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Microsoft Defender for Cloud vs Qualys Enterprise TruRisk Platform comparison

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Comparison Buyer's Guide

Executive SummaryUpdated on Jan 25, 2026

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

Qualys TotalCloud
Sponsored
Ranking in Cloud-Native Application Protection Platforms (CNAPP)
6th
Average Rating
8.6
Reviews Sentiment
7.3
Number of Reviews
39
Ranking in other categories
Vulnerability Management (11th), Container Security (11th), Cloud Workload Protection Platforms (CWPP) (8th), Cloud Security Posture Management (CSPM) (8th), SaaS Security Posture Management (SSPM) (1st)
Microsoft Defender for Cloud
Ranking in Cloud-Native Application Protection Platforms (CNAPP)
4th
Average Rating
8.0
Reviews Sentiment
6.9
Number of Reviews
89
Ranking in other categories
Vulnerability Management (5th), Container Management (7th), Container Security (4th), Cloud Workload Protection Platforms (CWPP) (1st), Cloud Security Posture Management (CSPM) (4th), Data Security Posture Management (DSPM) (4th), Microsoft Security Suite (7th), Compliance Management (4th), Cloud Detection and Response (CDR) (3rd)
Qualys Enterprise TruRisk P...
Ranking in Cloud-Native Application Protection Platforms (CNAPP)
16th
Average Rating
8.4
Reviews Sentiment
6.0
Number of Reviews
6
Ranking in other categories
Cloud and Data Center Security (10th)
 

Mindshare comparison

As of June 2026, in the Cloud-Native Application Protection Platforms (CNAPP) category, the mindshare of Qualys TotalCloud is 2.0%, up from 1.4% compared to the previous year. The mindshare of Microsoft Defender for Cloud is 7.8%, down from 11.3% compared to the previous year. The mindshare of Qualys Enterprise TruRisk Platform is 0.8%, up from 0.1% compared to the previous year. It is calculated based on PeerSpot user engagement data.
Cloud-Native Application Protection Platforms (CNAPP) Mindshare Distribution
ProductMindshare (%)
Microsoft Defender for Cloud7.8%
Qualys TotalCloud2.0%
Qualys Enterprise TruRisk Platform0.8%
Other89.4%
Cloud-Native Application Protection Platforms (CNAPP)
 

Featured Reviews

RO
IT Security Expert at Alior Bank S.A.
Unified risk scoring has improved our cloud visibility and simplifies remediation priorities
Qualys TotalCloud provides unified vulnerability and threat assessment across both IAS and SaaS. This solution provides a single prioritized view of risk, which helps reduce the work I would have to do. We are no longer based on CVSS; we are based on Qualys risk scoring, which is based on CVSS plus internal findings made by Qualys, and then assigns its own score. The TruRisk insight feature has found a small number of assets with high vulnerability scores, though I am cautious since some information is classified. Qualys TotalCloud has positively impacted our bank's performance, and we have definitely seen benefits after implementing this solution.
RW
Head Of IT at Cirrus Response
Cloud security has cut investigation time and now reveals threats faster but needs simpler oversight
When deploying AI applications, my key security concerns with Microsoft Defender for Cloud are data loss, leakage of data, and guardrails around the actual AI, and I am hoping that this is going to help me put those guardrails in place and identify data exfiltration. Microsoft Defender for Cloud has not helped me manage and secure multi-cloud environments, as we are 100 percent Microsoft and have not really got it in any other environment at all. I am not yet using the unified AI-powered security feature offered by Microsoft Defender for Cloud, but that is coming. I am not yet using the integrated XDR feature of Microsoft Defender for Cloud, but that is coming. I am not yet utilizing the GenAI threat protection features of Microsoft Defender for Cloud. That is also coming and a lot of that will come from learning it here. I have enabled the agentless scanning in my cloud environment with Microsoft Defender for Cloud. Assessing the impact on my workload protection without needing to install agents with Microsoft Defender for Cloud makes it a lot easier, but it also identifies a lot more, which puts more load on me sometimes. I would advise another organization considering Microsoft Defender for Cloud that it is the most logical route to follow if their whole ecosystem is Microsoft. It is easy to implement and it is very self-explanatory when doing it, making sense to just follow the steps as it is too simple, really. I would rate this review a 7.5 out of 10.
PK
VP – Head PM O at Vodafone Idea Ltd.
Governance dashboards have improved risk visibility but still need smarter automated decisions
The governance part is the most prominent area for improvement. We want to have a dashboard with just one click where the KPIs are pre-configured as per the business requirement and those things are monitored on a regular basis to check how things are moving. Governance and high-level management or board level visibility matter the most. We are trying to incorporate artificial models which can take care of many things that are currently taken care of manually or through certain jobs so that they can be automated with the help of AI models or agents. We will progress as the AI model matures with pattern learning and all those things. We want self-decision capabilities. Not just analysis and giving alerts, but even taking decisions of actions and performing those actions. The first step would be to not only alert that there is an issue or threat, but to evaluate the threat itself in generality and suggest something. The second step is where those suggestions will definitely have some good minds working on them, but only if they are suitable will we make it as a learning model. Otherwise, we will discard and modify those things. The second level would be to let the learning model learn and then gradually figure out whether we can delegate the decision in the sense of the action that they can perform, see it and then evaluate whether it is falling in line as per the expectation. This is how we will progress on a use case basis only.

