(Last updated on January 9th, 2023)
Trend Micro or Kaspersky, which antivirus software is a better option in 2023?
Read this ultimate Trend Micro versus Kaspersky comparison to make a smart decision.
Cybercrime costs are predicted to touch $6 trillion annually by 2021, according to recent estimates.
This amount will “represent the greatest transfer of economic wealth in history, risks the incentives for innovation and investment, and will be more profitable than the global trade of all major illegal drugs combined”, according to the latest cybercrime report by Cybersecurity Ventures.
How big the figure of $6 trillion is can also be gauged from the fact that it is equal to a third of the US GDP, and double than the combined market value of Apple, Microsoft, and Amazon, the world’s top three companies by market capitalization.
And cyberattacks are increasing in every aspect – cost, sophistication and size.
In just the first six months of 2019, global malware volume hit 4.8 billion, according to estimates by security firm SonicWall.
The stats paint a scary picture of what’s happening and what’s coming next.
Although both individuals and organizations are at risk of falling prey to malware attacks, estimates suggest that home users are more than twice as likely to become cyberattack victims than businesses.
The harsh reality is that we cannot avoid these digital threats on our own, even if we take everything that is available on the Internet with a pinch – or even a sack – of salt.
An excellent antivirus product is a must for complete protection and peace of mind. And by “excellent,” we mean a reliable premium product that offers all the necessary features.
You can find several antivirus programs for free, but they offer limited features and don’t offer much in terms of protection.
Editor's Note
Best Antivirus Suite for 2021
Editor's Choice
Overall Score: 9.9/10
70% Off
Hurry up!
60-day money-back guarantee
Right now, we think that Norton is the best antivirus software your money can buy. It regularly earns perfect or near-perfect scores from independent labs and has the least impact on system performance compared to rival products. Its products combine top-notch security with an array of excellent security features and, best of all, offer exceptional value for money.
Overall, Norton 360 Deluxe (currently at 70% off) is our pick for the best antivirus suite in 2021. It is competitively priced and comes with almost everything you could possibly ask for, such as a firewall, a fully integrated VPN, dark web monitoring, cloud backup storage (50GB), a password manager, and parental controls. You can cover up to 5 PCs, Macs, smartphones or tablets with this suite.
If you want full-on identity protection and don’t mind paying more, Norton 360 with LifeLock Select (currently at 35% off) gives those in the US a full range of identity protection features, more backup space (100GB), as well as all the above.
In this detailed comparison, we are going to pit Trend Micro against Kaspersky to ascertain which of them fares better in certain key metrics.
In a rush? Just go through the section below to find out the winner in each category.
A Quick Rundown of Winners in Each Category
1. Features
Winner: Kaspersky. Kaspersky takes this category thanks to its robust feature set.
2. Malware Protection
Winner: Kaspersky. Kaspersky performed better than Trend Micro in a key independent test.
3. System Performance
Winner: Kaspersky. Kaspersky beat its rival in third-party performance evaluations.
4. User-Friendliness
Winner: Both. Interfaces of both antivirus products are modern and easy to use for even new users.
5. Pricing
Winner: Kaspersky. Kaspersky offers better price points, especially if you want to cover more devices.
6. Customer Satisfaction
Winner: Both. Trend Micro and Kaspersky have similar ratings from independent review websites.
Short Verdict
While Trend Micro has some strong points, Kaspersky is by far the superior option. Kaspersky scored better than Trend Micro in the recent independent lab tests for protection and performance. Also, Kaspersky is cheaper than Trend Micro.
1. Features
In order to qualify as a complete security program, an antivirus suite has to offer a wide array of useful features.
Let’s take a look at the feature set of both Trend Micro and Kaspersky.
We will start with Trend Micro.
The entry-level premium suite from the company is Trend Micro Antivirus+ Security. It comes with the following features:
- Complete protection against all malware threats.
- The Web Shield tool that prevents anyone from stealing your information while you’re surfing or shopping online.
- The Pay Guard feature ensures the legitimacy of financial websites, making online banking extremely secure.
- A single license of this Windows-only suite covers one PC.
The next tier of protection from the company is Trend Micro Internet Security, which comes with all the features mentioned above, plus:
- Parental controls help you provide your children with a healthy and secure online environment.
- A system optimizer tool that checks and fixes computer programs and ensures that everything runs on top speed.
- A handy tool that secures your privacy on social media.
- A single license of this product covers up to 3 PCs.
The company’s all-inclusive and most popular home antivirus product is Trend Micro Maximum Security. Besides all the features included in the above-mentioned packages, the Maximum Security suite comes with the following:
- A full-fledged password manager that safely stores all your passwords in a secure digital vault.
- Supports all platforms: Windows, Mac, Android and iOS.
- A single license of this suite protects up to 5 devices.
If you are interested in Trend Micro’s business products, click here for more information.
