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Philippe LUCAS - PeerSpot reviewer
Unified Communications Manager at Jouve
Real User
Apr 25, 2022
Easy to deploy with great cloud provisioning and excellent functionality
Pros and Cons
  • "It's a Microsoft product; it's easier to deploy this product than other options."
  • "The deployment is seamless and super simple; it's not complex at all, and that's the main selling point for us."
  • "It would be helpful if they offered video tutorial guides."
  • "It would be helpful if they offered video tutorial guides."

What is our primary use case?

We're using the solution on our endpoints.

What is most valuable?

The functionality is very important to us. 

The cloud provisioning is great. 

It's a Microsoft product, therefore, it's easier to deploy this product than other options. It's very important for us to have a simple way to deploy new PCs when we buy the new PCs. We don't want that deployment to be a burden. The easy deployment feature is very helpful.

What needs improvement?

At the moment we are currently testing it. We are not major users of the product, and therefore we have no idea of what it can and can't do just yet.

At this time we don't have any recommendations concerning the Windows product interface.

It would be helpful if they offered video tutorial guides. 

For how long have I used the solution?

I've used the solution for three or four months.

Buyer's Guide
Microsoft Defender for Endpoint
March 2026
Learn what your peers think about Microsoft Defender for Endpoint. Get advice and tips from experienced pros sharing their opinions. Updated: March 2026.
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What do I think about the stability of the solution?

We are testing it right now and we didn't get into the production state just yet. Therefore, it's hard to gauge the capabilities in terms of stability. So far, however, it has been stable.

What do I think about the scalability of the solution?

The scalability is okay. 

How are customer service and support?

Support is always okay. I've always had a positive experience dealing with support. 

How was the initial setup?

The deployment is seamless and super simple. It's not complex at all, and that's the main selling point for us. 

What's my experience with pricing, setup cost, and licensing?

We did negotiate on the pricing, however, I can't speak to the exact costs involved. 

Which other solutions did I evaluate?

We did not really compare this solution to other options. The advantage is that this solution is available on mobile devices, and we needed something that covered everything, from desktops and laptops to mobile. Therefore, we didn't really consider anything else. 

What other advice do I have?

We are Microsoft customers. We don't have a special relationship with the organization. 

We are using the latest version of the solution. 

It's a good product overall. I would rate it an eight out of ten.

Which deployment model are you using for this solution?

Public Cloud
Disclosure: My company does not have a business relationship with this vendor other than being a customer.
PeerSpot user
Peter Arabomen - PeerSpot reviewer
Security Engineer at Fidelity Bank Plc
Real User
Top 5Leaderboard
Mar 27, 2022
Stable solution that protects networks against viruses and malware; good for endpoint management
Pros and Cons
  • "Stable endpoint manager, antivirus, and antimalware, with fast technical support and a straightforward setup."
  • "Microsoft Defender for Endpoint has been awesome, so far."
  • "More integration with different platforms is an area for improvement for this product, and should be included in its next release."
  • "More integration with different platforms is an area for improvement for this product, and should be included in its next release."

What is our primary use case?

We use Microsoft Defender for Endpoint as an antivirus and antimalware solution. We also use it for endpoint management.

What needs improvement?

What I'd like included in the next release of Microsoft Defender for Endpoint is more integration with different platforms.

For how long have I used the solution?

We've been using Microsoft Defender for Endpoint for four years.

What do I think about the stability of the solution?

Microsoft Defender for Endpoint is stable, except for occasional internet connection issues, but it's stable.

How are customer service and support?

We contact the technical support team for this solution whenever we have an issue, and once you open a ticket, they respond as quickly as possible, though it would still depend on the severity level that you define.

How was the initial setup?

The initial setup for Microsoft Defender for Endpoint was straightforward. It wasn't complicated.

What's my experience with pricing, setup cost, and licensing?

We pay for our Microsoft Defender for Endpoint subscription yearly.

What other advice do I have?

We've been working with various Microsoft solutions, e.g. Microsoft Defender for Endpoint, Microsoft Azure, etc.

Microsoft Defender for Endpoint has been awesome, so far.

I wasn't around during the setup of the solution, so I have no idea on how long setting it up took.

We have 6,000 end users of Microsoft Defender for Endpoint within the company, and it's being used on workstations, servers, and mobile devices.

