G2’s top – After months of real-world use, G2 reviewers’ feedback points to a clear divide in antivirus tools: some help security teams turn alerts into action, while others add noise or extra work. Here are nine top picks for 2026, including ESET PROTECT, Sophos Endpoin
When teams buy antivirus, they usually expect the decision to feel “set and done.” The reality arrives later—six months down the line—when alerts pile up, response steps are unclear, and leaders start asking why incidents still take so long to contain.
A new G2 Winter 2026 Grid® roundup tries to answer that pain with nine options that security teams say hold up past the first quarter. The list is built from G2’s Winter Grid® Report 2026 and an analysis of AI-assisted. verified G2 reviews. then cross-validated against input from IT administrators and security teams running these products in production.
The contenders range from machine-learning endpoint protection and ransomware rollback to cost-effective EDR-style platforms and Fortinet-connected access control:
ESET PROTECT is positioned as the best fit for machine-learning (ML)-driven endpoint protection. The guide describes it as enterprise-grade endpoint security combining next-gen antivirus. ransomware defense. extended detection and response (XDR). and centralized management across devices. A free trial is available, with regular pricing starting at $211 per year for 5 devices.
Sophos Endpoint is recommended for ransomware-led endpoint prevention. The platform is described as focused on exploit mitigation, ransomware defense, and centralized policy control through Sophos Central. A free trial is available, and pricing is described as publicly available on request.
ThreatDown lands as the best pick for cost-effective EDR with MDR flexibility. The guide says it bundles next-gen antivirus (AV), endpoint detection and response (EDR), ransomware rollback, and optional managed detection services. A free trial is available, with annual pricing starting at $395 per year for 5 devices.
CrowdStrike Falcon Endpoint Protection Platform takes the spotlight for large-scale enterprise threat prevention. The guide frames it as cloud-native endpoint protection using behavioral analytics and threat intelligence for distributed enterprise environments. A free trial is available, and pricing is described as subscription-based, with Falcon Go starting at $7.99 per endpoint per month.
Check Point Harmony Endpoint is singled out for unified endpoint and zero-trust protection. The guide says it combines malware prevention, phishing defense, and policy enforcement within Check Point’s security ecosystem. A free trial is available, while pricing is described as publicly available on request.
Microsoft Defender for Endpoint is recommended for Microsoft-native security environments. The guide says it’s deeply integrated with Microsoft 365 and Microsoft’s broader security stack. It carries no standalone list price in the guide, with licensing described as via Microsoft 365 bundles and enterprise agreements.
Kaspersky AntiVirus is listed for traditional malware protection needs. The guide describes it as a classic antivirus solution with real-time malware. phishing. and ransomware protection for basic endpoint security requirements. The guide notes there is no published US list pricing for business editions.
SentinelOne is placed as the best option for autonomous AI-driven endpoint response. The guide describes AI-powered endpoint security offering automated remediation, ransomware rollback, and multiple protection tiers. A free trial is available, with published list pricing starting at $69.99 per endpoint per year.
FortiClient rounds out the list as the best for Fortinet-centric endpoint and access control. The guide says the endpoint agent is designed for VPN access. device posture checks. and security policy enforcement in Fortinet environments. A free basic client is available, and enterprise EMS licensing is priced on request.
The core theme across the evaluations isn’t just what each product claims on a spec sheet. The guide says stronger platforms move beyond signature-based protection. surfacing behavioral patterns. flagging abnormal activity early. and giving security teams context around severity and exposure—so security work produces “signal instead of panic.” It also emphasizes that antivirus is often treated as a first line of defense in hybrid and remote environments. where device sprawl is common and centralized visibility can reduce reaction time when incidents occur.
To qualify for the list. the guide says each antivirus solution must provide real-time protection against malware and malicious activity. support centralized endpoint visibility and management. enable threat detection. response. and containment workflows. and deliver ongoing updates and protection across supported endpoints.
The evaluation process. as described. started by using G2’s Winter Grid Report 2026 to shortlist top antivirus software based on real user satisfaction scores and market presence across small. mid-market. and enterprise teams. From there. AI was used to analyze hundreds of verified G2 reviews and extract recurring feedback patterns around threat detection accuracy. false-positive rates. endpoint performance impact. ease of deployment. policy management. response speed. and integration with endpoint detection and response (EDR). security information and event management (SIEM). and identity tools.
Five criteria were prioritized for “worth it” decisions. Threat detection aligned with modern attack techniques was one—behavioral analysis prioritized over static signatures. especially for early-stage detection tied to how threats execute. False-positive control was another, reflecting how alert noise can disrupt investigations and erode trust. Endpoint performance under continuous protection was repeatedly stressed through reports of CPU. memory. and disk impact during real-time scanning. scheduled scans. and updates. Centralized endpoint visibility and policy enforcement were treated as essential across laptops, servers, virtual machines, and remote devices. And response and containment capabilities—quarantine. process termination. rollback. or network isolation—were used to judge whether detection leads to action.
Update stability and deployment architecture also mattered, with an emphasis on scalable deployment, resilient update mechanisms, and predictable version control.
The result is a list that reads like a map of different security philosophies, from “quiet protection” to “autonomous response.”
For ESET PROTECT. G2-linked scores cited in the guide include firewall capabilities scoring 92% on G2; Malware Detection and Endpoint Intelligence both scoring 92% on G2. The guide says reviewers describe stable, lightweight performance and a centralized console that reduces manual effort. It also notes a drawback: native reporting is described as less flexible for audit-ready or executive-level outputs. and advanced policy configuration is said to involve settings nested deeper within the console. adding time during first-time setup.
