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ESET Endpoint Protection Platform vs Microsoft BitLocker comparison

 

Comparison Buyer's Guide

Executive Summary

Review summaries and opinions

We asked business professionals to review the solutions they use. Here are some excerpts of what they said:
 

Categories and Ranking

ESET Endpoint Protection Pl...
Average Rating
8.2
Reviews Sentiment
7.0
Number of Reviews
100
Ranking in other categories
Endpoint Protection Platform (EPP) (11th), Advanced Threat Protection (ATP) (7th), Anti-Malware Tools (4th)
Microsoft BitLocker
Average Rating
8.2
Reviews Sentiment
7.4
Number of Reviews
65
Ranking in other categories
Endpoint Encryption (1st), Mobile Data Protection (1st)
 

Mindshare comparison

While both are Endpoint Security solutions, they serve different purposes. ESET Endpoint Protection Platform is designed for Endpoint Protection Platform (EPP) and holds a mindshare of 3.0%, down 3.5% compared to last year.
Microsoft BitLocker, on the other hand, focuses on Endpoint Encryption, holds 39.1% mindshare, down 39.7% since last year.
Endpoint Protection Platform (EPP)
Endpoint Encryption
 

Featured Reviews

ManojNair2 - PeerSpot reviewer
Easy to set up with good security and rapidly improving capabilities
In terms of stability, the performance parameters do come into play. It's good on the regular office front, however, on the development side, if somebody is using it in a development environment, they need to make some configuration changes in terms of what directories should be excluded from the real-time scanning. I had to do that kind of stuff. I don't do that with the Microsoft product, for example. It runs, and it scans the entire system with no issues. The solution is stable. Regular updates were available in the product versions. They were updated, and they gave regular signature updates also so that the product checked all the boxes.
Douglas Curry - PeerSpot reviewer
Users can easily deploy and manage it
The solution's most valuable feature is that it is simple to deploy and manage. I can't say what features of the tool I like since it is very much a deploy-and-forget product. We don't use any advanced features of the tool in my company. The tool's recovery options are good, especially since it integrates with Active Directory, making everything a simple process. The product's integration capabilities are good.

Quotes from Members

We asked business professionals to review the solutions they use. Here are some excerpts of what they said:
 

Pros

"The maintenance is easy."
"The most valuable features of this solution are, of course, the IPS/IDS, Intrusion Prevention, Intrusion Detection, and Antivirus."
"I rate ESET Endpoint Security eight out of 10 for ease of setup. Setting up ESET can be straightforward or complicated depending on the customer's environment. The deployment time varies, but it's typically around five days. We have a team of four or five people involved in the deployment. Only one person is needed for maintenance. The only maintenance is adjusting the configuration of the dashboard."
"I have found the ESET Management Console very good. It gives me many features, such as managing users and installing a new version."
"The most valuable thing for me is that when I'm using the internet and I reach some site that isn't so secure, or isn't recommended because they don't have a good reputation, ESET will notify me."
"It effectively catches unwanted stuff. It has saved our bacon over many years."
"A feature we like is setting the GUI of ESET Endpoint Security/ESET File Security to silent mode because some servers and clients can have performance issues."
"Easy to use security solution, helps to secure connected devices against viruses in the digital world."
"It's very straightforward to recover data. It's safe for us; in case of lost information, it provides multiple options to recover the data."
"The manageability of it is a valuable feature."
"The ease of administering and integrating the solution is great."
"We have not seen any bugs or glitches, so the stability is good."
"Technical support is excellent."
"It comes bundled with other Microsoft solutions."
"It is free and native to the OS. We don't have to worry about upgrades or maintaining the product. You encrypt the disk, and you save the recovery key. That's it. The person puts their password in, and after that, it is up to them. If they forget their password, they have to bring it in to get it unlocked."
"Microsoft BitLocker is a Microsoft native product that provides good encryption."
 

Cons

"In terms of areas for improvement, I didn't see any from ESET Endpoint Security because what's important is that it works as an antivirus solution. I do find its pricing expensive here in Hungary, so if the price could be lower, that would be good. ESET Endpoint Security is an antivirus, so it only needs to stop the virus. If it had other features, I wouldn't need it. Every program or solution has specific functions and in this case, ESET Endpoint Security is worth it as an antivirus, though in the next release of the solution, it would be better if there's some improvement in its antivirus database."
"I'm not aware of any areas that need improvement."
"ESET Endpoint Security should offer more integration with multi-attack frameworks."
"Online security could still be improved in ESET Endpoint Antivirus because security is threatened by phishing."
"I am a MAC user and my asset cybersecurity is continuously displaying warnings that I am not using their firewall."
"The management of the solution isn't as clear as it could be. They could adjust that to make it a better product."
"While the pricing is good, they could always lower it a bit."
"We'd like the solution to be a next generation antivirus with some sort of artificial intelligence or machine learning angle."
"The encryption takes a long time to complete, and our system runs very slowly while it is encrypting."
"I would like to see improvement in the solution's central management of passwords. Currently, we install it separately."
"The management of the product could be made a little easier."
"There is room for improvement in stability."
"We recently found some stability issues with Microsoft BitLocker."
"I often have to make multiple attempts to log in."
"The solution could be improved if it was more user friendly."
"BitLocker should be available on standard Windows. We need to spend money on a Pro license to get BitLocker because it's essential to protect our customers' data. We don't want that to fall into the wrong hands."
 

