HackerOne vs Microsoft Defender for Cloud comparison

HackerOne and Microsoft are both solutions in the Vulnerability Management category. HackerOne is ranked #27 with an average rating of 8.4, while Microsoft is ranked #6 with an average rating of 8.1. HackerOne holds a 0.7% mindshare in VM, compared to Microsoft’s 3.9% mindshare. Additionally, 87% of HackerOne users are willing to recommend the solution, compared to 93% of Microsoft users who would recommend it.

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Executive SummaryUpdated on Oct 19, 2025

HackerOne and Microsoft Defender for Cloud compete in the cybersecurity space. While Defender for Cloud is often seen as more comprehensive due to its wide-ranging features, HackerOne offers competitive pricing and strong support, both valuable assets.

Features: HackerOne provides access to an experienced hacker community for thorough vulnerability management, integration with third-party tools like payment systems and project management, and speed in receiving and processing vulnerability reports. Microsoft Defender for Cloud offers integrated threat protection, support for multi-cloud environments, and detailed compliance policy features, appealing to organizations looking for a robust security framework.

Room for Improvement: HackerOne could enhance its platform by expanding integrations with more third-party tools, offering more detailed analytics, and improving report filtering for faster triage. Microsoft Defender for Cloud may increase user satisfaction by simplifying its user interface, expanding its compatibility beyond the Microsoft ecosystem, and offering more granular control over policy settings.

Ease of Deployment and Customer Service: Microsoft Defender for Cloud benefits from seamless integration with Microsoft services, making deployment more straightforward. Conversely, HackerOne excels in customer service, providing detailed guidance and responsive support which enhances the user experience during deployment and ongoing operations.

Pricing and ROI: HackerOne is generally cost-effective, offering potential for rapid ROI through effective vulnerability assessments and management, appealing to smaller businesses. In contrast, Microsoft Defender for Cloud, while being a potentially larger initial investment, offers comprehensive coverage that justifies its cost through long-term value and extensive feature sets, attracting larger enterprises.

To learn more, read our detailed HackerOne vs. Microsoft Defender for Cloud Report (Updated: December 2025).

Buyer's Guide

HackerOne vs. Microsoft Defender for Cloud

December 2025

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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

Zafran Security

Mindshare comparison

As of January 2026, in the Vulnerability Management category, the mindshare of Zafran Security is 1.1%, up from 0.2% compared to the previous year. The mindshare of HackerOne is 0.7%, up from 0.2% compared to the previous year. The mindshare of Microsoft Defender for Cloud is 3.9%, down from 5.1% compared to the previous year. It is calculated based on PeerSpot user engagement data.

Vulnerability Management Market Share Distribution
Product	Market Share (%)
Microsoft Defender for Cloud	3.9%
Zafran Security	1.1%
HackerOne	0.7%
Other	94.3%

Vulnerability Management

Featured Reviews

Reviewer6233

Works at a healthcare company with 10,001+ employees

Has become an indispensable tool in our cybersecurity arsenal

While Zafran Security is already a powerful tool, there are areas where it could be further improved to provide even greater value. One key area for enhancement is the searching capabilities within its vulnerabilities module. By incorporating the ability to create Boolean searches, users would gain the ability to apply more complex filters and customize their search criteria. This would greatly enhance the precision and efficiency with which security teams can identify and prioritize vulnerabilities. Having such tailored search capabilities would save time and resources by narrowing down vast lists of vulnerabilities to those that meet specific parameters relevant to our unique risk environment. Additionally, integrating more robust reporting and visualization tools would be advantageous. Enhanced dashboards that offer customizable visual representations of risk configurations and threat landscapes would facilitate better communication with stakeholders, making it easier to explain vulnerabilities and the rationale behind certain security measures. This would also aid in demonstrating the improvements and value derived from existing security investments to leadership and non-technical team members.

