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Microsoft Purview DLP vs Symantec DLP comparison

 

Comparison Buyer's Guide

Executive SummaryUpdated on Feb 8, 2026

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
6.6
Microsoft Purview DLP reduces data leakage, compliance risks, and costs, while enhancing security operations and productivity without extra resources.
Sentiment score
6.2
Symantec Data Loss Prevention improves efficiency, reduces costs by up to 25%, and enhances data security management, offering clear ROI.
We save a lot of time for legal by using Microsoft Purview Data Loss Prevention when searching data for legal and HR and employee issues.
Staff Systems Administrator at a tech vendor with 1,001-5,000 employees
I have also seen fewer accidental data sharing incidents, improved audit readiness, and increased the efficiency of the security team without needing additional headcount.
Technique at Digitaltrack
In these days of data breaches and data leakages that result in huge regulatory fines, we have not had any data breaches that could result in such fines.
Head of Geographies; Data Protection Officer at a financial services firm with 10,001+ employees
 

Customer Service

Sentiment score
5.9
Microsoft Purview Data Loss Prevention receives mixed reviews, praising documentation but noting slow and inefficient customer support in complex cases.
Sentiment score
6.3
User experiences with Symantec Data Loss Prevention support vary widely, with mixed reviews on responsiveness, effectiveness, and cost concerns.
I rate it a ten because they are very quick to respond and very quick to escalate if needed.
Cloud Architecture Lead at bolder inc
Once we got to the Microsoft engineers, the experience was great.
Director of Cyber Security
In terms of support, it's top-notch and always available to help us with any support issues we raise.
Head of Geographies; Data Protection Officer at a financial services firm with 10,001+ employees
The support provided from both Symantec Turkey and distributor companies enables us to support customers and partners effectively.
Technical Team Leader at Redington (India) Ltd
The support team changed from MTechPro to a different partner, affecting our experience.
Information Security Engineer 4 at Amadeus
 

Scalability Issues

Sentiment score
7.4
Microsoft Purview Data Loss Prevention is praised for its scalability and flexibility across industries, organizations, and complex environments.
Sentiment score
7.6
Symantec Data Loss Prevention is scalable and adaptable for enterprises, but integration and virtualization challenges are sometimes reported.
The policy working and detection technology need enhancements.
Solution Architect at a tech services company with 51-200 employees
Microsoft Purview Data Loss Prevention scales well with the growing needs of our organization.
Head of Geographies; Data Protection Officer at a financial services firm with 10,001+ employees
Microsoft Purview Data Loss Prevention scales effectively.
Director, IT Infrastructure at a university with 1,001-5,000 employees
When using native proxy solutions, scalability issues are minimized, and the solution remains stable.
Information Security Engineer 4 at Amadeus
Symantec Data Loss Prevention adapts to evolving security landscapes by handling MIP labels and sensitivity categorization.
Technical Specialist at Softcell Technologies Pvt. Ltd.
 

Stability Issues

Sentiment score
7.8
Microsoft Purview Data Loss Prevention is stable and reliable, with minor lag, high stability ratings, and positive user feedback.
Sentiment score
7.7
Symantec Data Loss Prevention is stable and reliable, excelling on Linux but occasionally facing latency and database connection issues.
I would assess the stability and reliability of Microsoft Purview Data Loss Prevention as high.
Co-Owner and Principal Consultant at BriComp Computers
The stability and reliability of Microsoft Purview Data Loss Prevention is great.
Senior Infrastructure Engineer at a computer software company with 51-200 employees
I assess the stability and reliability of Microsoft Purview Data Loss Prevention as quite good because I don't think it's ever gone down, unlike other parts of Azure.
Director, IT Infrastructure at a university with 1,001-5,000 employees
The stability and scalability are its most important features.
Technical Specialist at Softcell Technologies Pvt. Ltd.
 

Room For Improvement

Microsoft Purview DLP needs easier policy setup, improved third-party integration, real-time insights, and enhanced scalability features.
Symantec Data Loss Prevention is complex, costly, and lacks support, requiring better integration, cloud features, and enhanced management.
Business Premium users can get the data loss prevention features of E5, which is fantastic.
Senior Infrastructure Engineer at a computer software company with 51-200 employees
Implementing a degree of severity ranking is essential.
Director of Cyber Security
More guides, more examples, and more compliance frameworks such as NIST or even PCI compliance would be great.
Director, IT Infrastructure at a university with 1,001-5,000 employees
Symantec responded by creating an OCR module, enabling the capability to search within images.
Technical Team Leader at Redington (India) Ltd
They can improve their product and the features mainly to focus on how we can prevent that data within the organization, over the cloud, whatever it is, as that is important.
System Manager at Randstad
It is very critical to understand whether an incident is a false positive or a true positive, particularly because some false positive incidents are quarantined.
Technical Specialist at Softcell Technologies Pvt. Ltd.
 

