

ESET Endpoint Protection Platform and Microsoft Defender for Office 365 compete in the cybersecurity category, focusing on providing comprehensive protection. ESET appears to have the upper hand in system performance, while Defender excels in email threat protection.
Features: ESET offers advanced features like ThreatSense technology, Host-Based Intrusion Prevention System (HIPS), and an intelligent firewall. It also covers multiple devices under one license with low resource use. Microsoft Defender is focused on email threats, boasting features like anti-phishing, safe links, and data loss prevention, providing a solid defense within Microsoft's ecosystem.
Room for Improvement: ESET users experience difficulties with updates, licensing complexity, and extensive setup configurations, also calling for enhanced AI and behavior-based detection. Defender users face its complicated licensing and limited support for non-Microsoft file types, requiring improvements in phishing detection and configuration simplicity.
Ease of Deployment and Customer Service: ESET is primarily on-premises, with hybrid solutions and generally responsive support, although inconsistencies exist regionally. Defender is cloud-based, which eases deployment and integration but receives mixed support reviews, with some customers encountering slow response times.
Pricing and ROI: ESET is cost-effective for small to mid-sized businesses, offering good value with flexible licensing, though enterprise pricing could be more competitive. Defender's higher cost, especially for smaller businesses, is balanced by its integration with other Microsoft services, offering substantial ROI by preventing email-based threats.
Regarding cost savings, ESET Endpoint Protection Platform definitely saves money because if my system or organization is hacked or ransomed, the potential financial loss would be far greater than the cost of the solution.
I saw the return on investment with ESET Endpoint Protection Platform within months.
It has also decreased our time to detection and response by about 15 to 20 percent.
Overall, cost of owning and operating our system goes down.
It's hard to quantify the return on investment we've seen from Microsoft Defender for Office 365.
They have great technical support.
I typically receive support from the distributor, and the customer support team is also responsive and helpful.
Normally, I cannot give a ten for support of all brands, as it is not always possible to get full support from companies.
Over the past two years, there have been no critical problems.
we opened tickets, and they typically resolve them quickly.
With a subscription for Microsoft Defender for Office 365, it is an eight. Without it, it is a six.
In terms of scalability, I can rate it eight or nine out of ten.
Their support is phenomenal, offering quick assistance.
Minimal system performance impact is very important when choosing endpoint protection solutions, and I believe ESET uses minimum hardware of the PC.
We have never faced scalability problems, and Microsoft manages it effectively.
Microsoft Defender for Office 365 scales transparently for us, as we grew from 1,000 users to 3,000 users, and we didn't notice much difference.
Microsoft Defender for Office 365 scales with the growing needs of my company well.
In terms of stability, I can rate it at nine out of ten.
Our experience with ESET Endpoint Protection Platform's centralized management console is mostly fine for managing security policies across endpoints.
I would rate the stability of Microsoft Defender for Office 365 as 10 over 10 because it's highly available, it works, and it does the job it is meant to do.
I have not experienced any downtime, crashes, or performance issues because of Defender.
The solution is stable, as we have been using it for the past two years.
A lightweight version of ESET might be beneficial as many of our clients have older CPUs and RAM.
When we were using CrowdStrike, it used to detect and block pirated software, but ESET Endpoint Protection Platform is not doing that.
Extensive APIs to easily integrate our own systems with the platform for user configuration via their company portal.
The main area for improvement is simplifying the implementation and rollout process.
Microsoft could improve by offering recommendations for domain spoofing attacks, especially scenarios where DNS records like SPF, DKIM, and DMARC are not properly published.
There is a different console for different things; I just want one consolidated console.
The pricing of ESET Endpoint Protection Platform is a bit high compared to other competitors.
The price is very reasonable compared to the features provided.
I would rate ESET Endpoint Protection Platform a five for pricing on a scale from 1 to 10, where 1 is cheap and 10 is expensive.
We've likely saved 30% of costs.
Money-wise, it is a part of the Office 365 suite, making it slightly more expensive compared to Trend Micro.
Microsoft is quite affordable with a lot of features available for any size organization.
ESET Endpoint Protection Platform provides ransomware prevention, which prevents attackers from encrypting my files and demanding ransom payments.
The best feature of ESET Endpoint Protection Platform is that I get all the details about which user is using it, how much time they spend on websites, and all related information.
Machine learning, especially through live detection, detects threats that are blocked based on reputation or sandbox detection.
It ranks the threats and allows us to prioritize those hitting us the hardest, such as email threats.
It provides end-to-end visibility on email threats such as phishing, extending beyond Exchange Online Protection.
The value of the DLP feature is significant to us because we have internal data, sometimes sensitive, and the users may not always be aware of security and privacy, which might lead them to send out information mistakenly to external parties.
| Product | Mindshare (%) |
|---|---|
| Microsoft Defender for Office 365 | 6.9% |
| ESET Endpoint Protection Platform | 1.8% |
| Other | 91.3% |

| Company Size | Count |
|---|---|
| Small Business | 69 |
| Midsize Enterprise | 18 |
| Large Enterprise | 21 |
| Company Size | Count |
|---|---|
| Small Business | 25 |
| Midsize Enterprise | 10 |
| Large Enterprise | 31 |
ESET Endpoint Protection Platform offers comprehensive security with minimal CPU and RAM impact, effective malware protection, and seamless updates, making it ideal for organizations needing reliable digital security.
ESET Endpoint Protection Platform is highly regarded for its effective ThreatSense technology, advanced firewall, and central control capabilities. Users benefit from its lightweight design and efficient notification system, enjoying customizable management through its management console. Despite its strengths, there are opportunities to enhance malware repair, update processes, and AI integration. The platform's compatibility across operating systems and integration with systems like ESET PROTECT allows organizations to effectively secure endpoints and servers against threats like malware, viruses, and ransomware.
What are the key features of ESET Endpoint Protection Platform?Organizations deploy ESET Endpoint Protection Platform to safeguard laptops, desktops, and servers from cyber threats. Its use extends to antivirus protection, firewall configuration, and network monitoring. Companies often integrate it with ESET PROTECT and Apache HTTP Proxy for optimized management and updates, making it a versatile choice in industries requiring robust endpoint security.
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?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.
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