ESET PROTECT Enterprise vs MetaDefender comparison

ESET and OPSWAT are both solutions in the Anti-Malware Tools category. ESET is ranked #10 with an average rating of 8.4, while OPSWAT is ranked #37. ESET holds a 2.2% mindshare in Anti-Malware Tools, compared to OPSWAT’s 1.4% mindshare. Additionally, 100% of ESET users are willing to recommend the solution, compared to 100% of OPSWAT users who would recommend it.

ESET PROTECT Enterprise

Read 16 ESET PROTECT Enterprise reviews

2,129 Views
1,320 Comparison Views

100% willing to recommend

MetaDefender

Read 2 MetaDefender reviews

1,528 Views
1,222 Comparison Views

100% willing to recommend

ESET PROTECT Enterprise

MetaDefender

Comparison Buyer's Guide

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Executive SummaryUpdated on Dec 14, 2025

MetaDefender and ESET PROTECT Enterprise compete in the cybersecurity sector, providing solutions for enterprises. Data shows ESET PROTECT Enterprise has an edge with its robust features, while MetaDefender is preferred for pricing and support.

Features:MetaDefender provides advanced threat prevention, file-based security, and extensive vulnerability assessments. ESET PROTECT Enterprise offers multilayered endpoint protection, EDR capabilities, and integrated security management, enhancing security posture.

Ease of Deployment and Customer Service:ESET PROTECT Enterprise facilitates a streamlined deployment process with comprehensive management tools and delivers responsive, proactive customer service. MetaDefender provides a straightforward deployment process with solid support.

Pricing and ROI:MetaDefender has a generally lower setup cost, offering competitive threat prevention and substantial ROI benefits. ESET PROTECT Enterprise's higher initial cost is justified by its extensive features and enhanced security management, promising favorable long-term ROI.

To learn more, read our detailed Anti-Malware Tools Report (Updated: January 2026).

Buyer's Guide

Anti-Malware Tools

January 2026

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Review summaries and opinions

We asked business professionals to review the solutions they use. Here are some excerpts of what they said:

Categories and Ranking

ESET PROTECT Enterprise

Ranking in Anti-Malware Tools

10th

Average Rating

8.8

Reviews Sentiment

7.0

Number of Reviews

Ranking in other categories

Extended Detection and Response (XDR) (20th)

MetaDefender

Ranking in Anti-Malware Tools

37th

Average Rating

9.0

Reviews Sentiment

6.2

Number of Reviews

Ranking in other categories

Advanced Threat Protection (ATP) (37th), Threat Intelligence Platforms (TIP) (38th), Cloud Detection and Response (CDR) (19th)

Mindshare comparison

As of January 2026, in the Anti-Malware Tools category, the mindshare of ESET PROTECT Enterprise is 2.2%, up from 1.4% compared to the previous year. The mindshare of MetaDefender is 1.4%, down from 1.5% compared to the previous year. It is calculated based on PeerSpot user engagement data.

Anti-Malware Tools Market Share Distribution
Product	Market Share (%)
ESET PROTECT Enterprise	2.2%
MetaDefender	1.4%
Other	96.4%

Anti-Malware Tools

Featured Reviews

Manikumar David

IT Manager at R K Khanna and Associates

Provides comprehensive monitoring and policy implementation with room for memory optimization

ESET PROTECT Enterprise makes the system a little slow sometimes and updates occur at startup. Sometimes unwanted pop-ups appear to users, and they are unable to disable them. The user-friendliness is lacking in some areas. When users are using any computer, ESET PROTECT Enterprise should work in the background without consuming much memory, and any updates should proceed in the background without disturbing the user.

