Microsoft Defender for Office 365 vs Mimecast Email Security comparison

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Comparison Buyer's Guide
Executive Summary
Updated on Aug 2, 2022

We performed a comparison between Microsoft Defender for Office 365 vs Mimecast Email Security with Targeted Threat Protection based on our users’ reviews in five categories. After reading all of the collected data, you can find our conclusion below.

  • Ease of Deployment: The majority of users of both solutions say the deployment is straightforward.
  • Features: Users of both solutions are happy with the products’ stability and scalability.

    Microsoft users like the solution’s ease of use, its anti-phishing feature, and its anti-malware features. Users say the product's security could be improved and that they would like to see more options to integrate it across multiple operating systems.

    Mimecast users like that the solution is user-friendly, has a great gateway, and has good sandboxing, security, and reporting. Users say its filtering features need more flexibility, that the solution could improve its detection rates, and that the user interface of the management console could be upgraded.
  • Pricing: Microsoft Defender for Office 365 users consider the pricing to be reasonable. Mimecast users say the solution is expensive.
  • Service and Support: Users of both solutions are satisfied with the technical support they receive.
  • ROI: Users of both solutions report an ROI.

Comparison Results: When all the parameters are compared, Microsoft Defender for Office 365 seems to be the more favorable choice because it is priced reasonably whereas users say Mimecast Email Security with Targeted Threat Protection is expensive.

To learn more, read our detailed Microsoft Defender for Office 365 vs. Mimecast Email Security Report (Updated: January 2024).
768,740 professionals have used our research since 2012.
Featured Review
Quotes From Members
We asked business professionals to review the solutions they use.
Here are some excerpts of what they said:
Pros
"The two main features that prove most beneficial for us are URL scanning and attachment scanning.""Since we have started using the solution, there have been fewer compromises.""The solution is very easy to use. All you have to do is to assign the license to the end-user and it's done. The customer will only have the feature activated, and the solution will monitor the emails to determine if they are a threat or not.""Does a thorough job of examining email and URLs for malicious content.""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.""Some of the valuable features on the email side are anti-phishing, anti-malware, and Safe Links.""The good part is that you don't have to configure it, which is very convenient.""Threat Explorer is an invaluable tool for me, and it plays a crucial role in helping me discern the origins of various email campaigns, pinpointing where they emanate from, and identifying the individuals within our organization who are affected."

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"Email security is the most valuable feature of the solution.""URL inspection works pretty well.""The setup was easy.""We like the content filtering and secure messaging features.""It's good, it keeps the spam out.""What I like about the integration is that it is directly into Microsoft 365, users can use their Microsoft 365 credentials to log into the portal and access their mail.""The product's most valuable features are impersonation protection and phishing countermeasures.""The piece that is most valuable from the Mimecast standpoint will be the sandboxing feature."

More Mimecast Email Security Pros →

Cons
"Microsoft Defender for Office 365 must improve the overall management style, including the GUI. It also needs to change the filters so that it is easy to whitelist and blacklist data.""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.""The only thing they should improve is the licensing model. They should stop changing it. A year ago, the five features I mentioned were included in one product. Now, three of them are bundled into one product, and you have to pay extra for the other two. I don't mind paying extra, but I don't want them to change it every year or every six months. I need to know what I'm looking at and not worry about it next year.""There is room for improvement with the UI.""Several simulation options are available within 365, and the phishing simulation could be better.""The company should focus on adding threats that the solution is currently unable to detect.""The visibility for the weaknesses in the system and unauthorized access can be improved.""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."

More Microsoft Defender for Office 365 Cons →

"The filtering needs more flexibility.""From an administrative point of view, Mimecast is a little bit cumbersome and difficult. It's not something that the end-user can easily find navigate themselves.""The solution is complex and not easy to use.""Their support should be improved. They are notorious for sending you to knowledge-based articles rather than actually talking to you, but that is, unfortunately, kind of becoming a trend with everything. In terms of features, I haven't had any complaints. However, I don't like the fact they moved to a paid training subscription model. They used to have a lot of free webinars for training, but they have started to charge for them in the past year.""The feature that should be included is to remove the block on the encrypted files.""The price could be better, it should be reduced.""The solution is very expensive.""The solution's console interface was recently changed for the admins, but the previous one was much better because we could open tabs on it."

