Best Endpoint Protection Software in 2026: 10 Tools With Real Per-Device Prices

Short answer: for most businesses the best endpoint protection software in 2026 is one of three: CrowdStrike Falcon if you want the strongest standalone EDR with published prices, Microsoft Defender for Business if you already pay for Microsoft 365 (it is included in Business Premium), or SentinelOne Singularity if you want autonomous response and rollback. Small teams without security staff should look hard at managed options such as Huntress and ThreatDown (formerly Malwarebytes for Business), and price-sensitive buyers get the most per dollar from ESET PROTECT and Bitdefender GravityZone.

Every price below is vendor-published, checked September 2026. Several vendors sell only through partners or on quote; we say so instead of guessing.

Best endpoint protection software compared

Tool	Best for	Type	Published price	Managed (MDR) option
CrowdStrike Falcon	Best-in-class EDR with transparent SMB pricing	EPP, EDR, XDR	Go $59.99, Pro $99.99, Enterprise $184.99 per device/year	Falcon Complete (quote)
Microsoft Defender for Business / Endpoint	Microsoft 365 shops	EPP, EDR, XDR	Defender for Business $3/user/month; included in M365 Business Premium ($22/user/month)	Via partners
SentinelOne Singularity	Autonomous response and rollback	EPP, EDR, XDR	Complete $179.99, Commercial $229.99 per endpoint/year	Managed threat hunting in Commercial
Sophos Endpoint (Intercept X)	Mid-market teams wanting EDR plus MDR from one vendor	EPP, EDR, XDR	Quote-only (partners)	Sophos MDR
Bitdefender GravityZone	Strong prevention at a low price	EPP, EDR, XDR	Business Security $189.99/year for 5 devices; Enterprise (with EDR) $510.99 (list)	MDR (quote)
TrendAI Vision One (Trend Micro)	Enterprises consolidating on one XDR platform	EPP, EDR, XDR	Quote-only (credit-based licensing)	Quote
ESET PROTECT	Budget-conscious SMBs	EPP; EDR and XDR via sales-led tiers	Entry $42.20, Advanced $54.90 per device/year (5 devices)	ESET PROTECT MDR (quote)
ThreatDown (Malwarebytes)	Small IT teams wanting simple EDR or MDR	EPP, EDR, MDR	Core $69, Advanced $79, Elite $99 per device/year	Elite and Ultimate tiers
Huntress Managed EDR	SMBs and MSPs with no security staff	Managed EDR	$7.99 per endpoint/month, 24/7 SOC included	Built in
Cisco Secure Endpoint	Cisco security customers	EPP, EDR	Quote-only (partners)	Premier tier adds Talos threat hunting

What is endpoint security software?

Endpoint security software protects the devices people actually work on: laptops, desktops, servers and, increasingly, phones and tablets. It installs a lightweight agent on each device that blocks malware and ransomware, watches behaviour for signs of an attack, and lets an administrator isolate a machine or roll back damage from a central console. “Endpoint security” and “endpoint protection” are used interchangeably by buyers; vendors mostly say endpoint protection platform (EPP).

If a product called “endpoint protection” appeared on your work computer without you installing it, your IT team almost certainly deployed it centrally through a management tool, which is how these agents are meant to be rolled out.

EPP vs EDR vs XDR: which do you need?

	EPP	EDR	XDR
What it does	Prevents known and unknown malware (next-gen antivirus, device control, firewall)	Records endpoint activity, detects attacks that slip past prevention, supports investigation and response	Correlates endpoint data with identity, email, cloud and network signals
Who runs it	IT generalist	IT or security analyst	Security operations team
Example tiers	Falcon Go, ESET PROTECT Entry, ThreatDown Core	Falcon Enterprise, SentinelOne Complete, ThreatDown Advanced	Defender XDR, Sophos XDR, TrendAI Vision One

Most small businesses need EPP plus EDR at minimum, because ransomware operators routinely use legitimate admin tools that antivirus alone will not flag. EDR is only useful if someone reads the alerts, so if nobody on your team will, buy a managed tier (MDR) instead. For a full breakdown of the detection layer, read our EDR vs XDR guide.

