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Database & Data Management · head to head

Amazon Aurora vs Microsoft Defender for Endpoint

Amazon Aurora logo

Amazon Aurora

Database & Data Management

MySQL and PostgreSQL-compatible relational database built for the cloud

From
Free
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite
Microsoft Defender for Endpoint logo

Microsoft Defender for Endpoint

Security & Cybersecurity

Enterprise endpoint security built into Microsoft 365

From
On request
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite

The short version

  • Only Amazon Aurora has a free tier, so it costs nothing to try first.
  • Each has a real cost: Amazon Aurora aurora requires AWS ecosystem knowledge and integration with other AWS services; Microsoft Defender for Endpoint pricing not published on public websites; quote required from Microsoft sales
  • They diverge on capability: Amazon Aurora covers MySQL/PostgreSQL Compatible, Microsoft Defender for Endpoint covers Threat & vulnerability management.

Where they differ

Only the attributes on which Amazon Aurora and Microsoft Defender for Endpoint actually diverge.

Attributes where Amazon Aurora and Microsoft Defender for Endpoint differ
AttributeAmazon AuroraMicrosoft Defender for Endpoint
Starting priceFreeOn request
Pricing modelusage-basedquote
Free tierYesNo
PlatformsAWS CloudWindows, macOS, Linux, iOS, Android
CategoryDatabase & Data ManagementSecurity & Cybersecurity
Founded20061975

Identical on both: user rating (Not yet rated).

What each one covers

Drawn from each product's published feature list. An absence here means we hold no record of it - not that the product lacks it.

Only in Amazon Aurora

  • MySQL/PostgreSQL Compatible
  • 5x MySQL Performance
  • Auto-scaling Storage
  • Global Database
  • Serverless v2
  • Multi-master
  • Fault Tolerant
  • AWS Lambda

Only in Microsoft Defender for Endpoint

  • Threat & vulnerability management
  • Attack surface reduction
  • Next-gen protection
  • EDR
  • Auto investigation
  • Microsoft Threat Experts
  • Threat analytics
  • Secure score

What people use each for

The jobs each tool is most often brought in to do.

Amazon Aurora

  • Transaction processingnot Microsoft Defender for Endpoint
  • Data storagenot Microsoft Defender for Endpoint
  • Application backendnot Microsoft Defender for Endpoint
  • Reportingnot Microsoft Defender for Endpoint
  • Data analyticsnot Microsoft Defender for Endpoint

Microsoft Defender for Endpoint

  • Enterprise endpoint security across Windows, macOS, Linux, Android, and iOS via Plans 1 or 2not Amazon Aurora
  • Small and medium-sized businesses using Microsoft Defender for Business as alternativenot Amazon Aurora
  • Organisations using Microsoft 365 E5 which includes Defender for Endpoint Plan 2not Amazon Aurora

Where each one falls short

Documented limitations, not opinions. Every one is a constraint you would hit in normal use.

Amazon Aurora

  • Aurora requires AWS ecosystem knowledge and integration with other AWS services
  • Pricing can become expensive with high-traffic applications using many read replicas
  • Limited support for non-relational data types compared to NoSQL alternatives

Microsoft Defender for Endpoint

  • Pricing not published on public websites; quote required from Microsoft sales
  • Defender for Endpoint Plan 1 and Plan 2 do not include server licenses; additional licensing required for server protection
  • Specific feature differences between Plan 1 and Plan 2 require consulting Microsoft documentation

Pricing, plan by plan

Amazon Aurora

Free
  • Serverless v2$0.12/hour
    • Auto-scaling
    • Pay per ACU
    • Instant scaling
  • Provisioned$29/month
    • Dedicated instances
    • Predictable performance
    • Reserved capacity

Microsoft Defender for Endpoint

On request

No published plan breakdown. See the Microsoft Defender for Endpoint review.

Which should you pick?

Choose Amazon Aurora if

  • You need mysql/postgresql compatible.
  • You want to start without paying.
  • You work on AWS Cloud.
  • You also want 5x mysql performance.
Amazon Aurora review

Choose Microsoft Defender for Endpoint if

  • You need threat & vulnerability management.
  • You work on Windows, macOS, Linux, iOS, Android.
  • You also want attack surface reduction.
Microsoft Defender for Endpoint review

Questions people ask

Is Amazon Aurora or Microsoft Defender for Endpoint better?
Neither clearly leads. Amazon Aurora starts at Free and Microsoft Defender for Endpoint at On request, and user ratings are close enough to be indistinguishable. Choose on capability and platform support.
Which is cheaper, Amazon Aurora or Microsoft Defender for Endpoint?
Amazon Aurora has a free tier; the other does not. Paid plans start at Free for Amazon Aurora and On request for Microsoft Defender for Endpoint.
Does Amazon Aurora or Microsoft Defender for Endpoint run on more platforms?
Amazon Aurora runs on AWS Cloud. Microsoft Defender for Endpoint runs on Windows, macOS, Linux, iOS, Android.
Can I use Amazon Aurora for free?
Yes. Amazon Aurora has a free tier, so you can try it without paying. Microsoft Defender for Endpoint starts at On request.
What is Amazon Aurora best used for?
Amazon Aurora is most often used for transaction processing, data storage, application backend, reporting. Of those, transaction processing and data storage are not what Microsoft Defender for Endpoint is typically brought in for.
What can Amazon Aurora do that Microsoft Defender for Endpoint cannot?
Amazon Aurora covers MySQL/PostgreSQL Compatible, 5x MySQL Performance, Auto-scaling Storage, Global Database. Microsoft Defender for Endpoint covers Threat & vulnerability management, Attack surface reduction, Next-gen protection, EDR.

Answered from the vendors’ own pages

Amazon Aurora: Is Amazon Aurora compatible with MySQL and PostgreSQL?

Yes, Amazon Aurora offers MySQL and PostgreSQL compatibility with full compatibility to their open-source counterparts, allowing you to migrate existing databases with standard tools.

Source
Amazon Aurora: What uptime SLA does Amazon Aurora provide?

Aurora is designed for up to 99.99% single-region uptime and 99.999% multi-region uptime with automatic failover.

Source
Amazon Aurora: How much does Amazon Aurora cost?

Aurora uses serverless, usage-based pricing where you pay only for consumed capacity. Typical pricing ranges from $50-70 per month for minimal setups to $400-600 per month for small production clusters.

Source
Amazon Aurora: Can Amazon Aurora scale automatically?

Yes, Aurora automatically scales to match workload demands without performance degradation, supporting both read and write scaling.

Source
Amazon Aurora: How many read replicas does Aurora support?

Aurora supports up to 15 low-latency read replicas for distributing read traffic across your application.

Source
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Related pages

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