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Fortra's Digital Guardian vs Microsoft Purview Data Loss Prevention comparison

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Comparison Buyer's Guide

Executive SummaryUpdated on Nov 8, 2026

Review summaries and opinions

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

ROI

Sentiment score
7.2
Fortra's Digital Guardian enhances data protection and operational efficiency, offering up to 90% returns by preventing security disruptions.
Sentiment score
6.6
Microsoft Purview DLP reduces data leakage, compliance risks, and costs, while enhancing security operations and productivity without extra resources.
It is reliable, it has a broad scope, and the vendor is easy to reach out to and makes it easy to request assistance.
Security Managed Services Associate at a tech vendor with 10,001+ employees
It doesn't block my workflows, saving me from wasting hours of troubleshooting security blocks that could happen with other tools.
Automation Engineer at a tech vendor with 10,001+ employees
If my data gets encrypted, I will pay far more than the license costs for this software.
Co-Founder and Business Development at TeCrypt
We save a lot of time for legal by using Microsoft Purview Data Loss Prevention when searching data for legal and HR and employee issues.
Staff Systems Administrator at a tech vendor with 1,001-5,000 employees
I have also seen fewer accidental data sharing incidents, improved audit readiness, and increased the efficiency of the security team without needing additional headcount.
Technique at Digitaltrack
In these days of data breaches and data leakages that result in huge regulatory fines, we have not had any data breaches that could result in such fines.
Head of Geographies; Data Protection Officer at a financial services firm with 10,001+ employees
 

Customer Service

Sentiment score
7.9
Fortra's Digital Guardian support is praised for responsiveness and expertise, though technical assistance consistency and policy configuration are noted issues.
Sentiment score
5.9
Microsoft Purview Data Loss Prevention receives mixed reviews, praising documentation but noting slow and inefficient customer support in complex cases.
For others looking into using Fortra's Digital Guardian, I would suggest learning the steps for monitoring and maintaining the server, especially policy configuration, since it is quite tricky and includes a lot of processes.
Security Managed Services Associate at a tech vendor with 10,001+ employees
Technical support from Fortra can vary; sometimes I encounter great engineers with high experience who can resolve issues quickly, but other times I face less experienced engineers which can cause delays in issue resolution.
System Engineer/Consultant at Notable Frontier Sdn Bhd
I have never had to contact Fortra's Digital Guardian's customer support because the software has never crashed or caused any issues on my machine.
Automation Engineer at a tech vendor with 10,001+ employees
I rate it a ten because they are very quick to respond and very quick to escalate if needed.
Cloud Architecture Lead at bolder inc
Once we got to the Microsoft engineers, the experience was great.
Director of Cyber Security
In terms of support, it's top-notch and always available to help us with any support issues we raise.
Head of Geographies; Data Protection Officer at a financial services firm with 10,001+ employees
 

Scalability Issues

Sentiment score
7.0
Fortra's Digital Guardian is praised for scalable, stable performance across thousands of endpoints, with minimal performance impact.
Sentiment score
7.4
Microsoft Purview Data Loss Prevention is praised for its scalability and flexibility across industries, organizations, and complex environments.
Even when my laptop is under heavy load, running multiple instances of automated browsers via Selenium, PyCharm, and handling background API requests, the agent remains stable and completely unnoticeable.
Automation Engineer at a tech vendor with 10,001+ employees
It is very scalable; if a customer buys 10 licenses and tomorrow needs 100, it can be done easily with no additional requirements.
Co-Founder and Business Development at TeCrypt
While there are limits, we attempt to work around them, sometimes needing to collaborate with Fortra's Digital Guardian engineers to find solutions.
System Engineer/Consultant at Notable Frontier Sdn Bhd
The policy working and detection technology need enhancements.
Solution Architect at a tech services company with 51-200 employees
Microsoft Purview Data Loss Prevention scales well with the growing needs of our organization.
Head of Geographies; Data Protection Officer at a financial services firm with 10,001+ employees
Microsoft Purview Data Loss Prevention scales effectively.
Director, IT Infrastructure at a university with 1,001-5,000 employees
 