More Mimecast Email Security Cons →

Pricing and Cost Advice
  • "It's a user-base subscription."
  • "From the pricing point of view, like any other product in the market, there is scope for negotiation."
  • "Defender is a little bit more expensive as compared to others. We are in the manufacturing environment. So, we don't have a high budget for all of our endpoint devices. Its cost is a major concern for us."
  • "For licensing, it's usually a yearly package for customers who are subscribed to Office 365, but they can also pay on a monthly basis."
  • "Microsoft Defender for Office 365 is an add-on to the Office license. Many customers are purchasing this solution."
  • "Microsoft Defender for Office 365 comes with Microsoft Windows. It is free with the operating system."
  • "The solution saves money so we have seen a return on investment."
  • "Defender for 365 comes in various plans and licenses, along with other Microsoft security solutions. Purchasing this kind of package or security bundle gives good value for money, and that's what I recommend."
  • More Microsoft Defender for Office 365 Pricing and Cost Advice →

  • "It's an expensive solution."
  • "The licensing costs are per-user for the product that you get with them."
  • "It is a bit expensive."
  • "I'm always going to say the price needs to be lower, but it's reasonable."
  • "The customers can select the license packages as per their requirements."
  • "On a scale of one to ten, where one is cheap, and ten is expensive, I rate the pricing a ten."
  • "Compared to the other solutions in the market, Mimecast Email Security with Targeted Threat Protection's pricing is fine."
  • "For what it is, the product is overpriced."
  • More Mimecast Email Security Pricing and Cost Advice →

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    Answers from the Community
    Hugues Matingou
    Bala Krishna - PeerSpot reviewerBala Krishna
    Real User

    In my opinion, all gateways including Mimecast or Defender for O365 or ProofPoint work hand-in-hand in their respective mechanics and algorithms built. And definitely has its own advantages. However, I have been using it for my customers' MDO which is far better. I would say relying on gateways is important but at the same time USER education and reporting back to the IT administrator far important as well. 

    TyroneLim - PeerSpot reviewerTyroneLim
    Real User

    Greetings Matingou, Defender for O365 I would say would suffice as it has all the tools included in Mimecast in just one single tool, may take some time to navigate at first as it gives a lot of information in just one tool but once you know your way around, you will be able to have good visibility on your email threats landscape by provides a range of protections against email-based threats such as spam, phishing, malware, and etc. It also includes features such as URL protection and attachment scanning to prevent users from clicking on malicious links or downloading harmful files. but on the other hand, Mimecast might be needed, if you require compliance measures, including data loss prevention, archiving, and encryption. It also provides greater visibility and control over email security, allowing you to monitor and manage threats in real-time. Hope this helps.

    Questions from the Community
    Top Answer:Threat Explorer is an invaluable tool for me, and it plays a crucial role in helping me discern the origins of various email campaigns, pinpointing where they emanate from, and identifying the… more »
    Top Answer:The product must provide better malware detection. The detection algorithms don't perform the way I hope they would.
    Top Answer:The interface of this solution is very easy to navigate and user-friendly. There is no delivery in email and other communications, making it reliable. The configuration is relatively easy.
    Top Answer:Compared to the other products in the market, it is neither cheap but nor very expensive. I would rate it somewhere in the middle, five out of ten.
    Top Answer:The feature that should be included is to remove the block on the encrypted files.
    Ranking
    1st
    out of 107 in Email Security
    Views
    12,858
    Comparisons
    10,247
    Reviews
    28
    Average Words per Review
    653
    Rating
    8.4
    Views
    979
    Comparisons
    813
    Reviews
    12
    Average Words per Review
    430
    Rating
    7.5
    Comparisons
    Also Known As
    MS Defender for Office 365
    Mimecast Email Security with Targeted Threat Protection
    Learn More
    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.

    Mimecast Email Security is a comprehensive solution designed to safeguard organizations against advanced email threats. With an array of advanced security features, it provides robust protection against phishing attacks, malware, ransomware, and other targeted threats.

