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CylanceOPTICS vs Microsoft Defender for Endpoint comparison

BlackBerry and Microsoft are both solutions in the Endpoint Detection and Response (EDR) category. BlackBerry is ranked #40 with an average rating of 7.8, while Microsoft is ranked #3 with an average rating of 8.3. BlackBerry holds a 0.3% mindshare in EDR, compared to Microsoft’s 9.8% mindshare. Additionally, 80% of BlackBerry users are willing to recommend the solution, compared to 94% of Microsoft users who would recommend it.
CylanceOPTICS
Read 13 CylanceOPTICS reviews
  • 524 Views
  • 519 Comparison Views
80% willing to recommend
Microsoft Defender for Endp...
Read 198 Microsoft Defender for Endpoint reviews
  • 35,345 Views
  • 18,026 Comparison Views
94% willing to recommend
 

Comparison Buyer's Guide

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Executive SummaryUpdated on Sep 9, 2024

Microsoft Defender for Endpoint and CylanceOPTICS are prominent endpoint security solutions. Microsoft Defender for Endpoint is favored for its ease of use and integration, while CylanceOPTICS stands out for its advanced AI-driven threat detection capabilities.

Features: Microsoft Defender for Endpoint offers seamless integration with other Microsoft services, comprehensive threat intelligence, and a user-friendly interface. CylanceOPTICS is known for its advanced AI-driven threat detection, proactive threat prevention, and unique machine learning capabilities.

Room for Improvement: Microsoft Defender for Endpoint could benefit from improved remediation capabilities, more granular reporting, and enhanced cross-platform support. CylanceOPTICS needs better reporting tools, improved user interface, and more streamlined deployment processes.

Ease of Deployment and Customer Service: Microsoft Defender for Endpoint is reported to have a straightforward deployment process, particularly for organizations already using Microsoft products, and receives positive feedback on its support services. CylanceOPTICS users note a more technical deployment process but also commend its customer support.

Pricing and ROI: Microsoft Defender for Endpoint is seen as cost-effective, especially for enterprises within the Microsoft ecosystem. CylanceOPTICS, though considered to have a higher initial setup cost, delivers excellent ROI thanks to its proactive threat prevention capabilities.

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To learn more, read our detailed CylanceOPTICS vs. Microsoft Defender for Endpoint Report (Updated: September 2025).
Buyer's Guide
CylanceOPTICS vs. Microsoft Defender for Endpoint
September 2025
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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:
 

ROI

Sentiment score
3.2
Users saw positive ROI from CylanceOPTICS with improved threat detection, cost savings, faster responses, and a user-friendly interface.
Sentiment score
7.1
Microsoft Defender for Endpoint offers significant ROI with cost savings, seamless integration, and real-time protection against ransomware attacks.
Many customers observe a return on investment with CylanceOPTICS since it works effectively without the need for an internet connection.
For more quotes and insights, download the CylanceOPTICS report
Without detection and protection measures, organizations would face substantial payments and reputational damage, including the necessity to inform customers about data breaches, potentially leading to loss of business.
We have seen a return on investment when using Microsoft Defender for Endpoint, as it saves labor by reducing the need for staff to focus on it.
The biggest return on investment for me when using Microsoft Defender for Endpoint is the time saving.
For more quotes and insights, download the Microsoft Defender for Endpoint report
GauthamVakapalli - PeerSpot reviewer
OA
JG
JM
 

Customer Service

Sentiment score
5.2
CylanceOPTICS' customer service is mixed, with effective higher-tier support but lacking initial assistance and geographical challenges.
Sentiment score
6.6
Many users find Microsoft Defender for Endpoint reliable, but support experiences vary, with premium support offering quicker assistance.
When it comes to technical support provided by BlackBerry, my experience has been somewhat slow; if a problem arises, we often have to wait for a reply.
For more quotes and insights, download the CylanceOPTICS report
The level-one support seems disconnected from subject matter experts.
I rate Microsoft support 10 out of 10.
Due to our size, we don't have access to direct technical support, but the knowledge base, Microsoft Learn, and the articles available are really good.
For more quotes and insights, download the Microsoft Defender for Endpoint report
GauthamVakapalli - PeerSpot reviewerreviewer2595198 - PeerSpot reviewerreviewer2595933 - PeerSpot reviewer
PJ
 