Stability Issues

Sentiment score
8.5
Users highly rate Fortra's Digital Guardian stability and reliability, confirming minimal downtime and no performance issues.
Sentiment score
7.8
Microsoft Purview Data Loss Prevention is stable and reliable, with minor lag, high stability ratings, and positive user feedback.
Fortra's Digital Guardian is stable; it doesn't have a negative effect on my system performance.
Automation Engineer at a tech vendor with 10,001+ employees
For stability, I would rate Fortra's Digital Guardian a nine because it proves to be very reliable.
Co-Founder and Business Development at TeCrypt
I would assess the stability and reliability of Microsoft Purview Data Loss Prevention as high.
Co-Owner and Principal Consultant at BriComp Computers
The stability and reliability of Microsoft Purview Data Loss Prevention is great.
Senior Infrastructure Engineer at a computer software company with 51-200 employees
I assess the stability and reliability of Microsoft Purview Data Loss Prevention as quite good because I don't think it's ever gone down, unlike other parts of Azure.
Director, IT Infrastructure at a university with 1,001-5,000 employees
 

Room For Improvement

Fortra's Digital Guardian needs better user-friendliness, scalability, support, CPU usage, visibility, and faster reporting with reduced license costs.
Microsoft Purview DLP needs easier policy setup, improved third-party integration, real-time insights, and enhanced scalability features.
System reporting and default system reporting are not totally usable and require customization to be practical.
System Engineer/Consultant at Notable Frontier Sdn Bhd
Fortra's Digital Guardian does have some mishaps and imperfections, but it has been really helpful for us as a DLP tool.
Security Managed Services Associate at a tech vendor with 10,001+ employees
I give Fortra's Digital Guardian a seven because it doesn't compromise my system performance, but I don't get any visibility about what's happening and I don't know which criteria are used for preventing data leaks or classifying my files as sensitive or not sensitive.
Automation Engineer at a tech vendor with 10,001+ employees
Business Premium users can get the data loss prevention features of E5, which is fantastic.
Senior Infrastructure Engineer at a computer software company with 51-200 employees
Implementing a degree of severity ranking is essential.
Director of Cyber Security
More guides, more examples, and more compliance frameworks such as NIST or even PCI compliance would be great.
Director, IT Infrastructure at a university with 1,001-5,000 employees
 

Setup Cost

Fortra's Digital Guardian is valued for scalability and security but is expensive, targeting enterprise clients over smaller businesses.
Microsoft Purview DLP is cost-effective with 365 E5, but add-ons and advanced features can be expensive and complex.
It is not affordable for us in terms of the license because it is not something related to the license as much as from a company perspective.
Co-Founder and Business Development at TeCrypt
I know that it is expensive.
Security Senior Consultant at a financial services firm with 5,001-10,000 employees
In terms of pricing, I would say it's unlimited value because it's bundled in our A5 and E5 licensing situation.
Director, IT Infrastructure at a university with 1,001-5,000 employees
The pricing for Microsoft Purview Data Loss Prevention is generally set; E5 is required, but it comes with all other products, so I would say it is fine.
Security Engineer at baseVISION
Advanced DLP and insider risk features became expensive when we scaled at the enterprise level.
Soc Anaylst at Softcell Technologies Limited
 

