AccuKnox Platform vs Microsoft Defender for Cloud comparison

AccuKnox and Microsoft are both solutions in the Cloud Workload Protection Platforms (CWPP) category. AccuKnox is ranked #23 with an average rating of 6.0, while Microsoft is ranked #1 with an average rating of 8.1. AccuKnox holds a 0.6% mindshare in CWPP, compared to Microsoft’s 16.7% mindshare. Additionally, 100% of AccuKnox users are willing to recommend the solution, compared to 93% of Microsoft users who would recommend it.

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Executive SummaryUpdated on Jan 25, 2026

Microsoft Defender for Cloud and AccuKnox Platform are both competing in the cybersecurity solutions category for cloud environments. Microsoft Defender for Cloud seems to have an advantage due to its seamless integration with Microsoft services, while AccuKnox Platform is preferred for its advanced security features and flexibility.

Features: Microsoft Defender for Cloud offers tight integration with Azure services, threat intelligence, and automated protection capabilities. AccuKnox Platform is known for its Zero Trust Architecture, runtime security, and advanced visibility tools. This comparison suggests that Microsoft Defender for Cloud excels in connectivity within Microsoft environments, whereas AccuKnox provides unique security features for diverse cloud environments.

Ease of Deployment and Customer Service: Microsoft Defender for Cloud offers straightforward deployment, particularly for users within the Microsoft ecosystem, and strong technical support. AccuKnox Platform provides flexibility in deployment across various cloud providers and excels in customer service with personalized support. Microsoft Defender for Cloud's deployment is streamlined for Microsoft products, while AccuKnox offers broader compatibility and superior customer-centric service.

Pricing and ROI: Microsoft Defender for Cloud generally presents a cost-effective solution for organizations already using Microsoft products, offering better ROI through integration benefits. AccuKnox Platform may have a higher setup cost but significant long-term ROI benefits due to its comprehensive security features and adaptable solution capabilities. Pricing analysis reveals Microsoft Defender for Cloud is budget-friendly for existing Microsoft users, while AccuKnox's feature-rich platform provides compelling value for its cost.

To learn more, read our detailed Cloud Workload Protection Platforms (CWPP) Report (Updated: January 2026).

Buyer's Guide

Cloud Workload Protection Platforms (CWPP)

January 2026

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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:

Categories and Ranking

SentinelOne Singularity Clo...

Mindshare comparison

As of January 2026, in the Cloud Workload Protection Platforms (CWPP) category, the mindshare of SentinelOne Singularity Cloud Security is 3.8%, up from 2.2% compared to the previous year. The mindshare of AccuKnox Platform is 0.6%, up from 0.4% compared to the previous year. The mindshare of Microsoft Defender for Cloud is 16.7%, up from 14.9% compared to the previous year. It is calculated based on PeerSpot user engagement data.

Cloud Workload Protection Platforms (CWPP) Market Share Distribution
Product	Market Share (%)
Microsoft Defender for Cloud	16.7%
SentinelOne Singularity Cloud Security	3.8%
AccuKnox Platform	0.6%
Other	78.9%

Cloud Workload Protection Platforms (CWPP)

Featured Reviews

Satyavijay Chavan

Information Security Engineer at DataVigilant Infotech

Enables us to prioritize and effectively address critical security issues

Evidence-based reporting helps us to prioritize and solve critical security issues. The new visualization feature demonstrates how an attacker can enter the system, highlighting the potential path that can be exploited and outlining all the steps the attacker could take. With that visibility, we can ensure the perimeter is strong and attackers cannot enter, thus reducing the risk. It has helped us prioritize issues. The visibility into how an attack could happen is valuable. For example, it highlights the system vulnerability and outlines where an attack could propagate. The visualization helps me to prioritize remediation, and if I don't know where to start, I can check to see the score that enables me to prioritize issues. I am using infrastructure-as-code scanning, and it's one of the useful features. In pre-production, it identifies embedded secrets and misconfigurations, including issues with Kubernetes or some privileged containers. This feature allows us to pass the audit and secure IaC code so that it isn't easily exploitable by attackers. We can more proactively work to identify and resolve vulnerabilities by using the dashboard and the alerting system that SentinelOne provides. It helps us with audits and compliance. We can show the compliance in percentage. We can confidently say that our company or infrastructure is very secure. It has improved our security posture by 30% to 35%. It has reduced our false positives by 30%. It has helped teams collaborate better. The security team manages SentinelOne Singularity Cloud Security, and when it flags vulnerabilities, they are forwarded to DevOps for remediation. Previously, we needed to identify and report the issues, but there would be lapses in communication. Now, there is a centralized dashboard that anyone can look at and see the open issues and work on them.

