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Microsoft Defender for Office 365 vs Mimecast Mailbox Continuity comparison

Microsoft and Mimecast are both solutions in the Email Archiving category. Microsoft is ranked #1 with an average rating of 8.5, while Mimecast is ranked #7. Microsoft holds a 31.9% mindshare in EA, compared to Mimecast’s 4.9% mindshare. Additionally, 96% of Microsoft users are willing to recommend the solution, compared to 83% of Mimecast users who would recommend it.
Microsoft Defender for Offi...
Read 53 Microsoft Defender for Office 365 reviews
  • 16,534 Views
  • 496 Comparison Views
96% willing to recommend
Mimecast Mailbox Continuity
Read 6 Mimecast Mailbox Continuity reviews
  • 180 Views
  • 171 Comparison Views
83% willing to recommend
 

Comparison Buyer's Guide

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Executive SummaryUpdated on Jun 29, 2025

Mimecast Mailbox Continuity and Microsoft Defender for Office 365 compete in the email security space. While Mimecast excels with robust support and pricing, Defender stands out for its comprehensive feature set.

Features: Mimecast Mailbox Continuity provides seamless email operations, strong disaster recovery, and real-time alerts for business-critical emails. Microsoft Defender for Office 365 offers advanced threat protection, sophisticated anti-phishing, and extensive integration with the Office 365 suite.

Room for Improvement: Mimecast could enhance integration with other platforms, expand anti-phishing measures, and diversify threat detection capabilities. Microsoft Defender could streamline initial setup, improve customer support, and offer more customizable options for users.

Ease of Deployment and Customer Service: Mimecast is praised for its straightforward deployment and responsive customer service. Microsoft Defender, though more complex in initial setup, benefits from deep integration with Microsoft products, facilitating easier management for existing users.

Pricing and ROI: Mimecast Mailbox Continuity offers competitive setup costs and solid ROI by minimizing outage risks. Microsoft's Defender for Office 365, despite higher upfront costs, delivers significant value through enhanced security features, justifying the investment with higher ROI for robust security needs.

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To learn more, read our detailed Microsoft Defender for Office 365 vs. Mimecast Mailbox Continuity Report (Updated: July 2025).
Buyer's Guide
Microsoft Defender for Office 365 vs. Mimecast Mailbox Continuity
July 2025
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Helped 865,384 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 for Offi...
Ranking in Email Archiving
1st
Average Rating
8.4
Reviews Sentiment
6.9
Number of Reviews
53
Ranking in other categories
Email Security (1st), Advanced Threat Protection (ATP) (2nd), Microsoft Security Suite (10th), Secure Email Gateway (SEG) (1st)
Mimecast Mailbox Continuity
Ranking in Email Archiving
7th
Average Rating
8.0
Reviews Sentiment
6.1
Number of Reviews
6
Ranking in other categories
No ranking in other categories
 

Mindshare comparison

As of August 2025, in the Email Archiving category, the mindshare of Microsoft Defender for Office 365 is 31.9%, up from 15.7% compared to the previous year. The mindshare of Mimecast Mailbox Continuity is 4.9%, down from 6.1% compared to the previous year. It is calculated based on PeerSpot user engagement data.
Email Archiving
 

Featured Reviews

Tolu Omolaja - PeerSpot reviewer
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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Todd Blake - PeerSpot reviewer
Provides peace of mind and expands well but needs a better interface
It's a hosted solution. I'm not sure which version of the solution Im on at this time. I would advise others to research all the options out there and see what the best fit is. We started this mailbox continuity project before we moved to Office 365. And now that we've moved to Office 365, we kind of don't need this piece of technology in the same way that we used to need it when we had an on-prem exchange. Therefore, make sure that you actually need it and then research to find the best options. Overall, I would rate the solution seven out of ten.
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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

"The technical support is good and quick to resolve issues."
"There are several features that I consider valuable."
"The ability to respond to threats if very important."
"It has significantly decreased my time to detection and response."
"The most valuable aspect of Microsoft Defender for Office 365 is its ability to protect us from malware."
"Scalability-wise, I do not think there are any issues so far."
"Microsoft Defender for Office 365's most valuable feature is its performance."
"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."
More Microsoft Defender for Office 365 pros
"It has all the features required for distribution, such as the ability to mail."
"The security is pretty good, and that's why we're going to upgrade to an even more advanced package. We used it when we had a power issue, and it works. It has been pretty reliable, and the support has been quite good."
"The most valuable feature of Mimecast Mailbox Continuity is real-time alerts."
"Mimecast has some good support services in place."
"The Large File Send feature comes in handy when you have to send fairly large attachments."
"We're now certain business-critical mail is perfectly protected in multiple ways."
 