Setup Cost

Microsoft Purview DLP is cost-effective with 365 E5, but add-ons and advanced features can be expensive and complex.
Symantec Data Loss Prevention is costly but valued for comprehensive protection, with potential for competitive pricing via negotiation.
In terms of pricing, I would say it's unlimited value because it's bundled in our A5 and E5 licensing situation.
Director, IT Infrastructure at a university with 1,001-5,000 employees
The pricing for Microsoft Purview Data Loss Prevention is generally set; E5 is required, but it comes with all other products, so I would say it is fine.
Security Engineer at baseVISION
Advanced DLP and insider risk features became expensive when we scaled at the enterprise level.
Soc Anaylst at Softcell Technologies Limited
Symantec Data Loss Prevention is more expensive compared to competing solutions.
Technical Team Leader at Redington (India) Ltd
If it is a large target, then of course your cost will be high.
System Manager at Randstad
 

Valuable Features

Microsoft Purview DLP excels in integrated data protection, policy controls, and automatic labeling, enhancing security and compliance in regulated sectors.
Symantec DLP provides robust monitoring, policy management, and data protection with advanced classification, ML, and user-friendly management.
Microsoft Purview Data Loss Prevention prevents users from sharing sensitive information outside the organization based on the configurations that we've implemented.
Head of Geographies; Data Protection Officer at a financial services firm with 10,001+ employees
Microsoft Purview has helped improve our organization's ability to discover sensitive data significantly as we use eDiscovery Purview, which is incredibly helpful.
Staff Systems Administrator at a tech vendor with 1,001-5,000 employees
It finds social security numbers in the files when we scan for it, so that we can prevent those from leaving the company.
Managing Director, Chief Information Security Officer at a financial services firm with 201-500 employees
Symantec's OCR module enhances image analysis, crucial for detecting data loss via screenshots, improving the overall security posture against data breaches.
Technical Team Leader at Redington (India) Ltd
Symantec Data Loss Prevention helps in identifying and securing sensitive data in my organization by being used for the internal, outgoing, and inbound traffic, specifically for any personal identification data leak prevention and any PII data.
Technical Specialist at Softcell Technologies Pvt. Ltd.
Symantec Data Loss Prevention has proprietary metadata and is well-suited for endpoint-level security.
Information Security Engineer 4 at Amadeus
 

Categories and Ranking

Microsoft Purview Data Loss...
Ranking in Data Loss Prevention (DLP)
1st
Average Rating
8.0
Reviews Sentiment
6.8
Number of Reviews
36
Ranking in other categories
Microsoft Security Suite (13th)
Symantec Data Loss Prevention
Ranking in Data Loss Prevention (DLP)
5th
Average Rating
8.2
Reviews Sentiment
6.5
Number of Reviews
62
Ranking in other categories
No ranking in other categories
 

Mindshare comparison

As of August 2026, in the Data Loss Prevention (DLP) category, the mindshare of Microsoft Purview Data Loss Prevention is 6.1%, down from 12.6% compared to the previous year. The mindshare of Symantec Data Loss Prevention is 3.9%, down from 5.5% compared to the previous year. It is calculated based on PeerSpot user engagement data.
Data Loss Prevention (DLP) Mindshare Distribution
ProductMindshare (%)
Microsoft Purview Data Loss Prevention6.1%
Symantec Data Loss Prevention3.9%
Other90.0%
Data Loss Prevention (DLP)
 

Q&A Highlights

VK
ISR Service Manager Data Security Services - Cybersecurity at Standard Chartered Bank
Mar 23, 2023
 

Featured Reviews

Rohit Jaiswar - PeerSpot reviewer
Soc Anaylst at Softcell Technologies Limited
Integrated controls have reduced insider risk and now protect sensitive data across our workforce
One standout feature about Microsoft Purview Data Loss Prevention is the tight integration with Insider Risk Management and Defender XDR, as it gives much better context during investigations instead of treating DLP as an isolated alerting tool. We also use endpoint DLP heavily to control USB, copy, print, clipboard, and browser upload activity, which has been very effective for remote workforce security. The best features Microsoft Purview Data Loss Prevention offers include real-time policy enforcement, endpoint DLP, and deep integration with Microsoft 365 plus Defender XDR. We also heavily rely on sensitive information type detection, adaptive policy tips, and insider risk integration to investigate suspicious user behavior with proper context. Another standout feature is the ability to control USB copy, browser uploads, print clipboards, and cloud sharing actions directly from endpoint policies. The integration with Microsoft Defender 365 and Defender XDR helps our team in day-to-day operations because DLP alerts are automatically correlated with endpoint identity, email, and user activity telemetry, which helps the SOC investigate incidents much faster from a single workflow. The sensitive information type detection makes a difference compared to other tools we have used because it is more effective than many legacy DLP tools. It understands context, exact data patterns, document labeling, and Microsoft 365 native content, reducing false positives while improving detection accuracy. Another strong feature of Microsoft Purview Data Loss Prevention is auto-labeling and policy inheritance with Microsoft's Information Protection, which helps maintain protection even after files are shared or moved across workloads. We also value the user coaching or policy tip capability because it educates users in real time instead of only blocking actions, which reduces repeated DLP violations significantly.
Abhishek Sawant - PeerSpot reviewer
System Manager at Randstad
Has strengthened data protection across departments and supported continuous monitoring
In future updates of Symantec Data Loss Prevention, I would like to see improvements based on the many attacks happening around the world. They can improve their product and the features mainly to focus on how we can prevent that data within the organization, over the cloud, whatever it is, as that is important.
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909,948 professionals have used our research since 2012.
 

