Hornetsecurity 365 Total Protection vs Microsoft Exchange Online Protection (EOP) comparison

Hornetsecurity and Microsoft are both solutions in the Email Security category. Hornetsecurity is ranked #21 with an average rating of 9.0, while Microsoft is ranked #6 with an average rating of 8.3. Hornetsecurity holds a 1.5% mindshare in Email Security, compared to Microsoft’s 6.6% mindshare. Additionally, 100% of Hornetsecurity users are willing to recommend the solution, compared to 90% of Microsoft users who would recommend it.

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Executive SummaryUpdated on Dec 3, 2024

Microsoft Exchange Online Protection (EOP) and Hornetsecurity 365 Total Protection are competing products in the email security category. While EOP is appreciated for pricing and customer support, Hornetsecurity is preferred for its comprehensive features.

Features: Microsoft EOP offers robust spam filtering, malware detection, and data loss prevention. Hornetsecurity 365 Total Protection provides advanced threat protection, email encryption, and a suite tailored for Office 365, including compliance management.

Room for Improvement: Microsoft EOP could enhance its advanced threat protection options and expand compliance features. Some users note that better reporting capabilities would improve usability. Hornetsecurity could benefit from more flexible pricing options and enhanced integration with non-Office 365 platforms. Some suggest improving its administrative interface for ease of use.

Ease of Deployment and Customer Service: Microsoft EOP integrates well within the Microsoft ecosystem with vast support resources, ensuring straightforward deployment. Hornetsecurity offers a user-friendly setup process for Office 365 and is recognized for personalized service and thorough onboarding.

Pricing and ROI: EOP provides competitive pricing with predictable costs, appealing to budget-conscious organizations looking for solid ROI. Hornetsecurity 365 Total Protection, while more costly, offers a richer feature set, appealing to those investing in comprehensive security for higher long-term ROI.

To learn more, read our detailed Hornetsecurity 365 Total Protection vs. Microsoft Exchange Online Protection (EOP) Report (Updated: June 2025).

Buyer's Guide

Hornetsecurity 365 Total Protection vs. Microsoft Exchange Online Protection (EOP)

June 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

Microsoft Defender for Offi...

Mindshare comparison

As of June 2025, in the Email Security category, the mindshare of Microsoft Defender for Office 365 is 12.6%, down from 17.6% compared to the previous year. The mindshare of Hornetsecurity 365 Total Protection is 1.5%, up from 1.0% compared to the previous year. The mindshare of Microsoft Exchange Online Protection (EOP) is 6.6%, down from 9.0% compared to the previous year. It is calculated based on PeerSpot user engagement data.

Email Security

Featured Reviews

Tolu Omolaja

Head of Department of Network Communications at Eko electricity

Great URL scanning and attachment scanning, but I would like more proactive threat analysis

The two main features that prove most beneficial for us are URL scanning and attachment scanning. URL scanning involves an automatic scan of links and emails. When a user clicks on a link within an email, the system promptly checks the link's safety. If the link is deemed safe, access is granted automatically. However, if it is flagged as unsafe, we receive feedback and notification to caution us about the potentially harmful link. At this point, we are presented with the option to proceed or return. I have personally witnessed the system identify a few unsafe links, making this the primary advantage of using the solution. The second crucial aspect is the scanning of attachments. When an email containing an attachment arrives, we receive a notification of the new email, along with information that the attachment is being scanned for threats. This additional layer of security provides peace of mind for our organization. While Microsoft Defender for Office 365 offers numerous features, these two stand out as particularly impressive and valuable to us.

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Asif Usmani

Regional Sales Manager at S2

A stable product that provides security and control over spam and phishing emails

I have a lot of control over spam and phishing emails. I can monitor and manage it from Hornetsecurity’s console. The live tracking system is valuable. We can track every incoming and outgoing email live. We can decide whether to block, release, or quarantine emails. We can also review the emails before releasing them. The product provides 99.9% coverage for email security.

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Amber Worth

General Manager at Ambient iT

Retrieves data from quarantines and easy to read logs with robust security features

Some of the searchability when looking for specifics in Exchange logs is tedious. Although eventually the information is located, it can be difficult if detailed information is lacking. Improving the search process by allowing searches with different types of parameters and facilitating searches within emails would be advantageous. Simplifying interfaces would also be appreciated.

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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

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

"Does a thorough job of examining email and URLs for malicious content."

"There are several features that I consider valuable."

"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 has significantly decreased my time to detection and response."

"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."

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

"The stability of Microsoft Defender for Office 365 is fantastic."

More Microsoft Defender for Office 365 pros

"Backup and restore are precious features."

"Hornetsecurity 365 Total Protection is an easy-to-use solution."

"I have a lot of control over spam and phishing emails."