Quotes from Members

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

Pros

"The best part I like is the on-demand scans."
"Qualys TotalCloud's most valuable features are its security capabilities that help identify and mitigate risk factors."
"TotalCloud has been excellent in providing us with immediate access to all the products and features we need, such as CSPM, TruRisk Insights, and compliance reports, including CIS and HIPAA."
"One of Qualys' best features is its categorization, which allows us to see the types of assets, their security postures, and the AI-powered version of the tool."
"I would recommend Qualys TotalCloud to other users because it is cost-efficient and has a good return on investment."
"TotalCloud offers a comprehensive suite of features, including EDR, XDR, and TrueRisk, providing a centralized platform for managing vulnerabilities and security risks."
"Qualys TotalCloud provides a single, prioritized view of risk, reducing the workload associated with consolidating multiple sources for risk prioritization."
"One of the features I appreciate is the ability to generate daily reports without relying on anyone else."
"Our main use cases for Microsoft Defender for Cloud involve scanning PCs."
"I've seen benefits since implementing Microsoft Defender for Cloud. It's easy to manage for our large organization as an endpoint security solution. It integrates well with Office 365 and Windows 11, which is better than before. Patching, updates, and threat protection are all handled together now. Its AI features help predict threats."
"Defender for Cloud has improved our security posture, providing us with a prioritized list of security issues to remedy, which improves our security operations because we know what to tackle first."
"I would rate Microsoft Defender for Cloud a ten out of ten."
"The solution's coordinated detection and response across devices and identities is impressive because it is complete."
"This solution is more cost-effective than some competing products."
"Defender is a robust platform for dealing with many kinds of threats; we're protected from various threats, like viruses, and attacks can be easily minimized with this solution defending our infrastructure."
"The solution is up-to-date with the latest updates and identified threats."
"Qualys Enterprise TruRisk Platform is on the cusp of a lot of new advances that they bring to the table, which is what we also appreciate."
"Qualys offers versatility. It can function both with and without agents, offering flexibility in deployment. Furthermore, it provides comprehensive support for various systems such as Windows Server, Unix servers, and databases, including SQL, Oracle, and others for development."
"The favorite feature of Qualys Enterprise TruRisk Platform is that it provides the whole information of a particular vulnerability, including a comprehensive summary, related CVEs and CVSS score, which helps understand potential risks and allows the output to be exported in various formats like CSV, PDF, or JSON."
"Qualys Enterprise TruRisk Platform is considered a good leader in its field."
"Qualys Enterprise TruRisk Platform was helpful with threat prioritization features for resource allocation, and it played a good role in our analysis and day-to-day monitoring."
"Qualys Enterprise TruRisk Platform is a fantastic tool; it is kind of expensive, but it is indispensable, and it is not something that we can do away with."
 

Cons

"Qualys TotalCloud needs to improve its accuracy for non-Windows operating systems."
"The support is not up to the mark and seems to be overburdened."
"There is room for improvement in the support."
"Qualys' customer service provides quality answers, but the response time is long, even though it is within the SLA."
"There is a lack of data segregation according to criticality or inventory."
"Some major banks and insurance companies require an on-premises solution for comprehensive vulnerability management, which TotalCloud does not offer."
"The cost of Qualys TotalCloud is high and could be more competitive."
"From a downside perspective, the UI is not user-friendly and feels dated compared to other tools like Prisma Cloud."
"So, Azure Security Center fell short from the regulatory compliance point of view, and we had to use one more product."
"Azure Security Center should be more easily understood by a non-technical person. It needs to be simplified and made more user-friendly for a non-technical person."
"It's really hard to get ahold of Microsoft support. When you buy a product, with the M365 portal, you're given the option to chat with somebody, and normally you don't hear back immediately."
"Defender is occasionally unreliable. It isn't 100% efficient in terms of antivirus detection, but it isn't an issue most of the time. It's also somewhat difficult to train new security analysts to use Defender."
"Another thing that could be improved was that they could recommend processes on how to react to alerts, or recommend best practices based on how other organizations do things if they receive an alert about XYZ."
"Although Microsoft Defender for Cloud is based on security, I wish it went beyond providing assessments, reports, and generic steps. More detailed procedures would be helpful, especially for lower-level support staff."
"There are many unknowns with AI applications. AI agents will operate while you're not present, whether you are sleeping or awake, and it's unclear whether there would be any exfiltration of data or how data is being managed."
"With the new Copilot functionality available everywhere, it is challenging to pinpoint areas for improvement. If I put in a lot of thought, I might identify things, but right now, nothing significant pops into my mind, but there is always room for more transparency, especially in pricing."
"There are areas for improvement in their support structure."
"Once we supplied 130 URLs to it for scanning one by one, and it crashed in between. We did not have any clue what happened, so we had to reach out to support."
"The report sometimes inaccurately identifies the corresponding operating system version."
"Compared to Microsoft, there were already advanced tools, so I had seen some drawbacks compared to licensing or technical side."
"The experience with pricing, setup cost, and licensing for Qualys Enterprise TruRisk Platform is expensive."
 

