Try our new research platform with insights from 80,000+ expert users

Microsoft Defender for Cloud vs Qualys TotalCloud comparison

Sponsored
 

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
7.6
SentinelOne Singularity Cloud boosts efficiency and saves costs by automating tasks, reducing vulnerabilities, and improving security compliance.
Sentiment score
6.9
Microsoft Defender for Cloud boosts security and efficiency, integrates with Azure, reduces costs, prevents breaches, and offers proactive defense.
Sentiment score
6.8
Qualys TotalCloud enhances efficiency, reducing manual effort and costs, while improving workflow, ROI, and proactive vulnerability management.
The detailed information PingSafe gives about how to fix vulnerabilities reduces the time spent on remediation by about 70 to 80 percent.
Security and Compliance Manager at Bidgely
After implementing SentinelOne, it takes about five to seven minutes.
Cloud engineer at a construction company with 5,001-10,000 employees
Our ability to get in and review our vulnerability stance, whether daily, monthly, weekly, or whatever it might be, has drastically improved over our prior provider.
IT Support Specialist at a non-tech company with 201-500 employees
Defender proactively indexes and analyzes documents, identifying potential threats even when inactive, enhancing preventative security.
Endpoint management at a government with 10,001+ employees
Identifying potential vulnerabilities has helped us avoid costly data losses.
Manager at CBTS
Compared to not having Microsoft Defender for Cloud in place, we definitely saw an advantage by not having downtime due to a security threat.
Principal Microsoft Consultant at MicroAge
It has saved about 90% of our time.
Senior Consultant at a consultancy with 10,001+ employees
TotalCloud has generated overall savings of 30 to 40 percent across various departments.
Security Manager at a consultancy with 10,001+ employees
CallStream helps us integrate and automate tasks.
Senior Security Consultant at CyberNxt Solutions LLP
 

Customer Service

Sentiment score
7.8
SentinelOne Singularity Cloud Security's service is praised for support, insights, and staff, though response times and knowledge vary.
Sentiment score
6.3
Microsoft Defender for Cloud support is responsive at higher levels, but experiences vary with mixed satisfaction due to delays.
Sentiment score
7.4
Qualys TotalCloud's customer service is mostly praised for responsiveness, though some users report delays and varying staff expertise.
When we send an email, they respond quickly and proactively provide solutions.
Security and Compliance Manager at Bidgely
They took direct responsibility for the system and could solve queries quickly.
Senior DevOps Engineer at a tech services company with 501-1,000 employees
Having a reliable team ready and willing to assist with any issues is essential.
Director, DevOps at Relay Network
Since security is critical, we prefer a quicker response time.
Manager at CBTS
The support team was very responsive to queries.
Programme Manager- Cyber Fusion- Group CISO at a financial services firm with 10,001+ employees
They understand their product, but much like us, they struggle with the finer details, especially with new features.
Endpoint management at a government with 10,001+ employees
They are helpful, respond to my queries, and can answer any question.
Developer at a consultancy with 10,001+ employees
Qualys's tech support is highly responsive, providing multiple ways to interact with them.
Service Manager, Security Operations at CDA IT SOLUTIONS
Qualys' customer service provides quality answers, but the response time is long, even though it is within the SLA.
Works at a consultancy with 10,001+ employees
 

