OPSWAT Review: Overview, Features, Pricing & Alternatives in 2025

Is malware still slipping onto your network?

If you’re dealing with critical infrastructure, you know how hard it is to stop advanced threats without disrupting legitimate files or everyday operations.

After analyzing OPSWAT’s platform, I found that missed zero-day attacks still expose your organization to risks that traditional antivirus and email gateways simply miss.

What I discovered is OPSWAT uses multiscanning and deep content disarm (CDR) not just to block—but actually sanitize—files and devices before they ever reach your secure networks, even for removable media and unmanaged endpoints.

In this OPSWAT review, I’ll show you how OPSWAT helps keep threats outside your network while letting business keep moving.

You’ll see a breakdown of their unique technology stack, features, pricing structure, and how they compare to alternatives—directly tied to the risks you want to fix.

This analysis will help you find the features you need to protect your infrastructure with confidence before booking a demo.

Let’s get into the details.

OPSWAT Overview

Since 2002, OPSWAT has focused on protecting critical infrastructure. Based in Tampa, Florida, they operate on a powerful “Trust no File. Trust no Device.” philosophy I find quite effective.

They work with large organizations in sectors like government, energy, and finance. What really sets them apart is their deep specialization in protecting critical infrastructure and operational technology (OT)—a challenging area that more generic cybersecurity vendors tend to avoid.

Their recent acquisition of FileScan.IO was a smart move. For this OPSWAT review, it’s clear this strengthens threat intelligence capabilities, showing they are actively innovating for your security team.

Unlike competitors who rely on sandboxing to observe suspicious behavior, OPSWAT’s approach feels more decisive. Their key differentiator is proactively rebuilding safe files from scratch using Deep Content Disarm and Reconstruction (CDR) technology, which feels very practical.

They work with organizations where security is absolutely non-negotiable, like power plants and financial institutions. For these customers, a malicious file isn’t an IT issue; it’s a critical operational risk.

From what I’ve seen, their strategy centers on an integrated platform that secures every single data entry point, from email to USB kiosks. This directly supports the Zero Trust security model you need.

Now, let’s dive into their features.

OPSWAT Features

Zero-day attacks are a constant threat to your network.

OPSWAT offers a robust ecosystem designed to secure data at every entry point, giving you peace of mind. These are the five core OPSWAT solutions that solve critical cybersecurity challenges.

1. MetaDefender Core

Still relying on a single antivirus solution?

Traditional antivirus engines often miss advanced or unknown malware. This leaves your organization vulnerable to sophisticated attacks.

MetaDefender Core changes this by using multiscanning with over 30 engines and Deep CDR. It sanitizes files by deconstructing and rebuilding them, removing hidden threats without blocking legitimate content. From my testing, this solution dramatically boosts detection rates.

This means you get superior protection that allows essential business files to flow safely through your systems, minimizing disruption.

2. MetaDefender Kiosk

Worried about USB-borne threats in secure zones?

Portable media like USB drives are a major blind spot, easily introducing malware into air-gapped or high-security environments.

MetaDefender Kiosk provides a secure, physical checkpoint where all removable media are thoroughly scanned and sanitized. This dedicated solution ensures only clean files transfer to your network, eliminating a common attack vector. What I found impressive is how it truly locks down your perimeter.

So you can maintain the integrity of your critical infrastructure systems, knowing all incoming files are safe.

3. MetaAccess (Zero Trust Access)

Do you really trust every device connecting to your network?

Unmanaged or non-compliant devices can easily become entry points for attackers. This exposes your network to unnecessary risk.

MetaAccess enforces Zero Trust Network Access by verifying device security posture before granting access. This essential solution checks for patches, antivirus, and encryption, blocking or remediating non-compliant endpoints. Here’s what I found: it truly prevents vulnerable devices from connecting, securing your corporate resources.

This means your remote workforce and BYOD policies become much safer, strengthening your overall security posture.

4. MetaDefender Email Security

Is your email gateway stopping every email threat?

Standard email protection often falls short against sophisticated phishing, ransomware, and zero-day attacks delivered via attachments.

