Avanan vs Barracuda Email Security Gateway comparison

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Microsoft Logo
12,858 views|10,247 comparisons
97% willing to recommend
Avanan Logo
3,085 views|1,899 comparisons
100% willing to recommend
Barracuda Networks Logo
1,693 views|1,162 comparisons
91% willing to recommend
Comparison Buyer's Guide
Executive Summary
Updated on Sep 7, 2023

We compared Avanan and Barracuda Email Security Gateway across several parameters based on our users' reviews. After reading the collected data, you can find our conclusion below:

  • Features: Avanan is highly praised for its customizability as well as its consistent advancements in artificial intelligence and machine learning. Barracuda Email Security Gateway’s stand-out features include sandboxing, diverse customization options, and a cloud environment.

  • Room for Improvement: Avanan can enhance its alert clearance speed, decrease false positives, and improve scanning and backup options. Barracuda Email Security Gateway users say the solution should add DomainKeys functionality, enhance anti-phishing measures, and introduce the ability to add multiple domains. 

  • Service and Support: Avanan's customer service is consistently commended for its exceptional quality, efficiency, and expertise. Customers have praised the customer service of Barracuda Email Security Gateway for its professionalism, responsiveness, and availability, rating it as good and reliable.

  • Ease of Deployment: Users like Avanan's trouble-free setup and easy updates. The setup process for Barracuda Email Security Gateway is described as simple and intuitive, requiring a few hours or a day to complete.

  • Pricing: Avanan offers affordable, transparent SaaS-based pricing. Users find it cost-effective, particularly for small and medium-sized enterprises. Users say Barracuda Email Security Gateway is competitively priced.

  • ROI: Avanan has consistently provided positive results by enhancing email network security and contributing to revenue growth. Barracuda Email Security Gateway benefits users by minimizing business disruptions and reducing costs.

Comparison Results: Avanan is praised for its ease of implementation, adaptability, and cost-effectiveness. Users say Avanan could improve by reducing false positives and providing better documentation. Barracuda offers a wide range of capabilities, customizable options, and excellent customer support. Suggestions for improvement are more prevalent for Barracuda, including better pricing, automation, and user interface. Opinions on pricing vary for both products, with some users considering Barracuda to be more affordable.

To learn more, read our detailed Avanan vs. Barracuda Email Security Gateway Report (Updated: January 2024).
767,667 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
"The risk level notifications are most valuable. We get to know what kind of intrusion or attack is there, and we can fix a problem on time.""Microsoft Defender has a feature to protect each and every attachment. Even if it's an encrypted attachment, it will check for any potential threats.""It gives us visibility into threats and, for endpoints, it helps us to prioritize threats. We used to have a lack of visibility, but now our time to detect and respond has decreased.""It also gives me good visibility because, with Defender, I'm using a Microsoft product to defend Microsoft products. The integration was really seamless and I have wide visibility because it picks up almost everything. Literally, I can see almost every activity that happens, from the e-mail to the workstation itself.""Safe attachments, safe links, policies, and the ability to protect from zero-day threats are the most valuable features.""Our customers are satisfied with Defender for 365 because Microsoft products are easy to use and customize to meet the client's needs. Everything is in one place, so we can adjust policies as needed for phishing, DLP, ATP, or any other security features that our clients want to apply.""The deployment capability is a great feature.""Defender for Office 365 has helped eliminate having to look at multiple dashboards and that is the aspect I like most about it. It is simpler, effective, and convenient. The users like the process efficiency."

More Microsoft Defender for Office 365 Pros →

"If we look at four to five years ago, we had close to six or eight people click a link in an email per month. Now, we are probably down to about five or six clicks a year, if not less.""It can detect corrupted files and filters out documents with viruses.""Spam protection is the most valuable feature.""The most valuable feature of Avanan is its effectiveness. When scanning incoming emails for threats it can in an automated fashion, quarantine suspicious attachments.""Email inspection has saved many employees from spam attacks and viruses from unauthorized sources.""Easy to use for non-technical users.""When we don't understand some functionalities, the customer support staff responds fast to our calls and provides immediate action.""The most valuable feature of Avanan is its Anti-Malware solution for Office 365, and box.com."

More Avanan Pros →

"The most valuable feature of Barracuda Email Security Gateway is the complete capabilities it provides. Additionally, the phishing security and sandbox features are effective.""Barracuda is good at keeping the garbage from reaching your inbox.""This appliance has helped in that we now eliminate the thousands of scams, spam, and malware emails that are destined for our users.""The most valuable feature of the Barracuda Email Security Gateway is the ATP.""All features it provides on the cloud environment are very, very useful, including the antivirus that is enabled on it.""Eliminating inbox clutter creates an opportunity to be more productive instead of wasting time manually sorting through spam.""It can effectively combat phishing attacks, block spam, provide confirmation, and ensure operational manageability with a strong focus on product stability.""The product safeguards user mail for gateway defense, data protection, business continuity, AI-based inbox defense, and automated threat detection and incident response."

