Malwarebytes vs. Sophos Intercept X

Overview
ProductRatingMost Used ByProduct SummaryStarting Price
Malwarebytes
Score 8.2 out of 10
N/A
Malwarebytes is a antimalware application for home and small businesses, which blocks viruses, malware, hackers, viruses, and malicious websites.
$119.99
per year 3 devices
Sophos Intercept X
Score 8.9 out of 10
N/A
Sophos Endpoint Protection (Sophos EPP) with Intercept X is an endpoint security product providing an antivirus / antimalware solution that when upgraded with Intercept X or Intercept X Advanced provides advanced threat detection and EDR capabilities.
$28
per year per user
Pricing
MalwarebytesSophos Intercept X
Editions & Modules
Teams - Sole proprietor
$119.99
per year 3 devices
Teams - Boutique business
$399.99
per year 10 devices
Teams - Small office
$799.99
per year 20 devices
Intercept X Advanced
$28
per year per user
Intercept X Advanced with XDR
$48
per year per user
Sophos Managed Threat Response
$79
per year per user
Offerings
Pricing Offerings
MalwarebytesSophos Intercept X
Free Trial
NoNo
Free/Freemium Version
NoNo
Premium Consulting/Integration Services
NoNo
Entry-level Setup FeeNo setup feeNo setup fee
Additional DetailsAll plans include a 60-day money back guarantee. 1st year discount available for the Small office plan.Pricing is for a 3-year commitment. Government and Education pricing available.
More Pricing Information
Community Pulse
MalwarebytesSophos Intercept X
Considered Both Products
Malwarebytes
Chose Malwarebytes
Sentinel One is streamlined, with a minimal resource footprint, and it appears to work well, offering slightly more comprehensive protection than Malwarebytes.
Chose Malwarebytes
We chose Malwarebytes for Teams which offered a significant savings compared to other scanners
Chose Malwarebytes
Night and day difference. Low overhead, not a single breach in over 5 years with Malwarebytes.
Chose Malwarebytes
Mcafee usually takes a long time to scan each system as we usually have scheduled systems scan every weekend. But if we want to scan a particular system in minimal time we usually go with Malwarebytes to get the job done.
Chose Malwarebytes
We have used Malwarebytes for many years. Originally, we used the free version but converted to the paid version. Now, we have five licenses, one for each of the staff members who are working remotely.
Chose Malwarebytes
Proven to be one of the best in detecting malware that is otherwise undetected by other solutions. When a user gets hit by certain malware, many other tools do not even detect them as malware, while with Malwarebytes, you can rest assured that if it states that a computer is …
Chose Malwarebytes
Malwarebytes Endpoint Protection is better than Webroot's Business Endpoint Protection in quite a few ways from the admin console to how effective the software works. Malwarebytes has a better admin GUI console in every way. Malwarebytes has detected malware that Webroot has not.
Chose Malwarebytes
I found Sophos to be more resource intensive, scans take longer and affect the end user experience more. Building policies and customizations is not as intuitive with Sophos.
Chose Malwarebytes
Malwarebytes beat the pricing we received from competing products like ESET and Bitdefender. Also, from looking at multiple reviews and ratings, Malwarebytes simply does a better job of protecting systems. It is easy to manage and maintain (sometimes information can be too …
Chose Malwarebytes
I have found Avast and TRENDmicro are experts in their own right but I have always found success at a low cost using Malwarebytes.
Chose Malwarebytes
I haven't used Norton, MacKeeper, nor any other anti-viral software for many years. I believe Malwarebytes is the most effective malware software available in its price range and have been extremely satisfied with it. Since using it I have had no issues nor incidents with …
Chose Malwarebytes
Malwarebytes seems to lead the industry in customer focus. Their support team is superior. The breadth of services they offer is a major factor along with their roadmap for the future. I believe the update process is one of the easiest I've experienced with major software …
Chose Malwarebytes
Malwarebytes is much better at detecting and mitigating non-traditional or virus-like attack vectors than any of the frontline anti-virus programs that we evaluated. As such, we chose to use Malwarebytes in tandem with a frontline anti-virus solution, providing us with two …
Chose Malwarebytes
It's difficult to make a fair comparison because I use Bitdefender on a Mac rather than a PC. Bitdefender finds many suspicious emails that it can't remove or quarantine, so I have to remove them manually. Malwarebytes doesn't do that.