I'm rating Microsoft Defender for Endpoint nine out of ten. I found it to be a good product. It's a fine product.

Which deployment model are you using for this solution?

Public Cloud
Disclosure: My company does not have a business relationship with this vendor other than being a customer.
PeerSpot user
Buyer's Guide
Microsoft Defender for Endpoint
March 2026
Learn what your peers think about Microsoft Defender for Endpoint. Get advice and tips from experienced pros sharing their opinions. Updated: March 2026.
885,264 professionals have used our research since 2012.
Daniel Bagley - PeerSpot reviewer
Information Security Officer at Church of England
Real User
Mar 26, 2022
Scalable, good support, and straightforward implementation
Pros and Cons
  • "The technical support from Microsoft is very good. We are part of the Microsoft Suite, and from being part of this we have consistent news regarding Microsoft Defender for Endpoint."
  • "Microsoft Defender for Endpoint has improved a lot over the years and it is a lot better now."
  • "Microsoft Defender for Endpoint could improve by making the reporting better."
  • "Microsoft Defender for Endpoint could improve by making the reporting better."

What is our primary use case?

We use Microsoft Defender for Endpoint for network and endpoint protection.

What needs improvement?

Microsoft Defender for Endpoint could improve by making the reporting better.

For how long have I used the solution?

I have been using Microsoft Defender for Endpoint for approximately three years.

What do I think about the stability of the solution?

Microsoft Defender for Endpoint is stable in my usage.

What do I think about the scalability of the solution?

I have found Microsoft Defender for Endpoint to be scalable.

We have approximately 700 people using this solution and we plan to increase usage.

How are customer service and support?

The technical support from Microsoft is very good. We are part of the Microsoft Suite, and from being part of this we have consistent news regarding Microsoft Defender for Endpoint.

Which solution did I use previously and why did I switch?

I have previously used ESET.

How was the initial setup?

The initial setup of Microsoft Defender for Endpoint was straightforward. 

What about the implementation team?

We have two engineers that do the implementation and maintenance of Microsoft Defender for Endpoint.

What other advice do I have?

Microsoft Defender for Endpoint has improved a lot over the years and it is a lot better now.

I would recommend this solution to others.

I rate Microsoft Defender for Endpoint an eight out of ten.

Which deployment model are you using for this solution?

Public Cloud
Disclosure: My company does not have a business relationship with this vendor other than being a customer.
PeerSpot user
John Edwards - PeerSpot reviewer
Manager Cyber Security at Dept. of the Premier and Cabinet
Real User
Feb 26, 2022
Good endpoint detection response, and technical support, but the pricing could be improved
Pros and Cons
  • "Microsoft Defender for Endpoint is a robust platform."
  • "Microsoft Defender for Endpoint is a robust platform."
  • "In the next release, I would like to see better management reporting."
  • "Some executive reporting is inefficient, and we're looking into ways to improve it."

What is our primary use case?

We are a government organization, and we use Microsoft Defender for Endpoint Protection.

We also use it for vulnerability scanning and assessment, which is very useful.

What is most valuable?

Microsoft Defender for Endpoint is a robust platform. The endpoint detection response is quite good.

What needs improvement?

Some executive reporting is inefficient, and we're looking into ways to improve it.

In the next release, I would like to see better management reporting.

For how long have I used the solution?

I have been working with Microsoft Defender for Endpoint for two years.

What do I think about the stability of the solution?

Microsoft Defender for Endpoint is a stable solution.

What do I think about the scalability of the solution?

Microsoft Defender for Endpoint is definitely scalable.

How are customer service and support?

Technical support is quite good.

Which solution did I use previously and why did I switch?

Previously, we didn't work with anything as sophisticated. We used a pretty old-style endpoint detection response.

How was the initial setup?

On new devices, the initial setup is quite easy, while some of the older devices had some issues unpicking the old EDR product that had nothing to do with Defender.

What's my experience with pricing, setup cost, and licensing?

Pricing can always be lower.

What other advice do I have?

To achieve the best results holistically, consider the total cost of ownership of the Microsoft suite of products.

I would rate Microsoft Defender for Endpoint a seven out of ten.

