Top 7 endpoint security solutions for small business

If a cyber insurance renewal, audit, or customer security questionnaire asks how you would know someone had gotten onto your servers, the answer depends on which endpoint security solution you run. 

Endpoint security solutions are the tools that protect the computers and servers your business runs on, called endpoints, from malware and other cyber threats. They differ in how much they tell you about what happened on a device, and in who watches the alerts, you or the vendor.

Which endpoint security solution fits your business 

The endpoint security solution that fits your business depends on the size of your IT team and the systems you run.

• Acronis EDR from Nexcess: Best for businesses with a small IT team that want detection and response without another security tool to manage
• CrowdStrike Falcon: Best for larger businesses that want advanced endpoint data and a broad security platform
• SentinelOne Singularity Endpoint: Best for businesses that want automated response when suspicious behavior is detected
• Microsoft Defender for Endpoint: Best for businesses that already use Microsoft 365 and other Microsoft security tools
• ThreatDown: Best for businesses that want endpoint protection with built-in detection and recovery tools
• Sophos Endpoint: Best for mid-sized businesses that want endpoint security as part of a broader security suite
• Bitdefender GravityZone: Best for businesses running virtual machines or a mix of on-site and cloud systems

If you’re not sure which of these fits, a Nexcess solutions engineer can review your servers and your team’s capacity with you and tell you whether Acronis EDR is a match.

Solutions at a glance

The endpoint security solutions table compares what each of the seven solutions covers, who watches the alerts, and how it is priced. It also adds antivirus for comparison. The coverage column uses four terms: 

• EPP, or endpoint protection platform, is prevention, such as antivirus that blocks known threats. 
• EDR, or endpoint detection and response, adds monitoring of activity on a device with a record of what happened. 
• XDR, or extended detection and response, brings in data from email, cloud services, and network traffic. 
• MDR, or managed detection and response, has the vendor’s team watch the alerts.

Solution	Coverage	Who watches the alerts	Pricing model
Acronis EDR from Nexcess	EPP + EDR	Your team	Based on protected servers and selected services
CrowdStrike Falcon	EPP with EDR + MDR in higher packages	Your team, or CrowdStrike analysts with Falcon Complete	Subscription, per device
SentinelOne Singularity Endpoint	EPP + EDR; XDR and MDR available	Your team, or SentinelOne analysts with its MDR service	Varies by package
Microsoft Defender for Endpoint	EPP + EDR	Your team, or a managed service you add	Subscription; depends on plan and device type
ThreatDown	EPP, EDR, and MDR, depending on package	Your team, or ThreatDown analysts with an MDR package	Per endpoint, by package
Sophos Endpoint	EPP + EDR; XDR and MDR available	Your team, or Sophos analysts with MDR	Per user for endpoints, per server for server protection
Bitdefender GravityZone	EPP + EDR; XDR and MDR available	Your team, or Bitdefender analysts with MDR	Per device, by package
Basic antivirus	EPP only	Your team, if the tool alerts at all	Often included with the operating system, or a low-cost subscription

Best endpoint security solutions for small business

1. Acronis EDR from Nexcess

Acronis EDR from Nexcess is best for businesses with a small IT team that want detection and response without another security tool to manage. It monitors how your servers behave and alerts you in your Nexcess portal when something acts like an attack, including threats that match no known pattern.

Key features:

• Scanning for known threats and monitoring for suspicious behavior
• Anti-ransomware protection and URL filtering
• Automatic containment of certain threats
• Attack-chain reconstruction that shows how an attack started and what it affected
• Alerts in the Nexcess portal, with one-click access to the Acronis console without another login

Who it suits: Acronis EDR is a strong fit for businesses with small IT teams, especially those already using Acronis Backup or Disaster Recovery through Nexcess. For existing Backup or Disaster Recovery customers, it uses the Acronis agent, the small software program already installed on the server.

Things to consider: EDR helps detect and respond to attacks, but it can’t guarantee that every attack will be prevented. Also, if EDR is ordered before Acronis Backup, that server’s future Acronis Backup storage is set to Acronis Cloud and can’t be changed later. If you want backups stored in a different data center, order Backup with EDR from the start.

