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

 

Comparison Buyer's Guide

Executive SummaryUpdated on Sep 9, 2024

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
3.5
Kaspersky EDR Optimum offers a 30% ROI, effective security, uninterrupted operations, and competitive pricing, justifying its cost.
Sentiment score
7.3
Microsoft Defender for Endpoint offers improved security and cost-efficiency, with many users noting savings of 15% to 30%.
We have seen a return on investment when using Microsoft Defender for Endpoint, as it saves labor by reducing the need for staff to focus on it.
The biggest return on investment for me when using Microsoft Defender for Endpoint is the time saving.
The return on investment is primarily in time savings and better observability of what's happening.
 

Customer Service

Sentiment score
7.0
Kaspersky's customer support is praised for expertise and responsiveness, though some mention slower response times in varied feedback.
Sentiment score
6.5
Microsoft support is generally reliable and satisfactory, but experiences vary with responsiveness and outcomes depending on support level and expertise.
We usually solve issues ourselves due to our experience, as paid support is not used.
I rate the technical support between seven and eight out of ten for Kaspersky.
The level-one support seems disconnected from subject matter experts.
I rate Microsoft support 10 out of 10.
Due to our size, we don't have access to direct technical support, but the knowledge base, Microsoft Learn, and the articles available are really good.
 

Scalability Issues

Sentiment score
8.5
Kaspersky Endpoint Detection and Response Optimum scales efficiently for diverse organizations, integrating easily and adapting through additional tools.
Sentiment score
7.6
Microsoft Defender for Endpoint is scalable and integrates well with cloud services, though some find cost and dashboard management challenging.
It is very easy for me to scale.
Currently, I find it good and easily scalable.
We managed to scale it out in a short amount of time, with two months of planning and three months of implementation on 10,000 computers.
Microsoft Defender for Endpoint is scalable enough to handle various devices across environments, whether they are laptops, Android devices, or operating in hybrid environments.
Compatibility is its main feature.
 

Stability Issues

Sentiment score
8.5
Kaspersky Endpoint Detection and Response Optimum is stable, scoring highly despite rare disconnections, appreciated for reliable performance.
Sentiment score
7.9
Microsoft Defender for Endpoint is stable and reliable, with infrequent issues quickly resolved, preferred for Windows integration.
The solution is highly stable, scoring more than nine in terms of protection.
Kaspersky Endpoint Detection and Response Optimum is stable.
I haven't seen any outages with Microsoft.
I rate Defender 10 out of 10 for stability.
Defender for Endpoint is extremely stable.
 

Room For Improvement

Kaspersky Endpoint Detection and Response Optimum requires better integration, scalability, support, and user-friendly management features, including MDR services.
Microsoft Defender for Endpoint requires improvements in integration, user interface, performance, pricing, and third-party vendor compatibility.
To increase the benefits of the product, Managed Detection and Response (MDR) service from Kaspersky should be included.
Occasionally, I encounter connection problems, and the signal is not very good.
We face challenges with the automated effective awareness platform program (ASAP), particularly with its implementation.
Repeated interactions are necessary due to Level One's lack of tools and knowledge, hindering efficient problem-solving and negatively impacting our experience with Microsoft support.
We use Microsoft partners to help govern the platform, and as part of an alliance, we want to gather data from each tenant and combine them for a complete view.
Providing more detailed information on how Microsoft Defender for Endpoint detects vulnerabilities.
 

Setup Cost

Kaspersky EDR Optimum provides a cost-effective, subscription-based service, balancing affordability with quality against competitors like Fortinet and CrowdStrike.
Microsoft Defender for Endpoint is cost-effective in bundles, offering licensing flexibility and comprehensive security features for enterprises.
Kaspersky is very cheap compared to solutions like CrowdStrike or other vendors.
The value from Kaspersky is very good, especially since we recently got a special deal.
Given our extensive Microsoft licensing, transitioning to Defender for Endpoint did not affect licensing costs.
It costs $15 per VM for the P2 plan, which is seen as affordable for customers.
The pricing, setup, and licensing were very easy and simple.
 

Valuable Features

Kaspersky Endpoint Detection provides real-time threat response, scalability, and user-friendly interface with advanced analytics and seamless SIEM integration.
Microsoft Defender for Endpoint provides efficient security with integration, automation, and centralized management, enhancing protection and response capabilities.
It fulfills security and protection requirements against newly discovered malware, especially ransomware attacks.
It monitors vulnerabilities and takes action, such as blocking USB or devices from the network, to avoid vulnerabilities or ransomware.
Kaspersky Endpoint Detection and Response Optimum is effective, especially in isolating computers from the network when needed.
Defender for Endpoint's coverage across different platforms in our environment is pretty good. We have devices running Linux, Mac OS, Windows, iOS, and Android. It covers all of them.
Microsoft Defender for Endpoint provides a unified management interface allowing customers to manage their on-premises and hybrid infrastructures from a single pane.
The attack surface feature where phishing simulations can be performed is quite neat.
 

