Kiteworks vs Sophos Email comparison

Kiteworks and Sophos are both solutions in the Email Security category. Kiteworks is ranked #32 with an average rating of 8.0, while Sophos is ranked #9 with an average rating of 8.0. Kiteworks holds a 0.3% mindshare in Email Security, compared to Sophos’s 2.1% mindshare. Additionally, 100% of Kiteworks users are willing to recommend the solution, compared to 96% of Sophos users who would recommend it.

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Executive SummaryUpdated on Dec 3, 2024

Kiteworks and Sophos Email compete in secure communication and email protection. Kiteworks has an advantage in pricing and support, while Sophos Email is preferred for its comprehensive features and value.

Features: Kiteworks provides document tracking, secure file sharing, and a private content network, catering to compliance-focused enterprises. Sophos Email offers advanced email filtering, phishing protection, and anti-malware capabilities, which are crucial for safeguarding communications.

Room for Improvement: Kiteworks could enhance user interface functions and provide better native mobile application support. Increasing third-party integrations would also be beneficial. Sophos Email might improve notification systems and address occasional false positives. Visibility into email attachments directly from the management dashboard could also see enhancements.

Ease of Deployment and Customer Service: Kiteworks is recognized for straightforward deployment processes and efficient customer support, favoring quick integration. Sophos Email is also easy to deploy, offering extensive customer service and prioritizing responsive support for technical issues, making it accessible to firms with varied IT capabilities.

Pricing and ROI: Kiteworks typically has a lower initial cost, offering a strong return through enhanced document security. Sophos Email may be more expensive at first but balances this with an ROI focused on preventing security breaches, essential for organizations prioritizing email threat protection.

To learn more, read our detailed Kiteworks vs. Sophos Email Report (Updated: June 2025).

Buyer's Guide

Kiteworks vs. Sophos Email

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 Kiteworks is 0.3%, up from 0.2% compared to the previous year. The mindshare of Sophos Email is 2.1%, down from 2.7% 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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Sukkanta Banerjee

Senior Software Engineer at Wipro Limited

Two-factor authentication and .ZIP format make large file transfers very secure

The most valuable feature is the ability to send a large file of 30 GB in size and more. In Outlook and other email applications, you cannot send files that are larger than 20 MB. But with Kiteworks, 30 GB is transferable by default and, with the proper approval, a file of up to 100 GB can be sent. It makes file transfer very easy and smooth. Also, only the .ZIP format is supported because it is a very secure mode of file transfer, and that is why it is recommended. It also has built-in antivirus, so if it detects any malware it will quarantine the file and it won't be delivered. This is really important to keep the service up and running in a proper and secure manner. With people working from home, the data needs to be checked to see what kind of data is being sent. It has a two-factor authentication mechanism. For example, if a person with a particular domain is using Kiteworks and sends a file to a party outside of his domain, that external party has to go through two-factor authentication. The receiver gets a link that takes them to the setup of a temporary account, which will be valid for three days. The recipient will also receive a customized password separately. Only after all these steps will they be able to access the file. That access is only available to a person with the mail ID to which the file was sent. In addition, admins can see who is sending sensitive content, what that content is, and to whom it is being sent, and can track emails. One week of good training will give a user complete knowledge for using the solution. The system is very easy to use. You just click on "Compose," attach a file, and send it. It's very easy compared to Outlook or Teams. It's quite simple, even for someone logging in for the first time. It is very smooth and easy to send files.

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Ahmed_Fahmy

Operations Technical Lead at IT Supporters

Provides a powerful and simple email protection with proven management benefits

Sophos Email is integrated with Office 365 and Google Workspace. It offers anti-spam functionality, which is easy to manage and comes with documentation on how to integrate it with Office 365 and Google Workspace. It provides a defense layer for email protection, scanning every incoming and outbound email for malware and spam. It can also function temporarily as an email solution if my vendor from Office 365 or Google Workspace is out of service.

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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."

"Defender is a SaaS platform, so it offers more flexibility. Managing the permissions is easier. The solution's automated detection and response features are scalable."

"The email protection is excellent, especially in terms of anti-phishing policies."

"The ability to respond to threats if very important."

"Safe attachments, safe links, policies, and the ability to protect from zero-day threats are the most valuable features."

"Our customers are satisfied with Defender for 365 because Microsoft products are easy to use and customize to meet the client's needs. Everything is in one place, so we can adjust policies as needed for phishing, DLP, ATP, or any other security features that our clients want to apply."

"We use Microsoft Defender for its ability to integrate with existing business technologies, which is beneficial for protecting business areas."

"Microsoft Defender for Office 365 is a stable solution."

More Microsoft Defender for Office 365 pros

"The benefits that Kiteworks has provided to its customers in terms of data sovereignty."

"We could see whether the customer with whom we shared a file had downloaded it, which was not available with GitHub."

