Cheap endpoint protection for under 50 staff (UK SME guide, 2026)

If your antivirus is whatever came free with Windows, plus a vague hope that staff “don’t click weird stuff”, you do not have endpoint protection. You have a lottery ticket.

Endpoint protection is the software that sits on each laptop, desktop and (ideally) phone, and tries to stop malware, ransomware and known bad behaviour before it wrecks the week. For a UK firm with fewer than 50 people, “cheap” should mean low cost per seat and low admin time, not a free consumer product glued onto a company machine.

This guide is for owner-managers and office managers, not security architects. No enterprise bake-off. No fear theatre.

What “cheap and good enough” actually means

• A company-owned licence, not a staff member’s personal Norton subscription
• A console that shows every device is protected (or not)
• Coverage for Windows at minimum; Mac if you have designers or directors on Apple kit
• Automatic updates without someone chasing installers
• A way to remove a leaver’s device from the licence the same day
• Something you can explain to an insurer or Cyber Essentials assessor in plain English

Nice to have, not day-one mandatory: full EDR with 24/7 human hunters, mobile device management, and server modules. Those cost more and need someone to watch the alerts.

The short recommendation

• Already on Microsoft 365 Business Premium: turn on and properly configure Microsoft Defender for Business (it is included). Do not pay twice for a second AV you will never manage.
• On Microsoft 365 Business Basic/Standard, or mixed Windows/Mac fleets that need a simple buy-online console: evaluate Microsoft Defender for Business as a standalone add-on, or Bitdefender GravityZone Small Business / Business Security.
• Tiny teams that mainly need a clean install and ransomware rollback storytelling: look at Malwarebytes for Teams / ThreatDown entry tiers, then confirm current GBP pricing.
• Skip “enterprise MDR” sales calls until you have MFA, a password manager, backups that restore, and someone who will actually open the security console weekly.

If you only remember one rule: free Windows Defender left on default, with no company policy and no visibility, is not a strategy. Paying £2–£4 per user per month for something you can see and revoke usually is.

Microsoft Defender for Business — usually the cheapest sensible start

Microsoft Defender for Business is endpoint protection aimed at SMEs, with a simplified console, next-gen antivirus, vulnerability signals, and automated investigation features. Official UK list pricing at draft time (microsoft.com/en-gb, paid yearly, VAT extra): about £2.30 per user per month, up to 300 users, up to five devices per user. Reseller and monthly prices vary.

Important packaging note: Defender for Business capabilities are included with Microsoft 365 Business Premium. If you already pay for Premium, start there before buying a third-party stack. If you are on Basic or Standard, the standalone Defender for Business licence is often cheaper than stacking consumer AV plus hope.

Strengths: price, Microsoft admin centre familiarity, Windows depth, mobile coverage in the product story, and a clear story for “we use Microsoft’s SME endpoint product”.

Trade-offs: Mac and mixed fleets still need careful onboarding; you must actually enable and policy it (licences alone do nothing); heavy XDR suites sit on dearer add-ons. Partner mark-ups differ from list.

Bitdefender GravityZone — strong detection, buy-online SME tiers

Bitdefender’s GravityZone line is a frequent pick when independent lab scores matter and you want a dedicated security console rather than living inside Microsoft admin. Entry SME tiers commonly sold online include GravityZone Small Business Security and GravityZone Business Security (Premium sits higher with more advanced detection tooling).

Indicative USD list from Bitdefender’s own configurator reading around early–mid September 2026 (10 devices, 1 year, before tax): Small Business Security about $32.50 per device per year list; Business Security about $38.50; Business Security Premium about $88. First-term promotional discounts (often advertised around 30%) are common; plan renewals at list, not the promo button. Convert to GBP at card rate and add VAT. Confirm live on bitdefender.com before you buy.

Strengths: strong detection reputation, cloud console suited to small IT-less teams, clear upgrade path without jumping straight to MDR theatre.

Trade-offs: USD-led online pricing; promo vs renewal gap; advanced modules and servers add cost; someone still has to glance at the console.

Lighter alternatives worth a quote, not a cult

Malwarebytes business entry products (Teams / ThreatDown naming varies by channel) are often sold as simple to deploy with ransomware-focused messaging. Published per-endpoint business figures in secondary 2026 round-ups commonly sit roughly in the mid tens of dollars per endpoint per year for lighter tiers, rising when EDR is added. Treat those as indicative and get a current quote.

ESET PROTECT Entry is a long-standing low-overhead option for mixed OS fleets. Secondary sources in 2026 often cite Entry around the low tens of dollars per device per year at small counts (for example figures near $211/year for five devices appear in round-ups). Again: confirm on eset.com or a UK reseller.

What to avoid early: CrowdStrike-class platforms sold through MSP partner tracks with high minimums, and “free forever” consumer AV on company laptops with no central revoke. OwnerSec’s affiliate plan deliberately skips CrowdStrike-style MSP partner programmes for pure content affiliates.

Quick comparison (indicative)

Prices move. VAT, multi-year deals and reseller packs change totals. Always verify before purchase.

Cyber Essentials and “antivirus” myths

Cyber Essentials asks whether malware protection is in place and kept up to date on devices in scope. Buying a brand-name product does not equal a certificate. Leaving Defender disabled, excluding half the laptops, or running three conflicting AV products will hurt you more than the logo on the box helps.

Pair endpoint protection with: automatic OS updates, MFA on Microsoft 365 (or Google Workspace), a company password manager, and backups you have restored once on purpose. Endpoint software without those is expensive wallpaper.

A one-week rollout for an owner-manager

• Day 1: Inventory devices (who has a laptop, who uses a personal Mac for work email). Decide company-owned vs BYOD rules.
• Day 2: Pick one product. Prefer Defender for Business if you already pay for Business Premium; otherwise shortlist Defender standalone vs Bitdefender Small Business.
• Day 3: Buy in the company name. Create an admin account with MFA. Turn off dual AV on pilot machines.
• Day 4: Deploy to finance and leadership first, then everyone else. Confirm the console shows green.
• Day 5: Write a two-line leaver step: remove device from console, wipe or reclaim the laptop, rotate shared vault access.

Common mistakes

• Paying for Premium AV while Business Premium already includes Defender for Business
• Running two real-time AV engines “for safety” (they fight; performance dies)
• Ignoring Macs and phones because “we’re a Windows shop” while directors live on iPhones
• Buying MDR monitoring you will never read the tickets for
• No backups: endpoint tools reduce risk; they do not replace restore drills

Bottom line

For most UK SMEs under 50 staff in 2026, start with Microsoft Defender for Business if you are in the Microsoft estate (especially Business Premium). Choose Bitdefender GravityZone when you want a dedicated SME security console and are happy buying online in dollars with eyes open on renewal. Look at Malwarebytes or ESET when simplicity or mixed-OS lightness is the main constraint, and get a live quote.

Do not confuse cheap with free-and-unmanaged. Visibility and revoke matter more than the logo.

Next in this series: What to do in the first hour after a phishing click.

Sources and price caveat

Microsoft Defender for Business UK list (~£2.30 user/month, paid yearly, VAT extra) taken from Microsoft UK security pages at draft time (Sep 2026). Bitdefender GravityZone indicative USD figures from product configurator readings reported Sep 2026 (10-device annual). Malwarebytes and ESET figures from secondary 2026 round-ups; confirm on vendor or UK reseller sites. This page may contain affiliate links once programmes are live.