The 10 best endpoint protection tools, reviewed

1. CrowdStrike Falcon: best overall EDR

CrowdStrike Falcon is one of the most widely deployed EDR platforms and unusually open about SMB pricing. Its single cloud-managed agent covers Windows, macOS and Linux, and its threat intelligence and hunting are built into the higher tiers.

Pricing (vendor-published, checked September 2026): Falcon Go is $59.99 per device per year (or $7.99 monthly) for next-gen antivirus, device control and mobile protection, capped at 100 devices. Falcon Pro adds firewall management at $99.99 per device per year. Falcon Enterprise adds EDR plus threat intelligence and hunting at $184.99 per device per year. Falcon Complete, the managed MDR service, is quote-only. There is a 15-day free trial.

Watch for: EDR only starts at the Enterprise tier. If you are comparing it with rivals, our CrowdStrike alternatives guide goes deeper.

2. Microsoft Defender for Business and Defender for Endpoint: best for Microsoft 365 shops

Defender for Business brings EDR with automatic attack disruption, next-gen antivirus, vulnerability management and automated investigation to companies of up to 300 users, across Windows, macOS, iOS and Android. Larger organisations use Defender for Endpoint, part of Microsoft Defender XDR.

Pricing (vendor-published, checked September 2026): Defender for Business standalone is $3.00 per user per month on an annual subscription, covering up to five devices per user, and it is included in Microsoft 365 Business Premium at $22.00 per user per month. Servers need a separate add-on. Microsoft no longer lists standalone Defender for Endpoint Plan 1 or Plan 2 prices on its pricing pages. Plan 2 is included in Microsoft 365 E5 ($60.00 per user per month), and the Microsoft Defender Suite add-on for E3 customers is $12.00 per user per month.

Watch for: the free Microsoft Defender Antivirus built into Windows is not the same product. Check your licences first; many companies already own Defender for Business through Business Premium without having switched it on.

3. SentinelOne Singularity: best autonomous response

SentinelOne’s agent detects and responds on the device itself, including ransomware rollback, which appeals to teams that cannot watch a console around the clock. Higher tiers add identity threat detection and managed threat hunting.

Pricing (vendor-published, checked September 2026): Singularity Complete (EPP, EDR, cloud workload protection, 14-day data retention) is $179.99 per endpoint per year. Singularity Commercial adds identity detection, 90-day retention and managed threat hunting at $229.99 per endpoint per year. Singularity Enterprise is quote-only. Published prices apply to 5 to 100 workstations and purchases go through authorised partners. See SentinelOne pricing.

Watch for: the older Core and Control tiers no longer appear on the public price list.

4. Sophos Endpoint (Intercept X): best EDR plus MDR from one vendor

Sophos now sells Sophos Endpoint (built on Intercept X technology) with Sophos EDR, Sophos XDR and Sophos MDR layered on top, covering Windows, macOS and Linux endpoints and servers. Its strength is the path from self-managed protection to a fully managed service without changing agents.

Pricing: quote-only through partners; a free trial is available, including through AWS Marketplace.

Watch for: mobile devices need the separate Sophos Mobile product.

5. Bitdefender GravityZone: best prevention for the price

GravityZone is one of the cheapest ways to buy strong prevention online. Business Security includes endpoint protection, network attack defense and risk management; patch management, full-disk encryption, email security and mobile security are add-ons, and the Business Security Enterprise tier adds EDR with cross-endpoint correlation. It protects Windows, macOS and Linux and can be bought online or through partners.

Pricing (vendor-published, checked September 2026): At list price for 5 devices for one year, GravityZone Small Business Security is $169.99, Business Security $189.99 (about $38 per device), Business Security Premium $444.99 and Business Security Enterprise $510.99 (about $102 per device). Bitdefender was running a 30% online discount on most tiers when we checked. GravityZone XDR and MDR are quote-only. See Bitdefender GravityZone pricing.

Watch for: the console has a lot of options, which is powerful but takes time to learn.

6. TrendAI Vision One (formerly Trend Micro): best for platform consolidation

On March 23, 2026, Trend Micro moved its enterprise business under the name TrendAI; the platform is now TrendAI Vision One and the endpoint product is TrendAI Vision One Endpoint Security. Trend Micro says existing products, contracts and licences are unchanged, and the consumer business keeps the Trend Micro name.

