Expert Guide

The Best Antivirus for Business in 2026

GravityZone Business Security is a device pack you can price before the call, with a US checkout under the list. Defender for Business bills per user under 300 people.

Louis CorneloupFounder, Dupple · 920,000+ readers · Updated Sep 2026

Product links may be affiliate links. How we rate 8 tools compared

TL;DR

Bitdefender GravityZone Business Security is the best antivirus for business in 2026, at $384.99 for 10 devices for one year, or $269.49 with the current US checkout discount. Pick Microsoft Defender for Business at $3 per user per month under 300 users when you already pay per person. Pick CrowdStrike Falcon Go at $59.99 per device per year if the fleet stays under 100 devices and detection can wait.

ESET PROTECT Entry is $42.20 a device a year for 5 to 10 devices. SentinelOne Singularity Complete is $179.99 an endpoint a year when EDR has to sit on the same invoice. Huntress shows $7.99 an endpoint a month at 100 endpoints, with a SOC on the bill, so skip it when you only wanted the agent.

Key facts8 tools compared: Bitdefender GravityZone, Microsoft Defender for Business, ESET PROTECT…

Updated: September 23, 2026
Top pick: Bitdefender GravityZone (best for: Companies that want a managed console and a published device price)
Top pick price as of September 23, 2026: Bitdefender GravityZone: From $384.99/yr for 10 devices (Business Security list); checkout $269.49 on 23 Sep 2026.

8 tools compared: Bitdefender GravityZone, Microsoft Defender for Business, ESET PROTECT, CrowdStrike Falcon Go, SentinelOne Singularity, Huntress, Avast Business, Sophos Endpoint
Microsoft Defender for Business (best for: Companies under 300 users that already run Microsoft 365): From $3/user/mo, paid yearly; up to 300 users and 5 devices each, tax extra.
ESET PROTECT (best for: Teams that want a light per-device price that falls as the fleet grows): From $42.20/device/yr (PROTECT Entry, 5 to 10 devices, US page).
CrowdStrike Falcon Go (best for: Small fleets that want CrowdStrike prevention and can live without EDR): From $59.99/device/yr (Falcon Go, USD); purchases capped at 100 devices.

Buy GravityZone Business Security when you want a console and a number before the call. Buy Defender for Business when you are already a Microsoft 365 shop under 300 people, because the license follows the person.

Buy Falcon Go when you do not need endpoint detection yet.

A consumer suite on a company laptop has no inventory and no offboarding, so IT cannot pull the agent when someone leaves.

Some of these products bill the device, some bill the user, and EDR is often a higher SKU.

Toolradar data: the September 2026 security ranking evaluated 816 tools.

Profiles worth opening before a proof of concept include Bitdefender, CrowdStrike, ESET, and SentinelOne.

The detection-and-response shortlist, which is a different buy, is our EDR and endpoint protection guide.

How we ranked: eight products, prices checked on each vendor's US page or checkout on 23 September 2026.

We ordered them by whether a 10 to 100 person company can buy prevention from the page, what the license meters, and whether response is included. Console detail is in the Bitdefender review and the CrowdStrike review.

Top Picks

Based on features, real-world fit, and value for money.

Best Antivirus for Business in 2026: 8 tools compared, updated Sep 2026
Tool	Pricing	Best for
Bitdefender GravityZone	From $384.99/yr for 10 devices (Business Security list); checkout $269.49 on 23 Sep 2026.	Companies that want a managed console and a published device price
Microsoft Defender for Business	From $3/user/mo, paid yearly; up to 300 users and 5 devices each, tax extra.	Companies under 300 users that already run Microsoft 365
ESET PROTECT	From $42.20/device/yr (PROTECT Entry, 5 to 10 devices, US page).	Teams that want a light per-device price that falls as the fleet grows
CrowdStrike Falcon Go	From $59.99/device/yr (Falcon Go, USD); purchases capped at 100 devices.	Small fleets that want CrowdStrike prevention and can live without EDR
SentinelOne Singularity	From $179.99/endpoint/yr (Singularity Complete, 5 to 100 workstations, USD).	Teams that want EDR on the antivirus invoice and will buy through a partner
Huntress	From $7.99/endpoint/mo at the 100-endpoint example; USD, volume pricing.	Companies without a night shift that want a SOC on the endpoint
Avast Business	From $31.37/device for the first year (Essential, USD); original $39.21.	Very small teams buying a first-year suite with a cloud console
Sophos Endpoint	Quote only, per user; no public pricing in USD on the site.	Buyers who want CryptoGuard and will wait for a per-user quote

Pricing read from each vendor's own published pricing page, checked Sep 2026. 1 of 8 does not publish one; those entries say so rather than estimating.

