In short
Choose antivirus for a small business on practical criteria: easy central management, coverage for every Windows, Mac, server and mobile device you use, the licence unit that fits how staff work, monthly billing, and protection that meets the Cyber Essentials malware control. Several vendors have editions designed for small teams; there is no single right choice.
Get a quote for small business antivirus
Tell us roughly how many users or sites you have and we will reply by email with options and a quote.
Why small businesses need business antivirus
Small businesses are attacked for the same reasons large ones are: email accounts, payment details and data that can be ransomed. The difference is that a small business rarely has anyone watching for problems, so protection needs to work automatically and tell someone when it cannot.
Free and home products are designed for individuals. In a business they leave you without a single view of which devices are protected, and many consumer licences do not permit commercial use. Our guide to free antivirus for business covers what you give up. Microsoft Defender Antivirus, built into Windows, is a real option for some small businesses; see is Windows Defender enough? for when it is and is not.
Seven criteria to judge products by
Rather than ranking products, judge each one against your own situation:
- Ease of management. Can a non-specialist see at a glance which devices are protected and what has been blocked? Is there a cloud console with no server to maintain?
- Mac and mobile coverage. If staff use Macs, iPhones or Android devices, check the product covers them in the same console, or whether mobile needs a separate add-on.
- Servers. If you have an on-premises server or a cloud virtual machine, check whether it is included or licensed separately.
- Microsoft 365 users. If you have Microsoft 365 Business Premium, you already have Microsoft Defender for Business; compare what a third-party product adds before paying twice.
- Cyber Essentials. The Cyber Essentials malware protection control asks for anti-malware that stays up to date, stops malware and malicious code running and blocks connections to malicious websites. Check the product's web protection is included.
- Per user or per device. Per-user licences can be simpler when people have a laptop, a desktop and a tablet; per-device licences can be cheaper when several people share computers.
- Billing and flexibility. Monthly billing lets the licence count follow your headcount. Many of the products we supply can be billed monthly; we confirm the terms at quote.
Small-business products we supply, compared
These products are aimed at, or commonly chosen by, smaller organisations. The table sticks to facts each vendor publishes; it is not a ranking.
| Product | Licence unit | Platforms | Worth knowing |
|---|---|---|---|
| Sophos Endpoint | Per user; servers separate | Windows and macOS computers; Windows and Linux servers on a server licence | Formerly Intercept X Advanced; upgrades to EDR, XDR and MDR on the same agent |
| Trend Micro Worry-Free Services | Per user | Windows desktops and servers, Mac, iOS and Android | Services Advanced adds email and collaboration protection; Worry-Free XDR adds detection and response |
| Bitdefender GravityZone Small Business Security | Per endpoint | Windows, macOS, Linux | Bitdefender's edition for 1 to 100 devices (laptops, desktops, file servers); through us the equivalent is GravityZone Cloud MSP Security |
| ThreatDown Endpoint Protection (Core) | Per endpoint; servers separate | Windows, macOS, Linux | Malwarebytes' business brand; through us run in the OneView console, with modules switched on per endpoint |
| Webroot Business Endpoint Protection | Per device | Windows, macOS, Windows Server | Lightweight cloud-managed agent; DNS Protection, security awareness training and EDR add-ons |
| WatchGuard Endpoint Security Basic | Per endpoint | Windows, macOS, Linux, Android, iOS | Formerly WatchGuard EPP; Prime and above add EDR |
Other vendors we supply, such as CrowdStrike, SentinelOne and Check Point, also suit small businesses, particularly where you want a clear path to EDR or a vendor-run managed service. The endpoint protection vendors page compares the full range.
Not sure which licence fits? Ask us
Tell us what you need and we will recommend the right licence for your organisation, with a quote.
Per-user vs per-device: a worked example
Licence units make a real difference to small organisations. Take an office of eight people where everyone has a laptop, three people also have a desktop at a hot desk, and there is one file server:
- Per user (for example Sophos Endpoint or Worry-Free): eight user licences cover all eleven computers, plus a server licence for the file server with Sophos.
