Top 10 Best Antivirus Software For Small Businesses 2023

top 10 best antivirus software for small businesses

Antivirus software for small businesses is a fast-growing security sector. Many small businesses use computers for record-keeping and such but do not have a sufficient budget for an IT department.

And if that sounds like your set-up, you should consider investing in some decent antivirus software.

Why? Because small and medium-sized businesses are frequently considered easy targets by hackers.

What’s more, with more and more employees working remotely from their homes these days, computers and key documents have become all the more vulnerable to attack by computer viruses and other malware attacks.

That’s where it pays to read articles like this one that provide honest reviews on the antivirus software out there so that you can understand the basics and be in a position to decide which antivirus software would be best for your particular business.

In this article, you are going to be presented with honest reviews of 10 of the best antivirus software on the market at the moment.

And by the end of the article, when you reach the conclusion, you will be much better informed about the top antivirus software, and hopefully, you will have spotted one that would suit your needs.

Eset Antivirus Software For Small Businesses

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ESET Endpoint Security Free Trial

Top-rated endpoint security, antivirus, file server security & cloud-based management.

Eset is well known the world over for providing effective security solutions for organizations of all sizes.

Their software is also known for being lightweight in terms of PC resources, and it will protect across an array of different threats, from zero-day threats to the more sophisticated threats.

Their small business offering, known as ESET Endpoint Security is a cloud-based cybersecurity solution with multiple layers of protection, automation and management. It works on both PCs and mobile devices alike, protecting them and file servers from both malware and fileless attacks.

It uses both crowdsourced threat intelligence and machine learning to detect ransomware, malware, and more. It will evaluate all other apps in use, monitoring them for malicious content and behaviors.

It’s amazing at detecting intrusions, thanks to its excellent detection rates. And it offers protection focused around the internet browser in use. It will prevent the downloading of malicious files and allows the administrator to blacklist sites that are a concern, or whitelist ones that aren’t.

Administrators are also able to manage all the PCs and devices from one management console. Updates are automatic, which means the software is effective at all times and is easy to deploy.

You can either get it as a standalone product, which is sufficient for many businesses, or you can get it as part of a bundle, together with disc encryption, file server security, and a cloud-based sandbox.

It offers wide compatibility and is able to work not only on Windows PCs and Macs, but also on the Linux, Android, and iOS operating systems, with built-in mobile device management. 

Bottom Line

Despite being so lightweight in terms of PC resources, this software performs just as well as some of the larger antivirus apps around.

It’s a great solution for a diverse workforce because the console is available in 21 languages, while there’s tech support in place in 38 different languages.

Avast Business Antivirus Pro

avast antivirus

Avast is something of a world leader in the field of anti-malware software and holds the second-largest share of the market’s revenue.

The Avast Business Antivirus Pro Plus provides both endpoint and network security solutions for small and medium-sized businesses.

Their antivirus software is 100% cloud-based, which is a big plus because this means it can be accessed and managed from anywhere and from a single platform.

This software is very innovative in that it uses a combination of signature-based detection and machine learning to identify potential malware threats and deal with them in real-time.

It collects malware intelligence from nearly 0.5 billion endpoints, and it even uses crowdsourcing to learn more about larger threats before they become common knowledge, which makes Avast always one step ahead of the hackers.

This software is compatible with a wide range of desktops and laptops and is easy to install. 

One of the ways it protects against viruses is through sandboxing. This method features powerful threat detection and the testing of any content that’s considered suspicious. 

Moreover, there’s also a built-in VPN and firewall, thus protecting your online identity and at the same time also preventing obnoxious adware from crawling along with your digital footprint. 

It also features an Email Shield. This will detect any spam or phishing emails from user inboxes and remove them. Then there’s its Data Shredder, which is particularly handy for getting rid of sensitive or confidential data.

Bottom Line

Avast has an intuitive, easy to use user interface. It’s a perfect option for self-employed entrepreneurs or for small businesses using up to 5 desktop devices, offering robust malware threat detection.

The only real drawback is that it’s not compatible with smartphones just yet.

AVG Business Edition

avg business internet security

Although AVG Technologies is technically speaking a subsidiary of Avast, it is an antivirus solution brand in its own right.

Unlike Avast, AVG offers a line of apps that protect against malware threats on both desktop and mobile devices.

AVG is best known for providing security for personal computers, but in recent years this has been extended for use by small and medium-sized businesses.

The AVG Business Edition app features a quick installation process, and you can deploy it to multiple endpoints, enabling the administrator to manage the security remotely when necessary, thanks to the AVG Cloud Management console.

Like Avast, AVG Business also uses artificial intelligence for malware detection, and it uses sandboxing in combination with behavioral tests to spot potential threats as quickly as possible and get rid of them before they can take effect.

It features a built-in firewall, has a dedicated Linkscanner to check websites before they are opened, and even provides a safety ranking for every site that comes up on Google.