MetaDefender Email Security integrates Deep CDR and multiscanning directly into your email flow. This solution proactively sanitizes attachments, neutralizing malicious content before it reaches your inbox, rather than just detecting it. What I love about this approach is how it eliminates unknown threats in email files.

This means you get an advanced layer of defense that stops the most common and dangerous attack vector for businesses today.

5. OPSWAT Academy

Struggling to find skilled cybersecurity professionals?

There’s a significant shortage of experts, especially in critical infrastructure and operational technology (OT) security. This leaves teams understaffed.

OPSWAT Academy offers comprehensive training and certification programs, both free and paid, focusing on critical cybersecurity principles. This distinct solution empowers your team with practical knowledge on how to protect vital systems effectively. From my testing, it’s a valuable resource for upskilling staff.

This means you can build a more capable and confident security team internally, better equipped to leverage OPSWAT’s own solutions.

You’ll actually appreciate how these OPSWAT solutions work together to create a holistic, integrated security posture. They focus on preventing threats at every potential entry point.

OPSWAT Pricing

Enterprise software costs can be complex.

OPSWAT pricing is built on a custom quote model, meaning you’ll need to contact their sales team directly for figures tailored to your specific organizational needs. This ensures your budget aligns precisely with usage.

1. Pricing Model & Cost Factors

Understanding the cost factors.

OPSWAT’s pricing is subscription-based, crafted uniquely for each client. From my cost analysis, they tailor pricing based on product licenses like MetaDefender Core or Kiosk, your deployment size (users, endpoints), and required data throughput. Support levels also influence the final cost.

This means your budget directly reflects your specific security posture, rather than fitting into a generic tier.

2. Value Assessment & ROI

Is this pricing worth it?

OPSWAT is a premium, enterprise-grade solution designed for critical infrastructure, where the cost of a breach is catastrophic. Their Deep CDR and multiscanning technologies offer advanced threat prevention that few competitors match. From my cost analysis, this means significant ROI by preventing sophisticated attacks and ensuring operational continuity where downtime is unacceptable.

For your business, investing in OPSWAT helps secure assets and protects against costly cyber incidents.

3. Budget Planning & Implementation

Plan for the full investment.

Budget-wise, you should anticipate a five- to six-figure annual commitment, especially for comprehensive deployments like a MetaDefender Kiosk appliance. While specific implementation costs are part of the custom quote, they are substantial given the solution’s depth. What I found regarding pricing is that your upfront planning should factor in thorough evaluation via their demo options.

So for your business, prepare for a significant but targeted investment in top-tier security for critical operations.

My Take: OPSWAT pricing reflects its position as a high-end, tailored cybersecurity solution for enterprises needing robust, uncompromised protection, making it ideal for critical infrastructure.

The overall OPSWAT pricing reflects tailored enterprise value for mission-critical security.

OPSWAT Reviews

What do real OPSWAT users truly experience?

My analysis of OPSWAT reviews from platforms like G2 and Gartner Peer Insights reveals what real customers truly think. I’ve sifted through feedback to bring you balanced insights into user satisfaction and common themes.

1. Overall User Satisfaction

User sentiment leans very positive.

From my review analysis, OPSWAT generally receives high marks, averaging 4.6-4.7 stars across G2 and Gartner. What I found in user feedback is a clear pattern where users express strong confidence in its core functionality, often calling it an indispensable part of their security stack.

This indicates you can expect a robust solution that consistently delivers on its primary security promises, leading to peace of mind and trust.

2. Common Praise Points

What users consistently love.

Users frequently praise OPSWAT’s multiscanning and Deep CDR engines for high efficacy. My analysis reveals peace of mind from its ‘Trust no File’ approach is a recurring theme, neutralizing threats effectively. The Kiosk solution also receives consistent praise across reviews.

This means you gain top-tier threat prevention, especially for critical infrastructure and air-gapped systems, ensuring comprehensive and reliable security.

3. Frequent Complaints

What common frustrations do real users highlight?

The most frequent complaints in OPSWAT reviews concern high cost and setup complexity. What I found in user feedback is that pricing can be prohibitive for smaller organizations. Users also mention Deep CDR occasionally ‘breaks’ complex files, needing policy tuning.