Bitdefender GravityZone

Top Pick

Best for: Companies that want a managed console and a published device price

PricingFrom $384.99/yr for 10 devices (Business Security list); checkout $269.49 on 23 Sep 2026.

+The US checkout is running a campaign against the Business Security list, so the first-year invoice is lower than the renewal figure.

+That tier includes Network Attack Defense, web and device control, and endpoint risk analytics, which are paid add-ons on Small Business Security.

+Online purchase covers up to 100 endpoints for one, two, or three years, and servers can be at most 30% of the device count, so file servers can miss it.

−Business Security Premium, which adds HyperDetect and the sandbox, is $879.99 list for the same 10 devices and one year.

−Automated EDR is the Enterprise tier, $1020.99 for 10 devices for one year, with no discount on that SKU in the US price feed.

Visit Bitdefender GravityZone →

Microsoft Defender for Business

Best for: Companies under 300 users that already run Microsoft 365

PricingFrom $3/user/mo, paid yearly; up to 300 users and 5 devices each, tax extra.

+The standalone price is $3 per user per month, paid yearly, with no minimum device count and up to five devices per user, so a phone can share the seat.

+The same subscription includes next-gen antivirus, vulnerability management, endpoint detection, and automated investigation.

+Microsoft 365 Business Premium is $22 per user per month, paid yearly, and it includes this product plus Intune and email protection.

−The cap is 300 users, and past that Microsoft points you at Defender for Endpoint, which is a different product with a deeper console.

−Server protection is an add-on, and the Defender for Business page does not print that add-on in dollars.

Visit Microsoft Defender for Business →

ESET PROTECT

Best for: Teams that want a light per-device price that falls as the fleet grows

PricingFrom $42.20/device/yr (PROTECT Entry, 5 to 10 devices, US page).

+PROTECT Entry is $42.20 per device per year for 5 to 10 devices on the US page, and $35.90 once the count hits 11, so growth past that band lowers the rate.

+One seat covers one operating system, and the same subscription can mix computers, mobiles, and servers.

+PROTECT Advanced is $54.90 per device per year at 5 to 10 devices and adds cloud workload coverage.

−PROTECT Complete's first term for 5 devices is $286.87 against a $337.50 list, and ESET says that price is valid for the first term only.

−Detection and response starts at 25 devices, so a 10-seat Entry buy is prevention, not a timeline.

Visit ESET PROTECT →

CrowdStrike Falcon Go

Best for: Small fleets that want CrowdStrike prevention and can live without EDR

PricingFrom $59.99/device/yr (Falcon Go, USD); purchases capped at 100 devices.

+Falcon Go is billed annually in US dollars, with a 15-day trial and a 30-day money-back assurance.

+The Go bundle includes next-gen antivirus, USB device control, mobile protection for Android and iOS, and Express Support.

+Falcon Pro is $99.99 per device per year and adds host firewall management, and Falcon Enterprise is $184.99 and adds EDR.

−Go purchases stop at 100 devices, so a growing fleet hits a wall, not a volume discount, on this SKU.

−Firewall management, endpoint detection, and threat hunting are not in Go, and they show up on Pro and Enterprise.

Visit CrowdStrike Falcon Go →

SentinelOne Singularity

Best for: Teams that want EDR on the antivirus invoice and will buy through a partner

PricingFrom $179.99/endpoint/yr (Singularity Complete, 5 to 100 workstations, USD).

+Singularity Commercial is $229.99 per endpoint per year in US dollars, above the Complete price on this card.

+Complete includes the endpoint protection platform, detection and response, and 14 days of data retention.