Scalability Issues

Sentiment score
8.2
SentinelOne Singularity Cloud Security is scalable, user-friendly, effective, and integrates well, though improvements in manual processes are needed.
Sentiment score
7.4
Microsoft Defender for Cloud is scalable, integrating across environments effortlessly, suitable for all enterprise sizes with flexible performance.
Sentiment score
8.1
Qualys TotalCloud offers seamless scalability for businesses, effectively supporting growth, complex environments, and diverse use cases efficiently.
I would rate it a 10 out of 10 for scalability.
IT Engineer at a venture capital & private equity firm with 1,001-5,000 employees
Scalability is no longer a concern because Cloud Native Security is a fully cloud-based resource.
CISO at a computer software company with 201-500 employees
I would rate the scalability of PingSafe 10 out of 10.
Sr DevOps Engineer at a media company with 51-200 employees
As we have reduced our on-premises infrastructure, it is about how we can migrate workloads to the cloud to make it easier, and then having everything fully encompassed and secured within that area makes it much easier for us to scale as needed and grow.
Principal Microsoft Consultant at MicroAge
We are using infrastructure as a code, so we do not have any scalability issues with Microsoft Defender for Cloud implementation because our cloud automatically does it.
Senior Cloud Platform Engineer at Deutsche Börse
It has multiple licenses and features, covering infrastructures from a hundred to five hundred virtual machines, without any issues.
Snr. Infrastructure Architect (Data Centre) at LogicEra
We started our organization about nine months back. We started with about 30 users, and we now have more than 100 users.
CIO at a venture capital & private equity firm with 11-50 employees
Our organization currently uses it to manage over 1200 web applications.
Analyst, Information Security at Infosys
It is absolutely scalable, and I would rate its scalability as nine out of ten.
retired at a consultancy with 10,001+ employees
 

Stability Issues

Sentiment score
8.2
SentinelOne Singularity Cloud Security is stable with occasional minor UI glitches, seamlessly integrates with AWS, and is highly rated.
Sentiment score
7.5
Microsoft Defender for Cloud is stable and reliable, with minimal issues mainly during updates, ensuring strong user satisfaction.
Sentiment score
8.4
Qualys TotalCloud offers highly stable service with minimal downtime, swift bug fixes, and continuous performance both online and offline.
SentinelOne Singularity Cloud is incredibly reliable.
Security Analyst at Intersistemi Italia s.p.a.
We contacted Cloud Native Security, and they addressed it in a day.
DevSecOps Engineer at a tech company with 1,001-5,000 employees
The only downtime we had was when switching from V1 to V2 but it was smooth.
Cloud Security Specialist at a insurance company with 10,001+ employees
Defender's stability has been flawless for us.
Engineer at a computer software company with 201-500 employees
Microsoft Defender for Cloud is very stable.
Cloud architect at a tech vendor with 1,001-5,000 employees
Microsoft sometimes changes settings or configurations without transparency.
Senior Cloud Platform Engineer at Deutsche Börse
Overall, the support provided has been excellent.
Analyst, Information Security at Infosys
It is a stable solution, which is why we chose it.
CIO at a venture capital & private equity firm with 11-50 employees
Continuous monitoring is crucial to ensure system stability and avoid vulnerabilities or threats.
Developer at a consultancy with 10,001+ employees
 

Room For Improvement

SentinelOne Singularity Cloud needs improvements in search, cost, integration, user experience, and security features to enhance usability.
Microsoft Defender for Cloud users seek better automation, clarity, integration, AI features, and comprehensive analytics for improved security management.
Qualys TotalCloud faces challenges in usability, security features, and enhancement of integration, compliance, and vulnerability management capabilities.
If they can merge Kubernetes Security with other modules related to Kubernetes, that would help us to get more modules in the current subscription.
IT Engineer at a venture capital & private equity firm with 1,001-5,000 employees
As organizations move to the cloud, a cloud posture management tool that offers complete cloud visibility becomes crucial for maintaining compliance.
CISO at a computer software company with 201-500 employees
I would also like to see Cloud Native Security offer APIs that allow us to directly build dashboards within the platform.
Senior Cybersecurity Engineer at a computer software company with 11-50 employees
Microsoft, in general, could significantly improve its communication and support.
Endpoint management at a government with 10,001+ employees
It would be beneficial to streamline recommendations to avoid unnecessary alerts and to refine the severity of alerts based on specific environments or environmental attributes.
Works at Coca-Cola HBC
The artificial intelligence features could be expanded to allow the system to autonomously manage security issues without needing intervention from admins.
Cloud Consultant at i-Community AG
Ideally, the scanner should automatically detect and scan all subdomains, even if not explicitly defined, ensuring comprehensive vulnerability assessment.
Analyst, Information Security at Infosys
Ideally, updates should be more immediate, enabling quicker implementation of solutions.
Project Lead at Persistent Systems
Our goal is to integrate all these functions into Qualys, creating a single dashboard for comprehensive security monitoring and management.
Senior Information Security Engineer at a consultancy with 10,001+ employees
 

