The 7 Best Ransomware Protection Software in 2024 Ranked

Ransomware used to be an opportunistic threat. Now, it is a series of targeted attacks. In many cases, sophisticated attackers target file systems and backups simultaneously. The rise of double and triple extortion attacks—where data is exfiltrated after encryption—also raises concerns. Only the best ransomware protection can keep users’ devices and data safe. 

1. Avast Antivirus

Is Avast Antivirus any good? That’s a common question because, unlike other solutions, it is 100% free. This award-winning software is indeed good—it was among the 75% of antivirus tools that earned a perfect 18 points in PCMag’s review. It also won editor’s choice, receiving an “outstanding” 4.5 out of 5 stars. 

Avast Antivirus is one of the best ransomware protection solutions of 2024 because it is versatile. It can protect Windows, macOS, Linux, Android or iOS devices. Despite being lightweight, it can scan for viruses, notify users of abnormal activity and isolate potentially harmful files. For these reasons, it is trusted by hundreds and millions of people. 

3. CrowdStrike Falcon 

Crowdstrike offers the best ransomware protection for enterprises using Windows, macOS or Linux. Currently, it services over 300 Fortune 500 companies. Some of its happy customers include 80% of the top financial services firms, 60% of the leading healthcare providers and 70% of the top manufacturers. 

Crowdstrike Falcon leverages AI-native defenses to anticipate and prevent known and unknown ransomware. According to an IDC study, it is two times as effective as a security team and has 66% faster investigations. The research also shows organizations will receive a 600% return on investment within five months—impressive, yet unsurprising given that thousands of ransomware attacks can occur in that time period, costing millions of dollars. 

Firms have several options, depending on their budget. Falcon Go costs $59.95 per device per year for basic antivirus. A free trial is available for decision-makers who are hesitant to commit. Falcon Pro is $99.95 per device per year, offering everything in Go plus firewall management. For around $85 more monthly, businesses receive endpoint detection and threat hunting.

3. ESET NOD32 Antivirus

ESET NOD32 Antivirus is among the best entry-level options for consumers or enterprises. Windows and macOS users can expect endpoint protection from all malware types, encryption, and real-time monitoring. The latest tools include an advanced machine learning model that detects, classifies and blocks behaviors indicative of ransomware. 

This anti-ransomware software is one of the top picks because it’s lightweight, has a high detection rate and barely affects the device it runs on. Cost-wise, it’s more affordable than most comparable alternatives at just $39.99 per device per year. It offers 24/7 protection against all types of malware, including ransomware, trojans, viruses and spyware. 

ESET also offers home security packages. The Essential plan—the most affordable option—is $49.99 for one device per year. However, the next-highest tier offers encryption for just $10 more per month, which helps prevent double extortion ransomware. Businesses can pay roughly $200 to $400 monthly to secure five devices for one year. 

4. Bitdefender GravityZone

Bitdefender’s GravityZone tool provides enterprise-grade ransomware protection for Windows, macOS, Android and iOS. It offers endpoint security, ransomware mitigation and incident response to facilitate file recovery. It automatically analyzes file access, modification and encryption, terminating suspicious processes until the security team can review them. 

GravityZone doesn’t spam notifications, which is ideal since cybersecurity teams at organizations with over 5,000 employees ignore approximately 23% of security alerts due to being overwhelmed. Instead, it automates many routine tasks. 

The Business Security Premium plan protects 5 to 100 devices at an annual subscription cost. It offers advanced ransomware prevention and mitigation, enhances teams’ understanding of the cyber kill chain, automates immutable backup creation, blocks suspicious file types, inspects code and assigns risk scores to users. 

5. Microsoft Defender

Microsoft Defender offers the best enterprise-grade ransomware protection for Windows, macOS, Linux, Android and iOS. It blocks malware, secures endpoints, manages identities and more. Its new artificial intelligence features automatically disrupt ransomware by anticipating and limiting progress. They also proactively hunt for threats and clean up affected files.

Although Microsoft isn’t known for its antivirus software, it should be. Defender achieved the highest possible scores in 15 out of 22 criteria in the 2024 Forrester Wave evaluation, outranking Crowdstrike, Bitdefender, Sophos and more. 

The cost contributes to its appeal because it may be free for small and medium-sized businesses. A license to a Microsoft 365 security product generally entitles users to use the antivirus without additional licensing costs. For instance, Defender XDR is available as part of Microsoft 365 Business Premium. Free trials are available for those who don’t qualify. 

6. Malwarebytes Anti-Ransomware

Malwarebytes anti-ransomware protection for Windows is lightweight but valuable. It scans users’ devices for known ransomware, immediately reports any unusual files and requests to remove them. Once the device owner gives the green light, it quarantines and eliminates the potential malware. It even blocks zero-day attacks on Windows.

For proactive protection, Malwarebytes offers premium device protection software. For just $3.75 per month, it protects a single device. The family plan—which covers 10 devices—starts at just over $10 monthly. Even though virus scans, scam protection and ransomware shields are relatively basic solutions, the price point is unbeatable for small businesses on a budget.

7. Sophos Endpoint

Sophos endpoint is one of the best anti-ransomware protection solutions available, regardless of a company’s size. It scans for known threats, immediately classifying and blocking them upon detection. Crucially, it blocks previously unknown ransomware variants in real time, automatically rolling back affected files to their original state. 

This anti-ransomware software has over 60 proprietary exploit mitigations—no coding, tuning or training is required. The automation and quality-of-life features make it one of the best solutions for Windows or macOS. Its clean interface and easy-to-use features make it ideal for small and medium-sized businesses that need the essentials. 

Why Isn’t Kaspersky on This Ranked Antivirus List?

For years, Kaspersky was ranked among the best ransomware protection solutions. It consistently ranked highly in malware protection, false positives and threat detection. However, as they say, the bigger they are, the harder they fall. The U.S. Commerce Department banned Kaspersky in June 2024 after its ties to Russia were revealed.  

Some websites have yet to update or haven’t paid attention, so they still list Kaspersky as one of the leading options. Either way, decision-makers should be wary of those recommendations. As the antivirus provider shutters its operations in the United States, companies must find an alternative. After all, there is no substitution for the ability to recover from ransomware.