Try our new research platform with insights from 80,000+ expert users

Microsoft BitLocker vs Symantec Endpoint Encryption comparison

 

Comparison Buyer's Guide

Executive SummaryUpdated on Apr 20, 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
Average Rating
8.2
Reviews Sentiment
7.4
Number of Reviews
65
Ranking in other categories
Mobile Data Protection (1st)
Symantec Endpoint Encryption
Ranking in Endpoint Encryption
4th
Average Rating
7.6
Reviews Sentiment
6.3
Number of Reviews
37
Ranking in other categories
No ranking in other categories
 

Mindshare comparison

As of May 2025, in the Endpoint Encryption category, the mindshare of Microsoft BitLocker is 39.1%, down from 39.7% compared to the previous year. The mindshare of Symantec Endpoint Encryption is 9.2%, down from 10.4% 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.
Bharath Kumar Gajula - PeerSpot reviewer
Robust data protection with user-friendly deployment, competitive pricing, and comprehensive features like customizable alerts and effective detection capabilities but needs GUI improvements
The stability is relatively good. Occasionally, certain clients may experience disconnection from the management servers, requiring a manual process to rectify. Even in instances where the link is severed, restoring client connectivity can be challenging, sometimes necessitating the uninstallation and reinstallation of the software. Additionally, when clients go out of sync, we do not receive alerts, indicating an area for potential improvement. I would rate it seven out of ten.

Quotes from Members

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

Pros

"The solution's most valuable feature is that it is simple to deploy and manage."
"Whole Disk Encryption is great. BitLocker runs seamlessly during boot up."
"The solution works the way it's supposed to - stability and scalability are fine."
"It's a straightforward solution for encryption."
"While it helps mitigate unauthorized data access by enhancing file and system protection through encryption, the tool is really enhanced with the combination of other Microsoft Security and Compliance features like data labeling."
"We use Microsoft BitLocker for our endpoints, including laptops."
"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 most valuable feature is the authentication process which is very fast."
"It is fairly stable."
"The solution is pretty stable."
"The management console gives us the ability to quickly control who sees what, ensures we are on the latest version, and up-to-date."
"One notable aspect is the ability to customize alerts and other settings."
"The solution was used to find harmful files and viruses on laptops."
"We can extend it to all of the critical endpoints and the servers, and we can ensure the confidentiality of the data."
"The solution’s installation was easy."
"The most valuable feature is the ease of use."
 

Cons

"Lacks a portal that can be managed rather than just existing."
"The solution could be improved if it was more user friendly."
"The solution’s user interface could be improved."
"The product must improve the centralization of keys."
"For improvement, as it is now, I do not have any support from anyone. There should be a web interface to manage BitLocker. But for now, all I do is just install a new product on the user's machine and create it. I would like to be able to see everything that is happening, even if it is just through a web interface. I would also like to be able to see how many users are provisioned, which users are using BitLocker, and how to disable or enable it. That's what I would like to see."
"We recently found some stability issues with Microsoft BitLocker."
"The implementation of BitLocker is not simple. There are many prerequisites and hours of study and testing."
"At the end of it all, we are looking for something that can be easier to manage."
"The solution does not have endpoint control."
"I would like to have less frequent updates."
"The agent can be improved on the solution. Right now, we have an Endpoint Protection agent as well as an encryption agent and another for the DLVs and other services. We would prefer a single agent for the entire product."
"Its remote deployment should be improved. Currently, there is no remote deployment for Symantec Endpoint Encryption. You have to install it manually. There are some issues with AD integration and the time taken to reflect a password on the Endpoint Encryption Manager when a new user has changed the password, but they are already working on these issues, and these will be resolved in the next release."
"I would like to see some features or functionality enhanced in Symantec Endpoint Encryption."
"I think that they should improve the on-premises version to include the manageability and simplicity that is available on the cloud."
"The GUI could use some enhancement, particularly in making option sets easier to locate on client machines."
"The program's disk encryption is not very friendly with Microsoft OS updates. We have a problem with updates failing unless we use a time-consuming work-around."
 

Pricing and Cost Advice

"Microsoft BitLocker's pricing is included in the Microsoft license, and you don't have to pay an additional fee for it."
"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."
"For reasons unknown, Microsoft products seem to be getting more expensive."
"I think it's reasonably priced because I've never heard any complaints from my company about its costs."
"The solution is priced low. I would rate the product's pricing one out of ten."
"The solution is cost efficient."
"It is a totally free solution."
"BitLocker is already in Windows 10 and its price has already been "paid"."
"Symantec Endpoint Encryption is not expensive."
"Although the performance and stability of this solution are good, our challenge is the price tag. You buy the solution once, but you also have to keep on buying the licenses yearly."
"There is a license required for this solution."
"Depending on how many modules you will use (up to five) the licensing will be more expensive."
"The pricing is fair but there is variability in our area that needs to be addressed."
"They have two solutions for encryption including Symantec Endpoint Encryption and PGP Endpoint Encryption. With one PGP license, you can deploy the two solutions. The PGP license gives you two options."
"The cost of this solution is a little on the higher side."
"The solution is good, but it is more expensive than other solutions in the market. Other solutions, such as BitLocker are less expensive."
report
Use our free recommendation engine to learn which Endpoint Encryption solutions are best for your needs.
851,604 professionals have used our research since 2012.
 

Top Industries

By visitors reading reviews
Computer Software Company
12%
Government
10%
Manufacturing Company
9%
Financial Services Firm
9%
Financial Services Firm
13%
Computer Software Company
13%
Manufacturing Company
12%
Government
6%
 

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 do you like most about Symantec Endpoint Encryption?
Antivirus, URL filtering, and firewall protection are the most effective features for data protection.
What is your experience regarding pricing and costs for Symantec Endpoint Encryption?
I am not sure about the pricing and licensing cost of Symantec Endpoint Encryption.
What needs improvement with Symantec Endpoint Encryption?
Support can sometimes be a problem, although not always. It's a very rare case.
 

Also Known As

BitLocker, MS BitLocker
Symantec Drive Encryption
 

Overview

 

Sample Customers

ACV, Proaxis Therapy, Choice Hotels International, adnymics GmbH, Intermedia, NMBS/SNCB
Citrix Systems Inc., City of Lansing, Commercial & Industrial Property, France T_l_visions, Fujian Mobile Co. Ltd., Group Lotus plc, Hall Booth Smith & Slover, P.C. (HBSS), Portugal Telecom, PostFinance, Public Pension Agency
Find out what your peers are saying about Microsoft BitLocker vs. Symantec Endpoint Encryption and other solutions. Updated: April 2025.
851,604 professionals have used our research since 2012.