Categories and Ranking

Kaspersky Endpoint Detectio...
Ranking in Endpoint Protection Platform (EPP)
35th
Average Rating
8.2
Reviews Sentiment
7.2
Number of Reviews
22
Ranking in other categories
No ranking in other categories
Microsoft Defender for Endp...
Ranking in Endpoint Protection Platform (EPP)
1st
Average Rating
8.2
Reviews Sentiment
7.1
Number of Reviews
196
Ranking in other categories
Advanced Threat Protection (ATP) (2nd), Anti-Malware Tools (1st), Endpoint Detection and Response (EDR) (3rd), Microsoft Security Suite (5th)
 

Mindshare comparison

As of May 2025, in the Endpoint Protection Platform (EPP) category, the mindshare of Kaspersky Endpoint Detection and Response Optimum is 0.8%, up from 0.5% compared to the previous year. The mindshare of Microsoft Defender for Endpoint is 10.8%, down from 14.4% compared to the previous year. It is calculated based on PeerSpot user engagement data.
Endpoint Protection Platform (EPP)
 

Featured Reviews

SharjeelFarooque - PeerSpot reviewer
Great threat response, provides for proactivity, and has automated threat identification
In terms of the Pakistani market and talking from a salesperson's perspective, I'd suggest that Kaspersky introduce a bundle of Kaspersky EDR-Optimum or Kaspersky EDR-Expert along with its Business Select/Advance suite. When I say this, I understand the Pakistani market and how slow and less eager organizations are to invest in IT and internet security. Most of them don't invest until or unless they face any attack or network failure. However, in addition to the product, Kaspersky should give EDR-Optimum on the cloud for less than 300 users as well, in case any customer has its whole network on the cloud. That way they can easily use it.
AnuragSrivastava - PeerSpot reviewer
Provides detailed visibility into threats but the ability to add exceptions needs improvement
One major item for improvement is the ability to add exceptions. We can add some exceptions, but not at the level we need to. The second major area for improvement involves enhanced capabilities for different operating systems or platforms. That is, even though we have coverage for different operating systems or platforms such as Linux, we don't get all of the controls and enhanced capabilities that are available with Windows devices. Reporting could also be improved because, at present, we get limited results at times. For example, in an environment with more than 100,000 devices, you may just get 10,000 results when you run a report.
report
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Top Industries

By visitors reading reviews
Computer Software Company
17%
Financial Services Firm
9%
Manufacturing Company
7%
Comms Service Provider
6%
Educational Organization
25%
Computer Software Company
12%
Government
7%
Financial Services Firm
7%
 

Company Size

By reviewers
Large Enterprise
Midsize Enterprise
Small Business
 

Questions from the Community

What do you like most about Kaspersky Endpoint Detection and Response Optimum?
The product's most valuable feature is the flexibility of installation with the console and a simple administration strategy.
What is your experience regarding pricing and costs for Kaspersky Endpoint Detection and Response Optimum?
The value from Kaspersky is very good, especially since we recently got a special deal.
What needs improvement with Kaspersky Endpoint Detection and Response Optimum?
To increase the benefits of the product, Managed Detection and Response (MDR) service from Kaspersky should be included. I use this to monitor devices from a centralized location and report any abn...
How is Cortex XDR compared with Microsoft Defender?
Microsoft Defender for Endpoint is a cloud-delivered endpoint security solution. The tool reduces the attack surface, applies behavioral-based endpoint protection and response, and includes risk-ba...
Which offers better endpoint security - Symantec or Microsoft Defender?
We use Symantec because we do not use MS Enterprise products, but in my opinion, Microsoft Defender is a superior solution. Microsoft Defender for Endpoint is a cloud-delivered endpoint security s...
How does Microsoft Defender for Endpoint compare with Crowdstrike Falcon?
The CrowdStrike solution delivers a lot of information about incidents. It has a very light sensor that will never push your machine hardware to "test", you don't have the usual "scan now" feature ...
 

Also Known As

No data available
Microsoft Defender ATP, Microsoft Defender Advanced Threat Protection, MS Defender for Endpoint, Microsoft Defender Antivirus
 

Interactive Demo

Demo not available
 

Overview

 

Sample Customers

Information Not Available
Petrofrac, Metro CSG, Christus Health
Find out what your peers are saying about Kaspersky Endpoint Detection and Response Optimum vs. Microsoft Defender for Endpoint and other solutions. Updated: April 2025.
850,236 professionals have used our research since 2012.