Microsoft Defender XDR vs Zscaler Client Connector comparison

Microsoft and Zscaler are both solutions in the Endpoint Detection and Response (EDR) category. Microsoft is ranked #7 with an average rating of 8.4, while Zscaler is ranked #33 with an average rating of 8.7. Microsoft holds a 2.6% mindshare in EDR, compared to Zscaler’s 0.5% mindshare. Additionally, 98% of Microsoft users are willing to recommend the solution, compared to 100% of Zscaler users who would recommend it.

Microsoft Defender XDR

Read 106 Microsoft Defender XDR reviews

10,352 Views
5,487 Comparison Views

98% willing to recommend

Zscaler Client Connector

Read 5 Zscaler Client Connector reviews

571 Views
554 Comparison Views

100% willing to recommend

Microsoft Defender XDR

Zscaler Client Connector

Comparison Buyer's Guide

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Executive SummaryUpdated on Nov 2, 2025

Microsoft Defender XDR and Zscaler Client Connector compete in the cybersecurity market, focusing on enhancing security across various endpoints. Microsoft Defender XDR has an edge in pricing and support, while Zscaler Client Connector stands out in feature richness.

Features: Microsoft Defender XDR provides robust threat detection and incident response capabilities, focuses on integration with the Microsoft ecosystem, and offers simplified management within its suite. Zscaler Client Connector provides advanced cloud security features, strong policy enforcement in multi-cloud environments, and strengths in traffic management and zero trust security.

Ease of Deployment and Customer Service: Microsoft Defender XDR benefits from seamless integration within existing Microsoft environments, simplifying deployment and earning praise for technical customer service expertise. Zscaler Client Connector offers a cloud-first deployment model with easy scalability, aligning its customer support with cloud-centric guidance for its core offerings.

Pricing and ROI: Microsoft Defender XDR presents a competitive pricing structure, attractive to organizations invested in Microsoft products, with strong ROI tied to its integration efficiency. Zscaler Client Connector, while potentially more costly upfront, offers significant long-term ROI due to its advanced features and cloud-native advantages, which can lead to substantial operational savings.

To learn more, read our detailed Microsoft Defender XDR vs. Zscaler Client Connector Report (Updated: December 2025).

Buyer's Guide

Microsoft Defender XDR vs. Zscaler Client Connector

December 2025

Download the complete report

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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:

Categories and Ranking

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) (3rd), Microsoft Security Suite (5th)

Zscaler Client Connector

Ranking in Endpoint Detection and Response (EDR)

33rd

Average Rating

8.6

Reviews Sentiment

5.6

Number of Reviews

Ranking in other categories

No ranking in other categories

Mindshare comparison

As of January 2026, in the Endpoint Detection and Response (EDR) category, the mindshare of Microsoft Defender XDR is 2.6%, down from 3.2% compared to the previous year. The mindshare of Zscaler Client Connector is 0.5%, up from 0.1% 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%
Zscaler Client Connector	0.5%
Other	96.9%

Endpoint Detection and Response (EDR)

Featured Reviews

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

Dimitrios Arvanitakis

IT Support Admin at Kuehne+Nagel

Client activity has been monitored efficiently through in-depth log analysis and traffic filtering

I use the Zscaler speed test, and it is very nice. We use some logs from Zscaler Client Connector to collect data and see what is happening, such as if there is an interruption or something. There is a specific tunnel version that we have to use because, depending on the internet provider, some of them have lower speed, so we have some issues. This is because of the provider, not from Zscaler. We use Office 365 services and Office applications, and because some connections are slow and they do not have full coverage from the internet provider, we have some issues. If the speed is slow for Zscaler Client Connector connection, then we have issues because if the speed is not good, then Zscaler Client Connector goes down. This may be because they put some policy. Of course, if you use Office 365 services such as Outlook, the minimum bandwidth is 5 megabits and more, so this causes issues if the users do not have a good remote connection. This depends on the companies and the users, so they need to fix it. This is not from us or our company. It is very useful, and the logs are very helpful. When we go to logs, we understand what is happening.

