ManageEngine Malware Protection Plus vs Sophos Home

ManageEngine, part of Zoho Corp, has built a strong reputation in IT management and is used by thousands of organizations globally. Malware Protection Plus is their venture into next-gen endpoint security, seamlessly built into the Endpoint Central management console. This solution provides next-generation antivirus (NGAV) capabilities – leveraging artificial intelligence, machine learning, and behavior analytics – to protect business endpoints against malware, ransomware, and zero-day exploits. It’s tailored for businesses of all sizes that want to unify their IT administration and security. The antivirus module works hand-in-hand with other ManageEngine features like patch management and device control, enabling a holistic approach to endpoint defense. Companies can deploy it either on-premises or use ManageEngine’s cloud service, managing everything through a web-based dashboard. The software can isolate infected devices in real time, automatically kill malicious processes, and even revert changes caused by an attack, which significantly reduces the impact of incidents. With its AI-driven detection engine, Malware Protection Plus can catch advanced threats that signature-based antiviruses might miss, all while keeping a low performance footprint. ManageEngine offers flexible pricing, including subscription and perpetual licenses, and even provides a free edition for up to 25 devices, making it accessible. Read more in our review.

Sophos is a well-established name in enterprise cybersecurity, founded in 1985 and headquartered in Abingdon, England. Their expertise in large-scale threat prevention extends to individual users through Sophos Home—a consumer antivirus solution built on the same core technologies used in their business products. Sophos Home offers real-time malware protection, AI-driven threat detection, ransomware rollback, phishing prevention, and basic parental web filtering. A key feature is their cloud-based dashboard, which allows users to manage up to ten devices remotely, making them ideal for households or individuals overseeing multiple systems. Sophos Home focuses on streamlined, security-first functionality rooted in behavior-based threat prevention and enterprise-grade threat intelligence. User feedback is generally positive, especially for the clean interface, low system impact, and remote management capabilities. However, some users have noted that features can vary between platforms, with macOS lacking several tools available on Windows. Sophos Home is a simplified, no-nonsense security option for users who want powerful core protection without feature bloat. Keep reading for a deeper look into how it performs in real-world use.