Microsoft Defender for Endpoint vs Symantec Endpoint Detection and Response comparison

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10,049 views|7,442 comparisons
82% willing to recommend
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39,711 views|31,100 comparisons
94% willing to recommend
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85% willing to recommend
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Executive Summary

We performed a comparison between Microsoft Defender for Endpoint and Symantec Endpoint Detection and Response based on real PeerSpot user reviews.

Find out in this report how the two Endpoint Detection and Response (EDR) solutions compare in terms of features, pricing, service and support, easy of deployment, and ROI.
To learn more, read our detailed Microsoft Defender for Endpoint vs. Symantec Endpoint Detection and Response Report (Updated: March 2024).
770,428 professionals have used our research since 2012.
Featured Review
Quotes From Members
We asked business professionals to review the solutions they use.
Here are some excerpts of what they said:
Pros
"Having all monitoring, response, tracking, and mitigation tools in one dashboard provides our analysts and SOC team with a comprehensive view at a glance.""Exceptions are easy to create and the interface is easy to follow with a nice appearance.""The setup is pretty simple.""The console is easy to read. I also like the scanning part and the ability to move assets from one to the other.""We have FortiEDR installed on all our systems. This protects them from any threats.""This is stable and scalable.""It is a scalable solution...The initial setup of Fortinet FortiEDR was straightforward.""NGAV and EDR features are outstanding."

More Fortinet FortiEDR Pros →

"Microsoft Defender can block some viruses or malware. So, it can protect my files. It can save files on Office 365 OneDrive. I use encryption for some files, then I can recover them from OneDrive.""I like the real-time protection features. Windows Defender will detect if there's a threat like a Trojan or something like that but Kaspersky lets it run normally.""Defender is a part of Windows; you just need to enable it. There is no need to install anything.""We like that it has a free version available.""This is not an inventory solution, but it helps you take count of how many workstations you have, as well as what software is installed on each of them.""Microsoft Defender for Endpoint is scalable. Currently, we have 600,000 users in our organization.""What I found most valuable in Microsoft Defender for Endpoint is that it's out-of-the-box, which brings more value to the customer. The technical support for the product is also one of the best parts, because it's good, in terms of the product knowledge of the technical engineers.""Offers good protection."

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"The Detection vulnerability is very effective.""IPS and the user interface are good features.""The solution is scalable.""In Symantec, we have found that the most important feature is Application and Device Control.""I like Symantec EDR's device control and USB security features.""The most valuable features are that it is easy to connect and global settings are good.""It is very simple to use.""The pricing is good."

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Cons
"It takes about two business days for initial support, which is too slow in urgent situations.""To improve Fortinet, we need to see more features and technology areas at the endpoint level introduced.""There's room for improvement in the quick response time and technical support for integration issues, especially when dealing with multiple vendors.""I would like the solution to extend beyond endpoint protection and include other attack surfaces such as other network components.""We find the solution to be a bit expensive.""ZTNA can improve latency.""FortiEDR can be improved by providing more detailed reporting.""Once, we had an event that was locked and blocked, but information about it came to us two or three days later."

More Fortinet FortiEDR Cons →

"The integration and effectiveness of email security could be better. It's already built-in to the solution and checks emails, scans the links they contain etc.""There could be an increase in security for the solution.""I would like to see online updates for patches for this solution. I would also like to see online information about what is trending in the market in terms of spams, viruses, or trojans. It takes some time to understand how this solution works. A few things are unclear at the beginning, such as whether it actually restricts the virus or spam at the initial stage, or when there is a security update, how will we come to know and how will it get synchronized. It would be really helpful if there is some kind of knowledge base in the form of video, audio, or document that can explain in a user-friendly way the setup, features, risks, and process to mitigate the risks. Currently, I have installed endpoint security for every individual system. I could not install it like other endpoint solutions where we have a server and a client. It would be really helpful if Microsoft Windows Defender has a server-client based model so that I can save some bandwidth when it downloads or uploads features. It will be helpful if we have a LAN-based or WAN-based controlling system.""Integration with third-party vendors could be better. It would be better if it integrates with other protection solutions or other products outside of Microsoft. Nowadays, anti-virus protection doesn't really have to be planned as overall protection for your environment in terms of security. There are really different avenues that bad actors can take to wreak havoc on your machine.""I have accounts for administrators and corporate employees, but I also have accounts for students. I can't split these types of accounts. I need a separate configuration for both... I need to research how I can get alerts for only the administrative machines.""I would like to see fewer pop messages and alerts.""My main issue with the tool is that there are too many menus. This causes a steep learning curve for those without training or unfamiliar with Defender for Endpoint. From an end-user perspective, the solution is there on the machine and does its job; it works seamlessly. However, as a security professional dealing with it behind the scenes, the learning curve can be steep, but not too steep. Still, it has taken some of my analysts up to a month to get familiar with the product.""I would like to see the next generation of the tool improved to work with other operating systems, like Linux."