Chose Malwarebytes
To be blunt, MB leaves them in the dust from an operative and functional perspective. We use them because we get great support for all functions and find they do an excellent job at what they are designed to do. Competitive costs and no extraneous fees. Software that tries to …
Chose Malwarebytes
Have also used the following malware/spyware protection/removal tools:
SuperAntiSpyware
Spybot Search & Destroy
Chose Malwarebytes
Initially organization was startup so we preferred Malwarebytes.
Chose Malwarebytes
Ultimately, we chose to go with Malwarebytes in addition to other solutions because we felt it filled a small but critical void in our overall protection on our network and client systems. I can't say I would use the product on its own as it was built for a very specific role …
Chose Malwarebytes
We've looked at other products but the ease of use, reviews and tests, and at this point, our own experience has led to us remaining with Malwarebytes instead of others. Cost is also a factor, Malwarebytes is reasonable comparatively when you look at what you get vs. what …
Chose Malwarebytes
Simply put, Malwarebytes has been around for a long time and has yet to fail me. The consistency in which it operates on our devices and updates on its own without breaking itself means that I do not have to second guess if we are going to be protected properly or not. It …
Chose Malwarebytes
It is also a very good option to consider as an antivirus system. But, it is not effective against the rootkits; that's why I selected Malwarebytes over it. Malware bytes has a more powerful and effective scanning mechanism than Norton. If I compare the free versions of the …
Chose Malwarebytes
It's been a while since I made my decision to purchase Malwarebytes over the other products listed. I believe at the time Malwarebytes was the best product on my short list. I tried both AVG and Avast before deciding on Malwarebytes. Malwarebytes was also recommended to me by …
Chose Malwarebytes
For me, there are no other alternatives compared to the free version of Malwarebytes. I used McAfee Total Protection as an alternative, it's a full product with anti-malware, anti-virus, anti-spam.
Sophos Intercept X
Chose Sophos Intercept X
Bitdefender was garbage, and it did not work well for non-persistent VDI desktops.

Even though we bought it we dumped it after a month and bought Sophos instead. The difference was like night and day.
Chose Sophos Intercept X
Sophos Intercept X is one of the industry leaders for a reason. Apart from integration issues, Sophos Intercept X stands above the rest when it comes to protection and usability. I have used at least 30 different antiviruses, antimalware, and antiransomeware programs and none …
Chose Sophos Intercept X
They have almost the same features but we ended up with a better offer for Sophos.
Chose Sophos Intercept X
Sophos Intercept X offers a far more comprehensive and stable product when pitted up against Comodo Advanced Endpoint Protection and Watchguard Endpoint Security - both of which we offer as low cost alternatives for customers who are adamant about not paying for Sophos …
Chose Sophos Intercept X
Sophos Intercept X is easy to manage and deploy under your business. I think it is comparable to BitDefend with the ability to send out deployment via email or directly add it to the computer. I have noticed that Bitdefender seems to eat a lot of resources during its scans …
Chose Sophos Intercept X
Webroot endpoint protection is not even in the same league as Sophos Intercept-X. I have tested and compared both sides by side, run simulations and it's not even close. Plus the Sophos central management is so much better. Easier to view user activities and apply policies and …
Chose Sophos Intercept X
I personally found Sophos Intercept X GUI to be easy to use. The agent is easy to deploy on client machines and runs in the background silently. It has a very good virus, malware scan engine that picks out a high percentage of malicious software. The price was also very …
Chose Sophos Intercept X
Sophos is much more user friendly and scalable for partners who wish to [centralize] all security across the IT industry, from email security, server security, phish threat management and more.
Chose Sophos Intercept X
We have used Avast, AVG, Panda, Sophos' original antivirus product, and Symantec before and it is better than each of them. The cloud console is the star of the show and it dramatically reduces the cost and effort needed to install the product. Other products were only …
Chose Sophos Intercept X
It is one of the only products that will scan all code in memory and arbitrary data for malicious behaviors.
Chose Sophos Intercept X
We have been using this product for a number of years, which shows that it has worked well for us. I don't recall the other products we reviewed.
Chose Sophos Intercept X
It provides more features for the same price. These added features differentiate Sophos from the rest of the pack, making it a better solution. Also, the ability to integrate with your Sophos firewall if you have one adds another level of integration and protection. This …
Chose Sophos Intercept X
We didn’t evaluate any other products. I used Sophos at a previous company and when I started here, they were using the on-prem version. We immediately migrated to central and haven’t looked back. I am aware of the competitors, but once you are comfortable with a quality …
Chose Sophos Intercept X
Sophos offered better value for money whilst beating the above products on detection and prevention. The GUI is fantastic and easy to use and works seamlessly on top of other features like DLP, application control and web monitoring. I would recommend getting the XG firewall as …
Chose Sophos Intercept X
Sophos Intercept-X gave us a more well-rounded solution.
