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Kaspersky Endpoint Detection and Response Optimum vs Microsoft Defender for Business comparison

 

Comparison Buyer's Guide

Executive SummaryUpdated on Oct 19, 2025

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
3.0
Kaspersky offers effective, cost-worthy security with a 30% return, valued for protection against data loss and phishing.
Sentiment score
6.8
Microsoft Defender boosts productivity and security, integrating seamlessly with Office tools for significant budget savings despite ROI challenges.
I have observed value for money from Kaspersky Endpoint Detection and Response Optimum.
Senior IT Manager at HETCO
Using Microsoft Defender for Business results in cost reductions as it consolidates various features under one product, saving around 20% to 30% of the budget.
Consultant at Dell Technologies
The value I see in Microsoft Defender for Business is in its ability to track and respond to application usage and security threats through its CASB and automation features, which are cost-beneficial.
 

Customer Service

Sentiment score
5.3
Kaspersky support is generally good with knowledgeable staff, but some users report delays and occasional imprecise answers.
Sentiment score
5.5
Users have mixed reviews of Microsoft Defender's support, noting contact difficulties and inconsistent technical assistance despite good onboarding.
Compared to other solution providers, the responses are not very clear when we need support.
Consultant at a tech services company with 11-50 employees
We usually solve issues ourselves due to our experience, as paid support is not used.
Network Engineer at Berhan Bank
For technical support, Kaspersky provides two kinds: purchased support for real-time assistance and normal support during working hours.
CEO at Haniya Technologies
It is rated ten out of ten for its quality and assistance.
Solution Consultant at BIM Group of Companies
The onboarding support is exceptional, ensuring seamless integration and implementation.
Chief Cybersecurity Architect at cytek-security
Faster support is needed for endpoint security solutions.
 

Scalability Issues

Sentiment score
7.9
Kaspersky Endpoint Detection and Response Optimum is scalable, supporting thousands of endpoints, though some integrations may be needed.
Sentiment score
8.3
Microsoft Defender for Business is scalable and effective across diverse environments, though special configurations might impact growth speed.
Kaspersky Endpoint Detection and Response Optimum can expand from Endpoint Detection and Response to Extended Detection and Response and then threat intelligence solutions.
CEO at Haniya Technologies
It is very easy for me to scale.
Senior IT Executer at Mylerz Co.
Currently, I find it good and easily scalable.
Network Engineer at Berhan Bank
The cloud-based nature of the solution ensures high scalability.
Solution Consultant at BIM Group of Companies
The scalability of Microsoft Defender for Business is rated as ten, indicating it is very scalable.
Consultant at Dell Technologies
In terms of scalability, I would rate Microsoft Defender for Business a ten.
Public Cloud Engineer at Prudential
 

Stability Issues

Sentiment score
7.9
Kaspersky Endpoint Detection and Response Optimum is highly stable, scoring high in reliability with minor agent disconnection issues.
Sentiment score
7.2
Microsoft Defender for Business is stable and reliable, with minimal crashes, but some report occasional bugs impacting stability.
The solution is highly stable, scoring more than nine in terms of protection.
Chief Information Technology Officer at a engineering company with 1,001-5,000 employees
Kaspersky Endpoint Detection and Response Optimum is stable.
Network Engineer at Berhan Bank
I would rate stability for Kaspersky Endpoint Detection and Response Optimum as nine; it is pretty stable, a very good, stable product.
CEO at Haniya Technologies
No customer complaints about its functionality or reliability.
Solution Consultant at BIM Group of Companies
Although it generally works, there are occasional issues and errors that sometimes require a complete system format to rectify.
I would rate the stability of Microsoft Defender for Business with a three out of ten, where one is very bad.
Public Cloud Engineer at Prudential
 

