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Microsoft BitLocker vs Sophos SafeGuard comparison

 

Comparison Buyer's Guide

Executive SummaryUpdated on Feb 3, 2025

Review summaries and opinions

We asked business professionals to review the solutions they use. Here are some excerpts of what they said:
 

Categories and Ranking

Microsoft BitLocker
Ranking in Endpoint Encryption
1st
Ranking in Mobile Data Protection
1st
Average Rating
8.2
Reviews Sentiment
7.4
Number of Reviews
65
Ranking in other categories
No ranking in other categories
Sophos SafeGuard
Ranking in Endpoint Encryption
2nd
Ranking in Mobile Data Protection
2nd
Average Rating
8.6
Reviews Sentiment
7.2
Number of Reviews
42
Ranking in other categories
No ranking in other categories
 

Mindshare comparison

As of April 2025, in the Endpoint Encryption category, the mindshare of Microsoft BitLocker is 40.2%, up from 39.9% compared to the previous year. The mindshare of Sophos SafeGuard is 1.9%, down from 3.8% compared to the previous year. It is calculated based on PeerSpot user engagement data.
Endpoint Encryption
 

Featured Reviews

Douglas Curry - PeerSpot reviewer
Users can easily deploy and manage it
The solution's most valuable feature is that it is simple to deploy and manage. I can't say what features of the tool I like since it is very much a deploy-and-forget product. We don't use any advanced features of the tool in my company. The tool's recovery options are good, especially since it integrates with Active Directory, making everything a simple process. The product's integration capabilities are good.
ManelAlvarez - PeerSpot reviewer
Protects user data and offers data control and has an easy deployment
The most valuable feature is encryption control. If you have a laptop, it guarantees that the data is not missing or lost. It’s easy to deploy and has a central console where you can see whether the laptops are encrypted, updated, and protected. It protects devices, including USB and other external devices, and guarantees data loss protection. Additionally, with device control, you can ensure that no ransomware is introduced into the network. For me, this is of very high value.

Quotes from Members

We asked business professionals to review the solutions they use. Here are some excerpts of what they said:
 

Pros

"I like BitLocker because it gives us strong encryption to protect our data."
"The most valuable feature is the authentication process which is very fast."
"Microsoft BitLocker's most valuable features are stability and simplicity in terms of usage."
"We use Microsoft BitLocker for our endpoints, including laptops."
"It is easy to use and administer."
"We have not seen any bugs or glitches, so the stability is good."
"It maintains security on my computer. Since I travel a lot, it gives me confidence that if, for some reason, my computer is lost, my data won't be compromised."
"The initial setup is very simple."
"The monitoring features are easy to use."
"The solution can block a virus attack and prevent it from moving across the system."
"Integration with other solutions is one of its strongest points. It's very easy to integrate and automate."
"The malware protection and the scanning features are most valuable in this solution."
"The setup process is straightforward."
"The user experience and the quality of the features are good."
"SafeGuard's best feature is its stability."
"Sophos SafeGuard is very easy to implement, and the connection for remote users is beneficial."
 

Cons

"Microsoft BitLocker needs to be an all-inclusive solution. For example, a Trusted Platform Module (TPM) cryptoprocessor is required to use Bitlocker with your computer which keeps Bitlocker from adoption beyond Windows."
"They can improve the security of the application and include an encryption disk in the next feature."
"The integration between Active Directory and BitLocker could be better."
"More customization options would have been nice, such as password selection, actions when the screen is locked, etc."
"If the encryption was faster then it would make the experience more pleasant."
"There is room for improvement in stability."
"The biggest one for us is revoking access. So, even though someone downloads something to a device, we want the ability to cloak that device or data and bring it back or make that data unusable for that person. Currently, BitLocker doesn't give us that ability. It basically encrypts it. We're seeing if identity management or IAM allows us to do that. We're kind of looking at third-party software that does that for us."
"BitLocker should be available on standard Windows. We need to spend money on a Pro license to get BitLocker because it's essential to protect our customers' data. We don't want that to fall into the wrong hands."
"You have to pay extra for some additional features, like data extraction. It would be nice if everything was available in one bundle."
"The lack of need for the patch for an extra password is a shortcoming. It will be a great improvement if the patch requires an extra password so that they can find out how to synchronize your Windows password with the same password for Sophos SafeGuard."
"I would like to see a support-cloud, where Sophos creates a single package that contains all of its products."
"If it's possible, they should make all the features available because it's got a lot of features on offer, but you have to buy the license in order to add those features to the normal Endpoint. If they could make all those features available and/or offer a bundling option it would be better."
"There are times that this solution takes up too much memory that needs to be resolved. If it is not fixed it will definitely create issues in the future."
"The security does not have 100% authentication."
"Having a DLP integrated with the encryption engine would be very good."
"The cost is rather expensive. It's a pain point for many clients. They should work to see if they can reduce pricing."
 