Pricing model: Pricing depends on the protected server and services selected. Confirm current pricing with Nexcess.

2. CrowdStrike Falcon

CrowdStrike Falcon is best for larger businesses that want advanced endpoint data and a broad security platform. It is sold in packages that run from antivirus-only to Falcon Enterprise, which adds EDR and a CrowdStrike team that hunts for hidden threats.

Key features:

• Antivirus
• EDR
• Device and firewall controls, depending on the package
• Threat intelligence and proactive searches for hidden threats in higher packages
• MDR through Falcon Complete

Who it suits: Smaller businesses can use Falcon Go, which CrowdStrike offers for organizations with up to 100 devices. Businesses that need more advanced EDR, proactive threat searches, or broader security capabilities can move into higher Falcon packages.

Things to consider: If you buy and manage Falcon directly, your team is responsible for deploying, configuring, and monitoring the product. CrowdStrike also offers Falcon Complete for businesses that want an MDR service. 

Pricing model: CrowdStrike uses per-device subscription pricing for Falcon packages your team manages directly. Falcon Complete uses custom pricing. 

3. SentinelOne Singularity Endpoint

SentinelOne Singularity Endpoint is best for businesses that want automated response when suspicious behavior is detected. It uses AI to flag activity that looks malicious and can contain it automatically, with prevention, EDR and response in one agent that runs on workstations and servers.

Key features:

• Behavioral detection that looks at what activity is doing rather than relying only on known threats
• Automated containment and response
• Ransomware recovery that can restore affected files to an earlier state
• Attack details grouped together so teams can see how related activity connects
• A single agent for endpoint protection and response

Who it suits: SentinelOne offers a small-business solution as well as packages for growing teams and large enterprises. Its automation can reduce manual work, but businesses still need to determine who will review alerts and make security decisions unless you add managed support.

Things to consider: SentinelOne offers MDR through Wayfinder MDR. If you choose a self-managed endpoint package, your team remains responsible for monitoring and response. SentinelOne’s rollback feature can help restore affected files after an attack, but it doesn’t replace an off-server backup. 

Pricing model: SentinelOne publishes per-endpoint annual pricing for some singularity packages, while enterprise packages and managed services may require a quote. 

4. Microsoft Defender for Endpoint

Microsoft Defender for Endpoint is best for businesses that already use Microsoft 365 and other Microsoft security tools. It covers prevention, detection, investigation, and response on Windows, macOS, Linux, Android, and iOS devices, and its alerts feed into the same Microsoft Defender portal as Microsoft’s email and identity security.

Key features:

• Antivirus and endpoint protection 
• EDR
• Automated investigation and response
• Tools for identifying security weaknesses
• Integration with the broader Microsoft Defender platform

Who it suits: Microsoft offers Defender for Business specifically for organizations with up to 300 users. It includes endpoint protection and EDR and can be purchased separately or through Microsoft 365 Business Premium. 

Things to consider: Servers need an extra license. Microsoft sells Defender for Business servers as an add-on for up to 60 servers, and larger server counts need a different license. Your team also reviews the alerts unless you add a managed service.

Pricing model: Microsoft uses subscription licensing. The exact license depends on whether you use Defender for Business, Defender for Endpoint, Microsoft 365, or separate server protection. 

5. ThreatDown

ThreatDown is best for businesses that want endpoint protection with built-in detection and recovery tools. It sells bundles that include next-gen antivirus, EDR with ransomware rollback, and managed detection and response, all through one agent for Windows, macOS, and Linux.

Key features:

• Antivirus
• EDR
• Automated actions to help contain and address threats
• Ransomware recovery using cached file activity
• MDR options with human-led monitoring and response

Who it suits: ThreatDown suits businesses that want to start with antivirus or EDR and add managed monitoring later, because the same agent covers all four bundles.

