The best hosted endpoint security software of 2026: Expert tested

Sophos Intercept X delivers exceptional protection for organizations that need enterprise-grade security without enterprise-level complexity. Their deep learning AI detects threats that traditional signature-based systems miss. The software analyzes millions of file characteristics to identify malware before execution. Detection happens in milliseconds, with automatic rollback and forensic details to trace attack vectors.

With the CryptoGuard feature, Sophos doesn’t rely on signatures to monitor for ransomware. Instead, it monitors file system behavior and detects encryption patterns in real-time. When it spots ransomware, it stops the attack mid-process and restores files to their pre-attack state — usually in under fifteen minutes.

Intercept’s integration with Sophos Central creates a synchronized security ecosystem where endpoints, firewalls, and email security share threat intelligence automatically. When it detects a compromised endpoint, it can trigger your firewall to isolate that device network-wide without admin intervention. Management feels surprisingly smooth for a platform with this much depth. However, initial policy configuration requires planning to avoid over-blocking legitimate applications.

Pricing starts around $48 per user annually for the Advanced with XDR package. The system scales to approximately $79 per user for larger deployments with comprehensive features. I think the per-server licensing model could push costs higher for infrastructure-heavy environments. However, the detection rates and automated response capabilities justify the investment for mid-market organizations.

Sophos features: Next-gen antivirus | CryptoGuard ransomware protection | Exploit prevention | Root cause analysis | Active adversary mitigation | Synchronized Security | EDR capabilities

Bitdefender GravityZone has a lightweight agent that barely touches system resources while maintaining industry-leading detection rates. AI engines work in parallel, creating layered protection that catches threats other solutions miss. In AV-TEST evaluations across 2024 and 2025, GravityZone achieved 100% detection rates every time while generating fewer false positives than competitors.

Bitdefender’s HyperDetect machine learning module analyzes pre-execution behavior, blocking attacks before they can execute malicious code. It handles fileless attacks that operate entirely in memory particularly well, using behavioral analysis to detect script-based threats. Its cloud-hosted Sandbox Analyzer automatically detonates suspicious files in isolated environments. The software also provides detailed threat reports that don’t impact your endpoint performance.

Also: Bitdefender Total Security review: One of the top antivirus options you can buy

GravityZone’s centralized management console also supports multi-tenant deployments. This makes it ideal for managed service providers or enterprises with complex workspace structures. Security policies cascade hierarchically and the reporting dashboard surfaces critical threats without overwhelming admins with noise. However, the interface does have a learning curve that new users may struggle to navigate during their first few weeks.

Pricing-wise, GravityZone’s Business Security Premium starts at approximately $285 annually for five devices with 30% off the first year. The system scales down to around $57 per device for larger deployments. It rewards volume purchases, though some users report steep renewal costs after promotional periods expire. Mobile device coverage requires separate licensing, which can complicate budget planning for BYOD.

Bitdefender GravityZone features: HyperDetect machine learning | Sandbox analyzer | Fileless attack defense | Exchange security | Network attack defense | Endpoint risk analytics | Multi-tenant console

Microsoft Defender for Endpoint makes the most sense for organizations already invested in Microsoft’s ecosystem. It leverages 84 trillion daily security signals across Microsoft’s global infrastructure, providing threat intelligence that few standalone vendors can match. Endpoints, email, identities, and cloud workloads share context automatically when you integrate with Microsoft 365 services, creating incident timelines that can speed up investigation.

Automated investigation and response handle routine threats without any intervention, freeing your analysts to focus on sophisticated attacks. For example, Defender can automatically detect a credential theft attempt, isolate the compromised device, revoke stolen tokens, and initiate forensic collection. Attack surface reduction rules give you granular control over application behavior, blocking common exploit techniques at the kernel level.

Also: Microsoft fixes SharePoint zero-day exploits used in cyberattacks and ransomware – how to patch them

Threat management delivers continuous assessment across all endpoints, prioritizing patches based on actual exploit likelihood rather than CVSS scores. Integration with Microsoft’s patch deployment infrastructure means you can remediate vulnerabilities directly from the security console. However, the breadth of features creates complexity if you don’t have dedicated security staff to handle configuration.

Microsoft’s pricing varies a lot based on how you set up your licenses. Plan 1 costs $3 per user monthly while Plan 2 runs $5.20 per user monthly with annual commitments. Organizations with Microsoft 365 E5 or A5 licenses already have Plan 2 included, making it much more cost-effective for eligible enterprises. You can register up to five devices per user, which works well if your employees use multiple devices.

Microsoft Defender for Endpoint features: Automated investigation | Threat and vulnerability management | Attack surface reduction | Endpoint detection and response | Cross-platform support | Microsoft 365 integration | Cloud-powered protection

SentinelOne Singularity distinguishes itself with a truly autonomous threat response system that operates even without cloud connectivity. Its behavioral AI continuously analyzes endpoint activity, detecting malicious patterns in real-time and automatically executing remediation workflows. Even when infected endpoints are completely isolated from networks, Singularity successfully contains and rolls back threats without any cloud communication.

Singularity Storyline creates precise attack visualizations, connecting events that seem unrelated into coherent attack narratives. Rather than sifting through thousands of alerts, your analysts can see complete attack chains from initial access to lateral movement and exfiltration attempts on a single timeline view. During ransomware attempts, Storyline can even trace attacks from phishing emails through credential theft to encryption attempt in seconds.

But the best part is that Singularity’s lightweight agent consumes minimal system resources even with all the proactive monitoring features. It supports Windows, macOS, Linux, and cloud workloads with consistent policy enforcement across all environments. SentinelOne’s Purple AI also helps analysts hunt threats and generate response playbooks using conversational queries, though it requires some refinement for complex investigations.

Singularity’s package pricing starts at $70 per endpoint annually for the basic next-gen antivirus. Control runs $80 and Complete reaches $180 per device for full EDR and XDR features. It’s competitive pricing, but you’ll need the Complete tier to access extended data retention beyond the standard 14 days. 

SentinelOne Singularity features: Storyline attack visualization | Behavioral AI engines | Automated remediation | Remote shell access | Cloud workload protection | 365-day data retention | Purple AI assistant

Teramind takes a different approach to endpoint security, focusing on insider threats and data exfiltration over malware attacks. It monitors every user interaction across applications, websites, files, network transfers, emails, and clipboard operations. Its activity logs could easily rival traditional SIEM solutions in their comprehensiveness.

Behavior analytics learns normal patterns for each employee, assigning risk scores based on deviations. When someone suddenly accesses sensitive files outside their usual workflow or attempts large data transfers to personal cloud storage, Teramind can generate real-time alerts and automatically blocks the activity. Session recording captures complete desktop activity as video, filing away evidence for investigations and compliance audits.

Teramind is best suited in highly regulated industries where data protection and compliance lapses can have serious penalties. It supports HIPAA, PCI-DSS, GDPR, and SOX with pre-built policy templates that map user activities to regulatory requirements. However, the monitoring raises privacy concerns that need to be balanced with proper communication to not lose employee trust.

Teramind follows a per-user tiered model based on features and seat count. Most organizations pay between $14-$32 per user monthly depending on the package (Starter, UAM, DLP, etc.). It requires more hands-on configuration than traditional EDR solutions, so you should budget 2-3 weeks of TTO (Time to Onboarding) to properly tune policies and establish behavioral baselines.

Teramind features: User behavior analytics | Screen recording with annotation | Data loss prevention | Risk scoring | Real-time alerts | Email monitoring | Application control