# Microsoft Defender for Office 365 Software Pricing, Alternatives & More 2026 | Capterra > With the help of Capterra, learn about Microsoft Defender for Office 365 Software - reviews, pricing plans, popular comparisons to other Email Security products and more. Source: https://www.capterra.com/p/219685/Microsoft-Defender-for-Office-365 --- # Microsoft Defender for Office 365 Software Review 2026: Features, Integrations, Pros & Cons Last updated on June 24, 2026 Provider data verified by our Software Research team, and reviews moderated by our Reviews Verification team. [Description](#description)[Use cases](#use-cases)[Alternatives](#alternatives)[FAQs](#faqs)[Users](#users)[Features](#features)[Pricing](#pricing)[Support](#support)[Reviews](#reviews) Microsoft Defender for Office 365 ## What is Microsoft Defender for Office 365? Microsoft Defender for Office 365 protects all of Office 365 against advanced threats like business email compromise and credential phishing, and automatically investigates and remediates attacks. With Defender for O365 you get Integrated threat protection for all of Office 365 that gives you: -Native protection for Office 365 -Industry leading AI and automation -A comprehensive approach ## What is Microsoft Defender for Office 365 used for? [Email Security](https://www.capterra.com/email-security-software/)[Anti-spam](https://www.capterra.com/anti-spam-software/) Top alternative Featured Overall rating Based on 240 user reviews Reviews sentiment Positive 94% Neutral 3% Negative 3% Contact vendor for pricing Free trial not available Free version not included Capterra Shortlist charts the highest-rated and most popular products... Our "Best of" badge program showcases products with the highest ratings... Our "Best of" badge program showcases products with the highest ratings... Do you work for Microsoft Defender for Office 365?[Manage this product listing](https://digitalmarkets.gartner.com/get-listed/claim-bx?url=http://www.microsoft.com&name=Microsoft Defender for Office 365) ## Compare with a popular alternative Capterra selects software alternatives based on relevant features, verified user reviews and user interactions. Placement may be influenced by client status. ### Microsoft Defender for Office 365 4.6 (240) VS. [4.9 (338)](https://www.capterra.com/p/233248/Hoxhunt/reviews/) Starting Price Contact vendor Starting Price Contact vendor Free Trial Free Version Pricing Options Free Trial Free Version Ease Of Use 4.5 (240) Ease Of Use 4.9 (338) Value For Money 4.5 (191) Value For Money 4.8 (150) Customer Service 4.3 (191) Customer Service 4.8 (181) ## Microsoft Defender for Office 365 alternatives [4.9 (50)](https://www.capterra.com/p/206740/Libraesva-Email-Security/reviews/) Starting price $5.00 Per User, Per Month Pricing Options Free Trial Free Version User Rating 100% of reviewers rated it above 4 stars Highest Rated [5.0 (20)](https://www.capterra.com/p/218859/Trustifi/#reviews) Starting price $6.00 Per User, Per Month Pricing Options Free Trial Free Version User Rating 100% of reviewers rated it above 4 stars [5.0 (1)](https://www.capterra.com/p/250406/Heimdal-Email-Security/#reviews) Starting price Contact vendor for pricing Pricing Options Free Trial Free Version User Rating 100% of reviewers rated it above 4 stars [SpamTitan](https://www.capterra.com/p/168436/SpamTitan/) [4.6 (563)](https://www.capterra.com/p/168436/SpamTitan/reviews/) Starting price $1.26 Per User, Per Month Pricing Options Free Trial Free Version User Rating 93% of reviewers rated it above 4 stars [Learn More](https://www.capterra.com/p/168436/SpamTitan/) [View all alternatives](https://www.capterra.com/p/219685/Microsoft-Defender-for-Office-365/alternatives/) ## FAQs about Microsoft Defender for Office 365 Overview ### What problems does Microsoft Defender for Office 365 solve? Microsoft Defender for Office 365 solves risky email workflows by blocking phishing, spam, malware, malicious links, and dangerous attachments before users open them. It reduces manual monitoring with alerts, quarantine, and centralized visibility across Microsoft 365. IT admins, security teams, small businesses, and Outlook-heavy employees benefit most from this protection. Answer based on 136 reviews Overview ### Which roles and teams benefit most from Microsoft Defender for Office 365? Microsoft Defender for Office 365 benefits IT administrators, cybersecurity specialists, and technology leaders who need to block phishing, malware, and email-based threats across Microsoft 365 environments. Executives, owners, and managers use it to reduce business risk, while freelancers, administrative staff, educators, and sales teams rely on safer email collaboration and file sharing. Answer based on 238 reviews Overview ### What company size and industries is Microsoft Defender for Office 365 built for? Microsoft Defender for Office 365 is built mainly for small businesses, which make up 72% of reviewers, with Computer Software at 10% as the top industry. It serves security, IT, and