Microsoft Defender XDR
by Microsoft Corporation
Microsoft Defender XDR is a unified xdr security platform natively integrated across Microsoft 365, Azure, and Windows — correlating endpoint, email, identity, cloud app, and data telemetry in a single investigation console, making it the highest-value xdr platform for Microsoft 365 and Azure environments.
Starting Price
Included in M365 E5 at $57/user/month; E5 Security add-on at $12/user/month; best value for existing M365 subscribers
G2
Gartner
Capterra
Ratings & Reviews
Key Features
- Native XDR Across Endpoint + Email + Identity + Cloud Apps + Data
- Microsoft Defender for Endpoint (EDR) Integration
- Microsoft Defender for Office 365 (Email + Phishing)
- Microsoft Defender for Identity (Active Directory)
- Microsoft Defender for Cloud Apps (CASB)
- Microsoft Sentinel Integration (SIEM + XDR)
- Automatic Attack Disruption (AI-Powered)
- Microsoft Security Copilot (Generative AI)
- 65 Trillion Daily Security Signals
- Unified Incident Investigation Console
- Unified Endpoint Agents SIEM XDR Integration via Sentinel
- Secure Score — Continuous Posture Assessment
Pros & Cons
Pros
- +Zero incremental cost for Microsoft 365 E5 subscribers — best value xdr platform for Microsoft shops
- +Microsoft Security Copilot generative AI assistant — natural language SOC investigation
- +65 trillion daily signals — largest threat intelligence network of any vendor
- +Automatic Attack Disruption — AI autonomously contains active attacks (e.g. ransomware) in seconds
- +2
- +100+ Gartner reviews — most reviewed XDR platform
- +Unified endpoint agents SIEM XDR integration via Microsoft Sentinel natively
- +Longest free trial (90 days) in the market
Cons
- −Full XDR capability requires Microsoft 365 E5 licensing — significant cost for non-Microsoft environments
- −Weaker detection outside Microsoft ecosystem (Linux
- −non-Microsoft cloud)
- −Alert fatigue without proper Sentinel tuning
- −Sentinel (SIEM) requires separate licensing — additional cost on top of Defender XDR
- −Less mature XDR coverage for OT/IoT environments vs. specialized vendors
Best For
Organizations running Microsoft 365 or Azure who want a fully integrated xdr security platform at zero incremental licensing cost — with native email, identity, endpoint, and cloud app coverage from a single Microsoft console.
Target Audience
Enterprise, Mid-Market, Government, Education, Organizations running Microsoft 365 or Azure
Key Integrations
Competitor Tools
Pricing
Model
Included in Microsoft 365 E5 ($57/user/month) or Microsoft 365 E5 Security add-on ($12/user/month); Defender XDR standalone on quote
Starting At
Included in M365 E5 at $57/user/month; E5 Security add-on at $12/user/month; best value for existing M365 subscribers
Free Trial
Yes — 90-day Microsoft 365 E5 trial includes full Defender XDR suiteCompany Info
Founded
1975
Headquarters
Redmond, WA, USA
Employees
228,000+
Company Size
All sizes — most cost-effective for existing Microsoft 365 E3/E5 subscribers
Funding
Public (NASDAQ: MSFT) — Market Cap ~$3.2T (January 2026)
Certifications
Awards & Recognition
Gartner Magic Quadrant Leader — Endpoint Protection Platforms 2025 | Forrester Wave Leader — XDR Platforms Q4 2025 | SC Awards Best Enterprise Security Product 2025 | AV-Comparatives Approved 2025
Data sourced from G2, Gartner & Capterra · Verified by Firmographic