These issues are common with powerful enterprise solutions. For you, this means budgeting generously and planning for dedicated implementation resources.

Overall, OPSWAT reviews reflect a powerful, effective security solution, despite its complexity and cost. My analysis confirms the user feedback is highly credible and provides practical insights for your decision-making.

Best OPSWAT Alternatives

Navigating cybersecurity choices can be daunting.

Finding the best OPSWAT alternatives means understanding your specific security priorities. I’ve analyzed the competitive offerings to help you decide which solution best fits your business needs and existing infrastructure.

1. Trellix

Need a broader, integrated security suite?

Trellix offers a comprehensive XDR platform, contrasting with OPSWAT’s file-centric prevention. What I found comparing options is that Trellix excels for organizations prioritizing deep behavioral analysis across the entire attack surface, including endpoint, email, and network. This alternative provides a unified suite from a single vendor, simplifying management for complex environments, whereas OPSWAT focuses on specialized threat prevention.

Choose Trellix if you need an all-encompassing, integrated security solution that emphasizes threat detection through sandboxing.

2. Votiro

Seeking pure-play file sanitization expertise?

Votiro is a direct alternative to OPSWAT’s CDR, focusing on “Positive Selection” for fast, scalable file sanitization. From my competitive analysis, Votiro is ideal if your primary goal is best-of-breed file sanitization for existing stacks. Unlike OPSWAT’s broader platform (Kiosks, MetaAccess), Votiro hones in solely on content disarm and reconstruction, integrating efficiently into diverse security ecosystems.

Consider Votiro when you specifically need a dedicated, highly efficient file sanitization solution to augment your current security infrastructure.

3. ReversingLabs

Does your SOC need deep threat intelligence?

ReversingLabs provides explainable threat intelligence and static binary analysis, rather than automated prevention. Alternative-wise, your situation calls for ReversingLabs if your security operations team requires in-depth human-readable insights into complex malware and the ability to unpack malicious binaries without execution. It serves more as an advanced analytical tool for SOC analysts than a front-line prevention system.

Choose ReversingLabs when your priority is detailed malware analysis and threat intelligence for your SOC, not just automated file sanitization.

Ultimately, the best OPSWAT alternatives depend on your specific operational context. I recommend evaluating based on your existing ecosystem and security priorities, not just feature lists.

Setup & Implementation

Deployment: A project, not a simple purchase.

Implementing OPSWAT involves a structured approach that impacts your security posture. This OPSWAT review will detail the deployment process, helping you set realistic expectations for success.

1. Setup Complexity & Timeline

This isn’t a quick install.

OPSWAT implementation is moderately to highly complex. Deploying MetaDefender Core needs careful capacity planning and integration via API or ICAP. What I found about deployment is fine-tuning Deep CDR policies demands expertise, balancing security with business needs. Expect a structured rollout and dedicated testing period.

You’ll need to plan for dedicated project resources, thorough testing phases, and expert involvement to navigate these complex configurations efficiently.

2. Technical Requirements & Integration

Prepare for IT infrastructure demands.

On-premises MetaDefender Core deployments require dedicated server resources, virtual or physical. Kiosks are hardware appliances needing network connectivity for management. From my implementation analysis, the full suite requires skilled security personnel to manage, monitor, and respond to alerts, indicating significant IT involvement.

Your IT team should assess existing infrastructure, provision necessary hardware, and ensure network readiness before beginning deployment. Budget for specialized security talent.

3. Training & Change Management

User adoption needs careful attention.

Administrator training is highly recommended due to solution complexity, with OPSWAT Academy providing a solid foundation. While end-user interaction (Kiosks) is simpler, the learning curve is primarily for administrators. Successful implementation requires thorough understanding of policy tuning.

Invest in comprehensive training for your security team to maximize their proficiency. Proactive change management will help ensure smooth internal adoption and operational efficiency.

4. Support & Success Factors

Support is key for a smooth rollout.