Scalability Issues

Sentiment score
4.5
CylanceOPTICS is praised for scalability but faces mixed reviews, especially with larger enterprises and virtual machine demands.
Sentiment score
7.7
Microsoft Defender for Endpoint is scalable and integrates well with Microsoft’s ecosystem, despite needing improvements for handling massive data.
No quotes available
For more quotes and insights, download the CylanceOPTICS report
We managed to scale it out in a short amount of time, with two months of planning and three months of implementation on 10,000 computers.
Microsoft Defender for Endpoint is scalable enough to handle various devices across environments, whether they are laptops, Android devices, or operating in hybrid environments.
Compatibility is its main feature.
For more quotes and insights, download the Microsoft Defender for Endpoint report
reviewer2595933 - PeerSpot reviewerSyed Abid - PeerSpot reviewer
JG
 

Stability Issues

Sentiment score
9.2
CylanceOPTICS is praised for its stability, reliability, and compatibility, excelling over McAfee despite minor issues with SentinelOne.
Sentiment score
7.9
Microsoft Defender for Endpoint is praised for its reliability and stability, with minor concerns about resource intensity and performance.
Regarding stability, I have no complaints as CylanceOPTICS has proven to be totally stable, and as of now, we have not encountered any instability.
For more quotes and insights, download the CylanceOPTICS report
I haven't seen any outages with Microsoft.
I rate Defender 10 out of 10 for stability.
Defender for Endpoint is extremely stable.
For more quotes and insights, download the Microsoft Defender for Endpoint report
GauthamVakapalli - PeerSpot reviewerJohn Rallo - PeerSpot reviewerreviewer2595933 - PeerSpot reviewer
PJ
 

Room For Improvement

CylanceOPTICS needs enhancements in threat automation, detection, and management, facing issues with false positives and scalability.
Microsoft Defender for Endpoint faces interface complexity, slow detection, high CPU usage, integration issues, and seeks improvements in multiple areas.
Whenever a ticket is raised by one of our customers, we have to wait for responses which can take a whole day due to the time zone differences, and a local team could expedite this process.
For more quotes and insights, download the CylanceOPTICS report
Repeated interactions are necessary due to Level One's lack of tools and knowledge, hindering efficient problem-solving and negatively impacting our experience with Microsoft support.
In contrast, competing products offer reduced pricing for long-term commitments, which makes it difficult for us in that environment.
We use Microsoft partners to help govern the platform, and as part of an alliance, we want to gather data from each tenant and combine them for a complete view.
For more quotes and insights, download the Microsoft Defender for Endpoint report
GauthamVakapalli - PeerSpot reviewerreviewer2595198 - PeerSpot reviewerNaySan @ Suraj Verma - PeerSpot reviewerreviewer2595933 - PeerSpot reviewer
 

Setup Cost

CylanceOPTICS pricing is competitive and affordable, with annual costs under $100 per client, often bundled with services.
Microsoft Defender for Endpoint offers flexible pricing, making it competitive and cost-effective compared to standalone security products.
In terms of cost, I find CylanceOPTICS to be reasonable; it's not overly expensive, nor is it at the lower end of the market—it's positioned in the medium range.
For more quotes and insights, download the CylanceOPTICS report
Given our extensive Microsoft licensing, transitioning to Defender for Endpoint did not affect licensing costs.
It costs $15 per VM for the P2 plan, which is seen as affordable for customers.
The pricing, setup, and licensing were very easy and simple.
For more quotes and insights, download the Microsoft Defender for Endpoint report
GauthamVakapalli - PeerSpot reviewerreviewer2595933 - PeerSpot reviewerSyed Abid - PeerSpot reviewer
PJ
 

Valuable Features

CylanceOPTICS provides AI-driven threat detection with auto-containment, script control, and behavior analytics, offering trusted, real-time security solutions.
Microsoft Defender for Endpoint excels with seamless integration, advanced threat intelligence, AI-driven protection, and continuous cloud-based security management.
No quotes available
For more quotes and insights, download the CylanceOPTICS report
Defender for Endpoint's coverage across different platforms in our environment is pretty good. We have devices running Linux, Mac OS, Windows, iOS, and Android. It covers all of them.
Microsoft Defender for Endpoint provides a unified management interface allowing customers to manage their on-premises and hybrid infrastructures from a single pane.
One of the best features of Microsoft Defender for Endpoint is its database for identifying zero-day attacks or malware attacks.
For more quotes and insights, download the Microsoft Defender for Endpoint report
reviewer2595933 - PeerSpot reviewerSyed Abid - PeerSpot reviewer
OA
 