Room For Improvement

Kaspersky EDR Optimum requires better firewall integration, UI improvements, simplified setup, enhanced support, and unified tool management.
Microsoft Defender for Business needs better reporting, integration, simplified interface, and enhanced features to address various limitations and concerns.
To increase the benefits of the product, Managed Detection and Response (MDR) service from Kaspersky should be included.
Chief Information Technology Officer at a engineering company with 1,001-5,000 employees
The uninstallation needs better handling, specifically with automatic license deletions.
Senior IT Manager at HETCO
SonicWall can integrate with other products such as Sophos, SentinelOne, and several others, but not with Kaspersky.
Consultant at a tech services company with 11-50 employees
Microsoft should provide batch management solutions with the application, integrating pass management with roles.
Solution Consultant at BIM Group of Companies
Features related to Advanced Persistent Threat detection vectors and cyber kill chain integrations are not available out-of-the-box.
CISO at a financial services firm with 11-50 employees
There can be improvements in the user interface to make it more intuitive.
Information Technology Security Consultant at Navaio IT Security
 

Setup Cost

Kaspersky EDR Optimum is cost-effective, subscription-based, and offers good value, appealing to budget-conscious companies.
Microsoft Defender for Business offers competitive pricing with enterprise value, though some users find costs high compared to competitors.
Kaspersky is very cheap compared to solutions like CrowdStrike or other vendors.
Senior IT Executer at Mylerz Co.
The value from Kaspersky is very good, especially since we recently got a special deal.
Chief Information Technology Officer at a engineering company with 1,001-5,000 employees
Kaspersky Endpoint Detection and Response Optimum is reasonably priced for the market.
Senior IT Manager at HETCO
Single-year pricing remains good.
Solution Consultant at BIM Group of Companies
The pricing is quite affordable at the enterprise level with no extra expenses noted.
Consultant at Dell Technologies
Although the cost can be slightly higher, it expedites deployment, which is beneficial, especially for startups.
CISO at a financial services firm with 11-50 employees
 

Valuable Features

Kaspersky EDR Optimum provides real-time threat response, user-friendly interface, robust security features, and seamless integration for enterprise protection.
Microsoft Defender for Business integrates seamlessly with Microsoft products, offering comprehensive security, scalability, and user-friendly features for effective threat management.
It fulfills security and protection requirements against newly discovered malware, especially ransomware attacks.
Chief Information Technology Officer at a engineering company with 1,001-5,000 employees
Threat Response Automation in Kaspersky Endpoint Detection and Response Optimum is quite effective for enhancing security.
Senior IT Manager at HETCO
In the past month, we encountered an unknown type of malware, but the behavior was sufficient for Kaspersky to isolate the network based on this behavior, which proved very efficient.
Consultant at a tech services company with 11-50 employees
The threat detection capabilities are robust, with a dedicated research team and a continuously updated threat feed.
Information Technology Security Consultant at Navaio IT Security
Its vulnerability management is regarded as one of the best in the industry.
Solution Consultant at BIM Group of Companies
The most effective features of Microsoft Defender for Business include its threat detection and response capabilities in managing vulnerabilities and ransomware attacks.
Consultant at Dell Technologies
 

Categories and Ranking

Kaspersky Endpoint Detectio...
Ranking in Endpoint Protection Platform (EPP)
29th
Average Rating
8.4
Reviews Sentiment
6.7
Number of Reviews
26
Ranking in other categories
No ranking in other categories
Microsoft Defender for Busi...
Ranking in Endpoint Protection Platform (EPP)
16th
Average Rating
7.8
Reviews Sentiment
6.9
Number of Reviews
19
Ranking in other categories
Microsoft Security Suite (16th)
 

Mindshare comparison

As of December 2025, in the Endpoint Protection Platform (EPP) category, the mindshare of Kaspersky Endpoint Detection and Response Optimum is 0.9%, up from 0.7% compared to the previous year. The mindshare of Microsoft Defender for Business is 2.0%, up from 1.9% compared to the previous year. It is calculated based on PeerSpot user engagement data.
Endpoint Protection Platform (EPP) Market Share Distribution
ProductMarket Share (%)
Microsoft Defender for Business2.0%
Kaspersky Endpoint Detection and Response Optimum0.9%
Other97.1%
Endpoint Protection Platform (EPP)
 

