How Much Does a Good Antivirus Cost?

Good antivirus protection for a business typically costs between £2 and £10 per device permonth, depending on the level of protection and whether it is centrally managed. Basic signature-based scanning sits at the lower end, while fully managed endpoint protection with behavioural detection and ransomware defence sits at the higher end.

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• ‍Basic vs advanced protection - simple signature scanning costs less than platforms with behavioural detection and automated response.‍
• Managed vs self-managed - having a provider monitor and respond to alerts costs more than software alone, but catches far more.‍
• Bundled vs standalone - protection bundled into Microsoft 365 Business Premium or a wider IT support package often works out cheaper than buying antivirus separately.
• ‍Number of devices - pricing is charged per device, so total cost scales with how many laptops, desktops and servers need covering.‍
• Response and remediation - some packages only alert on a threat, while others include the provider actually investigating and resolving it, which sits at the higher end of the price range.

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Around £2 to £4 per device typically covers basic antivirus scanning with limited reporting and no active monitoring. £4 to £7 usually adds behavioural detection and some centralised visibility, so a provider can see what is happening across every device from one dashboard. £7 to £10 generally includes full endpoint protection with 24/7 monitoring and a provider who investigates and responds when something is flagged, rather than leaving an alert for someone in the business to notice and act on manually.

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Antivirus alone does not cover email security, backup, or network monitoring, all of which sit within a wider cybersecurity budget rather than the antivirus line item itself. A business paying £3 per device for antivirus but with no email filtering or backup strategy is still carrying significant risk. Businesses wanting a fuller picture of ongoing security costs should look at cybersecurity spend as a whole, not just device-level protection.

Bytes Digital includes device protection as standard within every managed IT support package for businesses across Bristol and the South West.

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