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 ability to isolate and address viruses is the most valuable feature of Microsoft Defender XDR."

"I like that Defender is easy to use and the alerts are all in one central location."

"I rate Microsoft Defender XDR 10 out of 10."

"In Microsoft 365 vendor products, monitoring and connectivity across all Microsoft and third-party connectors enable viewing of all activity within those environments."

"I like that it's fully integrated with Windows, Microsoft 365 Exchange Online, and Outlook. It is better than other antivirus solutions because it's fully integrated with all Microsoft products. It's easy to integrate them and onboard all Windows devices from SCCM."

"The stability has been great."

"All of the security components are valuable including, antiphishing, antispam, and stage three antivirus."

"The integration, visibility, vulnerability management, and device identification are valuable."

More Microsoft Defender XDR pros

"I'd rate the solution nine out of ten."

"It is very important to see what is happening between the user and the applications that we have, and to filter the traffic from outbound traffic and inside traffic."

"The best features of Zscaler Client Connector are that it gives the client a much more transparent experience, as they don't have to worry about connecting to a VPN."

"It is very useful, and the logs are very helpful; when we go to logs, we understand what is happening."

"The solution operates in the background seamlessly without the user noticing."

"It is very important to see what is happening between the user and the applications that we have, and to filter the traffic from outbound traffic and inside traffic."

"It is very useful, and the logs are very helpful; when we go to logs, we understand what is happening."

"Zscaler Client Connector is quite scalable, and I would rate its scalability as nine or ten out of ten."

More Zscaler Client Connector pros

Cons

"The console is missing some features that would be helpful for a managed services provider, like device and user management."

"The licensing process needs improvement and clarification, as it is currently difficult to understand which features are licensed to which users."

"The support from Microsoft could improve. There are times I have to wait for a response from a qualified specialist."

"At times, there may be delays in the execution of certain actions and their effects."

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

"Microsoft Defender XDR can be improved as a solution because it's still quite costly; it's part of E5, E5 security, so the cost is still quite high, especially considering SME and C customers, or SMB customers."

"There is no common area where we can manage all the policies for the EDR, third-party solutions, devices, servers, Windows, Mac, etc., but it's on the road map, and we ware waiting for that feature."

"The initial time spent setting up and configuring Defender XDR is a bit longer than the other solutions. If everything were on one portal, the platforms for managing policies or alerts would be simpler. We must automate and manage policies on Intune rather than the same portal."

More Microsoft Defender XDR cons

"Zscaler Client Connector is not low in cost; it is definitely on the higher side."

"If the speed is slow for Zscaler Client Connector connection, then we have issues because if the speed is not good, then Zscaler Client Connector goes down."

"There is room for improvement regarding the price of Zscaler Client Connector, as it is one of the most expensive solutions available."

"If the speed is slow for Zscaler Client Connector connection, then we have issues because if the speed is not good, then Zscaler Client Connector goes down."

"The stability of Zscaler Client Connector needs improvement, as it often disconnects and reconnects."

More Zscaler Client Connector cons

Pricing and Cost Advice

"Its licensing and pricing are handled by someone else. My role is limited to incidents or issues with the portal, but you get what you pay for. It is worth the cost."

"It is fairly priced because we get complete integrated services with the E5 license."

"The price of the solution is high compared to others and we have lost some customers because of it."

"All I can say again is the E5 gives you all the capabilities that it offers. It also gives Office 365 and one terabyte of storage. All in all, the E5 license model makes sense. There are some people who say it's quite costly, but rather than paying different vendors, it makes sense to go all in with Microsoft if you've got that licensing. From that perspective, it's cost-effective, but I can't comment much on that."

"Purchasing Microsoft Defender XDR as part of a Microsoft 365 bundle can be cost-effective, but acquiring it as a standalone product may be more expensive."

"We've managed to navigate it effectively through our enterprise agreement, and Microsoft's academic discounts have proven to be quite generous."