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"The network forensics feature could be improved.""Technical support is not as good as we expect, and resolving problems should be more timely.""The product doesn’t offer MDM functionality under its current licensing model.""It would be beneficial to have more integration and compatibility with other platforms.""It should be easier to deploy Symantec's client for end-users.""It would be nice to see more granular timeline analysis.""The interface has many issues.""Symantec Endpoint Detection and Response could improve the reporting. It is very difficult to create reports from the user interface."

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Pricing and Cost Advice
  • "I know it is tough to get big budget additions up front, but I highly recommend deploying environment wide and adding the forensic service."
  • "There are no issues with the pricing."
  • "The price is comprable to other endpoint security solutions."
  • "The pricing is typical for enterprises and fairly priced."
  • "I'm not familiar with pricing, but it looks a bit costly compared to other vendors I think."
  • "The pricing is good."
  • "I would rate the solution's pricing an eight out of ten."
  • "The hardware costs about €100,000 and about €20,000 annually for access."
  • More Fortinet FortiEDR Pricing and Cost Advice →

  • "The product is free of charge and comes integrated into Windows."
  • "The solution is free."
  • "This product is included in the pricing for Windows."
  • "If you don't purchase the advanced threat protection then there is no additional charge."
  • "It is affordable and comes in the Office 365 bundle."
  • "Microsoft Defender ATP is expensive."
  • "I pay for it through the Windows Professional or Standard license. It is a one-time cost for me, and I use the same license."
  • "When compared with other vendors, the pricing is very high."
  • More Microsoft Defender for Endpoint Pricing and Cost Advice →

  • "We are satisfied with the pricing."
  • "The price is okay, but it really depends on the customer's requirements."
  • "The price is really high and it should be lower."
  • "We have a yearly subscription, and the pricing is fair."
  • "It's a yearly subscription."
  • "Of late, because of the Broadcom purchase, its price has been increasing."
  • "The more devices we have the more expensive it becomes, which is where the challenge is."
  • "The price is reasonable."
  • More Symantec Endpoint Detection and Response Pricing and Cost Advice →

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    Questions from the Community
    Top Answer:I suggest Fortinet’s FortiEDR over FortiClient for several reasons. For starters, FortiEDR guarantees solid protection… more »
    Top Answer:We have FortiEDR installed on all our systems. This protects them from any threats.
    Top Answer:We license it per employee, so as long as the employee count remains the same, the licensing won't change. We have it… more »
    Top Answer:Microsoft Defender for Endpoint is a cloud-delivered endpoint security solution. The tool reduces the attack surface… more »
    Top Answer:We use Symantec because we do not use MS Enterprise products, but in my opinion, Microsoft Defender is a superior… more »
    Top Answer:The CrowdStrike solution delivers a lot of information about incidents. It has a very light sensor that will never push… more »
    Comparisons
    Also Known As
    enSilo, FortiEDR
    Microsoft Defender ATP, Microsoft Defender Advanced Threat Protection, MS Defender for Endpoint, Microsoft Defender Antivirus
    Learn More
    Interactive Demo
    Fortinet
    Demo Not Available
    Broadcom
    Demo Not Available
    Overview

    Fortinet FortiEDR is a real-time endpoint protection, detection, and automated response solution. Its primary purpose is to detect advanced threats to stop breaches and ransomware damage. It is designed to do so in real time, even on an already compromised device, allowing you to respond and remediate incidents automatically so your data can remain protected.

    Fortinet FortiEDR Features

    Fortinet FortiEDR has many valuable key features, including:

    • Easily customizable
    • Real-time proactive risk mitigation & IoT security
    • Pre-infection protection
    • Post-infection protection
    • Track applications and ratings
    • Reduce the attack surface with risk-based proactive policies
    • Achieve analysis of entire log history
    • Optional managed detection and response (MDR) service

    Fortinet FortiEDR Benefits

    Some of the key benefits of using Fortinet FortiEDR include:

    • Protection: Fortinet FortiEDR provides proactive, real-time, automated endpoint protection with the orchestrated incident response across platforms. It stops the breach with real-time postinfection blocking to protect data from exfiltration and ransomware encryption.

