Sophos Antivirus Review 2025: Is It Worth the Premium?

Sophos antivirus’ coverage of 10 devices and excellent test ratings might make it worth the high price. Here's what to know before you buy.

Sophos is an effective antivirus program, but it seems better suited for business users. Most of its dashboard is hosted on the Sophos website, so there's no native control panel. And although there's a firewall included, you'll need to install it on a device other than your main computer. 

We like that Sophos provides coverage for up to 10 computers and unlimited smartphones on every plan. Its prices may be high compared to other antivirus programs, but at least Sophos provides plenty of coverage. 

We'll go over our experience testing Sophos so you can determine if it's worth the price.

Pros
  • Uses AI threat detection to stay on top of latest cyberthreats
  • 30-day free trial plus 30-day money-back guarantee
  • All plans protect up to 10 computers and 
Cons
  • Anti-malware settings only available on Sophos website
  • Scanning options can be confusing
  • Firewall can only be installed on a separate device

In this article
At a glance
Our experience
Who is Sophos antivirus best for?
Prices and subscriptions
Security features
Test results
Compatibility
Customer support
Alternatives
FAQs
Bottom line

Sophos antivirus overview

Price $34.99-$44.99/yr
Free plan No
# of devices protected 10
Malware scans Manual and scheduled
Real-time protection Yes
EICAR test results 2/3
Firewall Yes, but requires a dedicated device
Phishing protection Yes
Compatibility Windows, macOS, Android, iOS
Extras Safe banking tools
24/7 support No
Learn more Get Sophos

How we test and rate antivirus software

We use our proprietary grading rubric in all of our testing, which considers ease-of-use, third-party testing scores, internal testing scores, price, compatibility, and features offered, among other metrics. 

This means that our testing process is designed to ensure that the product isn't too confusing, protects as it claims, and offers you a lot for a reasonable price. We download and run each program on our own computers on home networks, just like you would. Our ratings reflect the real-world performance of the antivirus product. This ensures that we can recreate a similar experience for you and give our best advice on whether or not it's worthwhile.

To learn more about how we test, check out our full antivirus testing methodology here.

We last tested Sophos on June 13, 2025.

4.4
Editorial Rating
Learn More
On Sophos's website
Antivirus Software
Sophos
  • Uses AI threat detection to stay on top of latest cyberthreats
  • All plans protect up to 10 computers and unlimited smartphones
  • Scanning options can be confusing

Our experience

Our experience with Sophos was fine but there were some elements we weren't thrilled about. 

The scan function was a bit confusing at first. We tried to find a quick scan option on the dashboard but there was no sign of it. After perusing the support center, it seems like it's only available for Macs.

The full scan we conducted took about 20 minutes, which is about average. It didn't interfere with our browsing and there were no false positives detected. Only the malware test files appeared on our scan report.

Sophos Home Premium scan report, listing off the two threats found.

We did feel the interface was a little lackluster, as we needed to access the Sophos website each time we wanted to schedule a scan or check the settings. Pretty much the only action you can take from the main dashboard is running a full scan.

Sophos isn’t overly complicated, but you may prefer the efficiency of a native control panel that doesn’t rely on cloud services.

Sophos main dashboard

Who is Sophos antivirus best for?

  • Recommended if you need antivirus protection for multiple devices.

We recommend Sophos Home Premium antivirus for someone who doesn’t mind spending a little more to get a good value for the money. It’s great for when you have multiple devices you need to protect from hackers and malware, as one license covers up to Windows, macOS, Android, iOS computers. As for iOS and Android, it covers an unlimited number of phones and tablets. 

All your Sophos settings are online, so if you travel or move, you can still update your antivirus wherever you go. You can even use the website control panel to run a scan on your device as long as it’s turned on. 

That may not be for everyone, though. If you like the ease of use that comes with having a control panel on your machine and not online, Sophos might not be for you.

Sophos cost

Sophos's price ranges from $34.99-$44.99/yr. It offers the same features across all of its plans, the only difference is the subscription length.

If you don’t want to commit to several years using Sophos, you can opt for the one-year plan for $44.99/yr. If you love the software and want to get more of a long-term bargain, you can get a two- or three-year subscription. You’ll save about $5.00 to $10.00 by getting an extended plan.

