How we make this list: we compare pricing pages, product documentation and public user reviews. Ratings come from G2, Capterra or Trustpilot, with the date we checked them.
Key takeaways
- CrowdStrike Falcon Go is the only enterprise-grade tool here with published small-business pricing: 59.99 dollars per device per year.
- Norton Small Business is the simplest buy for non-technical owners, starting at 59.99 dollars for the first year with 24/7 tech support on Premium.
- Bitdefender GravityZone has the strongest independent lab record, but its business pricing is quote-based on the homepage.
- ThreatDown is the new name for Malwarebytes business products, and Webroot Business no longer exists as a standalone product.
- If you have no IT staff, pick a tool with a managed option or built-in support, not the cheapest antivirus alone.
Quick comparison
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We review this list regularly. Vendors can request a listing, send updated pricing or ask about featured placement.
The best security software for small business
Starting priceSee website
Free planFree trial
Bitdefender GravityZone is the detection leader in this comparison. Its business platform holds the AV-TEST Award for Best Protection and Best Performance for business users, and AV-Comparatives gave it top breach prevention with the lowest total cost of ownership in its 2025 enterprise test. The GravityZone console manages endpoints, detection and response, and managed detection services from one place.
For small businesses, the relevant tier is GravityZone Business Security, which the company describes as straightforward to deploy and manage without dedicated security expertise. Machine-learning detection, behavioral analysis, and cloud sandboxing run in a single lightweight agent, so employee machines stay fast.
The main drawback is pricing transparency. The homepage does not publish prices, and 2026 comparisons list Business Security from around 77.69 dollars a year for 3 devices, with Small Business Security at 199.49 dollars a year for up to 30 endpoints. Confirm your quote before budgeting, and expect Premium and Enterprise tiers to cost substantially more.
What we like- Top independent lab scores
- Lightweight agent
- Single console for all devices
Watch out for- Pricing is quote-based on the homepage
- Higher tiers add cost quickly
Starting price$59.99 per device per year
Free planFree trial
CrowdStrike Falcon Go brings the same Falcon platform used by large enterprises to teams of up to 100 devices, and it is the most transparently priced tool here. The homepage lists Go at 59.99 dollars per device per year when billed annually, or 7.99 dollars per device per month, with a free trial that needs no credit card.
Go includes next-generation antivirus, device control, mobile protection, and firewall management, plus express support for small and mid-sized businesses. That is real protection, not a trial version, and deployment takes minutes per device.
The limits are scope and ceiling. Endpoint detection and response, threat intelligence, and threat hunting are marked as unavailable in Go and require Falcon Pro at 99.99 dollars per device per year or Enterprise at 184.99 dollars. And once you pass 100 devices, you graduate out of Go entirely. For small teams that want enterprise pedigree with honest pricing, Go is the benchmark.
What we like- Published pricing
- Free trial with no credit card
- Single lightweight agent
Watch out for- 100-device cap on Go
- EDR and threat hunting need Pro or higher
#3Sophos Intercept X
Best for: Ransomware rollback4.7/5 on
G2 (837 reviews, checked Oct 2026)
Visit sophos.com
Starting priceSee website
Free planFree trial
Sophos Intercept X pairs deep-learning malware detection with CryptoGuard, which watches for ransomware encryption behavior and rolls files back to a clean state. That rollback capability is the reason many small businesses choose Sophos: even if ransomware starts, you can recover without paying.
The broader Sophos Fusion platform adds firewalls, mobile protection, and managed detection and response, and Sophos is the only vendor named a Gartner Customers Choice for endpoint, firewalls, mobile threats, and MDR, with more than 625,000 customers worldwide. The managed threat response add-on gives small teams a human team watching alerts around the clock.
The drawback is buying friction. Pricing runs through partners and quotes, with 2026 comparisons putting Intercept X around 2.33 dollars per user per month and up, and the console assumes more security knowledge than Norton or Avast. Choose Sophos when ransomware recovery matters more than the simplest setup.
What we like- Deep learning plus CryptoGuard rollback
- Managed threat response add-on
- Strong customer ratings
Watch out for- Pricing is partner-quoted
- Console can feel enterprise-heavy
#4Norton Small Business
Best for: Non-technical owners4.1/5 on
G2 (204 reviews, checked Oct 2026)
Visit us.norton.com
Starting price$59.99 first year
Free planFree trial
Norton Small Business is the easiest recommendation for owners with no IT background. The homepage prices it plainly: 59.99 dollars for the first year for up to 3 employees, 99.99 dollars for up to 5, and 149.99 dollars for up to 10, with a 30-day free trial and a 60-day money-back guarantee on annual plans.
