Best EDR for Small Business in 2026 — Independently Tested
Quick verdict by buyer type
- Best price-to-protection ratio: Bitdefender GravityZone — consistently top-ranked in AV-TEST and AV-Comparatives with minimal performance impact, starting at $57/device/yr.
- Best managed EDR for MSPs: Huntress — 24/7 human-led SOC triages every alert with actionable remediation; highest G2 score in category (4.9).
- Best synchronized security ecosystem: Sophos Intercept X — firewall + endpoint share telemetry for automated response; Sophos MDR is one of the largest managed SOC services.
- Best lightweight footprint: ESET PROTECT — legendary low resource usage for older hardware; Gartner Peer Insights Customers’ Choice 2026.
- Best for simplicity: Malwarebytes ThreatDown — installs in minutes, ransomware rollback with 72-hour cache, strong consumer brand trust.
Comparison table
| Platform | EDR starting price | MDR available | G2 Rating | Lab ranking | Best for |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Bitdefender GravityZone | $96/device/yr | Partner MDR | 4.7 | Top-ranked AV-TEST | Price-to-protection |
| Sophos Intercept X | $28/user/yr | Sophos MDR | 4.6 | Strong | Synced ecosystem |
| Huntress Managed EDR | $8.99/ep/mo | Built-in 24/7 SOC | 4.9 | N/A (managed) | MSP channel |
| ESET PROTECT | $80/device/yr | ESET MDR (new) | 4.6 | Customers Choice 2026 | Lightweight footprint |
| ThreatDown | $69/endpoint/yr | Elite/Ultimate tiers | 4.6 | Good | Simplicity |
| Microsoft Defender | $3/user/mo | Defender Suite add-on | 4.3 | Strong | M365 shops |
| CrowdStrike Falcon Go | $60/device/yr | Enterprise tier only | 4.7 | Gold standard | Brand / NGAV only |
| SentinelOne Core | $70/endpoint/yr | Complete tier ($160) | 4.7 | Top tier | Autonomous response |
| Trend Micro Worry-Free | $46/user/yr | Managed XDR add-on | 4.3 | Solid | Set-and-forget |
| Webroot Business | $28/endpoint/yr | No | 4.4 | Inconsistent | Ultra-lightweight EPP |
Detailed reviews
Bitdefender GravityZone
Best for: SMBs wanting best detection rates at a competitive price (5-500 endpoints) The best bang-for-buck EDR for SMBs. Bitdefender consistently tops AV-TEST and AV-Comparatives independent lab rankings with minimal system performance impact. Multi-layered protection includes behavioral analysis, exploit defense, and ransomware mitigation with tamper-proof backup. EDR with root-cause analysis starts at $96/device/yr (Business Security Premium). First-year promos often 30% off.
Pros
- Consistently top-ranked in AV-TEST and AV-Comparatives independent labs
- Multi-layered protection with minimal performance impact
- EDR with root-cause analysis and incident visualization
- Ransomware mitigation with tamper-proof backup
Cons
- Console UI can be complex for non-technical admins
- Renewal pricing shock — steep increases reported after first year
- XDR requires Enterprise tier — significant price jump
- Limited native MDR; relies on partner ecosystem
Pricing: $57/device/yr (Business Security); $96/device/yr (Premium with EDR)
Book a Bitdefender demo → 
Sophos Intercept X
Best for: SMBs with Sophos firewalls wanting synchronized security and optional managed SOC The ecosystem play. Sophos Intercept X shines when paired with a Sophos Firewall — Synchronized Security shares telemetry between endpoint and firewall for automated response (the 'heartbeat'). CryptoGuard anti-ransomware and 60+ exploit prevention techniques are strong standalone. Sophos MDR adds 24/7 human-led SOC at $70-100/user/yr — one of the largest managed SOC services globally.
Pros
- Synchronized Security — firewall and endpoint share telemetry
- CryptoGuard anti-ransomware and 60+ exploit prevention techniques
- Sophos MDR is one of the largest managed SOC services globally
- Deep learning AI threat prevention with adaptive attack protection
Cons
- Channel-only pricing makes direct comparison difficult
- Sophos Central console has a learning curve
- MDR add-on significantly increases cost ($70-100/user/yr)
- Some users report false positives with deep learning engine
Pricing: $28–$50/user/yr (Advanced); $70–$100/user/yr (with MDR)
Book a Sophos demo → 
Huntress Managed EDR
Best for: SMBs (1-1,000 endpoints) served through MSPs wanting managed detection and response The managed EDR gold standard for SMBs. Huntress includes 24/7 human SOC analysts (the ThreatOps team) who triage every alert and provide actionable remediation steps — eliminating the alert fatigue that plagues understaffed IT teams. Highest G2 score in the EDR category (4.9 with 1,086 reviews). Built for the MSP channel. Expanding into ITDR, managed SIEM, and SAT.
