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Sophos might be less-known than some other industry competitors, but it is certainly among the best when it comes to all-in-one cyber-security and specific layers of protection – so much that their offer sounds too good to be true.
Keep on reading our Sophos Antivirus Review to find out why we were so impressed.
PROS:
- Affordable
- Free version
- Simple and user-friendly
- Remote device management
- Keyboard encryption
- No-obligation personalized business quotes
CONS:
- Doesn’t support Linux
- VPN could be better
- No Password Manager
| Rating | 9.5 |
| Security | 9 |
| Efficiency | 9.5 |
| Ease of use | 10 |
| Platforms | 9 |
| Free Version | 8.5 |
| Value for money | 9.5 |
Security Features
Sophos Malware Scanner
Sophos’ ever-wakeful real-time protection keeps you from new and developing computer viruses, malware, trojan horses, worms, bots, unwanted applications, and cyberattacks and gives you high-efficient threat protection overall. Apart from that, you have a few other scanning options:
- Manual Scans – used to scan the whole system or the selected files. For the latter, right-click the file and select ’Scan with Sophos Home.’ Manual scans can either be full or fast.
- Scheduled Scans – go to your Protection Bar from the Dashboard and select the exact time and day you wish your scan to take place. Keep in mind that your computer needs to be connected to the internet for this.
Moreover, Sophos’ AI Threat Detection constantly updates the extensive SophosLabs databases with detected infections to protect from new and existing e-threats.
Most antivirus programs also have the possibility of a quick scan, but Sophos opted against it.
Device Management
Sophos provides security for up to 10 Windows and Mac computers, with unlimited iOS and Android devices. The best thing is that you can remotely control all your devices, which is not common among antivirus software.
Ransomware Security
Your files and photos are safe from ransomware attacks.
Privacy Protection
An amazing ability of Sophos lies in keystroke encryption so that cybercriminals cannot steal your logins and passwords based on your typing. Webcam Protection is integrated within this feature, whereas some other security solutions, such as ESET, have it as a separate tool.
Web Protection
Blocks phishing and other suspicious sites, scan your downloads and adds a layer of browsing security.
Parental Web Filtering
While other antiviruses reserve parental control for their premium plans, Sophos offers it for free. You can filter online content for your children according to the categories you select.
Firewall
Sophos has as many as two Firewall options free to download. They offer complete protection for your home network, including anti-malware, web security and URL filtering, application control, IPS, traffic shaping, VPN, reporting and monitoring, and more. However, bear in mind that you need a dedicated computer for this software, as it has its own OS that will overwrite the data on your PC upon installation.
Sophos Antivirus Performance
Sophos Install
The installation is as easy as it can be; you need to go to Sophos Home Page and click ‘Download.’ It will only take around 10 minutes to complete the process.
For Mac owners, it is recommended to follow the steps carefully, especially if you’re a new user, because you need to choose and allow Sophos extensions.
On the other hand, if you’re an existing user and want to protect additional devices, go to your Dashboard and click ’Add Device.’
Post-installation advice is to enable two-factor authentication to secure your account even more. This level of security is still uncommon to find among antivirus programs.
Although Sophos isn’t that chunky, If you’re looking for security software that takes even less space, Webroot might be a good option for you.
Sophos User Interface
If you appreciate minimalistic design, you’re going to love Sophos’ clean look. There are really only a few most important options, so you won’t get overwhelmed figuring out which button is which. However, if you feel confident about adjusting your security software to your preference, you could have fun with the VIPRE antivirus and its customisable shields.
Whether you’re using Mac or Windows OS, Sophos’ main interface gives you access to a dashboard with all your devices, as well as local scanning and regular updates. This is also where you can set your Web Filtering options, either for you or your children, and choose whether you want to block them or get a warning when you enter a certain category.
Just like Webroot, Sophos is a cloud-based antivirus, so you’ll have to configure its settings through the Dashboard. You don’t have to access it directly from the antivirus or the Sophos app; you can do it from any computer web browser. From here, you can see all your protected devices and manage all your accounts.
Performance
Sophos’ scanner performed nearly perfectly in detecting and cleaning different types of malware, but it had a lower score in solving phishing attempts than McAfee.
However, Sophos’ system impact is moderate during a full scan, while McAfee eats up even up to 96% of the system load. It’s also speedy, taking less than 10 minutes. This might be why a ‘quick scan’ option isn’t included.
The downside is that you won’t be able to use the desktop while the full scan is taking place. Also, when Sophos finds threats, you’ll have to close each pop-up individually since there’s no ‘close-all’ option.