Microsoft 365 admin teams, with additional use in Education Management and Accounting at 5% each, primarily for email security. Answer based on 238 reviews Features and Usability ### What are the key features of Microsoft Defender for Office 365? Microsoft Defender for Office 365 includes core email security features like anti spam, phishing protection, spam quarantine, and email attachment protection. Differentiating capabilities include threat protection and threat response, real-time monitoring, and reporting/analytics. It also supports access controls/permissions, policy management, allow/block lists, and Microsoft Outlook integration. Answer based on 71 reviews Integrations ### Which third-party tools and platforms does Microsoft Defender for Office 365 integrate with? Microsoft Defender for Office 365 integrates with Norton AntiVirus and Bitdefender GravityZone based on reviewer mentions. These references center on antivirus and endpoint security use cases, where organizations compare or pair Microsoft Defender for Office 365 with other protection platforms in broader security environments. Answer based on 21 reviews Getting Started and Support ### What training and onboarding options does Microsoft Defender for Office 365 offer? Microsoft Defender for Office 365 provides live online sessions, webinars, documentation, and videos to help teams get started. Live online sessions and webinars support guided setup and product walkthroughs, while documentation and videos offer self-paced reference materials for learning features and reviewing steps as needed. Answer based on 4 reviews Security ### How well does it protect against viruses and malware? Microsoft Defender for Office 365 blocks many common email-borne viruses, malicious links, and unsafe attachments before they reach users. IT teams and businesses value the built-in quarantine, scanning, and Microsoft 365 integration, though some users say advanced threats can still slip through and higher-risk environments may want added protection. Answer based on 71 reviews Security ### How good is it for email security? Microsoft Defender for Office 365 improves email security with spam filtering, phishing detection, attachment scanning, and link protection inside Microsoft 365. Small businesses and admin teams like the easy Outlook integration and alerting, though some users mention false positives, rule setup complexity, and limited coverage for non-Microsoft mail clients. Answer based on 40 reviews Security ### How does Microsoft Defender for Office 365 handle data security and access control? Microsoft Defender for Office 365 uses anti-phishing, anti-spam, anti-malware, Safe Links, Safe Attachments, real-time alerts, quarantine, and analysis reports to protect email, documents, accounts, and identity. Reviewers also note attack simulation, monitoring, and customizable settings, though setup can be complex, the portal confusing, and some spam or legitimate emails still slip through or get flagged. Answer based on 56 reviews ## Who uses Microsoft Defender for Office 365? Based on Capterra reviews from the past 4 years Company size Based on 123 reviews 100% 75% 50% 25% Smallbusiness Midsizebusinesses Enterprise Top job functions Based on 123 reviews Administrative 21% Administrative 21% IT & Software Development 17% Finance & Accounting 11% Engineering 10% Others 41% Top industries Based on 123 reviews Computer Software 25% Accounting 21% Information Technology and Services 21% Education Management 17% Other 16% ## Features Features with the highest number of reviews are displayed first. Those that have no reviews appear next, sorted alphabetically. Spam Blocker 4.4 (131) 73.28% of 131 reviewers that rated this feature as important or highly important It gives you automatic filtering of unwanted emails, reducing inbox clutter and blocking harmful content. Users think the spam blocker is effective at minimizing spam, keeping inboxes clean, and providing peace of mind without needing extra software. Phishing Protection 4.5 (102) 70.59% of 102 reviewers that rated this feature as important or highly important It helps you guard against phishing attacks by flagging suspicious links and emails. Reviewers indicate it’s effective when properly set up, provides warnings for dangerous content, and integrates well with Office 365 security protocols like DKIM and DMARC. Spam Quarantine 4.4 (101) 60.40% of 101 reviewers that rated this feature as important or highly important With this capability, you can isolate suspicious emails and files, preventing them from causing harm. Reviewers appreciate being able to review and recover items if needed, and say it helps avoid accidental loss of important emails while keeping devices secure. Spam Detection 4.4 (90) 70.00% of 90 reviewers that rated this feature as important or highly important Microsoft Defender for Office 365 offers accurate identification of spam and suspicious emails. Some reviewers find it easy to use, reliable for keeping inboxes clean, and