Disclosure: My company does not have a business relationship with this vendor other than being a customer.
PeerSpot user
Works at a financial services firm with 51-200 employees
Real User
Feb 21, 2022
Simple to install and maintain, but the support could be faster, and more responsive
Pros and Cons
  • "The installation is straightforward."
  • "Microsoft Defender for Endpoint gives us a second layer of security as well as the third layer of security."
  • "Phishing and Malware detection could be better."
  • "We had some issues where phishing and malware were not detected and were allowed to pass unless I mentioned it or we forced the phishing or malware to be blocked, I can't rely on that alone."

What is our primary use case?

Microsoft Defender for Endpoint gives us a second layer of security as well as the third layer of security. One of them is interested in web security and email security. One of them, similar to Cisco, is a Cisco FirePOWER. These are a compilation or a group of devices for security.

What needs improvement?

We had some issues where phishing and malware were not detected and were allowed to pass unless I mentioned it or we forced the phishing or malware to be blocked, I can't rely on that alone.

Phishing and Malware detection could be better.

Technical support needs improvement.

For how long have I used the solution?

I have been working with Microsoft Defender for Endpoint for one year.

What do I think about the stability of the solution?

It is stable for the time being. 

What do I think about the scalability of the solution?

I can't add more layers of security because of my budget and business plan, so I try to choose the best and most preferable option for me and my company.

I would rate the scalability a seven out of ten.

In one company, we have two administrators and 30 employees who use this solution.

On a short-term plan, I will not increase the usage. On a larger scale, we intend to increase the license.

How are customer service and support?

In my opinion, technical support is not as effective as it was before. They take a long time to support and investigate the issue.

It takes a long time for them to support and investigate the issue. I believe they must crush the time in order to provide us with our needs, and our objectives.

Which solution did I use previously and why did I switch?

There are applications and solutions that we have used for five or more years. We almost used Microsoft Link but have since switched to Microsoft Teams and Skype for business. We almost exclusively use Cisco products such as Cisco EMC, Cisco Web security, and Cisco Meraki.

How was the initial setup?

The installation is straightforward. It's a cloud solution that requires some configuration running on the cloud.

The deployment takes a couple of hours to complete.

It's a different story when it comes to security. It takes a different approach. It requires two an administrator and a manager to maintain this solution.

What about the implementation team?

Sometimes the installation and deployment are done by the technical team, and sometimes it's done by others.

What's my experience with pricing, setup cost, and licensing?

Licensing fees are paid annually through a partner.

What other advice do I have?

If I do recommend it, it will not be solely for security purposes. It is possibly for a first-line security platform, and it is required to build a second, third, and possibly fourth business security layer.

I would rate Microsoft Defender for Endpoint a seven out of ten.

Which deployment model are you using for this solution?

Public Cloud
Disclosure: My company does not have a business relationship with this vendor other than being a customer.
PeerSpot user
Head-IT/SAP at Barista Coffee Company Ltd.
Real User
Feb 18, 2022
Easy to enable and activate but could be more secure
Pros and Cons
  • "Defender is a part of Windows; you just need to enable it. There is no need to install anything."
  • "In Windows 11, Defender is very, very strong."
  • "The solution could always be more secure."
  • "The solution could always be more secure."

What is our primary use case?

Defender is basically a protective seal that is used to protect your Windows applications. Whenever you enable it your system is safe. You feel safe and your data and your security are verified by Defender and protected by the Defender seal. 

What is most valuable?

Defender is a part of Windows; you just need to enable it. There is no need to install anything. 

It's quite good for security. We are using Windows 11 and Windows 10. In Windows 11, Defender is very, very strong. They built in good features, good seals. Earlier, ransomware protection was not there. However, now, new ransomware protection is also available in Defender.

The solution is stable.

What needs improvement?

The solution could always be more secure. 

What do I think about the stability of the solution?

The solution is very stable. There are no bugs or glitches. It doesn't crash or freeze.

What do I think about the scalability of the solution?

The scalability is totally based on your OS operating system as it's a part of the OS. You can't define it in a different way. If your Windows platform is working fine and is of a certain size, then you can say that it's quite good and it will cover that.

We have 200 to 300 people using the solution. Some of our employees use Windows and have Defender. Others use Mac devices. 

How are customer service and support?

We've used technical support in the past and don't have anything negative to say about their services.

How was the initial setup?

There isn't really an installation process. It's already a part of Windows and just needs to be activated. You can install Windows in home or business devices and have Defender at your fingertips immediately.

While you don't need a technical team to install it per se, every organization has an IT team that likely would be able to install Windows and everything else. We have a 40-plus IT team. Everybody has a defined role. 