Pros
- Highest G2 score in category (4.9 with 1,086 reviews)
- 24/7 human-led SOC triages every alert with actionable remediation
- Eliminates alert fatigue for understaffed SMB IT teams
- Expanding platform: managed ITDR, SIEM, and SAT
Cons
- Channel-first model — primarily available through MSPs
- No on-prem deployment option
- Newer SIEM and SAT modules are less battle-tested
- Limited XDR breadth compared to full-stack vendors
Pricing: $8.99/endpoint/mo ($107.88/yr); 50-seat minimum
Book a Huntress demo → 
ESET PROTECT
Best for: Mid-market IT teams managing mixed hardware fleets including older devices The lightweight champion. ESET has the lightest resource footprint in the market — beloved by IT admins managing older hardware fleets. Multi-layered protection with HIPS, advanced heuristics, and machine learning. ESET Inspect (EDR/XDR) provides deep process inspection at the Enterprise tier. Named Gartner Peer Insights Customers' Choice 2026 and #2 in G2 Winter 2026 XDR Grid.
Pros
- Lightest resource footprint in the market — ideal for older hardware
- Gartner Peer Insights Customers Choice 2026
- Multi-layered protection with HIPS and advanced heuristics
- Cross-platform support: Windows, macOS, Linux, Android, iOS
Cons
- ESET Inspect (XDR) requires Enterprise tier — steep price jump
- Brand awareness lower than CrowdStrike/Sophos in US market
- Console modernization still ongoing (legacy feel in some areas)
- MDR service is newer and less proven than Sophos or Huntress
Pricing: $25/device/yr (Entry); $80-100/device/yr (Enterprise with XDR)
Book an ESET demo → 
Malwarebytes ThreatDown
Best for: SMBs with limited IT resources wanting set-and-forget protection (10-500 endpoints) The simplicity pick. ThreatDown installs in minutes with minimal configuration — the simplest deployment in SMB EDR. Ransomware rollback caches 72 hours of file changes for instant recovery. The Linking Engine auto-remediates entire attack chains. Strong brand trust from consumer Malwarebytes heritage. EDR telemetry depth is less granular than enterprise-grade tools.
Pros
- Simplest deployment — installs in minutes, minimal configuration
- Ransomware rollback with 72-hour file change cache
- Linking Engine auto-remediates entire attack chains
- Vulnerability assessment and patch management included (Advanced+)
Cons
- EDR telemetry depth less granular than CrowdStrike or SentinelOne
- Brand perception still tied to consumer antivirus
- Limited XDR — no network, email, or identity correlation
- Smaller SOC team than Sophos MDR or Huntress
Pricing: $69/endpoint/yr (Core); $99/endpoint/yr (Elite with MDR)
Book a ThreatDown demo → How much does SMB EDR actually cost?
Per-endpoint annual pricing is the standard. Based on published pricing and vendor disclosures:
| Platform | Basic EPP | EDR tier | Managed EDR (MDR) | Devices/license |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Bitdefender | $57/device/yr | $96/device/yr | Partner MDR | 1 per license |
| Sophos Intercept X | $28/user/yr | $48/user/yr | $70-100/user/yr | Per user |
| Huntress | N/A (managed only) | N/A | $8.99/endpoint/mo | Per endpoint |
| ESET PROTECT | $25/device/yr | $80/device/yr | Custom | 1 per license |
| ThreatDown | $69/endpoint/yr | $79/endpoint/yr | $99-119/endpoint/yr | 1 per license |
| Microsoft Defender | $3/user/mo | Included | Defender Suite $10/user/mo | 5 per user |
Related guides
- Bitdefender vs Sophos for Business: 2026 Comparison — Head-to-head for SMBs
- Do Small Businesses Need EDR or Antivirus? — When to upgrade from basic EPP
- Best Managed EDR Services 2026 — MDR-focused picks for lean teams
Frequently Asked Questions
How much does EDR cost for a small business?
Basic endpoint protection starts at $25-30/device/yr (ESET Entry, Webroot). EDR with behavioral analysis costs $57-99/device/yr (Bitdefender Premium, ThreatDown Advanced). Managed EDR with 24/7 SOC is $100-108/endpoint/yr (Huntress, Sophos MDR). Microsoft Defender for Business at $3/user/mo ($36/yr) covering 5 devices is the cheapest true EDR.
Do small businesses really need EDR?
Yes. 43% of cyberattacks target small businesses, and ransomware doesn't discriminate by company size. Basic antivirus misses fileless attacks, living-off-the-land techniques, and zero-days. EDR provides behavioral detection, incident investigation, and remediation that antivirus cannot.
What's the difference between EPP, EDR, and XDR?
EPP (Endpoint Protection Platform) is traditional antivirus — prevents known threats. EDR adds behavioral detection, investigation, and response for unknown threats on endpoints. XDR extends detection and response across endpoints, email, identity, cloud, and network. Most SMBs need EDR; XDR is for organizations with 500+ employees.
Should I choose self-managed EDR or managed EDR (MDR)?
If you have a dedicated security person or team, self-managed EDR (Bitdefender, ESET) gives more control at lower cost. If your IT team is under 3 people, managed EDR (Huntress, Sophos MDR) is worth the premium — their SOC analysts triage every alert so you don't have to.
Is Microsoft Defender for Business good enough?
At $3/user/mo with enterprise-grade EDR covering 5 devices per license, Defender for Business is excellent value for Microsoft 365 shops. Its weakness: best features require the Microsoft ecosystem, the 300-user cap limits mid-market use, and the standalone console is less polished than dedicated vendors.