Featured Reviews

Nadeem Syed - PeerSpot reviewer
CEO at Haniya Technologies
Continuous protection has improved automated threat response and reporting for our endpoints
We did work with one of our clients who required mobile security solutions. In my opinion, Trend Micro, when we went through the POCs and other components, we did not find it very strong as far as mobile security is concerned. I think Kaspersky is much better than Trend Micro when it comes to mobile security solutions. From an outside perspective, Kaspersky Endpoint Detection and Response Optimum looks pretty strong and comprehensive. The main improvement would be if they could decrease the cost, as it would be great for clients since it is quite expensive now compared to when it used to be cheaper. The key competitor for Kaspersky Endpoint Detection and Response Optimum is Trend Micro. Trend Micro is the only competitor in the market right now. I would say both Trend Micro Endpoint Detection and Response and Kaspersky Endpoint Detection and Response Optimum are quite similar; I cannot say that one is better than the other. The difference is mainly in cost; Trend Micro has mostly moved all their products to the cloud, offering no on-premises products now, whereas Kaspersky is still in a transition phase providing both on-premises and cloud solutions. Many clients prefer on-premises as it is less expensive compared to cloud.
Takayuki-Umehara - PeerSpot reviewer
Public Cloud Engineer at Prudential
Product deployment protects assets but needs improvement in system support
I am doing maintenance for Microsoft Defender for Business, and I'm currently working with it. We don't need to use the latest version of Microsoft Defender for Business. We still use the latest virus definition file that Microsoft Defender for Business has automatically updated. We implement a basic update mechanism. Our compliance division manages how many servers and PCs we have and whether those servers have antivirus solutions. I am not certain about how Microsoft Defender for Business helps with AI-driven security strategies. I just use it normally and don't know if it uses AI technology. I rate Microsoft Defender for Business a six out of ten.
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Use our free recommendation engine to learn which Endpoint Protection Platform (EPP) solutions are best for your needs.
879,259 professionals have used our research since 2012.
 

Top Industries

By visitors reading reviews
Computer Software Company
13%
Financial Services Firm
12%
Manufacturing Company
8%
Educational Organization
7%
Computer Software Company
18%
Comms Service Provider
8%
Government
6%
Financial Services Firm
6%
 

Company Size

By reviewers
Large Enterprise
Midsize Enterprise
Small Business
By reviewers
Company SizeCount
Small Business15
Midsize Enterprise6
Large Enterprise6
By reviewers
Company SizeCount
Small Business15
Midsize Enterprise2
Large Enterprise3
 

Questions from the Community

What is your experience regarding pricing and costs for Kaspersky Endpoint Detection and Response Optimum?
Kaspersky Endpoint Detection and Response Optimum is reasonably priced for the market. I do not know the exact cost of the license per endpoint or annually.
What needs improvement with Kaspersky Endpoint Detection and Response Optimum?
The reporting system is good, but it can be quite tricky for customers to get the reports. Unfortunately, Kaspersky UI is something they need to work upon. It's not as simplistic or user-friendly a...
What is your primary use case for Kaspersky Endpoint Detection and Response Optimum?
The main use case is attractive for customers because the endpoint detection and response system helps with patch management and remote software. It has many ITSM feature sets, which has been an at...
What do you like most about Microsoft Defender for Business?
A few things are valuable. One is the alerting we see when any kind of intrusion is happening, any kind of malware is being deployed across the endpoints, or any kind of suspicious activity is goin...
What is your experience regarding pricing and costs for Microsoft Defender for Business?
Our thoughts on the pricing for Microsoft Defender for Business are that we wish it could be better. If the pricing was a little better, we would definitely increase what we currently have.
What needs improvement with Microsoft Defender for Business?
Microsoft Defender for Business could be improved by making the advanced threat hunting available to all plans, as currently, it is only available to one of their plans which is not encouraging. It...
 

Overview

Find out what your peers are saying about Kaspersky Endpoint Detection and Response Optimum vs. Microsoft Defender for Business and other solutions. Updated: December 2025.
879,259 professionals have used our research since 2012.