Pricing and Cost Advice

"The cost is a very reasonable. When compared with other products, the price is low (though not very low)."
"As is the general rule with anything, the solution could be cheaper."
"This is not an expensive solution."
"The price is okay and I don't have any issues with it."
"The price of the solution is reasonable compared to the other products out there. It is definitely in line with the competition."
"The price could be a little lower."
"I rate the product's price as seven or eight on a scale of one to ten, where one is cheap, and ten is expensive."
"Customers buy the ESET Endpoint Security license for a year, two years, or 36 months."
"On a scale from one to ten, where one is expensive and ten is cheap, I rate the solution's pricing an eight out of ten."
"BitLocker is included in our license and doesn't cost us anything extra."
"BitLocker is already in Windows 10 and its price has already been "paid"."
"Microsoft BitLocker is a free feature when you are using Microsoft solutions."
"Microsoft BitLocker's pricing is included in the Microsoft license, and you don't have to pay an additional fee for it."
"The solution is cost efficient."
"I think it's reasonably priced because I've never heard any complaints from my company about its costs."
"The product's cost is included in Windows."
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Answers from the Community

TK
Jan 11, 2022
Jan 11, 2022
Are you in a regulated industry? If so using the native BitLocker is not enough to prove compliance. You will need to use something like BitLocker Administration and Monitoring (MBAM) which is part of MDOP (Microsoft Desktop Optimization Pack) or another tool that will manage Bitlocker and give you proof the device is encrypted in the event of a lost or stolen device. You also need to enforc...
See 2 answers
MB
Jan 11, 2022
I guess the solution depends upon a couple of things for us and how we currently approach this for our clients.   We have both in place around a variety of small clients. As 99% of our systems have Windows Pro, they have BitLocker, therefore this would now be the first choice.   However, if the client requires centralised management and control we would then advise ESET.  And that is the core to this for us, if they need central management, control, recovery - ESET every time.   If it is just encryption and there is no need to control/recover and a simple reformat would work (and loss of history/data is not an issue), then BitLocker is ok.
James OConnor - PeerSpot reviewer
Jan 11, 2022
Are you in a regulated industry?  If so using the native BitLocker is not enough to prove compliance.  You will need to use something like BitLocker Administration and Monitoring (MBAM) which is part of MDOP (Microsoft Desktop Optimization Pack) or another tool that will manage Bitlocker and give you proof the device is encrypted in the event of a lost or stolen device.  You also need to enforce secure password management, user training on passwords and regular password changes. If you have Microsoft 365 Business premium you have additional controls over Bitlocker; or, M365 E3/E5, Windows Enterprise E3/E5 all have MDOP... Other Bitlocker management can be found with SOPHOS and I believe TrendMicro as well. Another tool to consider, especially for laptops, is ABSOLUTE software.  It is built into the BIOS of the major laptop brands and just needs the key to activate it... Also, ESET is a quality product for encryption.  It gives you additional options for less than some of the Microsoft alternatives.   BitLocker is just not FREE if you are in a regulated industry since it needs management to truly be secure the device and prove compliance. I hope some of this helps.
 

Top Industries

By visitors reading reviews
Computer Software Company
15%
Comms Service Provider
12%
Financial Services Firm
7%
Government
6%
Computer Software Company
12%
Government
10%
Manufacturing Company
9%
Financial Services Firm
9%
 

Company Size

By reviewers
Large Enterprise
Midsize Enterprise
Small Business
 

Questions from the Community

What do you like most about ESET Endpoint Security?
ESET Endpoint Security’s most valuable feature is the management console.
What is your experience regarding pricing and costs for ESET Endpoint Security?
I rate the product’s pricing a three out of ten. It is neither cheap nor expensive for our clients. We use the free version, and there are no additional costs involved.
What needs improvement with ESET Endpoint Security?
The product’s AI implementation feature could be better for learning user behavior. There could be a feature to detect unsecured devices in the network similar to its older version. We need additio...
What should one take into account when replacing PGP with Microsoft BitLocker?
Beware to make backup of useful data, then use reverse decryption policy from Symantec panel/McAfee ePO to decrypt the DE partitions while it is sometimes more straightforward and faster to reinsta...
Would you choose Microsoft BitLocker or McAfee Complete Data Protection?
Microsoft BitLocker is very intuitive and easy to maintain. It is basically the global standard solution for drive encryption and successfully fulfills regulatory needs in terms of data protection....
How does Microsoft BitLocker compare with Symantec Endpoint Encryption?
Microsoft BitLocker is very intuitive and easy to maintain. It is basically the global standard solution for drive encryption and it successfully fulfills regulatory needs in terms of data protecti...
 

Also Known As

Smart Security, ESET PROTECT Advanced, ESET LiveGuard Advanced, ESET PROTECT Platform
BitLocker, MS BitLocker
 

Overview

 

Sample Customers

ERSTE Group Bank, Miller Solutions, Wesleyan University, The Hospital Center of Luxembourg, Deer Valley USD, SPAR, Industrial Federal Credit Union, Honda, City Hall of Palmela, Hays CISD, Lester B Pearson School Board
ACV, Proaxis Therapy, Choice Hotels International, adnymics GmbH, Intermedia, NMBS/SNCB
Find out what your peers are saying about Microsoft, CrowdStrike, SentinelOne and others in Endpoint Protection Platform (EPP). Updated: April 2025.
849,686 professionals have used our research since 2012.