Top 10 Sophos Competitors & Alternatives in 2024
He holds a BA and an MSc from Cardiff University, UK and has over 2 years of experience as a research analyst in B2B tech.
Sophos is a popular cybersecurity solution with some shortcomings identified during AIMultiple’s analysis of 1,000 user reviews on Sophos. Review its alternatives before buying or renewing a Sophos product license:
- That have similar capabilities as Sophos’ complete platform.
- To Sophos’ data loss prevention (DLP) solution.
Sophos platform’s top alternatives
Table 1. Platform alternatives
| Vendor | Offerings | # of Employees |
|---|---|---|
| Sophos | – Endpoint Security – Network Security – Cloud Security | 1K-5K |
| Heimdal Security | – Endpoint Security – Patch & Asset Management – Privilege Access Management | 51-200 |
| Crowdstrike Falcon | – Endpoint Detection & Response – Threat Hunting – Behavioral Analysis | 11-50 |
| Cisco Secure Endpoint | – Endpoint Protection – Extended Detection & Response – Mobile Device Management | 10K+ |
| SentinelOne | – Endpoint Protection – Cloud Security – Identity Protection | 1K-5K |
| Trend Micro | – Endpoint Security – Network Security – Email security | 5K-10K |
| WithSecure | – Endpoint Protection – Managed Detection & Response – Cloud Protection | 1K-5K |
| WatchGuard | – Endpoint Security – Network Security | 1K-5K |
| Bitdefender | – Network Security – Cloud Security – Threat Intelligence | 1K-5K |
| Palo Alto Networks | – Endpoint Security – Cloud-Native Application Protection – Network Security | 10K+ |
| Cybereason | – Endpoint Security – Threat Intelligence | 1K-5K |
Table 2. Sophos DLP alternatives
| Vendor | # of Reviews* | User Rating* | Pricing** | Free Trial | Supported OS | Deployment Options**** |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Endpoint Protector by CoSoSys | 147 | 4.5 | N/A | ✅ | Windows Mac Linux Thin client*** | On-premise VDI SaaS |
| Trellix DLP (McAfee) | 1,792 | 4.2 | $73 – $170 /month | ✖ | Windows Mac | On-premise |
| Acronis Cyber Protect | 674 | 4.3 | N/A | ✅ 30-day trial | Windows Mac Linux | SaaS |
| Sophos Intercept X | 312 | 4.5 | N/A | ✅ | Windows Mac Linux Unix | On-premise VDI SaaS |
| Safetica DLP | 215 | 4.6 | N/A | ✖ | Windows Mac Linux | On-premise SaaS |
| Teramind DLP | 197 | 4.6 | N/A | ✅ | Windows Mac Linux | VDI SaaS |
| Symantec DLP by Broadcom | 189 | 4.3 | N/A | ✖ | Windows Mac | On-premise VDI SaaS |
| Digital Guardian Endpoint DLP | 144 | 3.9 | N/A | ✖ | Windows Mac | SaaS |
| Proofpoint Information Protection | 95 | 4.5 | N/A | ✅ | Windows Mac | SaaS |
| Microsoft Purview DLP | 92 | 4.6 | ~$153 /month | ✅ 3-month trial | Windows Mac | SaaS |
| Forcepoint DLP | 75 | 4.4 | N/A | ✅ 30-day trial | Windows Mac Linux | On-premise SaaS |
Inclusion criteria for Table 2
* Source: Leading B2B review platforms.
** Thin client: A lightweight software layer specifically designed to manage a network-based computing environment.
*** Cloud deployment is provided by all products. VDI: Virtual desktop infrastructure.
Requirements for inclusion in the table:
- Relevance of their offerings
- Total user reviews: 50+
- 100+ employees
Sorting: Vendors with links to their websites are sponsors of AIMultiple and are listed at the top. The remaining products are ranked based on their total number of reviews.
Sophos review and shortcomings
Sophos Ltd. is a British security software and hardware company headquartered in Abingdon, England. Founded in 1985 by Jan Hruska and Peter Lammer, Sophos has been operating in the global cybersecurity market. The company provides a comprehensive range of products, including data loss prevention (DLP) solutions with its Sophos Intercept X product.