    This product leverages Mimecast's extensive threat intelligence network to identify and block malicious emails before they reach the user's inbox. It employs sophisticated algorithms and machine learning techniques to analyze email content, attachments, and URLs, ensuring that only legitimate and safe emails are delivered.

    One of the key features of Mimecast Advanced Email Security is its URL Protect capability. This feature scans all URLs within emails in real-time, checking for any signs of malicious activity. It blocks access to suspicious websites, preventing users from inadvertently clicking on harmful links and falling victim to phishing attacks or drive-by downloads.

    Another notable feature is Attachment Protect, which scans all email attachments for malware and ransomware. It uses multiple layers of defense, including sandboxing and file conversion, to detect and neutralize any threats. This ensures that users are protected from opening malicious attachments that could compromise their systems.

    Mimecast Advanced Email Security also includes Impersonation Protect, which guards against CEO fraud and other impersonation attacks. It analyzes email headers, domains, and sender behavior to identify suspicious emails that attempt to deceive users. By alerting users and administrators to potential impersonation attempts, it helps prevent financial loss and data breaches.

    Furthermore, Mimecast Advanced Email Security provides comprehensive data loss prevention (DLP) capabilities. It scans outgoing emails for sensitive information, such as credit card numbers or social security numbers, and prevents accidental or intentional data leaks. This helps organizations comply with data protection regulations and maintain the privacy of their customers' information.

    Sample Customers
    Microsoft Defender for Office 365 is trusted by companies such as Ithaca College.
    Azizi Developments, Affinity Credit Union, Aftercare, Al Abbar Group
    Top Industries
    REVIEWERS
    Manufacturing Company16%
    Computer Software Company16%
    Comms Service Provider13%
    Government6%
    VISITORS READING REVIEWS
    Computer Software Company17%
    Financial Services Firm9%
    Manufacturing Company7%
    Government7%
    REVIEWERS
    Transportation Company17%
    Retailer17%
    Financial Services Firm11%
    Construction Company11%
    VISITORS READING REVIEWS
    Computer Software Company16%
    Financial Services Firm7%
    Construction Company6%
    Manufacturing Company6%
    Company Size
    REVIEWERS
    Small Business42%
    Midsize Enterprise16%
    Large Enterprise42%
    VISITORS READING REVIEWS
    Small Business30%
    Midsize Enterprise19%
    Large Enterprise51%
    REVIEWERS
    Small Business54%
    Midsize Enterprise15%
    Large Enterprise31%
    VISITORS READING REVIEWS
    Small Business33%
    Midsize Enterprise22%
    Large Enterprise45%
    Buyer's Guide
    Microsoft Defender for Office 365 vs. Mimecast Email Security
    January 2024
    Find out what your peers are saying about Microsoft Defender for Office 365 vs. Mimecast Email Security and other solutions. Updated: January 2024.
    768,740 professionals have used our research since 2012.

    Microsoft Defender for Office 365 is ranked 1st in Email Security with 41 reviews while Mimecast Email Security is ranked 5th in Secure Email Gateway (SEG) with 23 reviews. Microsoft Defender for Office 365 is rated 8.4, while Mimecast Email Security is rated 7.8. The top reviewer of Microsoft Defender for Office 365 writes "Allows for easy reporting of problems, valuable anti-phishing, and anti-malware support". On the other hand, the top reviewer of Mimecast Email Security writes "It gives clients peace of mind and helps them educate their users about threats". Microsoft Defender for Office 365 is most compared with Proofpoint Email Protection, Microsoft Exchange Online Protection (EOP), Barracuda Email Security Gateway, Cisco Secure Email and Microsoft Defender for Business, whereas Mimecast Email Security is most compared with Microsoft Exchange Online Protection (EOP), Abnormal Security, Check Point Harmony Email & Collaboration, Cisco Secure Email and Fortinet FortiMail. See our Microsoft Defender for Office 365 vs. Mimecast Email Security report.

    We monitor all Email Security reviews to prevent fraudulent reviews and keep review quality high. We do not post reviews by company employees or direct competitors. We validate each review for authenticity via cross-reference with LinkedIn, and personal follow-up with the reviewer when necessary.