+The price on the page is for 5 to 100 workstations, so a small fleet can see a number before the partner call.

−Every purchase goes through an authorized partner, and SentinelOne says the partner price controls if it conflicts with the page.

−Identity detection, 90-day retention, and managed threat hunting sit on Commercial, not on Complete.

Visit SentinelOne Singularity →

Huntress

Best for: Companies without a night shift that want a SOC on the endpoint

PricingFrom $7.99/endpoint/mo at the 100-endpoint example; USD, volume pricing.

+The pricing page's 100-endpoint example is a volume rate in US dollars.

+That Managed EDR line includes the technology plus 24/7 detection and response, and the page lists managed antivirus with it.

+The per-unit rate falls as the committed count rises, so the 100-endpoint example is not the rate at 50.

−This is a managed service, not a console you tune alone, so a silent agent with no SOC means you are overbuying.

−The rate is volume-based, and quoting the 100-endpoint example for a 20-endpoint shop will miss the invoice.

Visit Huntress →

Avast Business

Best for: Very small teams buying a first-year suite with a cloud console

PricingFrom $31.37/device for the first year (Essential, USD); original $39.21.

+Essential Business Security shows $31.37 per device for the first year on the US page, against an original $39.21.

+Premium is $39.85 and Ultimate is $48.33 for that first year, each marked 20% off the original.

+Ultimate offers a 30-day trial with no payment, limited to 100 devices, and the page has a 30-day money-back guarantee.

−The price on the card is a first-year price, and the original column is the number to annualize.

−Ultimate's original price falls with quantity, from $60.41 at one device, so a one-device screenshot is the wrong budget for 50.

Visit Avast Business →

Sophos Endpoint

Best for: Buyers who want CryptoGuard and will wait for a per-user quote

PricingQuote only, per user; no public pricing in USD on the site.

+Sophos describes Endpoint as one agent for Windows, macOS, and Linux, managed in Sophos Central, with CryptoGuard ransomware rollback.

+The product page says 60+ exploit mitigations are enabled by default, so the baseline is not a signature-only agent.

+The product page puts detection and response in the agent and sells a separate EDR product for threat hunting, so the quote should say if hunting is included.

−Sophos publishes no USD list price, and the quote page says pricing is per user, with no infrastructure fee, and stops there.

−A 25-user bill is a salesperson's reply, not a page you can screenshot.

Visit Sophos Endpoint →

What it is

A business antivirus is a centrally managed agent that blocks malware on company laptops and servers, with a console for policy and inventory. It is not a consumer suite, and it is not a full detection-and-response platform.

The console tells you the agent is installed, which policy it follows, and which machine has been offline.

Without it, IT is guessing from a tray icon, and a departed laptop can stay enrolled.

Defender Antivirus is built into Windows and has no company console behind it. Defender for Business adds vulnerability management, attack surface reduction, and endpoint detection, and it stops at 300 users.

A larger firm needs a different Microsoft product, and the EDR guide is the comparison for a recorded timeline.

Why it matters

The meter decides the bill more than the logo. Ten users on Defender for Business are $360 a year before tax, and that license can cover up to 50 devices because each user gets five.

That shape favors a staff with a laptop and a phone.

Ten devices on GravityZone Business Security are the 10-device pack on Bitdefender's US checkout, so the same headcount is a device pack. A server does not fit the user meter the way a laptop does.

GravityZone counts a server inside the device total, at most 30% of it, so file servers burn the pack.

Defender for Business leaves servers on an add-on, and Microsoft does not print that add-on price, so the user quote is not the server bill.

Cyberpresso data: the newsletter reaches 27,000 security readers at a 28% open rate, from the audience file updated 20 September 2026.

Pair the agent with MDM so the laptop is encrypted, and with email security so the phish is not the thing the agent has to catch.

Key features to look for

What the license meters

Device, endpoint, or user, and five devices per user is a different 10-person bill from a device pack.

Where EDR starts

Some entry SKUs are prevention only, so a timeline sits on the next tier.

Console and the cap

A 300-user ceiling or a 100-device ceiling, and above either one you are in a partner quote.