Chose Sophos Intercept X
Sophos Intercept X is a little less expensive than the comparable package from Trend Micro and a little more expensive than a comparable package from Symantec, but in my opinion, it's easier to operate and it's got better centralized controls than both of the others. But the …
Chose Sophos Intercept X
Trend Micro offered similar protection, however at the time did not offer EDR as a solution. The big benefit to Trend Micro was the capability to push out the installation of the agent to assets within the Trend Micro console, eliminating the need for a GPO or deployment …
Chose Sophos Intercept X
Sophos is by far the simplest of the products to setup and going in a very short period of time at a very similar price point. Trend is overly complex and relied on an appliance for each ESX node meaning you lose one appliance and then you lose protection across multiple …
Chose Sophos Intercept X
Besides legacy malware protection, Sophos is doing a good job in protecting against ransomware, thanks to their Intercept X and its behavioral analytics that would stop ransomware that was never seen in wild.
Chose Sophos Intercept X
Best in class... PERIOD... Bit Defender is a good AV product by itself, but it lacks in Next Gen Heuristic detection. It has allowed malware to get past it in our client environments, even with Admin permissions restricted. Sophos is hands down a superior product when paired …
Chose Sophos Intercept X
Sophos I feel is a better product upon installation we had a few systems that reported threats that ESET did not catch. Sophos also has multiple other products that we were able to bundle together and still have one interface to do. Intercept X, Endpoint Protection, and …
Chose Sophos Intercept X
In our analysis we discovered that for the price and feature set, Sophos was able to rise above the rest. Pricing is always a large consideration, however it isn't the only consideration - the feature set that Sophos Endpoint Protection provided over its competitors made the …
Chose Sophos Intercept X
We used to use Symantec Endpoint Protection. At the time we were using it (it may very well be different by now), it required a bit more maintenance and we were constantly having issues with definitions not being downloaded as well as issues updating the software itself. We …
Features
MalwarebytesSophos Intercept X
Endpoint Security
Comparison of Endpoint Security features of Product A and Product B
Malwarebytes
-
Ratings
Sophos Intercept X
8.9
Ratings
4% above category average
Anti-Exploit Technology00 Ratings7.10 Ratings
Endpoint Detection and Response (EDR)00 Ratings9.00 Ratings
Centralized Management00 Ratings10.00 Ratings
Hybrid Deployment Support00 Ratings8.00 Ratings
Infection Remediation00 Ratings10.00 Ratings
Vulnerability Management00 Ratings8.40 Ratings
Malware Detection00 Ratings10.00 Ratings
Best Alternatives
MalwarebytesSophos Intercept X
Small Businesses
AVG AntiVirus Business Edition
AVG AntiVirus Business Edition
Score 7.9 out of 10
ThreatLocker
ThreatLocker
Score 9.5 out of 10
Medium-sized Companies
BlackBerry Protect (CylancePROTECT)
BlackBerry Protect (CylancePROTECT)
Score 9.1 out of 10
BlackBerry Protect (CylancePROTECT)
BlackBerry Protect (CylancePROTECT)
Score 9.1 out of 10
Enterprises
BlackBerry Protect (CylancePROTECT)
BlackBerry Protect (CylancePROTECT)
Score 9.1 out of 10
BeyondTrust Endpoint Privilege Management
BeyondTrust Endpoint Privilege Management
Score 9.8 out of 10
All AlternativesView all alternativesView all alternatives
User Ratings
MalwarebytesSophos Intercept X
Likelihood to Recommend
8.2
(0 ratings)
9.0
(0 ratings)
Likelihood to Renew
10.0
(0 ratings)
10.0
(0 ratings)
Usability
10.0
(0 ratings)
9.0
(0 ratings)
Support Rating
8.9
(0 ratings)
8.1
(0 ratings)
Implementation Rating
-
(0 ratings)
9.0
(0 ratings)
User Testimonials
MalwarebytesSophos Intercept X
Likelihood to Recommend
Now, I gave it that rating because it's a handy tool for diagnosing issues. Quarantining them, and most of the time, it does fix the problem. Though with rootkits, it's been hit or miss, and sometimes perfectly valid software gets flagged erroneously. However, once you've run it, it tends to run continuously, consuming far too many resources and being a real pain to uninstall, sometimes even causing issues.