Categories and Ranking

CylanceOPTICS
Ranking in Endpoint Detection and Response (EDR)
40th
Average Rating
7.4
Reviews Sentiment
5.2
Number of Reviews
13
Ranking in other categories
No ranking in other categories
Microsoft Defender for Endp...
Ranking in Endpoint Detection and Response (EDR)
3rd
Average Rating
8.2
Reviews Sentiment
7.1
Number of Reviews
198
Ranking in other categories
Endpoint Protection Platform (EPP) (2nd), Advanced Threat Protection (ATP) (3rd), Anti-Malware Tools (1st), Microsoft Security Suite (5th)
 

Mindshare comparison

As of October 2025, in the Endpoint Detection and Response (EDR) category, the mindshare of CylanceOPTICS is 0.3%, up from 0.2% compared to the previous year. The mindshare of Microsoft Defender for Endpoint is 9.8%, down from 11.7% compared to the previous year. It is calculated based on PeerSpot user engagement data.
Endpoint Detection and Response (EDR) Market Share Distribution
ProductMarket Share (%)
Microsoft Defender for Endpoint9.8%
CylanceOPTICS0.3%
Other89.9%
Endpoint Detection and Response (EDR)
 

Featured Reviews

GauthamVakapalli - PeerSpot reviewer
Provides reliable threat detection and response but requires better regional support
One improvement I suggest for CylanceOPTICS is more robust marketing efforts from their side. Many customers gravitate towards popular EDRs like CrowdStrike or Sophos, largely due to better marketing, despite BlackBerry Cylance being a superior product. The lack of marketing from distributors or vendors is a critical area where they are falling short. Apart from marketing, it would be beneficial for CylanceOPTICS to establish a dedicated team in GCC since I coordinate with the UK team to handle support. Whenever a ticket is raised by one of our customers, we have to wait for responses which can take a whole day due to the time zone differences, and a local team could expedite this process. In terms of scalability, CylanceOPTICS is indeed easy to scale, but one issue I face is related to visibility; while it is scalable, the security teams struggle with limited visibility as we need to gather data from multiple sources.
Read full review
NaySan @ Suraj Verma - PeerSpot reviewer
Has effectively blocked sophisticated attacks and malicious activities while providing excellent support
Microsoft Defender for Endpoint is very good, but one suggestion is that in some products, we may need to configure security-related settings, whereas Microsoft Defender for Endpoint works completely differently, providing automatic recommendations and actions that we may need to perform ourselves. Regarding the pricing of Microsoft Defender for Endpoint, during the last three years, we set up the product and sold it, but we faced difficulties because Microsoft pricing is always the same. For example, whether I purchase Microsoft Defender for Endpoint for one year or for the next three years, the pricing remains constant with no discounts available. In contrast, competing products offer reduced pricing for long-term commitments, which makes it difficult for us in that environment. Microsoft should consider this option to remain competitive, but otherwise, everything else is fine.
Read full review
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Top Industries

By visitors reading reviews
Manufacturing Company
20%
Computer Software Company
11%
Financial Services Firm
9%
Insurance Company
7%
Computer Software Company
13%
Manufacturing Company
8%
Government
8%
Financial Services Firm
8%
 

Company Size

By reviewers
Large Enterprise
Midsize Enterprise
Small Business
By reviewers
Company SizeCount
Small Business7
Midsize Enterprise2
Large Enterprise4
By reviewers
Company SizeCount
Small Business79
Midsize Enterprise34
Large Enterprise87
 

