AppRiver Email Security vs Microsoft Exchange Online Protection (EOP) comparison

AppRiver and Microsoft are both solutions in the Email Security category. AppRiver is ranked #24 with an average rating of 9.0, while Microsoft is ranked #5 with an average rating of 8.4. AppRiver holds a 0.9% mindshare in Email Security, compared to Microsoft’s 6.7% mindshare. Additionally, 100% of AppRiver users are willing to recommend the solution, compared to 90% of Microsoft users who would recommend it.

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Executive SummaryUpdated on Dec 3, 2024

AppRiver Email Security and Microsoft Exchange Online Protection compete in the email security category, with AppRiver's pricing and support offering an advantage for budget-conscious users, while EOP leads in feature set and integration.

Features: AppRiver Email Security offers advanced threat protection, spam filtering, and easy integration with existing systems. EOP provides robust security measures, seamless Microsoft 365 integration, and automated threat response capabilities.

Ease of Deployment and Customer Service: AppRiver is known for straightforward deployment and a responsive support team, suitable for organizations of all sizes. EOP is integrated within the Microsoft ecosystem, offering scalable solutions and extensive support, but with a steeper learning curve.

Pricing and ROI: AppRiver's competitive pricing model offers strong ROI for small to mid-sized businesses. EOP, although pricier, is seen worth the investment for its feature set and Microsoft 365 integration.

To learn more, read our detailed AppRiver Email Security vs. Microsoft Exchange Online Protection (EOP) Report (Updated: April 2025).

Buyer's Guide

AppRiver Email Security vs. Microsoft Exchange Online Protection (EOP)

April 2025

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Helped 851,604 peers since 2012

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...

Mindshare comparison

As of May 2025, in the Email Security category, the mindshare of Microsoft Defender for Office 365 is 12.9%, down from 18.3% compared to the previous year. The mindshare of AppRiver Email Security is 0.9%, down from 1.1% compared to the previous year. The mindshare of Microsoft Exchange Online Protection (EOP) is 6.7%, down from 9.1% compared to the previous year. It is calculated based on PeerSpot user engagement data.

Email Security

Featured Reviews

Tolu Omolaja

Head of Department of Network Communications at Eko electricity

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.

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John Zupancic

Vice President / Branch Manager / Senior Technician at Aperion Information Technologies, Inc.

Pricing that is competitive, excellent technical support, and email security

They do a better job of distinguishing between what's real and what's not than most of the other solutions we've tried. They are very easy to use. We don't have as many problems with email security. They have some areas that could be improved. For example, we also use Zix email Encryption for email encryption, which was clunky and could be improved, but the email security itself has been excellent.

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Nur Mohammad

Deputy Manager at B-Trac Technologies Ltd.

An effective email security solution that provides DLP, Safe Attachment, and Safe Links

If you want extensive email security, you need to purchase a Plan 2 license. Plan 1 and Plan 2 are the two plans for Microsoft Exchange Online Protection. Some customers hesitate to purchase this product because it adds some costs to them, which is necessary for them. It would be helpful for customers if Plan 1 features were included with EOP. However, they still need to purchase Plan 2 for advanced security features. One of our clients recently requested to compare Zimbra's features with Microsoft Exchange Online Protection. Zimbra is open source, while Microsoft Exchange Online Protection is not. When I compare both the products, many free features are available in Zimbra because it is open-source software. It makes no sense to request Microsoft Exchange Online Protection add all the features people get on open-source software like Zimbra. Hence, I would say whatever features Microsoft Exchange Online Protection has are enough. Microsoft has a dedicated research team that should research and add new techniques like phishing and spamming solutions to the product.

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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 DLP feature of Microsoft Defender for Office 365 is valuable, and we also use the DLP feature for email real-time detection."

"The most valuable feature of Microsoft Defender for Office 365 is its spam filter."

"The initial setup is straightforward. You just add the license, click it, and then you can set up the rules. It is quite simple."

"Scalability-wise, I do not think there are any issues so far."

"The initial setup was easy."

"Defender enables us to secure all 365-related activity from a single place. It gives us visibility into everything happening in Outlook, protecting us against phishing and other email-based threats. Defender helps us detect any suspicious behaviors."

"Microsoft Defender has a feature to protect each and every attachment. Even if it's an encrypted attachment, it will check for any potential threats."

"Defender helps us prioritize threats across our organization."

More Microsoft Defender for Office 365 pros

"It's easy to use and user-friendly. Users can also easily release spam emails."

"They are very easy to use."

"With Microsoft Exchange Online Protection, if malware is attached to a mailer, it's very easy to go into the incident alert and find out what's happening with that identity and the mail."

"The product protects against malware."

"The security features provided by Microsoft are robust."

"The initial setup is just a standard process."

"It's all running in the backend, so it doesn't affect the app functionality."

"The pre-set policies and configuration analyzer are the most valuable features."

"Microsoft EOP's most valuable feature is a shared mailbox."

"The most valuable feature is the ease of administration. Other solutions require complex administration, but Microsoft Exchange Online Protection is easier."