Setup Cost

SentinelOne Singularity Cloud Security offers flexible, modular pricing, deemed fair and competitive, with discounts enhancing affordability and value.
Microsoft Defender for Cloud is scalable, offering free and paid versions with costs averaging $15 monthly per server.
Qualys TotalCloud offers competitive pricing with valuable features, appealing to enterprises but less accessible to smaller businesses.
With very little negotiation involved, we just let them know what we could pay and they were willing to meet us at slightly above what we paid with Sophos, which was still very fair for what we were looking at.
IT Support Specialist at a non-tech company with 201-500 employees
There are some tools that are double the cost of Cloud Native Security.
IT Engineer at a venture capital & private equity firm with 1,001-5,000 employees
I recall Cloud Native Security charging a slightly higher premium previously.
Senior Cybersecurity Engineer at a computer software company with 11-50 employees
Security has essentially no cost when compared to the cost of a breach.
Director, Cloud and Modern Workplace at Informanix Technology Group
Every time we consider expanding usage, we carefully evaluate the necessity due to cost concerns.
Programme Manager- Cyber Fusion- Group CISO at a financial services firm with 10,001+ employees
We appreciate the licensing approach based on employee count rather than a big enterprise license.
Manager, Microsoft Technology Alliance at Silverfort
Qualys TotalCloud's pricing is currently acceptable, it is becoming increasingly expensive.
Senior Manager at a financial services firm with 10,001+ employees
Pricing is managed by our finance team; however, Qualys TotalCloud offers cost-effective licensing flexibility.
IT Manager at a consultancy with 10,001+ employees
Qualys TotalCloud is expensive, but it offers a premier solution with no headaches.
Vice President at Inspira Enterprise
 

Valuable Features

SentinelOne Singularity Cloud offers easy usability, automation, and integrations, enhancing security with real-time detection and response capabilities.
Microsoft Defender for Cloud enhances security with AI-based threat detection, multi-cloud support, and a unified portal for comprehensive management.
Qualys TotalCloud offers robust vulnerability management, real-time protection, and efficient automation for streamlined security and compliance processes.
This helps visualize potential attack paths and even suggests attack paths a malicious actor might take.
Security Engineer-DevSecOps at a computer software company with 51-200 employees
The infrastructure-as-code feature is helpful for discovering open ports in some of the modules.
DevSecOps Engineer at a tech company with 1,001-5,000 employees
This tool has been helpful for us. It allows us to search for vulnerabilities and provides evidence directly on the screen.
Cloud Security Specialist at a insurance company with 10,001+ employees
The most valuable feature for me is the variety of APIs available.
Programme Manager- Cyber Fusion- Group CISO at a financial services firm with 10,001+ employees
This feature significantly aids in threat detection and enhances the user experience by streamlining security management.
Cloud Consultant at i-Community AG
The most valuable feature is the recommendations provided on how to improve security.
Cloud architect at a tech vendor with 1,001-5,000 employees
This view of risk helps reduce the work we would have to do to combine multiple sources to prioritize risk.
Works at a consultancy with 10,001+ employees
It will help cybersecurity professionals monitor the cloud and find vulnerabilities.
Developer at a consultancy with 10,001+ employees
We are enjoying the new feature, FlexScan, which is valuable for Internet-facing VMs.
Senior Consultant at a consultancy with 10,001+ employees
 

