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Microsoft Defender Vulnerability Management vs Tenable Vulnerability Management comparison

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Comparison Buyer's Guide

Executive SummaryUpdated on Oct 9, 2024

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
5.5
Qualys TotalCloud boosts efficiency, reduces manual effort, decreases risk, and offers significant cost savings with a notable ROI.
Sentiment score
4.4
Microsoft Defender's financial benefits are unclear, best within E5 suite, and difficult to assess against AWS for mixed solution users.
Sentiment score
6.5
Tenable Vulnerability Management reduces operational costs by automating processes, providing insights, and integrating metrics for long-term ROI benefits.
It has saved about 90% of our time.
Senior Consultant at a consultancy with 10,001+ employees
TotalCloud has generated overall savings of 30 to 40 percent across various departments.
Security Manager at a consultancy with 10,001+ employees
CallStream helps us integrate and automate tasks.
Senior Security Consultant at CyberNxt Solutions LLP
Organizations typically do not rely solely on Microsoft products to avoid putting all eggs in one basket, which presents a challenge for maximizing ROI.
Cloud Security Engineer at a computer software company with 51-200 employees
As a Microsoft partner, we receive significant discounts, making the solution affordable for us.
COO at Floating-Dot Technology LTD
 

Customer Service

Sentiment score
7.4
Qualys TotalCloud support is praised for efficiency and staff knowledge but criticized for delays and inconsistent quality.
Sentiment score
6.1
Microsoft Defender Vulnerability Management receives mixed reviews, highlighting expertise gaps and communication delays but valued for friendly assistance.
Sentiment score
6.1
Tenable's customer support receives mixed reviews, with varying experiences in response times, expertise, and accessibility ratings.
They are helpful, respond to my queries, and can answer any question.
Developer at a consultancy with 10,001+ employees
Qualys's tech support is highly responsive, providing multiple ways to interact with them.
Service Manager, Security Operations at CDA IT SOLUTIONS
Qualys' customer service provides quality answers, but the response time is long, even though it is within the SLA.
Works at a consultancy with 10,001+ employees
They are sometimes responsive, however, often issues cannot be reproduced on their end, making it challenging.
Security Specialist at Prudential Systems Japan
The support we receive from Microsoft is declining, and for example, after taking advanced support, we have not received satisfactory answers.
Microsoft Solutions Manager at Self-Employed
They are familiar with Microsoft products but are not direct Microsoft staff, which is an area needing improvement.
Cloud Security Engineer at a computer software company with 51-200 employees
It needs improvement in response time and addressing feature requests promptly.
Infrastructure patching Manager at a manufacturing company with 1,001-5,000 employees
The technical support of Tenable Vulnerability Management is available 24/7, and whenever we require support, we can get it within five minutes.
Windows Security Patching Operation III (Cyber Operations) at CBTS
We had used Tenable's expert support services in order to make sure that we run Tenable Vulnerability Management on a continuous basis and are able to utilize their services.
Deputy Global Chief Information Security Officer at Nissan Digital
 

Scalability Issues

Sentiment score
7.8
Qualys TotalCloud excels in scalability, efficiently supporting diverse environments and business sizes, though it may require skilled management.
Sentiment score
7.0
Microsoft Defender Vulnerability Management is lauded for scalability and integration across environments, though some users seek improved documentation.
Sentiment score
7.6
Tenable Vulnerability Management is scalable and user-friendly, but licensing issues may affect expansion benefits for some enterprises.
We started our organization about nine months back. We started with about 30 users, and we now have more than 100 users.
CIO at a venture capital & private equity firm with 11-50 employees
Our organization currently uses it to manage over 1200 web applications.
Analyst, Information Security at Infosys
It is absolutely scalable, and I would rate its scalability as nine out of ten.
retired at a consultancy with 10,001+ employees
The integration is straightforward for those who understand it, though documentation needs improvement.
Cloud Security Engineer at a computer software company with 51-200 employees
It is scalable; I evaluated the product and decided to use Defender on over 700 of our company servers.
Security Specialist at Prudential Systems Japan
They can seamlessly scale the number of endpoints from 100 to 1,000,000 in a day.
Infrastructure patching Manager at a manufacturing company with 1,001-5,000 employees
Tenable Vulnerability Management is highly scalable.
Windows Security Patching Operation III (Cyber Operations) at CBTS
With the growing needs of our company, Tenable Vulnerability Management is able to safely adapt.
Deputy Global Chief Information Security Officer at Nissan Digital
 

