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Microsoft Defender XDR vs N-able EDR comparison

 

Comparison Buyer's Guide

Executive SummaryUpdated on Sep 9, 2024

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 XDR
Ranking in Endpoint Detection and Response (EDR)
5th
Average Rating
8.4
Reviews Sentiment
7.1
Number of Reviews
102
Ranking in other categories
Extended Detection and Response (XDR) (2nd), Microsoft Security Suite (4th)
N-able EDR
Ranking in Endpoint Detection and Response (EDR)
48th
Average Rating
7.6
Reviews Sentiment
7.1
Number of Reviews
4
Ranking in other categories
No ranking in other categories
 

Mindshare comparison

As of October 2025, in the Endpoint Detection and Response (EDR) category, the mindshare of Microsoft Defender XDR is 2.8%, down from 3.7% compared to the previous year. The mindshare of N-able EDR is 0.4%, up from 0.3% compared to the previous year. It is calculated based on PeerSpot user engagement data.
Endpoint Detection and Response (EDR) Market Share Distribution
ProductMarket Share (%)
Microsoft Defender XDR2.8%
N-able EDR0.4%
Other96.8%
Endpoint Detection and Response (EDR)
 

Featured Reviews

MohtesanShaikh - PeerSpot reviewer
Experience improves security management and simplifies threat protection
I have created automated investigations, and while they work, they operate rather slowly in the Microsoft portal. If I automate something, it takes considerable time; if I do it manually, I can complete it in a quarter of the time. The automation response being slow is the main concern; when an incident occurs or if I run a remediation, it takes significant time to complete the remediation. There are some limitations regarding the scalability of Microsoft Defender XDR with specific licensing. For SMB customers, there is only Microsoft Defender for Business, and if they want more features such as XDR features and automation investigation or incident response, they need to purchase Defender for Endpoint. We are currently using the EDR.
Yazan Albaw - PeerSpot reviewer
N-able EDR SentinelOne delivers advanced endpoint protection through real-time threat detection, automated response, and comprehensive visibility to safeguard against cyber threats.
N-able EDR SentinelOne is renowned for its exceptional detection and protection capabilities, ranked number one by Gartner and MITRE ATT&CK. It offers robust defense against various threats, including malware, fileless attacks, phishing, and insider threats. The solution excels in identifying suspicious behavior and promptly notifying engineers of potential threats. A key feature is its auto-response capability. You can configure automatic responses to threats, which significantly reduces the time and effort required to manage incidents. Enhanced by machine learning, these automated responses are both efficient and adaptive. Additionally, N-able EDR integrates seamlessly with RMM (Remote Monitoring and Management), allowing us to monitor EDR performance, detect failures, and oversee network performance from a single, unified dashboard. This integration streamlines management and enhances overall efficiency.

Quotes from Members

We asked business professionals to review the solutions they use. Here are some excerpts of what they said:
 

Pros

"The most valuable features are machine learning, AI, and auto-remediation of none malicious alerts."
"The biggest return on investment when using Microsoft Defender XDR for me is saving time for the most part."
"Microsoft Defender XDR provides strong identity protection with comprehensive insights into risky user behavior and potential indicators of compromise."
"The integration between all the Defender products is the most valuable feature."
"It gives a lot of flexibility in terms of configuration and customization as per the business requirements."
"The most valuable features of Microsoft 365 Defender are the combination of all the capabilities and centralized management."
"From the perspective of Microsoft 365 XDR, the main benefit is a single, centralized dashboard offering the holistic visibility organizations crave."
"I like how Microsoft XDR and the other Microsoft products are integrated into a single unified security stack covering identity access management, endpoint protection, email, cloud applications, etc."
"The most valuable features are the rollback feature, it's important for us. The AI models and are good."
"It provides visibility and a storyline to track the virus or malware's activities, showing infected processes and changes made."
"The most valuable feature, which I can describe as the '360 vision' of the inventory device, provides a complete view of all the devices."
"We have been using this solution for quite some time, and the AI functionality is quite advanced; we are able to provide insights on different aspects and read the reports easily."
"The most valuable feature, which I can describe as the '360 vision' of the inventory device, provides a complete view of all the devices."
 