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Ruphus Muita

Senior ICT Security Consultant at Applied Principles Limited

Has improved my motivation to submit bugs consistently through fast response and clear filtering

I think HackerOne can be improved by allowing new users to gain access to certain programs that are only open to known, renowned users. Sometimes new users don't receive invites just because they are new, despite potentially being very skilled hackers, so I feel new users should get more chances and opportunities. I am currently satisfied with the rewards, response time, and other aspects of the platform, so I don't have anything else to add about the necessary improvements. I give HackerOne a nine out of ten because if new hackers are given more opportunities, it could be a perfect 10 for me. However, the reason I gave a nine is that I don't have much to complain about; I specifically love the program and don't have many concerns.

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David Birhange

Director, Cloud and Modern Workplace at Informanix Technology Group

Brings together cloud security insights through a unified view and supports agentless protection for virtual machines

Copilot and similar features are already being used, though not necessarily for Microsoft Defender for Cloud specifically. We are trying to get more experience before rolling out most of Microsoft Defender for Cloud's AI capabilities. This is definitely on our to-do list, and the priority is urgent as we seek to learn more about these capabilities. The GenAI threat protection from Microsoft Defender for Cloud has not been enabled yet. There are many unknowns with AI applications. AI agents will operate while you're not present, whether you are sleeping or awake, and it's unclear whether there would be any exfiltration of data or how data is being managed. Microsoft Purview is being used extensively, and there is significant development going on with DSPM that will be rolled out to address security concerns. Data labeling and proper demarcation for sensitivity of data before it is received are being actively pursued.

Read full review

Quotes from Members

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

Pros

"Zafran is an excellent tool."

"With Zafran Security, it integrates with your security controls, allowing you to take that risk score and reduce it based on the controls in place or increase the risk based on different factors, such as if the issue is internet reachable or if there's an exploit in the wild."

"Overall, we have seen about eighty-seven percent reduction of the number of vulnerabilities that require urgency to remediate, specifically the number of criticals."

"Zafran has become an indispensable tool in our cybersecurity arsenal."

"We saw benefits from Zafran Security almost immediately after deploying it."

"We are able to see the real risk of a vulnerability on our environment with our security tools."

"HackerOne is larger than WebCloud and has a better reputation than BugCloud, which results in a smoother process."

"The fast verification process impacts my motivation significantly because a quick response keeps me motivated, and if I'm going to try and hunt bugs today, I would appreciate a response within the day or at least within a few days."

"HackerOne is larger than WebCloud and has a better reputation than BugCloud, which results in a smoother process."

"The most valuable feature of HackerOne is its variety of programs. These programs provide depth into various areas, such as mobile, API, and websites."

"It helps me to get new sales, profits, and other benefits."

"Apart from getting all the bug bounty opportunities, we also get the chance to practice in a safe environment, like a demo setup. These features are great for beginners who want to explore bug bounties in the future."

"Most importantly, it's an integrated solution. We not only have Defender for Cloud, but we also have Defender for Endpoint, Defender for Office 365, and Defender for Identity. It's an integrated, holistic solution."

"Microsoft Defender for Cloud monitors our entire cloud environment. It enables conditional access and incorporates features like number matching and single sign-on for all our cloud apps. It is great for protecting against ransomware and various security threats."

"Everything is built into Azure, and if we go for cross-cloud development with Azure Arc, we can use most of the features. While it's possible to deploy and convert third-party applications, it is difficult to maintain, whereas Azure deployments to the cloud are always easier. Also, Microsoft is a big company, so they always provide enough support, and we trust the Microsoft brand."

"I would rate Microsoft Defender for Cloud a ten out of ten."

"Scalability is great, and I would rate it a ten out of ten."

"It isn't a highly complex solution. It's something that a lot of analysts can use. Defender gives you a broad overview of what's happening in your environment, and it's a great solution if you're a Microsoft shop."

"My favorite part of Microsoft Defender for Cloud is the compliance features. Defender covers a wide range of workloads, on par with competing products on the market."