valuable for warning about potential threats, though a few mention room for improvement. Allow/Block List 4.5 (84) 55.95% of 84 reviewers that rated this feature as important or highly important This aspect lets you control which emails or programs are permitted or blocked. Reviewers appreciate the ease of managing these lists, the ability to quickly adjust permissions, and the control it gives over what reaches their inbox. Reporting/Analytics 4.4 (106) 64.15% of 106 reviewers that rated this feature as important or highly important View and track pertinent metrics to find patterns and gain insights from data Microsoft Defender for Office 365 21 features Define levels of authorization for access to specific files or systems System alerts about the need to escalate an issue or request This aspect lets you control which emails or programs are permitted or blocked. Reviewers appreciate the ease of managing these lists, the ability to quickly adjust permissions, and the control it gives over what reaches their inbox. Techniques to prevent and filter unwanted or unsolicited email spam from reaching a user's inbox Safeguard confidential data and meet compliance regulations Provides protection against malicious attachments. Use filters to process, organize and categorize emails to identify spam, malware and other unwanted messages Route emails to multiple servers Find & retrieve relevant data or documents A request to the original server for a message to be resent It helps you guard against phishing attacks by flagging suspicious links and emails. Reviewers indicate it’s effective when properly set up, provides warnings for dangerous content, and integrates well with Office 365 security protocols like DKIM and DMARC. Create, manage, and track policies and procedures within an organization Active monitoring of systems, applications, or networks View and track pertinent metrics to find patterns and gain insights from data It gives you automatic filtering of unwanted emails, reducing inbox clutter and blocking harmful content. Users think the spam blocker is effective at minimizing spam, keeping inboxes clean, and providing peace of mind without needing extra software. Microsoft Defender for Office 365 offers accurate identification of spam and suspicious emails. Some reviewers find it easy to use, reliable for keeping inboxes clean, and valuable for warning about potential threats, though a few mention room for improvement. With this capability, you can isolate suspicious emails and files, preventing them from causing harm. Reviewers appreciate being able to review and recover items if needed, and say it helps avoid accidental loss of important emails while keeping devices secure. Rejecting phishing emails that include suspicious URLs or links to websites that have been previously flagged. Protect incoming and outgoing communications against malware, spam, display spoofing, and other threats Identifying, analyzing, and mitigating security issues and taking appropriate action to protect systems and data from potential harm Control system access and/or deliverability for applications and email addresses Features 4.5 (240) 4.5 Based on 240 reviews ## Pricing Value for money 4.5 (191) Value for money 4.5 (191) 4.5 Based on 191 reviews ## Support, customer service and training options Customer Service 4.3 (191) Support - Email/Help Desk - FAQs/Forum - Knowledge Base - Phone Support - 24/7 (Live rep) - Chat Training - In Person - Live Online - Webinars - Documentation - Videos Deployment - Web - Android - iPhone/iPad Typical users - Freelancers - Small businesses - Mid size businesses - Enterprises Customer Service 4.3 (191) 4.3 Based on 191 reviews ## User reviews Overall rating 4.6 Based on 240 reviews Filter by rating 5(156) 4(70) 3(8) 2(5) 1(1) Mentioned topic Sorted by most recent MC Michelle C. CEO Civic & Social Organization ### "Strong Protection, But Needs Clearer User Guidance" 5.0 Overall Rating 5.0 5.0 Ease of Use 5.0 5.0 Features 5.0 5.0 Customer Service 4.0 4.0 Likelihood to Recommend 9/10 June 23, 2026 My overall experience with Microsoft Defender for Office 365 is that it is a valuable tool, but it needs to be more user-friendly and accessible. Email security is extremely important, especially when people are handling sensitive information, public benefits, medical records, school issues, and advocacy work. However, security tools should not only protect users, they should also help users understand what is happening in clear language. Defender has useful features, but the setup, alerts, and reports could be improved so that everyday users can feel confident, informed, and protected. Pros What I liked most about Microsoft Defender for Office 365 is that it adds an important layer of protection for email, links, attachments, and potential spam or phishing attempts. For people who rely heavily on email for advocacy, school, benefits, medical care, and family communication, security matters. I appreciate that it is meant to help catch threats before