- Per device (for example ThreatDown, Webroot or WatchGuard): eleven workstation licences, plus the server counted as an endpoint or on a server licence, depending on the vendor.
Neither is better in general. Shared PCs, such as a reception machine used by several staff, tend to favour per-device. People with several devices each favour per-user. Our business antivirus cost guide covers the other price drivers. Prices are not published here; ask us for a quote.
Common mistakes to avoid
These issues come up often when small businesses review their antivirus:
- Forgotten devices: an old desktop in a back office or a laptop used by a part-timer, still on an expired trial or a home product.
- Licences that drifted: leavers still licensed, or new starters not added, because nobody owned the licence count.
- No alert recipient: protection is installed, but warnings go to a mailbox nobody reads.
- Two products at once: a new product installed over an old one, with both trying to scan the same files.
- Macs left out: the Windows machines are protected and the Macs are assumed to be fine.
- Servers on workstation licences: some vendors need a server licence, and a workstation licence may not install or may not include server protections.
A business product with a central console makes most of these visible, and a licence count you can change month to month makes them easier to fix. We can help you set up a simple routine for checking both.
Is small business antivirus the right fit for you?
We will check it against your systems and requirements and recommend the right option.
Getting set up without an IT department
For most small businesses, getting set up is a short, well-defined project:
- List your devices: every laptop, desktop, Mac, server and company phone, and who uses each.
- Choose the product and edition: we shortlist two or three that fit your list and explain the differences.
- Remove the old product: running two antivirus products side by side causes conflicts, so the old one comes off first.
- Deploy: with a download link, Microsoft Intune or another management tool, depending on what you have.
- Check the console: confirm every device appears and reports as protected, and set who receives alerts.
If you would rather not look after the console yourself, see managed antivirus; we agree what we cover at quote.
Talk to us
Forever Systems supplies all the products above, with one account for licences, changes and renewals and terms confirmed at quote. Tell us how many people and devices you have, and whether you are working towards Cyber Essentials, and we will suggest options that fit. Contact us for a quote.
How Forever Systems helps with endpoint protection
We are an independent UK IT and cyber security provider. We supply business antivirus and endpoint protection from several vendors, so we can recommend what fits your devices, your team and your budget rather than pushing one product.
- Review what you have: we look at your current antivirus, your Microsoft licences and the devices you need to cover before suggesting anything new
- Compare the options: next-generation antivirus, EDR and managed services from vendors including CrowdStrike, SentinelOne, ThreatDown, Bitdefender, Trend Micro, Sophos, Check Point, WatchGuard and Acronis
- Licensing and quotes: the right edition and licence count for your Windows, Mac, Linux, server and mobile devices, with pricing confirmed at quote
- Deployment and migration: we can help roll out agents, set policies and remove the old product cleanly
- Support after go-live: help with policy tuning, alerts and renewals, with the scope agreed at quote
We can also help with the rest of your security, from endpoint security and EDR to Cyber Essentials and security awareness training.
Frequently asked questions
What should a small business look for in antivirus?
Central cloud management, coverage for every device type you use (Windows, Mac, servers, mobiles), web protection, a licence unit that fits how staff work, and monthly billing. It should also meet the Cyber Essentials malware protection control.
Does Cyber Essentials require antivirus?
Cyber Essentials requires malware protection on in-scope devices. For Windows and macOS that can be anti-malware software that is kept up to date, stops malware and malicious code running and blocks malicious websites; application allow listing is the other option.
Is per-user or per-device licensing better for a small business?
It depends on how devices are used. Per-user licensing suits people with several devices each; per-device suits shared computers. We model both when you ask us for a quote.
Can a small business use Microsoft Defender instead?
Microsoft Defender Antivirus is built into Windows and can be a reasonable baseline. Businesses with Microsoft 365 Business Premium also have Defender for Business. A third-party product may still suit you for Mac, Linux or simpler management.
Can I pay for small business antivirus monthly?
Usually, yes. Many of the endpoint protection products we supply can be billed monthly on the users or devices you protect, so the licence count can follow your headcount. We confirm the terms for your chosen product when we quote.
Still have a question about small business antivirus?
Ask us and a member of our team will reply by email.