CISO Tribune

Vendor comparison · 2 companies

ESET vs Sophos

ESET sells cybersecurity for all business sizes and enterprise organizations. Sophos sells security solutions managed through Sophos Fusion, a single cloud-based platform for IT security protection. CISO Tribune files both under EDR and XDR. This page sets the two records side by side: what each sells, where it is based, who owns and funds it, the customers it names and its recent news, each fact numbered to its source.

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  • ESET
  • Sophos
ESET vs Sophos: Products, Customers and Funding Compared
ESETESET sells cybersecurity for all business sizes and enterprise organizations.eset.comSophosSophos sells security solutions managed through Sophos Fusion, a single cloud-based platform for IT security protection.sophos.com
What it sells
  • ESET HOME Security[4]Home security plans named ESET HOME Security Premium and ESET HOME Security Ultimate.
  • ESET NOD32[1]ESET NOD32 includes limited AI security capabilities.
  • ESET Secure Authentication[7]A service from ESET with a Web Console for 2FA accounts, users and components.
  • Sophos Fusion[6][7][10]Sophos Fusion is a single cloud-based platform for managing IT security protection.
  • Sophos Firewall[1][10]Sophos Firewall includes features for higher education, K-12, and primary and secondary institutions.
  • Sophos Managed Detection and Response[7]Sophos describes fully managed, 24/7 detection and response.
Categories
Headquarters
Not stated on its pagesOxford, United Kingdom[2]
Founded
Not stated on its pagesNot stated on its pages
Ownership and funding
Not stated on its pagesOwned by Thoma Bravo since 2020[3][7][8][9]
Named customers
Not stated on its pages
  • Jotun[4]
  • National 9/11 Memorial & Museum[4]
  • London South Bank University[4]
  • Town of Gilbert[4]
  • DFS Group[4]
Recent news
Not stated on its pages
  • October 1, 2026Sophos launched CISO Advantage, an agentic AI service that links security operations to security strategy, rolling out across North America, the UK and Europe.[5]
  • July 15, 2026Sophos announced Sophos Fusion, a defense system combining its endpoint, network, email, cloud, identity and security operations products in one architecture.[6]
G2 and Gartner Peer Insights
  • G2: listed, seen November 10, 2026[8]
  • Gartner Peer Insights: Not stated on its pages
  • G2: listed, seen November 4, 2026[8]
  • Gartner Peer Insights: Not stated on its pages
Who it fits
Not written yetFrom its own pages, Sophos sells mainly to distributed and growing enterprises with complex networks, which its XGS 2U firewalls target. Sophos also sells firewalls for SMB and branch offices, and plug-and-play security for smaller branch offices and remote sites. Sophos Firewall includes features tailored to higher education, K-12, and primary and secondary institutions.
Last verified
November 4, 2026September 27, 2026

Where they overlap

  • ESET and Sophos are both filed under EDR and XDR.

Where they differ, field by field

  • ESET's primary category is Endpoint protection platforms; Sophos's is EDR and XDR.
  • ESET is also filed under Encryption, tokenization and key management and Mobile security. Sophos is also filed under Firewalls and NGFW and MDR and managed SOC.
  • ESET lists ESET HOME Security, ESET NOD32 and ESET Secure Authentication. Sophos lists Sophos Fusion, Sophos Firewall and Sophos Managed Detection and Response.
  • Sophos is headquartered in Oxford, United Kingdom.
  • Sophos is owned by Thoma Bravo, since 2020.
  • Sophos publicly names Jotun, National 9/11 Memorial & Museum, London South Bank University, Town of Gilbert and DFS Group.

What it sells: ESET

What ESET NOD32 does[1]
ESET NOD32 includes limited AI security capabilities, powered by the existing multilayered technologies of ESET. Essential, Premium and Ultimate plans from ESET provide advanced AI security capabilities powered by specialized AI technologies.
What ESET Secure Authentication does[7]
ESET runs ESET Secure Authentication as a service. ESET Secure Authentication has a Web Console where customers activate 2FA for their accounts and manage users and components.