    • Single unified console: Fortinet FortiEDR has a single unified console with an intuitive interface, which makes management easier. The solution automates mundane endpoint security tasks so your employees don’t need to do it.

    • Cost savings: With Fortinet FortiEDR you can eliminate post-breach operational expenses and breach damage costs.

    • Flexibility: Fortinet FortiEDR can be deployed on premises or on a secure cloud instance. With Fortinet FortiEDR, endpoints are protected both on- and off-line.

    • Scalability: Because Fortinet can be deployed quickly and has a small footprint, it is easy to scale up to protect hundreds of thousand endpoints.

    Reviews from Real Users

    Below are some reviews and helpful feedback written by Fortinet FortiEDR users.

    An Owner at a security firm says, "The features that I have found most valuable are the ability to customize it and to reduce its size. It lets you run in a very small window in terms of memory and resources on legacy cash registers. The customer has literally about 800 cash registers. That was the use case for Fortinet FortiEDR - to get that down into a tiny space. The only way to do that was to use this product because it had that ability to unbundle services that were a surplus.”

    Chandan M., Chief Technical Officer at Provision Technologies LLP, mentions, “The ease of deployment and configuration is valuable. It's very easy compared to other vendors like Sophos. Sophos' configuration is complex. Fortinet is a lot easier to understand. You don't need a lot of admin knowledge to do the configuration.” He also adds, “The security is also very good and the firewall response is good.”

    Harpreet S., Information Technology Support Specialist at Chemtrade Logistics, explains, "It notifies us if there's any suspicious file on any PC. If any execution or similar kind of thing is happening, it just alerts us. It doesn't only alert. It also blocks the execution until we allow it. We check whether the execution is legitimate or not, and then approve it or keep it blocked. This gives us a little bit of control over this mechanism. Fortinet FortiEDR is also very straightforward and easy to maintain."

    DeAndre V., Senior Network Administrator at a financial services firm, states, “The dashboard is easy to follow and use. The deployment and uninstalling were easy. I like the detailed information about the path of a file that might be suspicious. Being able to check that out was easy to follow. Exceptions are easy to create and the interface is easy to follow with a nice appearance.

    Microsoft Defender for Endpoint is a comprehensive security solution that provides advanced threat protection for organizations. It offers real-time protection against various types of cyber threats, including malware, viruses, ransomware, and phishing attacks.

    With its powerful machine-learning capabilities, it can detect and block sophisticated attacks before they can cause any harm. The solution also includes endpoint detection and response (EDR) capabilities, allowing organizations to quickly investigate and respond to security incidents. It provides detailed insights into the attack timeline, enabling security teams to understand the scope and impact of an incident.

    Microsoft Defender for Endpoint also offers proactive threat hunting, allowing organizations to proactively search for and identify potential threats within their network. It integrates seamlessly with other Microsoft security solutions, such as Microsoft Defender XDR, to provide a unified and holistic security approach. With its centralized management console, organizations can easily deploy, configure, and monitor the security solution across their entire network.

    Microsoft Defender for Endpoint is a robust and scalable security solution that helps organizations protect their endpoints and data from evolving cyber threats.

    Symantec Endpoint Detection and Response (EDR) is a powerful security solution designed to help organizations proactively detect, investigate, and mitigate advanced threats across their endpoint environments. As part of Broadcom's cybersecurity portfolio, Symantec EDR provides comprehensive visibility into endpoint activities, enabling security teams to quickly identify and respond to threats that evade traditional defenses.

    Symantec EDR leverages machine learning, behavioral analysis, and global threat intelligence from Symantec's vast network to detect sophisticated threats, including zero-day attacks, ransomware, and advanced persistent threats (APTs). This allows organizations to identify malicious activities early and respond swiftly to mitigate potential damage. The solution offers automated response options that enable security teams to contain and remediate threats quickly.

    Symantec EDR provides detailed forensic capabilities, allowing security analysts to dive deep into endpoint data, investigate incidents thoroughly, and understand the scope and impact of attacks. Features such as timeline analysis, incident graphing, and the ability to isolate endpoints enhance investigative efforts and support effective remediation strategies.