Valuable Features

Fortra's Digital Guardian offers robust data protection through customizable policies, real-time visibility, and seamless integration with existing processes.
Microsoft Purview DLP excels in integrated data protection, policy controls, and automatic labeling, enhancing security and compliance in regulated sectors.
Fortra's Digital Guardian can detect any user activity after installation and commissioning without the need for policy implementation; it just works by system default.
System Engineer/Consultant at Notable Frontier Sdn Bhd
With this file tagging, everything that needs to be controlled or monitored is blocked for any file transfer because once the file is tagged by Fortra's Digital Guardian, that tag remains wherever the file is placed.
Security Managed Services Associate at a tech vendor with 10,001+ employees
Fortra's Digital Guardian's lightweight nature impacts my productivity and workflow positively because it delivers enterprise security without hurting developer productivity, and the system performance remains stable.
Automation Engineer at a tech vendor with 10,001+ employees
Microsoft Purview Data Loss Prevention prevents users from sharing sensitive information outside the organization based on the configurations that we've implemented.
Head of Geographies; Data Protection Officer at a financial services firm with 10,001+ employees
Microsoft Purview has helped improve our organization's ability to discover sensitive data significantly as we use eDiscovery Purview, which is incredibly helpful.
Staff Systems Administrator at a tech vendor with 1,001-5,000 employees
It finds social security numbers in the files when we scan for it, so that we can prevent those from leaving the company.
Managing Director, Chief Information Security Officer at a financial services firm with 201-500 employees
 

Categories and Ranking

Fortra's Digital Guardian
Ranking in Data Loss Prevention (DLP)
14th
Average Rating
8.4
Reviews Sentiment
7.2
Number of Reviews
7
Ranking in other categories
No ranking in other categories
Microsoft Purview Data Loss...
Ranking in Data Loss Prevention (DLP)
1st
Average Rating
8.0
Reviews Sentiment
6.8
Number of Reviews
36
Ranking in other categories
Microsoft Security Suite (11th)
 

Mindshare comparison

As of November 2026, in the Data Loss Prevention (DLP) category, the mindshare of Fortra's Digital Guardian is 1.3%, up from 1.0% compared to the previous year. The mindshare of Microsoft Purview Data Loss Prevention is 5.5%, down from 10.8% compared to the previous year. It is calculated based on PeerSpot user engagement data.
Data Loss Prevention (DLP) Mindshare Distribution
ProductMindshare (%)
Microsoft Purview Data Loss Prevention5.5%
Fortra's Digital Guardian1.3%
Other93.2%
Data Loss Prevention (DLP)
 

Featured Reviews

Mohamed Abdel-Hassanein - PeerSpot reviewer
Co-Founder and Business Development at TeCrypt
Consolidated data protection has streamlined compliance and incident response from one dashboard
The biggest advantage in Fortra's Digital Guardian is that two products in a single product can be configured, monitored, and troubleshot through a single dashboard. Another advantage is that they split the tool for database and the network. If the customer needs to do data classification or DLP for the database, they can purchase the license for the database only. If the customer needs to do it for the network, they can purchase the network license only. If it is an enterprise customer and they need to buy both, they can. However, one disadvantage is that they do not focus on small to mid customers. They start talking about 400 users and more. Regarding real-time data visibility, it helps manage data security for the clients completely. I can do everything from a single dashboard, including gap analysis and instant response. I have over 15 years of experience as a technical person working hands-on with the product, so I have technical skills. The advantage of Fortra's Digital Guardian is that it includes a forensics tool and incident response, which allows me to determine incidents before and after they occur. In case of an incident, I can put a scenario and action plan, and if the customer gets hacked or attacked, I can identify where, who, how, and when this happened. That is a good advantage. Fortra's Digital Guardian is very effective in detecting insider threats in the company, especially for low awareness customers who can send unexpected messages. As we all know, most attacks come from the inside, and more than 79% of attacks result from human error, not malicious intent, but it can be accidental. So if I can classify the data and put some restrictions, it is not a constraint on the employees inside but instead protects them and the company. Speaking of cross-platform protection in Fortra's Digital Guardian, it streamlines data protection processes for the clients. The most important factor is to protect the customer's data, which is their real asset, regardless of where the data resides—on the cloud or on-premises, in static or in transit. What matters is how to protect that data, and I need visibility on it, which is very well managed within Fortra's Digital Guardian. Regarding the network, it can also be managed and controlled if it is split across on-prem or in the cloud, and I have complete and clear visibility on all assets. The flexibility of deployment within Fortra's Digital Guardian is good, but it is not more than 90% of Arab countries, mainly Egypt, that allow on-cloud implementation. As such, on-prem solutions are the most applicable implementations fully fulfilled by Fortra's Digital Guardian.
Rohit Jaiswar - PeerSpot reviewer
Soc Anaylst at Softcell Technologies Limited
Integrated controls have reduced insider risk and now protect sensitive data across our workforce
One standout feature about Microsoft Purview Data Loss Prevention is the tight integration with Insider Risk Management and Defender XDR, as it gives much better context during investigations instead of treating DLP as an isolated alerting tool. We also use endpoint DLP heavily to control USB, copy, print, clipboard, and browser upload activity, which has been very effective for remote workforce security. The best features Microsoft Purview Data Loss Prevention offers include real-time policy enforcement, endpoint DLP, and deep integration with Microsoft 365 plus Defender XDR. We also heavily rely on sensitive information type detection, adaptive policy tips, and insider risk integration to investigate suspicious user behavior with proper context. Another standout feature is the ability to control USB copy, browser uploads, print clipboards, and cloud sharing actions directly from endpoint policies. The integration with Microsoft Defender 365 and Defender XDR helps our team in day-to-day operations because DLP alerts are automatically correlated with endpoint identity, email, and user activity telemetry, which helps the SOC investigate incidents much faster from a single workflow. The sensitive information type detection makes a difference compared to other tools we have used because it is more effective than many legacy DLP tools. It understands context, exact data patterns, document labeling, and Microsoft 365 native content, reducing false positives while improving detection accuracy. Another strong feature of Microsoft Purview Data Loss Prevention is auto-labeling and policy inheritance with Microsoft's Information Protection, which helps maintain protection even after files are shared or moved across workloads. We also value the user coaching or policy tip capability because it educates users in real time instead of only blocking actions, which reduces repeated DLP violations significantly.
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Top Industries