Answers from the Community

VK
ISR Service Manager Data Security Services - Cybersecurity at Standard Chartered Bank
Mar 23, 2023
Mar 23, 2023
Data loss prevention (DLP) is an important security technology that can help organizations protect their data from unauthorized access, misuse, and data loss. DLP solutions are designed to detect data breaches and alert companies about the possible security risks associated with data storage. They can be used to block data transfers or restrict access to data stored in cloud-based data stores. ...
See 2 answers
Muhammad Ejaz ul Hassan - PeerSpot reviewer
CEO at a tech services company with 51-200 employees
Mar 13, 2023
Go with Symantec DLP. If you have any questions let me know @ Ejaz.hassan@risetechno.com. 
Remy Ma - PeerSpot reviewer
Network Security Services at ACE Managed Securty Services
Mar 23, 2023
Data loss prevention (DLP) is an important security technology that can help organizations protect their data from unauthorized access, misuse, and data loss. DLP solutions are designed to detect data breaches and alert companies about the possible security risks associated with data storage. They can be used to block data transfers or restrict access to data stored in cloud-based data stores. In addition, DLP solutions can be used to monitor data usage and detect malicious behavior such as data theft or data leakage. By implementing data loss prevention technology, companies can protect their data from external threats and unauthorized access. When it comes to Email Cloud Security, Symantec DLP, Proofpoint DLP, and Microsoft Purview DLP are all strong contenders. But which solution is the right one for you? Well, that depends on your specific needs. If you prioritize ease of use and scalability in your Email Cloud Security solutions, then Symantec DLP is the right choice. If, on the other hand, you value data privacy and protection then Proofpoint DLP is a better option. Finally, Microsoft Purview DLP stands out for its comprehensive analytics tools that give users greater insight into their Email Cloud Security performance. So which Email Cloud Security solution do you pick? Choose wisely! It could make all the difference.
 

Top Industries

By visitors reading reviews
Financial Services Firm
15%
Manufacturing Company
7%
Computer Software Company
7%
Outsourcing Company
7%
Financial Services Firm
16%
Comms Service Provider
12%
Manufacturing Company
11%
Computer Software Company
7%
 

Company Size

By reviewers
Large Enterprise
Midsize Enterprise
Small Business
By reviewers
Company SizeCount
Small Business17
Midsize Enterprise7
Large Enterprise15
By reviewers
Company SizeCount
Small Business23
Midsize Enterprise11
Large Enterprise30
 

Questions from the Community

What is your experience regarding pricing and costs for Microsoft Purview Data Loss Prevention?
The pricing for Microsoft Purview Data Loss Prevention was manageable for us because we already had Microsoft 365 and Purview-related licensing, but advanced DLP and insider risk features became ex...
What needs improvement with Microsoft Purview Data Loss Prevention?
Microsoft Purview Data Loss Prevention can be improved as the endpoint DLP policy tuning can be complex in large environments, especially when balancing security with user productivity. False posit...
What is your primary use case for Microsoft Purview Data Loss Prevention?
Microsoft Purview Data Loss Prevention is used for monitoring and preventing sensitive data exfiltration across Exchange Online, Teams, SharePoint, OneDrive, and endpoints. From a SOC's perspective...
What is your experience regarding pricing and costs for Symantec Data Loss Prevention?
I am not aware of the licensing cost for Symantec Data Loss Prevention because the licensing cost is up to senior management's decision. I really don't know what the cost of that is. It is based on...
What needs improvement with Symantec Data Loss Prevention?
There is room for improvement in incident management within Symantec Data Loss Prevention because most of the incidents are false positives. It is very critical to understand whether an incident is...
What is your primary use case for Symantec Data Loss Prevention?
The primary use case for Symantec Data Loss Prevention is for data leak prevention and as a security tool.
 

Also Known As

Microsoft Endpoint Data Loss Prevention, MS Endpoint DLP, Microsoft Endpoint DLP
Symantec DLP
 

Overview

 

Sample Customers

Information Not Available
Hadassah University Hospital, Her Majestys Government (HMG), United Kingdom, Hitachi Consulting Software Services India Pvt Ltd., Hua Nan Bank, Hyundai Department Store Group,JW Marriott Hotel Seoul, Lake Health, McCann Erickson Israel, Molina Healthcare Inc., PGi, Quilvest Switzerland Limited, State of Nevada Public Employees Benefits Program, Symantec Corporation (Enterprise Security), The Royal Liverpool and Broadgreen University Hospitals NHS Trust, The Royal Liverpool and Broadgreen University Hospitals NHS Trust (DLP), The Saudi Industrial Property Authority, TSO cloud, Visa, Yunnan Power Grid Company
Find out what your peers are saying about Microsoft Purview Data Loss Prevention vs. Symantec Data Loss Prevention and other solutions. Updated: August 2026.
909,948 professionals have used our research since 2012.