Stability Issues

Sentiment score
8.3
Qualys TotalCloud is highly stable with reliable support, 99.9% uptime, minimal bugs, and effective maintenance communication.
Sentiment score
6.7
Microsoft Defender Vulnerability Management is appreciated for stability and ease despite resource intensity and occasional compatibility issues.
Sentiment score
8.1
Tenable Vulnerability Management is praised for stability and high performance, with reliable scans and strong overall satisfaction ratings.
Overall, the support provided has been excellent.
Analyst, Information Security at Infosys
It is a stable solution, which is why we chose it.
CIO at a venture capital & private equity firm with 11-50 employees
Continuous monitoring is crucial to ensure system stability and avoid vulnerabilities or threats.
Developer at a consultancy with 10,001+ employees
There are compatibility issues occasionally arising with false positives when other security tools are not whitelisted in Microsoft Defender.
information Security and IT Manager at Discover Dollar Technologies Pvt Ltd.
It is very resource-intensive, consuming a lot of memory and CPU.
Security Specialist at Prudential Systems Japan
If Microsoft experiences downtime, this solution goes down as it is a SaaS-based solution where we have no control.
Cloud Security Engineer at a computer software company with 51-200 employees
I have faced no stability issues with Tenable.
Infrastructure patching Manager at a manufacturing company with 1,001-5,000 employees
The stability is commendable, and I would rate Tenable ten out of ten.
Technical Lead at a healthcare company with 10,001+ employees
The stability of Tenable Vulnerability Management is highly reliable.
Windows Security Patching Operation III (Cyber Operations) at CBTS
 

Room For Improvement

Users suggest enhancing Qualys TotalCloud with clearer reports, better integration, intuitive UI, AI risk assessments, and improved documentation.
Microsoft Defender Vulnerability Management needs simplified configuration, better integration, faster updates, and advanced features for improved security and efficiency.
Tenable users face setup challenges, high pricing, and demand better customization, integration, support, and features with clearer licensing.
Ideally, the scanner should automatically detect and scan all subdomains, even if not explicitly defined, ensuring comprehensive vulnerability assessment.
Analyst, Information Security at Infosys
Ideally, updates should be more immediate, enabling quicker implementation of solutions.
Project Lead at Persistent Systems
Our goal is to integrate all these functions into Qualys, creating a single dashboard for comprehensive security monitoring and management.
Senior Information Security Engineer at a consultancy with 10,001+ employees
This scoring should be for specific industries as well. If I belong to the healthcare industry using Microsoft Defender Vulnerability Management, it should provide me with a risk score and show how I fare against the risk score of my industry.
DGM. Technical Security at a tech services company with 10,001+ employees
A vulnerability I patch within 15 minutes takes 24 additional hours for an update.
information Security and IT Manager at Discover Dollar Technologies Pvt Ltd.
The product is not stable; it often uses excessive memory and CPU, which makes it slow.
Security Specialist at Prudential Systems Japan
They should also accelerate the process of implementing new features upon request.
Infrastructure patching Manager at a manufacturing company with 1,001-5,000 employees
I would suggest HP WebInspect as a better option than Tenable.io.
Technical Lead at a healthcare company with 10,001+ employees
Tenable Vulnerability Management is not very effective for real-time risk prioritization for our organization's security strategy.
Windows Security Patching Operation III (Cyber Operations) at CBTS
 

