COMPARISONS
FiveM server protection: the layers, and the comparisons
Server protection is not one product; it is layers that run at different times. Replacing the wrong layer fixes nothing — adding the right one does. Which layer the popular products cover, and which one stays open.
Why protection is not a single product
A player can hurt your server in more than one way: by cheating, by returning on a new account after a ban, by arriving through seller networks. Each of those is caught at a different time and with different evidence, so no single product should be expected to close all of them.
Evaluating without separating the layers leads to one specific mistake: replacing a layer that already works. If your detection is good and your problem is ban evasion, changing anti-cheat changes nothing.
The four layers
This order follows the flow of defence: from the outside in.
- Door layer — identity at connect time: a player’s identifiers are compared against cross-server ban records. Argos Guard runs here.
- Entry layer — the community side: a member joining Discord is screened against the same records. Argos Sentry runs here.
- In-game detection layer — runtime: cheat software is caught through behaviour and memory. Products like Electron Anticheat and Phoenix AC run here.
- Review layer — evidence and appeals: the reason and date on a record, and the dispute path, are managed.
Where the products sit
These comparisons make no "which is better" claim. Popular anti-cheat products are mature at the in-game detection layer; the question here is not replacing them but showing the layer they do not cover. Prices are deliberately omitted: every product renders its current pricing on its own site, and stating an unverified amount would be misinformation.
Which layer to add first
Look at where you are losing. If ban evasion keeps recurring, the door layer is missing. If cheat detection is weak, the runtime layer is missing. If the same people keep appearing in your Discord, the entry layer is missing.
Both Argos layers leave your existing setup in place and run alongside it. After setup you decide, per category, what happens on a match.
Frequently asked questions
What is the best anti-cheat for FiveM servers?
There is no single answer, because protection is not a single layer. Mature products exist for in-game detection, while connect-time identity checks and the Discord side are separate layers requiring separate products.
Why do you not list the anti-cheat products’ prices?
Because each product renders its pricing on its own site and writing an amount we could not verify would be misinformation. Check the product’s own site for current pricing.
Are cheat detection and identity checks the same thing?
No. Detection works at runtime through behaviour and memory. An identity check runs as a player connects and looks at their history and identifiers.
Which layer do I need for ban evasion?
The door layer: an identifier-based check that runs at connect time. When a player returns on a new account, detection does not recognise them; an identity check does.