Things to consider: ThreatDown’s ransomware rollback feature uses up to seven days of cached file activity to help restore affected files after a ransomware attack. This is different from an off-server backup, where backup copies are stored separately from the protected server. 

Pricing model: ThreatDown uses per-endpoint subscription pricing, with different bundles for antivirus, EDR, MDR, and MDR Plus. 

6. Sophos Endpoint

Sophos Endpoint is best for mid-sized businesses that want endpoint security as part of a broader security suite. It provides prevention-first protection through one agent for Windows, macOS, and Linux, and it can be extended with EDR, XDR, and MDR.

Key features:

• Endpoint malware and ransomware protection
• EDR
• Automated actions to help contain threats
• Ransomware recovery to restore affected files
• Optional XDR and 24/7 MDR services

Who it suits: Sophos suits mid-sized businesses that want to manage several types of security through one vendor. The same agent also works for smaller businesses, and Sophos MDR is available for teams without their own security operations staff.

Things to consider: The broader suite gives businesses room to add XDR, server protection, MDR, and other security services, but that also means there are more products and licensing choices to evaluate. Protecting Windows and Linux servers requires Sophos Workload Protection, which is separate from the standard endpoint subscription. 

Pricing model: Sophos uses subscription licensing. Managed services and additional security capabilities use separate subscriptions. 

7. Bitdefender GravityZone

Bitdefender GravityZone is best for businesses running virtual machines or a mix of on-site and cloud systems. Its Business Security package covers desktops, laptops, and physical and virtual servers from one console that can be hosted in the cloud or on-premises.

Key features:

• Malware and ransomware prevention
• Behavioral analysis and continuous process monitoring
• Centralized endpoint management
• EDR and XDR options
• MDR services for businesses that need outside monitoring and response

Who it suits: Bitdefender’s Business Security package is built for small and medium-sized businesses and covers 1 to 100 devices when bought online. Higher packages and the EDR, XDR, and MDR products add more advanced detection and response as security needs grow.

Things to consider: GravityZone offers different capabilities through its packages and add-ons, so features such as EDR, XDR, MDR, and tools for managing software updates aren’t included with every option. 

Pricing model: Bitdefender uses subscription licensing based on the GravityZone package and number of devices being protected. Some advanced capabilities are separate add-ons or higher-tier packages.

EPP vs. EDR vs. XDR

EPP, EDR, XDR, and MDR each answer a different question about your devices: what can be blocked, what is happening, what is connected, and who is watching.

EPP: An endpoint protection platform (EPP) focuses on stopping malware and ransomware before they can infect or affect a device. It commonly includes antivirus and other preventive tools. EPP can be a good fit for businesses that need basic endpoint protection.

EDR: Endpoint detection and response (EDR) adds ongoing monitoring, investigation, and response. EDR works in four steps: 

1. Detect: Identify suspicious activity
2. Contain: Isolate a file, process, or device
3. Reconstruct: Review how the attack started, what it affected, and how far it spread
4. Respond: Decide what action to take next

XDR: Extended detection and response (XDR) brings together information from endpoints, email, cloud services, and network traffic so teams can see whether suspicious activity is connected across different systems.

MDR: Managed detection and response (MDR) adds outside security support for monitoring, investigation, and response. It can be useful for businesses that don’t have a dedicated security team.

Which one does your business need?

If you mainly need basic prevention, EPP may be enough. If you need to know what is happening on your devices and investigate suspicious activity, consider EDR. If you need to connect activity across endpoints, email, cloud services, and network traffic, XDR may make sense. If your team doesn’t have time or staff to monitor alerts consistently, consider MDR.

Antivirus vs. EDR

Antivirus checks files against a list of known threats. EDR watches what software does on a device, so it can flag activity that matches no known threat and record what happened. Most EDR products include antivirus-style scanning too, so moving up doesn’t mean running two tools.

For lower-risk environments, antivirus can be enough, especially when the business handles no sensitive or regulated data, has no cyber insurance requirement, and isn’t facing an audit or customer security review.

