ESET PROTECT
7.9/10
MSP Compared score
- Starting price
- Custom quote
- Reviews
- 4.6/5 (~800 G2 reviews)
- Free trial
- 30 days
- Deployment
- Cloud + on-prem
- Best for
- Teams wanting lightweight, reliable endpoint protection
Best Endpoint Security & EDR Software · 2026
ESET PROTECT vs 
Microsoft Defender for Business ESET PROTECT vs Microsoft Defender for Business: on our data-weighted scoring, ESET PROTECT edges ahead (7.9 vs 7.8/10). ESET PROTECT starts at Custom quote and is best for teams wanting lightweight, reliable endpoint protection; Microsoft Defender for Business starts at $3/user/mo and is best for SMBs already on Microsoft 365 wanting bundled EDR. Choose ESET PROTECT for the stronger overall track record; consider Microsoft Defender for Business if its pricing model or fit matches your environment better. Side-by-side table below.
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Microsoft Defender for Business
7.8/10
MSP Compared score
- Starting price
- $3/user/mo
- Reviews
- 4.4/5 (~300 G2 reviews)
- Free trial
- Free trial
- Deployment
- Cloud
- Best for
- SMBs already on Microsoft 365 wanting bundled EDR
Strengths at a glance
Six criteria, each scored 0–10 on the same scale from real review data, public pricing and feature coverage. See our methodology →
| Criterion | ESET PROTECT | Microsoft Defender for Business |
|---|---|---|
| Editorial | 7.9 | 7.8 |
| User reviews | 9.2 | 8.8 |
| Adoption | 7.7 | 6.6 |
| Affordability | 5.0 | 7.6 |
| Feature breadth | 5.0 | 5.0 |
| Ease of trial | 6.0 | 6.0 |
ESET PROTECT vs Microsoft Defender for Business: head-to-head
| ESET PROTECT | Microsoft Defender for Business | |
|---|---|---|
| Starting price | Custom quote | $3/user/mo |
| Pricing model | per device | per user |
| Free trial / tier | 30 days | Free trial |
| Best for | Teams wanting lightweight, reliable endpoint protection | SMBs already on Microsoft 365 wanting bundled EDR |
| Deployment | Cloud + on-prem | Cloud |
| G2 rating | 4.6/5 (800) | 4.4/5 (300) |
| Capterra rating | — | — |
| Our score | 7.9 | 7.8 |
Choose ESET PROTECT if…
You need teams wanting lightweight, reliable endpoint protection.
✓ Pros
- Very light agent
- Reliable detection
- Flexible deployment
✕ Cons
- EDR is higher tier
- Quote pricing
- Smaller US channel
Choose Microsoft Defender for Business if…
You need smbs already on microsoft 365 wanting bundled edr.
✓ Pros
- Cheap if you have M365
- Solid detection
- Per-user (covers multiple devices)
✕ Cons
- Best within Microsoft ecosystem
- Licensing nuances
- Tuning needed
In depth
Pricing: ESET PROTECT vs Microsoft Defender for Business
ESET PROTECT bills on a per device model from Custom quote (30 days trial), while Microsoft Defender for Business uses a per user model from $3/user/mo (yes trial). Because the models differ, the cheaper option flips depending on your fleet size — model both at your seat/endpoint count.
Features & deployment
ESET PROTECT ships 5 headline capabilities (Lightweight AV, EDR (Inspect), Full-disk encryption, Cloud console) and deploys Cloud + on-prem. Microsoft Defender for Business ships 5 (EDR for SMB, Next-gen AV, Threat & vulnerability mgmt, Auto-investigation), deploying Cloud.
Ratings & verdict
ESET PROTECT holds 4.6/5 (~800 G2 reviews); Microsoft Defender for Business holds 4.4/5 (~300 G2 reviews). On our data-weighted score, ESET PROTECT edges ahead (7.9 vs 7.8/10). Pick Microsoft Defender for Business instead when smbs already on microsoft 365 wanting bundled edr. See ESET PROTECT alternatives or Microsoft Defender for Business alternatives.
Frequently asked questions
- ESET PROTECT vs Microsoft Defender for Business: which is better?
- ESET PROTECT vs Microsoft Defender for Business: on our data-weighted scoring, ESET PROTECT edges ahead (7.9 vs 7.8/10). ESET PROTECT starts at Custom quote and is best for teams wanting lightweight, reliable endpoint protection; Microsoft Defender for Business starts at $3/user/mo and is best for SMBs already on Microsoft 365 wanting bundled EDR.
- Is ESET PROTECT cheaper than Microsoft Defender for Business?
- ESET PROTECT starts at Custom quote and Microsoft Defender for Business starts at $3/user/mo (see the pricing rows for models and limits).
Data as of November 1, 2026. Sources: eset.com, microsoft.com. Figures are pulled from public vendor and security data and refreshed automatically.