All Home windows gadgets must be protected against malware like viruses, adware, trojans, and bots utilizing antivirus software program. Nevertheless, malware is just one of many cybersecurity dangers companies face. Criminals additionally breach firm programs utilizing methods like phishing, malicious web sites, and compromised cloud purposes.
Enterprise antivirus suppliers usually embody extra complete endpoint safety capabilities to assist firms mitigate extra superior threats. This text compares the six greatest antivirus software program choices for Home windows 10 and 11 primarily based on core options, pricing, and security.
Prime Home windows antivirus software program comparability
Every antivirus possibility on this checklist supplies malware safety for endpoints (e.g., laptops and desktops), however they’re all able to far more, together with intrusion prevention and safety from unauthorized peripheral gadgets like USB flash drives. For the needs of this comparability, I used the checklist pricing for a yr of service for 10 endpoint gadgets.
Bitdefender GravityZone: Greatest general
Bitdefender is beloved for its free antivirus software program, however its enterprise choices additionally ship distinctive worth. The GravityZone platform gives superior endpoint safety from ransomware, malicious PowerShell instructions, phishing websites, and real-time exploits in frequent purposes like browsers, Microsoft Workplace, and Adobe Reader.
SEE: The way to Run a Cybersecurity Danger Evaluation in 5 Steps (TechRepublic Premium)
Upgraded plans additionally get options like internet management and filtering, assault forensics and visualizations, and a sandbox to supply a protected setting to check suspicious recordsdata or scripts.
Why I selected Bitdefender GravityZone
Bitdefender gives a complete suite of security measures at costs which are inexpensive for many companies. It has a optimistic popularity within the IT neighborhood for safeguarding the privateness of person information, even for its free merchandise. General, it supplies an excellent steadiness between price, capabilities, and security.
Pricing
GravityZone Small Enterprise Safety: Anti-phishing, ransomware safety, and internet safety for $199.49 per yr for 10 gadgets (reductions for 2- or 3-year commitments).
GravityZone Enterprise Safety: Provides safety for network-based assaults, internet entry management, exterior system safety, and analytics for $258.99 per yr for 10 gadgets (reductions for 2- or 3-year commitments).
GravityZone Enterprise Safety Premium: Provides machine studying detection, sandbox, script and memory-based assault protection, and Microsoft Trade anti-spam and anti-malware for $570.49 per yr for 10 gadgets (reductions for 2- or 3-year commitments).
Options
Ransomware prevention, mitigation, and decryption.
Fileless assault safety.
Anti-phishing and fraud safety.
Superior detection of real-time exploits.
Community intrusion prevention.
Safety posture danger administration.
Internet content material management and filtering.
Assault forensics and visualizations.
Sandbox analyzer.
Execs and cons
ProsCons
Complete characteristic portfolio.Inexpensive pricing.Detects and blocks fileless malware.Offers post-attack forensic capabilities.Excessive reminiscence utilization.Doesn’t enable a secondary antivirus.
ESET PROTECT: Greatest for multi-layered safety
ESET PROTECT is a complete antivirus answer for Home windows 10 and Home windows 11 endpoints, in addition to Home windows servers, cell gadgets, Trade and IBM electronic mail servers, and Microsoft 365 and Google Workspace cloud purposes.
SEE: 9 Greatest Antivirus Software program for Companies in 2024 (TechRepublic)
Whereas ESET’s price ticket is on the excessive aspect for the class, I used to be impressed by the PROTECT platform’s multi-layered safety controls, which embody an encryption answer for system disks, partitions, and gadgets in addition to novel risk detection and patch administration for endpoints.
For a further price, companies may also get managed detection and response providers from risk looking specialists or prolonged detection and response utilizing state-of-the-art AI and ML expertise.
Why I selected ESET PROTECT
ESET PROTECT supplies multi-layered safety that would conceivably cowl a company’s complete IT setting, from endpoints to infrastructure and cloud purposes. Its superior capabilities and managed providers make it an excellent selection for companies with complicated safety wants and lean IT departments.
Pricing
Defend Entry: Community assault safety, system management, anti-phishing, and server safety for $422 per yr for 10 gadgets (reductions for 2- or 3-year commitments).
Defend Superior: Provides cell risk protection, full disk encryption, and superior risk protection for $550 per yr for 10 gadgets (reductions for 2- or 3-year commitments).
Defend Full: Provides vulnerability and patch administration, mail server safety, and cloud app safety for $575.45 per yr for 10 gadgets (reductions for 2- or 3-year commitments).
Options
Community intrusion prevention.
Unauthorized system management.
Cell risk protection.
Full disk encryption.
Ransomware and novel risk protection with automated remediation.
