A small office does not need an enterprise security team. It needs antivirus that blocks real attacks, stays out of the way, and is easy to buy and renew. The good news: independent labs test these products every few months, so you do not have to rely on marketing pages.
This list uses only published results from two independent test labs, AV-TEST and AV-Comparatives. 4ITX did not run its own tests, and no vendor paid to be here. There are no affiliate links in this post.
How to read the lab results
- AV-Comparatives, Business Security Test (March–June 2026, published 15 July 2026). Each product faced 400 real-world attack cases. The "Real-World Protection" rate below is the share it blocked. The lab also counts false alarms, and it names products that pass as "Approved Business Product". 15 of the 16 products tested were approved.
- AV-TEST, Windows business users (July–August 2026). Each product gets up to 6 points for protection, 6 for performance (how much it slows the PC) and 6 for usability (false alarms). A product with 17.5 points or more is a "TOP PRODUCT". All 15 products in this round reached it.
Not every vendor enters both labs, and the labs often test a bigger edition than the one a small office buys. Where that happens, it is said below.
The 10
The order follows the AV-Comparatives protection rate first, then how easy the product is for a small office to buy and run.
1. Bitdefender GravityZone Business Security
- Lab results: AV-Comparatives 99.8% real-world protection, 4 false alarms, approved. The tested edition was Business Security Premium. Bitdefender was not in the latest AV-TEST round.
- Price checked today: USD 269.49 for 10 devices for the first year (shown as a 30% discount from USD 384.99).
- Good fit for: an office that wants strong protection with one cloud console.
2. Kaspersky Small Office Security / Endpoint Security
- Lab results: AV-Comparatives 99.8%, 3 false alarms, approved. AV-TEST gave both Kaspersky Endpoint Security 14 and Small Office Security a full 6/6/6, TOP PRODUCT.
- Price: not shown on the Middle East site. Ask a local reseller.
- Note: sale and updates are banned in the USA since 2024. It is still sold in the Middle East.
- Good fit for: offices that buy through a local reseller and want top lab scores.
3. ESET PROTECT
- Lab results: AV-Comparatives 98.8%, 2 false alarms, approved (tested as PROTECT Entry, ESET's cloud-managed entry tier). ESET was not in the latest AV-TEST round.
- Price checked today: ESET's site now lists PROTECT Core as the entry business plan at USD 549 for 10 devices for one year. For very small offices, ESET Small Office Protection is USD 179.99 for 5 devices.
- Good fit for: offices with older PCs, since ESET is known for a light footprint.
4. Microsoft Defender for Business
- Lab results: AV-Comparatives 98.8% with 0 false alarms, approved. AV-TEST gave Microsoft Defender Antivirus 6 protection, 5.5 performance, 6 usability, TOP PRODUCT. Both labs tested the Defender antivirus engine that Defender for Business uses.
- Price checked today: USD 3 per user per month, paid yearly. It is already included in Microsoft 365 Business Premium.
- Good fit for: offices already on Microsoft 365. If you pay for Business Premium, you may already own it.
5. Norton Small Business
- Lab results: AV-Comparatives 99.0%, 4 false alarms, approved. AV-TEST 6/6/6, TOP PRODUCT.
- Price checked today: up to 3 employees USD 59.99 for the first year (renews at USD 119.99); up to 10 employees USD 149.99 (renews at USD 249.99). Two devices per user.
- Good fit for: the smallest offices that want something simple, with no server or console to manage.
6. Avast Ultimate Business Security
- Lab results: AV-Comparatives 99.0%, 4 false alarms, approved. AV-TEST 6/6/6, TOP PRODUCT.
- Price checked today: USD 48.33 per device for the first year.
- Good fit for: offices that want antivirus plus extras such as patching in one bundle.
7. CrowdStrike Falcon Go
- Lab results: AV-Comparatives tested CrowdStrike Falcon Enterprise: 98.5%, 8 false alarms, approved. Falcon Go is CrowdStrike's small business plan.
- Price checked today: USD 59.99 per device per year, up to 100 devices.
- Good fit for: offices that want the same platform larger companies use.
8. WithSecure Elements Endpoint Protection
- Lab results: AV-TEST 6/6/6, TOP PRODUCT. Not in the latest AV-Comparatives business round.
- Price: quote only, through WithSecure or a partner. There is a 30-day free trial.
- Good fit for: offices with an IT partner who manages it for them.
9. G DATA Endpoint Protection Business
- Lab results: AV-Comparatives 96.8%, 4 false alarms, approved.
- Price: quote only.
- Good fit for: offices that prefer a European vendor.
10. Sophos Intercept X Advanced
- Lab results: AV-TEST 6 protection, 5.5 performance, 6 usability, TOP PRODUCT. In the same AV-Comparatives round it scored 98.3% but was the only product not approved. The report gives no reason.
- Price: quote only, through partners.
- Good fit for: offices that already use Sophos firewalls and want one vendor.
Prices: read this first
All prices are the US list prices shown on each vendor's own website on 11 October 2026, in US dollars, before tax. Many are first-year offers that renew higher. Prices in Egypt and through local resellers are different, and often quoted in Egyptian pounds.
What matters more than the brand
- Install it on every device. One unprotected laptop is the way in.
- Turn on automatic updates for Windows, browsers and the antivirus itself.
- Use a central console so you can see which PC is unprotected or out of date.
- Keep backups that ransomware cannot reach. Antivirus lowers the risk; backups are what save you when something gets through.
In short: any product on this list did well in recent independent tests. Pick the one that fits how you buy and who will manage it, then make sure it is on every device.
Not sure which one fits your office? Book a free 30-minute consultation and we will go through your devices together. Want the next guide in your inbox? Use the newsletter box below.
Sources: AV-TEST, August 2026 · AV-Comparatives Business Security Test March–June 2026 · vendor pricing pages, checked 11 October 2026.