Pricing and Cost Advice

"The cost of this solution is bundled in with part of the subscription for the Microsoft Cloud. We have users subscribed to Enterprise E5 and it comes with E5"
"We already use Microsoft products, and Microsoft BitLocker is an add-on product that is free of cost for us."
"Microsoft BitLocker's pricing is included in the Microsoft license, and you don't have to pay an additional fee for it."
"The solution is expensive."
"The price of this solution should be more competitive."
"I don't know the costs. In terms of Microsoft licensing, we are at E3 on the business, and we're in the process of pricing out and moving to E5. So, a lot of this is included within our licensing agreements."
"It is a totally free solution."
"The solution is priced low. I would rate the product's pricing one out of ten."
"It would be great if the price of the solution was lower than the current price. If we are to sell this particular solution to smaller businesses and not just enterprise businesses it needs to be lower."
"It's a software license with a one-time purchase. There are no issues with purchasing, and the vendor is flexible with licensing."
"I rate the product price a six on a scale of one to ten, where one is a low price, and ten is a high price."
"Licensing for this solution is on a yearly basis."
"Pricing for Sophos SafeGuard could be improved because it could reach a thousand dollars depending on the product, edition, and software key purchased."
"The licensing costs depend on the series. For example, XG 85 can be around $200. If you go to ACC or to a four or five-year enterprise solution, you will find these devices can cost $10,000. It depends on the series."
"The pricing is reasonable."
"We have a yearly license with Sophos which is around $1000-$1200 or so per annum. There are no additional costs beyond the standard licensing fee."
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Top Industries

By visitors reading reviews
Computer Software Company
12%
Government
10%
Manufacturing Company
9%
Financial Services Firm
8%
Financial Services Firm
14%
Computer Software Company
10%
Healthcare Company
9%
Real Estate/Law Firm
8%
 

Company Size

By reviewers
Large Enterprise
Midsize Enterprise
Small Business
 

Questions from the Community

What should one take into account when replacing PGP with Microsoft BitLocker?
Beware to make backup of useful data, then use reverse decryption policy from Symantec panel/McAfee ePO to decrypt the DE partitions while it is sometimes more straightforward and faster to reinsta...
Would you choose Microsoft BitLocker or McAfee Complete Data Protection?
Microsoft BitLocker is very intuitive and easy to maintain. It is basically the global standard solution for drive encryption and successfully fulfills regulatory needs in terms of data protection....
How does Microsoft BitLocker compare with Symantec Endpoint Encryption?
Microsoft BitLocker is very intuitive and easy to maintain. It is basically the global standard solution for drive encryption and it successfully fulfills regulatory needs in terms of data protecti...
What is your experience regarding pricing and costs for Sophos SafeGuard?
I cannot compare prices precisely, so I would give it a five out of ten rating. I am uncertain. Sophos is slightly more expensive than some other vendors. A bundle might be an option for cost-consc...
What needs improvement with Sophos SafeGuard?
I cannot think of any improvements right now.
 

Also Known As

BitLocker, MS BitLocker
SafeGuard, SafeGuard Encryption
 

Overview

 

Sample Customers

ACV, Proaxis Therapy, Choice Hotels International, adnymics GmbH, Intermedia, NMBS/SNCB
Rushmoor Borough Council
Find out what your peers are saying about Microsoft BitLocker vs. Sophos SafeGuard and other solutions. Updated: March 2025.
845,406 professionals have used our research since 2012.