Check Point Email Security (formerly Harmony Email &amp; Collaboration) vs Microsoft Defender for Office 365 comparison

Check Point Email Security (formerly Harmony Email & Collaboration) vs. Microsoft Defender for Office 365

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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

Cloudflare One

Mindshare comparison

As of June 2026, in the Email Security category, the mindshare of Cloudflare One is 1.6%, up from 1.6% compared to the previous year. The mindshare of Check Point Email Security (formerly Harmony Email & Collaboration) is 4.3%, down from 4.8% compared to the previous year. The mindshare of Microsoft Defender for Office 365 is 6.3%, down from 12.6% compared to the previous year. It is calculated based on PeerSpot user engagement data.

Email Security Mindshare Distribution
Product	Mindshare (%)
Microsoft Defender for Office 365	6.3%
Check Point Email Security (formerly Harmony Email & Collaboration)	4.3%
Cloudflare One	1.6%
Other	87.8%

Email Security

Featured Reviews

Cobe Van Coller

Network Architect at IP Dimension

Cloud security has improved remote access and has reduced costs for smaller client sites

I have used Cloudflare One's Identity-Aware Proxy, and it is quite straightforward from what I have seen so far. The app registration on the Azure side integrates fully into Cloudflare, and I am very satisfied with that part because it is easy to set up. The integration of Cloudflare One's Secure Web Gateway and Zero Trust Network Access works without any issues. That part is pretty automatic, and if you complete the rest of the setup, it comes together by itself with no issues from my side. What makes it nice is that we can actually start replacing on-site firewalls at this stage for the smaller clients because it does not matter if they go to a coffee shop or work from home; they are still secured by the same connection. The hops get shorter and you get better latency. We have done testing to see if it is better. One thing that we did notice with our proof of concept with our current client is that they have people connecting from the UK. When they used their previous VPN solution, uploading CAD drawings and other files to the server took a long time. They mentioned that it is much quicker on Cloudflare One's solution. I definitely believe that is part of the improved performance, and I am satisfied with that as well. What is nice about Cloudflare One is that it makes the setup easier and also easier to train technicians to maintain it. Compared to legacy systems, we do not need to get fancy firewalls in place that are costly. That is definitely also a cost-saver with Cloudflare One.

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PRADIPJOSHI

Owner at Shree Atharva Sales Corporation

Email protection has stopped phishing and secured cloud collaboration across all devices

Deployment is very easy since it is API based and does not require any harsh configuration. The DMARC management and DMARC forensic is the best feature. Their security engine provides everything such as DLP and encryption. Check Point Harmony Email & Collaboration provides almost 100% security for phishing emails. Their DMARC management is very standard compared with any other brand or any other email security provider. The best thing is that on a single tenant I can manage multiple services such as Harmony Endpoint, Check Point Harmony Email & Collaboration, Harmony Browser, mobile security, EDR, XDR, which is endpoint security, and SaaS. All of these services have a single dashboard. When giving security to email, in Check Point Harmony Email & Collaboration, I do not need to change any MX record or any DNS entry changes. I simply add one text record for DMARC and no changes are needed in the MX record of that particular domain. This is very easy because Check Point Harmony Email & Collaboration is in the tenant of Microsoft Office 365 and Google Workspace only. Check Point works on zero trust network technology. They are not only giving a feature of artificial intelligence but also machine learning summary. Machine learning summary is also given when they catch any kind of incidents such as phishing attacks, malware attacks, and ransomware attacks. They always provide real-time alerts for that. Real-time URL analysis is provided for phishing links and all these things. It gives 100% output for that and shows the source from where the malicious URL comes from. Additionally, they always provide threat emulation. This means the simulation of what danger happens when I click that particular URL is also provided in their report. It gives 100% protection to all BYOD devices. For example, one single Microsoft 365 account can be configured on different five devices. Many companies give email access to their employees on their mobile as well. In that case, if any malicious file is on the mobile and the employee would like to save it on OneDrive, due to this security, the user and administrator will get a real-time alert that this file is malicious and cannot be uploaded to OneDrive. This not only saves money but also saves time and prevents the organization from such cyber attacks.