Shortcomings
1. Weak customer support
Multiple user reviews suggest that Sophos customer support needs improvement and requires faster and more sophisticated assistance. Additionally, the stability of Sophos’s engine should be enhanced, as frequent updates and subsequent endpoint reboots disrupt live operations.1 2
2. Expensive
While users found the system easy to install, they were not happy with the prices of the product.3
3. Software issues
The user review states that the product does not function as promised in their environment, disrupting the operation of several essential software applications like Outlook, Excel, Word, PowerPoint, SharePoint, and Adobe Reader. The user experienced a high rate of false positives that overloaded their logs. Additionally, the IMS Console is difficult to use, offering extensive data but lacking actionable insights, and it does not provide metrics, inquiry, or reporting features.4
Detailed analysis of DLP alternatives
This section analyzes the alternatives based on user reviews from leading B2B software review platforms. We focused on Sophos’s DLP offerings and identified the pros and cons for each alternative based on relevant user reviews. We picked the top 3 alternatives for the detailed analysis based on the similarity of the number of reviews and the user rating.
1. Endpoint Protector by CoSoSys
Endpoint Protector by CoSoSys , now part of Netwrix, is a suitable alternative to Sophos since it also offers a data protection product along with other data security products. It offers solutions such as device control, content-aware protection, enforced encryption, and eDiscovery (As listed on its website). Endpoint Protector is based in North Carolina and provides a competitive edge with its comprehensive approach to safeguarding sensitive information.
Pros
1. Strong device control
Users identified that Endpoint protector’s device control features is one of the strongest in the market.5
2. Supported OS
Compared to other alternatives and Sophos, Endpoint Protector’s solution supports the most operating systems, including Thin Clients. This level of compatibility ensures that businesses can secure a diverse range of devices and platforms.
3. Software functionality
A user review praised Endpoint’s DLP software for its granularity, effective group administration, quick updates, and panic mode.6
4. Implementation team and customer support
Endpoint Protector offers a detailed DLP solution and good customer support. The review also states that even though deployment requires some effort, the implementation team makes the process easy.7
Cons
1. Google Workspace integration
The review points out that the product cannot integrated with Google Workspace and ticketing systems. When users seek temporary access for a blocked or external device, it redirects them to their default email app instead of Google Workspace, which is used by the reviewer’s organization.8
2. File sharing
The review acknowledges the product’s positive features but points out some issues. Firstly, there are frequent false positives in file-sharing alerts from a specific application, occurring even when the user isn’t logged into the application. Secondly, there is a discrepancy between the activities performed by users and the activities that are logged by the system.9
2. Symantec DLP by Broadcom
Another viable alternative to Sophos is Symantec, which is now a part of Broadcom and is headquartered in California. It also offers a DLP (Data Loss Prevention) solution aimed to safeguard confidential data from cyber attacks across various channels and environments. Symantec also claims to deliver a variety of cybersecurity products, encompassing endpoint security, web and email security, and identity protection solutions.
For more on Symantec and its alternatives.
Pros
1. Features
Users appreciate Symantec’s DLP solution for its automated data classification feature and its efficiency in data management and regulatory compliance.10
Cons
1. Support challenges
Customer reviews mainly point out considerable issues with Symantec’s customer service, stressing the lengthy process of account verification and the frequently inadequate technical expertise provided at the first level of support.11
2. Flagging files outside the scope.
Based on a customer review, Symantec DLP’s platform incorrectly flags files that are not part of the scope.[efn_no
3. Forcepoint DLP
Headquartered in Austin, Texas, Forcepoint DLP was founded in 1994. The company is a suitable alternative to Sophos since it claims to specialize in data loss prevention solutions aimed at helping organizations secure their sensitive data and prevent unauthorized access or leaks. Forcepoint’s DLP offerings include tools for monitoring and controlling data transfers across networks, endpoints, and cloud environments.
For more on Forcepoint DLP alternatives.
