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ConfigCat vs Microsoft Defender

ConfigCat logo

ConfigCat

Developer Tools

Feature flag service priced per flag and environment with unlimited seats and unlimited monthly active users

From
Free
Free plan
Yes
Full reviewWebsite
Microsoft Defender logo

Microsoft Defender

Cybersecurity

Always-on protection for you and your family's data and devices

From
$12/month
Free plan
No
Full reviewWebsite

The short version

  • Only ConfigCat has a free tier, so it costs nothing to try first.
  • Each has a real cost: ConfigCat there is no experimentation or statistical analysis engine, so teams wanting real A/B tests with significance testing must buy and integrate a separate analytics or experimentation product.; Microsoft Defender defender Suite requires existing Microsoft 365 E3 or equivalent base licensing
  • Prices and features above were last checked on 31 August 2026.

Where they differ

Only the attributes on which ConfigCat and Microsoft Defender actually diverge.

Attributes where ConfigCat and Microsoft Defender differ
AttributeConfigCatMicrosoft Defender
Starting priceFree$12/month
Pricing modelPer month by feature flag and environment countsubscription
Free tierYesNo
PlatformsWeb, API, iOS, Android, Node.js, .NET, Java, Python, GoWeb
CategoryDeveloper ToolsCybersecurity

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 ConfigCat

  • Feature flags and configuration
  • Percentage rollouts
  • Targeting rules and segments
  • Unlimited seats
  • Global CDN delivery
  • Audit log
  • Public API and webhooks
  • SDKs across languages

Only in Microsoft Defender

Nothing recorded that ConfigCat does not also cover.

What people use each for

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

ConfigCat

  • A consumer or mobile app with millions of users where per-MAU flag pricing would cost more than the flags are worthnot Microsoft Defender
  • A team that wants every engineer, product manager and support agent to have a login without paying per seatnot Microsoft Defender
  • Decoupling deployment from release with percentage rollouts and a kill switch, without buying an experimentation platformnot Microsoft Defender
  • A small team that needs ten flags permanently and can run indefinitely on the free tiernot Microsoft Defender

Microsoft Defender

  • Endpoint security and threat protectionnot ConfigCat
  • Identity and access securitynot ConfigCat
  • Email threat protectionnot ConfigCat
  • SaaS application security monitoringnot ConfigCat

Where each one falls short

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

ConfigCat

  • There is no experimentation or statistical analysis engine, so teams wanting real A/B tests with significance testing must buy and integrate a separate analytics or experimentation product.
  • Pricing by flag count punishes exactly the hygiene you want: the Pro tier caps at 100 flags, so teams that do not aggressively retire stale flags are pushed to the 325 dollar Smart tier for housekeeping reasons rather than growth.
  • The free tier allows only 2 environments, which does not cover the common development, staging and production split, so almost any real deployment starts on a paid plan.
  • It is a smaller vendor than the category incumbents, so enterprise procurement teams will find less depth in compliance attestations, contractual terms and reference architecture than LaunchDarkly offers.
  • Flag evaluation relies on SDK-side caching of a CDN-delivered config, which is fast but means propagation of a change is eventually consistent rather than instant, something to understand before relying on it as an emergency kill switch.

Microsoft Defender

  • Defender Suite requires existing Microsoft 365 E3 or equivalent base licensing
  • Some Defender products use pay-as-you-go pricing with variable costs
  • Prices vary based on Microsoft agreements, requiring sales contact for custom quotes

Pricing, plan by plan

ConfigCat

Free
  • Forever FreeFree
    • 10 feature flags
    • 2 environments and 2 products
    • 2 segments
  • Pro$110/month
    • 100 feature flags
    • 3 environments and 3 products
    • Unlimited seats and MAUs
  • Smart$325/month
    • Unlimited feature flags
    • Unlimited environments, products and segments
    • Unlimited seats and MAUs
  • Enterprise$900/month
    • Everything in Smart
    • Enterprise support and controls
    • Unlimited everything on flag counts

Microsoft Defender

$12/month
  • Microsoft Defender Suite$12/month
    • Endpoint protection
    • Identity threat detection
    • Email security
  • Microsoft 365 E5 with Defender$60/month
    • Includes Defender Suite
    • Microsoft Teams included
    • Comprehensive security and compliance
  • Microsoft Defender Vulnerability Management Add-on$2/month
    • Vulnerability scanning and management
    • One-month free trial available
    • Annual commitment required

Which should you pick?

