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Microsoft Defender XDR vs USM Anywhere comparison

Microsoft and LevelBlue are both solutions in the Endpoint Detection and Response (EDR) category. Microsoft is ranked #5 with an average rating of 8.4, while LevelBlue is ranked #53 with an average rating of 7.5. Microsoft holds a 2.9% mindshare in EDR, compared to LevelBlue’s 0.3% mindshare. Additionally, 97% of Microsoft users are willing to recommend the solution, compared to 92% of LevelBlue users who would recommend it.
Microsoft Defender XDR
Read 102 Microsoft Defender XDR reviews
  • 10,986 Views
  • 5,932 Comparison Views
97% willing to recommend
USM Anywhere
Read 115 USM Anywhere reviews
  • 2,403 Views
  • 601 Comparison Views
92% willing to recommend
 

Comparison Buyer's Guide

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Executive SummaryUpdated on Sep 9, 2024

USM Anywhere and Microsoft Defender XDR are two prominent security solutions. Microsoft Defender XDR appears to have the upper hand due to its advanced integration capabilities and extensive feature set.

Features: USM Anywhere offers comprehensive threat detection, pre-built compliance templates, and straightforward deployment. Microsoft Defender XDR provides advanced integration with Microsoft products, automated response features, and extensive customer support.

Room for Improvement: USM Anywhere needs improved scalability, more intuitive navigation, and enhanced cross-platform functionalities. Microsoft Defender XDR could benefit from simplifying its setup process, improving cross-platform abilities, and refining user interface design.

Ease of Deployment and Customer Service: USM Anywhere is noted for its straightforward deployment and reliable customer service. Microsoft Defender XDR’s deployment is more complex but is supported by extensive customer service to help users.

Pricing and ROI: USM Anywhere is praised for competitive setup costs and solid ROI. Microsoft Defender XDR is considered more expensive but worth the investment due to its feature set and integration capabilities.

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To learn more, read our detailed Microsoft Defender XDR vs. USM Anywhere Report (Updated: September 2025).
Buyer's Guide
Microsoft Defender XDR vs. USM Anywhere
September 2025
Download the complete report
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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
6.7
Microsoft Defender XDR provides high ROI by consolidating security tools, streamlining operations, and enhancing security, despite licensing costs.
Sentiment score
6.8
USM Anywhere enhances security, saves time and resources, reduces staffing needs, and meets compliance, offering financial and time benefits.
We can quarantine and isolate a device within minutes.
Microsoft Defender XDR has saved me at least 50% of my time.
Ever since we turned on the M5 feature set back in June, we have seen a reduced number of potentially malicious clicks and faster alerting when incidents occur.
For more quotes and insights, download the Microsoft Defender XDR report
Customers see ROI as they save on staff and other resources.
For more quotes and insights, download the USM Anywhere report
AT
KO
reviewer2595618 - PeerSpot reviewerKris Nawani - PeerSpot reviewer
 

Customer Service

Sentiment score
6.2
Microsoft Defender XDR's support is timely and responsive, yet smaller organizations experience slower, less effective assistance than larger ones.
Sentiment score
8.0
USM Anywhere's customer service is generally praised for responsiveness but experiences occasional delays and inconsistent support information.
You get stuck in low-level support for way longer than you should, instead of them escalating the issue up the chain.
It's critical to escalate SEV B issues immediately to a domestic engineer.
Once issues are escalated to the second or third layer, the support is much better.
For more quotes and insights, download the Microsoft Defender XDR report
No quotes available
For more quotes and insights, download the USM Anywhere report
Darrell Carr - PeerSpot reviewerTy Ryan - PeerSpot reviewerAnkit-Joshi - PeerSpot reviewer
 

Scalability Issues

Sentiment score
7.6
Microsoft Defender XDR scales well for various organizations, efficiently supporting growth and flexibility despite some network deployment challenges.
Sentiment score
7.5
USM Anywhere is scalable for small to medium businesses, but enterprise-scale deployments face data volume and speed challenges.
Microsoft Defender XDR shows tremendous scalability, much more so than on-premises solutions.
Microsoft Defender XDR scales pretty well.
It is suitable for enterprise-level deployment but has room for improvement.
For more quotes and insights, download the Microsoft Defender XDR report
USM Anywhere faces scalability issues because of a 60 TB limit.
For more quotes and insights, download the USM Anywhere report
Ty Ryan - PeerSpot reviewer
AT
SC
Kris Nawani - PeerSpot reviewer
 