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RaviUpadhyay

Security Consultant at HCLSoftware

Uses unique technologies for container security, flexible integration but lacks good user experience

There should always be some customized reports included. The dashboard is one thing, and the second is a report. Based on that, users can assist their environment. For example, for some Terraform code, customers want end-to-end things with their tool. They don’t want multiple tools. For a specific purpose, we need to look at different tools. They will look for a solution in one platform only so that the cost can be saved. If we use multiple tools, it means we need to give access to different ports in their environment. It is basically a kind of security compromise happening. Users have a lot of ports being used. So, basically, users don’t want to use multiple tools. They want a single tool that includes multiple features. The report part was missing. Also, some kind of clarity [flow clarity] is not in the tool as of now, but they are working on it. For example, if somebody manages the tool in their environment, the tool should be user-friendly. But this tool is not user-friendly as of now. This tool needs some kind of improvement so that new users or new security engineers can understand all the things in a short period of time. They can understand what is happening and how we can provide. They are catching the customer needs and working along with their development team. For example, some of the policies customers wanted to be placed at the organization level were missing. But AccuKnox have projections as well. Some of the good things they have used are flexible to integrate with other tools. For example, not from the security point of view, but maybe CI/CD, some third-party tools helping out to optimize the container image in terms of being lightweight or having a very low surface level. Basically, it protects against surface attacks. If a heavier image is used, it takes time to upload and impacts overall application performance. So, some tools are good for optimization.

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David Birhange

Director, Cloud and Modern Workplace at Informanix Technology Group

Brings together cloud security insights through a unified view and supports agentless protection for virtual machines

Copilot and similar features are already being used, though not necessarily for Microsoft Defender for Cloud specifically. We are trying to get more experience before rolling out most of Microsoft Defender for Cloud's AI capabilities. This is definitely on our to-do list, and the priority is urgent as we seek to learn more about these capabilities. The GenAI threat protection from Microsoft Defender for Cloud has not been enabled yet. There are many unknowns with AI applications. AI agents will operate while you're not present, whether you are sleeping or awake, and it's unclear whether there would be any exfiltration of data or how data is being managed. Microsoft Purview is being used extensively, and there is significant development going on with DSPM that will be rolled out to address security concerns. Data labeling and proper demarcation for sensitivity of data before it is received are being actively pursued.

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Quotes from Members

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

Pros

"The multi-cloud support is valuable. They are expanding to different clouds. It is not restricted to only AWS. It allows us to have different clouds on one platform."

"The features that stand out are threat detection using advanced artificial intelligence and machine learning, helping to identify and respond to threats in real-time."

"SentinelOne Singularity Cloud Security improved our risk posture significantly, helped reduce our mean time to detect and mean time to remediate, and enabled collaboration across cloud security, development, and AppSec teams, saving engineering time by approximately three to four hours."

"We like SentinelOne Singularity Cloud Security's vulnerability assessment and management features, and its vulnerability databases."

"The UI and the widgets are what I personally appreciate. I find it easy to use."

"Singularity Cloud Native Security provides us with a platform to scan instances when they are getting created, and the dashboard helps us to identify the critical issues."

"The most valuable feature of SentinelOne Singularity Cloud Security is its advanced AI and machine learning capabilities, which allow it to identify and respond to threats in real time."

"The user interface is well-designed and easy to navigate."

More SentinelOne Singularity Cloud Security pros

"The platform is strong in container and kernel-level security."

"Having the ability to do what we could not before, such as gaining visibility and securing our full estate, is crucial."

"One important security feature is the incident alerts. Now, with all these cyberattacks, there are a lot of incident alerts that get triggered. It is very difficult to keep monitoring everything automatically, instead our organization is utilizing the automated use case that we get from Microsoft. That has helped bring down the manual work for a lot of things."

"Microsoft Defender for Cloud has definitely helped us manage and secure our multi-cloud environment by providing ease of use."

"Everything is built into Azure, and if we go for cross-cloud development with Azure Arc, we can use most of the features. While it's possible to deploy and convert third-party applications, it is difficult to maintain, whereas Azure deployments to the cloud are always easier. Also, Microsoft is a big company, so they always provide enough support, and we trust the Microsoft brand."

