Guardz vs Microsoft Defender XDR comparison

Guardz and Microsoft are both solutions in the Endpoint Detection and Response (EDR) category. Guardz is ranked #68, while Microsoft is ranked #7 with an average rating of 8.4. Guardz holds a 0.4% mindshare in EDR, compared to Microsoft’s 2.6% mindshare. Additionally, 100% of Guardz users are willing to recommend the solution, compared to 98% of Microsoft users who would recommend it.

Guardz

Read 1 Guardz review

1,069 Views
631 Comparison Views

100% willing to recommend

Microsoft Defender XDR

Read 106 Microsoft Defender XDR reviews

10,762 Views
5,704 Comparison Views

98% willing to recommend

Guardz

Microsoft Defender XDR

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Executive Summary

We performed a comparison between Guardz and Microsoft Defender XDR based on real PeerSpot user reviews.

Find out what your peers are saying about CrowdStrike, SentinelOne, Microsoft and others in Endpoint Detection and Response (EDR).

To learn more, read our detailed Endpoint Detection and Response (EDR) Report (Updated: January 2026).

Buyer's Guide

Endpoint Detection and Response (EDR)

January 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

Guardz

Ranking in Endpoint Detection and Response (EDR)

68th

Average Rating

8.0

Reviews Sentiment

7.5

Number of Reviews

Ranking in other categories

Email Security (46th), Data Loss Prevention (DLP) (50th), Ransomware Protection (17th)

Microsoft Defender XDR

Ranking in Endpoint Detection and Response (EDR)

7th

Average Rating

8.4

Reviews Sentiment

7.1

Number of Reviews

106

Ranking in other categories

Extended Detection and Response (XDR) (4th), Microsoft Security Suite (5th)

Mindshare comparison

As of February 2026, in the Endpoint Detection and Response (EDR) category, the mindshare of Guardz is 0.4%, up from 0.1% compared to the previous year. The mindshare of Microsoft Defender XDR is 2.6%, down from 3.2% compared to the previous year. It is calculated based on PeerSpot user engagement data.

Endpoint Detection and Response (EDR) Market Share Distribution
Product	Market Share (%)
Microsoft Defender XDR	2.6%
Guardz	0.4%
Other	97.0%

Endpoint Detection and Response (EDR)

Featured Reviews

Steve Bowtell

Managing Director at Cyber Active

Exceptionally easy to integrate and covers a multitude of cybersecurity issues

The solution's interface appears very simple, but it is very complicated in the back end. So, it removes all the complications that an MSP or an MSSP would normally have. The solution's maintenance depends on whether you run it like an MDR platform where you provide the detection response part for the customer. That would normally be the MSP part. Sometimes, you have customers who are just happy to get an email and tell them what the problem is, and they fix it themselves. If there's no in-house expertise, the MSP or the MSSP can do the maintenance. If there's in-house expertise, it's just a matter of advising them. Overall, I rate the solution an eight out of ten.

Read full review

Kunle Oluwadiya

House security operator at Cypress Creek Renewables

Advanced threat hunting saves significant time in tracking and responding to incidents

Microsoft Defender XDR could be improved with a lower price. My main suggestion would essentially be what Copilot is providing, which is a single pane of glass, so I don't have to go to different windows. That's just a workflow consideration for me. It would be great to have all the information centralized into one particular data app. If I need to open up extra ones, I can, however, I would appreciate a future where everything I need is right there on one single pane of glass. Beyond that, there's really nothing else I see that I would want Microsoft to improve.

Read full review

Quotes from Members

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

Pros

"The solution is exceptionally easy to integrate and covers a multitude of cybersecurity issues."

"The comprehensiveness of Microsoft's threat detection is good."

"One of the most valuable features of Microsoft Defender XDR is its ability to provide preemptive reports regarding excessive privileged access."

"The email protection feature is the most valuable because our risks primarily lie there, and it seems to be the most popular target."

"The portal is quite user-friendly. There is integration with Office, Intune, and other products from the same portal. From there, we can see which policies are installed on a particular machine. We also can manage devices, groups, and tagging."

"What I appreciate most about Microsoft Defender XDR is the visibility it provides through a breakdown of incidents that come through."

"Microsoft Defender XDR has significantly improved our operational security."

"Vulnerability assessment and just-in-time access are some valuable features of Defender for server plans."

"Its most significant advantage lies in its affordability."

More Microsoft Defender XDR pros

Cons

"The solution's security awareness training and phishing are very United States-focused and don't work very well in Australia."

"Just like in any solution, the price can always be cheaper."

"Defender XDR could provide recommendations for threat-hunting queries. Some people do not know how to write an advanced threat query, so we need to spend time training them."

"Microsoft could improve on threat hunting and build more on threat detection and handling. The cybersecurity and cloud security posture features are a bit lesser than standard security products."

"It would be highly beneficial if CoPilot could identify anomalies within the network and notify the IT team."

"Automated playbooks and automated dashboards would be preferable to the way the data is currently being presented."

"The cost can be high if you want to build custom license packages. Another area for improvement is the policies. In Azure, we need to implement policies in JSON format, but in 365 Defender 365, it would be helpful to use a different format so we can customize the platform."

"The tool gives inconsistent answers and crashes a lot."

"Defender also lacks automated detection and response. You need to resolve issues manually. You can manage multiple Microsoft security products from a single portal, and all your security recommendations are in one place. It's easy to understand and manage. However, I wouldn't say Defender is a single pane of glass. You still need to switch between all of the available Microsoft tools. You can see all the alerts in one panel, but you can't automate remediation."