Categories and Ranking

SentinelOne Singularity Clo...
Sponsored
Ranking in Vulnerability Management
4th
Ranking in Container Security
3rd
Ranking in Cloud Workload Protection Platforms (CWPP)
4th
Ranking in Cloud Security Posture Management (CSPM)
3rd
Ranking in Cloud-Native Application Protection Platforms (CNAPP)
3rd
Average Rating
8.6
Reviews Sentiment
7.7
Number of Reviews
114
Ranking in other categories
Cloud and Data Center Security (3rd), Compliance Management (2nd), AI Software Development (1st), AI Observability (2nd)
Microsoft Defender for Cloud
Ranking in Vulnerability Management
6th
Ranking in Container Security
7th
Ranking in Cloud Workload Protection Platforms (CWPP)
1st
Ranking in Cloud Security Posture Management (CSPM)
4th
Ranking in Cloud-Native Application Protection Platforms (CNAPP)
4th
Average Rating
8.0
Reviews Sentiment
6.8
Number of Reviews
87
Ranking in other categories
Container Management (7th), Data Security Posture Management (DSPM) (5th), Microsoft Security Suite (7th), Compliance Management (4th), Cloud Detection and Response (CDR) (2nd)
Qualys TotalCloud
Ranking in Vulnerability Management
10th
Ranking in Container Security
12th
Ranking in Cloud Workload Protection Platforms (CWPP)
8th
Ranking in Cloud Security Posture Management (CSPM)
8th
Ranking in Cloud-Native Application Protection Platforms (CNAPP)
7th
Average Rating
8.6
Reviews Sentiment
7.5
Number of Reviews
33
Ranking in other categories
SaaS Security Posture Management (SSPM) (2nd)
 

Mindshare comparison

As of January 2026, in the Cloud-Native Application Protection Platforms (CNAPP) category, the mindshare of SentinelOne Singularity Cloud Security is 5.3%, up from 2.7% compared to the previous year. The mindshare of Microsoft Defender for Cloud is 9.8%, down from 12.0% compared to the previous year. The mindshare of Qualys TotalCloud is 1.6%, up from 1.1% compared to the previous year. It is calculated based on PeerSpot user engagement data.
Cloud-Native Application Protection Platforms (CNAPP) Market Share Distribution
ProductMarket Share (%)
SentinelOne Singularity Cloud Security5.3%
Microsoft Defender for Cloud9.8%
Qualys TotalCloud1.6%
Other83.3%
Cloud-Native Application Protection Platforms (CNAPP)
 

Featured Reviews

SC
Information Security Engineer at DataVigilant Infotech
Enables us to prioritize and effectively address critical security issues
Evidence-based reporting helps us to prioritize and solve critical security issues. The new visualization feature demonstrates how an attacker can enter the system, highlighting the potential path that can be exploited and outlining all the steps the attacker could take. With that visibility, we can ensure the perimeter is strong and attackers cannot enter, thus reducing the risk. It has helped us prioritize issues. The visibility into how an attack could happen is valuable. For example, it highlights the system vulnerability and outlines where an attack could propagate. The visualization helps me to prioritize remediation, and if I don't know where to start, I can check to see the score that enables me to prioritize issues. I am using infrastructure-as-code scanning, and it's one of the useful features. In pre-production, it identifies embedded secrets and misconfigurations, including issues with Kubernetes or some privileged containers. This feature allows us to pass the audit and secure IaC code so that it isn't easily exploitable by attackers. We can more proactively work to identify and resolve vulnerabilities by using the dashboard and the alerting system that SentinelOne provides. It helps us with audits and compliance. We can show the compliance in percentage. We can confidently say that our company or infrastructure is very secure. It has improved our security posture by 30% to 35%. It has reduced our false positives by 30%. It has helped teams collaborate better. The security team manages SentinelOne Singularity Cloud Security, and when it flags vulnerabilities, they are forwarded to DevOps for remediation. Previously, we needed to identify and report the issues, but there would be lapses in communication. Now, there is a centralized dashboard that anyone can look at and see the open issues and work on them.
David Birhange - PeerSpot reviewer
Director, Cloud and Modern Workplace at Informanix Technology Group
Brings together cloud security insights through a unified view and supports agentless protection for virtual machines
Copilot and similar features are already being used, though not necessarily for Microsoft Defender for Cloud specifically. We are trying to get more experience before rolling out most of Microsoft Defender for Cloud's AI capabilities. This is definitely on our to-do list, and the priority is urgent as we seek to learn more about these capabilities. The GenAI threat protection from Microsoft Defender for Cloud has not been enabled yet. There are many unknowns with AI applications. AI agents will operate while you're not present, whether you are sleeping or awake, and it's unclear whether there would be any exfiltration of data or how data is being managed. Microsoft Purview is being used extensively, and there is significant development going on with DSPM that will be rolled out to address security concerns. Data labeling and proper demarcation for sensitivity of data before it is received are being actively pursued.
AN
Cyber Security Specialist at UBS Financial
A centralized tool for vulnerability and misconfiguration management in a multiple cloud environment
Qualys TotalCloud provides written explanations to help guide the remediation paths and eliminate cyber risk. We are using TruRisk for the remediations. The TruRisk shows anything critical, and we can then focus on that. We also assess manually whether an asset is a critical target or not. Qualys TotalCloud provides a single, prioritized view of risk. We are using CIS-CAT standards to harden our clouds, such as AWS, Google Cloud, and Azure. We are able to analyze the scans and identify which policies have failed and how we can remediate them. We can customize policies as per our organization's requirements. That is very helpful for us. With the TruRisk Insights feature, security has significantly improved. In six months of using it, we see that everything is under control. We've solved many problems related to asset management, cloud configuration, and the new asset identification. If an application team has onboarded any cloud asset, we can see that. We have that information now.
report
Use our free recommendation engine to learn which Cloud-Native Application Protection Platforms (CNAPP) solutions are best for your needs.
879,711 professionals have used our research since 2012.
 