The base plan covers always-on device protection, a secure browser, an encrypted password vault, dark web monitoring, and 250GB of cloud backup. Premium, from 199.99 dollars for the first year for up to 5 employees, adds financial monitoring for suspicious bank transactions, social media takeover alerts, a VPN, 500GB of backup, and 24/7 business tech support for virus removal and device issues.
The catch is renewal pricing. The 59.99 dollar plan renews at 119.99 dollars a year, so budget the renewal, not the intro price. Some features, including cloud backup and SafeCam, are Windows-only. For a set-and-forget product with human support on the phone, Norton is the friendliest buy here.
What we like- Clear per-employee pricing
- 60-day money-back guarantee
- 24/7 business tech support on Premium
Watch out for- First-year price jumps at renewal
- Some features are Windows-only
Starting priceSee website
Free planFree trial
ThreatDown is the business brand of Malwarebytes, and buyers should know the name change: the malwarebytes.com/business page now presents ThreatDown as its all-in-one endpoint security platform. The underlying technology is the same detection engine IT admins have trusted for two decades, now wrapped in a platform with EDR, vulnerability and patch management, email security, and optional 24/7 managed detection and response.
The pitch is speed and simplicity. ThreatDown says it installs in minutes and protects immediately, with one lightweight agent and one console managed by a single person. Its ransomware rollback restores encrypted files, and its managed service hunts, isolates, and neutralizes threats overnight and on weekends, when small teams are off.
Pricing is not published on the business page, and 2026 comparisons list Malwarebytes for Teams around 4.17 dollars per device per month with a 14-day trial. If you already use Malwarebytes at home and want the same engine at work, ThreatDown is the direct path, but confirm the trial length and price in a quote.
What we like- Installs in minutes
- One agent and one console
- 24/7 managed detection available
Watch out for- Rebrand may confuse existing Malwarebytes customers
- Pricing is quote-based
#6ESET PROTECT
Best for: Lightweight cross-platform fleets4.6/5 on
G2 (1,002 reviews, checked Oct 2026)
Visit eset.com
Starting priceSee website
Free planFree trial
ESET PROTECT is the business platform behind ESET's consumer antivirus, and its standout trait is lightness. The company claims a system footprint up to five times lighter than rivals, and its engine scored full marks for protection, speed, and usability in the August 2026 German lab test. For offices running older hardware or creative apps that freeze under heavy agents, that matters.
The entry tier, PROTECT Core, covers next-generation antivirus for computers, servers, mobiles, and cloud VMs, plus firewall, web, and device control, AI-powered threat analysis, and full disk encryption. Higher packages add email and Microsoft 365 protection, vulnerability discovery, and automated patching.
The homepage does not publish business prices, and 2026 comparisons put PROTECT Entry around 3.52 dollars per device per month with a 30-day trial. The settings depth that power users love can confuse beginners, so ESET suits teams with at least one confident IT person.
What we like- Very light system footprint
- Strong lab scores
- Windows, Mac, Linux, and mobile coverage
Watch out for- Pricing is quote-based
- Advanced settings can overwhelm beginners
#7Avast Business
Best for: No-IT teams up to 100 devices4.3/5 on
G2 (114 reviews, checked Oct 2026)
Visit avast.com
Starting priceSee website
Free planFree trial
Avast Business targets the same no-IT owner as Norton, with a clearer tier ladder. Essential, Premium, and Ultimate Business Security scale from home offices of 1 to 10 devices up to small businesses of 11 to 100 devices, all managed from the cloud-based Avast Business Hub. The company states plainly that its solutions need no IT skills.
Protection covers antivirus, firewall, web control, USB protection, and server antivirus, with patch management included on Ultimate. Avast's engine uses behavioral detection, cloud machine learning, and signature matching, and it holds AV-Comparatives Approved Business Security and AV-TEST Approved Corporate Endpoint Protection awards from 2024 and 2025.
The limitation is pricing: the business homepage does not publish prices, and 2026 comparisons put Avast Business around 2.92 dollars per device per month with a 30-day trial. Avast also warns that its free consumer antivirus is not designed for organizations, so do not stretch a home license across the office.