Pricing: quote-only, using a credit-based licensing model; a free trial is available.

Watch for: credit-based licensing is flexible but makes year-two costs harder to forecast. Model your expected usage before signing.

7. ESET PROTECT: best for budget-conscious SMBs

ESET PROTECT is a clear, self-serve way to buy prevention for a small business. Its tiers step up from Entry (endpoint protection and console) to Advanced (adds Advanced Threat Defense, ESET’s cloud-based ransomware and zero-day prevention, plus full-disk encryption), Complete (adds cloud app protection for Microsoft 365 and Google Workspace) and MDR. EDR and XDR come from ESET Inspect, which ESET sells through its sales team in higher tiers.

Pricing (vendor-published, checked September 2026, US store, one year): PROTECT Entry is $211.00 for 5 devices ($42.20 each) or $897.50 for 25 ($35.90 each). PROTECT Advanced is $274.50 for 5 devices or $1,170.00 for 25. PROTECT Complete lists at $337.50 for 5 devices. PROTECT MDR is priced on request. Mobile device protection is included across tiers, and online purchase goes up to 100 devices.

Watch for: none of the self-serve tiers includes EDR, so if you need detection and response, talk to ESET sales or choose PROTECT MDR.

8. ThreatDown (formerly Malwarebytes for Business): best simple EDR and MDR for small IT teams

Malwarebytes relaunched its business line as ThreatDown on November 7, 2023; it is still owned by Malwarebytes. The four bundles are easy to understand and cover Windows, macOS, Linux, ChromeOS, iOS and Android.

Pricing (vendor-published, checked September 2026): at the default five devices for one year, Core (next-gen antivirus, device control, vulnerability assessment) is $345 per year, Advanced (adds EDR and ransomware rollback) $395, Elite (adds 24/7 MDR) $495, and Ultimate (adds MDR Plus and identity threat detection) $745. That works out to $69, $79, $99 and $149 per device per year. Three-year terms save 20%.

Watch for: server protection, DNS filtering, email security and mobile security are add-ons.

9. Huntress Managed EDR: best for SMBs with no security staff

Huntress pairs its EDR agent with a 24/7 human security operations centre included in the price, which is exactly the part small businesses cannot staff themselves. It covers Windows, macOS and Linux and is sold mostly through MSPs, with direct purchase available.

Pricing (vendor-published, checked September 2026): Managed EDR is $7.99 per endpoint per month (Huntress’s example is 100 endpoints). Buying direct carries a 50-seat minimum per product; buying through an MSP has no Huntress minimum. Huntress also publishes Managed ITDR at $3.60 per identity per month and Managed SIEM at $3.50 per source per month.

Watch for: Huntress runs alongside your existing antivirus and manages Microsoft Defender Antivirus at no extra cost, so it is a detection and response layer, not a replacement for prevention.

10. Cisco Secure Endpoint: best for Cisco security customers

Cisco Secure Endpoint (formerly AMP for Endpoints) comes in Essentials, Advantage (adds advanced EDR and malware analysis) and Premier (adds Talos threat hunting). It integrates with Cisco XDR, Umbrella and Duo.

Pricing: quote-only through Cisco partners.

Watch for: most of its value comes from integration with other Cisco security products.

Also worth knowing

Palo Alto Networks Cortex XDR is a strong enterprise XDR (quote-only). Carbon Black is now part of Broadcom’s Enterprise Security Group alongside Symantec, and in March 2026 Broadcom announced Symantec CBX, which combines Symantec prevention with Carbon Black EDR (quote-only). Webroot’s business endpoint product is now sold as OpenText Core Endpoint Protection.

Who is the leader in endpoint security?

By analyst recognition, CrowdStrike and Microsoft are the most frequently cited leaders. Gartner’s 2026 Magic Quadrant for Endpoint Protection (the report dropped “Platforms” from its title this year) named CrowdStrike a Leader for the seventh consecutive time, according to CrowdStrike’s May 27, 2026 press release, and Microsoft and TrendAI also announced Leader placements in the same report. The report itself is behind Gartner’s paywall, so treat vendor summaries as marketing.