More Microsoft Defender XDR cons

Pricing and Cost Advice

"I like Guardz's pricing model because it's very cost-effective and has no long-term commitments."

"There are no issues with pricing, but sometimes, the clarity in licensing is a concern."

"It has consistently offered highly appealing academic pricing, with distinct rates for higher education and general educational purposes."

"Microsoft purposely makes its license combinations complex and includes combinations like Microsoft 365 E3 and Microsoft 365 E5, Office 365 E3, Office 365 E5, and Office 365 E1, so you get confused. Microsoft tries to sell you a bundle of a lot of things together."

"The license cost for a year is approximately forty-four thousand, and this annual saving is a significant factor in our decision to switch."

"The pricing of Microsoft 365 Defender is definitely on the costly side, but with the features and services that Microsoft provides, such as the seamless integration of all the Defender tools, while the price is on the higher side, there is no alternative."

"Microsoft Defender XDR is already included in our Office 365 licensing. It is better because we're saving money by using it."

"It can be complex to navigate since customers have varying licensing agreements across Microsoft. If they go straightforward with E5 for all users, it's simple, but combinations based on budget constraints can complicate things."

"Microsoft is not competitive with the pricing of the solution. The competitors are able to offer lower discounts. The price of the solution is higher."

More Microsoft Defender XDR pricing and cost advice

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Top Industries

By visitors reading reviews

Educational Organization

12%

Comms Service Provider

10%

Media Company

Performing Arts

Computer Software Company

13%

Financial Services Firm

Manufacturing Company

Comms Service Provider

Company Size

By reviewers

Large Enterprise

Midsize Enterprise

Small Business

No data available

By reviewers
Company Size	Count
Small Business	47
Midsize Enterprise	25
Large Enterprise	38

Questions from the Community

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What do you like most about Microsoft 365 Defender?

Microsoft Defender XDR provides strong identity protection with comprehensive insights into risky user behavior and potential indicators of compromise.

See all answers

What is your experience regarding pricing and costs for Microsoft 365 Defender?

My experience with pricing, setup, costs, and licensing of Microsoft Defender XDR is tied to our E5 subscription, which is very straightforward for us. We also purchase the uplift for our mobile us...

See all answers

What needs improvement with Microsoft 365 Defender?

I am not aware of a mobile app that would be available for my team. With a single analyst, if she is ever away, it would be beneficial to have easier access. While she can use the web portal, the e...

See all answers

Comparisons

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Compared 22% of the time

Huntress Managed ITDR vs Guardz

Compared 18% of the time

Avanan vs Guardz

Compared 12% of the time

Huntress Managed EDR vs Guardz

Compared 11% of the time

Cynet vs Guardz

Compared 11% of the time

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Compared 11% of the time

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Compared 8% of the time

Microsoft Defender for Cloud vs Microsoft Defender XDR

Compared 6% of the time

Microsoft Defender for Endpoint vs Microsoft Defender XDR

Compared 4% of the time

TrendAI Vision One vs Microsoft Defender XDR

Compared 4% of the time

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Product Reports

Buyer's Guide

Email Security

January 2026

Download Guardz product report

Buyer's Guide

Microsoft Defender XDR

January 2026

Download Microsoft Defender XDR product report

Also Known As

No data available

Microsoft 365 Defender, Microsoft Threat Protection, MS 365 Defender

Overview

Guardz delivers robust cybersecurity solutions tailored for businesses seeking reliable and efficient security measures without compromise.

Guardz is specifically designed for businesses looking for dependable digital protection. It integrates advanced threat detection and prevention technologies, ensuring improved cyber resilience. Guardz is a preferable choice for organizations of all sizes, offering a comprehensive security suite that addresses potential vulnerabilities and enhances data protection efficiently.

What are Guardz's most valuable features?

Adaptive Threat Detection: Continuously monitors and identifies emerging threats, adapting to new challenges in real-time.
Data Encryption: Offers strong encryption to protect sensitive data against unauthorized access.
Access Control: Provides multi-layered access control mechanisms to ensure only authorized personnel can access critical systems.

What benefits and ROI should users look for in reviews?

Enhanced Security Posture: Users will notice an immediate improvement in their comprehensive security management.
Cost-Efficiency: Reduced operational costs through efficient threat management and proactive maintenance.
Scalability: Easily adapts to growing business needs without a significant increase in expenditure.

In industries like finance and healthcare, Guardz is implemented to counter sophisticated attacks, protecting client data and maintaining regulatory compliance. Retail sectors use Guardz to secure online transactions, ensuring customer data remains protected from breaches and fraud.

Guardz

Microsoft Defender XDR is a comprehensive security solution designed to protect against threats in the Microsoft 365 environment.

It offers robust security measures, comprehensive threat detection capabilities, and an efficient incident response system. With seamless integration with other Microsoft products and a user-friendly interface, it simplifies security management tasks.

Users have found it effective in detecting and preventing various types of attacks, such as phishing attempts, malware infections, and data breaches.

Watch the Microsoft demo video here: Microsoft Defender XDR demo video.

Microsoft

Sample Customers

Information Not Available

Accenture, Deloitte, ExxonMobil, General Electric, IBM, Johnson & Johnson and many others.

Buyer's Guide

Endpoint Detection and Response (EDR)

January 2026

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