The best endpoint security for small business in 2026, ranked
By Jean Luc Poitier, SEO and growth marketing strategist · Bitdefender Reviews · Updated October 15, 2026
Disclosure: this site reviews Bitdefender GravityZone and earns a commission if you sign up for it through our links. We don't earn anything from the other five. We ranked Bitdefender GravityZone first on the independent test results and published prices in the table below; check them and decide for yourself.
How we ranked small business endpoint security
A small business without a security team needs three things from endpoint security: it stops attacks without a stream of false alarms, it costs a predictable amount, and it doesn't need a specialist to run. We ranked on independent results first (AV-Comparatives' business tests, the only lab test most of these products share), then published price for 10 devices, then management load, then reviews.
Two products have no lab results to rank on: SentinelOne doesn't enter AV-Comparatives' business tests, and Huntress relies on Microsoft Defender for prevention. We placed them by price, fit, and reviews.
Small business endpoint security compared
| Compared on | AV-Comparatives business tests, 2023-2025 | Published price, 10 devices for a year |
|---|---|---|
| Bitdefender GravityZone | 3 compromised, 11 false alarms | $324.99 (Small Business Security) |
| Microsoft Defender for Business | 29 compromised, 14 false alarms | $360 (10 users), or in Business Premium |
| Huntress Managed EDR | Not tested (uses Microsoft Defender) | $7.99 per endpoint/month at 100 endpoints, SOC included |
| CrowdStrike Falcon Go / Pro | 28 compromised, 144 false alarms (Falcon Pro) | $599.90 (Go) / $999.90 (Pro) |
| Sophos Endpoint | 55 compromised, 25 false alarms | Not published |
| SentinelOne Singularity Core | Not tested | $699.90, through partners |
Figures checked against each company's published pages and review-platform listings as of 2026-10-15. “Not published” means the company does not publish that figure.
The 6 best endpoint security products for small business
1. Bitdefender GravityZone
Best protection for the priceThe strongest independent record here: 3 compromises and 11 false alarms in 2,901 real-world cases across AV-Comparatives' 2023 to 2025 business tests, and a 99.7% prevention and response score in the lab's 2026 EPR test, behind only Elastic among 14 products. From $324.99 a year for 10 devices, servers included, with a no-card trial and an optional on-premises console. Weak spots: a console with a learning curve and support that reviewers call slow. We earn a commission on this one; it ranks first on the lab results and published prices below, which you can check.
Read Bitdefender GravityZone reviews →2. Microsoft Defender for Business
Best value if you have Microsoft 365$3 per user per month with EDR, or included in Microsoft 365 Business Premium. The lightest on PCs in AV-Comparatives' 2025 performance tests, with full protection marks from AV-TEST. Weak spots: 29 compromises in the same AV-Comparatives business tests, servers on a separate add-on, a card-required trial, and support complaints.
Bitdefender vs Microsoft Defender →3. Huntress Managed EDR
Best if nobody will watch the alertsA 24/7 human SOC at a published $7.99 per endpoint per month (at 100 endpoints), layered on Microsoft Defender. The best-reviewed product here (4.6 out of 5 on PeerSpot), especially for support. Weak spots: no lab results of its own, a 50-seat minimum unless you buy through an MSP, and no mobile coverage.
Bitdefender vs Huntress →4. CrowdStrike Falcon Go and Pro
Best for self-serve, monthly buyingFalcon Go costs $59.99 per device a year or $7.99 a month, with mobile protection included and a 15-day no-card trial. Weak spots: no EDR below Falcon Enterprise ($184.99), 28 compromises and 144 false alarms in AV-Comparatives' 2023 to 2025 business tests, and the July 2024 outage.
Bitdefender vs CrowdStrike →5. Sophos Endpoint
Best if you run Sophos firewallsShares threat information with Sophos firewalls and has a large MDR service. Certified in every AV-TEST business round since 2022. Weak spots: no published price, the heaviest footprint in AV-Comparatives' 2025 performance tests, and 55 compromises in the lab's 2023 to 2025 business tests.
Bitdefender vs Sophos →6. SentinelOne Singularity
Best for teams with a security analystStrong investigation tools, rollback in every tier, and well-reviewed support. Weak spots for a small business: sold only through partners from $69.99 per endpoint a year, no self-serve trial, not in AV-Comparatives' tests, and reviewers report false positives that need tuning.
Bitdefender vs SentinelOne →
Before you buy
Whatever you choose, trial it on your oldest PC, your Macs, and the software your team relies on, and open one support ticket to see how fast the answer comes. If you have no IT help at all, read our small business security checklist first; the basics matter more than the product.
See Bitdefender GravityZone pricingSmall business endpoint security FAQ
What is the best endpoint security for a small business?+
On independent protection results and published price, Bitdefender GravityZone. If you already pay for Microsoft 365 Business Premium, start with the Microsoft Defender for Business you own. If nobody will watch alerts, a managed service such as Huntress fits better.
How much does endpoint security cost for a small business?+
For 10 devices for a year, at published list prices: GravityZone Small Business Security $324.99, Microsoft Defender for Business about $360 (10 users), CrowdStrike Falcon Go $599.90, SentinelOne Core $699.90. Huntress Managed EDR, with a SOC included, lists at $7.99 per endpoint per month at 100 endpoints. Sophos doesn't publish prices.
Is free antivirus enough for a small business?+
Windows' built-in Defender Antivirus, set up properly, is a reasonable baseline for a few PCs. What it lacks is central management: no single view of every device, no alert when a machine stops updating, and settings that drift. Our how-to guide covers doing it by hand.
How did you rank these?+
On four things, in order: independent protection results (AV-Comparatives' business tests, where available), published price for a 10-device business, how much management the product needs, and reviews. We earn a commission on GravityZone, which we disclose; every figure here can be checked on the linked lab and vendor pages.