"The best part is, I rarely have to access the portal as everything is set up and tweaked the way I wanted it. But the feature set is incredibly granular and allows for deep levels of customization."

"The threat management feature includes policies and alerts that are valuable."

"We like the holding facility that is available for potentially suspicious URL's. This allows a real-time review to be performed before the email reaches a users inbox."

"The security features provided by Microsoft are robust."

"The most valuable feature is the ease of administration. Other solutions require complex administration, but Microsoft Exchange Online Protection is easier."

"We use the solution in all our environments. We use it for remedy tickets and give them updates. It was our main communication point."

"We can migrate seamlessly without any disruptions to our operations."

"With Microsoft Exchange Online Protection, if malware is attached to a mailer, it's very easy to go into the incident alert and find out what's happening with that identity and the mail."

"It offers great security against malware and other threats."

More Microsoft Exchange Online Protection (EOP) pros

Cons

"They can improve their security in a way where a customer can know if all their attachments are safe or not to open through a report. The solution does its job perfectly, but it never reports to the customer whether those attachments have been stopped before or not."

"In the areas of improvement for Microsoft Defender for Office 365, the console is the biggest challenge for me."

"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 UI needs to be more user-friendly."

"One area for improvement is support, in terms of being able to reach them and, especially, technical support for configuration."

"Microsoft should provide more documentation for users so they can self-educate. I would like to see more documentation for advanced security features."

"In some situations, it has not been able to pick impersonated emails having no attachments. Technical support definitely has a scope for improvement."

"The XDR dashboard has room for improvement."

More Microsoft Defender for Office 365 cons

"The pricing is a little high compared to other products."

"The solution’s pricing is not reasonable."

"I guess I would say maybe quick access to training material for end-users. I know partners have access to this but I as an end-user do not have immediate access to new update information."

"A reduction of 10% in pricing can be an improvement."

"It wasn't easy or intuitive enough for me to start using it. So, the reason was that the solution changed."

"I would like to get reports about vulnerable connections from our clients with information about domains, public IPs, etc. That would be highly useful."

"When you're using a Microsoft product solution, you can scale it, but if you're not, there are limitations."

"Not all settings can be configured automatically and most still require manual configuration. However, there is an automation tool available that can be used to input all the configurations either as a script or a tool it would be helpful."

"The solution can be complex at times. It would be nice to have the on-server version. It needs to improve the stability as well."

"We have experienced issues while migrating from on-prem to the cloud. The tool needs to improve its stability."

"Microsoft 365 Defender and EOP policies are stable with the proper license. However, with the basic policy, it's hard to say it's stable due to configuration limitations."

"I think the implementation could be more streamlined."

More Microsoft Exchange Online Protection (EOP) cons

Pricing and Cost Advice

"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."

"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."

"I know that the product is incredibly expensive."

"Microsoft Defender for Office 365 comes with Microsoft Windows. It is free with the operating system."

"It's a user-base subscription."

"The product is very expensive."

"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."

"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

"The pricing is acceptable and falls into the medium range, neither cheap nor overly expensive."

"The pricing of the solution is reasonable."

"The product is expensive."

"The price could be lower."

"Online Protection is fairly expensive."

"The pricing for the solution depends on what you are trying to achieve with the use of the product, but I know that it is not a cheaply priced product. Yearly payments have to be made towards the licensing fees of the solution."

"The product is bundled with Microsoft 365."

"The solution falls on the higher or more expensive side of the spectrum."

"The solution is expensive but is backed by Microsoft's reputation."

More Microsoft Exchange Online Protection (EOP) pricing and cost advice

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Top Industries

By visitors reading reviews

Computer Software Company

16%

Financial Services Firm

Manufacturing Company

Government

Computer Software Company

25%

Comms Service Provider

Educational Organization

Retailer

Computer Software Company

15%

Financial Services Firm

Government

Manufacturing Company

Company Size

By reviewers

Large Enterprise

Midsize Enterprise

Small Business

No data available

Questions from the Community

What do you like most about Microsoft Defender for Office 365?

Threat Explorer is an invaluable tool for me, and it plays a crucial role in helping me discern the origins of variou...

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

Microsoft is quite affordable with a lot of features available for any size organization.

See all answers

What needs improvement with Microsoft Defender for Office 365?

Microsoft could improve by offering recommendations for domain spoofing attacks, especially scenarios where DNS recor...

See all answers

What do you like most about Hornetsecurity 365 Total Protection?

Hornetsecurity 365 Total Protection is an easy-to-use solution.

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What is your experience regarding pricing and costs for Hornetsecurity 365 Total Protection?

The pricing is acceptable and falls into the medium range, neither cheap nor overly expensive.

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What needs improvement with Hornetsecurity 365 Total Protection?

A reduction of 10% in pricing can be an improvement.

