If you’re running a small business, it’s important to recognize that you’re facing a growing number of online threats. These pose risks not only to your operations but also to your company’s reputation. Small businesses are often seen as easier targets for phishing, ransomware, and data breaches. The shift to remote work and cloud services has only increased the risk of sensitive data being compromised, resulting in financial loss and even legal repercussions.
Numerous antivirus solutions are tailored for small businesses. The top antivirus software for small businesses offers more than just antivirus protection. It can safeguard against various types of malware, set up firewalls, and protect you from malicious emails, among other features. Many of these antiviruses for small businesses offer centralized management tools for monitoring and controlling security settings across multiple devices.
This post will take you through the best antiviruses for small businesses and what each offers. First, here’s a quick summary of each.
The best small business antivirus options:
- Norton Small Business: Top antivirus for small businesses. Secure anything from six to 20 devices. Lightweight with real-time protection, secure cloud storage, and excellent customer support.
- McAfee Business Protection: Real-time protection for small businesses with Dell PCs. Easy to set up and use but includes numerous advanced features including a VPN.
- Bitdefender Ultimate Small Business Security: Strong protection and performance scores in independent testing. Lots of extras including a password manager and VPN.
- ESET Small Business Security: Lets you protect five to 25 devices. Includes secure banking features, a VPN, and password manager. Offers live chat and phone support.
- Avira Prime: Detects and protects against threats in real-time. Secures up to 25 devices for your small business. Scores well in protection tests and has safe browsing features.
- Avast Premium Business Security: Perfect scores for protection and performance. Rarely records false positives. Includes a VPN as well as ransomware protection.
- AVG Antivirus Business Edition: Provides the flexibility to secure one device or dozens. Real-time protection with remote management. User-friendly Windows app.
Criteria for the top antivirus for small businesses
You may wonder what makes a particular antivirus a good choice for a small business. In testing antivirus solutions, we did so from the perspective of a small business, looking for those that meet the following criteria:
- Comprehensive protection from threats
- Strong customer support is available 24 hours a day
- Minimal impact on system performance
- Multi-device protection and flexibility to add more
- Good value for money for the number of features
- Easy to install, configure, and maintain
Top antivirus for small businesses
Here’s our list of the top antivirus for small businesses:
1. Norton Small Business
Norton Small Business provides plenty of flexibility with options to secure six, 10, or 20 devices. All of these devices receive real-time protection from threats. Thanks to its lightweight design, it’s very easy to install and use, and you’ll rarely notice it running in the background. The Norton Small Business plan includes 24/7 customer support, which has received good consumer reviews. You’ll find a password manager and 250 GB of secure cloud storage.
One of Norton’s strongest selling points is its comprehensive protection. The best antivirus we’ve reviewed, it scored 99.75 for its protection. Indeed, it has received perfect scores in the same category from AV-Test. If you upgrade to Norton Small Business Premium, you get 500 GB of cloud storage, a VPN, and the Norton Driver Updater, which automatically detects any issues with Windows PC drivers and suggests safe alternatives for improved performance.
Norton provides apps for all of the following: Windows, Android, Mac, and iOS.
Pros:
- Real-time protection from threats
- Lightweight for faster performance
- Option to secure up to 20 devices
- Very good customer support
Cons:
- Could be easier to turn off auto-renewal
TOP ANTIVIRUS FOR SMALL BUSINESSES:Norton Small Business provides the kind of protection and performance a small business requires with the option to secure anything from six to 20 devices. Includes cloud storaNorton Small Businessge and a password manager. It also has a particularly generous 60-day money-back guarantee so you can try it risk-free.
Read our full Norton Antivirus review.
2. McAfee Business Protection
McAfee Business Protection is exclusively available on Dell PCs. It is an all-in-one solution for businesses that lack the resources of larger organizations, such as a dedicated IT department. With real-time threat protection, it keeps systems secure at all times. Extra features include a firewall, VPN, and identity monitoring. With a single license, you can protect up to five employees and unlimited devices per user.