What it sells: Sophos

What Sophos Fusion does[6][7][10]
Sophos Fusion integrates natively with Sophos solutions and 500+ third-party technologies. The Sophos Fusion dashboard consolidates all alerts. Fusion AI is the intelligence layer within Sophos Fusion.
What Sophos Firewall does[1][10]
Sophos Firewall includes built-in policies for CIPA and predefined activities. Sophos Firewall includes features like SafeSearch, YouTube restrictions, and keyword filtering. Sophos Firewall uses dynamic firewall rules and lateral movement protection to isolate a compromised host.
What Sophos Managed Detection and Response does[7]
Sophos quotes simple per-user and per-server pricing with no hidden extras. Sophos describes three Response Modes.

Questions about ESET and Sophos

What do ESET and Sophos sell?
ESET sells ESET HOME Security, ESET NOD32 and ESET Secure Authentication. Sophos sells Sophos Fusion, Sophos Firewall and Sophos Managed Detection and Response.
Are ESET and Sophos in the same category?
They share EDR and XDR. ESET's primary category is Endpoint protection platforms and Sophos's is EDR and XDR.
Where are ESET and Sophos headquartered?
Sophos is headquartered in Oxford, United Kingdom.
Who owns ESET and Sophos?
Sophos is owned by Thoma Bravo, since 2020.
Which customers do ESET and Sophos name?
Sophos publicly names Jotun, National 9/11 Memorial & Museum, London South Bank University, Town of Gilbert and DFS Group.
Who are ESET and Sophos sold to?
From its own pages, Sophos sells mainly to distributed and growing enterprises with complex networks, which its XGS 2U firewalls target.
What have ESET and Sophos announced recently?
October 1, 2026: Sophos launched CISO Advantage, an agentic AI service that links security operations to security strategy, rolling out across North America, the UK and Europe.

About ESET

ESET sells cybersecurity for all business sizes and enterprise organizations. ESET describes its cybersecurity as powered by 35+ years of human expertise, 11 Research and Development Centers around the globe and local customer care. ESET offers expert-led, AI-powered scam protection for digital life. ESET sells real-time antivirus protection that shields against malware, theft, AI-driven scams, phishing, ransomware and more.

Anti-Phishing from ESET shields users from scams and fake websites attempting to access sensitive information or feed them fake news. ESET uses monitoring and expert-driven detection to spot suspicious AI behavior. ESET scans AI-generated responses to block phishing, malware and scams. ESET protection covers PCs, laptops, smartphones, smart TVs and IoT devices. ESET protection includes locking and tracking of missing devices, secured access to a webcam and monitoring of microphone activity.

ESET provides Firewall, Wi-Fi and network shield features that filter unwanted content, secure access to a network and test a home router and smart devices for vulnerabilities. ESET provides a secured browser mode and safeguards screens from unwanted access. ESET offers encryption of sensitive data and photos, including files and USBs. ESET helps manage website notifications and permissions and remove metadata from images uploaded to a browser, such as capture time and location.

VPN for Router protects every device on a home network with one setup. Essential, Premium and Ultimate plans from ESET provide advanced AI security capabilities powered by specialized AI technologies. ESET NOD32 includes limited AI security capabilities, powered by the existing multilayered technologies of ESET.[4]

Proactive Identity Protection from ESET covers credit score monitoring, dark web scanning for data leaks and 24/7 recovery services. ESET dark web scanning covers thousands of websites, including those on the Dark Web, blogs and other data sources, to detect the illegal trading of personal information. Credit Report Monitoring from ESET gives instant online access to credit reports and scores from one credit bureau. Social Media Identity Monitoring from ESET monitors Facebook, Twitter, YouTube and Instagram accounts for inappropriate activity and posts that could be perceived as violent. Identity Threat Alert from ESET keeps users updated on major data breaches, identity theft incidents and new identity theft laws. Lost Wallet Assistance helps cancel and replace credit, debit and ATM cards if a wallet is lost or stolen. ESET identity recovery includes $1M insurance and restoration services from Certified Protection Experts, based in the U.S., available 24/7.