By visitors reading reviews
Financial Services Firm
13%
Outsourcing Company
13%
Comms Service Provider
11%
Manufacturing Company
8%
Financial Services Firm
14%
Outsourcing Company
9%
Manufacturing Company
8%
Computer Software Company
7%
 

Company Size

By reviewers
Large Enterprise
Midsize Enterprise
Small Business
By reviewers
Company SizeCount
Small Business3
Midsize Enterprise1
Large Enterprise3
By reviewers
Company SizeCount
Small Business17
Midsize Enterprise7
Large Enterprise15
 

Questions from the Community

What is your experience regarding pricing and costs for Fortra's Digital Guardian?
It is not affordable for us in terms of the license because it is not something related to the license as much as from a company perspective; Fortra needs to put themselves on a scale for enterpris...
What needs improvement with Fortra's Digital Guardian?
The main concerns I have are pricing and the fact that it is handled through a distributor or reseller. Fortra does not have a local team here in the country, and they depend completely on distribu...
What is your primary use case for Fortra's Digital Guardian?
The most important use case for my clients in Fortra's Digital Guardian is that it consolidates two products into a single product: the DLP and data classification instead of having to implement an...
What is your experience regarding pricing and costs for Microsoft Purview Data Loss Prevention?
The pricing for Microsoft Purview Data Loss Prevention was manageable for us because we already had Microsoft 365 and Purview-related licensing, but advanced DLP and insider risk features became ex...
What needs improvement with Microsoft Purview Data Loss Prevention?
Microsoft Purview Data Loss Prevention can be improved as the endpoint DLP policy tuning can be complex in large environments, especially when balancing security with user productivity. False posit...
What is your primary use case for Microsoft Purview Data Loss Prevention?
Microsoft Purview Data Loss Prevention is used for monitoring and preventing sensitive data exfiltration across Exchange Online, Teams, SharePoint, OneDrive, and endpoints. From a SOC's perspective...
 

Also Known As

No data available
Microsoft Endpoint Data Loss Prevention, MS Endpoint DLP, Microsoft Endpoint DLP
 

Overview

Find out what your peers are saying about Fortra's Digital Guardian vs. Microsoft Purview Data Loss Prevention and other solutions. Updated: November 2026.
921,028 professionals have used our research since 2012.