Microsoft BitLocker vs Symantec Endpoint Encryption comparison

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Comparison Buyer's Guide
Executive Summary
Updated on Apr 6, 2022

We performed a comparison between Microsoft Bitlocker and Symantec Endpoint Encryption based on our users’ reviews in four categories. After reading all of the collected data, you can find our conclusion below.

  • Ease of Deployment: Most users of Microsoft Bitlocker feel that it is an easy and straightforward product to deploy. Symantec Endpoint Encryption’s users are split down the middle when it comes to determining how easy it is for them to deploy. Some users who note that the deployment is easy for them seem to indicate that the ease of deployment is related to their having previous experience deploying this type of product.

  • Features: Reviewers of both solutions note that they are both scalable and stable. Additionally, they point out that it has other valuable features, including the ease with which one can initiate upgrades and its disk encryption capabilities. However, they feel that its graphical interface could be simplified.

    Reviewers of Symantec Endpoint Encryption point out that its valuable features include its ease of use and its management capabilities. However, they feel that the process by which upgrades are initiated could be smoother.
  • Pricing: Users of Microsoft Bitlocker feel that it is a pretty inexpensive product to use. Half of Symantec Endpoint Encryption’s reviewers feel it is reasonably priced and half feel it is expensive.
  • Service and Support: Users of Microsoft Bitlocker are divided over whether or not they provide adequate technical support. Symantec Endpoint Encryption’s users are not impressed with the technical support that they provide.

Comparison of Results: Based on the parameters we compared, Microsoft Bitlocker seems to be a superior solution. All other things being more or less equal, half of Symantec Endpoint Encryption reviewers found Symantec Endpoint Encryption to be difficult to deploy. Additionally, users of Symantec Endpoint Encryption find it difficult to upgrade. Finally, Symantec Endpoint Encryption’s users are not impressed with its technical support.

To learn more, read our detailed Microsoft BitLocker vs. Symantec Endpoint Encryption Report (Updated: March 2024).
765,234 professionals have used our research since 2012.
Featured Review
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.""As a Microsoft shop, we find this product easy to use.""It holds significant value as it reduces the need for extensive IT management to handle security across networks and environments""The solution is included in Windows 11.""The ease of use is the most valuable feature. The ability to import data to build your frontend on top of the data is very simple and very useable.""It is easy to use. It is usually easy to recover someone's privacy. The manageability is much easier than McAfee. I think that Microsoft is a leader in this area. We are in the Microsoft school so our judgment of McAfee will be a little bit unfair as we recommend Microsoft all the time because of the easy manageability and support. I think that McAfee is designed for a different customer and every time we open a ticket with their support, it takes a very, very long time. The main difference is just the manageability and support. In terms of the solution itself or the functionality, I know that McAfee is very strong, but manageability and support, for us, is much more important. It's strengthens the solution for us.""I liked the way it works with our Microsoft tools. As we roll out Intune, we can validate if the device has been encrypted, and if not, we can push it down. It is pretty simple to deploy.""Technical support is excellent."

More Microsoft BitLocker Pros →

"The encryption feature is very good.""The management console gives us the ability to quickly control who sees what, ensures we are on the latest version, and up-to-date.""In general terms, it is working properly and according to our expectations. The comfort of feeling secure is the most valuable. Some customers had certain fears about changing the product because no one wants to lose any kind of information or to have some problems or inconsistencies while migrating from one product to another.""This product is a solid, all-in-one solution for enterprise data management.""We use it for protecting accounts, which is its most valuable feature.""It has reduced the number of incidents related to the loss of information.""It is fairly stable.""It helps us put antivirus solutions in place and prevent malware from getting to our machines."

More Symantec Endpoint Encryption Pros →

Cons
"At the end of it all, we are looking for something that can be easier to manage.""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.""The solution should offer encryption for other items such as shared folders, removable media, etc.""The reporting in Microsoft is very minimal.""The implementation of BitLocker is not simple. There are many prerequisites and hours of study and testing.""I would recommend BitLocker only because of the economic side, not the technical side. If the features were included in the already existing licenses I would use it. If not, I would recommend other products.""The visualization could be better.""We recently found some stability issues with Microsoft BitLocker."