Questions from the Community

What do you like most about Blackberry Optics?
I would rate the stability a nine out of ten. I would give it a close ten as possible because, like SentinelOne, I've seen incompatibility. Whereas Cylance, I've seen none.
See all answers
What is your experience regarding pricing and costs for Blackberry Optics?
In terms of cost, I find CylanceOPTICS to be reasonable; it's not overly expensive, nor is it at the lower end of the market—it's positioned in the medium range.
See all answers
What needs improvement with Blackberry Optics?
One improvement I suggest for CylanceOPTICS is more robust marketing efforts from their side. Many customers gravitate towards popular EDRs like CrowdStrike or Sophos, largely due to better marketi...
See all answers
How is Cortex XDR compared with Microsoft Defender?
Microsoft Defender for Endpoint is a cloud-delivered endpoint security solution. The tool reduces the attack surface, applies behavioral-based endpoint protection and response, and includes risk-ba...
See all answers
Which offers better endpoint security - Symantec or Microsoft Defender?
We use Symantec because we do not use MS Enterprise products, but in my opinion, Microsoft Defender is a superior solution. Microsoft Defender for Endpoint is a cloud-delivered endpoint security s...
See all answers
How does Microsoft Defender for Endpoint compare with Crowdstrike Falcon?
The CrowdStrike solution delivers a lot of information about incidents. It has a very light sensor that will never push your machine hardware to "test", you don't have the usual "scan now" feature ...
See all answers
 

Comparisons

CrowdStrike Falcon vs CylanceOPTICS Logo
CrowdStrike Falcon vs CylanceOPTICS
Compared 36% of the time
Rapid7 InsightIDR vs CylanceOPTICS Logo
Rapid7 InsightIDR vs CylanceOPTICS
Compared 36% of the time
Cisco Secure Endpoint vs CylanceOPTICS Logo
Cisco Secure Endpoint vs CylanceOPTICS
Compared 28% of the time
More CylanceOPTICS Competitors
HP Wolf Security vs Microsoft Defender for Endpoint Logo
HP Wolf Security vs Microsoft Defender for Endpoint
Compared 5% of the time
CrowdStrike Falcon vs Microsoft Defender for Endpoint Logo
CrowdStrike Falcon vs Microsoft Defender for Endpoint
Compared 5% of the time
F-Secure Total vs Microsoft Defender for Endpoint Logo
F-Secure Total vs Microsoft Defender for Endpoint
Compared 4% of the time
Symantec Endpoint Security vs Microsoft Defender for Endpoint Logo
Symantec Endpoint Security vs Microsoft Defender for Endpoint
Compared 4% of the time
Trellix Endpoint Security Platform vs Microsoft Defender for Endpoint Logo
Trellix Endpoint Security Platform vs Microsoft Defender for Endpoint
Compared 4% of the time
More Microsoft Defender for Endpoint Competitors
 

Product Reports

Buyer's Guide
CylanceOPTICS
September 2025
CylanceOPTICS reportDownload CylanceOPTICS product report
Buyer's Guide
Microsoft Defender for Endpoint
September 2025
Microsoft Defender for Endpoint reportDownload Microsoft Defender for Endpoint product report
 

Also Known As

No data available
Microsoft Defender ATP, Microsoft Defender Advanced Threat Protection, MS Defender for Endpoint, Microsoft Defender Antivirus
 

Interactive Demo

Demo not available
BlackBerry
Microsoft
 

Overview

Our cloud-native BlackBerry® Optics provide visibility, on-device threat detection and remediation across your organization. In milliseconds. And our EDR approach effectively and efficiently hunts threats while eliminating response latency. It’s the difference between a minor security event—and one that’s widespread and uncontrolled.

BlackBerry

Microsoft Defender for Endpoint is a comprehensive security solution that provides advanced threat protection for organizations. It offers real-time protection against various types of cyber threats, including malware, viruses, ransomware, and phishing attacks.

With its powerful machine-learning capabilities, it can detect and block sophisticated attacks before they can cause any harm. The solution also includes endpoint detection and response (EDR) capabilities, allowing organizations to quickly investigate and respond to security incidents. It provides detailed insights into the attack timeline, enabling security teams to understand the scope and impact of an incident.

Microsoft Defender for Endpoint also offers proactive threat hunting, allowing organizations to proactively search for and identify potential threats within their network. It integrates seamlessly with other Microsoft security solutions, such as Microsoft Defender XDR, to provide a unified and holistic security approach. With its centralized management console, organizations can easily deploy, configure, and monitor the security solution across their entire network.

Microsoft Defender for Endpoint is a robust and scalable security solution that helps organizations protect their endpoints and data from evolving cyber threats.

Microsoft
 

Sample Customers

Cerdant, Washoe County School District
Petrofrac, Metro CSG, Christus Health
Buyer's Guide
CylanceOPTICS vs. Microsoft Defender for Endpoint
September 2025
Free Report: CylanceOPTICS vs. Microsoft Defender for Endpoint
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