Cybersecurity · head to head
ESET NOD32 Antivirus vs Helm

ESET NOD32 Antivirus
Cybersecurity
Essential antivirus protection
- From
- $39.99/year
- Free plan
- No
The short version
- Only Helm has a free tier, so it costs nothing to try first.
- Each has a real cost: ESET NOD32 Antivirus the advertised price applies to the first term only, and renewal reverts to the official list price; Helm licensed under Apache License 2.0 per the project's GitHub repository (helm/helm LICENSE); as open source software it has no paid tier or vendor price to compare
- Prices and features above were last checked on 30 August 2026.
Where they differ
Only the attributes on which ESET NOD32 Antivirus and Helm actually diverge.
| Attribute | ESET NOD32 Antivirus | Helm |
|---|---|---|
| Starting price | $39.99/year | Free |
| Pricing model | subscription | open-source |
| Free tier | No | Yes |
| Platforms | Desktop | Web |
| Category | Cybersecurity | Developer Tools |
| Founded | 1992 | Unknown |
Identical on both: user rating (Not yet rated).
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 ESET NOD32 Antivirus
- Antivirus & Antispyware
- Exploit Blocker
- Advanced Machine Learning
- Anti-Phishing
- UEFI Scanner
- Script-Based Attack Protection
- Ransomware Shield
- Gamer Mode
Only in Helm
Nothing recorded that ESET NOD32 Antivirus does not also cover.
What people use each for
The jobs each tool is most often brought in to do.
ESET NOD32 Antivirus
- Antivirus and anti malware protection for home Windows, macOS and Android devicesnot Helm
- Blocking phishing and ransomware on personal computersnot Helm
Helm
- Kubernetes package manager and deployment toolnot ESET NOD32 Antivirus
Where each one falls short
Documented limitations, not opinions. Every one is a constraint you would hit in normal use.
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
Helm
- Licensed under Apache License 2.0 per the project's GitHub repository (helm/helm LICENSE); as open source software it has no paid tier or vendor price to compare
- Contributors must sign commits under the Developer Certificate of Origin to have them accepted, per helm.sh, a process requirement not all Kubernetes tools impose
Pricing, plan by plan
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
Helm
FreeNo published plan breakdown. See the Helm review.
Which should you pick?
Choose ESET NOD32 Antivirus if
- You need antivirus & antispyware.
- You work on Desktop.
- You also want exploit blocker.
Questions people ask
- Is ESET NOD32 Antivirus or Helm better?
- Neither clearly leads. ESET NOD32 Antivirus starts at $39.99/year and Helm at Free, and user ratings are close enough to be indistinguishable. Choose on capability and platform support.
- Which is cheaper, ESET NOD32 Antivirus or Helm?
- Helm has a free tier; the other does not. Paid plans start at $39.99/year for ESET NOD32 Antivirus and Free for Helm.
- Does ESET NOD32 Antivirus or Helm run on more platforms?
- ESET NOD32 Antivirus runs on Desktop. Helm runs on Web.
- Can I use Helm for free?
- Yes. Helm has a free tier, so you can try it without paying. ESET NOD32 Antivirus starts at $39.99/year.
- What is ESET NOD32 Antivirus best used for?
- ESET NOD32 Antivirus is most often used for antivirus and anti malware protection for home windows, macos and android devices, blocking phishing and ransomware on personal computers. Of those, antivirus and anti malware protection for home windows, macos and android devices and blocking phishing and ransomware on personal computers are not what Helm is typically brought in for.
- What can ESET NOD32 Antivirus do that Helm cannot?
- ESET NOD32 Antivirus covers Antivirus & Antispyware, Exploit Blocker, Advanced Machine Learning, Anti-Phishing.
Answered from the vendors’ own pages
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.
SourceHelm: How much does Helm cost?
Helm is free and open-source. It is a graduated project in the Cloud Native Computing Foundation (CNCF) with no commercial pricing model.
SourceESET 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.
SourceESET 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.
SourceESET 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.
SourceESET 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.
SourceRelated pages
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- Helm vs Norton 360
- Helm vs Kaspersky Total Security
- Helm vs Bitdefender Total Security
- Helm vs 1Password
- Helm vs LastPass
- Helm vs Avast One
- Helm vs McAfee Total Protection
- Helm vs Malwarebytes
- Helm vs Surfshark
- Helm vs Sophos Intercept X
- Helm vs WireGuard
- Helm vs Akeyless
- Helm vs IBM QRadar
- Helm vs Jamf Pro
- Helm vs Keeper Password Manager
- Helm vs Keygen
- Helm vs KnowBe4
- Helm vs Legit Security
- Helm vs pnpm
- Helm vs Visual Studio Code
- Helm vs ESLint
- Helm vs Turborepo
- Helm vs Argo CD
- Helm vs Yarn
- Helm vs Nix
- Helm vs Okteto
- Helm vs Moonrepo
- Helm vs Nx Cloud
- Helm vs Pants Build
- Helm vs Buildkite
- Helm vs Ansible
- Helm vs Helix
- Helm vs JetBrains Rider
- Helm vs Spacelift