Choose ConfigCat if

  • You need feature flags and configuration.
  • You want to start without paying.
  • You work on Web, API, iOS, Android, Node.js, .NET, Java, Python, Go.
  • You also want percentage rollouts.
ConfigCat review

Choose Microsoft Defender if

Nothing in the data separates Microsoft Defender from ConfigCat on the points above - pick on price and on how each one feels to use.

Microsoft Defender review

Questions people ask

Is ConfigCat or Microsoft Defender better?
Neither clearly leads. ConfigCat starts at Free and Microsoft Defender at $12/month, and user ratings are close enough to be indistinguishable. Choose on capability and platform support.
Which is cheaper, ConfigCat or Microsoft Defender?
ConfigCat has a free tier; the other does not. Paid plans start at Free for ConfigCat and $12/month for Microsoft Defender.
Does ConfigCat or Microsoft Defender run on more platforms?
ConfigCat runs on Web, API, iOS, Android, Node.js, .NET, Java, Python, Go. Microsoft Defender runs on Web.
Can I use ConfigCat for free?
Yes. ConfigCat has a free tier, so you can try it without paying. Microsoft Defender starts at $12/month.
What is ConfigCat best used for?
ConfigCat is most often used for a consumer or mobile app with millions of users where per-mau flag pricing would cost more than the flags are worth, a team that wants every engineer, product manager and support agent to have a login without paying per seat, decoupling deployment from release with percentage rollouts and a kill switch, without buying an experimentation platform, a small team that needs ten flags permanently and can run indefinitely on the free tier. Of those, a consumer or mobile app with millions of users where per-mau flag pricing would cost more than the flags are worth and a team that wants every engineer, product manager and support agent to have a login without paying per seat are not what Microsoft Defender is typically brought in for.
What can ConfigCat do that Microsoft Defender cannot?
ConfigCat covers Feature flags and configuration, Percentage rollouts, Targeting rules and segments, Unlimited seats.

Answered from the vendors’ own pages

ConfigCat: How is ConfigCat priced?

By feature flag, environment and product count. Seats, monthly active users and flag reads are unlimited on every plan.

Microsoft Defender: How much does Microsoft Defender Suite cost?

Microsoft Defender Suite costs $12/user/month (paid yearly), but requires existing Microsoft 365 E3 or equivalent base licensing. It includes endpoint protection, identity threat detection, email security, and SaaS application monitoring.

Source
ConfigCat: Is the free tier usable?

For small projects yes, but at 10 flags and 2 environments it will not cover a dev, staging and production setup.

Microsoft Defender: What add-ons are available for Microsoft Defender?

Microsoft Defender Vulnerability Management Add-on costs $2/user/month with annual commitment and includes a one-month free trial. Additional pay-as-you-go products include External Attack Surface Management, Cloud Security Posture Management, and Sentinel.

Source
ConfigCat: Can it run A/B tests?

It can split traffic, but there is no statistics engine. You need a separate analytics tool to decide a winner.

Microsoft Defender: Is Defender included in Microsoft 365 E5?

Yes, Microsoft Defender Suite is included in Microsoft 365 E5 at $60/user/month (paid yearly with Teams). Prices may vary based on Microsoft agreements, requiring contact with Sales for customized quotes.

Source
ConfigCat: How fast does a flag change take effect?

SDKs poll and cache, so changes propagate on the polling interval rather than instantly.

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