"With respect to improving our security posture, it helps us to understand where we are in terms of compliance. We can easily know when we are below the standard because of the scores it calculates."

"This is a platform as a service provided by Azure. We don't need to install or maintain Azure Security Center. It is a ready-made service available in Azure. This is one of the main things that we like. If you look at similar tools, we have to install, maintain, and update services. Whereas, Azure Security Center manages what we are using. This is a good feature that has helped us a lot."

"Most importantly, it's an integrated solution. We not only have Defender for Cloud, but we also have Defender for Endpoint, Defender for Office 365, and Defender for Identity. It's an integrated, holistic solution."

"Microsoft Defender for Cloud is a valuable tool that integrates seamlessly with Azure Policy and our Security SIEM, simplifying implementation and enhancing security posture."

More Microsoft Defender for Cloud pros

Cons

"There is a bit of a learning curve for new users."

"Cloud Native Security's reporting could be better. We are unable to see which images are impacted. Several thousand images have been deployed, so if we can see some application-specific information in the dashboard, we can directly send that report to the team that owns the application. We'd also like the option to download the report from the portal instead of waiting for the report to be sent to our email."

"In addition to our telecom and Slack channels, it would be helpful to receive Cloud Native Security security notifications in Microsoft Teams."

"We don't get any notifications from SentinelOne Singularity Cloud Security when the clusters are down."

"In version 2, a lot of rules have been deployed for Kubernetes security and CDR, which makes a lot of issues of critical severity, whereas they are not critical or of high severity. There is a mismatch of severities. They need to work on severity management."

"There should be more documentation about the product."

"The cloud-based operations might pose challenges in areas with limited or unavailable internet connectivity. Desktop features might be useful for smaller organizations with less complex security needs."

"Sometimes the Storyline ID is a bit wacky."

More SentinelOne Singularity Cloud Security cons

"AccuKnox platform have AI-based features, but those aren’t fully developed yet."

"My experience with Microsoft Defender for Cloud has been largely negative due to a poor user experience."

"From my own perspective, they just need a product that is tailored to micro-segmentation so I can configure rules for multiple systems at once and manage it."

"Another thing is that Defender for Cloud uses more resources than CrowdStrike, which my current company uses. Defender for Cloud has two or three processes running simultaneously that consume memory and processor time. I had the chance to compare that with CrowdStrike a few days ago, which was significantly less. It would be nice if Defender were a little lighter. It's a relatively large installation that consumes more resources than competitors do."

"Azure's system could be more on point like AWS support. For example, if I have an issue with AWS, I create a support ticket, then I get a call or a message. With Azure support, you raise a ticket, and somebody calls back depending on their availability and the priority, which might not align with your business priority."

"There are many unknowns with AI applications. AI agents will operate while you're not present, whether you are sleeping or awake, and it's unclear whether there would be any exfiltration of data or how data is being managed."

"Support needs to be highly responsive, especially in large enterprise environments."

"Microsoft Defender for Cloud could be improved by adding capabilities for NetApp files and more PaaS resources from other vendors, not just Microsoft."

"I would like to see better automation when it comes to pushing out security features to the recommendations, and better documentation on the step-by-step procedures for enabling certain features."

More Microsoft Defender for Cloud cons

Pricing and Cost Advice

"The pricing is somewhat high compared to other market tools."

"Its pricing was a little less than other providers."

"For pricing, it currently seems to be in line with market rates."

"PingSafe is affordable."

"The price depends on the extension of the solution that you want to buy. If you want to buy just EDR, the price is less. XDR is a little bit more expensive. There are going to be different add-ons for Singularity."

"SentinelOne offers excellent pricing and licensing options."

"The tool is cost-effective."

"Singularity Cloud Workload Security's pricing is good."

More SentinelOne Singularity Cloud Security pricing and cost advice

Information not available

"While we pay for any additional features, the pricing seems competitive, though I am not involved in the specific cost details."

"Security Center charges $15 per resource for any workload that you onboard into it. They charge per VM or per data-base server or per application. It's not like Microsoft 365 licensing, where there are levels like E3 and E5. Security Center is pretty straightforward."

"The pricing model for most plans is generally good, but the cost of the new Defender for Storage plan is high and should be revisited, as it could lead to disabling desirable security features due to cost."

"Azure Defender is definitely pricey, but their competitors cost about the same. For example, a Palo Alto solution is the same price per endpoint, but the ground strikes cost a bit more than Azure Defender. Still, it's pricey for a company like ours. Maybe well-established organizations can afford it, but it might be too costly for a startup."

