Managed vs. Unmanaged Antivirus: Which Is Better For Your Business? 

In today’s cybersecurity landscape, choosing the right antivirus for business is essential to protect your company’s digital assets. Antivirus software is no longer just a “nice-to-have”—it’s a core pillar of any company’s digital defense strategy. At Regroove, we help organizations deploy and manage tools like Microsoft Defender as part of their Microsoft 365 stack. But we also work with advanced managed detection and response (MDR) solutions like Huntress, which provide a higher level of protection and response capabilities. In simple words, we provide enterprise-grade protection with price and features tailored for small and medium-sized business. 

There’s often confusion between managed and unmanaged antivirus solutions, especially when choosing between built-in Microsoft tools (like Defender for Business or Defender for Endpoint) and third-party solutions like Huntress MDR and ITDR. In a nutshell, managed antivirus leverages both security expert (actual humans!) and automations to maximize your protections, while unmanaged antivirus relies only on automated procedures. 

Let’s explore more and talk about why managed antivirus is the direction more security-conscious businesses are choosing. 

Unmanaged Antivirus: Microsoft Defender for Business & Defender for Endpoint 

Key Benefits 

Microsoft Defender for Business (included with Microsoft 365 Business Premium) and Microsoft Defender for Endpoint (part of M365 E5 or available as an add-on) are robust endpoint protection tools. They include: 

• Threat detection and remediation 

• Attack surface reduction rules 

• Endpoint behavioral analysis 

• Integration with Microsoft’s cloud security stack 

These solutions are tightly integrated with the Microsoft ecosystem and provide solid baseline protection for small and midsize businesses (SMBs). For businesses that already use Microsoft Premium licensing, Microsoft Defender for Business is already available to them and can result in cost savings. 

Considerations 

Despite their strong technical capabilities, Defender solutions are unmanaged by default. So what does that mean? 

• You’re responsible for monitoring and responding to threats — unless you have a dedicated IT or security team, alerts may go unnoticed or unresolved. 

• Configuration and tuning require expertise — poorly configured policies may leave gaps in protection or result in false positives. 

• Limited human-driven response — Microsoft Defender offers automated remediation, but complex threats often require manual investigation. 

In short, unless you have internal cybersecurity experts or you work with an IT support company who actively manages your Defender stack, you’re left with a powerful tool — but no one to manage it and ensure it’s actually blocking the threats it’s designed to protect against. 

Managed Antivirus: Huntress MDR & Huntress ITDR 

Alternatively, you can use a third-party managed antivirus system. Managed antivirus software is a security solution that is actively monitored, maintained, and responded to by a team of cybersecurity professionals, providing continuous protection and expert threat remediation without requiring your business to have in-house security expertise. They leverage both automated response protections and human response teams to provide the fastest and most comprehensive security and protection. At Regroove, we both use and recommend the Huntress suite. Huntress uses Microsoft 365 Defender for its automated functionalities and then adds the vital layer of human security experts for the most comprehensive protection. 

What Makes Huntress Different 

Huntress is a managed detection and response (MDR) platform built specifically for SMBs and MSPs. Their suite includes: 

• Huntress MDR – Delivers active threat monitoring, managed antivirus, and 24/7 human-powered detection and response for your computers (endpoints). 

• Huntress ITDR (Identity Threat Detection & Response) – Focuses on identity-related threats such as credential abuse and lateral movement within your network. 

What sets Huntress apart is that it’s fully managed — their security analysts monitor your systems, investigate threats, and provide remediation steps, or handle the response themselves. Check out our case study here to see how Huntress works in real time. 

Key Benefits 

• Proactive Threat Hunting: Unlike unmanaged antivirus, which waits for an alert, Huntress proactively hunts for footholds and persistent threats. 

• Human Threat Hunters: Real cybersecurity experts actively monitor and investigate threats — not just automated scripts. 

• Faster Response Time: When something suspicious is found, Huntress steps in fast, often before internal teams can react. 

• Advanced Threat Protection: Huntress defends against sophisticated threats like ransomware, credential theft, and lateral movement — stopping attackers before they can cause serious damage. 

• Easy Deployment: Huntress integrates easily into your existing environment, including Microsoft 365 setups. 

Considerations 

• Additional Cost: Huntress is a premium, managed service — but this investment often saves companies from costly breaches or ransomware incidents. 

• Less Microsoft-native: While Huntress integrates with Microsoft, it’s not a Microsoft product — so organizations deep in the Microsoft security stack may need to align the tools. 

Our Recommended Antivirus for Business: Managed Protection Is the Future 

Microsoft Defender is a strong, built-in solution for businesses already using the Microsoft 365 platform. But it’s not truly effective unless it’s actively managed. Without dedicated cybersecurity personnel or a managed service provider, threats can slip through unnoticed or unresolved. 

On the other hand, managed antivirus software like Huntress offers a fully managed, cost-effective security layer, specifically designed for growing businesses that want enterprise-grade protection without the enterprise budget. 

At our company, we often deploy Huntress alongside Microsoft Defender, using Defender as the first line of defense and Huntress as the critical managed layer for threat response and escalation. This hybrid approach gives our clients the best of both worlds — Microsoft’s native protection plus Huntress’ human-driven intelligence. 

Final Thoughts

Cyber threats are evolving — your antivirus strategy should too. If you’re still relying solely on unmanaged antivirus tools, it’s time to rethink your approach. Partnering with a managed cybersecurity provider like Huntress gives your business a real advantage: expert threat detection, faster response times, and peace of mind. 

Need help figuring out the right combination for your organization? Fill out the form below and one of our cybersecurity experts will reach out to help.