Cybersecurity · head to head
Kaspersky Total Security vs Tenable
Kaspersky Total Security
Cybersecurity
Complete protection for your digital life
- From
- Free
- Rated
- -
Tenable
Cybersecurity
AI-powered exposure management platform for unified security visibility
- From
- $3500/year
- Rated
- -
The short version
- Only Kaspersky Total Security has a free tier, so it costs nothing to try first.
- Each has a real cost: Kaspersky Total Security uS sales banned since June 2024 with support ending September 29, 2024; Tenable pricing starts at $3500/year for Tenable One VM, expensive for small organizations
- They diverge on capability: Kaspersky Total Security covers Real-time protection, Tenable covers Unified attack surface mapping.
Where they differ
Only the attributes on which Kaspersky Total Security and Tenable actually diverge.
| Attribute | Kaspersky Total Security | Tenable |
|---|---|---|
| Starting price | Free | $3500/year |
| Pricing model | Unknown | subscription |
| Free tier | Yes | No |
| Platforms | Windows, macOS, iOS, Android | Cloud, Web |
| Founded | 1997 | Unknown |
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 Kaspersky Total Security
- Real-time protection
- Ransomware protection
- Safe Money
- Privacy protection
- Parental controls
- Password manager
- VPN
- File encryption
Only in Tenable
- Unified attack surface mapping
- Exposure intelligence enrichment
- Tenable Hexa AI orchestration
- Cloud Exposure (CNAPP)
- OT Exposure
- Identity Exposure
- Vulnerability Management
- Attack Surface Management
What people use each for
The jobs each tool is most often brought in to do.
Kaspersky Total Security
- Antivirusnot Tenable
- Internet Securitynot Tenable
- Parental Controlnot Tenable
Tenable
- Comprehensive vulnerability scanning for enterprise networksnot Kaspersky Total Security
- Cloud security monitoring and compliance for AWS, Azure, GCPnot Kaspersky Total Security
- Identity and access management risk assessmentnot Kaspersky Total Security
- Operational technology security for industrial systemsnot Kaspersky Total Security
- Attack surface management for third-party risknot Kaspersky Total Security
Where each one falls short
Documented limitations, not opinions. Every one is a constraint you would hit in normal use.
Kaspersky Total Security
- US sales banned since June 2024 with support ending September 29, 2024
- VPN limited to 200 MB per day and servers in only 24 countries
- Password manager has privacy concerns with questionable terms and policies
- VPN and password manager only included in Plus and Premium tiers, not in Standard
- Occasionally flags legitimate files as false positives
- Firewall leaves open ports on public networks
Tenable
- Pricing starts at $3500/year for Tenable One VM, expensive for small organizations
- Many enterprise features require custom quote and sales engagement
- Cloud Exposure, OT Exposure, and other modules have no published pricing
- Multi-year contracts common, limiting flexibility
- Setup and configuration complexity for enterprise deployments
Pricing, plan by plan
Kaspersky Total Security
Free- FreeFree
- Basic antivirus
- No real-time protection
- Standard$38.99/year
- Antivirus
- Firewall
- Anti-phishing
- Plus$52.99/year
- Standard features
- Password manager
- VPN with limit
- Premium$74.99/year
- Plus features
- Identity protection
- Unlimited VPN
Tenable
$3500/year- Tenable One Vulnerability Management$3500/year
- Per 100 assets
- Multi-year discounts available
- Tenable One Web App Scanning$3578/year
- Per 5 FQDNs
- Annual subscription
- Nessus Professional$4790/year
- Vulnerability scanning
- Multi-year discounts available
- Optional advanced support: $400/year
- Nessus Expert$6790/year
- Advanced vulnerability scanning
- Multi-year discounts available
- Optional advanced support: $400/year
Which should you pick?
Choose Kaspersky Total Security if
- You need real-time protection.
- You want to start without paying.
- You work on Windows, macOS, iOS, Android.
- You also want ransomware protection.
Choose Tenable if
- You need unified attack surface mapping.
- You work on Cloud, Web.
- You also want exposure intelligence enrichment.
Questions people ask
- Is Kaspersky Total Security or Tenable better?
- Neither clearly leads. Kaspersky Total Security starts at Free and Tenable at $3500/year, and user ratings are close enough to be indistinguishable. Choose on capability and platform support.
- Which is cheaper, Kaspersky Total Security or Tenable?
- Kaspersky Total Security has a free tier; the other does not. Paid plans start at Free for Kaspersky Total Security and $3500/year for Tenable.
- Does Kaspersky Total Security or Tenable run on more platforms?
- Kaspersky Total Security runs on Windows, macOS, iOS, Android. Tenable runs on Cloud, Web.
- Can I use Kaspersky Total Security for free?
- Yes. Kaspersky Total Security has a free tier, so you can try it without paying. Tenable starts at $3500/year.
- What is Kaspersky Total Security best used for?
- Kaspersky Total Security is most often used for antivirus, internet security, parental control. Of those, antivirus and internet security are not what Tenable is typically brought in for.
- What can Kaspersky Total Security do that Tenable cannot?
- Kaspersky Total Security covers Real-time protection, Ransomware protection, Safe Money, Privacy protection. Tenable covers Unified attack surface mapping, Exposure intelligence enrichment, Tenable Hexa AI orchestration, Cloud Exposure (CNAPP).
Answered from the vendors’ own pages
Kaspersky Total Security: What does Kaspersky Total Security include?
Kaspersky Total Security (Premium tier) includes antivirus, firewall, password manager, VPN with 200 MB daily limit, parental controls (Kaspersky Safe Kids), and anti-ransomware protection.
SourceTenable: How is Tenable One pricing structured?
Tenable One Vulnerability Management costs $3500/year per 100 assets. Web App Scanning is $3578/year per 5 FQDNs. Multi-year discounts are available.
SourceKaspersky Total Security: How much does Kaspersky Total Security cost?
Kaspersky Standard costs $38.99/year for 3 devices. Plus tier is $52.99/year for 5 devices. Premium is $74.99/year for 10 devices. Multi-year discounts available.
SourceTenable: What is the difference between Nessus Professional and Nessus Expert?
Nessus Professional costs $4790/year and provides core vulnerability scanning. Nessus Expert costs $6790/year and offers advanced scanning capabilities.
SourceKaspersky Total Security: Is Kaspersky available in the United States?
No. The U.S. government banned Kaspersky software sales in June 2024, with support and software updates ceasing September 29, 2024, citing national security concerns regarding Russian government ties.
SourceTenable: Are custom support and training available for Tenable?
Yes. Optional advanced support is available for $400/year. Training courses range from $275-$385/year.
SourceKaspersky Total Security: Does Kaspersky have parental controls?
Yes. Premium and Plus tiers include one year free access to Kaspersky Safe Kids parental controls app, which provides activity reports, app monitoring, usage limits, and geo-fencing with location tracking.
SourceKaspersky Total Security: How much does the VPN provide?
Kaspersky's free VPN (Kaspersky Secure Connection) offers only 200 MB per day of traffic, limiting data usage. Full VPN is included in Plus and Premium plans but with limited servers in only 24 countries.
SourceRelated pages
More on Kaspersky Total Security
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