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Eido Ben Noun

Cyber Security Architect at Diffiesec

Multi‑engine detection has significantly improved secure file transfers and threat prevention

Some feedback indicated that it takes too much time to configure certain policies because there are many options. Some people appreciate this because you can configure anything, but I believe MetaDefender should have a wizard or general policies that can be used for 80 percent of customers. I use the expanded file type and archive coverage feature sometimes, especially for customers who try to scan large archives with the deep scan capabilities of OPSWAT and Deep CDR. This provides full protection because it scans every single file, but sometimes it takes too long. When discussing CAB files or archives for patching or server updates and BIOS updates and operating system updates, the scanning process takes too long, and it was difficult for customers who sometimes decided not to scan because the scanning time was excessive. I use the reporting and audit visibility features. Some capabilities are lacking in reporting because we do not have full statistics that are easy for users to understand. If something requires checking and then referring to documentation to understand it, that is too much for most users. When looking at one of the statistics, you can see how many files have been scanned and then you see a number out of 500 or a different number if you change it. It is not a number of files or scan processes; it is a number of files inside a file. When you scan a PowerPoint presentation file, for example, it counts as forty different files because of all the sub-files. I understand from customers that when they look at the visualization data or statistics, they do not understand what is happening there. Most customers I see do not use the file-based vulnerability assessment feature. It has some good results about vulnerabilities, but I am not certain if it is that helpful because many organizations, when they deploy a file and see that there are vulnerabilities, still deploy it because it is part of the code. It can produce results, but those results do not cause any action. Many products have something more advanced than vulnerabilities and static scoring. They have tools that can inform you about a vulnerability, whether the vulnerability is exploitable, if it is weaponized, and if someone can use this vulnerability in your environment. The file-based vulnerability feature works, but for most people, they do not take any action based on the results or block files because of file-based vulnerabilities.

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Quotes from Members

We asked business professionals to review the solutions they use. Here are some excerpts of what they said:

Pros

"The product enabled Zero-Day Protection for our environment. We never encountered any issues regarding threats."

"ESET is better in some ways than other vendors because it fulfills many areas where we'd otherwise have to use different products."

"ESET PROTECT Enterprise is reliable."

"The solution is easy to use and install, with good pricing."

"Regarding real-time analytics and threat detection capabilities in ESET PROTECT Enterprise, I find them excellent."

"The most valuable feature of ESET Protect is the security while accessing any transaction, such as online banking systems. When I access a banking website a new browser opens which is more secure, which I find very useful."

"The solution doesn't have high memory usage."

"It is easy to patch, update, and set up scheduled scans."

More ESET PROTECT Enterprise pros

"I like the simplicity, the way it works out of the box. It's pretty easy to run and configure. The integration of the network devices with the ICAP server was easily done."

"OPSWAT is the best alternative."

Cons

"Its automation can be improved."

"The availability and sustainability could also be improved."

"I would like to see more features on the reporting side of things."

"The management console could be improved. Sometimes, agents lose connection with the management console, and the administration team needs to reinstall the agents on the computers."

"When it first starts up, it takes a lot of processing power when the machine is initially booted. Improving the startup side could be beneficial."

"I would like to see more in managing mobile devices in an on-premise solution. The latest news I've heard is that ESET drops mobile management module development for the on-prem version. It's moving to the cloud. Like in endpoint client protection, I would also like to see more of the vulnerability management features and additional app control functionality in ESET Protect."

"In terms of management accounts, there's a lot of manuals that seem to be mixed up. Sometimes, it's a little bit confusing."

"The solution can be quite technical and therefore is challenging for new users."

More ESET PROTECT Enterprise cons

"The documentation is not well written, and I often need to talk with support."

"Some capabilities are lacking in reporting because we do not have full statistics that are easy for users to understand."

Pricing and Cost Advice

"The product is cost-effective compared to one of its competitors."

"There is a license needed to use ESET Protect. The licensing cost is very low, it is approximately $10 per license."

"ESET PROTECT Enterprise is affordable."

"We bought a three-year license, and that was pretty expensive. We agreed that it was really worth buying. It could be cheaper, but we understand that quality comes at a price."

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Top Industries

By visitors reading reviews

Comms Service Provider

13%

Computer Software Company

13%

Government

10%

Financial Services Firm

10%

Financial Services Firm

13%

Healthcare Company

11%

Computer Software Company

10%

Government

Company Size

By reviewers

Large Enterprise

Midsize Enterprise

Small Business

By reviewers
Company Size	Count
Small Business	11
Midsize Enterprise	2
Large Enterprise	2

No data available

Questions from the Community

What needs improvement with ESET Protect?