Pros
1. Features and interface
A customer liked Forcepoint DLP’s strong policies, incident detection, ease of use, and effectiveness in web and endpoint protection.12 13
2. Forensic capabilities
Customers like Forcepoint’s product because of its ability to track removable media incidents and its thorough forensic capabilities.14
Cons
1. Limited device control
User reviews criticized Forcepoint’s lack of device control features and support for Linux operating systems like CentOS and Ubuntu.15
2. Lacking features and support
User reviews criticized Forcepoint’s ineffective machine learning and OCR features, as well as poor customer support.16
3. Whitelisting and fingerprinting
Forcepoint’s data loss prevention product’s criticisms include restrictive whitelisting, hindering complex rule applications, and an overly sensitive fingerprinting function that mistakenly flags similar files, affecting productivity.17
4. DLP limitations
The reviewer criticizes its inability to fingerprint certain databases without explanation, its lack of OCR and AI features for enhanced data analysis and alert generation, and its inconsistent effectiveness of rule sets, particularly with images.18
FAQs for Sophos competitors
Why use a DLP software?
Companies should prioritize defending against cyber threats, which are becoming increasingly common and sophisticated. Data Loss Prevention or DLP software acts as a powerful solution, tracking data movements, spotting unauthorized access, and actively preventing breaches to safeguard confidential or sensitive organizational data.
Implementing DLP software is essential for companies aiming to enhance their endpoint security and safeguard sensitive data from cyber threats. This popular endpoint security solution offers comprehensive security features such as malware detection, advanced threat intelligence, and intrusion prevention, which are pivotal in defending against cyber attacks and phishing attacks. By deploying DLP software, companies ensure complete protection of their network, utilizing features like next-generation firewalls, URL filtering, and email security across multiple devices, including mobile and endpoint devices. Its centralized management enables real-time visibility and response capabilities, boosting operational efficiency and strengthening the overall security posture. Moreover, the software’s user-friendly interface and cloud-based management system facilitate easy access management and patch management, essential for maintaining secure and up-to-date operating systems. With its comprehensive protection features and competitive pricing, DLP software is the right solution for both small businesses and large enterprises looking to protect their intellectual property and secure their network against emerging threats efficiently.
Why are we looking at Sophos alternatives?
Investing in a DLP solution can involve significant costs, making it crucial to choose the right tool carefully. After analyzing user reviews, we have identified several limitations in Sophos that may prompt current or potential customers to consider its alternatives.
Further reading
- Tackling Critical Data Protection Challenges
- Top 10 LLM DLP Best Practices
- Top 7 AI DLP Best Practices with Case Studies
If you need further help in finding a vendor or have any questions, feel free to contact us:
External resources
- 1. Sophos negative review 1. G2. Accessed: 18/April/2024.
- 2. Sophos negative review 2. G2. Accessed: 18/April/2024.
- 3. Sophos negative review 3. Gartner. Accessed: 18/April/2024.
- 4. Sophos negative review 4. Gartner. Accessed: 18/April/2024.
- 5. Endpoint Protector’s strong device control review. G2. Accessed: 23/April/2024.
- 6. Endpoint Protector by CoSoSys customer review 1. G2. Accessed: 19/April/2024.
- 7. Endpoint Protector by CoSoSys customer review 2. Gartner. Accessed: 19/April/2024.
- 8. Endpoint Protector by CoSoSys negative customer review 1. Gartner. Accessed: 19/April/2024.
- 9. Endpoint Protector by CoSoSys negative customer review 2. Gartner. Accessed: 19/April/2024.
- 10. Symantec positive customer review 1. G2. Accessed: 19/April/2024.
- 11. Symantec negative customer review 1. G2. Accessed: 19/April/2024.
- 12. Forcepoint positive customer review 1. G2. Accessed: 19/April/2024.
- 13. Forcepoint positive customer review 2. Gartner. Accessed: 19/April/2024.
- 14. Forcepoint positive customer review 3. TrustRadius. Accessed: 19/April/2024.
- 15. Forcepoint negative customer review 1. G2. Accessed: 19/April/2024.
- 16. Forcepoint negative customer review 2. Gartner. Accessed: 19/April/2024.
- 17. Forcepoint customer review 3. TrustRadius. Accessed: 19/April/2024.
- 18. Forcepoint customer reviews accumulation. Capterra. Accessed: 19/April/2024.
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