Microsoft Defender for Business vs WatchGuard EPDR comparison

Microsoft and WatchGuard are both solutions in the Endpoint Protection Platform (EPP) category. Microsoft is ranked #18 with an average rating of 7.5, while WatchGuard is ranked #10 with an average rating of 8.8. Microsoft holds a 2.0% mindshare in EPP, compared to WatchGuard’s 2.1% mindshare. Additionally, 88% of Microsoft users are willing to recommend the solution, compared to 96% of WatchGuard users who would recommend it.

Microsoft Defender for Busi...

Read 20 Microsoft Defender for Business reviews

4,629 Views
3,425 Comparison Views

88% willing to recommend

WatchGuard EPDR

Read 37 WatchGuard EPDR reviews

5,078 Views
3,809 Comparison Views

96% willing to recommend

Microsoft Defender for Busi...

WatchGuard EPDR

Comparison Buyer's Guide

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Executive SummaryUpdated on Jan 25, 2026

Microsoft Defender for Business and WatchGuard EPDR compete in the cybersecurity solutions category. Microsoft Defender for Business appears to have an upper hand for users within the Microsoft ecosystem due to its superior integration capabilities.

Features: Microsoft Defender for Business offers integrated EDR, AI-powered threat detection, and coordination with Microsoft Sentinel for enhanced efficiency. WatchGuard EPDR provides robust endpoint protection, effective patch management, and user-friendly simplicity, appealing to non-specialists.

Room for Improvement: Microsoft Defender for Business could improve in reporting, URL filtering, and simplifying integration with non-Microsoft services. WatchGuard EPDR would benefit from better DNS security, enhanced reporting, and handling false positives efficiently.

Ease of Deployment and Customer Service: Microsoft Defender for Business supports cloud, on-premises, and hybrid deployment but faces technical support challenges. WatchGuard EPDR primarily offers cloud-based deployment with the need to improve seamless software rollouts across devices.

Pricing and ROI: Microsoft Defender for Business, bundled with Microsoft 365, offers cost-effectiveness with integrated features, though additional features raise costs. WatchGuard EPDR is competitively priced and provides significant ROI due to its comprehensive security suite, making it suitable for businesses of all sizes.

To learn more, read our detailed Microsoft Defender for Business vs. WatchGuard EPDR Report (Updated: December 2025).

Buyer's Guide

Microsoft Defender for Business vs. WatchGuard EPDR

December 2025

Download the complete report

Helped 881,082 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:

ROI

Sentiment score

6.1

Microsoft Defender for Business improves security, enhances productivity, and reduces costs but may have delays in financial returns.

Sentiment score

3.7

WatchGuard EPDR optimizes operations, reduces costs, enhances security, and provides efficient endpoint management, especially valued in Latin America and schools.

Using Microsoft Defender for Business results in cost reductions as it consolidates various features under one product, saving around 20% to 30% of the budget.

Murali Gummadi

Consultant at Dell Technologies

The value I see in Microsoft Defender for Business is in its ability to track and respond to application usage and security threats through its CASB and automation features, which are cost-beneficial.

Amit-Granot

Works

For more quotes and insights, download the Microsoft Defender for Business report

I can say that knowing you have a product like WatchGuard EPDR that's working 24/7 to help protect students in a school is good for ROI.

Simon-Walker

IT Manager at Redeemer Baptist School

For more quotes and insights, download the WatchGuard EPDR report

Customer Service

Sentiment score

5.2

Microsoft Defender for Business support is efficient but inconsistent, with variable responsiveness and differing opinions on staff knowledge and resolution times.

Sentiment score

6.2

WatchGuard EPDR's customer service is praised for knowledge and resolution speed, but some experience inefficiencies and availability issues.

It is rated ten out of ten for its quality and assistance.

Nay San

Solution Consultant at BIM Group of Companies

The onboarding support is exceptional, ensuring seamless integration and implementation.

Anat Garty

Chief Cybersecurity Architect at cytek-security

Faster support is needed for endpoint security solutions.

Amit-Granot

Works

For more quotes and insights, download the Microsoft Defender for Business report

They create a case, tell me to refer to articles, and if not resolved, they take a remote session to solve the issue.