What about the implementation team?

We handled the implementation in-house using our IT team.

What's my experience with pricing, setup cost, and licensing?

The solution is included with Microsoft Office 365 subscriptions.

What other advice do I have?

New users who are leveraging Microsoft can decide if they want to use Defender. It's already there - you can either activate it or not, depending on your preference. It's nice that you have a choice. Many companies find Defender is enough for them, however, if you want more security, you may be able to add other firewalls or security features to your existing infrastructure.

I'd rate the solution at a seven out of ten.

Disclosure: My company does not have a business relationship with this vendor other than being a customer.
PeerSpot user
reviewer1757103 - PeerSpot reviewer
Cyber Security Manager at a manufacturing company with 1,001-5,000 employees
Real User
Jan 18, 2022
Comes with awesome threat hunting capabilities, and is great for investigating what's happening on machines
Pros and Cons
  • "It's great for investigating what's happening on a machine. They show a whole bunch of machine timeline events that are related to a security incident. They have quite good details on the things related to threat and vulnerability management, such as any weakness that has been disclosed publicly, assets that are exposed, and if there is an exploit active in the wild for that vulnerability. It can provide you with all such information, which is cool."
  • "For the most of it, it seems like Defender is well truly up there with the other best players in the market."
  • "It can get a bit laggy sometimes. Other than that, we don't have any issues. They constantly tweak it and fix it up based on users' feedback. It has improved a lot over the past four years. Defender for Endpoint never really used to be a good endpoint security solution, but over the past couple of years, Microsoft has invested heavily in it. So, it has come a long way in all aspects of endpoint security. If they want to make it better, they should just continue investing in the current path of what they've been doing over the past couple of years."
  • "It can get a bit laggy sometimes."

What is our primary use case?

It is an Endpoint Detection and Response system (EDR), and it seems the new term is XDR. We use it for anti-malware protection. It protects from a virus, worm, ransomware, and other similar things. 

How has it helped my organization?

It can automatically scan and remediate stuff without an administrator doing anything. We use it for threat and vulnerability management. There are components in there that will tell us about any vulnerable software running on endpoints. There are a whole bunch of other things too.

What is most valuable?

It's great for investigating what's happening on a machine. They show a whole bunch of machine timeline events that are related to a security incident. They have quite good details on the things related to threat and vulnerability management, such as any weakness that has been disclosed publicly, assets that are exposed, and if there is an exploit active in the wild for that vulnerability. It can provide you with all such information, which is cool. 

It has got some awesome threat hunting capabilities. It can search for malicious activity that could indicate that an asset is being compromised, but it is not something to which you would have necessarily got alerted.

We're fully Microsoft, it integrates with other Microsoft security products very well. Its interface is also fine.

What needs improvement?

It can get a bit laggy sometimes. Other than that, we don't have any issues. They constantly tweak it and fix it up based on users' feedback. It has improved a lot over the past four years. Defender for Endpoint never really used to be a good endpoint security solution, but over the past couple of years, Microsoft has invested heavily in it. So, it has come a long way in all aspects of endpoint security. If they want to make it better, they should just continue investing in the current path of what they've been doing over the past couple of years.

For how long have I used the solution?

I have been using this solution for nearly four years.

What do I think about the stability of the solution?

It can get a little laggy sometimes, but overall, it's fine when investigating events.

What do I think about the scalability of the solution?

It is easy to scale.

How are customer service and support?

There are different levels of technical support that you can purchase from Microsoft. We don't have the top level, but we used to have the top level, and that was good. I would rate them a five out of five. They've got a dedicated team specifically looking at threats for all their customers. 

How was the initial setup?

I was not involved in its setup. I am only a user of the solution, but I'm pretty sure it's pretty straightforward. It's just deployed by Intune or a partial script or something like that.

What about the implementation team?

It was implemented internally. In terms of maintenance, it generally doesn't require any maintenance. There are some policy configuration changes that we can tweak, but the signatures, behavior analysis, and all similar things in the engine are kept up to date by them. We have four people who are dealing with this product.

What's my experience with pricing, setup cost, and licensing?

Licensing models of Microsoft are renowned for being complex. We just purchased the whole E5 stack. With E5 licenses for users, we get access to a bunch of features that are not just related to security. I would rate them a three out of five in terms of pricing.