Setup Cost

Qualys TotalCloud's pricing is high yet justified by comprehensive features and flexibility, benefiting larger enterprises seeking robust security.
Microsoft Defender Vulnerability Management offers competitive pricing in industry, though costs can be complex, especially for non-partners.
Tenable's Vulnerability Management is costly, ranging from $2,300 to $137,000, often pricier than competitors, but suitable for large enterprises.
Qualys TotalCloud's pricing is currently acceptable, it is becoming increasingly expensive.
Senior Manager at a financial services firm with 10,001+ employees
Pricing is managed by our finance team; however, Qualys TotalCloud offers cost-effective licensing flexibility.
IT Manager at a consultancy with 10,001+ employees
Qualys TotalCloud is expensive, but it offers a premier solution with no headaches.
Vice President at Inspira Enterprise
Overall, every organization wishes for cheaper options, but we look at the security side as well, so we are good for now.
Senior Cloud Security Consultant at MetLife
For non-partners, however, the cost could be seen as higher, between seven to ten.
COO at Floating-Dot Technology LTD
The pricing is reasonable, and it's included in the whole Microsoft E5 bundle, so it's all-inclusive.
Corporate Planner at MISC Berhad
Tenable charges around $40 per device, while Rapid7 costs $10 to $15 per device.
Infrastructure patching Manager at a manufacturing company with 1,001-5,000 employees
I would not say very expensive for Tenable Vulnerability Management; it is not prohibitive, but at the same time, there are some other tools in the marketplace which are offering the same kind of services that Tenable offers, the same kind of features that Tenable has offered at a lesser cost.
Deputy Global Chief Information Security Officer at Nissan Digital
 

Valuable Features

Qualys TotalCloud offers comprehensive vulnerability detection, cloud security management, and automation with insightful dashboards for efficient threat management.
Microsoft Defender offers asset discovery, real-time intelligence, seamless integration, risk prioritization, continuous monitoring, and proactive remediation with AI capabilities.
Tenable Vulnerability Management excels in container scanning, cloud integration, and visibility, enhancing efficiency, compliance, and overall security posture.
This view of risk helps reduce the work we would have to do to combine multiple sources to prioritize risk.
Works at a consultancy with 10,001+ employees
It will help cybersecurity professionals monitor the cloud and find vulnerabilities.
Developer at a consultancy with 10,001+ employees
We are enjoying the new feature, FlexScan, which is valuable for Internet-facing VMs.
Senior Consultant at a consultancy with 10,001+ employees
The main advantage of Microsoft Defender Vulnerability Management is that it can locate and prevent most threats even when the endpoints are not connected to the corporate network, as long as the internet is available.
DGM. Technical Security at a tech services company with 10,001+ employees
The feature for customizing to region-specific and domain-specific requirements in healthcare is particularly beneficial.
Cloud Security Engineer at a computer software company with 51-200 employees
The most valuable aspect is the kind of assessment results I get, and the recommendations provided in Microsoft products really help in taking care of the resources.
Senior Cloud Security Consultant at MetLife
Tenable enables vulnerability management through potential AI integration that consolidates efforts and resolves multiple vulnerabilities simultaneously.
Infrastructure patching Manager at a manufacturing company with 1,001-5,000 employees
The main benefit of integration with Tenable Vulnerability Management is that there will be no lack of missing vulnerabilities when it comes to the patching environment.
Windows Security Patching Operation III (Cyber Operations) at CBTS
The main benefits that Tenable Vulnerability Management provides for me as an end user include saving time and money and streamlining processes.
Cyber Security Consultant at a tech vendor with 10,001+ employees
 

Categories and Ranking

Qualys TotalCloud
Sponsored
Ranking in Vulnerability Management
11th
Average Rating
8.6
Reviews Sentiment
7.3
Number of Reviews
39
Ranking in other categories
Container Security (11th), Cloud Workload Protection Platforms (CWPP) (8th), Cloud Security Posture Management (CSPM) (8th), SaaS Security Posture Management (SSPM) (1st), Cloud-Native Application Protection Platforms (CNAPP) (6th)
Microsoft Defender Vulnerab...
Ranking in Vulnerability Management
13th
Average Rating
8.2
Reviews Sentiment
6.4
Number of Reviews
18
Ranking in other categories
Advanced Threat Protection (ATP) (20th), Microsoft Security Suite (17th), Risk-Based Vulnerability Management (6th)
Tenable Vulnerability Manag...
Ranking in Vulnerability Management
9th
Average Rating
8.2
Reviews Sentiment
6.9
Number of Reviews
46
Ranking in other categories
Patch Management (14th), Risk-Based Vulnerability Management (5th)
 