Vulnerability and patch administration to routinely repair vulnerabilities.
Trade and IBM electronic mail server safety.
Microsoft 365 and Google Workspace cloud safety.
Execs and cons
ProsCons
Offers multi-layered protection of endpoints, server, and cloud apps.Light-weight brokers reduce efficiency impacts.Contains automated remediation and patching.Can encrypt system disks, partitions, and gadgets.MDR and XDR add-ons solely accessible with Superior tier.Pricing can get costly in comparison with different choices.
Malwarebytes ThreatDown: Greatest managed detection and response
Malwarebytes is well-known within the IT subject for providing a free, on-demand scanning utility that’s designed to catch specialised malware that different instruments miss.
SEE: Home windows 11 Cheat Sheet – All the pieces You Must Know (TechRepublic)
It additionally gives an endpoint safety platform for companies known as ThreatDown that gives superior capabilities akin to automated incident response, ransomware rollback, and DNS filtering.
The superior ThreatDown bundle contains managed risk looking from human safety specialists, whereas the Elite bundle supplies a full managed detection and response answer.
Why I selected Malwarebytes ThreatDown
Whereas the worth tags of ThreatDown bundles are a lot increased than the opposite choices on this checklist, Malwarebytes has a stellar popularity for detection accuracy and shopper privateness. Its strong managed providers give companies entry to main safety experience for lower than the price of hiring an in-house workforce.
Pricing
Core: Incident response, system management, utility block, and vulnerability evaluation for $690 per yr for 10 gadgets.
Superior: Provides ransomware rollback, endpoint detection and response, patch administration, and managed risk attempting to find $790 per yr for 10 gadgets.
Elite: Provides managed detection and response together with risk attempting to find $990 per yr for 10 gadgets.
Final: Provides DNS filtering for $1,190 per yr for 10 gadgets.
Options
Incident remediation and response.
Gadget management for peripherals.
Utility block with blacklists.
Vulnerability evaluation.
Ransomware rollback to undo file and configuration adjustments.
Endpoint detection and response.
Patch administration.
Managed detection and response with risk looking.
DNS internet content material filtering.
Execs and cons
ProsCons
Extremely correct malware detection.Contains ransomware mitigation utilities.Affords strong managed providers.Glorious popularity for shopper privateness.Highest costs on this checklist.Lacks intrusion prevention.
Avast: Greatest for small companies
Avast supplies endpoint safety capabilities designed with small companies in thoughts. Along with detecting ransomware, phishing makes an attempt, malicious web sites, and unauthorized USB gadgets, Avast additionally gives information loss prevention to cease delicate information exfiltration and a VPN service for personal searching.
SEE: 3 Easy Methods to Discover Your Home windows 10 Product Key (TechRepublic)
Whereas I used to be impressed by the options and safety offered by Avast merchandise, the corporate was lately fined by the FTC for promoting person information, which affected my score.
Why I selected Avast
Avast gives a complete suite of safety and privateness options to supply small companies with holistic safety. Its pricing is on the low finish of common, making it a possible funding for firms on a strict funds.
Pricing
Avast Small Workplace Safety (max. 10 gadgets): Knowledge loss prevention, 24×5 assist, phishing and faux web site safety, and ransomware safety for $139.99 per yr (reductions for 2- or 3-year commitments).
Avast Important Enterprise Safety: Provides a web-based administration platform for $296.72 per yr for 10 gadgets (reductions for 2- or 3-year commitments).
Avast Premium Enterprise Safety: Provides VPN, internet management, and USB safety for $374 per yr for 10 gadgets (reductions for 2- or 3-year commitments).
Avast Final Enterprise Safety: Provides patch administration for $454.16 per yr for 10 gadgets (reductions for 2- or 3-year commitments).
Options
Ransomware safety.
Knowledge loss prevention.
Intrusion prevention.
Phishing safety.
Internet management.
VPN.
USB safety to dam unauthorized storage gadgets.
Patch administration.
Execs and cons
ProsCons
Tailor-made to small companies.Affords additional capabilities like DLP and a VPN.Pricing is aggressive for the class.Concerned in a buyer information sharing controversy.Small Workplace tier doesn’t embody central administration.
Pattern Imaginative and prescient One from Pattern Micro: Greatest for customized safety bundles
The Pattern Imaginative and prescient One answer from Pattern Micro gives a wide range of mix-and-match safety merchandise that companies can bundle collectively to get custom-made safety.
SEE: 6 Greatest Open Supply Password Managers for Home windows in 2024 (TechRepublic)
As a substitute of a conventional licensing mannequin, Pattern Micro prospects buy credit that can be utilized to unlock any of the handfuls of particular person safety providers supplied by the Pattern Imaginative and prescient One platform. These providers embody behavioral evaluation of endpoints utilizing machine studying, zero belief safe entry for distant workers, and assault floor danger administration.