Now, let’s take a look at the range of suites offered by Kaspersky.
Unlike Trend Micro, Kaspersky does offer a free antivirus edition called Kaspersky Free. The freeware provides basic malware protection and can scan USB drives for viruses.
However, like most free antivirus programs, Kaspersky Free lacks several advanced tools and utilities that are a must for complete digital protection in today’s security environment.
The company’s premium product line-up starts with Kaspersky Anti-Virus, which comes with the following features:
- Advanced real-time virus protection.
- Protection against different kinds of malware, including viruses, ransomware, and cryptolockers.
- Protects your PC without slowing it down.
Next up is Kaspersky Internet Security. which not only provides an advanced level of protection but also comes with some useful tools. Its features are given below:
- Bank-grade payment protection.
- A tool for Android to detect spyware hiding on your device.
- Prevents online trackers from collecting your data.
- A webcam protection tool that prevents anyone from hijacking your computer camera.
- A VPN to prevent others from identifying your IP address. (VPN’s daily limit is 200MB per device.)
- Supports PC, Mac and Android.
The company’s most popular product is Kaspersky Total Security. It comes with all the features mentioned so far, plus:
- A comprehensive set of parental controls that helps you keep an eye on your kids’ online activity and prevents them from age-restricted content.
- A full-blown password manager that safely stores and manages all your passwords.
- Supports PC, Mac, Android and iOS.
Kaspersky Security Cloud is the highest level of protection by Kaspersky. In addition to the previously mentioned features, the package comes with:
- A useful tool that informs you in case your private accounts data gets leaked.
- The apps permission utility that notifies you in real-time if an unknown app tries to connect to you with microphone or webcam.
- A VPN with a daily limit of 500MB per device.
For business-specific security solutions from Kaspersky, click here.
Winner: Kaspersky. Kaspersky not only boasts a wide range of antivirus suites, but it also offers numerous useful features with all of them, which makes it the winner of this category.
2. Malware Protection
Malware protection is the main job of any security program. If an antivirus isn’t good in this category, it isn’t worth at all.
Let’s compare both Trend Micro and Kaspersky using evaluations from two independent testing organizations – Germany’s AV-Test Institute and Austria’s AV-Comparatives – and find out which antivirus software is better in this category.
AV-Test evaluates antivirus companies in three categories (malware protection, performance, and usability) and gives them a rating on a scale of 1 to 6 (with 6 being the highest score).
In the July-August 2019 evaluations of AV-Test, both Trend Micro and Kaspersky received a perfect 6 out of 6 score, showing their excellent anti-malware capabilities.
A similar test run by AV-Comparatives is called the Real-World Protection Test, which also considers the false positives count while rating participants.
In the latest test, conducted in February-May, Kaspersky was once again among the top scorers, receiving the highest possible three-star ADVANCED+ award. Trend Micro trailed behind with a second-best ADVANCED award, which is impressive but not perfect.
Winner: Kaspersky. Trend Micro was bested by Kaspersky in one of the evaluations.
3. System Performance
Besides protecting your computer, an excellent antivirus program should not have a noticeable impact on your computer performance.
Let’s go to AV-Test and AV-Comparatives once again to see which software is better in this category.
In its Performance test, AV-Test awarded Kaspersky with a perfect 6 out of 6 score, indicating that the antivirus software doesn’t slow down your computer speed while performing day-to-day operations.
Trend Micro also received an almost perfect 5.5 out of 6 score.
In the Performance test conducted by AV-Comparatives in April 2019, Kaspersky clinched the highest possible ADVANCED+ award once again, whereas Trend Micro received the ADVANCED award.
Winner: Kaspersky. Kaspersky fared better than its competitor in both independent evaluations.
4. User-Friendliness
The way an antivirus presents its options is also a critical factor while gauging its overall usability. A simple and intuitive interface certainly enhances user experience and makes the software fun to use.
An excellent interface should be both intuitive and straightforward, particularly to people who aren’t computer experts.
Let’s start by examining Trend Micro’s interface.
Trend Micro offers an easy-to-use interface. There’s a big button in the middle of the main screen that lets you run a scan with a single click. You will see a green checkmark on the screen if everything is going all right.
All the various functions of this software are organized by Device, Privacy, Data, and Family categories, meaning that accessing all features is not a big task.
The interface allows enough room for customization, as each category has its own settings that you can change as you wish.
There’s a task tray, too, that you can use to start a scan or perform updates quickly. You can also troubleshoot from here, which is an excellent tool for anyone who isn’t a computer expert.
Now, let’s see what Kaspersky brings to the table.
Kaspersky uses a sleek and bright interface, which is a mix of white and green.
The main dashboard welcomes you with a green monitor with a white checkmark if everything is all right. The monitor turns yellow in case the software needs to be updated and red if your PC is at risk.
