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Microsoft Defender External Attack Surface Management vs Microsoft Defender for Business comparison

Microsoft Defender External Attack Surface Management and Microsoft Defender for Business are both solutions in the Microsoft Security Suite category. Microsoft Defender External Attack Surface Management is ranked #34 with an average rating of 7.5, while Microsoft Defender for Business is ranked #16 with an average rating of 7.6. Microsoft Defender External Attack Surface Management holds a 0.2% mindshare in Microsoft Security Suite, compared to Microsoft Defender for Business’s 3.0% mindshare. Additionally, 100% of Microsoft Defender External Attack Surface Management users are willing to recommend the solution, compared to 87% of Microsoft Defender for Business users who would recommend it.
Microsoft Defender for Busi...
Read 19 Microsoft Defender for Business reviews
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87% willing to recommend
 

Comparison Buyer's Guide

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Executive Summary
We performed a comparison between Microsoft Defender External Attack Surface Management and Microsoft Defender for Business based on real PeerSpot user reviews.

Find out in this report how the two Microsoft Security Suite solutions compare in terms of features, pricing, service and support, easy of deployment, and ROI.

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To learn more, read our detailed Microsoft Defender External Attack Surface Management vs. Microsoft Defender for Business Report (Updated: April 2025).
Buyer's Guide
Microsoft Defender External Attack Surface Management vs. Microsoft Defender for Business
April 2025
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Helped 857,162 peers since 2012

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 External...
Ranking in Microsoft Security Suite
34th
Average Rating
7.6
Reviews Sentiment
6.0
Number of Reviews
2
Ranking in other categories
Attack Surface Management (ASM) (12th)
Microsoft Defender for Busi...
Ranking in Microsoft Security Suite
16th
Average Rating
7.8
Reviews Sentiment
7.0
Number of Reviews
19
Ranking in other categories
Endpoint Protection Platform (EPP) (23rd)
 

Mindshare comparison

As of June 2025, in the Microsoft Security Suite category, the mindshare of Microsoft Defender External Attack Surface Management is 0.2%, up from 0.1% compared to the previous year. The mindshare of Microsoft Defender for Business is 3.0%, up from 3.0% compared to the previous year. It is calculated based on PeerSpot user engagement data.
Microsoft Security Suite
 

Featured Reviews

AndyChan3 - PeerSpot reviewer
Enhanced visibility and exposes vulnerabilities but needs more integration
I am currently in the pilot stage of implementing Microsoft External Attack Surface Management (EASM). My organization is transitioning to a comprehensive track of Microsoft solutions, and we will move to full-scale production in another year, maybe Microsoft External Attack Surface Management…
Read full review
Syed Abid - PeerSpot reviewer
Advanced threat protection secures diverse workloads with cost-effective deployment
If I need logs and don't have local storage bundled with Defender, I need to add workspace and log analytics, which is costly for storing logs of 2 GB, 5 GB, 10 GB. A default storage of 5 GB for logs should be included with Defender. There are limitations in whitelisting folders and files, and the whitelisting feature for Defender threat protection was deprecated. A straightforward feature for this should be added.
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

"It seems to be better at protecting from cyberattacks."
"Microsoft External Attack Surface Management helps improve the visibility of my exposed vulnerabilities and provides an overview of my security posture across the globe."
"Microsoft External Attack Surface Management helps improve the visibility of my exposed vulnerabilities and provides an overview of my security posture across the globe."
"I haven't had any problems with the tool's stability."
"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 going on. We have a footprint across all of North America, Canada, and Mexico, so we want to make sure that all our endpoints are protected and we are able to look for any anomalous activity."
"The solution provides good scalability."
"Defender's main strength is its integration with Microsoft Sentinel, offering valuable insights."
"The solution is effective, continuously improving, and highly regarded, especially with Microsoft's leadership in the industry."
"The most valuable feature of the solution is its central console."
"I would recommend Microsoft Defender for Business to others, rating it as ten out of ten."
"The most effective features of Microsoft Defender for Business include its threat detection and response capabilities in managing vulnerabilities and ransomware attacks."
More Microsoft Defender for Business pros
 

Cons

"Further integration across different Microsoft products would be an improvement."
"With Microsoft, support is always crazy, it's not easy to get support."
"The integration is not as seamless compared to competitors like Palo Alto."
"We face a licensing issue with Windows 11 Enterprise not reflecting in our portal, which affects activation. Microsoft's support did not resolve this issue, even after sharing remote desktop and screen details."
"The areas where Microsoft Defender for Business could improve include the support, installation process, and wiki. I should be able to find solutions to issues quickly without having to delve too deep."
"The security could always be improved."
"The biggest one is that Defender needs to be more proactive to the emerging threats. There can be tighter integration with email, especially how it integrates with our email system, which is the Microsoft Outlook suite. There should be the ability to react a lot quicker to emerging threats because sometimes, it takes a few days before some of these new threats are fully identified, and we need that to be a few hours."
"I am not satisfied with Microsoft's technical support. There are challenges with the knowledge and experience of the support staff, frequent redirection between departments, and slow response times."
"Additionally, the pricing policy poses a challenge, particularly in multi-year contracts, where other solutions like Trend Micro offer more affordable options."
"It is not quick to make exclusions or specific configurations compared to other antiviruses on the market."
"Talking with the tool's technician about any problem is very complicated."
More Microsoft Defender for Business cons
 

