

Cybersecurity

Open-source authentication and two-factor portal for reverse proxies

From
Free
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite
ESET NOD32 Antivirus logo

ESET NOD32 Antivirus

Cybersecurity

Essential antivirus protection

From
$39.99/year
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite

The short version

  • Only Authelia has a free tier, so it costs nothing to try first.
  • Each has a real cost: Authelia depends on a reverse proxy: it is not a standalone identity provider; ESET NOD32 Antivirus the advertised price applies to the first term only, and renewal reverts to the official list price
  • They diverge on capability: Authelia covers Reverse proxy integration, ESET NOD32 Antivirus covers Antivirus & Antispyware.
  • Prices and features above were last checked on 30 August 2026.

Where they differ

Only the attributes on which Authelia and ESET NOD32 Antivirus actually diverge.

Attributes where Authelia and ESET NOD32 Antivirus differ
AttributeAutheliaESET NOD32 Antivirus
Starting priceFree$39.99/year
Pricing modelOpen source, no licence feesubscription
Free tierYesNo
PlatformsDocker, Kubernetes, Linux, Self-hostedDesktop
FoundedUnknown1992

Identical on both: user rating (Not yet rated), category (Cybersecurity).

What each one covers

Drawn from each product's published feature list. An absence here means we hold no record of it - not that the product lacks it.

Only in Authelia

  • Reverse proxy integration
  • Two-factor authentication
  • Access control rules
  • Lightweight backends

Only in ESET NOD32 Antivirus

  • Antivirus & Antispyware
  • Exploit Blocker
  • Advanced Machine Learning
  • Anti-Phishing
  • UEFI Scanner
  • Script-Based Attack Protection
  • Ransomware Shield
  • Gamer Mode

What people use each for

The jobs each tool is most often brought in to do.

Authelia

  • Putting a login and 2FA in front of self-hosted services that have nonenot ESET NOD32 Antivirus
  • Adding SSO across a small set of internal tools without a full identity platformnot ESET NOD32 Antivirus
  • Home and small-team infrastructure behind a single reverse proxynot ESET NOD32 Antivirus

ESET NOD32 Antivirus

  • Antivirus and anti malware protection for home Windows, macOS and Android devicesnot Authelia
  • Blocking phishing and ransomware on personal computersnot Authelia

Where each one falls short

Documented limitations, not opinions. Every one is a constraint you would hit in normal use.

Authelia

  • Depends on a reverse proxy: it is not a standalone identity provider
  • Configuration is YAML-first with no administrative interface, so changes mean editing files
  • Not a full IAM: user management, provisioning and federation are limited compared with Keycloak
  • Scales poorly as an organisation-wide identity solution, which is not its target

ESET NOD32 Antivirus

  • The advertised price applies to the first term only, and renewal reverts to the official list price
  • Any saving shown is the difference between the introductory price and that list price rather than an ongoing discount
  • Device coverage is chosen at purchase and priced accordingly, so protecting another machine means changing the licence

Pricing, plan by plan

Authelia

Free
  • AutheliaFree
    • Full functionality
    • No usage limits
    • Community support

ESET NOD32 Antivirus

$39.99/year
  • NOD32 Antivirus$39.99/year
    • 1 Device
    • Antivirus & Antispyware
    • Anti-Phishing
  • Internet Security$49.99/year
    • 1 Device
    • All NOD32 features
    • Firewall
  • Smart Security Premium$59.99/year
    • 1 Device
    • All Internet Security features
    • Password Manager

Which should you pick?

Choose Authelia if

  • You need reverse proxy integration.
  • You want to start without paying.
  • You work on Docker, Kubernetes, Linux, Self-hosted.
  • You also want two-factor authentication.
Authelia review

Choose ESET NOD32 Antivirus if

  • You need antivirus & antispyware.
  • You work on Desktop.
  • You also want exploit blocker.
ESET NOD32 Antivirus review

Questions people ask

Is Authelia or ESET NOD32 Antivirus better?
Neither clearly leads. Authelia starts at Free and ESET NOD32 Antivirus at $39.99/year, and user ratings are close enough to be indistinguishable. Choose on capability and platform support.
Which is cheaper, Authelia or ESET NOD32 Antivirus?
Authelia has a free tier; the other does not. Paid plans start at Free for Authelia and $39.99/year for ESET NOD32 Antivirus.
Does Authelia or ESET NOD32 Antivirus run on more platforms?
Authelia runs on Docker, Kubernetes, Linux, Self-hosted. ESET NOD32 Antivirus runs on Desktop.
Can I use Authelia for free?
Yes. Authelia has a free tier, so you can try it without paying. ESET NOD32 Antivirus starts at $39.99/year.
What is Authelia best used for?
Authelia is most often used for putting a login and 2fa in front of self-hosted services that have none, adding sso across a small set of internal tools without a full identity platform, home and small-team infrastructure behind a single reverse proxy. Of those, putting a login and 2fa in front of self-hosted services that have none and adding sso across a small set of internal tools without a full identity platform are not what ESET NOD32 Antivirus is typically brought in for.
What can Authelia do that ESET NOD32 Antivirus cannot?
Authelia covers Reverse proxy integration, Two-factor authentication, Access control rules, Lightweight backends. ESET NOD32 Antivirus covers Antivirus & Antispyware, Exploit Blocker, Advanced Machine Learning, Anti-Phishing.

Answered from the vendors’ own pages

Authelia: Is Authelia free?

Yes, open source with no licence fee.

ESET NOD32 Antivirus: Does ESET offer a free trial, and what do I get access to?

ESET offers a free 30-day trial with no credit card required. The trial includes full access to all features in the tier you choose before you commit to a paid subscription.

Source
Authelia: Does Authelia need a reverse proxy?

Yes. It integrates through forward authentication with Nginx, Traefik, Caddy or HAProxy rather than sitting in front of traffic itself.

ESET NOD32 Antivirus: What subscription contract lengths are available?

ESET offers subscription terms ranging from 1 to 10 years depending on the tier. Home Security Essential and Premium plans support 1-10 years, while Ultimate requires 5-10 years. Business plans also support multi-year terms.

Source
Authelia: Authelia or Keycloak?

Authelia is far lighter and aimed at protecting self-hosted services behind a proxy. Keycloak is a full identity and access management platform, and much more to run.

ESET NOD32 Antivirus: Will my renewal price change after the first year?

ESET states that the advertised price is valid for the first term only. They send advance notification via email before renewal price increases occur, allowing you to decide whether to continue.

Source
ESET NOD32 Antivirus: How many devices can I protect on a single subscription?

You can customize the number of protected devices from 1-10 on most plans. Premium and Ultimate tiers include VPN access that varies by device count: Essential/Premium include 3-5 VPN devices, while Ultimate covers 10-25 VPN devices depending on total plan size.

Source
ESET NOD32 Antivirus: Is there an extra charge to protect Android devices?

Android protection is available as an optional add-on at $5 per year per device, in addition to your main subscription cost.

Source
Share

Related pages

More on Authelia

More on ESET NOD32 Antivirus

Keep looking

Other head to heads