"Microsoft Defender for Cloud is a valuable tool that integrates seamlessly with Azure Policy and our Security SIEM, simplifying implementation and enhancing security posture."

More Microsoft Defender for Cloud pros

Cons

"I think the ability to have some enhanced reporting capabilities is something they can improve on, as they have good reports but we have asked for some specific reporting enhancements."

"The dashboarding and reporting functionality of Zafran Security is an area that definitely could use some improvements."

"Initially, we were somewhat concerned about the scalability of Zafran due to our large asset count and the substantial amount of information we needed to process."

"Everything has become slower on HackerOne. I have noticed that older researchers receive all the private invites while newer ones receive fewer."

"Response time can be improved. The HackerOne Trust team can be slow to respond sometimes. They're not using AI, which could help reduce the number of duplicate reports."

"Everything has become slower on HackerOne."

"Sometimes new users don't receive invites just because they are new, despite potentially being very skilled hackers, so I feel new users should get more chances and opportunities."

"One issue I've experienced is traffic. Many people try to participate when an opportunity with a bounty of around 1,000-15,000 dollars comes up. In this case, the first person to report the vulnerability gets the bounty. If a second person reports the same vulnerability, they are marked as duplicated instead of receiving some recognition. The second person also invested time finding the issue, so I think this can be improved."

"The ability to view the conversation between the triagers and the programs will be really good."

"My experience with Microsoft Defender for Cloud has been largely negative due to a poor user experience."

"Defender could provide more in-depth visibility into vulnerabilities and services. For instance, we wanted to scan Azure NetApp for sensitive data, but they didn't have that feature. It was only for storage accounts. I want Azure Defender features to cover all Azure resources rather than a few."

"I recommend that they extend the scope for legacy infra assets."

"Features like code scanning and pipeline scanning are not included in the solution."

"The process of deploying Microsoft Defender for Cloud was not smooth. It was always a challenge migrating, as a lot of it involved application dependencies and what was required before being able to use Azure for those services."

"After getting a recommendation, it takes time for the solution to refresh properly to show that the problem has been eliminated."

"I would like to have the ability to customize executive reporting."

"Microsoft Defender could be more centralized. For example, I still need to go to another console to do policy management."

More Microsoft Defender for Cloud cons

Pricing and Cost Advice

Information not available

"The solution is free."

"The tool is open-source and free for bug bounty hunters."

"Its pricing is a little bit high in terms of Azure Security Center, but the good thing is that we don't need to maintain and deploy it. So, while the pricing is high, it is native to Azure which is why we prefer using this tool."

"Microsoft Defender for Cloud is pricey, especially for Kubernetes clusters."

"There are two different plans. We're using the secure basic plan, but we have used the end security plan as well. There are additional costs, but it gives us more functionalities compared to the basic plan."

"This solution is more cost-effective than some competing products. My understanding is that it is based on the number of integrations that you have, so if you have fewer subscriptions then you pay less for the service."

"Security Center charges $15 per resource for any workload that you onboard into it. They charge per VM or per data-base server or per application. It's not like Microsoft 365 licensing, where there are levels like E3 and E5. Security Center is pretty straightforward."

"We are using the free version of the Azure Security Center."

"The price of the solution is good for the features we receive and there is an additional cost for Microsoft premier support. However, some of my potential customers have found it to be expensive and have gone on to choose another solution."

"Pricing depends on your workload size, but it is very cheap. If you're talking about virtual machines, it is $5 or something for each machine, which is minimal. If you go for some agent-based solution for every virtual machine, then you need to pay the same thing or more than that. For an on-premises solution like this, we were paying around $30 to $50 based on size. With Defender, Microsoft doesn't bother about the size. You pay based on the number of machines. So, if you have 10 virtual machines, and 10 virtual machines are being monitored, you are paying based on that rather than the size of the virtual machine. Thus, you are paying for the number of units rather than paying for the size of your units."

