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).
763,955 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
"It is an encryption tool and provides security.""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.""I like the simplicity and ease of use of this solution.""The ease of administering and integrating the solution is great.""I like the fact that you can get a BitLocker encryption key out of OneDrive.""The tool has improved the starting up of our notebooks and end-user devices.""The tool is stable.""The most valuable feature is the simplicity and integration with the Microsoft Clouds platform."

More Microsoft BitLocker Pros →

"The management console gives us the ability to quickly control who sees what, ensures we are on the latest version, and up-to-date.""It is stable.""The solution is pretty stable.""Its management is good, and it is also scalable and mostly stable.""The most valuable feature is that it works in the background so that the end-users are not aware of what is happening on the laptop.""The installation process is pretty straightforward.""We have been very satisfied with the solution's security capabilities.""The most valuable feature is the ease of use."

More Symantec Endpoint Encryption Pros →

Cons
"There are options which could be implemented to make it a little more like PGP Whole Disk Encryption.""The people at the first level of support refer you to articles that do not pertain to the problem at hand.""We recently found some stability issues with Microsoft BitLocker.""The solution lacks the ability to allow its user to provide limited access to someone.""The solution needs to have better protection and improve its pricing.""Some of the technical internal functions, such as encryption protocols or something similar, could be improved.""The solution could improve by having a centralized GUI for management.""More customization options would have been nice, such as password selection, actions when the screen is locked, etc."

More Microsoft BitLocker Cons →

"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.""The solution does not have endpoint control.""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.""It was hard to install and took us about three months.""The product can be expensive. Price was a factor in moving away from the product.""The solution does slow down the device a little bit, once it's installed.""Symantec Endpoint Encryption can improve by being more secure.""From an administration point of view, maybe it would be ideal to have it centrally managed."

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 Firm23%
    Insurance Company13%
    Government13%
    Computer Software Company10%
    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 Business45%
    Midsize Enterprise18%
    Large Enterprise37%
    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.
    763,955 professionals have used our research since 2012.

    Microsoft BitLocker is ranked 1st in Endpoint Encryption with 28 reviews while Symantec Endpoint Encryption is ranked 7th in Endpoint Encryption with 10 reviews. Microsoft BitLocker is rated 8.2, while Symantec Endpoint Encryption is rated 7.6. The top reviewer of Microsoft BitLocker writes "Encrypts fast, embedded in the OS, and is reliable". On the other hand, the top reviewer of Symantec Endpoint Encryption writes "Not user-friendly and lacks integration with ICT, but provides adequate protection". 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, Sophos SafeGuard and ESET Endpoint Encryption. 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.