Endpoint IndexBest Bitdefender Alternatives for Small Business (October 2026)
Bitdefender's small-business tiers are hard to beat on lab results; the reasons to leave are EDR, patching and the extras sold as add-ons.
Bitdefender GravityZone Business SecurityBitdefender · Antivirus · buy online · min 3 seatsFull product report ›Contents
- Executive summary
- What is Bitdefender missing for a small business?
- Which product fills the gap you have?
- How do the alternatives compare with Bitdefender?
- Why might you stay with Bitdefender?
- What should you check before switching from Bitdefender?
- Frequently asked questions
- Methodology and caveats
- Sources
Executive summary
Most small businesses leave Bitdefender GravityZone for one reason: neither Business Security nor Business Security Premium includes EDR, and Bitdefender's EDR starts at the higher Business Security Enterprise tier. The closest alternative with EDR is Microsoft Defender for Business at $36.00 per user per year; outside Microsoft 365 it is ThreatDown Advanced at $79.00 per endpoint per year. For patching in the same product, Avast Ultimate Business Security includes it. If you only want antivirus, think twice before leaving: Bitdefender GravityZone Business Security has the highest Fit Score in our antivirus ranking and the highest AV-Comparatives protection rate we record, 99.8%.
What is Bitdefender missing for a small business?
- No EDR in the small-business tiers. EDR is not offered on Business Security and not offered on Premium. Bitdefender describes Premium as prevention "without additional detection and response capabilities".
- Extras sold separately. Patch management is a paid add-on, and so are email security, full-disk encryption and phone protection.
- An online ceiling. Bitdefender's calculator sells up to 100 devices; above that you buy on a quote.
- No published HIPAA BAA position. Bitdefender's HIPAA page refers BAA questions to the account manager.
Which product fills the gap you have?
| Your situation | Start with | Why |
|---|---|---|
| You want EDR, on Microsoft 365 | Microsoft Defender for Business | EDR included, per-user licence, current lab results |
| You want EDR, rollback and patching outside Microsoft | ThreatDown Advanced | All three in one agent, sold online |
| You want patching without paying for an add-on | Avast Ultimate Business Security | Patch management included at $56.77 per endpoint per year |
| Backup is the bigger worry | Acronis Cyber Protect | Backup and antimalware in one agent, patching included |
| Phones must be covered in the base price | ESET PROTECT Core | Mobile included, MSP console, online to 99 devices |
| Nobody will answer alerts | ThreatDown Elite | 24/7 managed response in the list price |
How do the alternatives compare with Bitdefender?
| Product | EDR | Ransomware rollback | Patch management | Mobile | Linux |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Bitdefender GravityZone Business Security | Not offered | Included | Add-on | Add-on | Included |
 ESET PROTECT Core | Not offered | Included | Add-on | Included | Included |
 Microsoft Defender for Business | Included | Not offered | Not offered | Included | Add-on |
| Bitdefender GravityZone Business Security Premium | Not offered | Included | Add-on | Add-on | Included |
 Avast Ultimate Business Security | Not offered | Not offered | Included | Not offered | Not offered |
 Acronis Cyber Protect | Not offered | Included | Included | Included | Included |
 ThreatDown Advanced | Included | Included | Included | Add-on | Included |
| Product | Per unit per month | 10 seats / yr | 25 seats / yr | 100 seats / yr |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Microsoft Defender for Business | $3.00 /user/mo | $360.00 | $900.00 | $3,600.00 |
| Bitdefender GravityZone Business Security | $3.21 /endpoint/mo | $384.99 | $854.99 | $3,064.99 |
| ESET PROTECT Core | $4.58 /endpoint/mo | $549.00 | $1,167.50 | Via sales (online up to 99) |
| Avast Ultimate Business Security | $4.73 /endpoint/mo | $567.70 | $1,329.50 | $4,050.00 |