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Emeka Ndulu

Cloud Solutions Architect at a tech services company with 201-500 employees

Improves threat visibility and response while reducing manual tasks and training users against phishing

I appreciate the attack simulation feature whereby I get to train users and educate them on how to identify phishing emails and spam emails, as well as the anti-spam protection. It gives me visibility into my threat environment and threat landscape to ensure that I am one step ahead of any likelihood of threats within my environment. I get to detect it and respond, so the threat intelligence is very effective. Microsoft security solutions save my time. It saves money because once I protect my environment, I don't lose money. It has decreased my detection time and my time to respond.

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Quotes from Members

We asked business professionals to review the solutions they use. Here are some excerpts of what they said:

Pros

"The capabilities of the software are strong enough for me to do what it's supposed to do. For me, we don't need to do a lot of configuration on our site. We just enable it and monitor it."

"Cloudflare is by far the most effective solution that I have come across."

"The blocking feature is very good."

"Cloudflare DDoS mitigates DDoS attacks."

"I'm very satisfied with the environment and the dashboard."

"It is a stable solution."

"It will take the blow rather than our applications should an attack occur."

"It's the endpoint exposition. We don't need to expose our VPN server to the internet and need a zero-test solution. I can apply some conditional access to the endpoint that's connecting to our network to check their security policies or the security condition of their workstation. Once the workstation is trying to connect to my internal network, then I would like to check the discrete condition of these endpoints that are trying to access my internal network. We created some conditional access. We have CrowdStrike, to check if the CrowdStrike is installed, to check if it's updated, and to check for Windows updates. We created some conditional policies to check it."

More Cloudflare One pros

"The API is its most valuable feature. On the API side, relative to the rest of the market, Check Point is decades ahead of its competitors."

"The quarantine and release functionality for malware and junk mail is much more simplified than with previous products, and it has reduced effort in tickets and manpower not needing to do this for people who would have to normally put in a ticket."

"It fully protects colleagues from visiting insecure sites and browsing in unhealthy environments."

"Its characteristics are adapted to the most modern threats."

"The solution is stable and I think it does a fantastic job."

"The product is reliable and sturdy."

"Check Point Harmony Email and Collaboration is the best security software that protects email and collaboration suites in one of the best possible way."

"The initial setup is easy."

More Check Point Email Security (formerly Harmony Email & Collaboration) pros

"Defender for 365 is a comprehensive cloud-based solution. The value of the cloud is that you aren't alone. Threat intelligence and analytics are shared in the cloud. We don't have to find the solution alone. If you face an unknown threat with traditional solutions like Trend Micro and Symantec, you need to open a case and send your information to them to analyze forensically and identify the source of the attack."

"Scalability-wise, I do not think there are any issues so far."

"I appreciate the attack simulation feature whereby I get to train users and educate them on how to identify phishing emails and spam emails, as well as the anti-spam protection."

"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."

"Overall, I would rate Microsoft Defender for Office 365 at a ten."

"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 benefit that stands out to me is the ability for multiple individuals to collaborate simultaneously within the same document. Additionally, there is the option to save the document directly in the integrated OneDrive or SharePoint."

"I would say that 90% of the spam and phishing attack emails get blocked right off the bat."

More Microsoft Defender for Office 365 pros

Cons

"The pricing is an area that can be improved. Pricing, as far as I recall, was the source of our problems."

"The free plan has limitations. For example, I can only set up three rules, and the application firewall is unavailable."

"There are premium tier live service and lower tier live service, so we opted for the lower tier. But there is no medium tier where we pay a little extra and get a bit more service. So if that can be improved."

"Operating and tuning the product is difficult."

"The response time for support must be reduced."

"Cloudflare DDoS has poor technical support."

"The onboarding process can be improved a little bit."

"From a logging perspective, it is still a bit difficult to see exactly what users are being blocked with the current views."