"They have moved from a licensing model to pay-per-use... The question is: What happens if, for any reason, there's not enough budget to accept this model? That could be a great problem."

"The licensing fee for Microsoft 365 Defender is fair."

More Microsoft Defender XDR pricing and cost advice

Information not available

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Top Industries

By visitors reading reviews

Computer Software Company

13%

Financial Services Firm

Manufacturing Company

Comms Service Provider

Manufacturing Company

24%

Government

14%

Insurance Company

University

Company Size

By reviewers

Large Enterprise

Midsize Enterprise

Small Business

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

No data available

Questions from the Community

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

What is your experience regarding pricing and costs for Zscaler Client Connector?

Zscaler Client Connector is notably costly, with pricing rated at five out of ten in terms of affordability, reflecting the premium pricing of the solution.

See all answers

What needs improvement with Zscaler Client Connector?

Zscaler continues to strengthen the Zscaler Client Connector by introducing new features and expanding the platform’s capabilities. Their roadmap is mature, and in many areas they are ahead of comp...

See all answers

What is your primary use case for Zscaler Client Connector?

I’m not working directly for Zscaler; I work with a partner organization as a Systems Integrator. Our work is not limited to Zscaler—we support multiple security and networking products. This inclu...

See all answers

Comparisons

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Compared 12% of the time

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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

Microsoft Sentinel vs Microsoft Defender XDR

Compared 3% of the time

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Compared 24% of the time

Tanium vs Zscaler Client Connector

Compared 14% of the time

Trellix Endpoint Security Platform vs Zscaler Client Connector

Compared 12% of the time

SentinelOne Singularity Complete vs Zscaler Client Connector

Compared 8% of the time

More Zscaler Client Connector Competitors

Product Reports

Buyer's Guide

Microsoft Defender XDR

January 2026

Download Microsoft Defender XDR product report

Buyer's Guide

Zscaler Client Connector

January 2026

Download Zscaler Client Connector product report

Also Known As

Microsoft 365 Defender, Microsoft Threat Protection, MS 365 Defender

No data available

Overview

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

Zscaler Client Connector enhances network security by providing seamless access to applications, ensuring a safe and efficient digital experience. It is designed for businesses needing comprehensive protection and optimized resource access within a unified platform.

Organizations deploy Zscaler Client Connector to securely connect users to applications while maintaining robust data protection standards. It eliminates the need for traditional gateways by offering direct-to-cloud security, which enhances performance and reduces complexity. This solution is ideal for remote work environments where secure and efficient application access is required. It simplifies IT infrastructures, allowing businesses to scale without compromising security.

What are the key features of Zscaler Client Connector?

Zero Trust Access: Provides secure connectivity by validating user identities and context.
Cloud Firewall: Ensures robust protection by inspecting all traffic for potential threats.
Bandwidth Control: Manages network resources to optimize application performance.
Seamless User Experience: Integrates smoothly into existing environments with minimal disruption.
Comprehensive Visibility: Offers detailed analytics and reporting for informed decision-making.

What are the benefits users should expect?

Improved Security Posture: Strengthens defenses against cyber threats with advanced protocols.
Cost Efficiency: Reduces operational costs by streamlining IT management and reducing hardware dependencies.
Scalability: Easily adapts to organizational growth or changes in IT requirements.
Enhanced Productivity: Increases workflow efficiency by ensuring secure and rapid access to necessary applications.
Reduced Latency: Direct-to-cloud connectivity minimizes lag and improves user experience.

Zscaler Client Connector is widely adopted across industries such as finance, healthcare, and retail, where secure data transmission and compliance are critical. In finance, it supports secure transactions and data protection. For healthcare, it ensures HIPAA compliance, and in retail, it simplifies secure customer-facing services. Each industry benefits from tailored implementations that address specific security and connectivity challenges.

Zscaler

Sample Customers

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

Information Not Available

Buyer's Guide

Microsoft Defender XDR vs. Zscaler Client Connector

December 2025

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