Read full review
Sophos Intercept-X is well suited for any environment big or small. There is even a home version that is free that I highly recommend for anyone at home. If you are looking for endpoint protection that is centrally managed, catches everything, and has many features this is the product for you.
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Pros
  • The software is very good at working in the background without interfering with the end user in any way, there has never been a complaint of slowness on the machines or any excessive scan times because the users are unaware of it.
  • Malwarebytes management console is a very nice interface that tracks all of the machines on the network and shows which one is online, offline, up to date, out of date etc. I can also push installation packages to new machines without end user interaction.
  • Malwarebytes does extremely well what it is made to do, and that is to stop malware. Never once has any infection made it past malwarebytes to harm an end user machine.
  • Malwarebytes is always up to date, definitions are downloaded on a daily basis, you can trust that your software is current and you are being protected from the latest threats out there.
Read full review
  • Sophos is a little too good at DLP. But it is indeed very good at not allowing our data to leave our endpoints without strict adherence to policy.
  • Sophos is very good at protecting endpoints against viruses and other malware.
  • Sopho is really good at informing us of what is happening on our endpoints. OOTB reporting is way better than expected.
Read full review
Cons
  • As of 2021 Q1, I have had issues with upgrading Malwarebytes installs on endpoints from the admin console. On about 30%-50% of the endpoints, I have to manually uninstall them, reboot, and reinstall Malwarebytes. This is a relatively new feature over the last year that Malwarebytes has done that let's you control updating the endpoint agent.
Read full review
  • The migration from on-prem sophos to cloud sophos, could have been a little more seamless
  • Would love to get more insight on what was blocked or flagged and what it was trying to do
  • Better and more granular feature management from group policies
Read full review
Likelihood to Renew
The last time we renewed Malwarebytes, we renewed for a 3 year renewal. That should describe the confidence we have in the product. Plus the cost savings impact year after year.
Read full review
We have gotten a great product for the price. Easy to maintain and set up on new devices. Support is great and easy to work with and understand.
Read full review
Usability
Usability-wise, it's pretty good, and it gets the job done. But once that's finished, the nags, the pop-ups, and the fact that it slows older systems down recklessly really cost it rating points. It becomes a clutter, and one of the first things we check when we receive reports that a PC is slow is whether it's running malware. Once we uninstall it, the PC is usually easily 40-50% faster. That's too much in the way of resources for something that wants to always run in the background.
Read full review
The usability has never been a problem. Sophos Intercept X is a program you can install and let protect your company without much intervention. Apart from a few policies, Sophos will keep you protected better than most any product on the market. Sophos Intercept X works quite well when you are looking to "tighten your grip" on user's access to websites, programs, and add-ons.
Read full review
Support Rating
I honestly haven't needed support for Malwarebytes because I haven't had any problems with it, whatsoever. I am giving it a 9 rating because I haven't actually had an encounter or experience with customer service or support, so it's hard to rate the actual support team since I've never had the privilege of coming into contact with them.
Read full review
Most of the support reps are fantastic. There have been a few though that have had to be escalated via Account Manager when they haven't followed up but this is a rare instance, and often followed up by the Support Manager for APAC.
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Implementation Rating
No answers on this topic
Best thing was the help pushing out via group policy and was able to get instructions for that on sophos site
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Alternatives Considered
Malwarebytes seems to lead the industry in customer focus. Their support team is superior. The breadth of services they offer is a major factor along with their roadmap for the future. I believe the update process is one of the easiest I've experienced with major software platforms. You may be able to receive a discount if you purchase through a reseller / IT vendor.
Read full review
I don't feel it's fair to compare Sophos Intercept X with the versions of Symantec and AVG that I have used in the past - as that was such a long time ago. I'm sure those other companies have released far more features than I used all those years ago
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Return on Investment
  • Less cleanup and work for IT, as users/PC don't get infected as often
  • Less user interaction when premium is installed, it will run scans and block sites for you
  • Less downtime as PCs stay up and running, users can stay productive
Read full review
  • Before we had Intercept X, we had several infections of ransomware. Since that time it has stopped at least 10 attempts, saving us thousands of man-hours and hundreds of thousands of dollars.
  • By decreasing the time needed for malware remediation, it has saved us the cost of .25 FTE in the IT department.
  • Initial setup was cumbersome and cost us .1 FTE in additional costs the first year.
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ScreenShots

Sophos Intercept X Screenshots

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