Sophos is expensive compared to other antivirus programs we've reviewed, especially when we consider the additional features. 

  • TotalAV: $29.00/first yr
  • Norton: $29.99/first yr
  • Sophos: $44.99/yr

The starting TotalAV plan includes extras like an ad blocker and performance optimization tools. The starting Norton plan includes cloud backup and a password manager. 

However, Sophos takes the lead for covering 10 computers, while TotalAV only covers four devices and Norton only covers one with their starting plans.

Plan 1-year plan 2-year plan 3-year plan Learn more
Price per month $44.99/yr $37.49/yr (billed every two yrs) $34.99/yr (billed every three yrs) View plans
*Sophos firewall requires a dedicated device. The firewall includes an explicit content blocker and an ad blocker.

You can try Sophos before you buy. You get 30 days to see if you like the software without entering in any credit card information.If you do purchase Sophos Home Premium, you can request a refund with their 30-day money-back guarantee.

Sophos features

Sophos offers crucial antivirus features like ransomware protection, webcam protection, and web protection. With web filtering, you can tailor your browser settings to block or allow specific categories on the internet. That can help keep inappropriate sites from appearing in searches.

We did feel the scanning functionality was a bit lacking. There's no obvious quick scan and it's not available for Windows. instead, the Sophos version of a quick scan requires you to click the Start Scan button and not check the box for the Full Scan.

The settings for this antivirus are all found on the Sophos website. That could be good for people who travel or move, but not everyone will like not having a native control panel built into the antivirus software.

Malware and antivirus scan

Sophos comes with a system scanner that checks for malware, spyware, Trojans, and viruses. Sophos doesn’t have a quick scan button like other antivirus software, but it does still offer that feature for macOS.

When you click to start a scan from the taskbar, you must remember not to check the box for the full scan. We didn’t see this option when starting a scan from the online user interface, however.

To schedule a scan, you'll need to navigate to the Sophos web dashboard. Select Protection < General, then toggle on Scheduled Scan to set a time.

Sophos Home dashboard open on Protection > General tab with scheduled scan settings open

According to the support site, Sophos offers real-time protection, so there’s no need to run a full scan in most cases.

Phishing protection

Sophos helps guard against malicious websites and pop-ups by using real-time threat detection. Rather than notifying you about a threat, the software takes action to neutralize it. 

You can also block websites by category. That helps prevent vulnerable users from getting hit by a phishing attack if they’re more susceptible to clicking on a malicious link. We think this could be especially valuable for homes with multiple users or those with children.

Sophos lets you block certain types of websites, which can be beneficial to parents or anyone who prefers to avoid sensitive topics.

Sophos also comes with a website blocker that keeps you from getting hit by websites known for phishing attacks. To be safe, we turned on everything under Web Protection. 

SophosLabs maintains a database of known malicious websites that have been tracked and uses that system to block dangerous attacks.

Sophos Home dashboard open on Protection > Web tab

Firewall

Sophos does include a free home firewall, but it requires a dedicated device to run. The firewall offers complete home protection for your network and includes features such as traffic shaping that prioritizes internet traffic to give you better bandwidth. 

You can also monitor family internet browsing and set up an ad blocker within the firewall.

The downside to the firewall is it has a separate operating system. If you download it, the firewall software overwrites all data on the device where it’s installed. 

For this reason, Sophos recommends a dedicated computer for the firewall. If you don’t have a machine to spare, you’re out of luck and won’t have use of an included firewall.

Real-time protection

You get real-time antivirus protection with Sophos antivirus, which we think is needed for any decent antivirus product. It works in the background and looks for suspicious activities on your device.

When you access a file, the real-time protection feature automatically scans it. It was easy to turn on this option by going to the settings dashboard and accessing the Protection tab. Real-Time Protection is the first option underneath.

Ransomware protection

Sophos blocks ransomware attacks and reverses data tampering by rolling back all the changes made. That’s one of the features that stands out because not all antivirus products do this.

It’s easy to use ransomware protection, as it's underneath the Protection tab and there’s only one option. Once Ransomware Protection and Master Boot Record Protection are toggled on, you’re protected.