Servers and the first term

Server seats and a first-year discount change the bill, and that discount is not the renewal.

Who is on call overnight

A self-run console leaves the queue with you, while a SOC on the same invoice adds people to the bill.

Pricing

USD figures below were checked on 23 September 2026, on each vendor's US page or price feed. Sophos asks for a quote, so it cannot be ranked on cost until sales replies.

On GravityZone, compare the 10-device year, not a per-device rate the site never prints.

Small Business Security lists at $324.99 and checks out at $227.49, and that gap is a first-year campaign, not the renewal. Each Small Business add-on, web and device control or network attack defense, checks out at $41.99 for those 10 devices.

Business Security's list and checkout are in the table, and the Enterprise EDR tier has no discount in that feed.

Defender for Business stays on the user meter, Business Standard at $14 does not include it, and Business Premium at $22 does.

Ten Falcon Go devices on the annual rate are $599.90, and that SKU stops at 100 devices. A first-term cut, on ESET Complete or on Avast, is not the renewal.

Plan	Price	Best for
GravityZone Small Business Security, 5 devices, 1 year	$169.99 list	US price feed, taxes extra, online only
GravityZone Small Business Security, 10 devices, 1 year	$324.99 list	Checkout shows $227.49 under the current campaign
GravityZone Business Security, 10 devices, 1 year	$384.99 list	Checkout $269.49; includes device control and network attack defense
GravityZone Business Security Premium, 10 devices, 1 year	$879.99 list	Adds HyperDetect and the sandbox
GravityZone Business Security Enterprise, 10 devices, 1 year	$1020.99	EDR tier; no discount in the US price feed
GravityZone add-on, 10 devices, 1 year	$41.99 checkout	Web and device control, or network attack defense, each
Microsoft Defender for Business	$3/user/mo, paid yearly	Up to 300 users, 5 devices each, tax extra
Microsoft 365 Business Standard	$14/user/mo, paid yearly	Does not include Defender for Business
Microsoft 365 Business Premium	$22/user/mo, paid yearly	Includes Defender for Business
ESET PROTECT Entry, 5 to 10 devices	$42.20/device/yr	US page; $35.90 from 11 devices
ESET PROTECT Advanced, 5 to 10 devices	$54.90/device/yr	Adds cloud workloads
ESET PROTECT Complete, 5 devices, first term	$286.87	List $337.50; ESET says the price is first term only, 15% off
CrowdStrike Falcon Go	$59.99/device/yr	USD, max 100 devices; monthly billing costs more
CrowdStrike Falcon Pro	$99.99/device/yr	Or $14.99/device billed monthly; adds host firewall
CrowdStrike Falcon Enterprise	$184.99/device/yr	Or $19.99/device billed monthly; adds EDR
SentinelOne Singularity Complete	$179.99/endpoint/yr	USD, 5 to 100 workstations; partner price controls
SentinelOne Singularity Commercial	$229.99/endpoint/yr	Adds identity detection and 90-day retention
Huntress Managed EDR, 100 endpoints	$7.99/endpoint/mo	USD example; rate falls as volume rises
Avast Essential Business Security	$31.37/device, first year	USD; original $39.21 per device per year
Avast Premium Business Security	$39.85/device, first year	20% off the original on the US page
Avast Ultimate Business Security	$48.33/device, first year	Original $60.41 at one device; 30-day trial, 100 devices
Sophos Endpoint	Quote only	Per user; no USD list price on the site

Mistakes to avoid

×Annualizing a first-term price is how year two comes up short. Avast's card and ESET Complete's 15% cut are first-term numbers, and the renewal is the original or the list.

×Buying Falcon Go because it says CrowdStrike gets you prevention, not the bundle most teams mean. Firewall and EDR are other bundles, and Go stops at 100 devices.

×Leaving servers out understates the bill, because GravityZone servers can be at most 30% of the online device total, and Defender for Business servers are an add-on with no dollar on the product page.

×Putting SentinelOne's page price on the purchase order ignores the vendor's rule. The authorized partner's price controls when the two disagree.

×Standardizing on Business Standard and assuming the Windows agent is the business product leaves a hole. That plan does not include Defender for Business, and the built-in antivirus has no console.