Cons

"The solution does not offer a unified response and standard data."
"There are other SIEM solutions that are easier to use, mainly based on the creation of rules, use cases, and groups."
"Troubleshooting in Microsoft 365 Defender can be inefficient."
"A simple dashboard without having to use MS Sentinel would be a welcome improvement."
"Defender also lacks automated detection and response. You need to resolve issues manually. You can manage multiple Microsoft security products from a single portal, and all your security recommendations are in one place. It's easy to understand and manage. However, I wouldn't say Defender is a single pane of glass. You still need to switch between all of the available Microsoft tools. You can see all the alerts in one panel, but you can't automate remediation."
"The solution could improve by having better machine learning and AI. Additionally, the interface, documentation, and integration could be better."
"Generally, antivirus products provide a central control to manage every device in terms of who is installing it or who is trying to disable it, but Microsoft doesn't have such a control center for the antivirus product it provides."
"From a performance standpoint, improvements could be made."
"Concerning the license, if I add one more device without a license, it will automatically subscribe to a license. I do not appreciate that."
"I would rate the scalability as seven out of ten. The capability is useful. Concerning the license, if I add one more device without a license, it will automatically subscribe to a license. I do not appreciate that."
"We have a lot of false positives we see in the dashboard. I think this is the only problem we are facing."
"With pricing, they can improve by bundling their pricing because sometimes billing comes in a very long process."
"I would like to see them add support for both Android and iOS smartphones."
 

Pricing and Cost Advice

"With the little idea I have about the costs, I can say that XDR tools tend to be a bit expensive. If you are using Microsoft Defender XDR, then you need to go for a subscription-based pricing model."
"The solution is too expensive."
"Microsoft Defender XDR is expensive."
"The price of the solution is high compared to others and we have lost some customers because of it."
"I find the pricing to be quite competitive, especially considering its inclusion in our E5 subscription, which provides a comprehensive set of functionalities."
"Microsoft Defender XDR is already included in our Office 365 licensing. It is better because we're saving money by using it."
"The product is fairly priced for what we get from it."
"Microsoft purposely makes its license combinations complex and includes combinations like Microsoft 365 E3 and Microsoft 365 E5, Office 365 E3, Office 365 E5, and Office 365 E1, so you get confused. Microsoft tries to sell you a bundle of a lot of things together."
"The pricing is average."
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Top Industries

By visitors reading reviews
Computer Software Company
16%
Financial Services Firm
8%
Manufacturing Company
8%
Comms Service Provider
7%
Manufacturing Company
16%
Comms Service Provider
13%
Healthcare Company
10%
Computer Software Company
8%
 

Company Size

By reviewers
Large Enterprise
Midsize Enterprise
Small Business
By reviewers
Company SizeCount
Small Business46
Midsize Enterprise23
Large Enterprise37
No data available
 

Questions from the Community

What do you like most about Microsoft 365 Defender?
Microsoft Defender XDR provides strong identity protection with comprehensive insights into risky user behavior and potential indicators of compromise.
What is your experience regarding pricing and costs for Microsoft 365 Defender?
The pricing for Microsoft Sentinel operates on a pay-as-you-go model based on data ingestion. I recall that Defender XDR pricing is based on the number of endpoints.
What needs improvement with Microsoft 365 Defender?
I have created automated investigations, and while they work, they operate rather slowly in the Microsoft portal. If I automate something, it takes considerable time; if I do it manually, I can com...
What needs improvement with N-able EDR?
With pricing, they can improve by bundling their pricing because sometimes billing comes in a very long process. If they could bundle it as one solution and show the capabilities or features, they ...
What is your primary use case for N-able EDR?
We are using N-able EDR, but I think Sophos makes sense because of the environment we operate in. The localization and different elements were important factors we were looking at. They have their ...
What advice do you have for others considering N-able EDR?
I am more focused on operations and procurement. The decision to use this solution was made before I joined the company. It started with patch management systems and progressed into EDR, backup mon...
 

Also Known As

Microsoft 365 Defender, Microsoft Threat Protection, MS 365 Defender
No data available
 

Overview

 

Sample Customers

Accenture, Deloitte, ExxonMobil, General Electric, IBM, Johnson & Johnson and many others.
Information Not Available
Find out what your peers are saying about Microsoft Defender XDR vs. N-able EDR and other solutions. Updated: September 2025.
872,778 professionals have used our research since 2012.