"The cost of the license is based on the subscriptions that you have."

"Microsoft's licensing and pricing are sometimes complicated. If someone is new to Microsoft's licensing, they might have difficulty with it."

"This is a worldwide service and depending on the country, there will be different prices."

"It has global licensing. It comes with multiple licenses since there are around 50,000 people (in our organization) who look at it."

More Microsoft Defender for Cloud pricing and cost advice

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Top Industries

By visitors reading reviews

Financial Services Firm

14%

Computer Software Company

12%

Manufacturing Company

10%

Government

Manufacturing Company

14%

Computer Software Company

13%

Media Company

10%

Comms Service Provider

Financial Services Firm

13%

Computer Software Company

11%

Manufacturing Company

Government

Company Size

By reviewers

Large Enterprise

Midsize Enterprise

Small Business

By reviewers
Company Size	Count
Small Business	48
Midsize Enterprise	21
Large Enterprise	54

No data available

By reviewers
Company Size	Count
Small Business	27
Midsize Enterprise	10
Large Enterprise	49

Questions from the Community

What do you like most about PingSafe?

The dashboard gives me an overview of all the things happening in the product, making it one of the tool's best featu...

See all answers

What is your experience regarding pricing and costs for PingSafe?

I think the pricing of SentinelOne Singularity Cloud Security is a bit high.

See all answers

What needs improvement with PingSafe?

We did not try to use the threat investigations feature from SentinelOne Singularity Cloud Security.Drift detection w...

See all answers

What is your experience regarding pricing and costs for AccuKnox Platform?

AccuKnox has fixed charges on that. Also, AccuKnox has cluster-based pricing, depending on how many cloud providers y...

See all answers

What needs improvement with AccuKnox Platform?

There should always be some customized reports included. The dashboard is one thing, and the second is a report. Base...

See all answers

What is your primary use case for AccuKnox Platform?

This product is for container-based security. It is a new tool; recently, they have been working independently with s...

See all answers

How is Prisma Cloud vs Azure Security Center for security?

Azure Security Center is very easy to use, integrates well, and gives very good visibility on what is happening acros...

See all answers

What is your experience regarding pricing and costs for Microsoft Defender for Cloud?

My experience with pricing, setup cost, and licensing for Microsoft Defender for Cloud was pretty straightforward. We...

See all answers

What needs improvement with Microsoft Defender for Cloud?

Microsoft Defender for Cloud can be improved. An additional feature that should be included in the next release is Ze...

See all answers

Comparisons

Wiz vs SentinelOne Singularity Cloud Security

Compared 10% of the time

Prisma Cloud by Palo Alto Networks vs SentinelOne Singularity Cloud Security

Compared 10% of the time

AWS GuardDuty vs SentinelOne Singularity Cloud Security

Compared 6% of the time

CrowdStrike Falcon Cloud Security vs SentinelOne Singularity Cloud Security

Compared 4% of the time

Orca Security vs SentinelOne Singularity Cloud Security

Compared 3% of the time

More SentinelOne Singularity Cloud Security Competitors

Wiz vs AccuKnox Platform

Compared 35% of the time

Aqua Cloud Security Platform vs AccuKnox Platform

Compared 18% of the time

Sysdig Secure vs AccuKnox Platform

Compared 14% of the time

FortiCNAPP vs AccuKnox Platform

Compared 14% of the time

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AWS GuardDuty vs Microsoft Defender for Cloud

Compared 36% of the time

Wiz vs Microsoft Defender for Cloud

Compared 8% of the time

Prisma Cloud by Palo Alto Networks vs Microsoft Defender for Cloud

Compared 5% of the time

Microsoft Defender XDR vs Microsoft Defender for Cloud

Compared 3% of the time

AWS Security Hub vs Microsoft Defender for Cloud

Compared 2% of the time

More Microsoft Defender for Cloud Competitors

Product Reports

Buyer's Guide

SentinelOne Singularity Cloud Security

January 2026

SentinelOne Singularity Cloud Security report

Download SentinelOne Singularity Cloud Security product report

Buyer's Guide

Cloud-Native Application Protection Platforms (CNAPP)

January 2026

Download AccuKnox Platform product report

Buyer's Guide

Microsoft Defender for Cloud

January 2026

Download Microsoft Defender for Cloud product report

Also Known As

PingSafe

No data available

Microsoft Azure Security Center, Azure Security Center, Microsoft ASC, Azure Defender

Interactive Demo

Demo not available

SentinelOne

Demo not available

AccuKnox

Microsoft

Overview

SentinelOne Singularity Cloud Security offers a streamlined approach to cloud security with intuitive operation and strong integration capabilities for heightened threat detection and remediation efficiency.