Mindshare comparison

As of June 2026, in the Vulnerability Management category, the mindshare of Qualys TotalCloud is 1.0%, up from 0.9% compared to the previous year. The mindshare of Microsoft Defender Vulnerability Management is 1.6%, down from 3.1% compared to the previous year. The mindshare of Tenable Vulnerability Management is 2.8%, down from 5.5% compared to the previous year. It is calculated based on PeerSpot user engagement data.
Vulnerability Management Mindshare Distribution
ProductMindshare (%)
Tenable Vulnerability Management2.8%
Qualys TotalCloud1.0%
Microsoft Defender Vulnerability Management1.6%
Other94.6%
Vulnerability Management
 

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.
reviewer2770602 - PeerSpot reviewer
Cloud Security Engineer at a computer software company with 51-200 employees
Has helped with regional threat monitoring but needs better documentation and real-time capabilities
The documentation from Microsoft needs significant improvement. The documents are disorganized, with one document linking to another, making the steps unclear and difficult to follow. Regarding updates, it is not truly real-time as it takes between eight to twelve hours for updates to occur. It would be beneficial if updates could happen more quickly, perhaps within 10 minutes to half an hour. Support for integration and documentation needs to be more straightforward. The pricing is expensive, even though it is part of the E5 package.
Chethan Gowda - PeerSpot reviewer
Windows Security Patching Operation III (Cyber Operations) at CBTS
Have maintained accurate vulnerability scans and gained actionable remediation insights across thousands of servers
Tenable Vulnerability Management agents are very lightweight, and the results we get are very accurate. The solutions they provide to us, assuming if one vulnerability exists, there will be a solution. The resolution they give us in wording will be the best solution. The exploit rates and the reports we get provide a lot of information, making it very easy for us to verify.The main benefit of integration with Tenable Vulnerability Management is that there will be no lack of missing vulnerabilities when it comes to the patching environment. That is one of the key aspects of why we have integrated Tenable to our patching tools. It has a vast capacity of pushing the data to our tools due to its capability and compatibility. That is also one of the reasons why we are using Tenable Vulnerability Management.
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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%
Manufacturing Company
10%
Computer Software Company
7%
Government
7%
Financial Services Firm
15%
Manufacturing Company
10%
Computer Software Company
8%
Government
7%
 

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 Business9
Midsize Enterprise2
Large Enterprise8
By reviewers
Company SizeCount
Small Business20
Midsize Enterprise3
Large Enterprise22
 

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...
What needs improvement with Microsoft Defender Vulnerability Management?
Configuration of Microsoft Defender Vulnerability Management is something that needs improvement. In future updates o...
What is your primary use case for Microsoft Defender Vulnerability Management?
I can control the applications using Microsoft Defender Vulnerability Management, which are its best features for me ...
What's the difference between Tenable Nessus and Tenable.io Vulnerability Management?
Tenable Nessus is a vulnerability assessment solution that is both easy to deploy and easy to manage. The design of ...
What needs improvement with Tenable.io Vulnerability Management?
In my opinion, I would like to see additional functions and improvements. Something related to AI would be a good add...
What advice do you have for others considering Tenable.io Vulnerability Management?
I have purchased a license directly from Tenable, so I am working directly with Tenable and not through partners. My ...
 

Also Known As

Qualys TotalCloud with FlexScan
No data available
Tenable.io
 

Overview

 

Sample Customers

Information Not Available
Information Not Available
Global Payments AU/NZ
Find out what your peers are saying about Microsoft Defender Vulnerability Management vs. Tenable Vulnerability Management and other solutions. Updated: May 2026.
900,747 professionals have used our research since 2012.