One area for improvement in ESET PROTECT Enterprise is its capabilities on Mac devices, which are less functional compared to Windows. In terms of device management, ESET PROTECT Enterprise could i...

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What is your primary use case for ESET Protect?

My customers use ESET PROTECT Enterprise to secure all their operating systems; we have a lot of customers who rely on this antivirus. It also acts as a platform where I can manage all the devices ...

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What advice do you have for others considering ESET Protect?

I suggest that other users considering ESET PROTECT Enterprise utilize this platform to manage all their laptops and apply security policies effectively to protect their Windows environments. On a ...

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Comparisons

360 Safeguard vs ESET PROTECT Enterprise

Compared 15% of the time

F-Secure Total vs ESET PROTECT Enterprise

Compared 13% of the time

CrowdStrike Falcon vs ESET PROTECT Enterprise

Compared 10% of the time

Securepoint Antivirus Pro vs ESET PROTECT Enterprise

Compared 8% of the time

Microsoft Defender for Endpoint vs ESET PROTECT Enterprise

Compared 7% of the time

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VirusTotal vs MetaDefender

Compared 31% of the time

Microsoft Defender for Endpoint vs MetaDefender

Compared 14% of the time

CrowdStrike Falcon vs MetaDefender

Compared 10% of the time

OPSWAT Filescan Sandbox vs MetaDefender

Compared 8% of the time

Fortinet FortiGuard vs MetaDefender

Compared 8% of the time

More MetaDefender Competitors

Product Reports

Buyer's Guide

ESET PROTECT Enterprise

January 2026

Download ESET PROTECT Enterprise product report

Buyer's Guide

Anti-Malware Tools

January 2026

Download MetaDefender product report

Also Known As

ESET Protect, ESET File Security

OPSWAT MetaDefender, MetaDefender Core

Overview

ESET PROTECT Enterprise ensures real-time visibility for all endpoints as well as full reporting and security management for all OSes

Cloud-based console with the possibility of an on-premises deployment
Provides real-time visibility of all endpoints: desktops, servers, virtual machines and even managed mobile devices
Enables full reporting for ESET security solutions
Controls endpoint prevention, detection & response layers across all platforms
Connect anytime, anywhere from your favorite web browser

ESET

MetaDefender provides advanced multiscanning capabilities using 30+ anti-malware engines, ensuring high detection efficacy and robust prevention mechanisms.

MetaDefender's approach combines multiple security technologies like Metascan, Deep CDR, and adaptive sandboxing. These integrated solutions offer comprehensive protection against malware and vulnerabilities, catering to cloud, on-prem, and hybrid environments with enhanced performance and automation.

What are the key features of MetaDefender?

Metascan Multiscanning: Utilizes 30+ AV engines for superior malware detection.
Deep CDR: Eliminates active threats by reconstructing safe files.
File-based Vulnerability Assessment: Identifies software vulnerabilities before deployment.
Adaptive Sandbox Analysis: AI-powered sandbox to expose evasive threats.
Proactive DLP: Detects and handles sensitive data to prevent data loss.
Expanded File-Type Coverage: Supports modern documents and archived files.
Enhanced Automation: Faster scans with consistent policy enforcement.
Improved Reporting: Comprehensive end-to-end file action tracking.

What benefits and ROI can MetaDefender offer?

High detection rates: Boasts over 99% detection of known and unknown threats.
Reduced Workflow: Dramatic cut in file-borne malware incidents and manual work.
Flexible Deployment: Consistent performance in cloud, on-prem, hybrid, and air-gapped environments.

MetaDefender is trusted in industries such as financial services, healthcare, manufacturing, and government, where rigorous policy control and auditability are vital. Its diverse deployment options allow for consistent security across datacenters, OT networks, and secure facilities, meeting stringent compliance needs.

Find out what your peers are saying about Microsoft, SentinelOne, Check Point Software Technologies and others in Anti-Malware Tools. Updated: January 2026.

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