Microsoft Defender for Business Alternatives (2026)
- Starting price
- $3/user/mo
- Free trial
- Free trial
- Deployment
- Cloud
- Best for
- SMBs already on Microsoft 365 wanting bundled EDR
Our verdict
The top alternatives to Microsoft Defender for Business are SentinelOne Singularity, CrowdStrike Falcon, ThreatLocker. SentinelOne Singularity is the closest like-for-like option (4.7/5 (~2k G2 reviews), from $69.99/endpoint/yr). People typically switch from Microsoft Defender for Business over pricing model, complexity, or a missing capability — the table compares each alternative on exactly those axes.
- 1
SentinelOne Singularity
★ Editor's ChoiceVisit SentinelOne Singularity → From $69.99/endpoint/yr Microsoft Defender for Business vs SentinelOne Singularity →Best for Teams wanting autonomous AI-driven EDR/XDR.
- Autonomous AI detection
- Storyline attack visualization
- EDR/XDR
Free trial Free version - 2
CrowdStrike Falcon
Visit CrowdStrike Falcon → From $59.99/device/yr Microsoft Defender for Business vs CrowdStrike Falcon →Best for Organizations wanting best-in-class cloud-native EDR + threat intel.
- Cloud-native NGAV
- EDR/XDR
- Threat intelligence
Free trial Free version -
Best for MSPs wanting Zero Trust allowlisting and ringfencing.
- Application allowlisting
- Ringfencing
- Storage control
Free trial Free version - 4
Bitdefender GravityZone
Best for SMBs and MSPs wanting strong protection at a fair price.
- Top-rated AV engine
- EDR/XDR options
- Risk analytics
Free trial Free version - 5
Sophos Intercept X
Best for SMBs/MSPs wanting strong EDR plus optional MDR from one vendor.
- Deep-learning AV
- EDR/XDR
- Anti-ransomware (CryptoGuard)
Free trial Free version -
Best for Teams wanting lightweight, reliable endpoint protection.
- Lightweight AV
- EDR (Inspect)
- Full-disk encryption
Free trial Free version - 7
Malwarebytes ThreatDown
Best for SMBs/MSPs wanting simple, effective EDR with optional MDR.
- Strong remediation engine
- EDR + ransomware rollback
- Simple console
Free trial Free version
More alternatives detail
Teams usually move off Microsoft Defender for Business for one of three reasons: pricing model, complexity, or a missing capability. The closest like-for-like options on the data we track are SentinelOne Singularity, CrowdStrike Falcon, Bitdefender GravityZone.
- SentinelOne Singularity — Teams wanting autonomous AI-driven EDR/XDR; from $69.99/endpoint/yr (4.7/5 (~2k G2 reviews)). Compare directly: Microsoft Defender for Business vs SentinelOne Singularity.
- CrowdStrike Falcon — Organizations wanting best-in-class cloud-native EDR + threat intel; from $59.99/device/yr (4.7/5 (~290 G2 reviews)). Compare directly: Microsoft Defender for Business vs CrowdStrike Falcon.
- Bitdefender GravityZone — SMBs and MSPs wanting strong protection at a fair price; from Custom quote (4.6/5 (~400 G2 reviews)). Compare directly: Microsoft Defender for Business vs Bitdefender GravityZone.
- Sophos Intercept X — SMBs/MSPs wanting strong EDR plus optional MDR from one vendor; from Custom quote (4.6/5 (~350 G2 reviews)). Compare directly: Microsoft Defender for Business vs Sophos Intercept X.
- ESET PROTECT — Teams wanting lightweight, reliable endpoint protection; from Custom quote (4.6/5 (~800 G2 reviews)). Compare directly: Microsoft Defender for Business vs ESET PROTECT.
- Malwarebytes ThreatDown — SMBs/MSPs wanting simple, effective EDR with optional MDR; from $69/endpoint/yr (4.6/5 (~900 G2 reviews)). Compare directly: Microsoft Defender for Business vs Malwarebytes ThreatDown.
Frequently asked questions
- What is the best alternative to Microsoft Defender for Business?
- SentinelOne Singularity is the top-rated alternative in our data-weighted ranking (from $69.99/endpoint/yr).
- Why do people switch from Microsoft Defender for Business?
- Usually pricing model, complexity, or a missing capability. The table compares each alternative on exactly those axes.