Sadly, Pattern Micro doesn’t promote what number of credit are required for every service or how a lot every credit score prices, although AWS Market lists them at $1.05 every.
Why I selected Pattern Imaginative and prescient One
The Pattern Imaginative and prescient One answer permits firms to create a totally custom-made XDR platform to achieve holistic safety for his or her distinctive setting and danger profile. It’s geared toward bigger companies with complicated safety wants and may also help scale back licensing prices by permitting organizations to solely pay for what they want.
Pricing
Pattern Micro makes use of credit-based pricing for its large number of Imaginative and prescient One safety merchandise, so I like to recommend contacting gross sales for particular price info.
Options
Behavioral evaluation of endpoints.
Internet popularity administration.
Knowledge loss prevention.
Utility management.
Intrusion prevention.
Deep log inspection.
E mail, cell, and cloud safety.
Zero belief safe entry.
Managed detection and response.
Assault floor danger administration.
Execs and cons
ProsCons
Affords custom-made safety bundles.Makes use of AI and machine studying.Permits firms to solely pay for what they want.Pricing construction just isn’t clear.Preliminary setup could be overwhelming.
McAfee: Greatest for newbies
McAfee gives a variety of inexpensive antivirus options designed for households or small companies.
Whereas the McAfee+ plans solely cowl six particular person customers, the endpoint safety brokers could be put in on limitless gadgets. A lot of McAfee’s options are tailor-made to defending particular person privateness and mitigating the monetary penalties of a breach, akin to social media privateness administration, checking account transaction monitoring, and automated credit score freezing.
The corporate used to have a poor popularity for the intrusiveness of its software program and its propensity for putting in undesirable add-ons, however trendy McAfee merchandise are quieter and safer.
Why I selected McAfee
I’ll admit I’ve had unhealthy experiences with McAfee prior to now, however I used to be impressed by its newest product choices. Its low value level, comparatively light-weight software program agent, and superior privateness safety options make it a wonderful selection for small startups and household companies on tight budgets.
Pricing
McAfee+ Premium: Textual content rip-off detector, parental controls, social privateness supervisor, VPN, password supervisor, and id monitoring and alerts for $69.99 per yr for limitless gadgets (excluding sure options).
McAfee+ Superior: Provides safety freeze, credit score monitoring, and id theft protection for $119.99 per yr for limitless gadgets (excluding sure options).
McAfee+ Final: Provides stay setup assist, checking account monitoring, ransomware protection, and credit score locking for $249.99 per yr for limitless gadgets (excluding sure options).
Options
Textual content rip-off detector.
Internet safety with color-coded hyperlinks.
Parental controls.
Social media privateness administration (as much as 6 individuals).
VPN.
Private information and on-line account clean-up (as much as 2 individuals).
Identification monitoring and alerts.
Password supervisor.
Identification theft and ransomware insurance coverage (as much as 2 individuals).
Financial institution, bank card, funding, and mortgage transaction monitoring (as much as 2 individuals).
Safety freeze of credit score, financial institution, or utility accounts.
McAfee Help safety setup session.
Execs and cons
ProsCons
Inexpensive pricing.May be put in on limitless gadgets.Offers superior privateness options.Solely protects as much as 6 particular person customers.No central administration.Lacks superior endpoint safety options.
How do I select one of the best Home windows antivirus for my enterprise?
With any antivirus merchandise for Home windows 10 and Home windows 11, there can be a tradeoff between pricing and safety, with the most costly choices sometimes providing extra complete endpoint safety.
It’s essential to completely and actually analyze your safety posture and present IT sources to find out the suitable steadiness on your group.
Giant firms in extremely regulated industries like healthcare or finance might want to put money into extra complete merchandise just like the Malwarebytes ThreatDown answer, particularly if they’ve lean IT groups or lack specialised safety personnel.
Then again, small, budget-conscious companies with comparatively low danger profiles would possibly have the ability to get away with a less expensive possibility like McAfee or Avast.
General, Bitdefender supplies one of the best mixture of core options, affordable pricing, and shopper security, making it a wonderful selection for practically any enterprise.
Methodology
I selected the merchandise on this checklist as a result of they every offered a novel set of business-focused options and had wonderful buyer opinions. I completely reviewed public-facing product pages and datasheets and, when attainable, downloaded free trial variations to check out particular person capabilities. In some circumstances, I’ve first-hand expertise utilizing these merchandise within the subject, which I supplemented by studying trade boards and publications to evaluate their security and ease of use.