More Barracuda Email Security Gateway Pros →

Cons
"In some situations, it has not been able to pick impersonated emails having no attachments. Technical support definitely has a scope for improvement.""We are always looking for others tools to increase automation on tasks. There can be better integration with other solutions, such as PowerPoint and email.""The product must provide better malware detection.""There's room for improvement regarding the time frame for retrieving emails.""The only thing they should improve is the licensing model. They should stop changing it. A year ago, the five features I mentioned were included in one product. Now, three of them are bundled into one product, and you have to pay extra for the other two. I don't mind paying extra, but I don't want them to change it every year or every six months. I need to know what I'm looking at and not worry about it next year.""Configuration requires going to a lot of places rather than just accessing one tab.""They have moved features from one console to another. Things have been moved around in the interface and it takes me time to find where certain features are.""One area for improvement is support, in terms of being able to reach them and, especially, technical support for configuration."

More Microsoft Defender for Office 365 Cons →

"When sending bulky emails, the system slows down and takes a long time before it responds effectively to our requests.""In Avanan, the email channel is one of the channels where data leakage happens, and they need to consider it from a DLP perspective.""Familiarization with performance for new teams may take a long time.""It is very difficult to find the required documentation.""The system could be designed to give corporate emails first priority due to demands.""The user experience must be improved.""The cost can be reviewed to enable SMEs to acquire it and enjoy great security features.""It should reduce the amount of time needed for thorough scanning."

More Avanan Cons →

"Barracuda Email Security Gateway can improve email detection. We have some emails that are bypassing the threat scanning. There are some impersonation emails passing through.""Barracuda Email Security Gateway can improve reporting and anti-spam. The anti-spam engine is not working well. We are seeing a lot of problems where spam is going through the gateway. Additionally, access privilege should be given to the IT support, because they don't have a lot of privileges. We are forced to give our IT support administrative access in order to clear and deliver emails and this should not be happening.""The downsides of the solution stem from the fact that it is an expensive product, and one may see too many false positives when using it, making them both areas where improvements are required.""The pricing needs improvement.""The technical support is not available globally 24/7 and this is the biggest problem with the product.""Barracuda should add an option where it can add multiple domains, such as abc.com, bbc.com, and cbc.com. Therefore, this domains' emails will be allowed and other domains' emails will not be relayed through Barracuda Email Security Gateway. Whereas, if you allow the IP address, then any of the domain's emails will be relayed through Barracuda Email Security Gateway. That is the drawback that I have observed. So, Barracuda should work on this.""Solution requires regular checking to ensure it's 'keeping up' with spam.""I am not aware of the licensing costs."

More Barracuda Email Security Gateway Cons →

Pricing and Cost Advice
  • "It's a user-base subscription."
  • "From the pricing point of view, like any other product in the market, there is scope for negotiation."
  • "Defender is a little bit more expensive as compared to others. We are in the manufacturing environment. So, we don't have a high budget for all of our endpoint devices. Its cost is a major concern for us."
  • "For licensing, it's usually a yearly package for customers who are subscribed to Office 365, but they can also pay on a monthly basis."
  • "Microsoft Defender for Office 365 is an add-on to the Office license. Many customers are purchasing this solution."
  • "Microsoft Defender for Office 365 comes with Microsoft Windows. It is free with the operating system."
  • "The solution saves money so we have seen a return on investment."
  • "Defender for 365 comes in various plans and licenses, along with other Microsoft security solutions. Purchasing this kind of package or security bundle gives good value for money, and that's what I recommend."
  • More Microsoft Defender for Office 365 Pricing and Cost Advice →

  • "Good pricing arrangement as an SaaS offering."
  • "Having the flexibility and modeling to do the pricing that best fits the needs of the organization is incredibly ideal. That is what Avanan does. They know exactly how many users are using it, etc. We can tune the invoicing associated with how we are using the product so we can charge it back to the shows appropriately."
  • "We have a monthly license that is $4 to $8 per user."
  • "The pricing of Avanan is reasonable."
  • "The product is not the cheapest in the market."
  • "Avanan’s price is comparable to Barracuda."
  • More Avanan Pricing and Cost Advice →