There’s also a relatively new feature known as CyberCapture, which seeds copies of unrecognized downloads over to AVG’s own Threat Lab.

Another great feature of Avast is its anti-spy and anti-adware, which are known to track sensitive information. And there’s also a file shredder facility which can permanently delete files.

Bottom Line

AVG Business is a somewhat powerful little app, and it will tick away behind the scenes without causing any distraction for those using it. Additional benefits include free tech support via both email and phone, along with automatic updates.

It’s particularly handy for remote management and is an excellent security solution for business owners who need to manage devices off-site.

Norton Small Business

norton small business review

NortonLifeLock is also a world leader in the field of computer security and is known to be used by approximately 50 million consumers around the world.

NortonLifeLock was once owned by Symantec which once offered an SMB solution known as Endpoint Protection 14 which has since been discontinued.

Norton provides a variety of software options, specializing in online privacy and identity in particular, and also in device security.

This review is for the Norton Small Business, an app designed especially for small to medium-sized businesses, which can protect up to 20 devices. It is compatible with both PCs and Macs, as well as iOS and Android devices.

Norton Small Business provides a security solution which is quick to install without the need to take on dedicated tech support. It has a cloud-based setup and the software can easily be managed across a remote team. 

It has an extensive range of security features, with tech for detecting and eliminating not only malware but also ransomware and more.

Malicious files are detected using both their behavior and their reputation, and once identified as malware, they will be blocked more readily if there are any future instances.

Another handy feature is how the app provides the user with a warning before they download or click on anything which may be suspicious or malicious.

Bottom Line

The Norton Small Business app is great for small businesses that can foresee growing in size and needing up to 20 devices further on down the line.

McAfee Total Protection

mcafee total protection review

McAfee is another great brand in cybersecurity, having won awards for what it can do. 

Their best product offering for small to medium-sized businesses is McAfee Total Protection, which has secured over 500 million devices across the globe. This includes not only PCs and Macs, but also tablets and smartphones too.

McAfee Total Protection provides security from the likes of viruses and malware using machine learning in real-time, together with an excellent web-based feature that will rid you of any malicious web-related files.

One of its nicest features is that it will scan for threats when the device is not in use, so as not to disturb the employees unnecessarily.  

It doesn’t put too much strain on the device’s CPU and RAM resources, which is also a big plus. And there’s anti-phishing tech, so you don’t need to worry about malicious emails in your inbox. There’s also a handy password management feature and a built-in firewall.

It also serves to eliminate potential malware threats before they are patched, thanks to being able to block certain behaviors commonly seen in malware.

Bottom Line

McAfee Total Protection is an excellent option for small businesses that have employees working remotely on their own assigned devices. Its user-friendly interface means the software is easy to manage. 

It may not have as many fancy features as some of the alternative apps out there, but it’s reliable, and it will just run in the background without disturbing employees, thanks to its scheduled scanning capabilities.

Bitdefender GravityZone

Bitdefender GravityZone features

Bitdefender is well known across the globe, and it serves over 500 million systems across 150 different countries.

Their GravityZone line, which is for both SMBs and larger corporations, is known to rank very high in third party independent security tests time and again…

Not only does it have outstandingly high malware detection rates, but there are barely any false positives. This means that you don’t have to worry about perfectly safe files being needlessly quarantined by the app.

Their GravityZone Business Security app is specially designed for small businesses.

It uses artificial intelligence and machine learning to monitor its network and detect potential threats such as ransomware, malware, and such.

Potential threats are all detected from the cloud, which means that once an issue is detected on one device, the rest of the system is instantly made aware of it, also. This way, Bitdefender is able to respond quickly before attacks can be fully executed.

But one of the more unique features of Bitdefender is its ability to block RDP brute force attacks. RDP (remote desktop protocol) is the most common way that hackers attempt to log into Windows PCs remotely.

If this connection is compromised, this is bad news because it means that the hacker can spread malware right across the network. This makes Bitdefender an excellent solution for employees working remotely.

The software also features a customizable dashboard which allows those using it to view reports and send alerts to users to help them keep on top of any security issues. This dashboard can also be used to block employee access to sites that may present a security risk.

Bottom Line

The GravityZone Business Security app from Bitdefender is an excellent security tool for small businesses who are looking for something that’s both fast working and very effective.

For medium or large businesses, however, you should go for their advanced security add-on which includes more advanced features such as sandboxing.

Trend Micro Worry Free Business Security

Trend Micro worry free services

Trend Micro is a growing cybersecurity brand with upwards of 30 years in the industry, and it has quickly become a market leader.

Their Worry-Free Business Security app is basically an “all-in-one” solution, It offers device protection, web protection, and email protection to boot. And it’s compatible with not only PCs and laptops, but also mobile devices as well. 

