Antivirus vs. EDR: Which Is Better for Your Business?

Justin Medina
5 days ago
3 min read

In today’s hyper-connected business landscape, cyber threats aren’t a distant concern—they're an ever-present, evolving danger. Traditional antivirus solutions have long been the go-to defense, safeguarding systems from known malware with signature-based detection. Yet as cybercriminal tactics grow more sophisticated—with zero-day exploits, fileless attacks, and persistent threats bypassing conventional shields—many businesses are realizing that antivirus alone no longer suffices.

The shift toward Endpoint Detection and Response (EDR) reflects this reality. Unlike antivirus, EDR continuously monitors endpoint behavior, detects abnormal patterns, and enables swift investigation and remediation. No wonder EDR adoption nearly doubled from 2020 to 2025 among organizations recognizing the need for deeper visibility and threat resilience. In fact, nearly 48% of businesses now deploy EDR solutions in their environment, underscoring its critical role in modern cybersecurity.

Meanwhile, antivirus is still widely used—but its growth pales compared to EDR. In the U.S., approximately 121 million adults continue using third-party antivirus software, with 17% applying it on their mobile devices. In business contexts, about 51% of organizations have endpoint antivirus or antimalware deployed, often coexisting with EDR for layered protection.

As the cyber threat landscape accelerates in urgency and complexity, choosing the right protection is no longer about picking one over the other—it's about building a robust, multi-layered defense. In this post, we'll explore exactly why that is, helping you navigate which solution—or blend of solutions—truly positions your business for security today and into the future.

What Is Antivirus (AV)?

Antivirus software is the “classic” line of defense. Its primary job is to detect, block, and remove known forms of malware such as viruses, worms, and trojans. It works by comparing files and programs against a database of known signatures and using heuristic analysis to spot suspicious behavior.

Pros of Antivirus:

Affordable and easy to deploy.
Provides baseline protection against common threats.
Suitable for small businesses with limited IT resources.

Cons of Antivirus:

Only effective against known malware—struggles with zero-day threats.
Limited visibility into what happens after an attack slips through.
Lacks advanced response or investigation capabilities.

What Is Endpoint Detection and Response (EDR)?

EDR goes beyond prevention. It continuously monitors endpoint activity—laptops, desktops, servers—and provides deep visibility into what’s happening across your environment. Instead of just blocking threats, EDR can detect suspicious activity in real time, investigate it, and respond automatically or with IT support intervention.

Pros of EDR:

Detects both known and unknown threats, including ransomware and fileless attacks.
Provides forensic insights for investigation.
Enables rapid response—quarantining endpoints, isolating files, and rolling back malicious changes.
Aligns with modern compliance frameworks like SOC 2, HIPAA, and NIST.

Cons of EDR:

More expensive than basic antivirus.
Requires monitoring—either from an in-house IT team or a managed security service provider (MSSP).

Antivirus vs. EDR: The Key Differences

Feature	Antivirus (AV)	Endpoint Detection & Response (EDR)
Primary Focus	Prevention of known malware	Detection, investigation, and response to advanced threats
Threat Coverage	Signature-based, limited zero-day protection	Signature + behavior-based, zero-day and insider threats
Visibility	Minimal	Full endpoint activity monitoring
Response Capabilities	Quarantine/remove files	Automated response, rollback, endpoint isolation
Best Fit	Small businesses with low compliance requirements	Growing/mid-market businesses, compliance-driven industries, high-value targets

Which Should Your Business Choose?

For many businesses, EDR is the better choice. Cyberattacks today are more sophisticated than ever, and relying solely on antivirus is like locking your front door but leaving your windows wide open. If your organization handles sensitive data, has compliance obligations, or simply cannot afford downtime from a ransomware attack, EDR provides the visibility and response you need.

That said, antivirus still has its place for very small businesses or as part of a layered defense strategy. In fact, most modern EDR solutions include antivirus-like features, giving you both prevention and response in one platform.

The Bottom Line

Choose Antivirus if you are a small business with minimal compliance needs, limited budget, and low exposure to targeted attacks.
Choose EDR if your business values uptime, security, and compliance—or if you operate in industries like finance, law, healthcare, or manufacturing where data protection is critical.

At Kinetic Consulting Group, we help businesses move beyond outdated antivirus to modern EDR solutions that align with today’s threat landscape. Because in cybersecurity, “Always On, Always Safe” isn’t optional—it’s essential.