Start with the protection and staff you already have
If your business owns Microsoft 365 Business Premium, verify that its included Defender for Business is deployed and monitored before buying another endpoint product. Otherwise, choose a shortlist around your devices and who will act on alerts. There is no evidence here for a universal winner or a numerical detection ranking.
Last updated: September 23, 2026
This guide uses official product documentation and clearly separates it from hands-on testing, which we have not performed. Plan details have their own verification dates in the briefs below. We may earn commissions from qualifying links; commercial relationships do not determine suitability.
Choose the operating model first
| Your situation | Starting point | Decision to verify |
|---|---|---|
| Existing Microsoft 365 Business Premium licenses | Defender for Business | Is it deployed across the fleet, and does someone handle alerts? |
| Centrally managed prevention with an existing IT provider | Falcon Go, Bitdefender or ESET | Does the exact edition cover your platforms and the provider's workflow? |
| Internal staff who need investigation tools | Compare EDR editions | Who investigates and who can contain an incident? |
| Nobody available to handle incidents | Compare managed response proposals | What response actions, hours and exclusions are in the service contract? |
Endpoint prevention attempts to block threats. EDR provides investigation and response capabilities. MDR adds a managed service around detection and response. These labels help frame requirements, but the written edition and service scope decide what you actually receive.
The shortlist and its limitations
Microsoft Defender for Business: buying brief
Best for: SMBs, especially existing Microsoft 365 Business Premium customers
Consider an alternative if: You need support for more than 300 users or a fully managed response service
Selected plan: Microsoft Defender for Business · $3.00/user/month
Annual subscription before taxes. Included in Microsoft 365 Business Premium; confirm existing entitlement before buying. Server licensing is separate.
| Staff | Monthly equivalent | 12-month equivalent |
|---|---|---|
| 10 | $30.00 | $360.00 |
| 25 | $75.00 | $900.00 |
| 50 | $150.00 | $1800.00 |
Research-based profile; no hands-on testing claimed. Documentation checked 2026-09-22.
Read the Defender for Business review for the existing-license decision. Microsoft's official product page distinguishes the standalone subscription from inclusion in Business Premium. Do not assume another Microsoft 365 edition includes the same entitlement.
CrowdStrike Falcon Go: buying brief
Best for: Teams seeking centrally managed prevention and device control with an assigned administrator
Consider an alternative if: You require managed incident response or investigation capabilities not specified in the Go package
Selected plan: Falcon Go — direct annual purchase · $59.99/device/year
Direct US annual pricing, before tax. Monthly billing is separately listed at $7.99/device. Direct purchases are capped at 100 devices; confirm checkout minimums and renewal terms. Amazon member benefits have separate eligibility and limits.
| Staff | Monthly equivalent | 12-month equivalent |
|---|---|---|
| 10 | $49.99 | $599.90 |
| 25 | $124.98 | $1499.75 |
| 50 | $249.96 | $2999.50 |
Research-based profile; no hands-on testing claimed. Documentation checked 2026-09-23.
Read the Falcon Go review and pricing guide. Check direct purchasing and any membership benefit separately. Do not assume a brand's entry edition includes the capabilities demonstrated in its higher tiers.
ThreatDown Advanced EDR: buying brief
Best for: Teams comparing endpoint investigation and ransomware recovery with an administrator to act on alerts
Consider an alternative if: You need a managed response service; compare the MDR bundles and response scope
Selected plan: ThreatDown Advanced EDR · Check current vendor pricing
Obtain a device-count and term-specific quote. Core Next-Gen AV, Advanced EDR, Elite MDR and Ultimate MDR Plus are separate bundles. Server, mobile and other add-ons require confirmation; no fixed price is verified here.
Research-based profile; no hands-on testing claimed. Documentation checked 2026-09-23.
The ThreatDown review explains why selecting a response model comes before comparing bundle prices. Ask the seller to identify included features and add-ons on your quote.
Bitdefender GravityZone Small Business Security: buying brief
Best for: SMBs comparing centrally managed endpoint protection
Consider an alternative if: You require EDR or managed response without confirming the exact package
Selected plan: Bitdefender GravityZone Small Business Security · Check current vendor pricing
Use the vendor configurator for device mix, term, initial price and renewal. No fixed public price verified in this review.
Research-based profile; no hands-on testing claimed. Documentation checked 2026-09-22.
We may earn a commission from qualifying purchases. This does not determine product suitability.
ESET PROTECT: buying brief
Best for: SMBs comparing managed endpoint protection
Consider an alternative if: You have not confirmed which regional package and add-ons you need
Selected plan: ESET PROTECT · Check current vendor pricing
Regional package names and quotes vary. The legacy Essential label is not used as a current US pricing claim.
Research-based profile; no hands-on testing claimed. Documentation checked 2026-09-22.
These last two entries remain documentation-based shortlist options. We have not verified a fixed US fleet quote or performed a comparative pilot. Use their official sources to obtain a configuration matching the same requirements you give the other vendors.
Compare cost without mixing units
Count devices and workloads, then identify which subscriptions are billed per user and which per endpoint. Include shared computers, remote workers and servers in the inventory even if the eventual licensing treatment differs. A staff-count example is an assumption, not a final order quantity.
Compare the first-year total and the renewal total. Separate tax, rollout work, managed response, support upgrades and optional services. If you already own adequate protection, the first useful expenditure may be administrator time to configure it rather than a replacement license.
A pilot that can change the decision
Choose representative devices, business applications and remote-access workflows. Write acceptance criteria before the trial so a convincing sales demonstration does not become the only basis for purchase.
- Coverage: every pilot device appears in the console and receives the intended policy.
- Continuity: essential applications, peripherals and remote work still function.
- Response: an approved benign test alert reaches the responsible person and follows the documented process.
- Administration: permissions are limited appropriately and a second authorized person can take over.
- Recovery: the business can restore essential data independently of the endpoint tool.
Record actual problems and support interactions during the pilot. We do not publish CPU, memory or detection comparisons without test evidence. Confirm the supported transition process before removing the current agent; do not assume competing agents can safely coexist.
Your first three actions
Inventory the fleet and existing licenses. Assign the alert owner and backup contact. Then verify coverage on the devices already in use. Those steps can reveal whether the gap is licensing, configuration, missing devices or response staffing.
Use the backup guide for recovery planning. The free assessment helps identify other missing controls, including access management and incident preparation, without requiring a purchase.
Find the gap before buying another product
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