More Microsoft Defender for Cloud pricing and cost advice

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Top Industries

By visitors reading reviews

Financial Services Firm

11%

Computer Software Company

Manufacturing Company

Outsourcing Company

Computer Software Company

15%

Manufacturing Company

11%

Comms Service Provider

10%

Financial Services Firm

10%

Financial Services Firm

13%

Computer Software Company

12%

Manufacturing Company

Government

Company Size

By reviewers

Large Enterprise

Midsize Enterprise

Small Business

No data available

By reviewers
Company Size	Count
Small Business	4
Large Enterprise	3

By reviewers
Company Size	Count
Small Business	27
Midsize Enterprise	10
Large Enterprise	49

Questions from the Community

What is your experience regarding pricing and costs for Zafran Security?

Since we stood Zafran Security up in our private cloud, we handle the maintenance on our side. As we opted not to use...

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What needs improvement with Zafran Security?

In terms of areas for improvement, Zafran Security is doing a really great job as a new and emerging company. Oftenti...

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What is your primary use case for Zafran Security?

My use cases for Zafran Security revolve around two primary areas. One is around vulnerability management and priorit...

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What is your experience regarding pricing and costs for HackerOne?

I have not experienced any costs since I use HackerOne independently, just logging into the site, hunting bugs, and s...

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What needs improvement with HackerOne?

I think HackerOne can be improved by allowing new users to gain access to certain programs that are only open to know...

See all answers

What is your primary use case for HackerOne?

My main use case for HackerOne is mostly for submitting bugs. I get into the programs listed there, find one that is ...

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How is Prisma Cloud vs Azure Security Center for security?

Azure Security Center is very easy to use, integrates well, and gives very good visibility on what is happening acros...

See all answers

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

My experience with pricing, setup cost, and licensing for Microsoft Defender for Cloud was pretty straightforward. We...

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What needs improvement with Microsoft Defender for Cloud?

Microsoft Defender for Cloud can be improved. An additional feature that should be included in the next release is Ze...

See all answers

Comparisons

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Compared 26% of the time

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Armis vs Zafran Security

Compared 5% of the time

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Bugcrowd vs HackerOne

Compared 43% of the time

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Compared 15% of the time

Intigriti vs HackerOne

Compared 12% of the time

YesWeHack vs HackerOne

Compared 7% of the time

SentinelOne Singularity Identity vs HackerOne

Compared 2% of the time

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Compared 38% of the time

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Compared 9% of the time

Prisma Cloud by Palo Alto Networks vs Microsoft Defender for Cloud

Compared 5% of the time

Microsoft Defender XDR vs Microsoft Defender for Cloud

Compared 3% of the time

Orca Security vs Microsoft Defender for Cloud

Compared 2% of the time

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Product Reports

Buyer's Guide

Zafran Security

December 2025

Download Zafran Security product report

Buyer's Guide

HackerOne

December 2025

Download HackerOne product report

Buyer's Guide

Microsoft Defender for Cloud

December 2025

Download Microsoft Defender for Cloud product report

Also Known As

No data available

HackerOne Assets, HackerOne Pentesting Services, HackerOne Security Assessments, HackerOne Vulnerability Management

Microsoft Azure Security Center, Azure Security Center, Microsoft ASC, Azure Defender

Interactive Demo

Demo not available

Zafran Security

Demo not available

HackerOne

Microsoft

Overview

Zafran Security integrates with existing security tools to identify and mitigate vulnerabilities effectively, proving that most critical vulnerabilities are not exploitable, optimizing threat management.

Zafran Security introduces an innovative operating model for managing security threats and vulnerabilities. By leveraging the threat exposure management platform, it pinpoints and prioritizes exploitable vulnerabilities, reducing risk through immediate remediation. This platform enhances your hybrid cloud security by normalizing vulnerability signals and integrating specific IT context data, such as CVE runtime presence and internet asset reachability, into its analysis. No longer reliant on patch windows, Zafran Security allows you to manage risks actively.