More Cloudflare One cons

"Integration is currently limited to Microsoft Office 365 and Google G Suite."

"While Check Point Harmony Email and Collaboration offers useful analytics, there is potential for improvement in providing deeper insights."

"The dashboard is the major area for improvement, but apart from that, all the rest is acceptable."

"Improved support is needed as current support is slow."

"There is a need for improvement in handling business email compromise."

"It's not fully integrated with Google Workspace, and the statistics don't update in real-time."

"Check Point should integrate with features available in Barracuda - like more advanced threat management."

"During the East Coast server outage with Amazon service this week, mail was delivered and then pulled back because Harmony wasn't working properly and needed to scan it."

More Check Point Email Security (formerly Harmony Email & Collaboration) cons

"The cost of Security Copilot is up there right now, and I think it needs to come down for more people to adopt."

"I think Microsoft Defender for Office 365 can be improved by creating more educational pieces about not just looking for malware."

"You should be able to deploy Defender for every subscription without the need to add servers."

"There is room for improvement in terms of reporting."

"I was looking for some advanced features, like if I would receive an email that contains a legitimate file type, but the content is malicious, how I can protect against that?"

"The GUI is sometimes slow to fetch the device report and could be improved."

"There is a different console for different things; I just want one consolidated console."

"There needs to be an improvement in integrating the product to work across multiple operating systems, and to have better support for non-Microsoft file types."

More Microsoft Defender for Office 365 cons

Pricing and Cost Advice

"The pricing of the solution is cheap. The licensing cost is also very low. I rate the cost and pricing a three out of ten."

"The solution's pricing lacks transparency."

"The prices are slightly expensive."

"The solution is not that expensive."

"My company has to make yearly payments towards the licensing costs attached to the solution. There are no hidden charges apart from the licensing costs of the solution."

"The pricing is somewhere in the middle. I would rate the pricing a seven out of ten."

"Cloudflare Zero Trust Platform's pricing is good."

"The price tag is no longer $200,000, but rather $300,000 to $400,000. It's twice."

"The price is very good, based on what they deliver."

"One of the nice features is that the licensing model is elastic, so if you go over your license count, you can add users during your billing cycle and true-up later."

"Cost is the main concern that every customer takes into consideration, and Check Point always negotiates a price that is affordable."

"I'm in this business as a system integrator, so I need to suggest Check Point to some customers who are comparing products. I sell Check Point, Fortinet, and Palo Alto solutions. In terms of licensing, this solution is quite competitive but very costly. For someone looking at security as a primary concern, they should only invest in Check Point. For a customer who is looking at security combined with pricing, Check Point might not be the core solution for them. In today's market, customers are looking for effective security with efficient pricing, and Check Point is not suitable for these types of customers."

"This is a very good product if you are on the cloud, but the price is a little more expensive."

"Check Point is more expensive. That's the honest truth. So far, it's a good value for the money."

"The pricing is expensive."

"Usually, we pay for the licensing part on a yearly basis and not on a monthly basis. If Check Point's team is providing a good amount of discount, then it is very easy for us to select it since its competitors are also giving the best prices or best discounts."

More Check Point Email Security (formerly Harmony Email & Collaboration) pricing and cost advice

"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."

"The product is expensive."

"The license is expensive because the cost is based on the number of users."

"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."

"I know that the product is incredibly expensive."

"The pricing has become expensive."

"Compared to other brands, Microsoft Defender for Office 365's pricing is competitive."

"The solution could be better by simplifying the business model of their licensing. It was hard to figure out how to get the licensing done for the environment, initially."