Cons

"One area for improvement is support, in terms of being able to reach them and, especially, technical support for configuration."
"There is room for improvement in terms of reporting."
"We still see many false positives from time to time with Microsoft Defender for Office 365, so it would be good if we can reduce those false positives and provide better workflows for our end users, as sometimes they may not know what to do when they encounter a false positive."
"You should be able to deploy Defender for every subscription without the need to add servers."
"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."
"We need a separate license and we don't know how to get the license that is required."
"Configuration requires going to a lot of places rather than just accessing one tab."
"Microsoft Defender for Office 365's Mac functionality requires improvement to deliver the same level of protection found on Windows devices."
More Microsoft Defender for Office 365 cons
"Technical support has been slower than it was in the past, likely due to the pandemic."
"The interface and the documentation could be improved. They can also include some more training resources and content like video. While setting things up, I had to search for the information quite a bit. It took me time to find the correct way to do something. The information is there, but it is sort of all over the place. They can create a better help knowledge base or help portal. It retains your email for 45 days. They can maybe increase this duration."
"The interface isn't the best. How everything works on the back end is confusing."
"The price of the solution is expensive. It can improve by reducing the price."
"The solution is expensive in comparison to similar solutions."
 

Pricing and Cost Advice

"Microsoft Defender is expensive. I typically recommend it only if clients have the budget. Otherwise, I would suggest an alternative."
"The solution could be better by simplifying the business model of their licensing. It was hard to figure out how to get the licensing done for the environment, initially."
"I know that the product is incredibly expensive."
"It is much more expensive than using another solution because we have had to include some options and upgrade our license."
"The pricing is normal. Considering its popularity, it's not overpriced."
"The pricing has become expensive."
"The product is expensive."
"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."
More Microsoft Defender for Office 365 pricing and cost advice
"The price of Mimecast Mailbox Continuity is expensive."
"Its price is in the middle range. It is a structured licensing model where there are various components that you can add or choose to add or not."
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Top Industries

By visitors reading reviews
Computer Software Company
16%
Financial Services Firm
8%
Manufacturing Company
8%
Comms Service Provider
6%
No data available
 

Company Size

By reviewers
Large Enterprise
Midsize Enterprise
Small Business
No data available
 

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 various email campaigns, pinpointing where they emanate from, and identifying the indi...
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 records like SPF, DKIM, and DMARC are not properly published. It's essential to enhan...
See all answers
Ask a question
Earn 20 points
 

Comparisons

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Compared 12% of the time
Check Point Harmony Email & Collaboration vs Microsoft Defender for Office 365 Logo
Check Point Harmony Email & Collaboration vs Microsoft Defender for Office 365
Compared 7% of the time
Mimecast Email Security vs Microsoft Defender for Office 365 Logo
Mimecast Email Security vs Microsoft Defender for Office 365
Compared 6% of the time
Barracuda Email Protection vs Microsoft Defender for Office 365 Logo
Barracuda Email Protection vs Microsoft Defender for Office 365
Compared 6% of the time
Abnormal Security vs Microsoft Defender for Office 365 Logo
Abnormal Security vs Microsoft Defender for Office 365
Compared 5% of the time
More Microsoft Defender for Office 365 Competitors
No data available
 

Product Reports

Buyer's Guide
Microsoft Defender for Office 365
August 2025
Microsoft Defender for Office 365 reportDownload Microsoft Defender for Office 365 product report
Buyer's Guide
Email Archiving
July 2025
Mimecast Mailbox Continuity reportDownload Mimecast Mailbox Continuity product report
 

Also Known As

MS Defender for Office 365
No data available
 

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

Mimecast Mailbox Continuity provides uninterrupted access to live and archive email using Outlook for Windows, the web and mobile applications.

Mimecast
 

Sample Customers

Microsoft Defender for Office 365 is trusted by companies such as Ithaca College.
DAC Beachcroft, OceanFirst, Currie & Brown, Alexander Forbes, Lagan Group, Lals Group, Greater Manchester Fire and Rescue Service, Wedlake Bell, Macmillan Cancer Support, Bech-Bruun
Buyer's Guide
Microsoft Defender for Office 365 vs. Mimecast Mailbox Continuity
July 2025
Free Report: Microsoft Defender for Office 365 vs. Mimecast Mailbox Continuity
Find out what your peers are saying about Microsoft Defender for Office 365 vs. Mimecast Mailbox Continuity and other solutions. Updated: July 2025.
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We monitor all Email Archiving 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.