What are the key features of Zafran Security?

Threat Exposure Management: Utilizes existing tools to prioritize vulnerabilities and manage threats.
Integrative Analysis: Combines security data with IT context for precise vulnerability management.
Real-time Risk Reduction: Enables immediate risk management without waiting for patches.
Hybrid Cloud Compatibility: Functions across diverse cloud environments for comprehensive security.

What benefits can users expect from Zafran Security?

Improved Security: Enhances protection by efficiently identifying and mitigating risks.
Cost Efficiency: Reduces unnecessary patching expenses by confirming non-exploitable vulnerabilities.
Time Savings: Frees developers to focus on root causes by handling immediate threats.
Comprehensive Insight: Offers a holistic view of security threats and vulnerabilities.

In industries where security is paramount, such as finance and healthcare, Zafran Security provides invaluable protection by ensuring that only exploitable vulnerabilities are addressed. It allows entities to maintain robust security measures while allocating resources efficiently, fitting seamlessly into existing security strategies.

Zafran Security

HackerOne leads in offensive security with a platform that expertly identifies and remedies security vulnerabilities using AI and a vast researcher community. Trusted by industry giants, it integrates bug bounties, vulnerability disclosure, and code security in software development.

The HackerOne Platform offers a comprehensive suite of services, combining advanced AI technology with the skills of a global security researcher community to address complex security challenges. It facilitates an understanding of vulnerabilities, promoting better remediation practices across software lifecycles. Notable clients include Anthropic, Crypto.com, General Motors, GitHub, Goldman Sachs, Uber, and U.S. Department of Defense. Recognized for innovation and workplace excellence, HackerOne continues to set standards in security solutions.

What key features does HackerOne offer?

Skilled Hacker Community: Access a large pool of expert security researchers.
Third-Party Integrations: Seamless compatibility with various tools like payment systems and project management applications.
Bug Bounty Programs: Incentivized vulnerability discovery across industries.
Direct Communication: Facilitates dialogue for better understanding of vulnerabilities.
Safe Practice Environments: Supports learning for both beginners and seasoned professionals.

Why is HackerOne beneficial for your needs?

Speed of Delivery: Quickly identifies and resolves security issues.
Responsive Support: Reliable assistance enhances user experience.
Transparency in Communication: Clear reporting processes aid in issue resolution.
Income Opportunities: Bug bounties offer financial incentives.

HackerOne finds significant applications in various sectors with its focus on vulnerability assessment, testing, and responsible disclosure. Organizations utilize it for ethical hacking and efficient vulnerability coordination, making it essential in cybersecurity strategies. The platform's reliability is evident in its ability to identify and document security threats effectively.

HackerOne

Microsoft Defender for Cloud is a comprehensive security solution that provides advanced threat protection for cloud workloads. It offers real-time visibility into the security posture of cloud environments, enabling organizations to quickly identify and respond to potential threats. With its advanced machine learning capabilities, Microsoft Defender for Cloud can detect and block sophisticated attacks, including zero-day exploits and fileless malware.

The solution also provides automated remediation capabilities, allowing security teams to quickly and easily respond to security incidents. With Microsoft Defender for Cloud, organizations can ensure the security and compliance of their cloud workloads, while reducing the burden on their security teams.

Microsoft

Sample Customers

Information Not Available

Anthropic, Crypto.com, General Motors, GitHub, Goldman Sachs, Uber, and the U.S. Department of Defense

Microsoft Defender for Cloud is trusted by companies such as ASOS, Vatenfall, SWC Technology Partners, and more.

Buyer's Guide

HackerOne vs. Microsoft Defender for Cloud

December 2025

Free Report: HackerOne vs. Microsoft Defender for Cloud

Find out what your peers are saying about HackerOne vs. Microsoft Defender for Cloud and other solutions. Updated: December 2025.

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