Azure Sphere vs Microsoft Defender for IoT comparison

Azure Sphere and Microsoft Defender for IoT are both solutions in the IoT Security category. Azure Sphere is ranked #6 with an average rating of 9.0, while Microsoft Defender for IoT is ranked #5 with an average rating of 7.4. Azure Sphere holds a 4.1% mindshare in IS, compared to Microsoft Defender for IoT’s 8.4% mindshare. Additionally, 100% of Azure Sphere users are willing to recommend the solution, compared to 100% of Microsoft Defender for IoT users who would recommend it.

Azure Sphere

Read 3 Azure Sphere reviews

358 Views
358 Comparison Views

100% willing to recommend

Microsoft Defender for IoT

Read 6 Microsoft Defender for IoT reviews

1,792 Views
806 Comparison Views

100% willing to recommend

Azure Sphere

Microsoft Defender for IoT

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Executive SummaryUpdated on Feb 3, 2025

Azure Sphere and Microsoft Defender for IoT compete in the IoT security domain. Azure Sphere offers a comprehensive end-to-end solution, making it preferable for users prioritizing seamless management and security. However, Microsoft Defender for IoT has an edge in threat detection and analytics, appealing to those needing adaptable security frameworks.

Features: Azure Sphere provides secure boot, secured updates, and a dedicated security service. Microsoft Defender for IoT offers advanced threat detection, anomaly detection, and integration with SIEMs.

Ease of Deployment and Customer Service: Azure Sphere integrates seamlessly with predefined hardware, simplifying deployment and maintenance, supported by streamlined service. Microsoft Defender for IoT requires more complex setup due to integration needs but benefits from versatile deployment options and strong support for targeted assistance.

Pricing and ROI: Azure Sphere has a lower upfront setup cost due to bundled hardware and services, offering faster ROI for comprehensive security needs. Microsoft Defender for IoT may require higher initial investment but provides significant ROI for organizations focusing on custom threat detection strategies.

To learn more, read our detailed Azure Sphere vs. Microsoft Defender for IoT Report (Updated: February 2026).

Buyer's Guide

Azure Sphere vs. Microsoft Defender for IoT

February 2026

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Helped 881,733 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

Azure Sphere

Ranking in IoT Security

6th

Average Rating

7.6

Reviews Sentiment

8.4

Number of Reviews

Ranking in other categories

No ranking in other categories

Microsoft Defender for IoT

Ranking in IoT Security

5th

Average Rating

7.8

Reviews Sentiment

6.1

Number of Reviews

Ranking in other categories

Operational Technology (OT) Security (6th), Microsoft Security Suite (24th)

Mindshare comparison

As of February 2026, in the IoT Security category, the mindshare of Azure Sphere is 4.1%, up from 1.3% compared to the previous year. The mindshare of Microsoft Defender for IoT is 8.4%, down from 9.8% compared to the previous year. It is calculated based on PeerSpot user engagement data.

IoT Security Market Share Distribution
Product	Market Share (%)
Microsoft Defender for IoT	8.4%
Azure Sphere	4.1%
Other	87.5%

IoT Security

Featured Reviews

Chandrakant Deshmukh

Senior VP IOT at Mastek Ltd

Has a learning curve that is easy to deal with for users

With the tool, the learning curve is really good. I don't have to spend time in long training sessions, which is typically required for other platforms. As my company is a Microsoft kind of shop, we have developers, making the learning curve easy compared to other tools. When it comes to integration with the back-end systems, manufacturing companies are still using some other apps in their environment. Getting data or pushing those analytics data back to the back-end systems is relatively simple while using Azure Sphere and other integration points, and so that is why there is a clear direction from our company's end customer that they need an Azure solution.

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Luis Gabriel Mieles Benavides

Cloud Architect at Sonda S.A.

Security monitoring has become proactive and threat hunting is now faster and more precise

The best features of Microsoft Defender for IoT are that it is easy to find where the intruder is and easy to capture and hunt intruders. When I need to send a full scan for a device, it is straightforward. I have worked with Symantec, which is an antivirus, and McAfee, where I send full scans in a similar way to how I do it in Azure Defender, and it is equally easy. I can take actions with the device, such as disconnecting it, turning it off, or sending an alarm. The integration with Azure Defender and Azure Sentinel is seamless because they are from the same company. They capture intruders, viruses, worms, and everything else easily, and I can fix problems quickly. I use the network visibility features daily to manage connected assets. Currently, I am closing a case with Mutual Asesorías where they have a computer with intruders attempting to force brute capture the password. I can see how the intruder tried to do this, and my work involves closing the IP origin in this case.

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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

"I think my team is comfortable with the installation of the product."

"When you use this solution, you get a dual processor with all the necessary security and Microsoft updates supplied. You don't have to be concerned about the security aspect related to IoT because Microsoft takes care of this."

"It's stable and the performance has been great."

"I believe it is best suited for cloud services and is unmatched by other cloud security solutions."

"I find Microsoft Defender very effective in vulnerability management and it provides good attack reduction, making it a next-generation protection solution."

"It is manageable and integrates with other Microsoft products, which is crucial for me."

"The graphics and analysis in Microsoft Defender for IoT are very representative."

"As a cybersecurity consultant, the best part of Microsoft Defender for IoT is the capability to integrate with other tools such as Microsoft Sentinel and receive real-time alerts from the product."

"Some advantages of Microsoft Defender for IoT are that it's easy to install on any OS, and you can create any custom use cases easily."

