In short
EPP (endpoint protection platform) prevents malware, ransomware and exploits from running, mostly automatically. EDR (endpoint detection and response) records device activity so someone can investigate, contain and clean up attacks that evade prevention. Most vendors offer both on one agent. EPP alone can suit small organisations with nobody to act on EDR alerts.
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EPP and EDR in one table
| EPP (and NGAV) | EDR | |
|---|---|---|
| Purpose | Prevent threats from running | Detect, investigate and respond to threats that got in |
| How it works | Machine learning, behaviour monitoring, exploit prevention, signatures, web and device control | Records process, file, network and login activity; correlates it into incidents |
| Typical actions | Block, quarantine, clean up, sometimes roll back | Isolate a device, kill a process, search the estate, view the attack story |
| Who acts | Mostly automatic | A person: your IT team, a provider, or a vendor's MDR analysts |
| Data kept | Detections and device status | Searchable activity history, often for a set number of days |
| Without staff to use it | Still does its job | Alerts go unread, so much of the value is lost |
NGAV (next-generation antivirus) is the prevention engine inside an EPP, so "NGAV vs EDR" is essentially the same question. See next-generation antivirus for how NGAV works.
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What each one catches
EPP is good at stopping malicious files, known and unknown malware, ransomware that behaves like ransomware, exploit attempts against common applications, malicious websites and unauthorised USB devices. Most of this happens without anyone needing to look.
EDR adds visibility of things that are not obviously malicious on their own: an attacker signing in with stolen credentials, using built-in admin tools, moving between machines or quietly copying data. Each step can look legitimate; the pattern is what gives it away. EDR keeps the history that lets a person spot that pattern, answer "which other devices did this touch?" and contain it.
Put simply, EPP reduces how often something goes wrong; EDR reduces how bad it gets when it does.
Products that bundle EPP and EDR
Almost every vendor we supply offers both on one agent, with EDR either built in or in a higher edition:
| Vendor | EPP option | Adds EDR |
|---|---|---|
| SentinelOne | Singularity Control: prevention, remediation, rollback, device and firewall control | Singularity Complete: Deep Visibility EDR, storyline, 14 days of telemetry, Purple AI |
| Sophos | Sophos Endpoint | Sophos EDR, then XDR and MDR, on the same agent |
| ThreatDown | Core bundle (Endpoint Protection) | Advanced bundle (EDR with isolation and ransomware rollback up to 7 days) |
| Trend Micro | Vision One Endpoint Security Core | Essentials adds the XDR for Endpoints sensor |
| WatchGuard | Endpoint Security Basic | Prime and above add EDR |
| CrowdStrike | Falcon Prevent (in Falcon Defend through us) | Falcon Advanced Defend adds OverWatch threat hunting and Falcon Complete Defend adds Falcon Complete MDR, on the same sensor; CrowdStrike's own store describes EDR at Falcon Enterprise |
| Bitdefender | GravityZone Cloud MSP Security | EDR module |
| Webroot | Business Endpoint Protection | Core Endpoint Detection and Response add-on |
| Acronis | Anti-malware in Acronis Cyber Platform | Acronis EDR, a separate licence |
| Check Point | Check Point Endpoint Security | EDR is included in all current editions |
Because the agent stays the same, moving from EPP to EDR is usually a licence and policy change, not a reinstall.
Weighing up the options?
We can compare them against your own requirements and give you a straight answer.
Is CrowdStrike an antivirus or EDR?
Both. CrowdStrike's Falcon Prevent is next-generation antivirus, and EDR, threat hunting and managed detection and response are delivered on the same Falcon sensor. The same is true of SentinelOne, whose Singularity Endpoint agent provides EPP and, in Complete, EDR. Vendors that started with EDR often lead with it in their marketing, which is why people ask the question. See CrowdStrike antivirus and SentinelOne antivirus.
When EPP alone is reasonable
EDR is valuable, but only if someone uses it. EPP alone can be a reasonable choice when:
- You are a small organisation with no in-house security staff and no managed service to read EDR alerts.