More Microsoft BitLocker Cons →

"I do not find the environment to be very user-friendly.""Its decryption time needs to be improved. Currently, its decryption time is very long, and it takes double time than encryption. They need to work on that. Its encryption time is fine.""We would like some advanced security protection features.""From an administration point of view, maybe it would be ideal to have it centrally managed.""I think that they should improve the on-premises version to include the manageability and simplicity that is available on the cloud.""The UI could be improved.""The solution does not have endpoint control.""The instability of the company and lack of presence in the Middle East is affecting product use."

More Symantec Endpoint Encryption Cons →

Pricing and Cost Advice
  • "BitLocker is already in Windows 10 and its price has already been "paid"."
  • "It is a totally free solution."
  • "This solution is included with Microsoft Server and my clients did not have to pay for anything extra."
  • "It's not about pricing, because we are working with Enterprise companies that already have Windows Enterprise, so BitLocker comes already included as a Windows feature. It's free for Enterprise users. The price is only for deployment. The customer will pay for McAfee, however."
  • "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"
  • "The price of this solution should be more competitive."
  • "BitLocker is included in our license and doesn't cost us anything extra."
  • "It is free. It is enabled as part of the operating system. Once you have an operating system license, you're licensed for Bitlocker."
  • More Microsoft BitLocker Pricing and Cost Advice →

  • "It can be expensive. However, if you plan to scale or are at a large enterprise company, this product could be what you need."
  • "The licensing costs yearly are $5000."
  • "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."
  • "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."
  • "The cost of this solution is a little on the higher side."
  • "The license is not very expensive."
  • "There is a license required for this solution."
  • More Symantec Endpoint Encryption Pricing and Cost Advice →

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    Questions from the Community
    Top Answer: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 reinstall… more »
    Top Answer: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… more »
    Top Answer: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 protection… more »
    Top Answer:One notable aspect is the ability to customize alerts and other settings.
    Top Answer:We hold an annual license, and their pricing is competitive, falling into the affordable range. I would rate it around three or four in terms of cost-effectiveness. However, deploying these servers… more »
    Top Answer:The GUI could use some enhancement, particularly in making option sets easier to locate on client machines.
    Ranking
    1st
    out of 28 in Endpoint Encryption
    Views
    27,578
    Comparisons
    7,814
    Reviews
    27
    Average Words per Review
    366
    Rating
    8.7
    7th
    out of 28 in Endpoint Encryption
    Views
    2,841
    Comparisons
    2,166
    Reviews
    9
    Average Words per Review
    341
    Rating
    6.9
    Comparisons
    Also Known As
    BitLocker, MS BitLocker
    Symantec Drive Encryption
    Learn More
    Overview

    BitLocker is a full disk encryption solution that protects your data from theft, hacking, and loss. BitLocker achieves this by encrypting the entire drive that hosts your operating system and all your data. BitLocker can work on all operating systems, drives, or devices, including portable storage devices.

    After BitLocker completes the data encryption, it generates a recovery key. Only those with the correct encryption key will be able to decrypt and access the encrypted files and information. Attempts to access secured data on premises or over the network will be met with either authentication prompts or error messages saying the data cannot be accessed.

    BitLocker provides its users with peace of mind by improving security and reducing risks of critical data loss and intrusions.

    Benefits of Microsoft BitLocker

    • Comprehensive data protection: BitLocker encryption provides increased security for data throughout its lifecycle, which starts with the creation and storage of the data and ends with its removal. Encryption prevents important data from being accidentally revealed or stolen. When data is encrypted, stealing data is more difficult, and hackers are often discouraged from instigating a cyberattack.

    • BitLocker is free with Microsoft Windows: Microsoft BitLocker is free to use and very easy to set up.

    • Good performance: BitLocker does not make the computer slow down or freeze when in use. You are free to work on other processes with BitLocker running in the background. BitLocker’s interface is very intuitive and the process of encrypting and decrypting data is straightforward and fast.