Singularity Cloud Security stands out for its real-time detection and response, effectively minimizing detection and remediation timelines. Its automated remediation integrates smoothly with third-party tools enhancing operational efficiency. The comprehensive console ensures visibility and support for forensic investigations. Seamless platform integration and robust support for innovation are notable advantages. Areas for development include improved search functionality, affordability, better firewall capabilities for remote users, stable agents, comprehensive reporting, and efficient third-party integrations. Clarity in the interface, responsive support, and real-time alerting need enhancement, with a call for more automation and customization. Better scalability and cost-effective integration without compromising capabilities are desired.

What are SentinelOne Singularity Cloud Security's standout features?

Ease of Use: Intuitive operation simplifies navigation across platforms.
Real-Time Detection: Quick identification and response to threats.
Automated Remediation: Streamlines recovery processes with integration capabilities.
Forensic Visibility: Aids in thorough threat analysis and prevention strategies.
Comprehensive Console: Offers full visibility and historical data tracking.
Platform Integration: Supports seamless operation across cloud and hybrid environments.

What benefits should users expect from SentinelOne Singularity Cloud Security?

Enhanced Efficiency: Automation and third-party integration improve threat response.
Improved Detection: Reduces mean time to detect and respond to threats.
Operational Support: Comprehensive visibility and forensic tools aid operational decisions.
Cost Efficiency: Affordable integration with scaling capabilities without high overhead.

SentinelOne Singularity Cloud Security is deployed in industries needing robust cloud security posture management, endpoint protection, and threat hunting. Utilized frequently across AWS and Azure, it assists in monitoring, threat detection, and maintaining compliance in diverse environments while providing real-time alerts and recommendations for proactive threat management.

SentinelOne

AccuKnox Platform enhances application security and compliance by focusing on container security, network activity monitoring, and security policy enforcement. Its seamless Kubernetes integration and real-time alerts are highly valued.

AccuKnox Platform offers robust performance in threat detection and simplifies policy management, aiding users in reducing vulnerabilities and securing workloads efficiently. Its seamless deployment and compatibility with cloud environments, combined with comprehensive monitoring and reporting tools, contribute to enhanced operational efficiency. Users also appreciate the platform's real-time threat detection and easy deployment.

What are the key features of AccuKnox Platform?

Robust Security Features: Protects applications and workloads with advanced threat detection and mitigation.
Seamless Integration: Easily integrates with Kubernetes environments for streamlined operations.
Real-time Alerts: Provides instant notifications on potential security threats.
Comprehensive Monitoring: Offers detailed insights and analytics on network activity and performance.
Detailed Reporting: Generates in-depth reports to support compliance and audit requirements.

What benefits and ROI can users expect from AccuKnox Platform?

Enhanced Security: Reduces vulnerabilities and improves threat detection.
Operational Efficiency: Streamlines policy management and monitoring processes.
Ease of Deployment: Quick and straightforward setup compatible with cloud environments.
Compliance Support: Helps maintain regulatory standards through comprehensive reporting.

AccuKnox Platform is implemented across industries such as finance, healthcare, and technology, where high levels of security and compliance are essential. Organizations leverage its robust features to protect sensitive data, ensure regulatory compliance, and maintain operational efficiency even during peak times.

AccuKnox

Microsoft Defender for Cloud is a comprehensive security solution that provides advanced threat protection for cloud workloads. It offers real-time visibility into the security posture of cloud environments, enabling organizations to quickly identify and respond to potential threats. With its advanced machine learning capabilities, Microsoft Defender for Cloud can detect and block sophisticated attacks, including zero-day exploits and fileless malware.

The solution also provides automated remediation capabilities, allowing security teams to quickly and easily respond to security incidents. With Microsoft Defender for Cloud, organizations can ensure the security and compliance of their cloud workloads, while reducing the burden on their security teams.

Microsoft

Sample Customers

Information Not Available

Microsoft Defender for Cloud is trusted by companies such as ASOS, Vatenfall, SWC Technology Partners, and more.

Buyer's Guide

Cloud Workload Protection Platforms (CWPP)

January 2026

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