More Microsoft Defender for Office 365 pricing and cost advice

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Top Industries

By visitors reading reviews

Construction Company

19%

Comms Service Provider

10%

Financial Services Firm

Manufacturing Company

Computer Software Company

12%

Financial Services Firm

Construction Company

Manufacturing Company

Computer Software Company

12%

Manufacturing Company

Financial Services Firm

Comms Service Provider

Company Size

By reviewers

Large Enterprise

Midsize Enterprise

Small Business

By reviewers
Company Size	Count
Small Business	10
Midsize Enterprise	1
Large Enterprise	12

By reviewers
Company Size	Count
Small Business	63
Midsize Enterprise	27
Large Enterprise	31

By reviewers
Company Size	Count
Small Business	24
Midsize Enterprise	11
Large Enterprise	32

Questions from the Community

What needs improvement with Cloudflare Access?

Cloudflare Access has strong integration with Microsoft, among other platforms. However, when it comes to Kaspersky, ...

What is your primary use case for Cloudflare Access?

Cloudflare Access provides secure access to internal applications for employees, external members of the organization...

What advice do you have for others considering Cloudflare Access?

Cloudflare Access is one of the best integrations available. While about two hundred vendors offer similar services, ...

What is your experience regarding pricing and costs for Check Point Harmony Email & Office?

I am not the person to say what cost Check Point has for their products. However, for partners like us, if we could g...

What is your primary use case for Check Point Harmony Email & Office?

We are working with Check Point Harmony Email & Collaboration not only for Harmony, but also for their SaaS solut...

What needs improvement with Check Point Harmony Email & Office?

Check Point must develop one mobile app for iPhone users, Android phone users, and Windows phone users or at least fo...

What is your experience regarding pricing and costs for Microsoft Defender for Office 365?

My experience with pricing, setup, and licensing is that it's actually quite reasonable even on the licensing side as...

What needs improvement with Microsoft Defender for Office 365?

I think Microsoft Defender for Office 365 can be improved by creating more educational pieces about not just looking ...

What is your primary use case for Microsoft Defender for Office 365?

My main use cases for Microsoft Defender for Office 365 include email hygiene.

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Product Reports

Cloudflare One

Download Cloudflare One product report

Check Point Email Security (formerly Harmony Email & Collaboration)

Download Check Point Email Security (formerly Harmony Email & Collaboration) product report

Check Point Email Security (formerly Harmony Email & Collaboration) report

Microsoft Defender for Office 365

May 2026

Microsoft Defender for Office 365 report

Download Microsoft Defender for Office 365 product report

Also Known As

Cloudflare Area 1 Email Security, Cloudflare Bot Management, Cloudflare Gateway, Cloudflare Zero Trust Platform, Cloudflare DDoS, Cloudflare SASE & SSE Platform

Check Point CloudGuard, Check Point CloudGuard SaaS , Check Point Harmony Email & Office

MS Defender for Office 365

Overview

Cloudflare One is a comprehensive platform for security, performance, and connectivity. It provides features like rate limiting, DDoS protection, and application access, tailored to enhance user experience while securing internet access and accelerating communications.

Designed to integrate security measures with ease of use and scalability, Cloudflare One offers a secure web gateway and zero trust network access. These features ensure seamless setup and operation, making connectivity reliable and protected. Users appreciate its integrated console, intuitive interface, and the ability to manage risk effectively. It offers straightforward deployment, improves latency, and boasts cost-effectiveness. While its onboarding process and documentation need enhancement, its value in content delivery and application shielding is notable. Despite challenges in integrating Cloudflare Access with existing VPNs and the need for better automation and support, it remains vital for DNS and infrastructure protection.

What features make Cloudflare One stand out?

Rate Limiting: Controls the traffic rate to prevent abuse.
DDoS Protection: Shields applications from distributed denial-of-service attacks.
Secure Web Gateway: Provides secure internet access with seamless operation.
Zero Trust Network Access: Ensures secure, application-based connectivity without relying on traditional VPNs.
Access for Connectivity: Facilitates access to internal applications securely.

What benefits should users look for in reviews?

Security: Robust measures for DNS and browsing protection.
Performance: Enhanced site accessibility and communication speed.
Cost-Effectiveness: Offers competitive pricing for its features.
Ease of Deployment: Straightforward and efficient setup process.