| ThreatDown Advanced | $6.58 /endpoint/mo | $790.00 | Via sales (online up to 20) | Via sales (online up to 20) |
| Acronis Cyber Protect | $7.08 /endpoint/mo | $850.00 | $2,125.00 | $8,500.00 |
| Bitdefender GravityZone Business Security Premium | $7.33 /endpoint/mo | $879.99 | $1,869.99 | $6,039.99 |
| Product | AV-Test protection | AV-Comparatives protection | MITRE ATT&CK Evaluation |
|---|---|---|---|
| Bitdefender GravityZone Business Security | 6.0/6 2025-12 | 99.8% 2026-H1 | 72.5% coverage 1 of 80 not evaluated 2024 Dated |
| ESET PROTECT Core | 6.0/6 2025-12 | 98.8% 2026-H1 | 24.4% coverage 36 of 90 not evaluated 2025 |
| Microsoft Defender for Business | 6.0/6 2026-08 | 98.8% 2026-H1 | 83.8% coverage 2024 Dated |
| Avast Ultimate Business Security | 6.0/6 2026-08 | 99% 2026-H1 | No public result |
| Acronis Cyber Protect | 6.0/6 2026-06 | No public result | 28.9% coverage 36 of 90 not evaluated 2025 |
| ThreatDown Advanced | No public result | No public result | 23.7% coverage 2024 Dated |
Read the lab table before the feature table. Bitdefender's protection results are as good as anything here, so every alternative is a trade: Microsoft and ESET keep current results, Avast and Acronis keep current AV-Test results, and ThreatDown has none from the last 18 months.
Why might you stay with Bitdefender?
For a small office with nobody to investigate alerts, Bitdefender GravityZone Business Security is the product our antivirus ranking puts first: strong lab results, ransomware rollback included, Linux covered and a self-serve price. Premium adds sandboxing and attack forensics for the same kind of office. If you need EDR from Bitdefender, the Bitdefender pricing guide shows what Business Security Enterprise and the higher tiers cost, and Is Bitdefender GravityZone worth it? compares the tiers.
What should you check before switching from Bitdefender?
- Bitdefender renews automatically; note the date and turn off auto-renewal if you are leaving.
- Decide who will read EDR alerts before you buy EDR; without someone, stay with antivirus or buy managed response.
- Check whether you already own Defender for Business through Microsoft 365 Business Premium.
- Compare renewal prices, not first-year offers; several alternatives discount the first year.
Frequently asked questions
What is the best alternative to Bitdefender for a small business?
Microsoft Defender for Business if the reason is EDR and you use Microsoft 365, ThreatDown Advanced if you want EDR outside Microsoft, and Avast Ultimate Business Security if you want patching included.
Bitdefender or ESET for a small office?
Bitdefender for most small offices buying for themselves, on its lab results and lower list price. ESET if an MSP manages your devices or you want phones covered in the base licence. Our Bitdefender vs ESET comparison sets out the details.
Does Bitdefender GravityZone include EDR?
Not in Business Security or Business Security Premium. Bitdefender's EDR starts at Business Security Enterprise.
Is Bitdefender better than Microsoft Defender?
On AV-Comparatives protection, Bitdefender scored higher in the current round, and both scored 6 out of 6 for protection in AV-Test's latest result for each. Microsoft Defender for Business includes EDR, which Bitdefender's small-business tiers do not, so the better choice depends on whether someone will act on EDR alerts.
Methodology and caveats
Every price, capability and lab result comes from the product's page on Endpoint Index, with sources and verification dates. Bitdefender's own words on Premium are quoted from its product page. Prices are list prices per device or user per year; first-year promotions are excluded.
Sources
- Bitdefender. GravityZone Business Security Premium and its plan pages.
- AV-Comparatives. Business Security Test 2026 (March to June).
- The Endpoint Index product report for each alternative, with a source and check date on every value (latest price check 2026-10-02).
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