- Your devices are mostly standard laptops with Microsoft 365 or other cloud apps, and you have good backups.
- You want to meet the Cyber Essentials malware control now and plan detection and response for later.
EDR, or EDR with a managed service, is worth serious thought when:
- Your cyber insurer or a customer asks whether you run EDR and who monitors it.
- You hold sensitive data, run on-premises servers or would struggle to operate through a ransomware incident.
- You have IT staff or a provider with time to investigate alerts, or you are considering a vendor's MDR service. See managed antivirus.
Whichever you choose, pick a product with an EDR upgrade path so the decision is not a dead end. Our sister site covers detection and response in depth in its EDR, XDR and MDR guidance, and our Cloud Security site explains EDR vs XDR vs MDR.
Questions to answer before you buy EDR
If you are leaning towards EDR, these questions make the decision, and the quote, more precise:
- Who will look at alerts, and when? In-house staff, your IT provider, or a vendor's MDR analysts. If the honest answer is "nobody", budget for a managed service or start with EPP.
- How far back do you need to look? EDR products keep a set amount of searchable history, for example 14 days as standard in SentinelOne Singularity Complete, with longer retention as an add-on. Insurers and incident responders sometimes ask for more.
- Which devices need it? Some vendors let you run EDR on servers and higher-risk laptops and EPP elsewhere, with each device licensed for what it has.
- What response actions are acceptable? Automatic isolation of a laptop is usually fine; isolating a server that runs the business may need a human decision first.
- Does it need to feed anything else? A SIEM, an XDR platform or your IT provider's tools.
Where you want round-the-clock monitoring, we can supply the vendor's own managed service, and we agree at quote what Forever Systems handles around it.
How we help you decide
Forever Systems can look at your estate, your insurer's questions and who will act on alerts, then recommend whether to start with EPP or go straight to EDR, and with which vendor. Upgrades later are a licence change on your account. Contact us for a quote on either.
How Forever Systems helps with endpoint protection
We are an independent UK IT and cyber security provider. We supply business antivirus and endpoint protection from several vendors, so we can recommend what fits your devices, your team and your budget rather than pushing one product.
- Review what you have: we look at your current antivirus, your Microsoft licences and the devices you need to cover before suggesting anything new
- Compare the options: next-generation antivirus, EDR and managed services from vendors including CrowdStrike, SentinelOne, ThreatDown, Bitdefender, Trend Micro, Sophos, Check Point, WatchGuard and Acronis
- Licensing and quotes: the right edition and licence count for your Windows, Mac, Linux, server and mobile devices, with pricing confirmed at quote
- Deployment and migration: we can help roll out agents, set policies and remove the old product cleanly
- Support after go-live: help with policy tuning, alerts and renewals, with the scope agreed at quote
We can also help with the rest of your security, from endpoint security and EDR to Cyber Essentials and security awareness training.
Frequently asked questions
What is the difference between EPP and EDR?
EPP (endpoint protection platform) prevents malware, ransomware and exploits from running. EDR (endpoint detection and response) records device activity so a person can detect, investigate and contain attacks that get past prevention.
Do I need EDR if I have EPP?
Not necessarily. EDR adds most value when someone, in-house or a managed service, will investigate its alerts. Small organisations without that capacity often start with EPP and add EDR later on the same agent.
Is CrowdStrike an antivirus or EDR?
Both. CrowdStrike Falcon Prevent is next-generation antivirus, and EDR, threat hunting and managed detection and response run on the same Falcon sensor.
What is the difference between NGAV and EDR?
NGAV is the prevention engine of an EPP: it stops threats using machine learning, behaviour monitoring and exploit prevention. EDR is the detection and response layer that records activity for investigation and containment.
Can EPP and EDR run on the same agent?
Yes. All the vendors we supply that offer EDR deliver it on the same agent as their endpoint protection, so upgrading is normally a licence and policy change rather than a new install.
Still deciding?
Ask us and a member of our team will reply by email with a straight answer.