Stability Issues

Sentiment score
8.0
Microsoft Defender XDR is praised for high stability, reliable performance, minimal issues, frequent updates, and prompt issue resolution.
Sentiment score
7.2
USM Anywhere receives mixed stability reviews, with some users praising its reliability and others reporting issues during updates or large data handling.
The service has remained consistently online, with any issues isolated to specific components, suggesting a well-designed and modular architecture.
The services within our ecosystem have been reliable, meeting their SLAs.
It provides high-fidelity signals.
For more quotes and insights, download the Microsoft Defender XDR report
No quotes available
For more quotes and insights, download the USM Anywhere report
reviewer2595618 - PeerSpot reviewerTy Ryan - PeerSpot reviewer
AT
 

Room For Improvement

Microsoft Defender XDR requires enhancements in speed, integration, automation, AI, ease-of-use, and industry-specific threat intelligence.
USM Anywhere needs improved performance, user interface, integration, and support, with better updates and less disruptive software changes.
The licensing process needs improvement and clarification.
Improvements are needed in automated response capabilities.
Some inconsistencies exist between blades, which could be improved for a more seamless user and UI experience.
For more quotes and insights, download the Microsoft Defender XDR report
There are scalability issues due to a 60 TB limit, which restricts its use for large customers like banks.
For more quotes and insights, download the USM Anywhere report
reviewer2595324 - PeerSpot reviewer
SC
Ty Ryan - PeerSpot reviewerKris Nawani - PeerSpot reviewer
 

Setup Cost

Microsoft Defender XDR pricing is seen as complex but fair, with high costs alleviated in bundled Microsoft 365 packages.
USM Anywhere offers scalable, affordable SIEM solutions ideal for SMBs, recommended for budget-conscious enterprises over costly competitors.
There are certainly savings when using Microsoft Defender XDR, which can range from 30%, 40%, and even up to 50%.
I would rate the pricing as eight out of ten, indicating it is a reasonable cost for the product.
Microsoft purposefully obfuscates this through marketing ploys to hide costs.
For more quotes and insights, download the Microsoft Defender XDR report
The pricing is amazing and really cheap.
For more quotes and insights, download the USM Anywhere report
CB
SC
reviewer2595618 - PeerSpot reviewerKris Nawani - PeerSpot reviewer
 

Valuable Features

Microsoft Defender XDR integrates tools for comprehensive security, offering threat detection, automation, identity protection, and enhanced efficiency.
USM Anywhere offers event correlation, vulnerability scanning, and centralized logging with customizable, user-friendly security monitoring for small teams.
With Microsoft threat intelligence information, it detects various types of threats, including insider attacks, malicious content, and data exfiltration.
This allows us to secure our systems in advance and proactively improve security, rather than waiting for incidents to occur.
Once we have it on the security dashboard, we can see a real-time storyline.
For more quotes and insights, download the Microsoft Defender XDR report
The 365-day block query is a major feature.
For more quotes and insights, download the USM Anywhere report
SC
AR
AT
Kris Nawani - PeerSpot reviewer
 

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)
USM Anywhere
Ranking in Endpoint Detection and Response (EDR)
53rd
Average Rating
8.4
Reviews Sentiment
7.0
Number of Reviews
115
Ranking in other categories
Log Management (40th), Security Information and Event Management (SIEM) (29th), Compliance Management (14th)
 

Mindshare comparison

As of October 2025, in the Endpoint Detection and Response (EDR) category, the mindshare of Microsoft Defender XDR is 2.9%, down from 3.7% compared to the previous year. The mindshare of USM Anywhere is 0.3%, up from 0.2% 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 XDR2.9%
USM Anywhere0.3%
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.
Read full review
Kris Nawani - PeerSpot reviewer
Offers complete coverage without the need to install additional software
USM Anywhere is used for threat detection and investigation. It provides a solution with built-in threat intelligence and various other investigation tools The solution offers complete coverage without the need to install additional software, as it is maintained by the vendor. It helps in saving…
Read full review
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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%
Computer Software Company
16%
Comms Service Provider
11%
Financial Services Firm
7%
Educational Organization
7%
 

Company Size

By reviewers
Large Enterprise
Midsize Enterprise
Small Business
By reviewers
Company SizeCount
Small Business46
Midsize Enterprise23
Large Enterprise37
By reviewers
Company SizeCount
Small Business64
Midsize Enterprise29
Large Enterprise25
 