More Microsoft Exchange Online Protection (EOP) pros

Cons

"They have moved features from one console to another. Things have been moved around in the interface and it takes me time to find where certain features are."

"We still see many false positives from time to time with Microsoft Defender for Office 365, so it would be good if we can reduce those false positives and provide better workflows for our end users, as sometimes they may not know what to do when they encounter a false positive."

"Microsoft security solutions work as expected. They are constantly updating the solutions to make them better. At the same time, the changes can impact a customer's environment, and we need to adjust settings. Sometimes we aren't aware of the changes, and nothing is pushed from the backend automatically."

"The GUI is sometimes slow to fetch the device report and could be improved."

"We noticed that from time to time, Microsoft's stability does have problems. Sometimes the service goes up and down. Sometimes they change without prior notice."

"Sometimes, phishing emails manage to pass through the filter, so the system needs to enhance its phishing email detection capabilities."

"It would be better if it were more scalable. It depends on the architecture, but we would like to make it more scalable for both data centers."

"One area for improvement is integration. For example, when it comes to external SaaS platforms, we were not able to get a lot of information on integrations with such apps for security and authentication."

More Microsoft Defender for Office 365 cons

"It needs to make sure that the application is up to date with new attacks. They should also send us the demo or introductions for their new incoming features."

"Email security checks contain a small number of false positives."

"I would like to get reports about vulnerable connections from our clients with information about domains, public IPs, etc. That would be highly useful."

"The tool's classification for bulk email is cumbersome."

"The product's end-of-life cycle could be extended."

"The tool is not 100% stable."

"Some of the searchability when looking for specifics in Exchange logs is tedious."

"Some features, like encryption, are not available."

"It doesn't protect against everything. We do need protection for, for example, endpoints."

"The solution must improve the user experience."

More Microsoft Exchange Online Protection (EOP) cons

Pricing and Cost Advice

"It is much more expensive than using another solution because we have had to include some options and upgrade our license."

"From the pricing point of view, like any other product in the market, there is scope for negotiation."

"The product is expensive."

"Defender is a little bit more expensive as compared to others. We are in the manufacturing environment. So, we don't have a high budget for all of our endpoint devices. Its cost is a major concern for us."

"I know that the product is incredibly expensive."

"Compared to other brands, Microsoft Defender for Office 365's pricing is competitive."

"The pricing has become expensive."

"The license is expensive because the cost is based on the number of users."

More Microsoft Defender for Office 365 pricing and cost advice

"I can rate it five out of ten because there are different platforms that also offer the same services for lower prices. But AppRiver is more flexible."

"They're fairly inexpensive, but they're right in the ballpark of most of the other online products like that."

"Microsoft Exchange Online Protection is a good solution at an affordable price. It is a good investment."

"The tool's pricing is excellent."

"The product's pricing is competitive for the US market."

"The product is bundled with Microsoft 365."

"The solution falls on the higher or more expensive side of the spectrum."

"The solution's pricing is subscription-based rather than a yearly licensing cost. Pricing is based on the size of the environment and company and can be expensive."

"The product is expensive."

"The solution should reduce the cost."

More Microsoft Exchange Online Protection (EOP) pricing and cost advice

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Top Industries

By visitors reading reviews

Computer Software Company

16%

Financial Services Firm

Manufacturing Company

Government

Computer Software Company

14%

Retailer

Manufacturing Company

Financial Services Firm

Computer Software Company

15%

Financial Services Firm

Government

Manufacturing Company

Company Size

By reviewers

Large Enterprise

Midsize Enterprise

Small Business

No data available

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...

See all answers

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.

See all answers

What needs improvement with Microsoft Defender for Office 365?

Microsoft could improve by offering recommendations for domain spoofing attacks, especially scenarios where DNS recor...

See all answers

What do you like most about AppRiver Email Security?

It's easy to use and user-friendly. Users can also easily release spam emails.

See all answers

What is your experience regarding pricing and costs for AppRiver Email Security?

I can rate it five out of ten because there are different platforms that also offer the same services for lower price...

See all answers

What needs improvement with AppRiver Email Security?

It needs to make sure that the application is up to date with new attacks. They should also send us the demo or intro...

See all answers

What do you like most about Microsoft Exchange Online Protection?

The initial setup was easy. The configuration process is very straightforward.

See all answers

What needs improvement with Microsoft Exchange Online Protection?

I would like to improve the setting of rules in Microsoft Exchange Online Protection (EOP) as it is currently working...

See all answers

What is your primary use case for Microsoft Exchange Online Protection?

I am using Microsoft Exchange Online Protection (EOP) ( /products/microsoft-exchange-online-protection-eop-reviews ) ...