"The most valuable feature is the ability to send a large file of 30 GB in size and more. In Outlook and other email applications, you cannot send files that are larger than 20 MB. But with Kiteworks, 30 GB is transferable by default and, with the proper approval, a file of up to 100 GB can be sent. It makes file transfer very easy and smooth."

"The most valuable feature is the ability to allow end-users to manage their own information and data with minimal administration. That's the best feature from my perspective."

"I can identify from which region our users are uploading or downloading files."

"Scalability is impressive."

"The most valuable aspect of Kiteworks is undoubtedly the private content network. This feature is particularly beneficial for us. Furthermore, it serves as a centralized platform that enables us to track and manage our information exchange."

"The solution can be used remotely; it's easy to upload and share files."

More Kiteworks pros

"The speed and stability were fine."

"The deployment is very easy. It's quite straightforward."

"The most valuable feature of Sophos Email is the sandbox. We're able to scan the file, isolate it, and look at it before it is delivered. It is highly effective."

"The best thing about it is the logs."

"The most significant aspect is the response filtering concerning attachments and links."

"The tool is a good solution for protecting against email attacks and monitoring networks. It supports our compliance efforts and is easy to use and stable."

"The tool's most valuable feature is the anti-spam detection filter. Its threat email intelligence features help to identify email data."

"The solution's identity proxy feature is very good and reliable."

More Sophos Email pros

Cons

"Specifically, within Microsoft Defender for Office 365, I want it to improve the DLP capabilities."

"It would be better if it were more scalable. It depends on the architecture, but we would like to make it more scalable for both data centers."

"I am generally satisfied with how it currently is. If I could improve anything, I would reduce the cost."

"The visibility for the weaknesses in the system and unauthorized access can be improved."

"I'd like some additional features any product can give me to protect our environment in a better way."

"The visibility into threats is not up to the mark, as I do not have control. I rate my experience with Microsoft Defender for Office 365 as six out of ten due to troubleshooting and pricing concerns."

"Sometimes, phishing emails manage to pass through the filter, so the system needs to enhance its phishing email detection capabilities."

"Microsoft security solutions work as expected. They are constantly updating the solutions to make them better. At the same time, the changes can impact a customer's environment, and we need to adjust settings. Sometimes we aren't aware of the changes, and nothing is pushed from the backend automatically."

More Microsoft Defender for Office 365 cons

"I noticed the Kiteworks login UI is very basic, lacking customization. Allowing more HTML tags to add hyperlinks or user-friendly information on the home page would be very useful."

"Kiteworks could benefit from enhancing the proposal knowledge base section, specifically regarding the type of work involved. Currently, the knowledge base seems insufficiently dedicated to this topic, making it challenging for new users to access the relevant administrative law. Improving the visual aids and providing clearer explanations could alleviate this issue."

"In my experience, their technical support can be a little slow."

"There are always issues when there are bugs or upgrades. The challenge with upgrading is getting more storage from the customer. Every time we have a new version, it requires additional storage. This means that the customer would need to procure more storage for their server, which they don't like because it means additional cost to them. So, I think my request would be that the version upgrades don't require any significant storage requirement."

"It would be nice if Kiteworks could provide a free version of the platform so that it could be used for a certain number of file transfers. We could be charged a fee if we exceeded the number of allotted file transfers."

"We have experienced a few hiccups and bugs when using the admin console and from a user perspective."

"File location could be improved."

"Perhaps there could be a notification to users about their bandwidth or network packet loss."

More Kiteworks cons

"Servicing and support are areas with shortcomings where the solution needs to improve."

"Sophos Email needs to increase the number of promos."

"Sophos Email could improve DLP features."

"Sophos Email can improve mail security."

"The solution's technical support is slow and unresponsive. You need to book time in order to get support."

"The solution has not found a way to block certain kinds of phishing emails."

"The tool has some performance issues and bugs, making it an area where improvements are required."

"Lacks visibility into spam emails."

More Sophos Email cons

Pricing and Cost Advice

"Microsoft Defender is expensive. I typically recommend it only if clients have the budget. Otherwise, I would suggest an alternative."

"From the pricing point of view, like any other product in the market, there is scope for negotiation."

"I know that the product is incredibly expensive."

"Microsoft Defender for Office 365 is an add-on to the Office license. Many customers are purchasing this solution."

"The license is expensive because the cost is based on the number of users."

"The pricing is normal. Considering its popularity, it's not overpriced."

"The product is expensive."

"The pricing has become expensive."

More Microsoft Defender for Office 365 pricing and cost advice

"I believe it's a little costly, but given the faith that we put into it from a security perspective to maintain the integrity of our patient information that is being transferred through this system, that's a small price to pay. So, on the surface, it might look like a lot of money, but depending on the need for security, which is where we feel it shines, it's okay price-wise."

"The license management is changing and confusing. If I could make one change to it, it would be better license management through the API."

"The price of Kiteworks is reasonable."