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.
See all answers
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.
See all answers
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...
See all answers
What do you like most about AT&T AlienVault USM?
The most valuable feature of the solution is the ease of deployment that it provides to users. The integrations that the product has with third-party applications are useful.
See all answers
What is your experience regarding pricing and costs for AT&T AlienVault USM?
The pricing is amazing and really cheap.
See all answers
What needs improvement with AT&T AlienVault USM?
There are scalability issues due to a 60 TB limit, which restricts its use for large customers like banks. It is also limited when used with bigger products and has complex password requirements.
See all answers
 

Comparisons

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Wazuh vs Microsoft Defender XDR
Compared 9% of the time
Microsoft Defender for Cloud vs Microsoft Defender XDR Logo
Microsoft Defender for Cloud vs Microsoft Defender XDR
Compared 9% of the time
Microsoft Defender for Endpoint vs Microsoft Defender XDR Logo
Microsoft Defender for Endpoint vs Microsoft Defender XDR
Compared 4% of the time
Trend Vision One vs Microsoft Defender XDR Logo
Trend Vision One vs Microsoft Defender XDR
Compared 4% of the time
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AlienVault OSSIM vs USM Anywhere Logo
AlienVault OSSIM vs USM Anywhere
Compared 22% of the time
LogRhythm SIEM vs USM Anywhere Logo
LogRhythm SIEM vs USM Anywhere
Compared 14% of the time
Splunk Enterprise Security vs USM Anywhere Logo
Splunk Enterprise Security vs USM Anywhere
Compared 9% of the time
IBM Security QRadar vs USM Anywhere Logo
IBM Security QRadar vs USM Anywhere
Compared 7% of the time
Sentinel vs USM Anywhere Logo
Sentinel vs USM Anywhere
Compared 7% of the time
More USM Anywhere Competitors
 

Product Reports

Buyer's Guide
Microsoft Defender XDR
September 2025
Microsoft Defender XDR reportDownload Microsoft Defender XDR product report
Buyer's Guide
USM Anywhere
September 2025
USM Anywhere reportDownload USM Anywhere product report
 

Also Known As

Microsoft 365 Defender, Microsoft Threat Protection, MS 365 Defender
AT&T AlienVault USM, AlienVault, AlienVault USM, Alienvault Cybersecurity
 

Overview

Microsoft Defender XDR is a comprehensive security solution designed to protect against threats in the Microsoft 365 environment. 

It offers robust security measures, comprehensive threat detection capabilities, and an efficient incident response system. With seamless integration with other Microsoft products and a user-friendly interface, it simplifies security management tasks. 

Users have found it effective in detecting and preventing various types of attacks, such as phishing attempts, malware infections, and data breaches.

Watch the Microsoft demo video here: Microsoft Defender XDR demo video.

Microsoft

USM Anywhere centralizes security monitoring of networks and devices in the cloud, on premises, and in remote locations, helping you to detect threats virtually anywhere.

Discover

  • Network asset discovery
  • Software & services discovery
  • AWS asset discovery
  • Azure asset discovery
  • Google Cloud Platform asset discovery

Analyze

  • SIEM event correlation, auto-prioritized alarms
  • User activity monitoring
  • Up to 90-days of online, searchable events

Detect

  • Cloud intrusion detection (AWS, Azure, GCP)
  • Network intrusion detection (NIDS)
  • Host intrusion detection (HIDS)
  • Endpoint Detection and Response (EDR)

Respond

  • Forensics querying
  • Automate & orchestrate response
  • Notifications and ticketing

Assess

  • Vulnerability scanning
  • Cloud infrastructure assessment
  • User & asset configuration
  • Dark web monitoring

Report

  • Pre-built compliance reporting templates
  • Pre-built event reporting templates
  • Customizable views and dashboards
  • Log storage
LevelBlue
 

Sample Customers

Accenture, Deloitte, ExxonMobil, General Electric, IBM, Johnson & Johnson and many others.
Abel & Cole, Bank of Ireland, Bluegrass Cellular, CareerBuilder, Claire's, Hays Medical Center, Hope International, McCurrach, McKinsey & Company, Party Delights, Pepco Holdings, Richland School District, Ricoh, SaveMart, Shake Shack, Steelcase, TaxAct, Taylor Morrison, Vonage and Zoom
Buyer's Guide
Microsoft Defender XDR vs. USM Anywhere
September 2025
Free Report: Microsoft Defender XDR vs. USM Anywhere
Find out what your peers are saying about Microsoft Defender XDR vs. USM Anywhere and other solutions. Updated: September 2025.
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We monitor all Endpoint Detection and Response (EDR) 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.