they cause harm and that it works within Microsoft 365 instead of requiring a completely separate system. Cons What I liked least is that it is not always easy to understand from a regular user’s perspective. Some of the reports, alerts, and security language can feel too technical, especially for people who are not IT professionals. I would like clearer explanations, better plain-language guidance, and easier ways to understand what actually happened, what was blocked, and what action the user needs to take next. The learning curve can be frustrating. Review source Incentivized review: software users are invited to submit an honest review and offered a nominal incentive for their time and effort. All incentivized reviews are subject to our verification process prior to publication. BL Brooke L. Student Education Management ### "Microsoft Defender is the best defender" 5.0 Overall Rating 5.0 5.0 Ease of Use 5.0 5.0 Features 5.0 5.0 Customer Service 5.0 5.0 Likelihood to Recommend 10/10 June 21, 2026 Microsoft Defender has kept my Microsoft 365 programs from being attacked by malicious or suspicious spam. Pros There is little to no learning curve. The setup, email and scan is very easily accessible. It helps to block out spam mail and malicious spam. Customer support is fast and efficient. Due to the high protection of the software, it is value for money. Cons I have yet to experience any bugs or issues with the software. I still utilize this software today and have for 2 years. Switched from [ZERO Virus Security](https://www.capterra.com/p/10014897/ZERO-Virus-Security/) Because I was told by a former co-worker that Microsoft Defender is better value for money. Review source Incentivized review: software users are invited to submit an honest review and offered a nominal incentive for their time and effort. All incentivized reviews are subject to our verification process prior to publication. Swetha C. Technical Program Mananger Automotive ### "Strong Email Security and Phishing Protection for Microsoft 365" 5.0 Overall Rating 5.0 5.0 Ease of Use 5.0 5.0 Features 5.0 5.0 Customer Service 4.0 4.0 Likelihood to Recommend 9/10 May 31, 2026 Overall, Microsoft Defender for Office 365 has been a reliable email security solution. It significantly reduces spam, phishing attempts, and malicious email threats while providing administrators with useful visibility into security events. The platform integrates well with the Microsoft ecosystem and helps strengthen an organization's overall security posture. While there is some complexity during setup and management, the protection and security benefits make it a valuable solution for businesses of all sizes. Pros Microsoft Defender for Office 365 provides strong protection against phishing attacks, malware, and suspicious email activity. The threat detection capabilities are effective, and the integration with Microsoft 365 makes it easy to manage security policies across the organization. Features such as Safe Links and Safe Attachments add an extra layer of protection without significantly impacting user productivity. Cons The initial setup and policy configuration can be complex for organizations without dedicated security expertise. Some advanced security features require a learning curve to fully understand, and investigating alerts can sometimes generate more notifications than necessary. Review source Non-incentivized review: any software user can leave a review for any product listed on our site. All submitted reviews are subject to our verification process prior to publication. AN Anonymous User Marketing Specialist Environmental Services ### "Great for Microsoft Integration" 5.0 Overall Rating 5.0 5.0 Ease of Use 5.0 5.0 Features 5.0 5.0 Customer Service 5.0 5.0 Likelihood to Recommend 10/10 April 30, 2026 Pros I like that Microsoft has built-in security and antivirus software that connects across all of the Microsoft applications. Easy to set up and integrate across laptops, computers, and phones. Cons Staying on top of making sure everything is up to date. Because Microsoft runs across phones, computers, and laptops, for a non-tech person, it can be intimidating to make sure I'm always protected on all devices. Review source Incentivized review: software users are invited to submit an honest review and offered a nominal incentive for their time and effort. All incentivized reviews are subject to our verification process prior to publication. Michelle F. Owner Consumer Services ### "A+ for Microsoft, Great Value" 4.0 Overall Rating 4.0 4.0 Ease of Use 5.0 5.0 Features 5.0 5.0 Customer Service 4.0 4.0 Likelihood to Recommend 8/10 April 19, 2026 Easy to use, value for the money and user friendly to implement into business! Would highly recommend. Pros Value for the money, easy to learn and work with. Easy to implement into computer. File storage is very easy. Cons Glitches sometimes as Microsoft products do. Usually get nothing loading when opening the app on desktop. Review source Non-incentivized review: any software user can leave a review for any product listed on our site. All submitted reviews are subject to our verification process prior to publication. JB Jennifer B. Marketing and sales Consumer Services ### "Great and user friendly " 5.0 Overall Rating 5.0 5.0 Ease of Use 5.0 5.0 Features 5.0 5.0 Customer Service 5.0 5.0 Likelihood to Recommend 9/10 March 23, 2026 Pros Great to use. User friendly no huge learning curve setup is easy if you need customer support they’re always there ready and willing. Cons Nothing I really don’t like about it. It’s just so simple to use easy to access easy to trouble shoot Review source Incentivized review: software users are invited to submit an honest review and offered a nominal incentive for their time and effort. All incentivized reviews are subject to our verification process prior to publication. NY Natalie Y. Office Assistant Accounting ### "Microsoft 365 helps our business" 5.0 Overall Rating 5.0 5.0 Ease of Use 4.0 4.0 Features 4.0 4.0 Customer Service 4.0 4.0 Likelihood to Recommend 3/10 March 8, 2026 Overall, it’s a great program our small business uses it for multiple emails and it has detected many severe threats.overall for the amount of money we spend each year it is very worth it! Pros The thing I like most is it filters all the spam emails very well. It detects threats right away and I like that it keeps it separate from the focused email. The set up is very easy and self explanatory. Cons The one thing I don’t like the most is file syncing. While syncing files a very slow performance with file version conflicting. Review source Incentivized review: software users are invited to submit an honest review and offered a nominal incentive for their time and effort. All incentivized reviews are subject to our verification process prior to publication. MW Mekailah W. Ceo Entertainment ### "What I think is important." 4.0 Overall Rating 4.0 4.0 Ease of Use 4.0 4.0 Features 4.0 4.0 Customer Service 4.0 4.0 Likelihood to Recommend 8/10 January 24, 2026 It’s often praised for giving organizations confidence that inboxes are protected with real-time scanning and advanced threat intelligence. Pros It gives security teams confidence that sophisticated threats — like malicious links and dangerous attachments — are caught early. Cons Some advanced phishing or spoofing protections aren’t perfect and may miss high-level impersonation attacks without additional layers or tuning. Review source Incentivized review: software users are invited to submit an honest review and offered a nominal incentive for their time and effort. All incentivized reviews are subject to our verification process prior to publication. AO Alvin O. Cyber Security Specialist Information Technology and Services ### "Anti-phishing controls for active inboxes." 4.0 Overall Rating 4.0 4.0 Ease of Use 4.0 4.0 Features 4.0 4.0 Customer Service 0.0 0.0 Likelihood to Recommend 8/10 August 27, 2025 Phishing and malware protection were enhanced, auto-quarantine reduced malicious emails, and safe download warnings safeguarded our team files. Pros Real-time spam and threat protection of secure team messages, with guidance for configuring attachments and storage of files. Cons Steep learning curve when configuring advanced rules or email routing, and support documentation isn't always compatible with our usage scenario. Review source Incentivized review: software users are invited to submit an honest review and offered a nominal incentive for their time and effort. All incentivized reviews are subject to our verification process prior to publication. HG Harley G. Sr. IT Technician Information Technology and Services ### "Solid workhorse system, would recommend for any 365 based companies" 4.0 Overall Rating 4.0 4.0 Ease of Use 3.0 3.0 Features 5.0 5.0 Customer Service 2.0 2.0 Likelihood to Recommend 7/10 July 28, 2025 We've had a good experience with it so far. We use it for all of our clients, and once we learned how to set it up correctly it worked a treat. We had a few issues with allowing mailing lists, as the phishing defence might have been a little too good at it's job, but aside from that it's been great. Pros Good system, feature rich and well priced. E-mail defence systems are extremely good and allow great granular control. Cons Customer support is slow, documentation can be a bit daunting for newer users, but once it's set up it's solid. Anti-impersonation systems might not always work, so don't rely on that system. Review source Incentivized review: software users are invited to submit an honest review and offered a nominal incentive for their time and effort. All incentivized reviews are subject to our verification process prior to publication. [View all Reviews](https://www.capterra.com/p/219685/Microsoft-Defender-for-Office-365/reviews/) ## Top-rated software of 2026 ### Fill out the form and we'll send a list of the top-rated software based on real user reviews directly to your inbox. 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