Expert tips

→Price ten people twice, once as users on Defender for Business and once as devices on GravityZone. A laptop-and-phone staff and a pile of servers pick different winners.

→If nobody is on call, price Huntress against the salary of the person who would have answered, because the endpoint rate is the small number beside that salary.

→Pilot the finance laptop, one Mac, and the file server. A Windows-only demo hides the SKU that skips the server.

→Ask which figure is the renewal before you sign, because a checkout campaign is not next year's list price.

The bottom line

GravityZone Business Security is the buy when you want a console and a device price you can defend this week. Use the checkout figure for year one and the list figure for the renewal.

Move to Defender for Business under 300 users when the Microsoft 365 bill is already happening, because five devices per user beats a device pack for a laptop-and-phone staff.

Choose ESET when the per-device rate should fall with headcount, and Falcon Go under 100 devices when detection can wait.

Choose SentinelOne when EDR is on the same invoice, Huntress for a night shift, Avast for a first-year suite, and Sophos when you can wait for the quote.

Enroll the device in MDM, scan it with a vulnerability scanner, and keep admin logins in a password manager, because the agent does not replace those controls.

Remote access belongs on a business VPN, and the Cyberpresso brief is where the next renewal price shows up.

Cite this: Cyberpresso, "Best Antivirus for Business in 2026", September 2026.

Frequently asked questions

What is the best antivirus for business in 2026?

Bitdefender GravityZone Business Security wins in 2026 when you want a console and a published device price. On 23 September 2026 the US list for 10 devices for one year was $384.99, and the checkout showed $269.49, so year one and the renewal differ. Defender for Business fits under 300 users who already pay per person, and Falcon Go fits under 100 devices when you do not need EDR yet.

How much does business antivirus cost a small company in 2026?

Use the pricing table, checked on 23 September 2026, because these products do not share a meter. Ten Defender for Business users are $360 a year before tax. Ten Falcon Go devices on the annual rate are $599.90. Sophos Endpoint has no public USD price, and a partner can change SentinelOne's page price.

Is there a free antivirus for business in 2026?

Microsoft Defender Antivirus is built into Windows and has no business console, so a company cannot standardize on it. Defender for Business is the paid product that adds the console and detection. Microsoft's business security pricing page offers a 30-day trial on the plans that include it. Avast Ultimate's trial is 30 days and limited to 100 devices, and Falcon Go's trial is 15 days. None of the ranked products is a free business plan.

Bitdefender vs Microsoft Defender for Business: which should a small company buy?

Buy Defender for Business under 300 users when five devices per user covers the fleet and servers are priced separately, which suits a laptop-and-phone company on Microsoft 365. Buy GravityZone when you want device control on a device pack, servers included inside a 30% cap, without a Microsoft 365 seat. Past 300 users, Defender for Business is the wrong SKU.

Do I need EDR, or is business antivirus enough on its own?

Antivirus is enough when the job is blocking malware and proving the agent is installed, and Falcon Go does not include EDR. GravityZone puts automated EDR on Enterprise, at $1020.99 for 10 devices for one year. ESET's detection module starts at 25 devices, so a smaller Entry buy never gets a timeline. Defender for Business includes detection in the user subscription, and SentinelOne Complete includes it at $179.99 per endpoint per year.

What is the device limit on CrowdStrike Falcon Go?

CrowdStrike limits Falcon Go purchases to 100 devices, so the next device is a different sale. The annual price is $59.99 per device in US dollars, with a 15-day trial and a 30-day money-back assurance. Falcon Pro at $99.99 per device per year adds firewall management. Falcon Enterprise at $184.99 per device per year adds endpoint detection and threat hunting.

Is Huntress an antivirus or a managed detection service?

Huntress Managed EDR is a managed service with a SOC on the invoice, not a console you run yourself. The 100-endpoint example is $7.99 per endpoint per month in US dollars, and the rate falls as volume rises. Managed antivirus is listed with that offer, plus 24/7 response. Buy GravityZone or ESET when you only need the agent.

Sources

Prices and plan details come from each vendor's own pricing page, re-checked by the Toolradar pricing tracker.