Malwarebytes ThreatDown
7.8/10
MSP Compared score
- Starting price
- $69/endpoint/yr
- Reviews
- 4.6/5 (~900 G2 reviews)
- Free trial
- Free trial
- Deployment
- Cloud
- Best for
- SMBs/MSPs wanting simple, effective EDR with optional MDR
Best Endpoint Security & EDR Software · 2026
Malwarebytes ThreatDown vs 
Microsoft Defender for Business Malwarebytes ThreatDown vs Microsoft Defender for Business: on our data-weighted scoring, Malwarebytes ThreatDown edges ahead (7.8 vs 7.8/10). Malwarebytes ThreatDown starts at $69/endpoint/yr and is best for SMBs/MSPs wanting simple, effective EDR with optional MDR; Microsoft Defender for Business starts at $3/user/mo and is best for SMBs already on Microsoft 365 wanting bundled EDR. Choose Malwarebytes ThreatDown 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 | Malwarebytes ThreatDown | Microsoft Defender for Business |
|---|---|---|
| Editorial | 7.8 | 7.8 |
| User reviews | 9.2 | 8.8 |
| Adoption | 7.8 | 6.6 |
| Affordability | 2.1 | 7.6 |
| Feature breadth | 5.0 | 5.0 |
| Ease of trial | 6.0 | 6.0 |
Malwarebytes ThreatDown vs Microsoft Defender for Business: head-to-head
| Malwarebytes ThreatDown | Microsoft Defender for Business | |
|---|---|---|
| Starting price | $69/endpoint/yr | $3/user/mo |
| Pricing model | per endpoint | per user |
| Free trial / tier | Free trial | Free trial |
| Best for | SMBs/MSPs wanting simple, effective EDR with optional MDR | SMBs already on Microsoft 365 wanting bundled EDR |
| Deployment | Cloud | Cloud |
| G2 rating | 4.6/5 (900) | 4.4/5 (300) |
| Capterra rating | — | — |
| Our score | 7.8 | 7.8 |
Choose Malwarebytes ThreatDown if…
You need smbs/msps wanting simple, effective edr with optional mdr.
✓ Pros
- Easy to deploy and use
- Great remediation heritage
- Transparent entry price
✕ Cons
- Advanced features need higher tiers
- Reporting basic
- Newer to EDR
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: Microsoft Defender for Business vs Malwarebytes ThreatDown
Microsoft Defender for Business bills on a per user model from $3/user/mo (yes trial), while Malwarebytes ThreatDown uses a per endpoint model from $69/endpoint/yr (yes trial). Because the models differ, the cheaper option flips depending on your fleet size — model both at your seat/endpoint count.
Features & deployment
Microsoft Defender for Business ships 5 headline capabilities (EDR for SMB, Next-gen AV, Threat & vulnerability mgmt, Auto-investigation) and deploys Cloud. Malwarebytes ThreatDown ships 5 (Strong remediation engine, EDR + ransomware rollback, Simple console, Optional MDR), deploying Cloud.
Ratings & verdict
Microsoft Defender for Business holds 4.4/5 (~300 G2 reviews); Malwarebytes ThreatDown holds 4.6/5 (~900 G2 reviews). On our data-weighted score, Microsoft Defender for Business edges ahead (7.8 vs 7.8/10). Pick Malwarebytes ThreatDown instead when smbs/msps wanting simple, effective edr with optional mdr. See Microsoft Defender for Business alternatives or Malwarebytes ThreatDown alternatives.
Frequently asked questions
- Malwarebytes ThreatDown vs Microsoft Defender for Business: which is better?
- Malwarebytes ThreatDown vs Microsoft Defender for Business: on our data-weighted scoring, Malwarebytes ThreatDown edges ahead (7.8 vs 7.8/10). Malwarebytes ThreatDown starts at $69/endpoint/yr and is best for SMBs/MSPs wanting simple, effective EDR with optional MDR; Microsoft Defender for Business starts at $3/user/mo and is best for SMBs already on Microsoft 365 wanting bundled EDR.
- Is Malwarebytes ThreatDown cheaper than Microsoft Defender for Business?
- Malwarebytes ThreatDown starts at $69/endpoint/yr 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: threatdown.com, microsoft.com. Figures are pulled from public vendor and security data and refreshed automatically.