"They changed it midstream. We were being charged a certain flat rate for SFTP traffic. For whatever reason, at the beginning of the year, our pricing changed, and we are now being charged more for using a feature of the product than we were when we first bought it. That has been our experience with billing. It turned out to be more expensive than when we started with it."

"It is not really expensive. I mean, to me it's obviously expensive, but it's worth it."

"The solution is very expensive because we are buying with Malaysian Ringgit and it's sold in US dollars."

"There is an additional fee for their central managed console."

"The product is cheaper compared to other solutions."

"The pricing is fair."

"The pricing is affordable, so I’d rate it around a four out of ten on the pricing scale. We pay about fifty pounds a month, including hardware so that costs may differ without it."

"I rate the product's pricing a seven out of ten."

"Sophos Email is neither cheap nor expensive."

"The solution is expensive."

"I would rate the pricing of Sophos Email as a six. It is considered affordable as a standalone product, and there are no additional costs besides licensing. The pricing is fixed."

More Sophos Email pricing and cost advice

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Top Industries

By visitors reading reviews

Computer Software Company

16%

Financial Services Firm

Manufacturing Company

Government

15%

Financial Services Firm

13%

Computer Software Company

Manufacturing Company

Computer Software Company

14%

Manufacturing Company

10%

Comms Service Provider

Financial Services Firm

Company Size

By reviewers

Large Enterprise

Midsize Enterprise

Small Business

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...

See all answers

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 is Kiteworks?

Kiteworks is a secured file sharing platform that enables users to collaborate with different parties across a robust...

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What do you like most about Kiteworks?

The benefits that Kiteworks has provided to its customers in terms of data sovereignty.

See all answers

What needs improvement with Kiteworks?

I'm not a network expert, however, there must be some room for improvement. Perhaps there could be a notification to ...

See all answers

What do you like most about Sophos Email?

The solution's identity proxy feature is very good and reliable.

See all answers

What is your experience regarding pricing and costs for Sophos Email?

Sophos Email pricing is a bit high, especially since I purchase through a partner, and they sell it at a higher price...

See all answers

What needs improvement with Sophos Email?

Sophos Email does not work with split delivery. If I have a domain with 100 mailboxes and want to protect only 50, it...

See all answers

Comparisons

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Mimecast Email Security vs Microsoft Defender for Office 365

Compared 5% of the time

Avanan vs Microsoft Defender for Office 365

Compared 3% of the time

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SharePoint vs Kiteworks

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FileCloud vs Kiteworks

Compared 8% of the time

MOVEit vs Kiteworks

Compared 8% of the time

GoAnywhere MFT vs Kiteworks

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Compared 11% of the time

Hornetsecurity 365 Total Protection vs Sophos Email

Compared 7% of the time

Fortinet FortiMail vs Sophos Email

Compared 6% of the time

Barracuda Email Protection vs Sophos Email

Compared 6% of the time

Barracuda Email Security Gateway vs Sophos Email

Compared 5% of the time

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Product Reports

Buyer's Guide

Microsoft Defender for Office 365

June 2025

Microsoft Defender for Office 365 report

Download Microsoft Defender for Office 365 product report

Buyer's Guide

Kiteworks

June 2025

Download Kiteworks product report

Buyer's Guide

Sophos Email

May 2025

Download Sophos Email product report

Also Known As

MS Defender for Office 365

Accellion

Sophos Email Security

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

Kiteworks empowers organizations to effectively manage risk in every send, share, receive, and save of sensitive content over numerous communications channels: email, file sharing, managed file transfer, APIs, and web forms. The Kiteworks platform unifies, tracks, controls, and secures sensitive content moving within, into, and out of an organization, significantly improving risk management and ensuring regulatory compliance.

Kiteworks

Sophos Email is a comprehensive email security solution designed to protect organizations from advanced threats and data loss. It offers robust protection against malware, phishing attacks, and spam, ensuring that only legitimate emails reach users' inboxes.

With advanced threat intelligence and machine learning algorithms, it can detect and block sophisticated attacks in real-time. Additionally, it provides encryption and data loss prevention capabilities to safeguard sensitive information.

The solution is easy to deploy and manage, with a user-friendly interface and centralized control. Sophos Email offers seamless integration with popular email platforms, ensuring uninterrupted communication while maintaining security.

With its comprehensive features and proactive approach, Sophos Email is a reliable choice for organizations looking to enhance their email security.

Sophos

Sample Customers

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

United States Securities and Exchange Commission, National Health Service, Husch Blackwell LLP, NYC Health + Hospitals, Viatris, MITRE Corporation, Chubb, Kraft Heinz, KPMG, Kohler, National Institute of Standards and Technology, Purdue Pharma, AVL

Del Monte Foods, Terra Verde, spicerhaart, RIVERLITE, Dataprise, SureBridge, Reed's School, Sayfol International School

Buyer's Guide

Kiteworks vs. Sophos Email

June 2025

Free Report: Kiteworks vs. Sophos Email

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