Sophos Home dashboard open on Ransomware tab.

Bonus features

One bonus feature from Sophos is website exceptions. If there are websites you don’t want your antivirus to block, you can list them to be excluded. That may save you some time in the future.

Sophos allows you to set exceptions for certain websites so they aren't blocked while you browse.

You also get a few other features that don’t always come with antivirus software:

  • Webcam protection to alert you of unwanted webcam use
  • Categorized website filtering
  • Safe banking tools to protect your browser

Sophos test results

We conduct a series of tests on the antivirus programs we review. First, we run the available scan types to see how long they take and if they affect our device performance. Then, we conduct EICAR testing with antivirus test files to see if the program detects them. Finally, we review third-party test results to see how the program performs across a number of categories.

Sophos proved to be fast with its scans, and it has perfect or near-perfect third-party test results in most cases. We'll break down the details below. 

Scan speeds

  • Result: Fast

We had some trouble find Sophos different types of scans. There should be a manual scan and a fast scan, but the fast scan only appears to be available on macOS. 

Sophos's full scan took less than 10 minutes and had little to no impact on our device performance. The only files it detected were the malware test files, so there were no false positives. 

Scan type Time spent
Full scan 7 minutes, 59 seconds

EICAR results

  • Result: 2/3

EICAR stands for the European Institute of Computer Antivirus Research. It collects a library of cyberthreat test files, from malware, to potentially unwanted applications, to phishing, so that you can test your antivirus program from home. 

We tested Sophos for three types of cyberthreats: malware, drive-by malware downloads, and phishing page detection. 

Test Sophos score
Malware detection Pass
Drive-by malware downloads Pass
Phishing pages detection Fail
Test results as of 06/12/2025.

Sophos easily blocked both of the malware test files we attempted to download. 

Sophos Home pop-up threat blocked pop-up

However, we opening the phishing test and weren't blocked from viewing the page. We made sure all of our phishing features were enabled, but the results remained the same.

AV-TEST results

  • Result: Sophos results are all near perfect, although macOS results are outdated.

After conducting our in-house testing, we refer to independent organizations that specialize in testing antivirus software. First, we review results from AV-TEST. AV-TEST is an independent research institute with one of the largest digital malware samples in the world.

AV-TEST reviews antivirus programs for how well they detect and protect against malware, how much they impact your computer speed, and how accurately they detect real cyberthreats.  

Test type Windows score macOS score Android score
Protection N/A 6/6 6/6
Performance N/A 6/6 6/6
Usability N/A 6/6 6/6
Total N/A 18/18 18/18
Date N/A December 2017 March 2025
Link to test N/A Link Link

Sophos mostly appears to submit its business program from Windows, so it had no results to review. The most recent macOS test was from late 2017, which received top marks. 

Sophos only had one recent AV-TEST result, and that was for its Android App. It beat the industry average for protection against the latest Android malware attacks in real time and detection of Android malware discovered the last four weeks. It also detected zero false positives. 

AV-Comparatives results

  • Result: Lags behind in AV-Comparatives results, but results are several years old. 

AV-Comparatives is another independent organization that reviews antivirus and other security software. For antivirus, it conducts tests based on real-world protection, malware protection, and performance impact. There's also testing specificaly for Android antivirus apps.

Test type Mobile security Real-world protection Malware protection Performance impact (Lower is better)
Score Approved 96.2% N/A 17.6
Platform Android Windows N/A Windows
Date July 2015 November 2016 N/A October 2016
Link Link Link N/A Link

Sophos was on the lower end of the spectrum for both real-world protection and performance impact. It received a 96.2% in real-time protection, which the top programs received anywhere from 99.5% to 100%. It also received a 17.6 performance impact score, while the top programs had anywhere from 0.3 to 7.5.

Sophos's most recent AV-Comparatives results are from almost 10 years ago, so we wouldn't consider them too heavily as the program has probably been updated several times since then. 

SE Labs results

  • Result: 100%

SE Labs tests computer security products to let you know how effective they are. It’s independently run, so you know you’re getting objective scores for these products.

The tests use real-life threats and include realistic simulations to give you an accurate and thorough depiction of your chosen antivirus software.

