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Microsoft BitLocker vs Sophos SafeGuard vs Symantec Endpoint Encryption 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:
 

Mindshare comparison

As of May 2025, in the Endpoint Encryption category, the mindshare of Microsoft BitLocker is 39.1%, down from 39.7% compared to the previous year. The mindshare of Sophos SafeGuard is 2.3%, down from 3.6% compared to the previous year. The mindshare of Symantec Endpoint Encryption is 9.2%, down from 10.4% compared to the previous year. It is calculated based on PeerSpot user engagement data.
Endpoint Encryption
 

Featured Reviews

Ibrahin Gamal - PeerSpot reviewer
Data protection improves while users adapt to user access complexities
Recovery options are useful with Microsoft BitLocker. When we get the recovery key from Microsoft, people who we show how BitLocker works did not know the facts about BitLocker. When we tell them about recovery keys, it is very difficult for them to get to the users who have issues in their PCs and do not have the knowledge. When IT asked about the scenario, it was difficult for them. They needed something where they could go to the administration portal to unlock the PC for the user, but we tell them that when a user asks for a recovery key, it consists of 32 numbers to unlock their PC. They observed cost savings after implementing Microsoft BitLocker because they requested BitLocker with System Center. They found that it did not have a high cost, as it is a built-in feature in Windows. When they asked about other solutions, it was very expensive for large numbers in other corporates or organizations. They were very satisfied with Microsoft BitLocker with System Center Configuration Manager.
ManelAlvarez - PeerSpot reviewer
Protects user data and offers data control and has an easy deployment
The most valuable feature is encryption control. If you have a laptop, it guarantees that the data is not missing or lost. It’s easy to deploy and has a central console where you can see whether the laptops are encrypted, updated, and protected. It protects devices, including USB and other external devices, and guarantees data loss protection. Additionally, with device control, you can ensure that no ransomware is introduced into the network. For me, this is of very high value.
Bharath Kumar Gajula - PeerSpot reviewer
Robust data protection with user-friendly deployment, competitive pricing, and comprehensive features like customizable alerts and effective detection capabilities but needs GUI improvements
The stability is relatively good. Occasionally, certain clients may experience disconnection from the management servers, requiring a manual process to rectify. Even in instances where the link is severed, restoring client connectivity can be challenging, sometimes necessitating the uninstallation and reinstallation of the software. Additionally, when clients go out of sync, we do not receive alerts, indicating an area for potential improvement. I would rate it seven out of ten.

Quotes from Members

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

Pros

"The most valuable feature is the authentication process which is very fast."
"I like the fact that you can get a BitLocker encryption key out of OneDrive."
"The best thing about it is the encryption type and the way it requires TPM when someone tries to access the drive."
"There's a lot of manageability within the solution. This is very helpful."
"Feature-wise we have the ability to encrypt fast."
"It seemed easy, straightforward, and secure."
"The most valuable feature is the TPM (Trusted Platform Module), which makes the PC security stronger because somebody who is not from the team cannot access the PC without the decryption PIN."
"Microsoft BitLocker's most valuable feature is endpoint encryption, and it's quite easy to manage."
"It's quite easy to integrate Safeguard with BitLocker"
"The most valuable feature is encryption control. If you have a laptop, it guarantees that the data is not missing or lost."
"The intrusion detection system."
"The user experience and the quality of the features are good."
"The setup process is straightforward."
"It's the best solution on the market."
"Sophos SafeGuard is very easy to implement, and the connection for remote users is beneficial."
"The monitoring features are easy to use."
"The solution was used to find harmful files and viruses on laptops."
"The management console gives us the ability to quickly control who sees what, ensures we are on the latest version, and up-to-date."
"The best feature of Symantec Endpoint Encryption is the encryption itself. Encryption truly is the way to go because nowadays we are living in an era of widespread server threats, and you need to encrypt your emails and documents because you never know who might get hold of them."
"Disk encryption and file and folder encryption are the most valuable and used features. It is also very well integrated with Symantec Messaging Gateway and Symantec DLP, which is helpful in protecting any kind of information that goes outside. Symantec DLP catches an email and sends it to the encryption server. The encryption server encrypts the email and intimates to the user that confidential information is being sent out. The administrator can then take appropriate action."
"It is fairly stable."
"Overall Symantec Endpoint Encryption is a reasonable solution."
"The most valuable feature is that it works in the background so that the end-users are not aware of what is happening on the laptop."
"I like the solution for its encryption."
 

