Developer Tools · head to head
Backstage vs Microsoft Defender for Endpoint
Backstage
Developer Tools
Open source internal developer portal framework created and open sourced by Spotify
- From
- Free
- Free plan
- Yes
Microsoft Defender for Endpoint
Cybersecurity
Enterprise endpoint security built into Microsoft 365
- From
- On request
- Free plan
- No
The short version
- Only Backstage has a free tier, so it costs nothing to try first.
- Each has a real cost: Backstage backstage is a framework rather than a product: there is no supported turnkey install, so getting to a usable portal means a TypeScript and React project your team owns, hosts and upgrades forever.; Microsoft Defender for Endpoint pricing not published on public websites; quote required from Microsoft sales
- They diverge on capability: Backstage covers Software catalogue, Microsoft Defender for Endpoint covers Threat & vulnerability management.
- Prices and features above were last checked on 31 August 2026.
Where they differ
Only the attributes on which Backstage and Microsoft Defender for Endpoint actually diverge.
| Attribute | Backstage | Microsoft Defender for Endpoint |
|---|---|---|
| Starting price | Free | On request |
| Pricing model | Open source, no licence fee | quote |
| Free tier | Yes | No |
| Platforms | Web, Self-hosted, Linux, Docker, Kubernetes | Windows, macOS, Linux, iOS, Android |
| Category | Developer Tools | Cybersecurity |
| Founded | Unknown | 1975 |
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 Backstage
- Software catalogue
- Software templates
- TechDocs
- Plugin architecture
- Kubernetes plugin
- Search
- Entity ownership model
- Auth provider integrations
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.
Backstage
- An engineering organisation past roughly a hundred services where nobody can reliably answer who owns a given service at two in the morningnot Microsoft Defender for Endpoint
- A platform team enforcing golden paths, so a new service is scaffolded with logging, CI and security defaults already wired innot Microsoft Defender for Endpoint
- A company consolidating scattered READMEs and Confluence pages into docs that live beside the code and cannot silently rot unnoticednot Microsoft Defender for Endpoint
- A regulated business that needs an auditable register of every running service, its owner and its data classificationnot Microsoft Defender for Endpoint
Microsoft Defender for Endpoint
- Enterprise endpoint security across Windows, macOS, Linux, Android, and iOS via Plans 1 or 2not Backstage
- Small and medium-sized businesses using Microsoft Defender for Business as alternativenot Backstage
- Organisations using Microsoft 365 E5 which includes Defender for Endpoint Plan 2not Backstage
Where each one falls short
Documented limitations, not opinions. Every one is a constraint you would hit in normal use.
Backstage
- Backstage is a framework rather than a product: there is no supported turnkey install, so getting to a usable portal means a TypeScript and React project your team owns, hosts and upgrades forever.
- Upstream releases move quickly and plugin APIs have broken across major versions, so a customised deployment accumulates upgrade debt and teams routinely fall months behind on versions they cannot cheaply catch up on.
- The catalogue is only as good as the YAML descriptors engineers remember to write; without enforcement the register drifts out of date, and a developer portal nobody trusts is abandoned faster than one that never existed.
- Community plugin quality varies sharply, with many unmaintained or pinned to old core versions, so the plugin that made the business case may be the one blocking your next upgrade.
- Spotify Portal, the packaged commercial route, publishes no price at all and is quoted as a custom annual subscription, so the only cost you can actually forecast up front is the self-hosted one, which is the option with the largest hidden staffing bill.
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
Backstage
Free- Backstage (open source)Free
- Apache 2.0 licence
- Software catalogue, templates, TechDocs and search
- Full plugin ecosystem
- Spotify Portal for Backstage$undefined/year
- Packaged commercial distribution from Spotify
- Spotify premium plugins including Soundcheck and Insights
- Simplified setup and managed upgrade path
Microsoft Defender for Endpoint
On requestNo published plan breakdown. See the Microsoft Defender for Endpoint review.
Which should you pick?
Choose Backstage if
- You need software catalogue.
- You want to start without paying.
- You work on Web, Self-hosted, Linux, Docker, Kubernetes.
- You also want software templates.
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.
Questions people ask
- Is Backstage or Microsoft Defender for Endpoint better?
- Neither clearly leads. Backstage 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, Backstage or Microsoft Defender for Endpoint?
- Backstage has a free tier; the other does not. Paid plans start at Free for Backstage and On request for Microsoft Defender for Endpoint.
- Does Backstage or Microsoft Defender for Endpoint run on more platforms?
- Backstage runs on Web, Self-hosted, Linux, Docker, Kubernetes. Microsoft Defender for Endpoint runs on Windows, macOS, Linux, iOS, Android.
- Can I use Backstage for free?
- Yes. Backstage has a free tier, so you can try it without paying. Microsoft Defender for Endpoint starts at On request.
- What is Backstage best used for?
- Backstage is most often used for an engineering organisation past roughly a hundred services where nobody can reliably answer who owns a given service at two in the morning, a platform team enforcing golden paths, so a new service is scaffolded with logging, ci and security defaults already wired in, a company consolidating scattered readmes and confluence pages into docs that live beside the code and cannot silently rot unnoticed, a regulated business that needs an auditable register of every running service, its owner and its data classification. Of those, an engineering organisation past roughly a hundred services where nobody can reliably answer who owns a given service at two in the morning and a platform team enforcing golden paths, so a new service is scaffolded with logging, ci and security defaults already wired in are not what Microsoft Defender for Endpoint is typically brought in for.
- What can Backstage do that Microsoft Defender for Endpoint cannot?
- Backstage covers Software catalogue, Software templates, TechDocs, Plugin architecture. Microsoft Defender for Endpoint covers Threat & vulnerability management, Attack surface reduction, Next-gen protection, EDR.
Answered from the vendors’ own pages
Backstage: Is Backstage free?
The project is Apache 2.0 with no licence fee. The real cost is engineering time; teams commonly dedicate one to two engineers permanently to running it.
Microsoft Defender for Endpoint: How is Microsoft Defender for Endpoint priced?
Defender for Endpoint is bundled into Microsoft 365 enterprise subscriptions. Plan 1 is included in Microsoft 365 E3, and Plan 2 is included in Microsoft 365 E5. Individual pricing is not published separately.
SourceBackstage: Do I need to write code to use it?
Yes. Configuring and extending a Backstage application is a TypeScript and React project. This is the single most common misjudgement buyers make.
Microsoft Defender for Endpoint: Does Microsoft Defender for Endpoint offer a trial?
Yes. A free trial is available for prospective customers to test the product before committing to a subscription.
SourceBackstage: What is Spotify Portal for Backstage?
A commercial distribution from Spotify with premium plugins and support, generally available since October 2025 and sold as a quoted annual subscription with no published price.
Microsoft Defender for Endpoint: What is the difference between Plan 1 and Plan 2?
Plan 1 (in E3) includes unified security tools, device controls, network protection, firewall, web/URL controls, APIs, SIEM connectors, and app controls. Plan 2 (in E5) adds endpoint detection and response, deception techniques, automatic attack disruption, exposure management, and threat intelligence.
SourceBackstage: Who owns the project?
Spotify created and open sourced it; it is now a CNCF project, so the upstream roadmap is not solely Spotify controlled.
Related pages
More on Microsoft Defender for Endpoint
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