Which other solutions did I evaluate?

One of the things that I like to constantly do is assess other vendors in the same space. We get vendor demonstrations, and for the most of it, it seems like Defender is well truly up there with the other best players in the market. I've never done a proof of concept with any other tool, so I can't really compare it with others. Most of the time, vendor demonstrations are all about glitz and glam to sell their product and show how much better they are than competitors.

What other advice do I have?

I would advise doing your due diligence. This is more than just an endpoint security solution, and sometimes, you've got to think of your technology stacks before applying or purchasing certain security solutions and see if they're applicable to your environment. 

I would rate it an eight out of 10. No endpoint solution is ever going to be able to be perfectly good at stopping all types of threats. No endpoint solution would ever get a 10 in my point of view. 

Which deployment model are you using for this solution?

Public Cloud

If public cloud, private cloud, or hybrid cloud, which cloud provider do you use?

Microsoft Azure
Disclosure: My company does not have a business relationship with this vendor other than being a customer.
PeerSpot user
IT Director at Innovecs
Real User
Jan 17, 2022
Provides a centralized console and supports all the platforms that we use
Pros and Cons
  • "It's an enterprise solution that provides a centralized console and it supports all the platforms that we use, including Windows, Linux, Mac, iOS, and Android."
  • "The pros of Microsoft Defender for Endpoint are that it's simple to deploy and has all the required functionality."
  • "Microsoft should improve support for third-party platforms, because not all functionality is available for all of them. It's a good product, but they should just extend the functionality for all platforms."
  • "Microsoft should improve support for third-party platforms, because not all functionality is available for all of them."

What is our primary use case?

It's an XDR (Extended Detection and Response) system.

What is most valuable?

It's an enterprise solution that provides a centralized console and it supports all the platforms that we use, including Windows, Linux, Mac, iOS, and Android. Microsoft Defender is embedded in Windows and is a basic anti-virus, but Defender for Endpoint is an enterprise-grade XDR system.

What needs improvement?

Microsoft should improve support for third-party platforms, because not all functionality is available for all of them. It's a good product, but they should just extend the functionality for all platforms.

For how long have I used the solution?

I have been using Microsoft Defender for Endpoint for about three months.

What do I think about the stability of the solution?

It's quite stable. Sometimes it can overload the CPU of endpoints, but Microsoft provides ways to solve this problem.

What do I think about the scalability of the solution?

Microsoft Defender for Endpoint is scalable. It's the ground-level service for other Microsoft security services. Microsoft provides a full range of security services and you have the ability to extend it anytime and in a simple way. You can scale the range of security services by just buying the license and implementing some extra service.

We have close to 200 users in our organization, but we plan to deploy this product to the whole company, with a total of nearly 800 people.

How are customer service and support?

We have not had to contact Microsoft's technical support because we get support from our partner.

How was the initial setup?

When it comes to the initial setup, Microsoft is very strong in that area and it is very simple. That's why we use it in our company. Some products are hard to deploy. Another solution was declined because it was not possible to roll it out in a bigger company.

We don't have a dedicated person to maintain the solution. Two people share the role. One is a Layer-1 specialist who maintains a daily routine, and the other is a Layer-2 engineer.

What about the implementation team?

We started to install this product for ourselves, but Microsoft proposed some different kinds of programs in which an integrator helps key customers deploy services and products. We accepted the proposition and we are happy we did so because the partner was very professional with very deep experience with the product.

What's my experience with pricing, setup cost, and licensing?

Microsoft has different plans for buying this product. The price depends on the configuration of the full set of products that you buy and on the licensing program in your contract. Microsoft provides a flexible licensing program and you can choose what you want.

Which other solutions did I evaluate?

The pros of Microsoft Defender for Endpoint are that it's simple to deploy and has all the required functionality. The drawback is that it lacks some functionality for other platforms, such as Linux.

What other advice do I have?

I would recommend implementing this solution together with a certified partner. That will help to avoid a lot of mistakes and save you money, because licensing is a big part of the project.

Disclosure: My company does not have a business relationship with this vendor other than being a customer.
PeerSpot user
Buyer's Guide
Download our free Microsoft Defender for Endpoint Report and get advice and tips from experienced pros sharing their opinions.
Updated: March 2026
Buyer's Guide
Download our free Microsoft Defender for Endpoint Report and get advice and tips from experienced pros sharing their opinions.