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McAfee Complete Data Protection 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

McAfee Complete Data Protec...
Ranking in Endpoint Encryption
4th
Average Rating
7.8
Reviews Sentiment
7.5
Number of Reviews
33
Ranking in other categories
No ranking in other categories
Symantec Endpoint Encryption
Ranking in Endpoint Encryption
5th
Average Rating
7.6
Reviews Sentiment
6.3
Number of Reviews
36
Ranking in other categories
No ranking in other categories
 

Mindshare comparison

As of April 2025, in the Endpoint Encryption category, the mindshare of McAfee Complete Data Protection is 7.6%, down from 10.2% compared to the previous year. The mindshare of Symantec Endpoint Encryption is 9.5%, down from 10.4% compared to the previous year. It is calculated based on PeerSpot user engagement data.
Endpoint Encryption
 

Featured Reviews

ObaseunAwoyinfa - PeerSpot reviewer
Encrypts the hard drive, offers data protection policies and effective part of DLP strategy
The only thing that I think could be improved is the data classifier. It's not a very robust classifier, which is where its limitation lies. For example, you see a lot of higher-end solutions where people can classify data more effectively, adding labels like transcription labels and such. McAfee’s classifier doesn't handle all those tasks. It doesn’t offer the same level of functionality as other data classification tools. You can't do things like fingerprinting and other advanced classification methods. However, if you were to make it more robust, the product could become too heavy to run effectively on endpoints and servers. So, to be honest, I can't think of anything else off the top of my head that could be added. I think it's a great solution as it stands. If anyone wants extended data classification, they can leverage other tools like Titus, Fortra's Classifier Suite (previously known as Boldon James Classifier), or even Microsoft AIP if they have the budget. You can also leverage Trellix to enhance your data protection. From my point of view, McAfee Complete Data Protection is one of the best solutions out there, if not the best, to be honest.
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 most valuable feature is security."
"The interface is user-friendly and it provides a large number of options."
"We can scale the solution."
"The solution is easy to deploy and manage"
"The beauty of McAfee is that they are not looking at encryption from one single standpoint. It is a broader solution."
"Reporting and encryption are its most valuable features."
"It provides encryption, data protection, and DLP, all under one roof. The deployment, scalability, and reporting is too good. My clients are satisfied with the stability of the product. The solution is highly scalable. The technical support's response time and turnaround time as the solution provider are excellent. The availability of great back-end support and process support makes the product great. The initial setup is straightforward, with simple configurations. I recommend the solution."
"I have found the USB part most valuable."
"The solution was used to find harmful files and viruses on laptops."
"We have been very satisfied with the solution's security capabilities."
"Antivirus, URL filtering, and firewall protection are the most effective features for data protection."
"The most valuable features are the messaging features and shared folders."
"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."
"The solution is easy to use."
"The installation process is pretty straightforward."
"The best feature of Symantec Endpoint Encryption is the encryption itself. Encryption truly is the way to go because nowadays we are living in an era of widespread server threats, and you need to encrypt your emails and documents because you never know who might get hold of them."
 

Cons

"It is difficult to manage."
"Some clients still receive spam and malware in their attachments, so the data protection isn't working correctly. We have configured it and enabled the features in the client's system, but some policies have failed to work once or twice."
"There are some features that do not work with Mac."
"The solution should be more user-friendly."
"Initial setup was complex."
"A better GUI platform would make it easier to present information to management; I would not need to fix the data before I present it."
"The price is a little high and could be better."
"The solution needs a next generation or AI firewall that doesn't rely on signatures to detect traits."
"The solution does not have endpoint control."
"I think that they should improve the on-premises version to include the manageability and simplicity that is available on the cloud."
"I would like to have less frequent updates."
"We would like some advanced security protection features."
"The product can be expensive. Price was a factor in moving away from the product."
"It's difficult to integrate the solution with the DLP"
"The UI could be improved."
"They have too high of a price tag. That's why they're losing the market share."
 

Pricing and Cost Advice

"The solution is affordable"
"The cost of McAfee Complete Data Protection isn't that high but isn't that cheap as well, so it's in the middle."
"I think the price could be a little bit less."
"The solution is more expensive than one of its competitors."
"The price is good, it's a low-cost solution."
"This solution is reasonably priced."
"The pricing is better than that of some competing products."
"The licensing is yearly."
"The pricing is fair but there is variability in our area that needs to be addressed."
"There is a license required for this solution."
"We hold an annual license, and their pricing is competitive, falling into the affordable range."
"It can be expensive. However, if you plan to scale or are at a large enterprise company, this product could be what you need."
"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."
"Symantec Endpoint Encryption is not expensive."
"The solution is good, but it is more expensive than other solutions in the market. Other solutions, such as BitLocker are less expensive."
"The licensing costs yearly are $5000."
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Top Industries

By visitors reading reviews
Financial Services Firm
20%
Government
14%
Manufacturing Company
10%
Computer Software Company
9%
Financial Services Firm
14%
Computer Software Company
14%
Manufacturing Company
11%
Healthcare Company
6%
 

Company Size

By reviewers
Large Enterprise
Midsize Enterprise
Small Business
 

Questions from the Community

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....
What do you like most about McAfee Complete Data Protection?
It worked for me: it's easy to use and has been very effective.
What is your experience regarding pricing and costs for McAfee Complete Data Protection?
The huge problem I see is pricing. We understand that DLP is not cheap anywhere in the world, but we constantly lose our protection because of pricing. Sometimes, this is because end users prefer t...
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.
 

Also Known As

No data available
Symantec Drive Encryption
 

Overview

 

Sample Customers

Xcel Energy
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 McAfee Complete Data Protection vs. Symantec Endpoint Encryption and other solutions. Updated: April 2025.
848,476 professionals have used our research since 2012.