The simple setup with McAfee Business Protection means you don’t need to be an IT professional to get started. It helps that the security console is neatly laid out so you can quickly and easily see that you’re protected and adjust settings as necessary. McAfee has long been recognized for the protection it provides, as evidenced by its strong scores in independent testing labs. With Business Protection, you’ll also gain access to McAfee’s 24/7 support.
McAfee Business Protection supports Windows, Mac, Android, and iOS.
Pros:
- Numerous advanced features
- Easy to set up and use
- Cover all employees and devices
Cons:
- Only available for Dell computers
ALL-IN-ONE PROTECTION:McAfee Business Protection includes identity and data monitoring and a VPN. The Dell-exclusive protection is comprehensive with each license covering five employees and unlimited devices. User-friendly console and 24/7 support. McAfee plans include a 30-day money-back guarantee.
Read our full McAfee Antivirus review.
3. Bitdefender Ultimate Small Business Security
Bitdefender Ultimate Small Business Security lets you choose to protect anything from three to 25 members, allowing you to adjust as your business grows. It is a low-maintenance option that can protect both desktop and mobile devices, including iPhone and Android. We gave it a near-perfect 99.3 protection score in testing. The streamlined dashboard makes for a user-friendly experience and you can find 24/7 support via live chat as well as email.
What’s also impressive about Bitdefender Ultimate Small Business Security is the sheer number of extra features included. Aside from protection from malware, you’ll have access to a VPN and a password manager, both enhancing your overall protection. Having earned awards for its performance from AV-Comparatives and received full marks for the same category from AV-Test, Bitdefender won’t slow down your devices, allowing for uninterrupted operations.
Bitdefender Ultimate Small Business Security protects Windows, Android, Mac, and iOS devices.
Pros:
- Strong protection and performance scores
- Extras including a password manager and VPN
- Beginner-friendly app UI
Cons:
- Live support doesn’t include phone
STRONG ALL-ROUNDER:Bitdefender Ultimate Small Business Security is low-maintenance in that it’s quick and easy to set up and use. It’s recognized for both its protection and performance and has intriguing extras such as a VPN and password manager. Includes a 30-day money-back guarantee.
Read our full Bitdefender Antivirus review.
4. ESET Small Business Security
ESET Small Business Security helps protect your business from many threats. It’s designed so that anyone can set it up and use it without an IT professional. It’s a set-and-forget solution that can cover anything from five to 25 devices. Aside from antivirus protection, ESET Small Business Security has secure banking features to safeguard your business’s transactions, an unlimited data VPN, and a password manager.
If you don’t have much experience using antivirus software, you’ll appreciate how easy ESET makes it to share protection with employees and coworkers. The ESET Home management platform allows you to monitor the security status of your business whenever you like. Support is available via live chat, email, and even by phone. ESET performed well in our testing and scored highly in performance and protection tests from both AV-Test and AV-Comparatives.
ESET Small Business Security can secure your Windows, Mac, Android, and iOS devices.
Pros:
- Very simple to set up and use
- Includes a VPN and password manager
- Provides live chat and phone support
Cons:
- Auto renew can’t be turned off until after purchase
EASY TO MANAGE:ESET Small Business Security stands out for its security management platform and the ease with which protection can be shared with colleagues. Valuable extras such as a password manager and VPN. Also provides phone support. 30-day money-back guarantee.
Read our full ESET Antivirus review.
5. Avira Prime
Avira Prime covers up to 25 devices across various desktop and mobile platforms. It’s able to detect threats in real-time, protecting you against a wide range of malware. It takes security even further however with its secure browsing feature which blocks ads, trackers, and malicious websites. Another useful feature of Avira Prime is automatically updating your software and drivers, ensuring you’re not vulnerable to the latest threats.