Test type Score
Protection accuracy 98%
Legitimate accuracy 97%
Total accuracy 97%
Date 2021 Q1
Link Link

Sophos does seem to regularly test with SE Labs, so you can rely on these results to inform the current product. It received a 98% total accuracy rate, and was beat by several programs that received 100% in legitimate and protection accuracy. These included Avast, McAfee, and Norton 360. 

Sophos compatibility

Sophos antivirus is compatible with the following:

  • Windows 10+
  • macOS 13+
  • Android 9+
  • iOS 11+

Sophos customer support

Sophos offers live chat and email support on Monday through Friday, from 8 a.m. to 8 p.m, EST. You can email Sophos support and get a response within 24 hours — or 72 hours if you’ve asked for remote assistance.

You also have knowledge base articles that may be of some help during weekends and after regular weekday hours or the Sophos Twitter account. Additionally, the Sophos Community forums allow you to post questions or search for answers.

Sophos doesn’t offer phone support. That can be a deal breaker for some if you feel more comfortable speaking to someone directly, but we're glad it offers live chat.

Top alternatives

Sophos provides solid protection, but it can be expensive and lacking in features. We've compiled three alternative antivirus programs for you to consider if Sophos doesn't check all the boxes:

Antivirus
Star rating
4.7
4.7
5.0
Price $29.00–$49.00/yr (first year only) $29.99–$249.99/yr $29.99–$299.99/first yr
# of devices protected 4 - 8 Unlimited 1 - 10
Malware scans Manual and scheduled Manual and scheduled Manual and scheduled
Real-time protection
EICAR test results 2/3 3/3 3/3
Firewall
Phishing protection
Compatibility Windows, Mac, Android, iOS, Chrome, Edge, Opera, Safari Windows, Mac, Android, iOS, Chrome, Firefox, Safari, Edge Windows, Mac, Android, iOS
Extras Password manager, ad blocker, VPN Parental controls, performance optimization tools, VPN Password manager, VPN, dark web monitoring, parental controls, privacy monitor, identity theft protection, cloud backup
24/7 customer support
Learn more Get TotalAV Get McAfee Get Norton 360

FAQs

Is Sophos antivirus safe?

Sophos antivirus is safe and considered a good antivirus. It consistently scores 98% to 100% in total accuracy with third-party tester SE Labs.

Is Sophos better than Kaspersky?

Sophos is better than Kaspersky if you don’t want a system that collects tons of your data. But if you’re looking for options such as a password manager, Kaspersky wins the round, as Sophos doesn’t have that feature.

Sophos also doesn't have any red flags like Kaspersky does, which has been flagged as a national security threat.

Is Sophos better than Windows Defender?

Sophos is not better than Windows Defender if you want only a built-in antivirus that comes with a firewall. But if you're looking for easy navigation, Sophos is the clear winner as it allows remote management.

Bottom line: Is Sophos good?

After our experience with Sophos antivirus, we think it may be too expensive for what it offers. We like that it has solid third-party test scores and can cover 10 computers on every plan. But we do wish it came with a built-in firewall and some more extras to justify the starting price.

If you’re wanting software that gives you a native control panel, that’s something you won’t get with Sophos. That may be a big drawback for people who don’t want to rely on cloud services. 

If you’re still on the fence, you can check out how Sophos compares to Norton or review our list of the best antivirus programs.

4.4
Editorial Rating
Learn More
On Sophos's website
Antivirus Software
Sophos
  • Uses AI threat detection to stay on top of latest cyberthreats
  • All plans protect up to 10 computers and unlimited smartphones
  • Scanning options can be confusing
Author Details
Patti Croft is a seasoned writer specializing in technology, with over three years of experience. With a B.S. in Computer Science and a background as a technical analyst and security specialist, she covers a range of topics like data security and parental control software.
Steph Trejos is a Senior Product Testing Editor at All About Cookies, leveraging her expertise in the cybersecurity field. She holds a B.A. in English: Editing, Writing, and Media, as well as Media/Communications Studies. With over five years of professional writing experience, she has garnered recognition for her work on anti-financial crime topics, such as money laundering, terrorist financing, and cyberthreats.