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Proofpoint Email Protection vs Trend Micro Deep Discovery Email Inspector comparison

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Comparison Buyer's Guide

Executive SummaryUpdated on Dec 3, 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 for Offi...
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Ranking in Email Security
1st
Average Rating
8.4
Reviews Sentiment
7.1
Number of Reviews
52
Ranking in other categories
Email Archiving (1st), Advanced Threat Protection (ATP) (2nd), Microsoft Security Suite (10th), Secure Email Gateway (SEG) (1st)
Proofpoint Email Protection
Ranking in Email Security
2nd
Average Rating
8.4
Reviews Sentiment
7.1
Number of Reviews
52
Ranking in other categories
Security Awareness Training (2nd), Digital Risk Protection (3rd), Office 365 Protection (2nd), Secure Email Gateway (SEG) (3rd)
Trend Micro Deep Discovery ...
Ranking in Email Security
26th
Average Rating
7.8
Reviews Sentiment
7.1
Number of Reviews
8
Ranking in other categories
No ranking in other categories
 

Mindshare comparison

As of June 2025, in the Email Security category, the mindshare of Microsoft Defender for Office 365 is 12.6%, down from 17.6% compared to the previous year. The mindshare of Proofpoint Email Protection is 8.2%, down from 11.0% compared to the previous year. The mindshare of Trend Micro Deep Discovery Email Inspector is 0.4%, up from 0.1% compared to the previous year. It is calculated based on PeerSpot user engagement data.
Email Security
 

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.
AhmedRamadan - PeerSpot reviewer
Optimize email security with effective sandboxing and auto Pull for quarantine
Proofpoint is used as an email security gateway for big enterprises, primarily for their on-premises servers. Many customers also use it alongside Office 365 Proofpoint offers a complete solution for email security with features like DLP, email archiving, and encryption. The most valuable…
Bilal Saleem - PeerSpot reviewer
Reliability and threat intelligence make this solution competitive, but AI improvements can further enhance its effectiveness
The best features of Trend Micro Deep Discovery Email Inspector include its reliability. The second valuable feature is its built-in sandbox feature, allowing for inspection of incoming emails and attachments. The sandbox is an appliance that opens any attachment in an enclosed environment to assess its impact and potential for viruses. This protects the network from harmful threats. Trend Micro has a very large R&D team with excellent threat intel, allowing them to provide better solutions than some competitors. They understand emerging threats based on the information from their EDR. The key strengths can be summarized as reliability, a good integrated one-box solution that includes a sandbox, and their R&D capabilities and good ratings, which lead to better threat intelligence. The detailed threat intelligence provided by Trend Micro Deep Discovery Email Inspector is valuable in understanding the behavior and tactics of potential email threats.

Quotes from Members

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

Pros

"Microsoft Defender for Office 365 has improved my organization's security. It makes it easier to manage the infrastructure without the help of third-party applications."
"Since we have started using the solution, there have been fewer compromises."
"The most valuable aspect of Microsoft Defender for Office 365 is its ability to protect us from malware."
"Defender is a SaaS platform, so it offers more flexibility. Managing the permissions is easier. The solution's automated detection and response features are scalable."
"The most valuable feature of Microsoft Defender for Office 365 is its spam filter."
"Microsoft Defender for Office 365's most valuable feature is its performance."
"The stability of Microsoft Defender for Office 365 is fantastic."
"I like its investigation capabilities, as that is what is most important to me. It is fairly simple with a user-friendly interface."
"Its anti-phishing functionality is the most valuable. Certainly, the biggest problem I have is phishing."
"The archive feature is valuable."
"The spam filter for email is good."
"The stability is very good."
"They have customized security rules, mature rules, anti-virus protection, as well as email authentication similar to SPF, DKIM, and DMARC."
"Proofpoint Email Protection's initial installation is straightforward. It took us less than a day to complete the implementation."
"The most valuable feature is the option to edit the inbound security."
"The most valuable features of Proofpoint Email Protection are ease of use, data loss prevention, antivirus, and spam protection."
"The most valuable feature of Trend Micro Deep Discovery Email Inspector is the simple analysis of phishing emails."
"The solution's most valuable features include visibility into the network and fast sandboxing technology for alerts, though response time can vary."
"It can effectively monitor outbound and inbound devices."
"I find Trend Micro to be a good solution for security purposes."
"Trend Micro is a very good product."
"I like that it is very user-friendly and easy to install."
"The best features of Trend Micro Deep Discovery Email Inspector include its reliability."
"I highly recommend Trend Micro Deep Discovery Email Inspector due to its security and scalability features."
 