ESET sells protection of AI conversations and autonomous AI agents from threats in the AI ecosystem. ESET sells antivirus for computers, servers, mobiles and cloud VMs, with the multilayered ESET LiveSense technology applied. Firewall, web and device control from ESET secures network traffic, blocks risky websites and controls external devices. ESET LiveGuard technology is used in a cloud-based deobfuscation, sandboxing and zero day protection service. ESET offers a Vulnerability & Patch Management module. ESET offers ESET Endpoint Security for macOS, with version 10.0.2200.0 available to download.[5]

ESET runs ESET Secure Authentication as a service. ESET Secure Authentication has a Web Console where customers activate 2FA for their accounts and manage users and components.[2][6][7]

ESET on the record

Sources

ESET full record

  1. [1]ESET Cybersecurity | Enterprise, Business and Home Solutions | ESETESET · undated page, accessed November 4, 2026 · Tier A
  2. [2]Debunking five myths about business encryptionESET · eset.com · published July 9, 2025 · Tier A
  3. [3]Press releases listESET · eset.com · undated page, accessed November 4, 2026 · Tier A
  4. [4]Clarification on Australia VPN Server Availability – ESET HOME Security Premium vs Ultimate - ESET Internet Security & ESET Smart Security Premium & ESET Security Ultimate - ESET Security ForumESET Security Forum · undated page, accessed November 10, 2026 · Tier A
  5. [5]ESET Endpoint Security & macOS 27 (Golden Gate) - ESET Endpoint Products for macOS - ESET Security ForumESET Security Forum · undated page, accessed November 10, 2026 · Tier A
  6. [6]ESET PROTECT Webコンソール | ESET PROTECT | ESETオンラインヘルプESET · undated page, accessed November 10, 2026 · Tier A
  7. [7]ESET StatusESET · undated page, accessed November 10, 2026 · Tier A
  8. [8]ESET PROTECT Reviews 2026: Details, Pricing, & FeaturesG2 · undated page, accessed November 10, 2026 · Tier C

Sophos full record

  1. [1]ProductsSophos · sophos.com · undated page, accessed September 27, 2026 · Tier A
  2. [2]Sophos completes secureworks acquisitionSophos · sophos.com · published February 3, 2025 · Tier A
  3. [3]Sophos announces completion of take private acquisition by thoma bravoSophos · sophos.com · published March 2, 2020 · Tier A
  4. [4]Case studiesSophos · sophos.com · undated page, accessed October 10, 2026 · Tier A
  5. [5]Sophos launches ciso advantage bringing ciso level security strategy within reach of every organizationSophos · sophos.com · published October 1, 2026 · Tier A
  6. [6]Sophos fusion ai native cybersecurity defense systemSophos · sophos.com · published July 15, 2026 · Tier A
  7. [7]Sophos: Cyber Resilience for the Agentic AI EraSophos · undated page, accessed October 28, 2026 · Tier A
  8. [8]Sophos Firewall Reviews 2026: Details, Pricing, & Features | G2G2 · undated page, accessed October 28, 2026 · Tier C
  9. [9]Sophos Reviews, Ratings & Features 2026 | Gartner Peer InsightsGartner Peer Insights · undated page, accessed October 28, 2026 · Tier C
  10. [10]School Protection | SophosSophos · undated page, accessed November 4, 2026 · Tier A
  11. [11]XGS Series Firewalls - Distributed Edge - Enterprise & Campus - 2U ModelsSophos · undated page, accessed November 4, 2026 · Tier A
  12. [12]Compare 200 and 1000 Series Sophos Switches - Multi-gigabit ModelsSophos · undated page, accessed November 4, 2026 · Tier A
  13. [13]Free Quote: Sophos MDR for Microsoft DefenderSophos · undated page, accessed November 4, 2026 · Tier A

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