ESET PROTECT
7.9/10
MSP Compared score
- Starting price
- Custom quote
- Reviews
- 4.6/5 (~800 G2 reviews)
- Free trial
- 30 days
- Deployment
- Cloud + on-prem
- Best for
- Teams wanting lightweight, reliable endpoint protection
Best Endpoint Security & EDR Software · 2026
ESET PROTECT vs 
Malwarebytes ThreatDown ESET PROTECT vs Malwarebytes ThreatDown: on our data-weighted scoring, ESET PROTECT edges ahead (7.9 vs 7.8/10). ESET PROTECT starts at Custom quote and is best for teams wanting lightweight, reliable endpoint protection; Malwarebytes ThreatDown starts at $69/endpoint/yr and is best for SMBs/MSPs wanting simple, effective EDR with optional MDR. Choose ESET PROTECT for the stronger overall track record; consider Malwarebytes ThreatDown if its pricing model or fit matches your environment better. Side-by-side table below.
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Malwarebytes ThreatDown
7.8/10
MSP Compared score
- Starting price
- $69/endpoint/yr
- Reviews
- 4.6/5 (~900 G2 reviews)
- Free trial
- Free trial
- Deployment
- Cloud
- Best for
- SMBs/MSPs wanting simple, effective EDR with optional MDR
Strengths at a glance
Six criteria, each scored 0–10 on the same scale from real review data, public pricing and feature coverage. See our methodology →
| Criterion | ESET PROTECT | Malwarebytes ThreatDown |
|---|---|---|
| Editorial | 7.9 | 7.8 |
| User reviews | 9.2 | 9.2 |
| Adoption | 7.7 | 7.8 |
| Affordability | 5.0 | 2.1 |
| Feature breadth | 5.0 | 5.0 |
| Ease of trial | 6.0 | 6.0 |
ESET PROTECT vs Malwarebytes ThreatDown: head-to-head
| ESET PROTECT | Malwarebytes ThreatDown | |
|---|---|---|
| Starting price | Custom quote | $69/endpoint/yr |
| Pricing model | per device | per endpoint |
| Free trial / tier | 30 days | Free trial |
| Best for | Teams wanting lightweight, reliable endpoint protection | SMBs/MSPs wanting simple, effective EDR with optional MDR |
| Deployment | Cloud + on-prem | Cloud |
| G2 rating | 4.6/5 (800) | 4.6/5 (900) |
| Capterra rating | — | — |
| Our score | 7.9 | 7.8 |
Choose ESET PROTECT if…
You need teams wanting lightweight, reliable endpoint protection.
✓ Pros
- Very light agent
- Reliable detection
- Flexible deployment
✕ Cons
- EDR is higher tier
- Quote pricing
- Smaller US channel
Choose Malwarebytes ThreatDown if…
You need smbs/msps wanting simple, effective edr with optional mdr.
✓ Pros
- Easy to deploy and use
- Great remediation heritage
- Transparent entry price
✕ Cons
- Advanced features need higher tiers
- Reporting basic
- Newer to EDR
In depth
In Depth
Pricing
| Aspect | ESET PROTECT | Malwarebytes ThreatDown |
|---|---|---|
| Model | Per-device | Per-endpoint/year |
| Starting Price | Quote-based | $69/endpoint/yr (Core) |
| Free Trial | 30 days | Yes |
| Best For | Enterprises requiring custom quotes | SMBs/MSPs with predictable budgets |
ESET PROTECT operates on quote-based pricing, which means you’ll need to contact sales—typical for enterprise deployments but less transparent upfront. Malwarebytes ThreatDown offers clear entry pricing at $69/endpoint annually for basic AV + web protection, making budget forecasting straightforward. Advanced EDR and MDR tiers exist for both, but Malwarebytes publishes its Core tier openly, giving SMBs an immediate price anchor.
Features & Deployment
ESET PROTECT excels as a lightweight, dual-deployment solution (cloud + on-prem). Its agent footprint is minimal, making it ideal for resource-constrained environments. Full-disk encryption and cloud console are included across tiers; EDR (Inspect) is available but positioned as a higher-tier add-on. This modular approach suits organizations wanting flexibility in how they deploy.
Malwarebytes ThreatDown is cloud-native only, designed for simplicity. Core tier covers antivirus and web protection; EDR, ransomware rollback, and optional MDR sit in Advanced/Elite/Ultimate tiers. DNS filtering can be bolted on. The platform favors straightforward adoption over granular configuration—better for MSPs and SMBs than enterprise ops teams managing hybrid infrastructure.
Ratings & Verdict
Both score identically on G2 (4.6 stars)—ESET from 800 reviews, Malwarebytes from 900—indicating comparable user satisfaction. Our scores reflect the tie: ESET 7.9, Malwarebytes 7.8.
Choose ESET PROTECT if:
- You need ultra-lightweight endpoints or hybrid cloud/on-prem deployment
- EDR is secondary and you’re budget-flexible
- Your channel requires a trusted, long-established vendor
Choose Malwarebytes ThreatDown if:
- You’re an SMB/MSP needing transparent, predictable per-endpoint costs
- Quick remediation and ransomware rollback matter more than lightweight footprints
- You want simple cloud-first operations without on-prem complexity
Frequently asked questions
- ESET PROTECT vs Malwarebytes ThreatDown: which is better?
- ESET PROTECT vs Malwarebytes ThreatDown: on our data-weighted scoring, ESET PROTECT edges ahead (7.9 vs 7.8/10). ESET PROTECT starts at Custom quote and is best for teams wanting lightweight, reliable endpoint protection; Malwarebytes ThreatDown starts at $69/endpoint/yr and is best for SMBs/MSPs wanting simple, effective EDR with optional MDR.
- Is ESET PROTECT cheaper than Malwarebytes ThreatDown?
- ESET PROTECT starts at Custom quote and Malwarebytes ThreatDown starts at $69/endpoint/yr (see the pricing rows for models and limits).
Data as of September 17, 2026. Sources: eset.com, threatdown.com. Figures are pulled from public vendor and security data and refreshed automatically.