What we like- Built for businesses with no IT skills
- Clear Essential, Premium, Ultimate tiers
- Patch management on Ultimate
Watch out for- Pricing is quote-based
- No free tier for business use
#8SentinelOne Singularity
Best for: Autonomous ransomware rollback4.7/5 on
G2 (213 reviews, checked Oct 2026)
Visit sentinelone.com
Starting price$69.99 per endpoint per year
Free planNo
SentinelOne Singularity is the autonomous option. Its AI agent detects, contains, and responds to threats in real time, and its ransomware rollback restores affected files with one click, without waiting for a human analyst. The company has been named a Leader in the Gartner Magic Quadrant for Endpoint Protection Platforms for six consecutive years, including 2026.
For small businesses, the appeal is fewer alerts and less manual work. Purple AI and agentic workflows handle triage, correlation, and routine response, so a single IT person can manage a fleet that would otherwise need a security team. Coverage spans endpoints, identity, AI tools, and cloud from one platform.
The price is published in 2026 comparisons at 69.99 dollars per endpoint per year, and there is no free plan, though trials are offered. SentinelOne's enterprise customer list may make small teams worry about minimums, so confirm the smallest order size before shortlisting. If autonomous response is the priority, Singularity is the strongest pick.
What we like- Autonomous response with one-click rollback
- Leader in the 2026 Gartner Magic Quadrant
- AI triage reduces alert noise
Watch out for- No free plan
- Enterprise positioning can mean higher minimums
How we chose
We compared security products with real small-business tiers, published or comparison-confirmed pricing, and homepages we opened on 27 October 2026 to confirm they load and belong to the vendor. Webroot Business was excluded because its homepage now states the business side was consolidated into OpenText Cybersecurity and Webroot continues only as a consumer brand. Microsoft Defender for Business was considered but its presumed product URL returned a 404, so it was not listed rather than guessed. Prices change with device count, term, and renewals, so confirm quotes before buying. We did not claim hands-on testing.
What to check before you buy
Count devices honestly, including phones, servers, and remote laptops, because per-device pricing punishes undercounts at renewal. Then decide who watches alerts: if nobody on your team can respond at 2 a.m., a managed detection option or a vendor with 24/7 support is worth more than a cheaper antivirus alone.
Next, test the trial on your oldest machine, not your newest. A heavy agent that slows a five-year-old laptop will cost productivity every day, and lightweight tools like ESET and Webroot's successor exist precisely for that problem. Finally, check renewal pricing in writing, since first-year discounts from Norton and others can double at renewal.
Frequently asked questions
Do small businesses really need paid security software?
Yes, if you handle customer data, money, or email. Built-in operating system protection covers basics, but business tools add centralized management, ransomware rollback, patch management, and support that consumer or free tools lack. Attackers target small firms precisely because they expect weaker defenses.
What is the cheapest good option for under 10 employees?
Norton Small Business at 59.99 dollars for the first year for up to 3 employees is the cheapest published price here, with CrowdStrike Falcon Go at 59.99 dollars per device per year close behind. Budget the renewal price, not the intro price, when comparing.
Is Webroot Business still available?
No. Webroot's business homepage states the business and partner side was consolidated into OpenText Cybersecurity after the 2019 OpenText acquisition, and Webroot continues only as a consumer brand. Existing business customers keep support portals, but new buyers should evaluate OpenText Cybersecurity or the tools on this list.
What is the difference between antivirus and EDR?
Antivirus blocks known and suspicious files. Endpoint detection and response adds continuous monitoring, investigation, and automated response after something slips through. CrowdStrike Falcon Pro, Sophos with MDR, ThreatDown with MDR, and SentinelOne include EDR-style capabilities, while base tiers are antivirus-focused.
Should I buy a managed detection service?
If no one on your team can investigate alerts nights and weekends, yes. Managed detection means the vendor's analysts watch your endpoints around the clock and contain threats for you. It costs more than self-managed antivirus, but it closes the gap that causes most small-business breaches.
How many devices does a license cover?
It varies by product and tier. Norton prices by employee count, CrowdStrike Falcon Go caps at 100 devices, and Avast scales from 1 to 100 devices. Count every endpoint, including servers and phones, before ordering, and confirm whether the price is per device or per user.
Sources we checked (8)
- https://bitdefender.com/business
- https://crowdstrike.com
- https://sophos.com
- https://us.norton.com/small-business
- https://malwarebytes.com/business
- https://eset.com
- https://avast.com/business
- https://sentinelone.com
Is your product missing or out of date?
We review this list regularly. Vendors can request a listing, send updated pricing or ask about featured placement.
Shihab Mia · Founder, Rankite
Shihab has 5+ years in B2B and SaaS SEO. He writes Rankite's software buying guides from pricing pages, documentation and public user reviews. More about Shihab.
Bitdefender GravityZone
CrowdStrike Falcon Go
ThreatDown