    • Prevent unauthorized data modification: BitLocker helps to keep your computing environment safe from any unauthorized changes. BitLocker regularly inspects your boot settings every time your PC is turned on. When BitLocker notices that modifications have been made to your boot environment, it forces the PC to enter recovery mode.

    Reviews from Real Users

    Microsoft BitLocker stands out among its competitors for a number of reasons. Two major ones are its powerful encryption capabilities and its user-friendly user interface.

    An ICT operations and security manager notes, “It is free and native to the OS. We don't have to worry about upgrades or maintaining the product. You encrypt the disk, and you save the recovery key. That's it. The person puts their password in, and after that, it is up to them. If they forget their password, they have to bring it in to get it unlocked.”

    Kevin C., a director at Pathfinder, writes, “Theease of use is the most valuable feature. The ability to import data to build your frontend on top of the data is very simple and very useable.”

    Symantec Drive Encryption, powered by PGP technology provides organizations with strong full-disk and removable media encryption and the ability to integrate with Symantec Data Loss Prevention. Intuitive management enables enterprise scale deployments and features compliance-based, out-of-the-box reporting plus customizable reports. Management capabilities include support for native OS encryption (FileVault2) and Opal compliant self-encrypting drives.
    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
    Top Industries
    REVIEWERS
    Financial Services Firm22%
    Insurance Company13%
    Government13%
    Computer Software Company9%
    VISITORS READING REVIEWS
    Computer Software Company13%
    Government10%
    Financial Services Firm7%
    Manufacturing Company7%
    REVIEWERS
    Financial Services Firm56%
    Computer Software Company11%
    Aerospace/Defense Firm6%
    Construction Company6%
    VISITORS READING REVIEWS
    Computer Software Company14%
    Financial Services Firm11%
    Manufacturing Company10%
    Healthcare Company7%
    Company Size
    REVIEWERS
    Small Business44%
    Midsize Enterprise17%
    Large Enterprise38%
    VISITORS READING REVIEWS
    Small Business27%
    Midsize Enterprise17%
    Large Enterprise56%
    REVIEWERS
    Small Business38%
    Midsize Enterprise19%
    Large Enterprise43%
    VISITORS READING REVIEWS
    Small Business22%
    Midsize Enterprise16%
    Large Enterprise62%
    Buyer's Guide
    Microsoft BitLocker vs. Symantec Endpoint Encryption
    March 2024
    Find out what your peers are saying about Microsoft BitLocker vs. Symantec Endpoint Encryption and other solutions. Updated: March 2024.
    765,234 professionals have used our research since 2012.

    Microsoft BitLocker is ranked 1st in Endpoint Encryption with 58 reviews while Symantec Endpoint Encryption is ranked 7th in Endpoint Encryption with 33 reviews. Microsoft BitLocker is rated 8.2, while Symantec Endpoint Encryption is rated 7.6. The top reviewer of Microsoft BitLocker writes "User-friendly, easy to set up, and offers real-time machine status updates". On the other hand, the top reviewer of Symantec Endpoint Encryption writes "Robust data protection with user-friendly deployment, competitive pricing, and comprehensive features like customizable alerts and effective detection capabilities but needs GUI improvements". Microsoft BitLocker is most compared with ESET Endpoint Encryption, McAfee Complete Data Protection, Trend Micro Endpoint Encryption, WinMagic SecureDoc and Sophos SafeGuard, whereas Symantec Endpoint Encryption is most compared with McAfee Complete Data Protection, Cisco Secure Endpoint, Digital Guardian, ESET Endpoint Encryption and Sophos SafeGuard. See our Microsoft BitLocker vs. Symantec Endpoint Encryption report.

    See our list of best Endpoint Encryption vendors.

    We monitor all Endpoint Encryption reviews to prevent fraudulent reviews and keep review quality high. We do not post reviews by company employees or direct competitors. We validate each review for authenticity via cross-reference with LinkedIn, and personal follow-up with the reviewer when necessary.