Below the protection, status is neatly arranged and clearly seen white blocks displaying all the major tools like Scan, Database Update, Safe Money, Privacy Protection, Parental Control, etc. You can access more features by clicking the More Tools button below the blocks.
You can access settings by clicking on the gear icon present at the bottom bar.
Kaspersky’s user-friendly interface allows you to easily reach your desired option, which is why you can make the most of all the features even if you are entirely new to the antivirus world.
Winner: Both. Both Trend Micro and Kaspersky present a simple and intuitive interface.
5. Pricing
Pricing is unquestionably one of the most important factors to consider before purchasing a product or subscribing to a service.
Let’s see which among Trend Micro and Kaspersky fares better in this category.
Trend Micro Antivirus+ Security comes at the cost of $29.95 per year for 1 PC. The same price goes for Antivirus for Mac. Next up is Trend Micro Internet Security, which protects 3 PCs for a cost of $59.95 per year.
The most premium tier, Trend Micro Maximum Security, costs you $53.95 per year and provides comprehensive threat protection to 5 devices, which can be PCs, Macs, Android and iOS devices. Up to 10 devices can be protected at an additional cost.
| Trend Micro Products | Regular Price | Discounted Price |
|---|---|---|
| Trend Micro Antivirus+ Security | $39.95/year | Check here |
| Trend Micro Internet Security | $79.95/year | Check here |
| Trend Micro Maximum Security | $89.95/year | Check here |
Let’s see what prices Kaspersky has to offer.
The company’s entry-level offering, Kaspersky Anti-Virus, carries a price tag of $23.99 and protects 3 PCs for a year. However, at an additional cost of just $8, you can cover 5 PCs.
Kaspersky Internet Security, which supports Windows, MacOS, Android and iOS, costs $31.99 per year for 3 devices. Another $4 can buy you a year of protection for 5 devices.
The company’s premium product, Kaspersky Total Security, costs $35.99 for 3 devices and $39.99 for 5 devices.
Kaspersky Security Cloud comes in two editions: personal and family. The personal version covers 3 devices at $53.99 and 5 devices at $59.99, whereas the family edition covers up to 20 devices for $89.99 a year.
| Kaspersky Products | Regular Price | Discounted Price |
|---|---|---|
| Kaspersky Anti-Virus | $59.99/year | Check here |
| Kaspersky Internet Security | $79.99/year | Check here |
| Kaspersky Total Security | $99.99/year | Check here |
| Kaspersky Security Cloud (Personal) | $89.99/year | Check here |
| Kaspersky Security Cloud (Family) | $149.99/year | Check here |
| Kaspersky Small Office Security | $149.99/year | Check here |
| Kaspersky End Point Security Cloud | $300.00/year | Check here |
Winner: Kaspersky. Kaspersky lets you protect more devices at slightly lower rates.
6. Customer Satisfaction
How the existing customers of both companies rate their products and services is also a crucial factor that should be considered before purchasing any of these products.
Consumeraffairs.org and G2 are two reputable websites that issue ratings to companies based on user feedback.
Consumeraffairs.org uses a rating scale of 1 to 5 stars. On the website, both Trend Micro and Kaspersky hold a modest 3-star rating.
On G2, both antivirus companies have excellent ratings: Kaspersky enjoys a rating of 4.5 stars, whereas Trend Micro holds a 4.3-star rating.
Winner: Both. Customers of both companies seem to have similar satisfaction rates.
Final Thoughts
The detailed comparison leads us to the conclusion that Kaspersky is on an overall better product than Trend Micro. Kaspersky not only offers better features and pricing structure, but it also fares well in malware protection and performance categories.
Our recommendations: If you want to get the highest level of security and performance, there's no better choice than Norton, which protects over 50 million users worldwide.
After reviewing dozens of antivirus products from some of the biggest names in the cybersecurity realm, we believe that Norton 360 Deluxe is the best antivirus suite available on the market. It provides flawless anti-malware protection without slowing you down. Plus, you get almost all the advanced features you could ever want.
If you're willing to pay more for advanced identity protection features, we recommend Norton 360 with LifeLock select (only available in the US). It's a bit pricey but worth the price.
70% Off
Anas Baig is a consumer privacy advocate and cybersecurity journalist by profession. Has has more than 7 years of professional experience under his belt. Anas has been featured on numerous media publications including The Guardian, Lifehacker, The Next Web, Infosecurity Magazine, Security Boulevard, Hacker Noon, CMS Wire, IAPP, SC Magazine, and many others. His interest includes Digital Privacy Rights, Information Security, Networking, Privacy, and Data Protection.
My Contributions:
Hacker Noon | TheNextWeb | DevOps.com | GlobalSign | CMS Wire | CSO | Tech.co | Security Boulevard | ITProPortal | MuckRack | Crunchbase
