EDR versus classic antivirus, is the price gap worth it

Classic antivirus is near-free or cheap. EDR sits higher but catches behaviour, not signatures. For SMB with customer data this is rarely still a question.

Try this first

1. 1Classic antivirus (Windows Defender built-in, or a free tier) catches known malware. For a sole trader doing only Office work, that is a defensible floor.
2. 2EDR (CrowdStrike Falcon Go, SentinelOne, Microsoft Defender for Business, Sophos Intercept X) catches suspicious behaviour. List price runs from a few euros per endpoint per month to tens for enterprise tiers.
3. 3For SMB with customer data or NIS2 scope, EDR is practically required. Insurers ask for it routinely. Antivirus-only no longer meets most policy conditions in 2026.
4. 4Microsoft Defender for Business is included free in M365 Business Premium. If you already have Premium, you have effectively already taken the EDR step. Do not undervalue that.
5. 5Add response cost. An EDR tool with nobody reading alerts is half the job. Either do it yourself, buy an MDR service on top, or take an MSP retainer that includes it.

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