PC Matic vs ThreatLocker Application Allowlisting: Side-by-Side Comparison (2026)

PC Matic

Startup founders and small teams with non-technical staff should pick PC Matic for its default-deny allowlisting model, which stops unknown executables before they run, eliminating the detection-delay problem that plagues signature-based antivirus. The SuperShield allowlist approach covers NIST PR.PS (platform security) by preventing malware execution at the source rather than relying on post-infection detection. Skip this if your team needs EDR-grade visibility into threat behavior or compliance reporting; PC Matic trades forensic depth for simplicity, which works fine for preventing infections but not for investigating them after they happen.

ThreatLocker Application Allowlisting

SMBs and mid-market shops drowning in Shadow IT will see immediate payoff from ThreatLocker Application Allowlisting because deny-by-default blocks unauthorized software before it runs, no signatures required. The Learning Mode automatically catalogs your actual application estate, cutting the usual weeks of manual policy creation down to days. Skip this if your team lacks the bandwidth to manage user access request workflows or if you need detection-heavy threat hunting; ThreatLocker prioritizes prevention and asset control over post-breach forensics.