See all answers

Comparisons

Proofpoint Email Protection vs Microsoft Defender for Office 365

Compared 13% of the time

Check Point Harmony Email & Collaboration vs Microsoft Defender for Office 365

Compared 7% of the time

Mimecast Email Security vs Microsoft Defender for Office 365

Compared 5% of the time

Barracuda Email Protection vs Microsoft Defender for Office 365

Compared 5% of the time

Trend Micro Email Security vs Microsoft Defender for Office 365

Compared 4% of the time

More Microsoft Defender for Office 365 Competitors

Barracuda Email Security Gateway vs AppRiver Email Security

Compared 14% of the time

Avanan vs AppRiver Email Security

Compared 11% of the time

Proofpoint Email Protection vs AppRiver Email Security

Compared 9% of the time

IRONSCALES vs AppRiver Email Security

Compared 7% of the time

Abnormal Security vs AppRiver Email Security

Compared 6% of the time

More AppRiver Email Security Competitors

Proofpoint Email Protection vs Microsoft Exchange Online Protection (EOP)

Compared 12% of the time

Cisco Secure Email vs Microsoft Exchange Online Protection (EOP)

Compared 11% of the time

Fortinet FortiMail vs Microsoft Exchange Online Protection (EOP)

Compared 10% of the time

Mimecast Email Security vs Microsoft Exchange Online Protection (EOP)

Compared 7% of the time

Darktrace vs Microsoft Exchange Online Protection (EOP)

Compared 4% of the time

More Microsoft Exchange Online Protection (EOP) Competitors

Product Reports

Buyer's Guide

Microsoft Defender for Office 365

May 2025

Microsoft Defender for Office 365 report

Download Microsoft Defender for Office 365 product report

Buyer's Guide

Email Security

May 2025

Download AppRiver Email Security product report

Buyer's Guide

Microsoft Exchange Online Protection (EOP)

May 2025

Microsoft Exchange Online Protection (EOP) report

Download Microsoft Exchange Online Protection (EOP) product report

Also Known As

MS Defender for Office 365

AppRiver Advanced Email Security

Microsoft EOP, MS Exchange Online Protection

Overview

Microsoft Defender for Office 365 is a comprehensive security solution designed to protect organizations against advanced threats in their email, collaboration, and productivity environments. It combines the power of Microsoft's threat intelligence, machine learning, and behavioral analytics to provide real-time protection against phishing, malware, ransomware, and other malicious attacks.

With Microsoft Defender for Office 365, organizations can safeguard their email communication by detecting and blocking malicious links, attachments, and unsafe email content. It employs advanced anti-phishing capabilities to identify and prevent sophisticated phishing attacks that attempt to steal sensitive information or compromise user credentials.

This solution also offers robust protection against malware and ransomware. It leverages machine learning algorithms to analyze email attachments and URLs in real-time, identifying and blocking malicious content before it reaches users' inboxes. Additionally, it provides advanced threat-hunting capabilities, allowing security teams to proactively investigate and respond to potential threats.

Microsoft Defender for Office 365 goes beyond email protection and extends its security features to other collaboration tools like SharePoint, OneDrive, and Teams. It scans files and documents stored in these platforms, ensuring that they are free from malware and other malicious content. It also provides visibility into user activities, helping organizations detect and mitigate insider threats.

Furthermore, this solution offers rich reporting and analytics capabilities, providing organizations with insights into their security posture and threat landscape. It enables security administrators to monitor and manage security incidents, track trends, and take proactive measures to enhance their overall security posture.

Microsoft

AppRiver’s Email Security Solution is a cloud-based Anti Phishing and malware filter that’s designed to keep your inbox clean and your network safe. A simple MX Record change routes your mail through the Email Security servers before it ever reaches your network, which ensures that the mail that reaches your network doesn’t pose a threat. While our solution contains numerous adjustable settings, it is designed to work efficiently and optimally with little or no interaction from administrators.

AppRiver

Microsoft Exchange Online Protection (EOP) is a comprehensive email filtering and security service designed to protect organizations from spam, malware, and other email-based threats. It provides advanced threat protection, anti-malware and anti-spam filtering, and data loss prevention capabilities.

With EOP, organizations can ensure the security and integrity of their email communications. It uses multiple layers of filtering and scanning to detect and block malicious content, including phishing attempts, viruses, and ransomware. EOP also leverages machine learning and artificial intelligence to continuously improve its threat detection capabilities.

In addition to its robust security features, EOP offers advanced anti-spam filtering to reduce unwanted and unsolicited emails. It uses a combination of reputation-based filtering, content filtering, and sender authentication techniques to identify and block spam messages.

EOP also includes data loss prevention (DLP) capabilities to prevent sensitive information from being leaked or shared inappropriately. It allows organizations to define policies to detect and prevent the transmission of sensitive data, such as credit card numbers or social security numbers, via email.

Furthermore, EOP integrates seamlessly with Microsoft Exchange Online and other Office 365 services, providing a unified and integrated email security solution. It can be easily managed through the Exchange admin center, allowing administrators to configure and monitor security settings, review reports, and manage quarantined emails.

Microsoft

Sample Customers

Microsoft Defender for Office 365 is trusted by companies such as Ithaca College.

IHMC

Information Not Available

Buyer's Guide

AppRiver Email Security vs. Microsoft Exchange Online Protection (EOP)

April 2025

Free Report: AppRiver Email Security vs. Microsoft Exchange Online Protection (EOP)

Find out what your peers are saying about AppRiver Email Security vs. Microsoft Exchange Online Protection (EOP) and other solutions. Updated: April 2025.

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