The most useful free, independent evidence is the MITRE ATT&CK Evaluations, which publish what each product detected at each step of an emulated attack and explicitly do not rank vendors. The 2025 Enterprise round, published in December 2025, emulated Scattered Spider and Mustang Panda. SecurityWeek reported 11 participants, including CrowdStrike, ESET, Sophos and Trend Micro, and reported that Microsoft, Palo Alto Networks and SentinelOne did not take part. Look at whether a product detected the techniques that matter to you, not at headline percentages.

How much does endpoint protection cost?

Using the published prices above, per device per year:

Prevention only (EPP): roughly $34 to $100 (Bitdefender GravityZone from about $34 to $38 at list, ESET PROTECT Entry and Advanced, ThreatDown Core at $69, CrowdStrike Falcon Go at $59.99 and Pro at $99.99).
EPP plus EDR: roughly $79 to $185 (ThreatDown Advanced at $79, Bitdefender Business Security Enterprise at about $102, SentinelOne Complete at $179.99, CrowdStrike Falcon Enterprise at $184.99).
Managed EDR or MDR: ThreatDown Elite at $99 and Huntress at $7.99 per month ($95.88 a year) sit at the low end; CrowdStrike Falcon Complete, Sophos MDR and similar services are quote-only.
Bundled: if you already hold Microsoft 365 Business Premium, Defender for Business adds no extra licence cost.

The per-device figure is rarely the whole bill. Server licences, data retention beyond the default window and managed response are often separate line items.

How to choose endpoint protection software

Decide who will respond to alerts. No security staff means you need MDR (Huntress, ThreatDown Elite, Sophos MDR, Falcon Complete), not just EDR.
Check what you already own. Microsoft 365 Business Premium and E5 include Defender capabilities many teams never deploy.
Match operating systems. Confirm Linux server, macOS and mobile coverage on the exact tier you are pricing.
Price retention and servers. SentinelOne’s tiers differ on retention (14 versus 90 days), and several vendors price servers separately.
Pilot in detect-only mode. Run the new agent alongside the old one on a sample of real machines before cutting over, and collect the exclusions you will need.
Tie it into device management. Deploy agents through your MDM or endpoint management tool; see our MDM software guide and endpoint management software guide.

Endpoint protection is one layer. For the wider stack, including email security, backup and identity, see our guides to cybersecurity software for small business, the best cybersecurity software and password managers for business, or browse all endpoint protection software on Spotsaas.

Frequently asked questions

What are the top 5 endpoint security software tools?

For most buyers in 2026: CrowdStrike Falcon, Microsoft Defender for Business or Endpoint, SentinelOne Singularity, Sophos Endpoint and Bitdefender GravityZone. Small teams without security staff should add Huntress or ThreatDown to that list because they include managed response.

Is Microsoft Defender good enough for a business?

Defender for Business, not the free antivirus built into Windows, is a capable EDR for companies up to 300 users, and it is included in Microsoft 365 Business Premium. What it lacks for most small firms is someone watching the alerts, which is why many pair it with a managed service.

Is antivirus the same as endpoint protection?

No. Antivirus is one part of an endpoint protection platform. EPP adds device control, firewall management and central policy, and most business products now bundle EDR so attacks that use legitimate tools can still be detected and reversed.

How did endpoint protection get on my computer?

On a work device, your IT department or managed service provider almost certainly installed it remotely through a management tool. If it appeared on a personal computer you did not set up, check Settings or Apps for the product name and contact the vendor before removing it.

What is the cheapest endpoint protection with EDR?

Among published prices checked in September 2026, Microsoft Defender for Business is the lowest at $3 per user per month ($36 a year) for up to five devices per user. Among per-device prices, ThreatDown Advanced at $79 per device per year is the cheapest self-serve EDR tier.

Do I need EDR if I have a firewall?

Yes. A firewall controls traffic at the network edge, but laptops leave the office and most attacks start with a user opening something on the device. EDR sees what runs on the endpoint itself.

What happened to Malwarebytes for Business?

It was renamed ThreatDown in November 2023. Malwarebytes still owns it, and the business products are sold as ThreatDown Core, Advanced, Elite and Ultimate bundles.