Pricing and Cost Advice

"The cost is high, but it meets our organizational needs."
"TotalCloud's price is about right where I would expect it to be."
"Qualys TotalCloud is expensive, but it offers a premier solution with no headaches."
"The pricing is comparable. It is built into our other product, so I cannot piecemeal it. It is a part of our subscription."
"Qualys TotalCloud is cost-efficient and was selected for its value compared to other products."
"Although Qualys TotalCloud is relatively expensive due to its unique automation features, its cost-effectiveness is rated an eight out of ten, with ten being the most costly."
"Qualys TotalCloud offers competitive pricing given its comprehensive suite of features, including integration, assessment, remediation, and detection capabilities, all within a single platform."
"Qualys TotalCloud is expensive."
"The licensing is straightforward but can become expensive if you cover everything. You must balance the cost against the importance of what needs covering."
"I am not involved much with the pricing but the bundle offering is good."
"Defender's basic version is free, which is good. Many of our teams are evaluating the paid version against third-party products."
"The licensing cost per server is $15 per month."
"The pricing is very difficult because every type of Defender for Cloud has its own metrics and pricing. If you have Cloud for Key Vault, the pricing is different than it is for storage. Every type has its own pricing list and rules."
"While we pay for any additional features, the pricing seems competitive, though I am not involved in the specific cost details."
"Currently, Microsoft offers only one plan at the enterprise level which is $15 per machine."
"The pricing and licensing of Microsoft Defender for Cloud have been good for us. We appreciate the licensing approach based on employee count rather than a big enterprise license."
Information not available
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Top Industries

By visitors reading reviews
Manufacturing Company
18%
Financial Services Firm
14%
Construction Company
7%
Comms Service Provider
7%
Financial Services Firm
12%
Computer Software Company
10%
Manufacturing Company
9%
Government
6%
Comms Service Provider
12%
Construction Company
10%
Manufacturing Company
10%
Financial Services Firm
10%
 

Company Size

By reviewers
Large Enterprise
Midsize Enterprise
Small Business
By reviewers
Company SizeCount
Small Business10
Midsize Enterprise3
Large Enterprise29
By reviewers
Company SizeCount
Small Business31
Midsize Enterprise12
Large Enterprise49
No data available
 

Questions from the Community

What needs improvement with Qualys TotalCloud?
Areas that need improvement in every solution include the remediation part. The remediation steps should be simple en...
What is your primary use case for Qualys TotalCloud?
Our use case involves the assets that we have under cloud, the assets exposed to the internet, and the internal appli...
How is Prisma Cloud vs Azure Security Center for security?
Azure Security Center is very easy to use, integrates well, and gives very good visibility on what is happening acros...
What is your experience regarding pricing and costs for Microsoft Defender for Cloud?
My experience with pricing, setup costs, and licensing was that the license cost was the only consideration. Setup an...
What needs improvement with Microsoft Defender for Cloud?
To improve Microsoft Defender for Cloud, I think pricing-wise, the license price is a little bit higher from an inges...
What is your experience regarding pricing and costs for Qualys Enterprise TruRisk Platform?
The experience with pricing, setup cost, and licensing for Qualys Enterprise TruRisk Platform is expensive. It is def...
What needs improvement with Qualys Enterprise TruRisk Platform?
I think the CTEM part of Qualys Enterprise TruRisk Platform can get better, not that anyone else is doing, but contin...
What is your primary use case for Qualys Enterprise TruRisk Platform?
The major use cases from my side for Qualys Enterprise TruRisk Platform integrate with our VMDR, Qualys VMDR. Basical...
 

Also Known As

Qualys TotalCloud with FlexScan
Microsoft Azure Security Center, Azure Security Center, Microsoft ASC, Azure Defender
Qualys Cloud Platform
 

Interactive Demo

Demo not available
Demo not available
 

Overview

 

Sample Customers

Information Not Available
Microsoft Defender for Cloud is trusted by companies such as ASOS, Vatenfall, SWC Technology Partners, and more.
Information Not Available
Find out what your peers are saying about Microsoft Defender for Cloud vs. Qualys Enterprise TruRisk Platform and other solutions. Updated: April 2026.
900,747 professionals have used our research since 2012.