See all answers

What do you like most about Microsoft Exchange Online Protection?

The initial setup was easy. The configuration process is very straightforward.

See all answers

What needs improvement with Microsoft Exchange Online Protection?

I would like to improve the setting of rules in Microsoft Exchange Online Protection (EOP) as it is currently working...

See all answers

What is your primary use case for Microsoft Exchange Online Protection?

I am using Microsoft Exchange Online Protection (EOP) ( /products/microsoft-exchange-online-protection-eop-reviews ) ...

See all answers

Comparisons

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Mimecast Email Security vs Microsoft Defender for Office 365

Compared 5% of the time

Trend Micro Email Security vs Microsoft Defender for Office 365

Compared 4% of the time

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Sophos Email vs Hornetsecurity 365 Total Protection

Compared 11% of the time

Mimecast Email Security vs Hornetsecurity 365 Total Protection

Compared 6% of the time

Fortinet FortiMail vs Hornetsecurity 365 Total Protection

Compared 4% of the time

Avanan vs Hornetsecurity 365 Total Protection

Compared 4% of the time

IRONSCALES vs Hornetsecurity 365 Total Protection

Compared 4% of the time

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Proofpoint Email Protection vs Microsoft Exchange Online Protection (EOP)

Compared 11% of the time

Cisco Secure Email vs Microsoft Exchange Online Protection (EOP)

Compared 10% of the time

Fortinet FortiMail vs Microsoft Exchange Online Protection (EOP)

Compared 10% of the time

Mimecast Email Security vs Microsoft Exchange Online Protection (EOP)

Compared 7% of the time

Sophos Email vs Microsoft Exchange Online Protection (EOP)

Compared 3% of the time

More Microsoft Exchange Online Protection (EOP) Competitors

Product Reports

Buyer's Guide

Microsoft Defender for Office 365

May 2025

Microsoft Defender for Office 365 report

Download Microsoft Defender for Office 365 product report

Buyer's Guide

Office 365 Protection

June 2025

Hornetsecurity 365 Total Protection report

Download Hornetsecurity 365 Total Protection product report

Buyer's Guide

Microsoft Exchange Online Protection (EOP)

May 2025

Microsoft Exchange Online Protection (EOP) report

Download Microsoft Exchange Online Protection (EOP) product report

Also Known As

MS Defender for Office 365

No data available

Microsoft EOP, MS Exchange Online Protection

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.

Microsoft

365 Total Protection from Hornetsecurity offers comprehensive protection for Microsoft cloud services – specially developed for Microsoft 365 and seamlessly integrated to provide comprehensive protection for Microsoft cloud services. Easy to set up and extremely intuitive to use, 365 Total Protection simplifies your IT Security management from the very start.

With 365 Total Protection, we offer you two comprehensive packages for your Company Security Management in connection with Microsoft 365. Find the right security version to suit the individual needs of your company with our detailed overview. 365 Total Protection Business offers you a comprehensive security solution with a variety of features that ensure the protection of your email and complete data security for Microsoft 365.

Hornetsecurity 365 Total Protection fits any M365 plan. Secure your email communication now.

Hornetsecurity

Microsoft Exchange Online Protection (EOP) is a comprehensive email filtering and security service designed to protect organizations from spam, malware, and other email-based threats. It provides advanced threat protection, anti-malware and anti-spam filtering, and data loss prevention capabilities.

With EOP, organizations can ensure the security and integrity of their email communications. It uses multiple layers of filtering and scanning to detect and block malicious content, including phishing attempts, viruses, and ransomware. EOP also leverages machine learning and artificial intelligence to continuously improve its threat detection capabilities.

In addition to its robust security features, EOP offers advanced anti-spam filtering to reduce unwanted and unsolicited emails. It uses a combination of reputation-based filtering, content filtering, and sender authentication techniques to identify and block spam messages.

EOP also includes data loss prevention (DLP) capabilities to prevent sensitive information from being leaked or shared inappropriately. It allows organizations to define policies to detect and prevent the transmission of sensitive data, such as credit card numbers or social security numbers, via email.

Furthermore, EOP integrates seamlessly with Microsoft Exchange Online and other Office 365 services, providing a unified and integrated email security solution. It can be easily managed through the Exchange admin center, allowing administrators to configure and monitor security settings, review reports, and manage quarantined emails.

Microsoft

Sample Customers

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

concordia, fraunhofer, mazars

Information Not Available

Buyer's Guide

Hornetsecurity 365 Total Protection vs. Microsoft Exchange Online Protection (EOP)

June 2025

Free Report: Hornetsecurity 365 Total Protection vs. Microsoft Exchange Online Protection (EOP)

Find out what your peers are saying about Hornetsecurity 365 Total Protection vs. Microsoft Exchange Online Protection (EOP) and other solutions. Updated: June 2025.

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