ESET PROTECT Alternatives (2026)
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- Starting price
- Custom quote
- Free trial
- 30 days
- Deployment
- Cloud + on-prem
- Best for
- Teams wanting lightweight, reliable endpoint protection
Our verdict
The top alternatives to ESET PROTECT are SentinelOne Singularity, CrowdStrike Falcon, ThreatLocker. SentinelOne Singularity is the closest like-for-like option (4.7/5 (~2k G2 reviews), from $69.99/endpoint/yr). People typically switch from ESET PROTECT over pricing model, complexity, or a missing capability — the table compares each alternative on exactly those axes.
- 1
SentinelOne Singularity
★ Editor's ChoiceBest for Teams wanting autonomous AI-driven EDR/XDR.
- Autonomous AI detection
- Storyline attack visualization
- EDR/XDR
Free trial Free version - 2
CrowdStrike Falcon
Best for Organizations wanting best-in-class cloud-native EDR + threat intel.
- Cloud-native NGAV
- EDR/XDR
- Threat intelligence
Free trial Free version -
Best for MSPs wanting Zero Trust allowlisting and ringfencing.
- Application allowlisting
- Ringfencing
- Storage control
Free trial Free version - 4
Bitdefender GravityZone
Best for SMBs and MSPs wanting strong protection at a fair price.
- Top-rated AV engine
- EDR/XDR options
- Risk analytics
Free trial Free version -
Best for SMBs/MSPs wanting strong EDR plus optional MDR from one vendor.
- Deep-learning AV
- EDR/XDR
- Anti-ransomware (CryptoGuard)
Free trial Free version - 6
Microsoft Defender for Business
Best for SMBs already on Microsoft 365 wanting bundled EDR.
- EDR for SMB
- Next-gen AV
- Threat & vulnerability mgmt
Free trial Free version - 7
Malwarebytes ThreatDown
Best for SMBs/MSPs wanting simple, effective EDR with optional MDR.
- Strong remediation engine
- EDR + ransomware rollback
- Simple console
Free trial Free version
More alternatives detail
Best Alternatives to ESET PROTECT
Teams typically switch from ESET PROTECT because EDR capabilities require a higher tier, pricing is quote-based, and the US channel partner ecosystem is smaller than competitors. Below are the strongest alternatives, ranked by our score.
| Alternative | Best For | Starting Price | Our Score | Why Switch |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| SentinelOne Singularity | Autonomous AI-driven EDR/XDR | $69.99/endpoint/yr | 8.4 | Top-tier autonomous detection & rollback; EDR included at Complete tier ($179.99) |
| CrowdStrike Falcon | Best-in-class cloud EDR + threat intel | $59.99/device/yr | 8.3 | Elite detection, lightweight agent, strong analyst tooling; Enterprise tier ($184.99) gets full EDR |
| Bitdefender GravityZone | SMBs/MSPs wanting fair-priced protection | ~$77/device/yr (3-pack) | 8.1 | Excellent AV test scores, affordable, good MSP program; EDR in Premium tier |
| Sophos Intercept X | EDR + optional MDR from one vendor | Quote | 8.0 | Strong anti-ransomware, central console, easy MDR upgrade path |
| Malwarebytes ThreatDown | Simple, effective EDR with optional MDR | $69/endpoint/yr | 7.8 | Transparent pricing, easy deployment, great remediation heritage; EDR in Advanced+ tiers |
| Microsoft Defender for Business | M365-integrated SMB endpoint security | $3/user/mo | 7.8 | Cheapest if you have Microsoft 365; per-user licensing covers multiple devices |
| Webroot Business Endpoint Protection | Ultra-light cloud agent for MSPs | Quote | 7.6 | Extremely lightweight, fast scans, MSP-friendly; lighter EDR depth |
Key Switching Patterns
For EDR-first teams: SentinelOne and CrowdStrike both bundle EDR at mid-tier pricing, versus ESET’s tiered approach. SentinelOne edges ahead on autonomous AI; CrowdStrike leads on threat intelligence.
For cost-conscious SMBs/MSPs: Bitdefender and Malwarebytes offer transparent entry pricing and good value. Bitdefender scores higher on independent AV tests; Malwarebytes has simpler remediation.
For Microsoft shops: Defender for Business is the obvious choice if M365 licensing already exists—$3/user/mo is hard to beat, though detection lags premium EDR.
For lightweight requirements: Webroot is lighter than ESET’s already-lean agent, but trades EDR depth for speed; best for MSPs managing many endpoints.
Frequently asked questions
- What is the best alternative to ESET PROTECT?
- SentinelOne Singularity is the top-rated alternative in our data-weighted ranking (from $69.99/endpoint/yr).
- Why do people switch from ESET PROTECT?
- Usually pricing model, complexity, or a missing capability. The table compares each alternative on exactly those axes.