As you know, many free and paid antivirus software are available in the market, and everyone claims that their software is the best. It probably makes you confused about where and how to start choosing the best antivirus software for your business.

Also, free antivirus always tempts businesses to save money, but you should know that they cost you more than the paid ones in the long run. Because free antivirus software generally runs on old intelligence and does not have the capability to stop cyber threats in real-time.

Now, if you decide that protecting your business data is crucial, you must go for paid business antivirus software. But how to know which business antivirus solution you should buy to save your business against as many cyber threats as possible?

Here we will provide a step-by-step approach to help you choose the best business antivirus solution you must buy for your business.

You may be using Microsoft Windows or Apple MacBook or Linux, perhaps. It is best to consider antivirus software that supports all the hardware and platforms you want to protect and is also compatible with your servers. 

Because protecting only a few parts of the software is not appropriate for your server operating system, you make sure with the vendor whether the software supports all the environments before making the final decision.

Cyberattacks are not limited to specific threats. There are a handful of threats hidden on the Internet. Like:

• Malware – A program/file installed by hackers to steal, encrypt, and delete sensitive data; alter or hijack core computing functions and monitor end users' computer activity.
• Phishing scams - Online scams targeted through e-mail. It appears to be from a well-known source for personal identity theft.
• Ransomware – Theaters prevent you from accessing your device and the stored data, usually by encrypting your files until a ransom is paid.
• DDoS - Attack involves multiple connected online devices to overwhelm a target website with fake traffic and many more

So, you must check if the antivirus provides robust security to protect your system. A good business antivirus product offers three layers of protection:

1. File
2. Network
3. Application

Malware easily spreads across the connected systems. It is crucial to protect your network and reduce attack surfaces. 

It should have a robust DNS filter, endpoint behavior-based detection, VPNs, and safe browsing modules to block harmful content and dodgy websites from your PCs and devices. Find and report any unwelcome activity across your entire network and improve security and versatility.

Ensure it helps protect your devices from potentially dangerous apps, files, websites, and downloads using reputation-based protection and isolated browsing.

Antivirus should have:

• Enterprise-grade security (have powerful endpoint security capabilities)
• Flexibility for your environment (supports all the hardware - Windows and apps for Mac, iOS, and Android devices)
• Next-generation protection (protect all the devices together with cloud protection)
• Endpoint detection and response (behavior-based detection and manual response actions)
• Automated investigation and response (self-healing for detected threats)
• Vulnerability Management (show exposed devices and recommendations)
• APIs for integration (for custom tools and apps)
• Threat Analytics

• Easy-to-use security solution – that provides sleeked and updated experiences that guide you to action with recommendations and insights into your endpoints’ security. 
• Default security policies and Wizard-driven configuration – to help protect your company’s devices from day one.

Though you can easily find many good antivirus software in the market, not necessarily with all these features in one. So, make sure you go for software like Microsoft Defender for Business, which has all the features you and your IT department can manage centrally and easily. Microsoft has bundled many enterprise-grade features, especially for SMBs below 300 users, into one package that is highly discounted and gives an exponential return on investments.

Your IT infrastructure affects which security software will work best for your business.

Earlier, antivirus software servers were set up locally in the office. But in the last half-decade, most antiviruses have been moved to the Cloud. 

Hosting a cloud based (SAAS) antivirus is very easy. You don’t need a server on-site, and the endpoints’ management is much easier. Your systems will get software and policy updates anywhere as long as it is connected to the Internet. 

So, before making any decisions consider these questions as well: 

• Do you have all your devices based in one location or multiple locations?
• Do you manage all your devices from one central location? 
• How are the sites connected?
• What is the size of your business?
• Do you have a relatively simple IT structure or complex technical infrastructures?

You should consider buying a security product with multiple licenses if you have a small business with a relatively simple IT infrastructure. You can easily install these licenses on each device individually and manage the software directly.

Consider a centralized security product with cloud-based management features if your company is a small and medium-sized enterprise with complex technical infrastructures. It will allow you to manage the devices centrally and tackle security issues across all devices.

More importantly, if you are an SMB or big enterprise, and deploying an extensive centralized solution, ensure that you’ve got the IT staff, internally or externally. Because people with experience and knowledge will handle the software properly and efficiently. 

Antivirus software is usually heavy, makes your computers run slower, and you dread the updates, which seem to take forever to load and hampers productivity. Be sure you check the performance of the software so that it doesn’t take up too many of your system’s resources and slow your PCs to a crawl. One of the best places to start for reviews is Gartner Peer Insights.

Some software on the market offers additional features like USB controls, Patch management, Forensics, remote login, etc. These other features save you time and money.

Most small businesses don’t usually have a patch management solution, so this can be a good idea. You will need Patch management to update your systems with the latest patches and hotfixes. A good Patch management solution lets the admin see all the available patches and helps them determine what patches should apply and what patches to hold.

Also, make sure the package complies with any industry or government regulations your business needs to follow. Check the terms and conditions to ensure you’re getting an appropriate level of privacy.

Ensure that the company you will go to buy antivirus for your business provides after-sale support.

Ask them if the support is included in the price, or are there extra costs associated with increased support? 

Because if you don’t have an internal IT team, you might need to contact the vendor’s support team to troubleshoot False positives or manage custom policy configurations or any other issues. So, you need to check if an appropriate level of support is available 24/7.

When looking for antivirus software for your business, ask these questions to vendors to make sure you are comparing them equally:

• How much does it cost you? Are there monthly/annual subscription costs or extras you must pay to have a broader range of features?
• Can you benefit from a multi-year purchase?
• Is the license for the server different from the PCs?
• Is there a maintenance or support cost?

The appropriate answers to the above questions can help you make a much more informed decision about which Antivirus software is right for your business.

Many companies also offer discounts if you want to buy packages for more devices or several years – economies of scale can improve value for money.

We hope the article clarifies what you need to look for when choosing your Antivirus software for your business. And able to compare multiple options to get the best security software your business requires.

Unfortunately, it's very common for people to avoid purchasing antivirus software until they get attacked. They often wait for suspicious activities with their devices to take any action that makes them pay a very heavy penalty.

We suggest that whether it's a slow computer or suspicious glitches, make it a priority to implement effective antivirus software. The right program can find the threat and block it without impacting your productivity.

Keeping in mind all the above step-by-step approaches, Microsoft has developed Microsoft Defender for Business for SMBs with up to 300 users and Microsoft Defender for big enterprises.