"Mainly, it is manageable and integrates with other Microsoft products, which is crucial for me."

"The best features of Microsoft Defender for IoT are that it is easy to find where the intruder is and easy to capture and hunt intruders."

Cons

"One of the pain points of this solution is that the full Linux box is not exposed to all developers. This restricts what the applications can do as they cant be adjusted."

"The type of edge devices being addressed through the suite was limited."

"The lack of awareness of the products among our company's customers is a challenge that needs to be looked at and improved by Microsoft."

"The documentation for Microsoft Defender for IoT is lacking. There are no clear steps or guidance, and updates are frequent, which adds to the confusion."

"The only improvement I see is that some detection explanations are vaguely provided by Microsoft, resulting in generic IoT detections that alert me to an issue yet don't specify what's wrong."

"Customer service and support from Microsoft are costly. The execution by engineers is expensive, and the service is neither free nor toll-free, making it less accessible for customers."

"The only improvement I see is that some detection explanations are vaguely provided by Microsoft, resulting in generic IoT detections that alert me to an issue yet don't specify what's wrong."

"There are a few limitations with Microsoft Defender for IoT. We raised concerns with the product team because they don't capture all the information regarding command execution or processes executed on certain endpoints."

"Microsoft Defender for IoT is not scalable. If you want to monitor another industrial network, you need an additional server, making it less scalable."

"The primary area that needs improvement is compatibility with the latest IoT technologies."

Pricing and Cost Advice

"This solution offers secure IoT communication to the cloud at a fairly low cost."

Information not available

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Top Industries

By visitors reading reviews

No data available

Manufacturing Company

14%

Computer Software Company

14%

Energy/Utilities Company

Financial Services Firm

Company Size

By reviewers

Large Enterprise

Midsize Enterprise

Small Business

No data available

Questions from the Community

What is your experience regarding pricing and costs for Azure Sphere?

I think the license part is good enough as of now because as a company, we don't handle the license part. My company has a partner from Microsoft who manages everything for us, so we don't deal dir...

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What needs improvement with Azure Sphere?

When it comes to the challenges or drawbacks associated with the product, I will not talk about the system. Our company's customers who are into manufacturing and other such businesses are not very...

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What is your primary use case for Azure Sphere?

I use the solution in my company for process automation. Based on the kind of devices and architecture our company's customers use, our company is now fetching those data points and integrating the...

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

I find that Microsoft Defender for IoT itself is affordable.

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What needs improvement with Microsoft Defender for IoT?

I don't think I have any recommendation on improvements for Microsoft Defender for IoT because we don't use it too extensively. There are a few limitations with Microsoft Defender for IoT. We raise...

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What is your primary use case for Microsoft Defender for IoT?

Clients mainly use Microsoft Defender for IoT for unfamiliar sign-in attempts and Microsoft Defender EDRs. We are using use cases for unfamiliar sign-in and malicious activity, such as user sign-in...

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Comparisons

Palo Alto Networks IoT Security vs Azure Sphere

Compared 36% of the time

Armis Centrix for OT/IoT Security vs Azure Sphere

Compared 15% of the time

More Azure Sphere Competitors

Nozomi Networks vs Microsoft Defender for IoT

Compared 22% of the time

Claroty Platform vs Microsoft Defender for IoT

Compared 14% of the time

Microsoft Defender for Endpoint vs Microsoft Defender for IoT

Compared 9% of the time

Tenable OT Security vs Microsoft Defender for IoT

Compared 7% of the time

Palo Alto Networks IoT Security vs Microsoft Defender for IoT

Compared 7% of the time

More Microsoft Defender for IoT Competitors

Product Reports

Buyer's Guide

IoT Security

January 2026

Download Azure Sphere product report

Buyer's Guide

Microsoft Defender for IoT

January 2026

Download Microsoft Defender for IoT product report

Also Known As

No data available

Azure Defender for IoT

Overview

Azure Sphere development kits provide everything you need to start prototyping and developing Azure Sphere applications. Order yours today and start taking advantage of the rich development experience in Visual Studio.

Microsoft

Microsoft Defender for IoT offers advanced security designed to protect IoT environments from sophisticated threats. Its deep integration with Azure reinforces security across devices and networks.

Microsoft Defender for IoT provides scalable threat detection and security intelligence tailored for IoT devices. Leveraging cloud-powered analytics, it ensures protection against emerging threats while supporting diverse device landscapes. The platform's compatibility with Azure Sentinel offers robust security operations and management capabilities.

What are the core features of Microsoft Defender for IoT?

Threat Intelligence: Provides real-time insights and threat detection using cloud-powered analytics.
Device Management: Simplifies the monitoring and management of IoT devices across networks.
Integrated Security: Seamlessly integrates with Azure Sentinel for comprehensive security operations.

What benefits and ROI should users consider?

Improved Security Posture: Strengthens the protection of IoT ecosystems against cyber threats.
Cost Efficiency: Reduces the complexities and costs associated with managing IoT security.
Scalability: Supports growth and adaptation to expanding IoT networks.

In manufacturing, Microsoft Defender for IoT aids in maintaining operational efficiency by preventing unauthorized access to industrial control systems. Healthcare providers utilize it to protect sensitive patient data transmitted through connected devices. Retailers benefit from secure management of inventory systems and customer data across smart devices.

Microsoft

Buyer's Guide

Azure Sphere vs. Microsoft Defender for IoT

February 2026

Free Report: Azure Sphere vs. Microsoft Defender for IoT

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