Any entrepreneur leading an ambitious startup is going to have to ensure their software and network is kept very secure. Not only against random hackers and viruses but even against rivals looking to sneak a peek – or even steal – your hard work. But how do you manage that when budgets are tight enough as they are? The good news is that there are plenty of contenders for the ‘best antivirus for windows 10’ award this year. While they may not offer as watertight a defense as an international conglomerate, with supplementary care and disciplined network management anyone can keep their data under lock and key.

Why Is Anti Virus Software Necessary?

You bet it is. Regardless of whether you are a sole person enterprise or part of a team, security has never been so important. Long gone are the days when it was safe to assume that hackers and fraudsters wouldn’t waste their time on the ‘little guy’. Just take a look at the steep rise in successful hacks that have been taking place via public wifi systems. Even your phone and any other tethered devices can compromise your whole operation, and of course, this risk multiplies many times over depending on how many users and access points you have.

To put it quite simply, if you are hacked it can very easily flatten your business and ruin years of dedicated work. Are clients/customers going to come back to you if their own data has been compromised? Maybe they will, but few will recommend or refer you to new opportunities.

But it doesn’t take much effort or expense to use one of the best antivirus for Windows 10 programs. Most offer free trial periods, are not jaw-droppingly expensive, and can be tailored specifically towards looking out for your key needs. Here’s a lowdown on some of the best options out there worthy of any responsible entrepreneur’s attention.

Bitdefender GravityZone Business Security

AV-Comparative scored this with a perfect 100% score across the board – but does this make it an ideal option? In the real world, nothing is absolutely perfect. What you do get here is watertight antivirus/malware protection alongside URL filtering and a useful web advisor (that works!). It is also cross-compatible between Windows and OSX static and mobile devices – which is a very useful factor if working in a team. Drawbacks would be that it offers no location services for lost devices; an irritating omission which seems to be a bizarre oversight. It also takes a while to install.

Pros:

* Excellent overall protective software suite.

* Intuitive and easy to use across a variety of operating systems.

* No limit on devices.

Cons:

* Frustratingly long installation process.

* Lack of location tracking is a real oversight.

Avast Business Antivirus Pro

AV-Comparative reckons this offers a 99.7% standard of protection – which in all honesty is more realistic than the above. That is an outstanding score and as would be expected from Avast operates in a ‘real-time style’. It is constantly working away on scans for programs, emails and online activities yet also incorporates handy SharePoint and Exchange server protection. All this combined makes it a quality option for static use. Why the qualification here? It does not offer any protection for mobile devices. If that can be overlooked or is irrelevant to your operation, then consider this the winner. But are yourself or team members really not going to need to access data outside of the office?

Pros:

* All in one highly effective static defense against risks.

* Live updates and always working without using huge system resources.

* Server protection is a very useful additional feature.

Cons:

* Lack of mobile protection is a worry.

Panda Endpoint Protection Plus

Our friends at AV-Comparative also scored this a 100% success at defeating all risks thrown at it – but once again, make of that what you wish. Panda has made a good name for themselves recently thanks to being so very flexible. Endpoint is compatible with Windows, Linux, OSX, and Android devices across the board, meaning they are worthy of real consideration if you have a large and growing team. Support is better than usual and there’s a wealth of add-ons available once signed up that add even more versatility. On the other hand, it can be system intensive and sometimes prone to a glitch or two making devices sluggish.

Pros:

* Quality package that will deal with all threats flung at it.

* That cross-compatibility is a real boon for expanding startups.

* Flexible and easy to tailor to your exact needs.

Cons:

* Can be system intensive especially on lower-end devices.

Final Thoughts

There are dozens of other options out there. At a stretch, we’d also suggest you take a look at McAfee Endpoint Security and Trend Micro Worry-Free Business Security Services vying for the 4th and 5th spot. But those are three examples that are well worthy of consideration and each has particular advantages over the other. If you need a jack of all trades then Bitdefender GravityZone Business Security is probably the best overall – just don’t lose your phone if used for business purposes!

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