  • "For overall value and cost, Barracuda came in as most appropriate, price as well as services provided. In terms of price, it's average . It's not the most expensive, it's not the least expensive but it works well."
  • "The price of this solution is very high, but it's working fine."
  • "Our licensing fees are approximately $4,000 per year, and this includes updates for the antivirus and spam signatures."
  • "As far as advanced email security systems, this product is mid-range on the pricing scale."
  • "The pricing for the product is fine."
  • "The licensing fees are part of a bundled support package that we pay for."
  • "We pay between $8 and $10 USD per user per month."
  • "The licensing cost is competitive, it's not too high and not too low."
  • More Barracuda Email Security Gateway Pricing and Cost Advice →

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    Questions from the Community
    Top Answer:Threat Explorer is an invaluable tool for me, and it plays a crucial role in helping me discern the origins of various… more »
    Top Answer:The product must provide better malware detection. The detection algorithms don't perform the way I hope they would.
    Top Answer:Spam protection is the most valuable feature.
    Top Answer:Avanan doesn't cover certain tool segments. Barracuda provides backup and retention of emails and Microsoft 365’s backup… more »
    Top Answer:Barracuda Email Security Gateway is very simple to use.
    Top Answer:Barracuda Email Security Gateway is a cost-effective solution.
    Top Answer:Barracuda Email Security Gateway should include ATP in the next release.
    Comparisons
    Also Known As
    MS Defender for Office 365
    Barracuda Spam and Virus Firewall, Barracuda Sentinel
    Learn More
    Overview

    Microsoft Defender for Office 365 is a comprehensive security solution designed to protect organizations against advanced threats in their email, collaboration, and productivity environments. It combines the power of Microsoft's threat intelligence, machine learning, and behavioral analytics to provide real-time protection against phishing, malware, ransomware, and other malicious attacks.

    With Microsoft Defender for Office 365, organizations can safeguard their email communication by detecting and blocking malicious links, attachments, and unsafe email content. It employs advanced anti-phishing capabilities to identify and prevent sophisticated phishing attacks that attempt to steal sensitive information or compromise user credentials.

    This solution also offers robust protection against malware and ransomware. It leverages machine learning algorithms to analyze email attachments and URLs in real-time, identifying and blocking malicious content before it reaches users' inboxes. Additionally, it provides advanced threat-hunting capabilities, allowing security teams to proactively investigate and respond to potential threats.

    Microsoft Defender for Office 365 goes beyond email protection and extends its security features to other collaboration tools like SharePoint, OneDrive, and Teams. It scans files and documents stored in these platforms, ensuring that they are free from malware and other malicious content. It also provides visibility into user activities, helping organizations detect and mitigate insider threats.

    Furthermore, this solution offers rich reporting and analytics capabilities, providing organizations with insights into their security posture and threat landscape. It enables security administrators to monitor and manage security incidents, track trends, and take proactive measures to enhance their overall security posture.

    Avanan is a comprehensive cloud security platform that protects organizations from advanced email and collaboration threats. With its multi-layered approach, Avanan provides real-time protection against phishing, malware, data leakage, and account takeover attacks. 

    By integrating with popular cloud applications such as Microsoft 365, Google Workspace, and Slack, Avanan ensures seamless security without disrupting user experience. Its advanced AI and machine learning algorithms analyze billions of data points to detect and block threats, while its granular policy controls allow organizations to customize their security settings. 

    Avanan also offers robust threat intelligence and incident response capabilities, enabling organizations to proactively identify and mitigate security risks. 

    With Avanan, organizations can confidently embrace the cloud while keeping their sensitive data and communications secure.

    Barracuda Email Security Gateway is a robust security solution that allows users to protect themselves from external threats as well as from potential data leaks. It can be managed and monitored from a centralized location. Users can efficiently and easily keep track of every aspect of their security suite all at one time. Customized protections can also be set up in a matter of minutes.

    Benefits of Barracuda Email Security Gateway

    Some of the benefits of using Barracuda Email Security Gateway include:

    • Provides users with a comprehensive and robust suite of security features. Barracuda Email Security Gateway employs a suite of security features to keep users safe. It has an email filter that scans outgoing emails to keep sensitive data from being sent to the wrong parties. Additionally, its software allows users to keep an eye on potential threats in real time. Users can stay ahead of malicious actors and preserve the integrity of their systems.
    • Designed for easy deployment. Barracuda Email Security Gateway makes it easy for users to secure themselves. The solution comes pre-configured for quick rollout and use. Users can benefit from it fully without devoting a significant level of resources to deployment.