Customers consistently report positive experiences with OPSWAT’s professional support, citing their knowledge and helpfulness. This level of vendor assistance is critical for a successful deployment, especially during the intricate setup and tuning phases. Leveraging this expertise is paramount.

For your implementation to succeed, actively engage with their support team. Establish clear communication channels and utilize their guidance to optimize your system’s performance.

The overall OPSWAT implementation is a significant project requiring expertise and resources. However, with proper planning and vendor engagement, you can achieve robust security. This investment protects your critical assets effectively.

Who’s OPSWAT For

OPSWAT is for critical infrastructure security.

This section provides an in-depth OPSWAT review, helping you determine if its robust capabilities align with your specific business profile, team size, and complex cybersecurity use cases.

1. Ideal User Profile

Mission-critical prevention is your priority.

OPSWAT is perfectly suited for mid-market to large enterprises in critical sectors like government, energy, finance, and healthcare. From my user analysis, organizations that cannot afford downtime or data integrity compromise will find this software an ideal fit. Your CISOs and SOC Managers are primary beneficiaries.

You’ll achieve strong results if your operational risk model demands absolute threat neutralization, not just detection.

2. Business Size & Scale

Targeting large, complex organizations.

OPSWAT best fits mid-market to large enterprises with significant security budgets and dedicated IT security teams. What I found about target users is that smaller organizations often find costs prohibitive, needing substantial investment for core prevention. Your business must justify this level of security spending.

You’ll know you’re the right size if you have the resources for complex integration and ongoing policy tuning.

3. Use Case Scenarios

Securing air-gapped or untrusted data.

OPSWAT excels in scenarios like protecting air-gapped networks from portable media threats, or neutralizing zero-day malware from email/file uploads. From my analysis, deep content disarm and reconstruction is a primary strength for preventing unknown threats from ever executing within your critical systems.

You’ll appreciate this solution if your risk model demands neutralizing threats before they can even be detected.

4. Who Should Look Elsewhere

Not for light security needs.

If your organization is small, has limited security budgets, or prioritizes ease of setup over maximum prevention, OPSWAT might be overkill. From my user analysis, simpler detection-focused tools could suffice for less critical environments that don’t face advanced persistent threats or air-gap challenges.

Consider alternatives if your primary need is basic malware detection or you lack dedicated security engineering resources.

This OPSWAT review shows that choosing the software comes down to your need for prevention over detection in highly critical environments.

Bottom Line

OPSWAT delivers robust cybersecurity protection.

My comprehensive OPSWAT review reveals a powerful, specialized security platform. This final assessment guides you through its unique value proposition, ideal use cases, and key considerations for your strategic investment.

1. Overall Strengths

Exceptional security capabilities shine brightest.

OPSWAT excels in deep content disarm and reconstruction (CDR) and multiscanning, providing unparalleled protection against zero-day threats. From my comprehensive analysis, its ‘Trust no File’ approach ensures robust defense for critical infrastructure and highly regulated sectors. The Kiosk solution is best-in-class for securing air-gapped environments.

These core strengths offer profound peace of mind, directly safeguarding your most sensitive data and operational technology from sophisticated, advanced attacks.

2. Key Limitations

Specific considerations demand careful attention.

Primary drawbacks involve OPSWAT’s high cost, potentially prohibitive for smaller organizations, and the significant complexity of initial setup and configuration. Based on this review, policy tuning is required for intricate file types, occasionally “breaking” macros or complex documents during the CDR process and requiring administrative overhead.

These factors necessitate careful resource planning and a dedicated IT team to manage the system effectively and mitigate potential operational hurdles.

3. Final Recommendation

A specialized solution for serious security needs.

You should choose OPSWAT if your organization operates in critical infrastructure, government, or finance and requires the highest level of threat prevention. From my analysis, it excels for robust, air-gapped security needs where no compromise is acceptable, despite the significant investment and complexity.

Your decision should prioritize unparalleled deep security and be prepared for comprehensive implementation to maximize its powerful capabilities.

This OPSWAT review highlights a specialized, top-tier cybersecurity solution for specific enterprise needs. My overall assessment conveys high confidence in its value for the right organizations.