Platforms & Apps
Sophos Mobile Security
Sophos’ creators came up with a specific solution for Android and iOS devices, called Sophos Intercept X for Mobile.
It can either be used as a managed version for companies, which requires a licence, or an unmanaged one, Sophos free antivirus for individuals. Since this app is a separate tool from Sophos Home, it won’t be shown on your dashboard. Here are some of its unique features:
- WiFi Security Scanner – Mostly for preventing man-in-the-middle attacks.
- Link Checker – Especially for built-in links in non-browser apps.
- App Lock – Password app protection.
- QR Code Scanner – Scans if the QR code is leading you to a safe page.
- Authenticator – Generates one-time passwords with a limited time.
- Password Vault – Sophos password manager and generator.
- Privacy Advisor – Shows you which apps have access to your personal data.
- Web Filtering – Protects from entering malicious, undesirable, or illegal web pages.
Sophos antivirus for Mac
Windows users will enjoy more advanced features than Mac owners, such as Identity Protection, Secure Banking, Advanced Scan, and AMSI Integration. If some of these are deal-breakers for you, you may want to look into Kaspersky Internet Security for Macs, with its 100% malware detection rate.
Unfortunately, Sophos antivirus for Linux doesn’t exist. If you’re a Linux user, you may want to check out ESET NOD32 Antivirus for Linux.
Sophos Pricing
Home Users
Unlike other AVs, which usually offer three or more solutions, with Sophos, you’ll find only two: The free Sophos Home and the paid Sophos Home Premium.
Sophos Home Premium is offering protection for up to 10 devices at the following prices:
| 1 year | $49.95 |
| 2 years | $89.95 |
| 3 years | $114.95 |
Note: Sophos’ products are currently 50% off on an End of Year Sale. Always check the website for the newest deals and offers.
With the free version of this software, you’ll enjoy only the basic features: Real-Time Antivirus, AI Threat Detection, Parental Web Filtering, and Remote Management. Still, if we’d have to pick Sophos vs. Avast free antivirus, we’d definitely go with Sophos.
Business Users
While home customers get one all-in-one suite, business users can choose between three well-thought-out and acclaimed Sophos plans, depending on the number of devices they plan to use it on, as well as the type of their business and security priorities.
There are also individual customisable solutions oriented towards email protection, anti-phishing, encryption, and more. TrendMicro provides a similar possibility of selecting only the features you really need.
For small businesses with only a few computers to protect, we recommend trying Sophos Central Cloud Management for free. It can be used for business, commercial, non-profit, and other purposes.
Sophos’ cost is considerably lower than most other antiviruses. Considering all the features you get for the price, there’s no doubt it’s an amazing deal.
As for business products, prices are available only after requesting a non-obligation personalized quote.
Apart from the Sophos free version, there’s also a possibility of a Sophos trial for the premium home package, as well as for business plans. You can test out the desired product for 30 days on three devices. There’s an additional 30-day money-back guarantee.
Customer Support
Sophos Support is available via live chat or email from 8 a.m. to 8 p.m. EST every business day. The knowledge base is also accessible 24/7.
However, there’s no phone support at all, commonly found with other AVs, like Norton.
Is Sophos for you?
Don’t get turned off by its relative anonymity – Sophos is a 100% legitimate competitor that complies with all the industry standards. You’ll be surprised by the many possibilities of this security software and will definitely have fun exploring its capabilities.
Although lacking some of the advanced features found in pricier contenders, Sophos will provide you with great protection for a fair price, and such an offer is hard to pass.
FAQs
1. Is Sophos a good antivirus?
Sophos’ real-time threat protection eliminates almost all malware, while Download Protection annuls the rest. In terms of security, Sophos is ranked side-by-side with the industry leaders, such as Bitdefender, McAfee, and Norton.
2. Is Sophos better than Norton?
Both pieces of software are at the top of the industry and reached near-perfect results on independent testing. While Norton is a full-featured, slightly expensive suite, Sophos provides barebone protection for a considerably lower cost.
3. Is Sophos a good VPN?
Unfortunately, Sophos doesn’t have an isolated VPN security feature, but it does use encryption as a Privacy Protection tool that keeps cybercriminals from stealing your data.
4. Can Sophos be trusted?
Yes. As mentioned in this Sophos Antivirus Review, the company has been operating for around 30 years and enjoys the loyalty of several million customers in 150 countries, among which many are businesses.