Cons

"We need a separate license and we don't know how to get the license that is required."
"One area for improvement is support, in terms of being able to reach them and, especially, technical support for configuration."
"Configuration at the mid-level could be improved for the support team."
"Several simulation options are available within 365, and the phishing simulation could be better."
"The phishing and spam filters could use some improvement."
"I am generally satisfied with how it currently is. If I could improve anything, I would reduce the cost."
"Microsoft Defender for Office 365 should be more proactive."
"We are always looking for others tools to increase automation on tasks. There can be better integration with other solutions, such as PowerPoint and email."
"The largest complaint that we hear from our customers is that there is no local support."
"Sometimes it detects false positives."
"Proofpoint Email Protection could improve by reducing the price."
"Proofpoint Email Protection's interface is confusing and could be improved."
"Proofpoint Email Protection is an expensive solution."
"Proofpoint Email Protection could improve the Mail Trace feature and make navigation easier."
"The solution could lower its price."
"I want Security Awareness Training in there as a package deal. A lot of companies are starting to value email security a little bit more and take it a little bit more seriously, and the great product that we link together with a lot of these sales is a training product called Security Awareness Training. It is an upsell that we do with Proofpoint, and it is definitely something that I recommend everybody with email security to look into. It would be great if Security Awareness Training is included with the email security."
"Trend Micro's technical support has room for improvement. More efficient support should be provided, especially for standard support."
"The tool needs to incorporate faster response times for issue detection, more detailed reports, and better compatibility with older operating systems (e.g., Windows 7, 8, Server 2012)."
"I would like to be able to send emails to a specific sandbox. This is a feature I would like to see added to the next release."
"It could be more user-friendly, easier to install, and lighter on the network. I would say that for all products because you do not need technical expertise to take care of it. When you have a user-friendly solution, it makes it easier for the vendors or companies like us. We do not have to go to the client's site to attend to issues all the time. Because it is user-friendly, they can take care of it after some training."
"Trend Micro's technical support has room for improvement."
"The dashboard could be improved to match the quality of Check Point Harmony's dashboard."
"To improve Trend Micro Deep Discovery Email Inspector, it should have updates with better AI and ML-based integration."
"Trend Micro Deep Discovery Email Inspector could improve by making it easier to use. Microsoft solutions are easier to use."
 

Pricing and Cost Advice

"While Microsoft Defender for Office 365 necessitates pricier E3 or E5 subscriptions, the extensive functionality offered by these licenses across various Microsoft products justifies the investment."
"Microsoft Defender for Office 365 is an add-on to the Office license. Many customers are purchasing this solution."
"Microsoft Defender is expensive. I typically recommend it only if clients have the budget. Otherwise, I would suggest an alternative."
"It is much more expensive than using another solution because we have had to include some options and upgrade our license."
"The license is expensive because the cost is based on the number of users."
"From the pricing point of view, like any other product in the market, there is scope for negotiation."
"I was working in the government and it was too expensive for us to use our Microsoft products."
"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 rate the product price a seven on a scale of one to ten, where one is low price and ten is high price."
"In general, the pricing is competitive."
"We sell annual licenses for this solution."
"It is expensive."
"Proofpoint Email Protection is a reasonably priced product, which means that it is neither too low nor too high in terms of price."
"The licensing is basically $8/user."
"Proofpoint Email Protection has comparable pricing."
"It is on a yearly basis. Their floor for SMB doesn't matter. The user count is 100 users and below at $2,500 a year. Its cost is higher than other solutions. It is probably about 20% to 30% higher than what you would get with Microsoft. There are no additional costs. All costs are factored in. It can be improved pricing-wise so that it is affordable for the SMB market."
"It's an expensive solution, and you may not see a return on investment in a short period of time. However, you will see a return over a long period of time."
"The price of Trend Micro Deep Discovery Email Inspector is less expensive than Microsoft solutions."
"We pay for an annual subscription for this email security solution."
"The solution's pricing is high, and I would rate it an eight out of ten."
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Top Industries

By visitors reading reviews
Computer Software Company
16%
Financial Services Firm
9%
Manufacturing Company
8%
Government
6%
Educational Organization
14%
Computer Software Company
14%
Financial Services Firm
10%
Manufacturing Company
8%
Computer Software Company
14%
Financial Services Firm
13%
Performing Arts
9%
Media Company
8%
 

Company Size

By reviewers
Large Enterprise
Midsize Enterprise
Small Business
 

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 variou...
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.
What needs improvement with Microsoft Defender for Office 365?
Microsoft could improve by offering recommendations for domain spoofing attacks, especially scenarios where DNS recor...
What is your experience regarding pricing and costs for Proofpoint Email Protection?
In terms of pricing, it is okay compared to others. I would say it is normal. Additional costs do come in, but it enh...
What needs improvement with Proofpoint Email Protection?
It became very expensive due to the nature of local circumstances, and I may advise Proofpoint to adjust marketing so...
What is your experience regarding pricing and costs for Trend Micro Deep Discovery Email Inspector?
On the pricing side, Trend Micro Deep Discovery Email Inspector is not the cheapest, but it's not the highest either....
What needs improvement with Trend Micro Deep Discovery Email Inspector?
To improve Trend Micro Deep Discovery Email Inspector, it should have updates with better AI and ML-based integration...
 

Also Known As

MS Defender for Office 365
Proofpoint Enterprise Protection, Cofense PhishMe, Proofpoint Digital Protection
Deep Discovery Email Inspector
 

Overview

 

Sample Customers

Microsoft Defender for Office 365 is trusted by companies such as Ithaca College.
Blocket, University of Waterloo, Lincoln Memorial University, WellSpan Health, U-Haul, Carestream Health, Westinghouse
Bank Saint Petersburg, CEITEC S.A., Dar Al-Handasah, Mitsubishi Electric Information Systems, Motilal Oswal Financial Services Ltd, OKWAVE, Oman Arab Bank, VakifBank
Find out what your peers are saying about Proofpoint Email Protection vs. Trend Micro Deep Discovery Email Inspector and other solutions. Updated: June 2025.
858,469 professionals have used our research since 2012.