    Reviews from Real Users

    Barracuda Email Security Gateway is an email security tool that stands out among its competitors for a number of reasons. Two major ones are the high level of flexibility that it gives to users and the solution’s powerful filtering feature. Barracuda Email Security Gateway offers users the ability to enact customizations that enable them to align the solution with their specific needs. It is highly flexible and allows for the completion of many different tasks. Additionally, it employs a powerful spam filter feature that gives users the ability to stop a large percentage of the threats to their devices before they get anywhere near their machines.

    Mohammed N., the assistant general manager at CoLoCity Data Center, writes, “There are many customizable options:

    • Attachment filtering, where we are filtering attachments according to our requirements.
    • IT-based configurations, where we allow domains. We are blacklisting domains that we do not want to pass through.
    • Rate Control feature, where we have the user license for 10,000 incoming and outgoing emails. Therefore, 10,000 users can use this device.

    The client has the option to blacklist or whitelist any email address or domain based on the sender and recipient filters. If they want, they can restrict any IP addresses so email won't be received from those IP addresses. Another interesting feature of Barracuda Email Security is the content filtering. If there is any word or sentence that we or our customers want to block, then we can add that thing in Barracuda Email Security Gateway. The content contained in the email will not be delivered or received by the recipient. Maximum customization options are available.”

    Igor G., the information security officer and data protection officer at a manufacturing company, writes, “The spam filtering feature, in particular, is very important for us. We have a large volume of emails each month, something like 200,000, and Barracuda filters about 85 percent of the spam, malware, and phishing that comes in. It prevents our users from receiving this content on their computers.”

    Sample Customers
    Microsoft Defender for Office 365 is trusted by companies such as Ithaca College.
    Bethel School District, ServiceSource, Capital Caring
    Evolution Recruitment Solutions, Evans Delivery Company, Osoyoos Credit Union, Synovis Life Technologies, Camden County Technical Schools, DEK, Evans Delivery Company, Colgate Rochester Crozer, Hemmera, South Carolina Heart Center, Ferma Corporation, Major League Baseball (MLB), Healy Brothers Automotive Group
    Top Industries
    REVIEWERS
    Manufacturing Company16%
    Computer Software Company16%
    Comms Service Provider13%
    Government6%
    VISITORS READING REVIEWS
    Computer Software Company17%
    Financial Services Firm9%
    Manufacturing Company7%
    Government7%
    REVIEWERS
    Security Firm19%
    Recruiting/Hr Firm19%
    Computer Software Company13%
    Energy/Utilities Company6%
    VISITORS READING REVIEWS
    Educational Organization47%
    Computer Software Company8%
    Manufacturing Company5%
    Construction Company4%
    REVIEWERS
    Financial Services Firm20%
    Comms Service Provider14%
    Manufacturing Company14%
    Construction Company9%
    VISITORS READING REVIEWS
    Educational Organization43%
    Computer Software Company10%
    Government5%
    Financial Services Firm4%
    Company Size
    REVIEWERS
    Small Business42%
    Midsize Enterprise16%
    Large Enterprise42%
    VISITORS READING REVIEWS
    Small Business30%
    Midsize Enterprise19%
    Large Enterprise51%
    REVIEWERS
    Small Business33%
    Midsize Enterprise33%
    Large Enterprise33%
    VISITORS READING REVIEWS
    Small Business19%
    Midsize Enterprise57%
    Large Enterprise24%
    REVIEWERS
    Small Business58%
    Midsize Enterprise20%
    Large Enterprise22%
    VISITORS READING REVIEWS
    Small Business22%
    Midsize Enterprise53%
    Large Enterprise25%
    Buyer's Guide
    Avanan vs. Barracuda Email Security Gateway
    January 2024
    Find out what your peers are saying about Avanan vs. Barracuda Email Security Gateway and other solutions. Updated: January 2024.
    767,667 professionals have used our research since 2012.

    Avanan is ranked 6th in Email Security with 21 reviews while Barracuda Email Security Gateway is ranked 2nd in Secure Email Gateway (SEG) with 51 reviews. Avanan is rated 9.2, while Barracuda Email Security Gateway is rated 8.0. The top reviewer of Avanan writes "We've noticed a significant decline from people accidentally or intentionally clicking on things". On the other hand, the top reviewer of Barracuda Email Security Gateway writes "Robust email protection with advanced features such as effective spam filtering, virus and malware defense, phishing protection and high scalability". Avanan is most compared with Check Point Harmony Email & Collaboration, IRONSCALES, Perception Point Advanced Email Security and Abnormal Security, whereas Barracuda Email Security Gateway is most compared with Fortinet FortiMail, Microsoft Exchange Online Protection (EOP), Proofpoint Email Protection, Cisco Secure Email and Check Point Anti-Spam and Email Security Software Blade. See our Avanan vs. Barracuda Email Security Gateway report.

    We monitor all Email Security 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.