Pricing and Cost Advice

Information not available
"Since we're a nonprofit, we get pretty good discounts on the tool."
"The tool's cost has been a little high, but I do not think it was terrible."
"The tool is cheap, while some other solutions are more expensive. I remember the tool cost about five euros for a workstation or for a user on a monthly basis."
"Defender for Business is included by default with an Office 365 premium subscription."
"It has to get more competitive because we are starting to see some of the competitors providing better pricing, and some of it, of course, is to gain market share. The Defender product pricing is probably a little higher than the competitors."
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857,162 professionals have used our research since 2012.
 

Top Industries

By visitors reading reviews
Computer Software Company
20%
Financial Services Firm
13%
Manufacturing Company
6%
Energy/Utilities Company
6%
Computer Software Company
19%
Comms Service Provider
8%
Retailer
7%
Government
6%
 

Company Size

By reviewers
Large Enterprise
Midsize Enterprise
Small Business
No data available
 

Questions from the Community

What is your experience regarding pricing and costs for Microsoft Defender External Attack Surface Management?
I rate the pricing of the solution as eight out of ten.
See all answers
What needs improvement with Microsoft Defender External Attack Surface Management?
Further integration across different Microsoft products would be an improvement. Introduction of more AI automation into the products would also be beneficial. The integration is not as seamless co...
See all answers
What is your primary use case for Microsoft Defender External Attack Surface Management?
I am currently in the pilot stage of implementing Microsoft External Attack Surface Management (EASM). My organization is transitioning to a comprehensive track of Microsoft solutions, and we will ...
See all answers
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...
See all answers
What is your experience regarding pricing and costs for Microsoft Defender for Business?
Microsoft Defender for Business offers the best pricing option in the market and is very cost-effective.
See all answers
What needs improvement with Microsoft Defender for Business?
The areas where Microsoft Defender for Business could improve include the support, installation process, and wiki. I should be able to find solutions to issues quickly without having to delve too d...
See all answers
 

Comparisons

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Bitsight vs Microsoft Defender External Attack Surface Management
Compared 13% of the time
CrowdStrike Falcon vs Microsoft Defender External Attack Surface Management Logo
CrowdStrike Falcon vs Microsoft Defender External Attack Surface Management
Compared 12% of the time
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Mandiant Advantage vs Microsoft Defender External Attack Surface Management
Compared 12% of the time
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HP Wolf Security vs Microsoft Defender for Business Logo
HP Wolf Security vs Microsoft Defender for Business
Compared 22% of the time
Microsoft Defender for Office 365 vs Microsoft Defender for Business Logo
Microsoft Defender for Office 365 vs Microsoft Defender for Business
Compared 11% of the time
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Trend Micro Worry-Free Services Suites vs Microsoft Defender for Business
Compared 8% of the time
Microsoft Defender XDR vs Microsoft Defender for Business Logo
Microsoft Defender XDR vs Microsoft Defender for Business
Compared 7% of the time
Norton Small Business vs Microsoft Defender for Business Logo
Norton Small Business vs Microsoft Defender for Business
Compared 4% of the time
More Microsoft Defender for Business Competitors
 

Product Reports

Buyer's Guide
Attack Surface Management (ASM)
June 2025
Microsoft Defender External Attack Surface Management reportDownload Microsoft Defender External Attack Surface Management product report
Buyer's Guide
Microsoft Defender for Business
May 2025
Microsoft Defender for Business reportDownload Microsoft Defender for Business product report
 

Overview

In this era of hybrid work, shadow IT creates an increasingly serious security risk. Microsoft Defender External Attack Surface Management helps cloud security teams see unknown and unmanaged resources outside the firewall.

Microsoft

Microsoft Defender for Business is a new endpoint security solution that was designed especially for the small and medium-sized business (up to 300 employees). With this endpoint security solution, your company's devices are better protected from ransomware, malware, phishing, and other threats.

Microsoft
Buyer's Guide
Microsoft Defender External Attack Surface Management vs. Microsoft Defender for Business
April 2025
Free Report: Microsoft Defender External Attack Surface Management vs. Microsoft Defender for Business
Find out what your peers are saying about Microsoft Defender External Attack Surface Management vs. Microsoft Defender for Business and other solutions. Updated: April 2025.
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