What antivirus doesn’t tell you is what happened after suspicious activity starts. It can report that a known threat was blocked, but not how an attacker got in, what they accessed, or how far the activity spread. If an insurer, auditor, or customer asks how you would know an intrusion happened, or how long suspicious activity went unnoticed, antivirus leaves you without an answer.

Signs it may be time to move beyond antivirus:

• Your antivirus reported nothing, and a client is the one who tells you something is wrong
• A server slows down, and you can’t tell what changed
• A cyber insurance renewal, audit, or customer questionnaire asks about endpoint monitoring

How to choose the right endpoint security solution

Ask these six questions to help you choose the right endpoint security solution:

• How does it detect threats? Some tools look for known threats, while others also monitor for suspicious behavior that may indicate a new or unfamiliar attack.
• Who monitors and responds to alerts? Make sure it’s clear whether your team is responsible for reviewing alerts and taking action or if vendor support is included. NIST’s Small Business Quick-Start Guide for its Cybersecurity Framework 2.0 (2024) advises businesses that lack the resources to monitor for suspicious activity themselves to prioritize engaging a service provider.
• How does the pricing work? Look at whether pricing is based on users, devices, servers, service level, or add-ons, so you can compare the total cost.
• How does it fit with backup and recovery? Endpoint security helps with detection and response, but recovery still depends on backups. Check whether a product’s rollback feature is a backup stored off the server or an undo on the same device.
• What evidence can it provide? If you have cyber insurance, audits, or customer security reviews, make sure the solution provides records of monitoring, detections, and response activity.
• Where is your data stored? Check where security and backup data will be stored and whether choosing a location now could limit your options later.

If your business…	Consider…
Has low risk and limited security requirements	Basic endpoint protection with simple management
Has one or two IT staff	EDR with clear alerts and automatic containment, so there is less to do by hand
Has a larger IT team and needs more detailed investigation	EDR or XDR, which show activity across more systems
Can’t review alerts consistently	MDR or another managed service, where the vendor’s analysts watch the alerts
Faces insurance, audit, or customer security requirements	A solution that records monitoring, detections, and what was done about them
Depends on backups for recovery	A solution that works alongside your backups and states where backup data is stored

How Acronis EDR from Nexcess works

Acronis EDR from Nexcess monitors how a server behaves and alerts you in your Nexcess portal when something acts like an attack. The alert shows which server, how severe it is, what was caught, and whether it has already been contained. From any incident, you can open the Acronis console in one click to investigate and respond.

Already using Acronis Backup or Disaster Recovery? Acronis EDR runs on the Acronis agent already installed on your server, so there is nothing new to install.

New to Acronis? Acronis EDR puts the Acronis agent on your server and the same agent can run Backup and Disaster Recovery later.

If you order Acronis EDR before Acronis Backup, that server’s backup storage is set to Acronis Cloud, and it can’t be changed later. To store backups in a different data center, order Backup with EDR from the start.

What EDR can’t do

There are four things EDR can’t do: 

• Guarantee security: EDR is built to detect suspicious activity and respond to it, and it comes with no guarantee that every attack is caught.
• Ensure compliance: EDR gives you monitoring and response records that support insurance, audit, or regulatory requirements, and you remain responsible for meeting them.
• Manage backups: If files are deleted, encrypted, or damaged, recovery depends on a current backup, which EDR doesn’t provide.
• Review alerts: EDR raises the alert. Your team, or an MDR service, decides what it means and what to do about it.

Choosing endpoint security for your small business

Choosing an endpoint security solution that’s right for your business doesn’t fit a one-size-fits-all checklist. Basic antivirus may be enough for lower-risk environments, while EDR adds ongoing monitoring and more information about suspicious activity. XDR can connect suspicious activity across endpoints, email, cloud services, and network traffic, while MDR can add outside support when your team doesn’t have the time or staff to monitor alerts closely.

Whichever approach you choose, make sure you know who will review alerts, what your team will be responsible for, and how you will recover if an incident affects your data.

Chat with a solutions architect to work through those questions for your own servers, whether that starts with a conversation or a look at the product.

Endpoint security and EDR FAQs