For Sophos Endpoint, the guide cites endpoint intelligence at 95% on G2 and malware detection at 95% on G2. System isolation is described with a strong score of 95% on G2. The guide says Sophos Endpoint delivers ransomware defense, centralized administration, and consistent enforcement through Sophos Central. It lists drawbacks tied to alert outputs not always including a direct remediation path and reporting feeling limited for compliance or board-level outputs. It also states that updates and scans can occasionally slow older systems. and initial setup and policy configuration may be more complicated for some users.
ThreatDown’s review-linked scores in the guide include security validation at 92% on G2 and compliance at 92% on G2. It highlights the OneView portal. describing endpoint health visibility across multiple locations and automatic prioritization for devices that fall out of compliance or require action. The guide lists downsides: blocking can be aggressive out of the box. sometimes catching legitimate software in stricter setups. and the console can take time to learn for first-time admins.
CrowdStrike Falcon Endpoint Protection Platform is presented with malware detection at 96% on G2 and system isolation scoring 94% on G2. The guide says its lightweight cloud-native model streams endpoint behavior to the Falcon console for real-time investigation and response decisions. It also emphasizes a unified event view that reconstructs attacks step by step. The guide’s cautions focus on premium pricing and an interface learning curve. describing query-driven workflows as taking time to get comfortable with. especially for teams new to advanced EDR.
Check Point Harmony Endpoint is presented with compliance scoring 91% on G2, and firewall scoring 91% on G2. The guide describes behavioral prevention that blocks phishing attempts, exploit activity, and suspicious behavior through behavioral analysis. It says performance stability is a recurring trust factor, with the agent running quietly in the background. Downsides noted include initial policy setup and alert tuning requiring upfront time and reporting feeling limited for outputs for non-technical stakeholders.
Microsoft Defender for Endpoint is framed as frequently adopted by default. arriving bundled with Windows and connecting to the Microsoft Defender portal alongside email. identity. and cloud security. The guide cites endpoint intelligence rated at 90% on G2. It lists alert volume as a challenge. saying prioritization can be harder without fine-grained severity grouping and that teams without a SIEM may feel the noise. It also describes customization depth as more limited than standalone EDR platforms and mentions difficulty with third-party integration on non-Microsoft platforms. along with licensing complexity and centralized management limitations.
Kaspersky AntiVirus is described as “quiet protection” that runs in the background without demanding user attention. The guide cites security validation scoring 93% on G2 and endpoint intelligence scoring 93% on G2. It lists a drawback tied to notifications being frequent during updates or when files flagged as suspicious are actually safe. It also notes annual licensing costs can be higher than some bundled or free alternatives. and says renewal process clarity may be an issue.
SentinelOne’s strongest figures in the guide include system isolation holding 94% on G2 and endpoint intelligence scoring 92% on G2. The guide highlights ransomware rollback as a key recovery feature, describing it as reverting affected systems to a pre-infection state. It also notes deployment speed, integration with SIEM and SOAR platforms, and managed detection services. Downsides listed include the interface taking time to learn for teams new to full EDR and the need for alert tuning during initial deployment to avoid lower-severity informational alerts competing with higher-priority incidents.
FortiClient is described as a natural extension of an existing Fortinet security model. The guide cites device control scoring 97% on G2 and firewall rating at 96% on G2. Security validation is also stated at 96% on G2. It emphasizes USB control and peripheral access control from the endpoint. SSL and IPsec VPN support. and zero trust network access (ZTNA) support to segment access at the application level. The guide’s cautions focus on scan and update processes being more resource-intensive on older or lower-spec devices and VPN and ZTNA diagnostic messages being cryptic when tunnels drop. potentially requiring helpdesk tickets.
To help readers compare quickly. the guide provides a table of software. G2 rating. free plan availability. and “best for.” The software listed are ESET PROTECT with a 4.6 / 5 rating and “No” free plan; Sophos Endpoint with a 4.7 / 5 rating and “No” free plan; ThreatDown with a 4.6 / 5 rating and “No” free plan; CrowdStrike Falcon Endpoint Protection Platform with a 4.6 / 5 rating and “No” free plan; Check Point Harmony Endpoint with a 4.5 / 5 rating and “No” free plan; Microsoft Defender for Endpoint with a 4.4 / 5 rating and “No” free plan; Kaspersky AntiVirus with a 4.4 / 5 rating and “No” free plan; SentinelOne with a 4.7 / 5 rating and “No” free plan; FortiClient with a 4.4 / 5 rating and “No” free plan.
The final takeaway in the guide is blunt: antivirus software is ultimately tested during active incidents, not during evaluation. It argues that the difference between tools that only block known malware and those that reduce risk becomes obvious when teams need to contain threats fast. restore systems. and limit disruption across the environment. When tools fall short, response becomes fragmented—alerts lack context, ownership drifts, and remediation stretches longer than necessary.
The nine picks, in that sense, are not just products. They are different answers to the same real-world question: how do you keep security work from turning into a second job when the stakes are high and time is tight?
G2 antivirus software endpoint protection ESET PROTECT Sophos Endpoint ThreatDown CrowdStrike Falcon Check Point Harmony Endpoint Microsoft Defender for Endpoint Kaspersky AntiVirus SentinelOne FortiClient