One further advantage of using Avira Prime is that you’ll have priority access to customer support. Your Avira Prime plan includes creating and storing secure passwords and encrypting your traffic with a VPN. The protection is so comprehensive that Avira scored 99.75 in our tests. It has also received awards for its protection and performance from AV-Comparatives. As such, you know that your business will be secure without devices being slowed down significantly.
To use Avira Prime, download its Windows, Android, Mac, and iOS apps.
Pros:
- Real-time protection from threats
- Packed with valuable extras
- Available for desktop and mobile
Cons:
- Lacks webcam protection
SECURE, ANONYMOUS BROWSING:Avira Prime protects you in real time from malware. You can browse securely by blocking ads and trackers and encrypt your internet connection with its VPN. Includes customer support and has a 60-day money-back guarantee.
Read our full Avira Antivirus review.
6. Avast Premium Business Security
Avast Premium Business Security is particularly suitable for businesses that only have a small number of devices to protect. Depending on your needs, You can secure one or countless devices. Is particularly impressive that Avast earned perfect scores for performance and protection in our most recent tests. It also received full marks for so rarely giving false positives. All of this points to it being a very strong all-rounder.
The Avast Premium Business Security subscription includes a VPN for encrypting data and protecting it from hackers and snoopers. You’ll also find a ransomware shield that stops unauthorized file changes. USB protection stops unauthorized data transfers from malicious external storage devices. You can use Avast Premium Business Security to remotely manage all devices and resolve any issues that happen to come up.
Avast Premium Business Security is available for Windows, Mac, Android, and iOS.
Pros:
- Full marks for protection and performance
- Rarely records false positives
- Even includes USB protection
Cons:
- VPN not available for MacOS
EXCELLENT TESTING SCORES:Avast Premium Business Security couples comprehensive protection with impressive performance as shown by strong testing scores. Small businesses can benefit from features including phishing and USB protection. 30-day money-back guarantee.
Read our full Avast Antivirus review.
7. AVG Antivirus Business Edition
AVG Antivirus Business Edition ensures your business is protected against viruses and various forms of malware, ransomware included. You can choose to secure just one device or dozens, allowing you to scale your protection alongside your business. Real-time protection means your devices are secured around the clock. The firewall safeguards network traffic from any unwanted intrusions.
Remote management lets you install, update, and configure AVG across devices. Another important feature is AVG’s Email Shield, which checks emails for viruses and malicious links. You can find a file shield as well as a shredder, which makes sure that all traces of a file are removed so an undesired third party can’t recover them.
AVG Antivirus Business Edition is offered for Windows.
Pros:
- Real-time detection of malware
- Remote management of devices
- User-friendly app interface
Cons:
- Only available for Windows
REAL-TIME PROTECTION:AVG Antivirus Business Edition keeps you safe from viruses, malware, and ransomware in real-time. It also provides a firewall as well as email and file protection. Simple app with the ability to remotely manage devices. 30-day money-back guarantee.
Read our full AVG Antivirus review.
How we found the top antivirus for small businesses: our antivirus testing methodology
Below, we explain what we were looking for in an antivirus for small businesses and how we went about our testing:
- Comprehensive protection: Aside from viruses, the best antiviruses for small businesses protect you from malware, ransomware, phishing, and spyware. It should have the ability to detect threats in real-time. We test each antivirus using test viruses and real malware to ensure we only recommend those with the best protection.
- Low system impact: You don’t want your antivirus slowing down your business operations. It’s with this in mind that we compare device performance before and during scans as a basis of comparison. There should be the option to schedule scans for times that best suit your business and when they’re least likely to hamper productivity.
- Independent lab test scores: Although we carry out our own tests on each antivirus, we also look at testing from independent labs. For those antivirus solutions for which we’ve scored highly, independent testing can further reinforce our findings.