Victor Massey

Solution Architect at Simvicitsolutions

Technical support for Panda Adaptive Defense 360 is provided by the reseller, and they also do preventive maintenance yearly.

Norlia Jalani

Section Head, Information Technology at a transportation company with 201-500 employees

The technical support from WatchGuard would rate at about an eight on a scale of 1 to 10, where one is the worst technical support and 10 is the best technical support.

Dewald Vermaak

Citrix Solutions Architect at Digital Generation

For more quotes and insights, download the WatchGuard EPDR report

Scalability Issues

Sentiment score

7.6

Microsoft Defender for Business offers scalable, cloud-driven security for diverse organizations, adaptable to various configurations and endpoint quantities.

Sentiment score

7.6

WatchGuard EPDR offers excellent scalability and integration, efficiently supporting diverse users across platforms, particularly small to medium businesses.

The cloud-based nature of the solution ensures high scalability.

Nay San

Solution Consultant at BIM Group of Companies

The scalability of Microsoft Defender for Business is rated as ten, indicating it is very scalable.

Murali Gummadi

Consultant at Dell Technologies

In terms of scalability, I would rate Microsoft Defender for Business a ten.

Takayuki-Umehara

Public Cloud Engineer at Prudential

For more quotes and insights, download the Microsoft Defender for Business report

WatchGuard EPDR is very competitive regarding its scalability.

Dewald Vermaak

Citrix Solutions Architect at Digital Generation

For more quotes and insights, download the WatchGuard EPDR report

Stability Issues

Sentiment score

7.2

Microsoft Defender for Business is highly rated for stability, despite minor errors and complexity issues not significantly impacting confidence.

Sentiment score

8.3

WatchGuard EPDR and Panda Security Adaptive Defense are stable, with high user satisfaction, minor update issues, and effective malware detection.

No customer complaints about its functionality or reliability.

Nay San

Solution Consultant at BIM Group of Companies

Although it generally works, there are occasional issues and errors that sometimes require a complete system format to rectify.

Amit-Granot

Works

I would rate the stability of Microsoft Defender for Business with a three out of ten, where one is very bad.

Takayuki-Umehara

Public Cloud Engineer at Prudential

For more quotes and insights, download the Microsoft Defender for Business report

It is very stable with no hanging problems.

Victor Massey

Solution Architect at Simvicitsolutions

WatchGuard EPDR is a very stable solution and is not resource intensive.

Dewald Vermaak

Citrix Solutions Architect at Digital Generation

The stability is approximately a seven to eight out of ten.

reviewer2562924

IT System Support Administrator at a non-profit with 501-1,000 employees

For more quotes and insights, download the WatchGuard EPDR report

Room For Improvement

Microsoft Defender for Business needs improved reporting, threat protection, support, and integration, with attention to pricing and update communication.

WatchGuard EPDR needs improved integration, data protection, intuitive administration, DNS security, stability, deployment, reporting, and lower processor load.

Microsoft should provide batch management solutions with the application, integrating pass management with roles.

Nay San

Solution Consultant at BIM Group of Companies

Features related to Advanced Persistent Threat detection vectors and cyber kill chain integrations are not available out-of-the-box.

KiranKumar17

CISO at a financial services firm with 11-50 employees

There can be improvements in the user interface to make it more intuitive.

Wondimu Almu

Information Technology Security Consultant at Navaio IT Security

For more quotes and insights, download the Microsoft Defender for Business report

Panda Adaptive Defense 360 is not compatible with certain network devices like access points, switches, or routers, which would be an area for improvement.

reviewer2562924

IT System Support Administrator at a non-profit with 501-1,000 employees

Other firewalls allow adding categories and in-app controls which WatchGuard currently lacks.

Victor Massey

Solution Architect at Simvicitsolutions

An area for improvement would be the software deployment to seamlessly deploy software packages across multiple machines simultaneously.

Dewald Vermaak

Citrix Solutions Architect at Digital Generation

For more quotes and insights, download the WatchGuard EPDR report

Setup Cost

Microsoft Defender for Business offers integrated security in Office 365, with competitive pricing but some note higher costs than competitors.

WatchGuard EPDR offers flexible subscription pricing that's seen as reasonable, with advanced features justifying higher costs.

Single-year pricing remains good.

Nay San

Solution Consultant at BIM Group of Companies

The pricing is quite affordable at the enterprise level with no extra expenses noted.

