ESET NOD32 Antivirus vs Malwarebytes

Updated November 2026 · AppBreakup editorial

ESET NOD32 Antivirus

Lightweight paid antivirus for Windows and macOS from the Slovak security firm ESET.

Paid

Visit ESET NOD32 Antivirus ESET NOD32 Antivirus profile

Malwarebytes

Anti-malware suite for Windows, Mac, Android and iOS, with a free cleanup scanner and paid real-time protection.

Free plan + paid

Visit Malwarebytes Malwarebytes profile

The short answer

ESET NOD32 Antivirus suits Windows and Mac users, gamers especially, who want a light, configurable paid antivirus with no extras. Malwarebytes suits people who want a free cleanup scanner or one subscription covering Windows, Mac, Android and iOS. The biggest difference is scope: NOD32 is a focused desktop antivirus, while Malwarebytes also covers phones and starts with a free scanner.

ESET NOD32 Antivirus or Malwarebytes: our take

ESET NOD32 Antivirus is ESET's entry-level home product. It concentrates on core protection: real-time antivirus and antispyware, ransomware and phishing blocking, and machine-learning detection, with a small footprint and a Gamer Mode that pauses background tasks and pop-ups during full-screen apps. It offers detailed settings for people who like to tune things. It runs only on Windows 10 and later and macOS 13 and later; a firewall, banking protection, a VPN and Android coverage are in ESET's bigger HOME Security plans, not NOD32.

Malwarebytes starts from a different place. Its free version is a scanner that removes infections already on a computer, and many people keep it alongside the antivirus built into Windows or macOS. Real-time protection against viruses, ransomware, exploits and phishing needs the paid subscription, which also bundles the Browser Guard extension for blocking scam sites, ads and trackers. Paid plans cover Windows, Mac, Android and iOS, though features differ by platform. The Standard plan is $59.99 a year for 3 devices, the Plus plan at $79.99 a year adds a VPN, and the Standard Family plan is $119.99 a year for 10 devices.

On trying before buying, NOD32 has no free version but offers a full-featured 30-day trial without a credit card, and is sold yearly by number of devices. Malwarebytes has the free scanner plus a 60-day money-back guarantee on paid plans.

NOD32 is the better fit for people who only need to protect PCs or Macs, care about low resource use or gaming, and want fine control without bundled extras. Malwarebytes fits households that want phones and computers under one subscription, value the scam-blocking browser extension, or simply need a free tool to clean up an infected machine. Anyone wanting a firewall and VPN from ESET would need to look past NOD32 to its higher plans.

Choose ESET NOD32 Antivirus if…

PC and Mac users, especially gamers, who want light paid protection without extras
Light on system resources, with a Gamer Mode
Detailed settings for advanced users

Choose Malwarebytes if…

People who want a familiar anti-malware scanner across several platforms
You want a free option (ESET NOD32 Antivirus is paid only)
You need Android and iOS, which ESET NOD32 Antivirus doesn't list
Free scanner is handy for cleaning up an already infected machine
One subscription covers Windows, Mac, Android and iOS devices

What is ESET NOD32 Antivirus?

ESET NOD32 Antivirus is the entry-level home product from ESET, a Slovak security company whose NOD32 engine has been around since the 1990s. It focuses on core protection: real-time antivirus and antispyware, ransomware and phishing blocking, and machine-learning detection, with a small footprint and multithreaded scans. Gamer Mode pauses background tasks and pop-ups during full-screen apps, which makes it popular with gamers. It runs on Windows 10 and 11 and on macOS 13 or later; Android is covered only by ESET's bigger HOME Security plans, which add a firewall, banking protection and a VPN. There is no free version, but a full-featured 30-day trial is available, and subscriptions are sold yearly by number of devices. It suits people who want a quiet, configurable antivirus without bundled extras.

What is Malwarebytes?

Malwarebytes is one of the best-known consumer anti-malware brands. Its free version is a scanner that finds and removes infections that are already on a computer. The paid Premium Security subscription adds real-time protection against viruses, ransomware, exploits and phishing, quarantines threats automatically and bundles the Browser Guard extension for blocking scam sites, ads and trackers. Higher tiers add a VPN and identity theft protection. It covers Windows, Mac, Android and iOS, with exact features varying by platform, and a single plan can protect several devices. People often install the free scanner to clean up a machine and keep it alongside the antivirus built into Windows or macOS. Paid plans are sold as yearly subscriptions with a money-back guarantee, and there is a separate Teams product for small businesses.

Side by side

Attribute	ESET NOD32 Antivirus	Malwarebytes
Pricing	Paid	Free plan + paid
Open source	No	No
Self-hostable	No	No
Platforms	Windows, macOS	Windows, macOS, Android, iOS
Best for	PC and Mac users, especially gamers, who want light paid protection without extras	People who want a familiar anti-malware scanner across several platforms
Status	Active	Active

Verified facts, compared

Facts both apps publish, checked on each vendor's own site.

Fact	ESET NOD32 Antivirus	Malwarebytes
Platforms	Windows, macOS	Windows, Mac, Android, iOS