Top Industries

By visitors reading reviews
Computer Software Company
15%
Financial Services Firm
14%
Manufacturing Company
10%
Government
5%
Financial Services Firm
13%
Computer Software Company
12%
Manufacturing Company
9%
Government
6%
Financial Services Firm
15%
Computer Software Company
12%
Manufacturing Company
11%
Government
9%
 

Company Size

By reviewers
Large Enterprise
Midsize Enterprise
Small Business
By reviewers
Company SizeCount
Small Business47
Midsize Enterprise20
Large Enterprise53
By reviewers
Company SizeCount
Small Business27
Midsize Enterprise10
Large Enterprise49
By reviewers
Company SizeCount
Small Business8
Midsize Enterprise2
Large Enterprise24
 

Questions from the Community

What do you like most about PingSafe?
The dashboard gives me an overview of all the things happening in the product, making it one of the tool's best featu...
What is your experience regarding pricing and costs for PingSafe?
I think the pricing of SentinelOne Singularity Cloud Security is a bit high.
What needs improvement with PingSafe?
We did not try to use the threat investigations feature from SentinelOne Singularity Cloud Security.Drift detection w...
How is Prisma Cloud vs Azure Security Center for security?
Azure Security Center is very easy to use, integrates well, and gives very good visibility on what is happening acros...
What is your experience regarding pricing and costs for Microsoft Defender for Cloud?
My experience with pricing, setup cost, and licensing for Microsoft Defender for Cloud was pretty straightforward. We...
What needs improvement with Microsoft Defender for Cloud?
Microsoft Defender for Cloud can be improved. An additional feature that should be included in the next release is Ze...
What is your experience regarding pricing and costs for Qualys TotalCloud?
Qualys TotalCloud's pricing is fair. It is not expensive and is affordable.
What needs improvement with Qualys TotalCloud?
I sometimes have difficulty detecting or uninstalling certain versions of applications, which I have to do manually. ...
What is your primary use case for Qualys TotalCloud?
I use Qualys TotalCloud for vulnerability as a service, vulnerability management as a service. I use it to check my d...
 

Also Known As

PingSafe
Microsoft Azure Security Center, Azure Security Center, Microsoft ASC, Azure Defender
Qualys TotalCloud with FlexScan
 

Interactive Demo

Demo not available
Demo not available
 

Overview

 

Sample Customers

Information Not Available
Microsoft Defender for Cloud is trusted by companies such as ASOS, Vatenfall, SWC Technology Partners, and more.
Information Not Available
Find out what your peers are saying about Microsoft Defender for Cloud vs. Qualys TotalCloud and other solutions. Updated: December 2025.
879,711 professionals have used our research since 2012.