Softwr

Security & Cybersecurity · head to head

ESET NOD32 Antivirus vs Nessus

ESET NOD32 Antivirus logo

ESET NOD32 Antivirus

Security & Cybersecurity

Essential antivirus protection

From
$39.99/year
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite
Nessus logo

Nessus

Security & Cybersecurity

The most trusted vulnerability assessment solution

From
Free
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite

The short version

  • Only Nessus 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; Nessus nessus Professional is $4,790 for one year, with no free or low cost commercial tier
  • They diverge on capability: ESET NOD32 Antivirus covers Antivirus & Antispyware, Nessus covers Vulnerability scanning.

Where they differ

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

Attributes where ESET NOD32 Antivirus and Nessus differ
AttributeESET NOD32 AntivirusNessus
Starting price$39.99/yearFree
Free tierNoYes
PlatformsDesktopDesktop, Api
Founded19922002

Identical on both: pricing model (subscription), user rating (Not yet rated), category (Security & 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 ESET NOD32 Antivirus

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

Only in Nessus

  • Vulnerability scanning
  • Configuration auditing
  • Malware detection
  • Web application scanning
  • Cloud scanning
  • Compliance checks
  • Patch auditing
  • Pre-built policies

Both cover

  • Cloud deployment
  • On-premise deployment

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 Nessus
  • Blocking phishing and ransomware on personal computersnot Nessus

Nessus

  • Scanning hosts and applications for known vulnerabilities and misconfigurationsnot ESET NOD32 Antivirus
  • Running compliance and configuration audits against a defined scopenot 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

Nessus

  • Nessus Professional is $4,790 for one year, with no free or low cost commercial tier
  • Multi year terms are the only discount route, at $9,330.95 for two years and $13,637.54 for three
  • It is a single user scanner, so team workflows mean migrating to another Tenable product
  • Tenable One vulnerability management is priced separately, starting at $3,500 a year for 100 assets

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

Nessus

Free
  • Nessus Essentials (Free)Free
    • 16 IP addresses
    • Vulnerability scanning
    • Configuration auditing
  • Nessus Professional$2990/year
    • Unlimited IPs
    • Compliance checks
    • Live results
  • Nessus Expert$5290/year
    • All Pro features
    • External attack surface
    • Cloud infrastructure scanning

Which should you pick?

Choose ESET NOD32 Antivirus if

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

Choose Nessus if

  • You need vulnerability scanning.
  • You want to start without paying.
  • You work on Desktop, Api.
  • You also want configuration auditing.
Nessus review

Questions people ask

Is ESET NOD32 Antivirus or Nessus better?
Neither clearly leads. ESET NOD32 Antivirus starts at $39.99/year and Nessus at Free, and user ratings are close enough to be indistinguishable. Choose on capability and platform support.
Which is cheaper, ESET NOD32 Antivirus or Nessus?
Nessus has a free tier; the other does not. Paid plans start at $39.99/year for ESET NOD32 Antivirus and Free for Nessus.
Does ESET NOD32 Antivirus or Nessus run on more platforms?
ESET NOD32 Antivirus runs on Desktop. Nessus runs on Desktop, Api.
Can I use Nessus for free?
Yes. Nessus 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 Nessus is typically brought in for.
What can ESET NOD32 Antivirus do that Nessus cannot?
ESET NOD32 Antivirus covers Antivirus & Antispyware, Exploit Blocker, Advanced Machine Learning, Anti-Phishing. Nessus covers Vulnerability scanning, Configuration auditing, Malware detection, Web application scanning. Both handle Cloud deployment, On-premise deployment.
ShareXLinkedInRedditWhatsAppEmail

Related pages

More on ESET NOD32 Antivirus

More on Nessus

Keep looking

Other head to heads