Cons

"In future releases, I would like to see a feature where I can have a view of each device that has BitLocker to see if these machines are encrypted or not. So, I just want a view or a dashboard that can tell us so that I can remediate and add BitLocker to those systems or devices."
"It is not good for cross-compatibility, so our Mac users are not able to use it."
"The deployment process regarding prerequisites and automation could be easy to understand."
"It needs a management console."
"If integration with Active Directory are not mandatory for him, I think that there are many other solutions in the market that equal or are much stronger than Microsoft."
"The primary aspect for improvement lies in expanding our developer base, which would accelerate the development process and bring these enhancements to fruition"
"We recently found some stability issues with Microsoft BitLocker."
"If the encryption was faster then it would make the experience more pleasant."
"The focus should be on making things automated ."
"Sometimes, multiple updates and crashes happen in the tool, making it an area where improvements are required."
"SafeGuard's user interface is ugly and doesn't provide reports, so we have to go into the database and get information from there by creating queries."
"It would be ideal if the solution had different features within one agent."
"An area for improvement in Sophos SafeGuard is the pricing. Pricing should be better when adding a new account or scaling the product."
"The lack of need for the patch for an extra password is a shortcoming. It will be a great improvement if the patch requires an extra password so that they can find out how to synchronize your Windows password with the same password for Sophos SafeGuard."
"The solution lacks direct connectivity to Azure AD."
"The Office 360 integration could be improved."
"From an administration point of view, maybe it would be ideal to have it centrally managed."
"I do not find the environment to be very user-friendly."
"More features need to be included in the encryption software."
"The GUI could use some enhancement, particularly in making option sets easier to locate on client machines."
"Upgrades from one version to another may only sometimes be straightforward, especially if one needs a clearer understanding of the process."
"What I didn't find helpful in the version we used is the fact that all devices had to be on the same network for us to push through the encryption."
"I would like to see some features or functionality enhanced in Symantec Endpoint Encryption."
"The instability of the company and lack of presence in the Middle East is affecting product use."
 

Pricing and Cost Advice

"The tool is cheap compared to the products offered by competitors. If one is cheap and ten is expensive, I rate the tool's price as one."
"We already use Microsoft products, and Microsoft BitLocker is an add-on product that is free of cost for us."
"The cost of this solution is bundled in with part of the subscription for the Microsoft Cloud. We have users subscribed to Enterprise E5 and it comes with E5"
"The product's cost is included in Windows."
"Microsoft BitLocker's pricing is fair; I rate it a four out of ten."
"We can activate the product at no cost."
"I think it's reasonably priced because I've never heard any complaints from my company about its costs."
"Microsoft BitLocker's pricing is included in the Microsoft license, and you don't have to pay an additional fee for it."
"The platform is reasonably priced considering its functionality and adaptability. It is subscription-based."
"Regarding pricing, it's a middle-priced solution. We typically use Sophos SafeGuard with the Sophos firewall, which includes VPN connections. The cost depends on the number of users, with some customers requiring hundreds of connections and others needing around a thousand."
"The pricing is reasonable."
"Pricing for Sophos SafeGuard should be transparent. If you want to get support for Sophos SafeGuard, you don't get pricing information about support costs, and in the end, you'll get charged more."
"I rate the product price a six on a scale of one to ten, where one is a low price, and ten is a high price."
"I rate Sophos SafeGuard's pricing a five out of ten."
"Licensing is on a yearly basis and the pricing could be better."
"It's a software license with a one-time purchase. There are no issues with purchasing, and the vendor is flexible with licensing."
"Depending on how many modules you will use (up to five) the licensing will be more expensive."
"Considering the fluctuation in exchange rates in our part of the world, we find it generally affordable."
"We hold an annual license, and their pricing is competitive, falling into the affordable range."
"It can be expensive. However, if you plan to scale or are at a large enterprise company, this product could be what you need."
"They have two solutions for encryption including Symantec Endpoint Encryption and PGP Endpoint Encryption. With one PGP license, you can deploy the two solutions. The PGP license gives you two options."
"The solution is good, but it is more expensive than other solutions in the market. Other solutions, such as BitLocker are less expensive."
"Although the performance and stability of this solution are good, our challenge is the price tag. You buy the solution once, but you also have to keep on buying the licenses yearly."
"The licensing costs yearly are $5000."
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Top Industries

By visitors reading reviews
Computer Software Company
11%
Government
10%
Manufacturing Company
9%
Financial Services Firm
9%
Financial Services Firm
14%
Computer Software Company
12%
Healthcare Company
12%
Real Estate/Law Firm
9%
Financial Services Firm
13%
Computer Software Company
13%
Manufacturing Company
12%
Government
6%
 

Company Size

By reviewers
Large Enterprise
Midsize Enterprise
Small Business
 

Questions from the Community

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 th...
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 en...
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 en...
What is your experience regarding pricing and costs for Sophos SafeGuard?
I cannot compare prices precisely, so I would give it a five out of ten rating. I am uncertain. Sophos is slightly mo...
What needs improvement with Sophos SafeGuard?
I cannot think of any improvements right now.
What do you like most about Symantec Endpoint Encryption?
Antivirus, URL filtering, and firewall protection are the most effective features for data protection.
What is your experience regarding pricing and costs for Symantec Endpoint Encryption?
I am not sure about the pricing and licensing cost of Symantec Endpoint Encryption.
What needs improvement with Symantec Endpoint Encryption?
Support can sometimes be a problem, although not always. It's a very rare case.
 

Also Known As

BitLocker, MS BitLocker
SafeGuard, SafeGuard Encryption
Symantec Drive Encryption
 

Overview

 

Sample Customers

ACV, Proaxis Therapy, Choice Hotels International, adnymics GmbH, Intermedia, NMBS/SNCB
Rushmoor Borough Council
Citrix Systems Inc., City of Lansing, Commercial & Industrial Property, France T_l_visions, Fujian Mobile Co. Ltd., Group Lotus plc, Hall Booth Smith & Slover, P.C. (HBSS), Portugal Telecom, PostFinance, Public Pension Agency
Find out what your peers are saying about Microsoft, Sophos, ESET and others in Endpoint Encryption. Updated: May 2025.
853,271 professionals have used our research since 2012.