The app takes advantage of several techniques combined to attend to any security issues. These techniques include app control, behavioral analysis, machine learning and good file checking.

Thanks to this, it has an excellent detection rate of both scripted threats and binary ones, together with powerful anti-phishing functionality and exploit detection. 

It’s not perfect, however, and it has been known to miss certain advanced cloaked attacks. But it has tech support available 24/7 as well as automatic updates which more than make up for any misgivings.

It’s exceptionally easy to run, deploy and maintain, and administrators can manage everything from a remote management console.

Bottom Line

This is a high performing app when it comes to detecting both scripted and phishing threats, and when this is combined with Trend Micro’s web and email security, it makes for an incredibly effective security suite.

Sophos Intercept X

Sophos Intercept X features

Sophos offers an extensive cybersecurity package, including not only endpoint and network security solutions but also cloud and web security ones as well. It uses artificial intelligence to predict new threats and works in real-time to eliminate them.

The software is both cloud-based and cloud-managed, and as such, this means that administrators can manage the security of user PCs and public cloud apps, and servers remotely from one interface. 

The best offering from Sophos for endpoint protection is Intercept X, which is something of a market leader.

Up until relatively recently, Sophos focused predominantly on producing cybersecurity solutions for the small business market, but thanks to the scalability of Intercept X, they can now expand their target market to include larger enterprises.

Intercept X can remove up to 99% of malicious threats, thanks to the powerful artificial intelligence it uses to detect not only known malware and ransomware but also unknown threats besides. 

Then it goes on to synchronize this high level of protection across all the endpoint devices that are connected. That way, once a threat is spotted on one machine, it’s blocked on them all.

Intercept X also features threat response analysts which serve to assess the potential impact of a perceived threat and act quickly to neutralize the problem before it can escalate. This saves having to do all of this manually, freeing staff up to work on other things.

Administrators can access and manage all of the included tools on the Sophos Central console, including the email gateways and the firewall.

It’s widely compatible and is able to work with all the major operating systems, and across a wide range of devices from desktops through to smartphones.

Bottom Line

The star feature of Intercept X from Sophos has to be its scalability. If you’re reading this article, you’re probably sourcing a cybersecurity solution for a small business. But if there’s potential for the business to grow and expand, then a scalable solution such as this might be just what you need in the long term. 

With Secure Elements Endpoint Protection

withsecure elements cybersecurity

WithSecure, previously known as F-Secure, is another cybersecurity brand that performs very well in third-party independent tests. It’s also particularly known for its minimal usage of CPU and RAM resources.

They have a popular on-premise offering, their Business Suite, but the focus of this article is on their WithSecure Elements Endpoint Protection. It’s a cloud-based app that can be deployed from any web browser, and managed from a single console.

Its protection from malware, data breaches, and ransomware is driven by powerful artificial intelligence.

Not only does it boast high detection rates, but it also provides amazing protection from script-based exploits, which are said to account for 40% of all cyberattacks. It also uses crowdsourced intelligence obtained from its global client base.

It’s also particularly effective at dealing with phishing issues to provide users with a secure inbox, as well as browser protection so that users are prevented from clicking on links that might be malicious.

Moreover, WithSecure Elements Endpoint Protection also comes with automated patch management, which can prevent attacks from coming through the software updater.

The software has wide compatibility – it will work with both Windows PCs, and Macs, and also on the Linux, iOS, and Android operating systems, which means it will work on smartphones and tablets, and not just laptops and such.

It’s a scalable solution that can support business with over 1000 connected devices.

You can either get WithSecure Elements Endpoint Protection as a standalone solution or you can get it as part of a wider bundle, which has some nice extras including Microsoft 365 email, vulnerability management, endpoint detection and response, and even collaboration protection.

Bottom Line

WithSecure Elements Endpoint Protection is an excellent security package for small businesses, especially those with a variety of different endpoints in their fleet.

Vipre Endpoint Security Cloud

Vipre endpoint security review

VIPRE offers quite a comprehensive cybersecurity solution which features both endpoint and email security. Their Endpoint Security Cloud solution leverages machine learning and behavior analysis to acquire real-time threat intelligence and removes any threats that surface across the system.

VIPRE’s Endpoint Security Cloud has an endpoint server that protects from zero-day threats, and the app monitors internet usage against company policies, restricting access to sites that may be dangerous.

The app also works with third-party patch management to protect against any system vulnerabilities.

Bottom Line

VIPRE is predominantly aimed at desktop and laptop users, and as such isn’t great for use with mobile devices such as smartphones and tablets.

But it’s a popular, no-nonsense, solution that’s so quick to install that users can consider themselves fully protected within minutes. It’s also a scalable solution that comes backed by free, award-winning tech support.

Conclusion

It’s hard to say which of these solutions is best for a small business because they all have a lot to offer. Any app on this shortlist would make an excellent option.