- Quality customer support: Small businesses rarely have a dedicated cybersecurity or IT personnel and this makes quality customer support from your antivirus all the more important. 24/7 support ensures you can get help whenever an issue arises. The top antivirus providers have support via live chat, email, and even by phone.
- Scalability: It helps if an antivirus solution is able to grow alongside your business. As you add new employees and devices, you should be able to expand your coverage without having to completely overhaul your existing setup. The antiviruses we’ve identified offer multi-device protection and flexibility with various plans.
- Extra features: When you’re torn between two different antivirus providers, a deciding factor may be the extras they offer. In some cases, these additional features can significantly add to the security. For example, a VPN encrypts data as it’s transmitted over the internet. You’ll find many valuable extras with the antivirus providers we’ve covered.
If you’re curious about how we analyze antiviruses in terms of their protection and performance, you can find out more in our antivirus testing methodology post.
How to use an antivirus for a small business
- Sign up with the antivirus provider that best fits the needs of your small business. We particularly recommend Norton Small Business.
- Download the antivirus from the provider’s official website. Then, follow the onscreen instructions to install it on your device.
- Use the management dashboard to deploy the antivirus across all of your business’s devices, allowing you to control and monitor protection for multiple users.
- Ensure features such as real-time scanning and firewall protection are enabled as required. Automatic updates are also important for continued protection.
- Schedule regular full-system scans, ideally once or twice a week. You can use these alongside daily quick scans. Just choose times that won’t disrupt operations.
- Keep your software and devices updated to ensure your systems stay protected against the latest threats.
- Alert employees to the importance of antivirus protection and how they can play their part such as by avoiding suspicious links and websites.
- Set up automatic data backups through the antivirus software or a third party solution so that critical data is stored securely in the event of an attack.
Other small business resources:
- Small business guide to cybercrime prevention
- The best small business firewalls
- A small business guide to data protection
Antivirus for small business: FAQs
Why do small businesses need antivirus software?
Although you may not consider your small business to be a prime target for a cyberattack, you still need antivirus software. After all, small businesses often handle sensitive customer information, be it addresses or payment details. Antivirus software protects this data from threats including viruses and ransomware. This ensures it doesn’t become compromised or lost entirely. Such an attack can grind operations to a halt, losing productivity as well as revenue.
In many countries, businesses are legally required to protect personal and financial data, regardless of the size of their business. Antivirus software is a basic yet essential tool to comply with data protection laws. If a small business is breached, it can negatively impact its reputation. The loss of customer trust can in turn have financial implications which, in some cases, can be difficult to recover from, particularly for a small business with finite resources.
Will antivirus software slow down my business’s computers?
Antivirus software can have some impact on device performance but the extent of this depends on a few factors. In particular, some antivirus programs are more lightweight than others and have proven to offer better overall performance. Indeed, many are cloud-based, reducing the load on your business’s computers. However, full scans will be more resource-hungry than quick scans, regardless of the antivirus for small businesses that you choose.
Of course, older or less powerful computers are more likely to experience noticeable slowdowns. We’ve covered the top lightweight antivirus software for old computers. These are designed for minimal performance impact. Another factor to consider is an antivirus program’s additional features. Firewalls, email protection, and web filtering can all add to the load on your systems. Only using those features you most need can help minimize performance slowdowns.
Is free antivirus software enough for my small business?
If your business is particularly small and doesn’t handle sensitive data or rely on computers for critical operations, free antivirus software may offer a sufficient layer of protection. However, it’s important to be aware that free antivirus programs often lack advanced features such as ransomware protection. Furthermore, paid solutions tend to have support and features that are more suitable for businesses, be it centralized management or multi-device protection.
Another problem with free antivirus programs is that they’re generally for personal or individual use and won’t scale with your business. You may find the lack of customer support to be a problem if your small business does face an attack and you require immediate assistance. In contrast, paid antiviruses tend to offer protection for multiple devices and have 24/7 support, typically by live chat, email, and even by phone.