    With its centralized management console, Symantec EDR offers visibility across the entire endpoint environment, regardless of the operating systems or whether endpoints are on-premise or remote. Symantec EDR seamlessly integrates with other Symantec security solutions, enhancing its detection capabilities and enabling a unified approach to threat management. Its scalable architecture ensures that businesses of all sizes can benefit from its advanced security features without compromising performance.

    Quickly discover and resolve threats with deep endpoint visibility and superior detection analytics, reducing mean time to remediation. Overcome cyber security skills shortages and streamline SOC operations with extensive automation and built-in integrations for sandboxing, SIEM, and orchestration.

    Fortify security teams with the unmatched expertise and global scale of Symantec Managed Endpoint Detection and Response services.
    Roll out Endpoint Detection and Response (EDR) across Windows, macOS, and Linux devices using Symantec Endpoint Protection (SEP)-integrated EDR or a dissolvable agent.

    Sample Customers
    Financial, Healthcare, Legal, Technology, Enterprise, Manufacturing ... 
    Petrofrac, Metro CSG, Christus Health
    Information Not Available
    Top Industries
    REVIEWERS
    Financial Services Firm21%
    Comms Service Provider11%
    Manufacturing Company11%
    Pharma/Biotech Company5%
    VISITORS READING REVIEWS
    Computer Software Company16%
    Government8%
    Manufacturing Company8%
    Financial Services Firm8%
    REVIEWERS
    Financial Services Firm19%
    Computer Software Company16%
    Energy/Utilities Company7%
    Comms Service Provider7%
    VISITORS READING REVIEWS
    Educational Organization22%
    Computer Software Company13%
    Government8%
    Financial Services Firm7%
    REVIEWERS
    Financial Services Firm18%
    Comms Service Provider12%
    Computer Software Company12%
    Healthcare Company12%
    VISITORS READING REVIEWS
    Computer Software Company15%
    Financial Services Firm13%
    Retailer12%
    Manufacturing Company8%
    Company Size
    REVIEWERS
    Small Business50%
    Midsize Enterprise16%
    Large Enterprise34%
    VISITORS READING REVIEWS
    Small Business31%
    Midsize Enterprise19%
    Large Enterprise50%
    REVIEWERS
    Small Business40%
    Midsize Enterprise17%
    Large Enterprise43%
    VISITORS READING REVIEWS
    Small Business22%
    Midsize Enterprise32%
    Large Enterprise45%
    REVIEWERS
    Small Business46%
    Midsize Enterprise21%
    Large Enterprise32%
    VISITORS READING REVIEWS
    Small Business27%
    Midsize Enterprise18%
    Large Enterprise55%
    Buyer's Guide
    Microsoft Defender for Endpoint vs. Symantec Endpoint Detection and Response
    March 2024
    Find out what your peers are saying about Microsoft Defender for Endpoint vs. Symantec Endpoint Detection and Response and other solutions. Updated: March 2024.
    770,428 professionals have used our research since 2012.

    Microsoft Defender for Endpoint is ranked 1st in Endpoint Detection and Response (EDR) with 182 reviews while Symantec Endpoint Detection and Response is ranked 25th in Endpoint Detection and Response (EDR) with 28 reviews. Microsoft Defender for Endpoint is rated 8.0, while Symantec Endpoint Detection and Response is rated 7.6. The top reviewer of Microsoft Defender for Endpoint writes "Eliminates the need to look at multiple dashboards by automatically providing one XDR dashboard to show the security score of each subscription". On the other hand, the top reviewer of Symantec Endpoint Detection and Response writes "A highly stable and affordable solution for detecting and preventing security threats". Microsoft Defender for Endpoint is most compared with Symantec Endpoint Security, Intercept X Endpoint, CrowdStrike Falcon, SentinelOne Singularity Complete and ESET Endpoint Protection Platform, whereas Symantec Endpoint Detection and Response is most compared with Trend Vision One, Kaspersky Endpoint Detection and Response Expert, Bitdefender GravityZone EDR, Trellix Endpoint Security (ENS) and CrowdStrike Falcon. See our Microsoft Defender for Endpoint vs. Symantec Endpoint Detection and Response report.

    See our list of best Endpoint Detection and Response (EDR) vendors.

    We monitor all Endpoint Detection and Response (EDR) reviews to prevent fraudulent reviews and keep review quality high. We do not post reviews by company employees or direct competitors. We validate each review for authenticity via cross-reference with LinkedIn, and personal follow-up with the reviewer when necessary.