Murali Gummadi

Consultant at Dell Technologies

Although the cost can be slightly higher, it expedites deployment, which is beneficial, especially for startups.

KiranKumar17

CISO at a financial services firm with 11-50 employees

For more quotes and insights, download the Microsoft Defender for Business report

It is worth the money and provides good return on investment.

reviewer2649315

Works

The pricing is slightly high, but the product quality justifies it.

Victor Massey

Solution Architect at Simvicitsolutions

Regarding pricing, I am not sure because I did not compare it with other antivirus; maybe it is pricey.

Norlia Jalani

Section Head, Information Technology at a transportation company with 201-500 employees

For more quotes and insights, download the WatchGuard EPDR report

Valuable Features

Microsoft Defender for Business provides robust, scalable security with seamless Azure integration and effective threat management at a cost-effective price.

WatchGuard EPDR simplifies threat detection and enhances IT productivity with advanced search, real-time insights, and robust endpoint protection.

The threat detection capabilities are robust, with a dedicated research team and a continuously updated threat feed.

Wondimu Almu

Information Technology Security Consultant at Navaio IT Security

Its vulnerability management is regarded as one of the best in the industry.

Nay San

Solution Consultant at BIM Group of Companies

The most effective features of Microsoft Defender for Business include its threat detection and response capabilities in managing vulnerabilities and ransomware attacks.

Murali Gummadi

Consultant at Dell Technologies

For more quotes and insights, download the Microsoft Defender for Business report

The cloud of WatchGuard lets me see all my devices, updating me to minute levels with detailed information, such as patch status and vulnerabilities.

Victor Massey

Solution Architect at Simvicitsolutions

The detection capabilities for malicious activities are effective.

reviewer2562924

IT System Support Administrator at a non-profit with 501-1,000 employees

The EDR has a high accuracy rate with only a few false positives.

reviewer2649315

Works

For more quotes and insights, download the WatchGuard EPDR report

Categories and Ranking

Microsoft Defender for Busi...

Ranking in Endpoint Protection Platform (EPP)

18th

Average Rating

7.8

Reviews Sentiment

6.6

Number of Reviews

Ranking in other categories

Microsoft Security Suite (16th)

WatchGuard EPDR

Ranking in Endpoint Protection Platform (EPP)

10th

Average Rating

8.4

Reviews Sentiment

6.8

Number of Reviews

Ranking in other categories

Endpoint Detection and Response (EDR) (13th)

Mindshare comparison

As of January 2026, in the Endpoint Protection Platform (EPP) category, the mindshare of Microsoft Defender for Business is 2.0%, up from 1.9% compared to the previous year. The mindshare of WatchGuard EPDR is 2.1%, up from 1.7% compared to the previous year. It is calculated based on PeerSpot user engagement data.

Endpoint Protection Platform (EPP) Market Share Distribution
Product	Market Share (%)
WatchGuard EPDR	2.1%
Microsoft Defender for Business	2.0%
Other	95.9%

Endpoint Protection Platform (EPP)

Featured Reviews

Takayuki-Umehara

Public Cloud Engineer at Prudential

Product deployment protects assets but needs improvement in system support

I am doing maintenance for Microsoft Defender for Business, and I'm currently working with it. We don't need to use the latest version of Microsoft Defender for Business. We still use the latest virus definition file that Microsoft Defender for Business has automatically updated. We implement a basic update mechanism. Our compliance division manages how many servers and PCs we have and whether those servers have antivirus solutions. I am not certain about how Microsoft Defender for Business helps with AI-driven security strategies. I just use it normally and don't know if it uses AI technology. I rate Microsoft Defender for Business a six out of ten.

Read full review

Norlia Jalani

Section Head, Information Technology at a transportation company with 201-500 employees

Using cloud-based console for software inventory management and email alerts

I have no idea if I use some automation functions. I can't find any disadvantages; maybe that is because many companies haven't used it. I would prefer to see some features such as AI in antivirus solutions. I appreciate reporting, but it could be better with monthly reporting or auto-generated monthly reports.

Read full review

See which vendors are best for you

Use our free recommendation engine to learn which Endpoint Protection Platform (EPP) solutions are best for your needs.

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881,082 professionals have used our research since 2012.