In industries like finance, retail, and technology, Cloudflare One is crucial for enabling secure remote access and protecting web applications against dynamic threats. It supports compliance access policies and enhances content delivery, playing a key role in safeguarding digital infrastructure.

Cloudflare

Check Point Harmony Email & Collaboration provides AI-powered security features for email and collaboration platforms, integrating with Microsoft 365 for comprehensive protection against phishing and malware threats.

Designed for seamless deployment, Check Point Harmony Email & Collaboration offers advanced protection with minimal false positives. Users benefit from real-time alerts, granular threat analysis, and intuitive operation. It supports API-based email security, ensuring safe communication channels and data protection. While it integrates smoothly with Microsoft 365, improvements in dashboard usability, stability, false positive reduction, and expanded integrations with non-Microsoft platforms can enhance the experience.

What are the key features of Check Point Harmony Email & Collaboration?

AI-Powered Threat Intelligence: Utilizes machine learning to detect and prevent emerging threats.
Seamless Office 365 Integration: Offers easy deployment and integration with Microsoft's suite.
Zero-Day Attack Prevention: Protects against unknown vulnerabilities with advanced sandboxing.
Robust Phishing Protection: Employs comprehensive techniques to block phishing attempts.
Advanced Sandboxing: Analyzes potential threats in a controlled environment to prevent breaches.
Comprehensive Dashboards: Provides insights with real-time threat monitoring and analysis.

What benefits or ROI should be considered?

Ease of Deployment: Simple setup process with minimal disruption to operations.
Cost-Effective Security: Reduces potential breach costs with proactive threat prevention.
Reduced False Positives: Minimizes unnecessary alerts, allowing teams to focus on real threats.
Enhanced Threat Visibility: Real-time analytics offer deeper understanding of security landscape.

In finance, healthcare, and education industries, Check Point Harmony Email & Collaboration is deployed to safeguard sensitive information and ensure unrestricted communication flow. These sectors value its ability to block suspicious emails, prevent data loss, and maintain compliance with industry regulations.

Check Point Software Technologies

Microsoft Defender for Office 365 offers real-time email security, enhancing threat detection through integration within the Microsoft ecosystem. Its user-friendly interface and central management streamline operations, providing robust protection against phishing, ransomware, and malware.

Defender for Office 365 is focused on efficiently securing email communication by safeguarding against phishing, malware, and spam threats. With its strong integration with other Microsoft services, it is tailored to improve endpoint security and identity protection. Its centralized management tools simplify threat prioritization, while the automated threat response capabilities ensure swift actions against potential risks. Organizations leverage its capabilities to efficiently manage their cybersecurity efforts, particularly in remote work environments, while maintaining a secure system across Office 365 applications and Azure-hosted services.

What are the key features?

Real-time Email Protection: Continuously monitors and protects email communications.
Safe Attachments and Links: Scans attachments and links for potential threats.
Anti-Phishing Measures: Provides tools to detect and block phishing attempts.
Integration with Microsoft Services: Seamlessly connects with other Microsoft applications for enhanced security.
Automated Threat Responses: Activates immediate responses to detected threats.

What benefits should users expect from reviews?

Time Savings: Automates processes to reduce manual threat management efforts.
Improved Cybersecurity: Strengthens organizational defenses against various cyber threats.
Efficient Remote Work: Enhances protection for remote teams and virtual collaborations.
Comprehensive Coverage: Extends protection across Office 365 and Azure services.

Implementations of Defender for Office 365 vary across industries, optimizing email security for sectors such as finance, healthcare, and education. In finance, it aids in protecting sensitive financial data from phishing and fraud. Healthcare benefits from secure communications, ensuring patient data privacy. Educational institutions use it to maintain secure virtual learning environments against cyber threats.

Microsoft

Sample Customers

23andMe

Helvetia, Denham Capital, Daymark Solutions, Neopharm Group

Microsoft Defender for Office 365 is trusted by companies such as Ithaca College.

Check Point Email Security (formerly Harmony Email & Collaboration) vs. Microsoft Defender for Office 365