Top Industries

By visitors reading reviews

Computer Software Company

17%

Comms Service Provider

Government

Financial Services Firm

Comms Service Provider

12%

Computer Software Company

12%

Manufacturing Company

Hospitality Company

Company Size

By reviewers

Large Enterprise

Midsize Enterprise

Small Business

By reviewers
Company Size	Count
Small Business	15
Midsize Enterprise	2
Large Enterprise	4

By reviewers
Company Size	Count
Small Business	26
Midsize Enterprise	8
Large Enterprise	2

Questions from the Community

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

Our thoughts on the pricing for Microsoft Defender for Business are that we wish it could be better. If the pricing was a little better, we would definitely increase what we currently have.

See all answers

What needs improvement with Microsoft Defender for Business?

I see room for improvement in Microsoft Defender for Business, particularly regarding the consolidation of all security solutions in one place and the integration of AI and data security into the s...

See all answers

What advice do you have for others considering Microsoft Defender for Business?

I would rate this product an eight out of ten.

See all answers

What do you like most about WatchGuard EPDR?

The product's most valuable features are the zero-trust application service and its capability to detect threats and attacks.

See all answers

What is your experience regarding pricing and costs for WatchGuard EPDR?

The price of the solution is okay. It's all right.

See all answers

What needs improvement with WatchGuard EPDR?

I would not be able to say what areas of WatchGuard EPDR have improved, as I do not work with the product myself so much anymore. I just used to assist with installation and deployment, especially ...

See all answers

Comparisons

HP Wolf Security vs Microsoft Defender for Business

Compared 15% of the time

Microsoft Defender for Office 365 vs Microsoft Defender for Business

Compared 12% of the time

Trend Micro Worry-Free Services Suites vs Microsoft Defender for Business

Compared 6% of the time

Microsoft Defender XDR vs Microsoft Defender for Business

Compared 4% of the time

Intercept X Endpoint vs Microsoft Defender for Business

Compared 3% of the time

More Microsoft Defender for Business Competitors

Microsoft Defender for Endpoint vs WatchGuard EPDR

Compared 11% of the time

ESET Endpoint Protection Platform vs WatchGuard EPDR

Compared 7% of the time

CrowdStrike Falcon vs WatchGuard EPDR

Compared 6% of the time

Kaspersky Endpoint Security for Business vs WatchGuard EPDR

Compared 4% of the time

Bitdefender GravityZone EDR vs WatchGuard EPDR

Compared 3% of the time

More WatchGuard EPDR Competitors

Product Reports

Buyer's Guide

Microsoft Defender for Business

January 2026

Download Microsoft Defender for Business product report

Buyer's Guide

WatchGuard EPDR

January 2026

Download WatchGuard EPDR product report

Also Known As

No data available

Panda Adaptive Defense 360

Overview

Microsoft Defender for Business is a new endpoint security solution that was designed especially for the small and medium-sized business (up to 300 employees). With this endpoint security solution, your company's devices are better protected from ransomware, malware, phishing, and other threats.

Microsoft

EDR for continuous monitoring that prevents the execution of unknown processes. Behavioral analysis and detection of IoAs (indicators of attack) scripts, macros, etc.
Automatic detection and response for targeted attacks and in-memory exploits. Endpoint protection capabilities such as URL filtering, device control and managed firewall.
Zero-Trust Application and Threat Hunting features delivered as managed services. Lightweight agent and easy-to-use Cloud-based console with detailed reporting.

WatchGuard

Sample Customers

Information Not Available

Indra, Valea AB, Fineit, Aemcom, Data Solutions INC., Gloucestershire NHS, Golden Star Resources Ltd, Hispania Racing Team, Instituto Dos Museus e da ConserÊo, Escuelas Pias Provincia Emaus, Axiom Housing Association, Municipality of Bjuv, Lesedi Nuclear, Mullsj_ municipality, Eng. skolan Norr AB, Dalakraft AB, Peter Green Haulage Ltd

Buyer's Guide

Microsoft Defender for Business vs. WatchGuard EPDR

December 2025

Free Report: Microsoft Defender for Business vs. WatchGuard EPDR

Find out what your peers are saying about Microsoft Defender for Business vs. WatchGuard EPDR and other solutions. Updated: December 2025.

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